Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-11-26

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 26 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] MPA’S CONFERENCE ON EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE HAILED A SUCCESS

The European Conference “Europe and the Mass Media: Our Cultural Heritage” organized by the MPA in cooperation with the Organization Cultural Capital of Europe ’97, concluded last night.

The conference participants and speakers discussed matters related to journalism and culture, specifically the way European and Balkan news agencies promote cultural issues, the promotion of cultural values to the young people by the mass media and the role of the media in the development of a climate of peace and culture in Europe.

A score of general directors, editing directors and chief editors from international news agencies, European newspapers of international repute and Balkan mass media took part in the two- day event and presented 43 speeches.

The President of the Macedonian Press Agency’s board of directors Prof. Pavlos Petrides, during the closing of the conference, stated that it is difficult for one to speak for only one conclusion since the complexity of the issue is such that requires other outlets as well. A.F.

[02] PREMIER FIRMLY BACKS THE STATE’S ECONOMIC POLICY

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis called on the country’s labor force and employers to align themselves with the economic policy that is to be applied during 1998.

During an address he presented at a conference organized by the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Simitis firmly defended the state’s economic policy and stressed that the completion of the country’s modernization will require another six to seven years.

Meanwhile, the president of the main opposition party, New Democracy’s Kostas Karamanlis accused the premier of lacking brevity and planning. A.F.

[03] TVX’S GOLD MINE IN HALKIDIKI IS GUARDED BY A STRONG POLICE FORCE

A tense climate persists at the community of Olympiada, in the peninsula of Halkidiki, where the local residents are opposed to the operation of a gold mine by the Canadian-based firm TVX.

Yesterday, police arrested a local who kept an ax and a pair of binoculars in his car. In the evening, minor episodes erupted in the community between the residents and the policemen. The President of the Olympiada Community Nikos Mitsiou said that policemen released smoke-producing bombs which injured two locals.

However, the local police department issued an announcement which stated that yesterday evening a group of 20 locals, armed with guns, rocks and wooden boards, attacked two police cars and fired against the police officers, causing material damages to the vehicles.

Meanwhile, the gold mine’s premises are guarded by a strong police force who are present to avert any potential obstruction by the protesting locals.

The project, operated by TVX Gold Hellas, an affiliate of the Canadian mining company TVX Gold Inc., has been in the eye of the storm for a long time now as a group of local residents is opposed to the mining operation fearing that it will result in environmental pollution and a drop in tourism.

TVX officials have issued an announcement where they state that these episodes threaten the suspension of what is Greece’s largest project in the past three decades, that is a whooping 270- billion-dollar investment.

TVX Gold foresees that the Olympiada project will triple the area’s gold output to 1.2 million ounces by next year. The company bought the two mines in the peninsula of Halkidiki in December of 1995.

According to the environmental impact study reports published by TVX Gold, the project is environmentally sound as it will employ modern technology to process the gold. A.F.

[04] EARTHQUAKE OF 4.2 RICHTER ROCKS ISLANDS OF THE SPORADES

An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale shook the Sporades, a cluster of islands in the Aegean Sea.

According to the Geophysics laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the earthquake was registered at the lab’s seismology telemetric network at 5:37 am and its epicenter was located in the sea region between the islands of Skyros and St. Evstratios.

The lab’s seismologist Vasilis Karakostas said that the earthquake was a local one and should not be a cause for concern.

“There are no signs that the frequent seismic activity recently noted in southern Greece is to ‘spread’ towards Northern Aegean,” he said. A.F.

[05] METROPOLITE OF THESSALONIKI INVITED BY CHIEF RABBI TO ISRAEL

The Metropolite of Thessaloniki Panteleimon the II, has been invited to Jerusalem by the Most Reverend Chief Rabbi of Israel Elijajov Baksi Doron, in order to sign a chart against terrorism.

The chief Rabbi, is currently in Thessaloniki where he participated at the unveiling of Thessaloniki’s Jewish memorial in honor of the 50,000 Jews who lost their lives during WWII from Nazi atrocities.

In an interview to the Macedonian Press Agency, the Most Reverend stressed the need for all religions, and especially the monotheist ones, to act together in order to address the problems of the recent times.

“The role of the religions is to bring the peoples closer together. There are a lot of dangers in our world today, drugs, religious fanaticism, the breakup of families... All religions must take a stance against these problems and need to unite in order to face them,” he stated.

