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

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki,September 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] THE ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER’S NEW STATEMENTS CAUSED THE STRONG REACTION OF THE GREEK GOVERNMENT

The new statements made by Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini caused the strong reaction of the Greek government. Mr.Dini maintained in Washington that the two communities in Cyprus should be recognized as two entities but he pointed out that he does not support the Turkish-Cypriot regime .

Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis characterized the Italian Foreign Minister as incorrigible and pointed out that in spite of the efforts that have been made by the international community and Greece, mr.Dini continues to be in opposition with the international community and the European Union which recognize the Cypriot Republic as the only legal government in Cyprus with which negotiations for Cyprus’ accession into the EU should be held.

Mr.Kranidiotis stated that of course there are two communities in Cyprus, a Greek-Cypriot and a Turkish-Cypriot, but they are under the same legal entity, the Republic of Cyprus, which is represented by the Cypriot government.

[02] THE GREEK ECONOMY MAKES NOTABLE PROGRESS ACCORDING TO THE OECD

The OECD mentions in its annual report on Greece, which was given to publicity recently, that the Greek economy made notable progress in the first half of the convergence period of 1994-1999.

In the report is underlined that the Greek economy is now moving towards the materialization of the final goal of the programme, namely the EU convergence, that will allow the country to participate in the European Economic and Monetary Union.

Meanwhile, inflation was up in the month of August and reached 5,6% compared to 5,4% in July. The increase is attributed to the high prices of liquid fuel and the upward trend of the US dollar. Nevertheless, there is optimism that inflation in September will drop.

[03] TURKEY SHOULD STOP DISPUTING EVERYBODY

Turkey should stop disputing everybody and everything presenting itself as the regional super-power and thinking that this way is upgrading its own strategic role because this game is over, stressed the Minister of National Defense.

Mr.Tsochatzopoulos said that Turkey should leave alone the issue of the demilitarization of the Greek islands in the Aegean because the demilitarization of the Bosporus Straits could very easily be brought for discussion.

[04] THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF ALBANIA WILL BE IN GREECE ON FRIDAY

Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, heading a large delegation, will visit Athens on Friday at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos.

According to the state radio of Tirana, the issues that will be discussed during the meeting of the two delegations will be the improvement of bilateral relations, the legalization of Albanian illegal immigrants, the opening of new border crossings and the proposed loan that Greece will grant to Albania.

[05] THE AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY LEADER SUPPORTS THE PERMANENT RETURN OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES TO GREECE

Australian Labour Party leader Kim Beasley backs the permanent return of the Olympic Games to Greece and called on the international community to mobilize toward this direction.

In a written statement he mentions that the holding of the Olympic Games should not be a privilege of a few rich countries and concludes that now that the Games have returned to their place of origin it is time for the international community to support the idea of keeping them in Greece permanently.

[06] THE PRIZES “ALEXANDER THE GREAT” AND “ARISTOTLE” WILL BE AWARDED TOMORROW

In a special event that will be held in Thessaloniki tomorrow Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos will award the honorary distinctions “Alexander the Great” and “Aristotle” to three distinguished foreign personalities for their philhellenic activities.

British Parliament member Eddie O’Hara will receive the “Alexander the Great” award, while with the “Aristotle” award will be honored academicians Johannes Schwabl and Norman George Asthon, who are professors of Classical Literature in the Universities of West Australia and Vienna respectively.

The “Alexander the Great” award will also be received by former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating and US House Representative Benjamin Gilman. The “Aristotle” award will be given to Canadian international affairs expert Ted McWhinney.

[07] THE TECHNICAL DIRECTORS OF THE BALKAN NEWS AGENCIES MET IN THESSALONIKI

The Technical Directors of the Balkan news agencies stressed unanimously in their two-day meeting in Thessaloniki that the Macedonian Press Agency, with the “Balkan News Bank” that will soon operate in its facilities, will change the information map in the Balkan region.

Also, they expressed their support to the “DIAVLOS” programme hammered out by MPA, which provides for the satellite connection of all the news agencies in south-eastern Europe with the “Balkan News Bank” that will be based in Thessaloniki and will be financed by the European Union.

[08] GREEK PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE INTER- PARLIAMENTARY UNION CONFERENCE IN CAIRO

A five-member parliamentary delegation will leave tomorrow for Cairo to attend the 98th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference.

