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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-06-23Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 22:20 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPE[D] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] STATE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS START WEDNESDAYWeb Posted: 15:13 GMT+2Thessaloniki, June 23 (MPA)Greek high-school students have hit the books and are feverishly studying in light of the state university entrance examinations which are to start on Wednesday.Passing the nation-wide exams is the prerequisite for entering the public university and technical schools. This year, 170,000 candidates will vie for a chance at a college degree. A.F. [02] LATE STATESMAN ANDREAS PAPANDREOU REVERED ONE YEAR AFTER HIS DEATHWeb Posted: 15:13 GMT+2Athens, June 23 (MPA)The ruling PASOK party honored the memory of its founder, the late Andreas Papandreou with ceremonies and liturgies held yesterday in Athens and Thessaloniki, marking the one-year memorial since the statesman's death.A te deum service was held at the Athens First Cemetery in the afternoon yesterday, while a political and music event was held at the Athens Music Hall in the evening, attended by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and France's former Culture Minister Jack Lang, a close friend and political ally of Mr. Papandreou, addressed the event. A.F. [03] THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES MET WITH THE GREEK POLITICAL LEADERSHIPWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Athens 23 June (MPA)The President of the Philippines Fidel Ramos, who is visiting Greece, met with Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and discussed issues concerning bilateral relations and their further improvement.President Stephanopoulos stated that there is a great potential for cooperation between the two countries, pointing out that Greece hosts a large number of workers from the Philippines and that many sailors from this country work in the Greek merchant fleet. [04] 3.500 PEOPLE VISITED THE EXHIBITION OF TREASURES FROM MOUNT ATHOS IN TWO DAYSWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Thessaloniki 23 June (MPA)The most significant cultural event of the year, the Exhibition of Treasures from Mount Athos, which has opened in the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, has already attracted a large number of visitors. Since its official opening on Saturday afternoon the exhibition had 3.500 visitors.It covers a space of 1.600 square meters and attempts to present to the Greek and the international public the very important monastic community of Mount Athos and its significance not only for the Orthodox Christians and Greece but for the world community as a whole. [05] THREE RESOLUTIONS ON NATIONAL ISSUES IN THE US CONGRESSWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2New York 23 June (MPA)Three new resolutions concerning the Cyprus issue, the implementation of economic sanctions on Turkey and the protection of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul have already been tabled and are expected to be voted through in the US Congress.The first resolution calls for the undertaking of a US initiative for a fair and peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem. The second one aims at blocking any economic aid to Turkey for 1998 if the Turkish government does not take the necessary measures for the improvement of the country's human rights record, while the third resolution aims at making official the interest of the US Congress in the protection of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul. [06] MPA ORGANIZES CONFERENCE ON PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN S.E. EUROPEWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Thessaloniki 23 June (MPA)The general directors of the Balkan mass media are to meet in a sea resort near Thessaloniki on June 30 and July 1, within the framework of the conference "Peace and Development in Southeastern Europe: the role of the mass media", an event organized by the Macedonian Press Agency.This significant two-day event will be declared open by Minister of Communication and Transportations Haris Kastanides and Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, while Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas will close the conference. In a press conference held today, MPA's Board of Directors President Pavlos Petrides stated that this initiative, aside from the exchange of information that it will promote, aims at strengthening the ties between the countries and the peoples of southeastern Europe. Mr.Petrides characterized it as the most important meeting of Balkan mass media general directors, stressing that among the participants will be distinguished personalities from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, FYROM, Romania, Yugoslavia, Slovenia and Turkey. MPA's general director Spyros Kouzinopoulos expressed satisfaction regarding the participation in the inter-Balkan conference, while he also referred extensively to the Balkan News Bank which is to begin operation next month at the facilities of the Macedonian Press Agency and is expected to breath new air into the Balkan news flow. He said that based on the agreements signed, the 12 national Balkan news agencies participating