He also thanked the Greeks who honored the memory of the city’s Jewish community, one that contributed to Thessaloniki’s culture. He stated that the city was called the “Jerusalem of the Balkans.” A.F.

[06] CONFERENCE ON SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF M. ATHOS CLOSES TOMORROW

A three-day Conference titled “Mount Athos: Over One Years of Spiritual Radiance”, organized by the Organization Cultural Capital of Europe Thessaloniki ‘97”, is to conclude tomorrow at the city’s Museum of Byzantine Culture.

The Conference, an event parallel to the on-going exhibit “The Treasures of Mount Athos, features presentations by historians and distinguished figures of the Orthodox church on matters concerning the contribution of Mount Athos to the safeguarding of the orthodox tradition throughout the Ages, as well as the relations between the Athonite State with the Orthodox Church of the Slav peoples. A.F.

[07] 27 CASES OF MONEY-LAUNDERING IN GREEK PRIVATE AND STATE BANKS

Twenty-seven cases of money-laundering by employees of Greek private and state owned banks were revealed yesterday by bank representatives, who testified before the responsible Parliament committee, stating that those cases are under investigation by the prosecutor’s office. The “dirty” money come from illegal transactions and through the banks are being channeled to foreign countries.

President of the responsible Parliament committee Mr.Yiannis Kapsis stated that the phenomenon got great dimensions, stressing that always there are certain aspects of a crime that are never revealed.

Commenting on the issue, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated today that such phenomena should not exist within the framework of the operation of the banking system.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[08] ANKARA WANTS GREEK AND TURKISH WISEMEN’S COMMITTEE TO MEET

The Turkish government has requested that the wisemen’s committees formed by Ankara and Athens meet on December 12 in order to hold a discussion spanning all issues.

The Greek government has refused such proposal for an all- topics discussions and maintains that this is merely a Turkish maneuver.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ismael Cem, currently in Brussels, met with the Prime Minister of Belgium and the European Commissioner Hans Van Den Broek with whom he discussed the matter of Turkey’s participation at the European conference. A.F.

[09] RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR: OBSTRUCTION OF S-300 TRANSPORT IS CASUS BELLI

The Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Georgi Muratov has stated that any effort exerted by Turkey to obstruct the transportation of the Russian-made anti-aircraft S-300 missiles to Cyprus will constitute casus belli.

According to Cyprus’s Radio-Television Foundation, Mr. Muratov addressed the Rotary Club of Larnaca yesterday and stated that, according to international law, if one country opens fire on the ships of another, this act is considered to be casus belli.

Mr. Muratov added that his country is not to limit its military cooperation with Cyprus’s government and stressed that the cause of the current situation is not the purchase of the Russian-made missiles, but, instead, it is the continued invasion and occupation of part of the island by Turkey.

Moreover, he added that the resolution of the Cypriot issue based on a unified federal state will mean the ratification of the international law’s principles in solving regional issues, and will bear a positive influence ion basic points of international politics, such as strengthening stability in the eastern Mediterranean and improving the Greek-Turkish relations.

Lastly, the Russian diplomat stated that Moscow is opposed to a double-standard policy in the international political arena. A.F.

[10] THE MPA CONFERENCE ENDED YESTERDAY

The proceedings of the two-day journalists’ conference that was organized in Thessaloniki by MPA and the Cultural Capital of Europe Organization ended yesterday.

During the conference, 49 presentations were delivered by directors of Greek and foreign news agencies and newspapers.

Macedonian Press Agency president university professor Pavlos Petridis stated that a single conclusion can not be derived from the conference because the issue it examined is very complex.

Meanwhile, Greek foreign ministry spokesman Kostas Bikas, in statements he made yesterday to Serb television, characterized the MPA conference as very successful.

Responding to a question by the Serb correspondent regarding the Inter-Balkan Summit in Crete, Mr.Bikas stated that the leaders of south-eastern Europe met for the first time in history and stressed that this creates great expectations for the future. Mr.Bikas also stated that in this meeting the south-eastern European leaders agreed on a common future course of development, peace and progress.

[11] SIMITIS IS ON A VISIT TO LONDON

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis is on a three-day formal visit to London that will be followed by a visit to Paris.

