Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-10-10

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 10 Oktober, 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 PRESIDENT MEETS WITH ALBANIAN COUNTERPART IN STRASBOURG

The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos met with his Albanian counterpart Rejep Meidani in Strasbourg this evening, on the sidelines of the Council of Europe’s Summit Conference.

The two leaders discussed bilateral relations between the two neighbors and Albania’s course of modernization.

In his address before the C of E, President Stephanopoulos stressed Greece’s contribution to the efforts to uphold the council’s principles and granted heightened emphasis on the issue of safeguarding human rights and the democratic principles. A.F.

[02] PREMIER SPEAKS ON THE FUTURE OF GREECE’S EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Simitis referred to the need of realistically forecasting the tendencies and developments that are to shape the form of Greece’s educational system, during an address he gave today before PASOK’s National Conference on Education. According to the Premier, the primary target of the educational policy is to shape the citizen of the future. A.F.

[03] GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RECEIVES EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES

The President of Greece’s Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis met today with a delegation of members from the european palriament committiee on Foreign Financial Relations.

Mr.Kaklamanis developed the role which the national parliam,ents, as well as the European Houyse, are called on to play int he course towards a European Union with a social character.

The European peoples need to have a stronger presence in the various processes wehich concern the european fiulfilment sio that the European Union can correspond to the expectations of not only the smaller countries bnut especially of the weaker social classes,” Mr.Kaklamanis said. A.F.

[04] DRAFT BILL “KAPODISTRIAS” TABLED IN PARLIAMENT TODAY

The draft bill “Kapodistrias” concerning the merger of the country’s various municipalities and communities was tables in Parliament today.

The Minister of the Interior Alekos Papadopoulos made a formal presentation of the plan to the members of the central association of Greece’s Municipalities and Communities. Mr. Papadopoulos said that the plan is to breath new air into Greece’s countryside. The revision will result in 804 new municipalities throughout the country which will result from the merger of smaller communities. A.F.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[05] PRESIDENT OF GREECE ADDRESSES COUNCIL OF EUROPE AT SUMMIT CONFERENCE

Greece’s vision for the respect of human rights was illustrated through a speech presented by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos to the Council of Europe’s Summit conference, which began today in Strasbourg.

President Stephanopoulos, having praised all those who have labored for the past forty years in the name of the Council and its principles, referred to the need of realigning the institution’s role and readjusting it to the recent European reality.

The Greek President stressed the country’s efforts to promote the aims of the State Council, emphasizing the impact of the European agreement of human rights on Greece’s legislation.

“Greece, thoroughly committed to respecting the European Agreement for human rights, cannot but contribute decisively to the strengthening of democratic principles, throughout Europe,” President Stephanopoulos stated, adding that “Greece is trying with every means to best adjust to the spirit and principles of the Council of Europe.”

Moreover, the President referred to the C of E’s expansion towards eastern Europe, as well as to the recent agreement concerning bio-medicine and the banning of cloning, as well as to the plague of narcotics and organized crime.

Referring to illegal immigration, the Greek President stressed Greece’s understanding and tolerance, due to its comprehension of the situation noted in certain neighboring countries, and asked the Council to aid in the repatriation and re-adjustment of these people to their homelands. A.F.

[06] COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUMMIT CONFERENCE BEGINS TODAY IN STRASBOURG

The Council of Europe embarked on a summit conference today in Strasbourg, featuring the participation of state leaders from the organization’s forty member-countries.

The two-day conference, the second in line since the founding of the C of E, will aim at establishing and strengthening democratic principles and human rights in Europe. The state leaders are expected to present the political force for renewing the C of E’s role in and contribution to the establishment of democratic stability.

The summit will conclude with the adoption of a final declaration and an action plan that the C of E is to follow. This final declaration is to reaffirm the C of E member-states’ commitment to democracy, justice, respect for human rights and a common cultural heritage.

