Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-07-09

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, July 9, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREEK PREMIER COMMENTS ON NON-AGGRESSION PACT

Commenting n the non-aggression pact signed between Greece and Turkey during yesterday's session of the NATO Summit in Madrid, Greece's Prime Mister Kostas Simitis stated that the common statement is a document of general principles that does not actually resolve specific issues, such as the Imia islets on which Athens insists for a step-by-step approach.

The Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas characterised the common statement as a significant success for Greece, pointing out that Turkey has taken a vow before third parties to respect the international community.

Both Mr. Reppas and the alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou assessed that this development will have an overall affect on Greek-Turkish relations.

[02] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OF FYROM AT NATO SUMMIT

Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis met with the President of FYROM Kiro Gligorov in Madrid this evening, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit held yesterday and today at the Spanish capital.

According to the Greek Premier, the two leaders disscussed issues of general interest, such as the current situation in the Balkans, cooperation between the two countries and the opportunities for further development thereof.

Mr. Simitis pointed out that the name issue pending between the two countries was not mentioned and clarified that this matter is currently being discussed by the United Nations.

[03] EMERGENCY MEASURES TO COMBAT FIRES GET SET FOR ENFORCEMENT TODAY

The emergency measures announced yesterday by the governmental delegation that visited Thessaloniki on the aftermath of the devastating fire that burned most of Thesaloniki's Seikh Sou forest are to be set into effect today.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture Stephanos Tzoumakas stated that the Gernal Air Force staff is the authority responsible for the management of the fire-fighting planes and he vowed that an investigation will be conducted to discover why the planes were late in arriving at the fire on Sunday.

[04] MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE GRANTS AWARD TO K. KENNEDY

The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos has bestowed the "Hall of Fame Awards of Greece" to the deputy Governor of the State of Maryland Katheleine Kennedy-Townsend.

Mr. Petsalnikos saluted the presence and contribution of women in the sectors of business, politics, culture and journalism, during the Women's Leadership Forum of Greece, held in Thessaloniki last evening.

[05] MEETING ON GREEK BUSINESS VENTURES IN THE BALKANS TO BE HELD TOMORROW

Opportunities for the State to strengthen and encourage Greek businessmen to invest in countries of Southeastern Europe are to be examined in a meeting held by representatives of Greek Industries (SEV), approximately 40 bankers and other businessmen and the Greek Ministers of Development and Foreign Affairs, on Thursday in Thessaloniki.

[06] PAN-MACEDONIAN WORLD CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI ON JULY 20-27

The 7th World Conference of the Pan-Macedonian Associations Abroad will be held in Thessaloniki on July 20-27, concurrent with celebrations that will honour the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Pan-Macedonian Association of America and Canada.

The formal opening of the World Conference, held every 4 years, and the 50th Conference of the Pan-Macedonian Association of America and Canada, will take place on July 20, while on July 27 the World Conference proceedings will be completed with the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected Council of the Pan- Macedonian Association of America and Canada.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[07] GREECE AND TURKEY PROCEED TO NON-AGGRESSION PACT

Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, currently in Madrid participating at the NATO Summit which started at the Spanish capital yesterday, met with the President of Turkey Suleiman Demirel last evening and agreed on a statement that guides both countries to undertake efforts to promote bilateral relations which will be based on a mutual commitment to peace, security and continuous development of good neighbourly relations, respect for each country's sovereignty, respect for the principles of International Law and International Accords, respect for the lawful and viable interests of each country in the Aegean, which bear great significance for their security and national sovereignty.

Also, the statement reads that the relations will aim at avoiding unilateral acts so that conflicts due to misunderstanding will be avoided and aim to resolve their differences through peaceful means, based on mutual agreements and without the use of force or the threat thereof.

[08] NATO SUMMIT HAILED AS HALLMARK IN EUROPE'S HISTORY

The NATO Summit held in Madrid yesterday and today has been hailed as a hallmark for Europe's history, by the leaders of the 16 countries-members of the Alliance, as well as their 28 counterparts from the Balkan and Southeastern European countries.

The Summit illustrated the political will expressed by all participants to establish peace and security, while, as was decided yesterday, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland are to embark on accession talks with the Alliance.

In his address today, the Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Simtiis saluted the cooperation agreement signed between Hungary and NATO. Moreover, Mr. Simitis stressed Greece's active role as an determining factor for stability and security in the Balkans, stating that "based on common valuese of founding principles, such as national independence, territorial integrity and defense of democracy, we are convinced that we will proceed -in a constructive manner- to building a better future for all.