Mr.Simitis will meet with prime ministers Tony Blair and Lionel Jospen to discuss issues concerning the European Union and Turkey’s participation in the Luxembourg Summit meeting in December.

The goal of Mr.Simitis’ visit is to promote the issues of Greek national importance, while the course of the center-left forces in Europe will also be discussed.

[12] THE EU WILL EXERT PRESSURES ON TURKEY

Pressures will be exerted on the Turkish government by the prime minister of Luxembourg and EU Council president and also by the EU Commission president, who will visit Ankara tomorrow.

Mr.Junker and Mr.Santer will call on the Turkish government to accept “certain good will steps” to bend Greece’s rejection on Turkey’s participation in the European conference that is being promoted by France.

[13] G.STEPHANOPOULOS: SADDAM’S ASSASSINATION IS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION

Former close associate of US president Clinton, George Stephanopoulos, sees Saddam Hussein’s assassination as the only advisable long-term solution for president Clinton.

In an article published in the “N.Y.Times”, Mr.Stephanopoulos maintains that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein will not resign from his country’s presidency voluntarily and points out that a direct hit will have certain risks for president Clinton in case something goes wrong.

Mr.Stephanopoulos underlines in his article, that the United States in spite of their efforts and the international support they have, they were unable to put under control Saddam’s dangerous weapons, a fact that confirms his assassination as the most reasonable and morally advisable long-term solution.

[14] CHINA-GREECE INTEND TO STRENGTHEN THEIR MILITARY COOPERATION

China intends to strengthen the cooperation ties with Greece’s armed forces based on mutual benefits stated, according to the French News Agency, the leader of the Chinese armed forces after his meeting today with Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who is visiting Peking.

Mr.Tsochatzopoulos, from his part, expressed the wish for increased bilateral transactions.

[15] THE CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER WILL MEET WITH THE BRITISH ENVOY TO CYPRUS

Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoilides is in London for contacts with British special envoy to Cyprus Sir David Hanney and members of the Lower House.

Mr.Kasoulides will brief Sir David Hanney on the outcome of the visit to Nicosia by UN secretary-general special adviser on the Cyprus problem Diego Cordovez.

[16] ALBANIA WILL REQUEST THE RATIFICATION OF THE SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

An Albanian delegation will visit Greece on December 2, headed by the labour minister’s office director Dritan Prifti.

According to the newspaper “Koha Yone”, Mr.Prifti will request from the Greek government to table in Parliament for ratification the agreement on the seasonal employment of Albanians in Greece in order to be implemented in the spring of 1998.

[17] THE NEXT EU ENLARGEMENT SHOULD NOT BECOME AN ALIBI FOR A TWO- SPEED EUROPE

The next EU enlargement should not become an “alibi for a two- speed Europe”, stressed Greek Euro-deputy Anna Karamanou, speaking in the two-day conference on “Enlargement and Cohesion” organized in Strasbourg by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe.

Ms.Karamanou said “yes” to enlargement if it is not against the principle of solidarity and economic and social cohesion, because in a different case, problems will be faced by the EU member-states and the young.

[18] MANOEL DE OLIVEIRA IN THE 38TH THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL

The great Portuguese film director Manoel de Oliveira, who first got involved with cinema in 1929 and now is working on his twentieth film, spoke today about his work and analyzed his point of view regarding cinema in a press conference he gave within the framework of the 38th Thessaloniki Film Festival.

Manoel de Oliveira is honored by this year’s festival with a presentation of 5 of his films, and in spite of his 88 years he appeared lively and talkative. Responding to a question by a reporter, he said that by making movies he is “reborn”, while he feels down during the times when he is away from the cinema.

He said that one of the reasons he interrupted the editing of his latest film “Inquietude” and came to Thessaloniki was the special presentation on Irene Papa. The Greek actress, who has the leading role in his film “The party”, will present the “Golden Alexander” prize to Oliveira in a ceremony that will be held in his honor this evening.

Speaking about the “domination of uniformity” he said that there is a kind of psychosis in mass media because they want to create a common taste through the images they present and the people think that they have to adopt it. “This is what the American cinema does”, he added, “Its films captivate audiences because they are perfect from a technical point of view and make a lot of noise. But they are all the same. Just like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. I prefer the Greek, Italian or the Portuguese cuisine. No technical perfection can be compared to authenticity, personality and honesty”.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/