Of heightened interest is the Council’s action plan that foresees the establishment of a permanent court of human rights which, if approved by the state leaders, is expected to be set into operation by November of 1998. Should this court be established, 700 million Europeans will have direct and immediate access to the court which will adjudicate both personal claims and cross-state disputes.

Also, the C of E is to submit to the state leaders for approval the protocol-addendum to the Agreement of Human Rights and Bio-medicine which will ban the cloning of humans and will bind the C of E’s member-states into drawing additional measures for combating xenophobia and racism, terrorism, corruption, organized crime and narcotics. A.F.

[07] U.S. WILL SELL AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE SYSTEMS TO GREECE AND TURKEY

The United States Pentagon has announced its intention to sell air-to-air missile systems to both Greece and Turkey. According to the announcement, this sale is not to affect the U.S. government’s efforts to resolve Greek-Turkish differences and the Cyprus issue.

Moreover, the U.S. Department of Defense has also announced that the proposed sale, which must first be approved by Congress, is to serve the aims of the Clinton Administration’s foreign and defense policies.

Greece is to purchase 20 “Harpoon” type missiles, used for attacks against ships, at a price tag of 35 million dollars. Both Greece and Turkey are to purchase “Amraam” type anti-air missiles. The missiles to be sold to Ankara are to cost 62 million dollars, while Athens will pay $42 million. A.F.

[08] PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS IS FIRM, S-300 MISSILES WILL BE DELIVERED AS SCHEDULED

The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides stated today that the issue of the purchase of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia need not be discussed at this time with Russian President Boris Yeltsin or Russia’s Foreign Minister Evgeni Primakov since, as he stressed, there is an agreement concerning the delivery date of the missiles which will be upheld.

Speaking at a press conference in Strasbourg, Mr. Clerides also stated that he favors the participation of Turkish-Cypriot representatives into the delegation of the Cypriot Republic that is to attend the accession negotiations with the European Union, albeit he added that he disagrees with the proposal that there should be two separate representations.

Mr. Clerides stressed that the Cypriot government has displayed its good will by proposing the participation of the Turkish-Cypriots into its delegation and added that the island’s contribution to the European completion could be of vast significance given Cyprus’ geopolitical position. A.F.

[09] MURATOV: AN ATTACK ON S-300 MISSILES CARRIER IS CAUSUS BELLI FOR RUSSIA

Russia will view as a causus belli any attack by Turkey against the ship that is to carry the S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Cyprus through the straits of Dardanelles, according to Russian ambassador to Nicosia Georgi Muratov

Mr. Muratov, speaking to Cyprus’s RIK, reiterated that the missiles sale to Cyprus will go through, unless the island is demilitarized and progress is achieved on the Cyprus issue.

Meanwhile, Greece’s Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Mr. Yiannos Kranidiotis stated that Cyprus, too, has a right to defense, just like all countries do. A.F.

[10] SIR HANNAY: THE NEXT PHASE OF CYPRUS ISSUE SHOULD FOCUS ON LEGAL DETAILS

The British special envoy for the Cyprus issue Sir David Hannay has stated that he is in agreement with the United Nations’ intentions to focus the next phase of negotiations over the Cyprus issue on legal details.

“It is clear that the focus will be the constitution of a bi- communal, bi-zonal federated Cyprus and issues concerning sovereignty and political equality should be resolved through this document,” Sir Hannay stated.

Moreover, the British diplomat stated that issues concerning territorial differences, refugees and security are equally important as that of the constitution. Concerning land allocation on the island, Sir Hannay reminded that the UN had submitted a 72% versus 28% land allocation proposal in 1992 and added that the final adjustment is not to differ by much from the aforementioned proposal.

Concerning security on the island, the British official proposed that the presence of an international police force be looked into, which could carry out a significant role, at least for the first years following the achievement of an agreement. A.F.