in the project will channel news items in english on a 24-hour basis. Mr.Kouzinopoulos pointed out that this is the most significant of the initiatives MPA has undertaken in the past few years, adding that MPA, which in 1994 played a leading role in the establishment of the Association of Balkan News Agencies, ABNA, aims through its intiatives at the improvement of the information exhange in the Balkans. [07] THE "EUROPARTENARIAT '97" OPENED IN PIREAUS TODAYWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Pireaus 23 June (MPA)The "Europartenariat '97" opened in Pireaus today with the participation of 2000 businesses from 77 countries. Greece's presence in the event is notable, as it is represented by 400 select medium-sized businesses.The scheduled business meetings are over 10.000, while the invited businessmen will have the opportunity to attend two seminars on investments in Greece. It should be reminded, that the "Europartenariat" institution is placed within the framework of the EU Commission's policy for the support of the medium sized businesses and is held in Greece for a second time. [08] MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT TACKLES CRISIS AT OLYMPIC AIRWAYSWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Athens, June 23 (MPA)Greece's Minister of Development Vaso Papandreou has taken initiatives to resolve the rising problems at Olympic Airways where a chaotic situation has been created by flight cancellations and postponements due to staff mobilisations.The Minister of Transportation and Communication Haris Castanides, currently in Helsinki where he is participating at the European Conference on Transportation, warned that the government will take measures against those employees who participate in the airline's mobilisation. [09] EUPARLIAMENT'S DELEGATION IN THESSALONIKI TO DISCUSS WOMEN'S RIGHTSWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Thessaloniki, June 23 (MPA)A seven-member delegation of European Parliament representatives is currently in Thessaloniki, in order to conduct research on the issues concerning Greek women.The delegation's leader Torres Marques, who met with representatives from Greek women's organisations at Thessaloniki's Bar Association, stated that European women ask that they be given the opportunity to be involved in all sectors and are seeking ways to participate in political decision-making, so that they will be able to secure equal status in the various political parties and at the same time gain an active part in the world of politics. PASOK deputy Aggela Kokkola has submitted a proposal to the European Parliament on the "main streaming" programme, which is to be tabled in September. New Democracy deputy Nana Mouskouri stressed the need for women to be better informed on their rights, so that they may claim them. Today's session stressed the need for solidarity among European women and discussed issues such as economic independence, maternity leave for working mothers and an overall change in mentality. The delegation was welcomed by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Kosmopoulos and other officials. [10] PRESIDENT OF GREEK PARLIAMENT POINTS OUT DANGERS OF TURKISH AGGRESSIONWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Athens, June 23 (MPA)The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis stressed today the dangers rising from the Turkish aggression in the Aegean, following a meeting he held today with his German counterpart from Vade- Wuddenburg.The two men discussed the situation in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean, as well as issues concerning the education of Greeks living in the small German state. The two leaders agreed to expand the academic co-operation between their two countries. Regarding the danger of a Greek-Turkish conflict in the Aegean, Mr. Kaklamanis stated that "a conflict in the Aegean will not be a one or two day affair, but will definitely have its repercussions and the danger would apparent not only for the Greek-Turkish region, but for the whole area. And this the Europeans must understand, but especially more so the Americans." [11] GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION IS CURRENTLY IN CUBAWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Athens, June 23 (MPA)A nine-member parliamentary delegation is currently visiting Cuba, led by Greece's former Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias.The delegation, representatives of the parliamentary committee of National Defence and Foreign Affairs, are to meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro, as well as the Cuban Ministers of foreign affairs and defence. [12] GREECE'S "PARLIAMENT OF YOUTH" IS IN SESSION, CYPRIOT TEENS PARTICIPATEWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Athens, June 23 (MPA)The annually-held "Parliament of Youth" is currently underway at Greece's Parliament, this year featuring the participation of Cypriot teenagers.All together, the participants are 350 teen "parliamentarians", of whom 300 are high-school students from Greece, 25 from Cyprus and 25 are Greek- origin students from high schools throughout the world. The program will conclude tomorrow morning when the students will submit their proposals to the Parliament's plenary session. [13] THESSALONIKI TO HOST MEETING ON SOCIAL DIALOGUE PROGRESS IN EUROPEWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Thessaloniki, June 23 (MPA)The first International Meeting for the Development of Social Dialogue in the countries of Central and south-eastern Europe will begin in Thessaloniki tomorrow.Its aim is to pressure the region's governments into promoting the modernisation of their institutional framework as a necessary pre-condition for the harmonisation of their economies with the demands of the European Union. Participating in the meeting will be institutes from eight countries, namely 15 trade unions from Greece, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia and FYROM and 11 employers unions from Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey. [14] GREECE-FYROM TRANSPORTATION MINISTERS MEET IN HELSINKIWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Helsinki, June 23 (MPA)Greece's Minister of Transportation and Communication Haris Kastanides has expressed Greece's heightened interest in the European corridor Elsinki- Alexandroupolis, during his meeting with his counterpart form FYROM Abdulmenaf Bejeti, in Helsinki today.The two ministers met within the framework of the Fifth European Conference on transportation held in Finland. Mr. Kastanides has expressed the hope that the conference's outcome will not be limited to decision-making, but will proceed to actual projects. [15] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT UNDERLINED THE DANGERS STEMMING FROM THE TURKISH AGGRESSIVENESS IN THE AEGEANWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Athens 23 June (MPA)Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis in statements he made after his meeting with his counterpart from the German state of Baden-Wuttenberg underlined the dangers stemming from the Turkish aggressiveness in the Aegean.The two men also discussed the situation in the Balkans and eastern Meditteranean, as well as issues concerning the education of the children of the Greek community in this German state. The President of the Greek Parliament, his counterpart and Deans of German Universities decided to expand the cooperation between the Greek Universities and the Universities of Baden-Wuttenberg. Mr.Kaklamanis stated, regarding the risk of a Greek-Turkish armed conflict in the Aegean, that it will not have a duration of just one or two days, adding that the danger will affect not only the two countries but the whole region and that this must be realized by the Europeans and especially, by the Americans. [B] BALKANS[16] TURKEY: CILLER REJECTS YILMAZ'S PROPOSAL FOR COOPERATIONWeb Posted: 15:13 GMT+2Ankara, June 23 (MPA)Tansu Ciller has rejected the proposal submitted by Mesut Yilmaz that they cooperate at a state level.Ms. Ciller accused Mr. Yilmaz of trying to "snatch" her deputies who would support his imminent cabinet. Yilmaz, who has been appointed by President Suleiman Demirel as the Premier- designate, must secure the support of another eleven deputies since his seats, along with those of Deniz Baykal's Republican People's Party and Bulent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party amount to 267, a figure just a tad short of the necessary 276 for the Parliament's vote of confidence. A.F. [17] "OMONIA" REPRESENTATIVES TO GATHER IN THESSALONIKI THIS EVENINGWeb Posted: 15:13 GMT+2Thessaloniki, June 23 (MPA)The President of the Albania-based organization "Omonia", comprising Greeks living in Albania, George Labovitiades, is to address a gathering in Thessaloniki this evening, to discuss Albania's imminent elections.Aside from Mr. Labovitiades, others who will address the event will be Greeks living in Albania who are on the election's ballot. A.F. [18] VIOLENCE MOUNTS IN ALBANIA, EPISODES AT CORFU WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTSWeb Posted: 15:13 GMT+2Corfu, June 23 (MPA)Greek coast guard men stationed at Corfu arrested this morning two Albanians who attempted to reach the island's shores on a rubber dinghy. The two men were taken into custody after a short chase.Also, unknown culprits burglarized the Greek consulate at Gjirocaster during the early morning hours, causing minor damage to the premises. Meanwhile, the political parties in Albania have began their countdown in light of June 29's early general elections, in spite of the rising violence throughout the country. The leaders of Albania's Democratic and Socialist Parties, Tritan Sehu and Fatos Nano, respectively, are meeting in Rome today in an effort to diffuse the tension in their country and sign an agreement in this direction. On Wednesday, the special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Franz Vranitski will travel to Tirana where he is to stay until Friday. A.F. [19] FYROM SUBMITTED WRITTEN PROPOSAL FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE NAME ISSUEWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Skopje 23 June (MPA)FYROM's President Kiro Gligorov, upon his return from the United States, expressed his country's decision to continue the dialogue with Greece in order to find a solution to the issue regarding the name that will be used by his country.Speaking to journalists, mr.Gligorov announced that FYROM has submitted a written proposal to Ambassador Christos Zacharakis, who represents Greece in the Greek-FYROM talks, based on which it accepts that Greece can use any name it wants for FYROM in bilateral relations, while in international relations should use the