Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-11-20

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 20 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] THE DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE RECENT EARTHQUAKE ARE BEING RECORDED

The recording of damages in the regions that were hit by the recent strong earthquake in south-western Greece will be completed next week, while specialists from the Earthquake Protection Organization offer valuable information to local residents and examine the damaged houses.

The scientists state that the seismic activity proceeds as expected and warn that the tremors will continue.

[02] THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION POLIS ’97 OPENED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY

The 1st International exhibition of local administration agencies and public sector suppliers “POLIS ‘97” that will last until November 23 was inaugurated in Thessaloniki today by minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, in the presence of Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, president of the Central Association of Municipalities and Communities in Greece.

Over 200 Greek exhibitors and 67 representatives from 24 countries have gathered in Thessaloniki on the occasion of the exhibition which is organized by HELEXPO and the Greek Society for Development and Local Administration and is held under the auspices of the ministries of Interior, Development and Macedonia- Thrace.

In his opening message, Mr.Petsalnikos stated that POLIS ’97 will be an opportunity for the promotion of the giant steps made by the Greek local administration in the past decade.

[03] THE STOCK MARKET ENTERS A PERIOD OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY

The Athens Stock Exchange seems to enter a period of economic recovery, after the rise of the stock prices today and since the price index closed at 1,400 units.

It was the third session in a row that the general indexes closed with profits, a fact that, according to a lot of people, indicates the end of an extended crisis which lasted approximately one month. Others believe that the market is recovering but we need to expect for more sessions in order to conclude with final results.

The market today was in general quite good without significant fluctuations.

The rise of the price index is heavily depended upon the industrial shares, whose indexes won 3.09%. On the contrary, the profits were limited for the banks at 0.28%. The rest of the indexes moved upwards.

The shares that presented the highest profits were the preferred stocks of “Intrakom” with limit up, the common shares of “Iliofin” with 7.99%, the preferred stocks of the same company with 7.96% and the common shares of “Inteal” with 7.9%.

The shares with the most significant losses were the common shares of “ETMA” and the “ERMIS” with limit down and the common shares of “Lampropoulos” with 7.92%.

The transactions, once again, were not very high, reaching the 17.80 billion drachmas. E.K.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[04] EU SUMMIT MEETING IN LUXEMBOURG

The European Union Summit meeting opens in Luxembourg today. The 15 EU leaders will try to adopt a package of measures to deal with the increased unemployment in Europe and create 12 million new job positions over the next five years.

It is the first time in the European institution’s history that the EU leaders seek a common course in dealing with unemployment. Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will give an emphasis to the funding of programs for the creation of new job positions, while EU Commission president Jacques Santer has expressed guarded optimism regarding the Summit’s results.

Before the opening of the Summit, Mr.Simitis will meet with European Socialist party leaders to discuss the issue of labor relations.

Meanwhile, the European Confederation of Labor Unions is scheduled to hold a protest rally at the center of the city of Luxembourg with the participation of 20.000 workers from Greece, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Austria and Portugal.

[05] A COUNCIL OF EUROPE DELEGATION IS IN TIRANA

A Council of Europe delegation will meet in Tirana with the president of Albania, the prime minister and government ministers.

The delegation is visiting the country to attend a seminar on the “Albanian Parliament rules of order” which is organized by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and is aimed at the adoption of a new regulation by the Albanian Parliament.

[06] PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD IN BOSNIA THIS WEEKEND

Parliamentary elections will be held in the Serb Republic of Bosnia this weekend.

The head of the OSCE mission to Bosnia has made an appeal for democratic elections and expressed the certainty that everything is under control. He also stressed that he is scheduled to meet with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic today.

Meanwhile, NATO secretary-general Javier Solana will make a short visit to Bosnia today, according to the French news agency. Mr.Solana is scheduled to meet with the three-member collective presidency of Bosnia to be briefed on the preparations that are being made in view of the parliamentary elections in the Serb Republic of Bosnia.

[07] NEW CLERIDES-CORDOVEZ MEETING

UN secretary-general special adviser Diego Cordovez will have a second meeting in Nicosia today with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides.

Mr.Cordovez is also scheduled to meet with UN representative in Cyprus Gustav Feisel, while he will be briefed on UNFICYP’s mission and later, he will visit the buffer zone.

[08] THE US COORDINATOR IN CYPRUS ASKED TURKEY TO SHOW COMPLIANCE

US State Department coordinator Thomas Miller in an interview to the Turkish newspaper “Sabah” calls on Turkey to show compliance regarding Cyprus.

Mr.Miller stated that the United States want Turkey to become an EU member and stressed that for this reason Washington makes every effort to win a good place for Ankara in the EU enlargement process.

He also underlined that if the EU is significant for Turkey it must make progress in three sectors namely, human rights, the Aegean and the Cyprus issue.

[09] KASOULIDES: THE DENKTASH STATEMENTS ARE UNACCEPTABLE

Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoulides characterized as “unacceptable” the statements made by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who sets terms for the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the talks for Cyprus’ accession into the European Union.

Mr.Kasoulides stated that the Turkish Cypriot regime in northern Cyprus will not be recognized, regardless of the justification or method that will be used.

[10] TURKISH, BALKAN AND ORIENTAL MUSIC FROM THE ASIA MINOR GROUP IN THESSALONIKI

A unique blend of Turkish, Balkan and oriental sounds combined with modern jazz will be presented by the Turkish music group Asia Minor that will perform in Thessaloniki this weekend within the framework of the Cultural Capital of Europe events.

The Asia Minor group was formed in 1990 by music composer and bass guitar player Kamil Erdem and four other musicians Tahir Aidogdu, Yahya Dal, Turai Dinlegen and Safer Gerdanli.

The group is very popular in Turkey and abroad.

[11] MEETING BETWEEN SIMITIS-JUGERS

The issue of the relations between Turkey and the European Union will occupy the European leaders during tonight’ s dinner, within the frame of the two-day Summit Conference in Luxembourg. The President of the Commission, Jacque Santers, will also be present in this dinner.

The Greek Premier, Kostas Simitis, had a meeting this afternoon with his counterpart from Luxembourg, Jean Claude Jugers. During this meeting they discussed the issue of the formation of the European Conference, which will take place once a year in order to exchange opinions about the countries of East and Central Europe and Cyprus, countries that are in the process of future entrance.

Furthermore, the Greek Premier, stated that “we should not bury the issue of employment under other issues that we consider important but are not relevant at this moment”, while he stressed that an other issue that was discussed was the issue of the broadening of the European Union, how this will be done, which countries it will include and within this frame the issue of the entrance of Cyprus was also brought up. Finally, he characterized the meeting as a “preparative” conversation for the meetings that will follow tonight and tomorrow.

The discussion that will take place during the dinner tonight is informal, but covers all the subjects and, as the Premier already said, answering a question posed by the Macedonian Press Agency, “according to the form in which the conversation will develop, I will adopt a position towards the issues that will be tabled.”

It is noted that the final decision about the European Conference for Turkey, will not be taken neither tonight nor tomorrow, but during the Summit Conference that will take place again in Luxembourg during 12- 13 of December. It is characteristic that the Greek Premier, stated not only once but many times, that in order for Turkey to improve its relations with the European Union it should fulfill the prerequisites that the European Union demands from all the countries and includes respect of the human rights, dealing with minorities like the Kurds and democratic exercise of power. E.K.

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