[09] STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SALUTES GREECE-TURKEY COMMON STATEMENT

The US State Department spokesperson Nicholas Burns has characterised the common statement signed by the Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Simitis and the Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, concerning non-aggression acts between and from these countries, as a great step ahead.

Mr. Burns stated that the agreement is part of the American efforts being undertaken since the Imia crisis to create a climate of mutual trust a and respect between the two neighbouring countries, without the use of force or the threat thereof.

[10] CYPRUS SALUTES GREECE-TURKEY NON-AGGRESSION PACT

The Cypriot government has saluted the non-aggression pact signed between Greece and Turkey, during the yesterday's session of the NATO Summit held in Madrid.

Cypriot government spokesperson Manolis Christofides also conveyed his government's hope that this development will bear a positive effedt on the direct talkto be held in New York today between the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and the Turkish-Cypriot President Rauf Denktash.

[11] CLERIDES-DENKTASH TALKS TO BEGIN IN NEW YORK TODAY

Direct talks between the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and the Turkish-Cypriot President Rauf Denktash are to be held in New York today. Yesterday, both men attended a dinner hosted in their honour by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan. United States Presidential envoy for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke held separate meetings with Msrs. Clerides and Denktash yesterday evening.

The talks are to be continued during August in Switzerland, while the determining factor for a US initiative on the Cyprus issue will be Cyprus's presidential elections to be held the following spring.

[12] US STATE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS DIRECT TALKS BETWEEN CLERIDES- DENKTASH

US State Department has confirmed Washington's support to the Clerides-Denktash direct talks on Cyprus.

Through a recently-released statement, the US State Department calls on the two sides and all the interested parties to work hard to start a process that will bridge the differences separating them, while it is stressed that the basic goal of this process remains a comprehensive solution that will establish a two- zone, two-community federation in Cyprus.

The United States also express the hope that the New York meeting will serve as a basis for further negotiations during this year and the following one, while the statement also mentions that US special envoy Richard Holbrooke will have private and separate meetings with the two leaders before the opening of the talks.

US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns stressed that his country wants to offer every possible support to the UN for the promotion of a good basis for those talks.

[13] CLERIDES-DENKTASH TALKS BEGIN IN NEW YORK

The Cyprus issue and ways to resolve it are the topics that are being tackled during the direct talks between the Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and the leader of the Turkish-Cypriots Rauf Denktash, currently held in New York under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The US Presidential envoy for Cyprus Richard Holbrooke has stated that the non-agression pact signed between Greek Premier Kostas Simitis and Turkish President Suleiman Demirel does create a very positive climate for the Cyprus issue, albeit he added that excessive expectations shoud not be held.

[14] FATOS NANO TO BE ALBANIA'S PREMIER, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS

While the official results of Albania's parliamentary elections have not been published yet, the Albanian press has printed the names of the participants in the new cabinet.

According to the reports, the Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano is most likely to take over the Premiership, while the current Premier Bashkim Fino is deemed as the most likely candidate for President of Parliament.

[15] F.R.Y.: MILOSEVIC VOLUNTEERS TO MEDIATE IN PLAVSIC-KARADJIC DISCORD

The President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic has expressed his willingness to mediate in the discord that has recently arisen between Biljana Plavcic, the President of the Seeb Republic of Bosnia, and the supporters of her predecessor Radovan Karadjic.

Mr. Milosevic has invited Ms. Plavsic and Mr. Kraisnic to hold talks that will aim at securing the Dayton Peace agreemment.

[16] THE 2ND WORLD INTER-REGION SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is to organize the second international inter-religion symposium in September, whose topic will be "The Black Sea at Risk."

The President of the European Commission Jacques Santer is to particpate at the event, where 250 religion leaders and scientists will examine together the ecological dangers the region of the Black Sea is subjected to.

[17] AUGUST SEMINAR TO HAIL WOMEN'S ROLE IN MEDITERRANEAN, BLACK SEAS

An international Conference to be held in Thessaloniki during August is to hail the role of women in the cultural development of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.

The Conference, titled "Women Creators of the Two Seas, Mediterranean-Black Sea" will be attended by representatives from Europe and the Balkans, as well as from other countries such as Jordan, Libya, Maroco, Tunesia and Israel.

The event is jointly organized by UNESCO's Balkan Center and its Mediterranean Directorate and by the Organization of Cultural Capital of Europe "Thessaloniki '97".

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