[11] ANOTHER MASS GRAVE DISCOVERED IN BOSNIA, CONTAINS BODIES OF 13 MUSLIMS

Another mass grave was discovered yesterday near the city of Svornik, east of Bosnia-Herzegovina, containing the bodies of 13 Muslims, the French news agency AFP reported.

According to a survivor’s account, the victims were killed at an ambush set up by Bosnian-Serbs on May 10, 1992, during their efforts to flee their villages near Zvornik and head towards Tuzla. Among the bodies are those of three women and a ten-year- old child.

Twenty thousand persons remain missing today, two years following the end of the war, according to data provided by the United Nations. A.F.

[12] ALBANIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS RALLY IN TETOVO, FYROM

In an act of solidarity towards the Albanian college students of Kossovo, the Albanian students of Tetovo’s unrecognized university in FYROM are to conduct a rally today.

The rally is being supported by the young members of all of FYROM’s political parties and the participants are to ask that the University of Tetovo be officially recognized by the state. A.F.

[13] TRADE DELEGATION FROM SPAIN TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS THIS MONTH

A trade mission from the Trade and industry Chamber of Navarra, Spain, will be in Athwens on October 20-22 in order to meet with members from Greece’s business communoity and examine collaboration opportunities,.

Those interested in business trade with Spain can conmtact the trade attache of the Spanish Embassy iun Athens. A.F.

[14] BOMB DETECTED AT TIRANA’S CITY HALL, TENSION MOUNTS

A bomb was discovered this afternoon at the window of the president of Albania’s Associaiton of Municipalities, Albert Broika, after an anonymous caller tipped the police who emptied the building and disarmed the explosive device.

According o local press reports, employees at city Hall have correlated the incident with an interivew given today vy the deputy Minister of Local Administrastion,Lous Perpali, whose sotre had been destroyed a few months ago by a dynamite explosion.

The independet radio station “Koja” has dismissed these accounts as an effort to creatye an alibi. Mr.Perpali has stated in an interview that he favors the rewquest to increase autonomy of the local administration authorities, buyt he did add that these requests are shaded by political character and appear to be pasrt of the scoire of reactions stirred by the Democratic Party. A.F.

[15] LAW FOR FREE TRADE ZONE IN BULGARIA PROPOSED BY SOFIA

Bulgaria’s ministy of finance is to soon submit a law for the establishment of free trade zones in the country,l since the present regulations do not satisfactorily attract foreign investment.

The above was announced today by the Minster of Finance Muravei Radev, during the oipening of the Sofia-held internaitonal cofnerence on free trade zones. A.F.

[16] HOLBROOKE IN ANKARA ON SUNDAY, TO MEET WITH YILMAZ

The United State’s special envoy for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke is to travel to Ankara on Sunday where he will meet with Turkey’s political leaders.

Mr. Holbrooke is to be received by Turkey’s Premier Mesut Yilmaz, Foreign Minister Ismael Cem, vice-president Bulent Ecevit and other military leaders. Following his stay in Ankara, the US diplomat will travel to Nicosia. A.F.

[17] CYPRIOT NATIONAL GUARD EMBARKS ON “NIKIFOROS ‘97” EXERCISE

The Cypriot National Guard’s annual exercise “Nikiforos ‘97” is to begin today, featuring the participation of air and naval forces from Greece.

Greece’s Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos is expected to attend the five-day long exercises on Tuesday. A.F.

[18] GREEKS ABROAD SECRETARIAT SUPPORTS DR. APOSTOLOPOULOU

The secretary-general of Greeks Abroad Stavros Labrinides has stated that “Dr. Vaso Apostolopoulou’s recent visit to Greece is a first class opportunity for Greece to celebrate not only the internationally-recognized achievements of this Greek-origin scientist, but to also thank all of the Greeks who live abroad for their achievements which promote our country internationally”.

Dr. Apostolopoulou was recently in Greece where she presented to the medical world her studies concerning the prevention of cancer. A.F.

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