Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-09-15

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, September 15, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] CHEVARDNADZE IS ON A FORMAL VISIT TO GREECE

President of former Soviet Republic of Georgia Edvard Chevardnadze is on a formal visit to Greece at the invitation of Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos. The two presidents had a formal meeting at the Presidential Building in Athens today and underlined the friendly relations between Greece and Georgia, while they stressed the need for their further development.

The Greek President stated that the relations between the two countries are very friendly but the visit of his Georgian counterpart offers an opportunity for their further improvement especially, in the sectors of economy and culture.

Mr.Chevardnadze made a special reference to the 80.000 Greeks living in Georgia calling them the “life-blood” of his country.

Afterwards, mr.Chevardnadze met with Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and the two leaders signed a friendship and cooperation agreement.

In his statements, mr.Simitis underlined that the intention is to face all problems within a framework of friendship and cooperation.

Tomorrow, the Greek President will honor mr.Chevardnadze with the Onasis award. The Georgian President is also scheduled to visit Thessaloniki and the monastic community of Mount Athos in Halkidiki, northern Greece.

[02] MILITARY EXERCISE IN NORTH-WESTERN GREECE

A large scale military exercise, code-named “Filippos ‘97” gets underway in north-western Greece today, and will be completed on September 19.

In the exercise will participate land and air forces and according to the National Defense General Staff, the exercise aims at the training of soldiers in modern warfare conditions.

[03] THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF GREECE REACTED TO ALLEGATIONS MADE BY SPAIN’S QUEEN SOFIA

The allegations included in a book written by Spain’s Queen Sofia according to which, former Greek President Konstantinos Karamanlis tricked ex-King Konstantinos in 1974 with the referendum for the abolition of monarchy, because he did not invite him to return to Greece after the restoration of democracy, caused the reaction of the former President of the Hellenic Republic.

In a statement he has issued, mr.Karamanlis speaks of “incoherent inaccuracies” and points out that there was an agreement reached between him and the ex-King on the matter since July 1973.

[04] DRAMA CINEMA FESTIVAL OPENED TODAY

The 20th festival of cinema and the 3rd international festival of cinema of Drama opened tonight with a speech by the nomarch of Drama Mr. Socratis Dimitriades and the mayor of the city Mr. Margaritis Djimas.

Earlier today the mayor and the general director of the Macedonian Press Agency Mr. Spyros Kouzinopoulos presented the internet page of the Festival which appears in the website of M.P.A.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[05] THE EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETS TODAY

Greece will seek the issuing of a joint statement regarding Cyprus’ EU accession course from the EU General Affairs Ministers’ Council that convenes in Luxembourg today.

Greek Foreign Ministry diplomatic sources hope that such a joint statement will counter the efforts made by Turkey to associate the issue of Cyprus’ EU accession with the solution of the Cyprus problem.

[06] THE US SECRETARY OF STATE VISITS CYPRUS TODAY

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas expressed the wish that today’s visit of US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Cyprus will give her the opportunity to be objectively informed on the positions of the two sides and pronounce herself in favour of the Greek-Cypriot positions that are fair and right.

Regarding the Greek-Turkish relations, the Greek government spokesman said that they are not the best they could be but pointed out that the likelihood of a hot incident is extremely theoretical.

On the Russian S-300 missiles, mr.Reppas said that their installation is not an action that can put a strain on Cyprus’ EU accession course as it is placed within the framework of the Cypriot Republic’s defense efforts

[07] THE US ASSISTANT ENVOY TO CYPRUS MET WITH CLERIDES AND DENKTASH

Thomas Miller, assistant of US special envoy to Cyprus Richard Halbrooke, met in Nicosia today with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

In statements made after the meeting, mr.Denktash appeared to agree with the Clerides proposal for the demilitarization of Cyprus

[08] THE S-300 MISSILES WILL BE READY ON THE DATE SET IN THE CONTRACT SIGNED BY CYPRUS AND RUSSIA

The Russian S-300 missiles purchased by Cyprus will be ready on the date set in the contract, stressed the Cypriot government.

The above were mentioned in a written statement by Cypriot government spokesman Manolis Christofides in response to a report published yesterday in the Athens newspaper “To Vima” according to which, the missiles do not exist as their production has not started yet, while there are fears that it will never start due to the bankruptcy of the company that undertook to manufacture them.

Mr.Christofides stated that he has contacted the Russian Ambassador to Nicosia on the issue, and maintained that Moscow has repeatedly confirmed that every term included in the contract will be respected and everything agreed upon will materialize.

[09] THE OSCE APPEARS SATISFIED WITH THE LOCAL ELECTION PROCESS IN BOSNIA

The OSCE officials appear satisfied with the local election process that was followed in Bosnia in spite of the efforts for electoral fraud and the concessions made to the nationalists of all sides.

According to the French news agency AFP, the participation of the 2,5 million registered voters was big and in the region of Sarajevo exceeded 90%.

The international peace-keeping force handled with determination the efforts of Serb nationalists in Bricko and Croat nationalists in Drvar to stop the refugees from casting their vote and managed to keep the polling stations open until the voting was completed.

[10] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH PREPARES FOR HIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos prepares for his visit to the United States which includes contacts with senior US government officials, according to the Turkish newspaper “Milliyet”.

The Ecumenical Patriarch will visit the White House in the first leg of his tour that will start on October 19, and he will also have contacts with US Congress members and US State Department officials.

[11] THE ARCHBISHOP OF CYPRUS CONTINUES HIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrisostomos visited Houston, Texas in the United States yesterday and after the holy liturgy in the church of Annunciation he appealed to the Orthodox Christians in Europe and the United States to help in the efforts for a viable solution to the Cyprus problem.

Today, the Archbishop will inaugurate the church of St.Themonianos with the 13th century Byzantine wall-paintings which had been stolen by the Turks when they attacked the now Turkish occupied town of Lysi in Cyprus. Later, the wall-paintings were bought by art collector Dominique de Menil, who donated them to the Church of Cyprus, while it has been agreed that they will be returned permanently to Cyprus in the year 2010.

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