name "Republic of Macedonia" when it refers to FYROM. [20] THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE SECTOR FOR INVESTMENTS IN BULGARIAWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Sofia 23 June (MPA)Chemical products, processed farmed goods and metals as well as, the production of building and construction equipment are the four main sectors of the Bulgarian industry that are most attractive to foreign investors, as they claim a large percentage of the overall industrial production in the country.Greece in 1996 occupied the 5th position among 10 countries regarding the volume of exports to Bulgaria and has expanded its activities compared to 1995 when it occupied the 6th place. The first place in volume of exports is occupied by Italy as it has achieved a considerable increase compared to 1995 and 1994, when it was in the 4th and 5th place respectively. [21] UNFICYP'S STAY EXTENSION TABLED TODAY TO UN SECURITY COUNCILWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Nicosia, June 23 (MPA)The Cyprus issue and the extension of the peacekeeping force UNFICYP's stay in the island was among the agendaed items for discussion during the United Nations Security Council's meeting today.Also today, the UN Secretary-General's report on the Cyprus issue will be published. Meanwhile, the head of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Sergei Lavrov met with the UN Secretary-General's special adviser Diego Kordobez, who is to chair next month's direct talks between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. Following his meeting with Mr. Kordobez, Mr. Lavrov stated that "Mr. Kordobez has expressed his hope that the participants in this effort can count on the continuous support of the Security Council." [22] THREE ALBANIAN PARTIES REACH PACT IN LIGHT OF ELECTIONSWeb Posted: 22:20 GMT+2Rome, June 23 (MPA)An agreement to restore order, carry out the elections of June 29 normally and salvage Albania from the crisis was signed in Rome today among the leaders of the country's Socialist, Democratic and Social-Democratic parties, Fatos Nano, Tritan Sehu and Skender Gjinushi respectively.The Republican party and the "Bali Kobetar" faction participated but did not sign the agreement since they aren't accepting the 40-seat share in parliament. [C] EUROPE[23] THE EU INSTITUTIONS HAVE DECIDED ON CYPRUS' ACCESSIONWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Athens 23 June (MPA)The responsible EU bodies have decided on Cyprus' accession into the European Union, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to a question made by reporters, regarding the statement of Turkish True Path Party leader Tansu Ciller on Cyprus' accession into the EU.Those statements are placed within the framework of the political game played at this moment in Turkey, said mr.Reppas, adding that they have a negative effect both on ms.Ciller and Turkey, while they create unfavourable conditions in the Greek-Turkish relations. Referring to the violations of the Cypriot air space by Turkish fighter jets, mr.Reppas stated that they undermine the climate that has been created for the solution of the Cyprus problem in view of the direct talks between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in New York. [D] WORLD[24] FINANCIERS, ECONOMISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO MEET IN THESSALONIKIWeb Posted: 15:13 GMT+2Thessaloniki, June 23 (MPA)The International Association of Finance and Economics is to hold its largest annual comference in Thessaloniki this Thursday, gathering over 200 financial experts from throughout the world.The four-day conference is held under the auspices of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the US-based Rutgers School of Business and Finance and the Athens Laboratory of Business Administration ( a non-profit organization of the Association of Greek Industries and the Greek Association of Business Administration). The participants are to address the operation of international stock markets and banking institutions, the business opportunities that are emerging from the Southeastern European region and the new forms of credit and loans. Among the distinguished financiers to be present at the conference will be the president of Israel's stock exchange and Tel Aviv University professor Ylia Orglet, the NYU professor Mr. Brenner, the Greek professor of the Chicago University's economics department Mr. Konstantinides, the chairman of the Athens Securities exchange Mr. Xanthakis and many others A.F. [25] RUSSIA IS THE 4TH TOURIST MARKET FOR CYPRUSWeb Posted: 18:43 GMT+2Nicosia 23 June (MPA)Germany, the Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, Greece and mainly Russia as well as, the total of the former Soviet Republics are the best tourist markets for Cyprus, based on the fact that since 1990 it is observed a continuous increase in their number of arrivals. Nevertheless, no one of those countries threatens to take the first place that belongs to Britain, followed by Germany and the Scandinavian countries.Based on recent statistical data provided by the Cypriot Tourist Agents Association, Russia and the former Soviet Republics occupy the fourth place regarding the number of arrivals in Cyprus, while the future prospects are very promising. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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