The conference will last until September 16 and among the issues for discussion will be international politics, as well as the economic and social situation, the strengthening of relations among Parliaments and peoples for the safeguarding of democracy and other issues such as, employment, child labour and the situation of immigrants. Of a special interest are expected to be the meetings on the Cyprus issue, the Middle East and the Arab- Israeli dispute.

[09] BALKAN AND BLACK SEA COUNTRIES ARE INTERESTED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BIG PROJECTS BY GREEK COMPANIES

Greek firms of constructors have undertaken 25 large projects in Balkan and Black Sea countries, while there is great interest mainly, in the participation of Greek consortiums in the construction of road networks in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, FYROM and Albania.

The above were mentioned by Greek Minister of Environment and Public Works Kostas Laliotis after the separate meeting he had with his counterparts as well as, undersecretaries, and alternate ministers from Ukraine, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Albania, FYROM and Bulgaria within the framework of the Technical Works Conference that is being held on the grounds of the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki - HELEXPO.

Mr.Laliotis underlined in those meetings that Greece is ready to sign cooperation agreements with all the Balkan and Black Sea countries within a period of 2-3 months that will cover the sectors of public works as well as, the undertaking of joint initiatives for the protection of the environment.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[10] THE US STATE DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR FOR CYPRUS WILL MEET WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES

US State Department coordinator for Cyprus, Thomas Miller will meet with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides on Monday.

Cypriot government spokesman Manolis Christofides, responding to the question on whether mr.Miller is trying to improve the climate that was created after the Cypriot government’s intention to install the Russian S-300 missiles in Cyprus, stated that the US official will present his views during his visit to the island.

[11] THE ARCHBISHOP OF CYPRUS MET WITH ARCHBISHOP OF AMERICA IN NEW YORK YESTERDAY

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrisostomos met in New York yesterday with Archbishop of America Spyridon and discussed ecclesiastical issues, issues of national interest and the Cyprus problem.

They also examined in what way the Greek community in the United States can contribute to the efforts to reach a just, peaceful and right solution to the Cyprus issue.

Tomorrow, the Archbishop of Cyprus will meet with US Presidential envoy Richard Halbrooke. During his stay in the United States Archbishop Chrisostomos will meet with US officials in New York, Washington and Boston, while he will attend a formal dinner that will be given in honor of the Greek-American community leaders in the presence of Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides.

[12] KINKEL: IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR TURKEY TO BECOME AN EU MEMBER IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel in an interview with the Turkish newspaper “Yeni Yusyil” stated that in the immediate future is not possible for Turkey to become an EU member.

Mr.Kinkel maintained that Turkey must solve its domestic problems and first of all the problem of human rights, the political problem and the issue of inflation and unemployment. It should be reminded that inflation in Turkey increases with a rate of 80%.

[13] THE MILITARY EXERCISE “NIKIFOROS ‘97” WILL BE HELD AS SCHEDULED

The military exercise “Nikiforos ‘97” will be held as scheduled stated Cypriot Minister of Defense Kostas Iliades stressing that no interventions were made aimed at changing its programme.

Mr.Iliades also mentioned that the unilateral decision of the Cypriot government for the non participation of Greek military aircraft in the exercise has been lifted.

Responding to the question if the moratorium has been lifted, the Cypriot Minister of Defense reiterated that there was no moratorium but it was a “conscious decision” that Greek aircraft would not participate in the exercise “Vergina”, in order to have a good climate before the holding of direct talks on the Cyprus problem between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish- Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

[14] FATOS NANO WILL BE IN VIENNA TODAY

Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano will visit Vienna today to request its support to the reconstruction of his country, stated an Albanian government spokesman.

The Albanian Prime Minister will also visit Brussels where he will meet with NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana, and afterwards he will be in Luxembourg.

[15] KRAISNIK LET FREE

The delegation of the Bosnianserb hard-liners who were under surveillance at the hotel Bosna in Banja Luka since early morning hours were let go in the afternoon.

The delegation under Momcilo Krajisnik, the Serb president in the Bosnian Collective presidency hjad arrived in Banja Luka yesterday for a rally against the pro-western president of the Bosnianserb entity of Bosnia Ms Biliana Plavsic which failed to take place yesterday.

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