Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-11-13

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 13 November 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] “KAPODISTRIAS” WAS PASSED IN PARLIAMENT

The draft bill “Kapodistrias”, concerning the compulsory mergers of municipalities and communities, was voted through in Parliament and is now a law of the Greek state.

Last night, the bill that had been submitted by the government, was voted through in Parliament in spite of the reactions by opposition parties and organizations.

It should be reminded that the main opposition party of New Democracy had left Parliament in protest after a decision made by its leader Kostas Karamanlis.

[02] 62 KURDISH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED IN MITILINI

Sixty two Kurdish illegal immigrants were arrested last night by the Greek Coastguard in the region of Agralia in the island of Mitilini in north-eastern Aegean, shortly after they were put ashore.

The Turkish smugglers, who brought the 62 illegal immigrants to the island, escaped the arrest.

[03] GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MEETS GERMAN CHANCELLOR, HELMUT KOHL.

The President of the Greek Parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, characterized his meeting with the German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, as particularly important and interesting, adding that this meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere and contributed to the comprehension of the Greek positions and to the creation of a positive environment for their promotion. Mr. Kaklamanis, stressed that one of the subjects that has been set forward was the entrance route of Cyprus to the European Union. Furthermore, Mr. Kaklamanis, informed Mr. Kohl about the results of the Inter - Balkan Summit in Crete and about the initiatives that Greece is developing for the tightness and the development of the relations between the countries of South - Eastern Europe. E.K.

[04] POLICEMEN FROM ALL OVER GREECE GATHER TOMORROW IN THESSALONIKI

Policemen, firemen and harbor officials from all around Greece, wearing their uniforms, will gather tomorrow in Thessaloniki in order to take part in the most massive, probably national, movement of people working to security departments that ever took place in Greece, claiming institutional and economic demands. The demonstrators in uniform will gather at 3 o’ clock in the afternoon at the “Inanovio” gymnasium of Thessaloniki, on Agiou Dimitriou str. and then they will proceed to a protest march to the central roads of the town ending possibly in the area in front of the Macedonian - Thrace Ministry. E.K.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[05] HALBROOKE TO MEET WITH PAPANDREOU AND KRANIDIOTIS

US presidential envoy Richard Halbrooke will meet with Greek deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis in Brussels today. They are expected to discuss the developments in the Cyprus issue after the contacts Mr.Halbrooke had in Nicosia, Ankara and Bonn.

This evening, Mr.Halbrooke will be present in the meeting of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot businessmen in Brussels. The two- day symposium aims at the development of economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of both parties and will be held at the initiative of Columbia University in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute for Peace-keeping Research.

[06] THE US STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTED ON HALBROOKE’S CONTACTS

The US State Department spokesman characterized as “sincere” the contacts Richard Halbrooke had in Nicosia and Ankara.

During the reporters’ briefing, Mr.James Rubin revealed that the US presidential envoy said to him that the talks he had with Cypriot president Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Denktash in Cyprus as well as, the talks with Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz and deputy prime minister Bulent Ecevit in Ankara, were sincere and took place in a very positive atmosphere.

The US State Department spokesman said that the goal of Mr.Halbrooke was to keep the process going and to create opportunities for progress.

[07] FIVE LITHUANIAN SAILORS ARE MISSING

Five Lithuanian sailors, crew members of the motor-ship “Don Ricardo”, are missing since yesterday. Their ship, registered in Hamburg, sank in the sea region between the islands of Kea and Makronisos in central Aegean after it collided with the Syrian cargo ship “Mohendi”.

The accident happened because of the limited visibility in the region due to thick fog. Rescue crews continue their search for the location of the missing sailors.

[08] EXTRAORDINARY EU SUMMIT ON UNEMPLOYMENT

An extraordinary EU Summit to discuss the problem of unemployment in the 15 EU member-states will be held in Luxembourg on November 21-22.

European Commission President Jacques Santer in a press conference briefed reporters on the Summit’s agenda and the prospects that are being opened in the solution of the problem of unemployment.

Mr.Santer stated that in the Summit meeting the EU leaders should take specific and ambitious measures aimed at fighting unemployment. He also said that the European Commission has suggested 19 measures and recommendations which if implemented will lead in a short period of time to the creation of 12 million new job positions, limiting unemployment to 7% of the active population in Europe, from 12% it is today.

[09] THE TURKISH CYPRIOT REPRESENTATION IN THE EU TALKS IS NOT CERTAIN

Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulides expressed reservations on whether the Turkish Cypriots will be represented in the opening of the negotiations for Cyprus’ accession into the European Union that will take place in April.

In statements he made to the Cypriot radio, Mr.Kasoulides said that he sees as most likely development the opening of the accession talks without the participation of the Turkish Cypriots pointing out, nevertheless, that he can not rule out their participation if the right pre-conditions exist.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash reiterated that there are allegedly “two states” in Cyprus and maintained that peace will be founded only on that basis. According to the Turkish Cypriot press, Mr. Denktash, stressed, in statements he made, that the Turkish Cypriots will discuss the EU accession only on that basis.

[10] THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT MET WITH A FORMER US COORDINATOR

The responsibility to determine the priorities of the US policy regarding Cyprus belongs to US presidential envoy Richard Halbrooke, stated former special coordinator for Cyprus in the US State Department Eduard Derwinski after the meeting he had with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia.

Mr.Derwinski characterized Mr.Halbrooke’s visit as “educational” and mentioned that its goal was for the US official to be briefed in person by president Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Referring to Mr.Halbrooke’s apology on the US policy in Cyprus in the 60’s and 70’s, Mr.Derwisnki said that possibly Mr.Halbrooke was trying to say that the US has a responsibility to help in the solution of the Cyprus problem because he believes that the US did not fulfill its obligations during that time.

[11] E.U. : PLAN OF ACTION AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME

The European Parliament will examine, during the session on 19th of November, a plan of action, submitted by a team of high level officials, on December 1996 to the European Committee, for combating organized crime. The plan of action is formed by 15 political directives and 30 recommendations, having as a main goal the respect of the protection of defense rights, the parliamentary control of the services confronting crime, the legal protection of the citizens and the start of the penal procedure, only in the case that there is evidence about the crime. E.K.

[12] GREEK - BULGARIAN MEETING FOR THE OIL PIPELINE

The issue of the Burgas - Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the bilateral cooperation in the areas of electrical energy and natural gas, will be in the focus of the meetings to be held in Athens by the Vice President of the Bulgarian government, Eugeni Bakarjiev, from the 17th until the 19th of November. Mr. Bakarjiev will talk with the Minister of Development, Vaso Papandreou, who has invited him to Greece, with the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, G. Papandreou and the Minister of Environment, City Planning and Public Works, Kostas Laliotis. E.K.

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