Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-12-01

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 1 December 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 SAE’S ASSEMBLY MEETING OPENS TODAY

The first assembly meeting of the Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, opens in Thessaloniki today.

The conference proceedings will be formally declared open by president Kostis Stephanopoulos. Messages will be sent by prime minister Kostas Simitis and Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides.

[02] THE FIRST PHASE OF THE SCHENGEN ACCORD IS IN EFFECT IN GREECE

The first phase of the Schengen accord is in effect in Greece as of today and its full implementation will take place in the country after a year.

Starting today, Athens is officially linked with the Schengen central computer and participates in the common policy for the approval of entry permits.

The second phase of the implementation of the Schengen accord by Greece will concern the gradual lifting of controls in airports and sea ports that will be decided by the Schengen executive committee in the second half of 1998, based on the conclusions that will be drawn from the report on the progress made in the Greek customs offices.

The goal of the Greek government is to adjust the operation of the airports of Athens and Thessaloniki to the Schengen accord by the end of the year, while the airports of Iraklion, Rhodes and Corfu are expected to adjust to the new operation rules by February 1998.

[03] GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON COMMENTS ON NATO’S NEW STRUCTURE

The Greek government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas referred to the Alliance’s new structure, and especially to Greece’s participation therein, during today’s press briefing.

When asked if this new structure of NATO compromises Greece’s sovereign rights, Mr. Reppas responded that NATO no longer has terms of operation liability since there is no opposition. Moreover, he added that Greece fully retains its veto power and stressed that the national air space has been and remains at 10 miles.

[04] GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON: THERE WILL BE NO MINISTRY OF GREEKS ABROAD

The Greek government spokesperson stated today that the government does not plan to establish a ministry for Greeks Abroad, responding to a relevant question during today’s press conference.

However, the Press Minister stated that the state-owned radio and television station ERT has embarked on experimental broadcasts concerning the Greek community in the United States which are to expand to Australia in 1998.

In regards to Greece’s implementation of the first phase of the Schengen Accord today, Mr. Reppas stated that this will allow for more control of illegal immigration and crime .

[05] DRUG JOINT OPERATING NEAR A SOCCER STADIUM IN THESSALONIKI

A drug joint was discovered by the local police today in a cafeteria which operated on the “PAOK” Soccer field’s premises. The police bust fell on about 400 young persons all under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[06] THE NATO MINISTERS OF DEFENSE MEET TOMORROW

The three-day meeting of the NATO ministers of defense opens in Brussels tomorrow. Greece will be represented by minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

The Greek minister of defense stressed that Greece maintains its right to veto in case the country’s equal participation in the decision-making process is not safeguarded and especially, in case the new structure of the alliance is against Greece’s sovereign rights.

[07] SIMITIS MET WITH CHIRAC AND JOSPEN

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis met in Paris with French president Jacques Chirac and prime minister Lionel Jospen.

Mr.Simitis will attend the Western European Union Parliamentary Assembly meeting and tomorrow will deliver a speech before it. In the talks will be examined the relations of Cyprus and Turkey with the EU, Turkey’s participation in the European conference as well as, issues of security and defense. Greece takes over the presidency of the WEU in January.

[08] GREECE WILL NOT APPROVE THE EU ENLARGEMENT IF CYPRUS IS NOT INCLUDED

Greek deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou reiterated, in an interview to the Greek Radio station in London, LGR, that Greece will use its veto right against the EU enlargement if Cyprus is not included among the new member-states.

Mr.Papandreou stated that Cyprus is more ready to become an EU member than any other candidate-country and therefore, it should be the first one of the 11 candidate-states to enter the European Union.

[09] THE ALBANIAN INTERIOR MINISTER IS VISITING ATHENS

Albanian minister of interior Neritan Ceka visited the ministry of public order in Athens, where a meeting of delegations from the two countries was held.

The Greek delegation was made up of minister of public order Giorgos Romeos, minister of merchant marine Stavros Soumakis and police force chief Athanasios Vasilopoulos. In the Albanian delegation participated minister of interior Neritan Ceka, Albanian ambassador to Athens Kastriot Robo and Albanian police chief Sokol Baraj.

After the meeting, Greek police and Coast Guard specialists met with their Albanian colleagues and discussed ways for better cooperation on issues of training. They also examined the further cooperation of the joint group that has been formed to fight drug- trafficking, organized crime, theft, as well as the trafficking of stolen pleasure boats, cars and motorcycles.

[10] CLERIDES-VAN DEN BROEK MEETING

EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek will meet in Nicosia this evening with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides. Tomorrow, he will have a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

According to an EU Commission announcement, the goal of the EU Commissioner’s visit is the exchange of views for the opening of negotiations for Cyprus’ accession into the European Union.

[11] CLERIDES-BELL MEETING IN NICOSIA

Canada’s special envoy to Cyprus Michael Bell met in Nicosia today with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides.

Mr.Bell stated after the meeting that it was a good opportunity for him to be briefed on Mr.Clerides’ recent efforts to find a solution for the Cyprus problem.

He also gave the assurance that Canada is interested in contributing to the solution of the problem in every way.

[12] THE EU-FYROM COOPERATION AGREEMENT WILL BE PUT INTO FORCE IN JANUARY

The economic cooperation agreement between the European Union and FYROM will be put into force on January 1, according to FYROM’s press secretariat.

The agreement is being accompanied by an economic protocol, based on which, FYROM will receive 150 million ECU for the construction of road networks.

Government officials in FYROM stated that the cooperation agreement will be a positive step for the further development of the relations with the European Union.

[13] CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT IS HELD IN JAPAN

The most significant conference for the protection of the environment, after the one held in Rio, opened in Kioto, Japan today with the participation of representatives from 150 countries.

For the first time, the developed countries will adopt legislation for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, which play a direct role in the creation of the “greenhouse effect”. Already, a number of proposals for the reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions are on the negotiating table. The conference will last until December 10.

[14] GREEN LIGHT TO THE BLACK SEA-BALKANS-EU ENERGY LINK UP

A political agreement for the transformation of the Balkans into an energy bridge between East and West, was reached in Bucharest yesterday, within the framework of the ministerial conference that is being held in the Romanian capital with the participation of 13 countries from the Black Sea and South-Eastern Europe.

The agreement is included in a memorandum that was signed during the conference which is being held at the initiative of Greek EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, within the framework of the international energy cooperation “SYNERGY” program.

The memorandum provides for the gradual materialization of 30 new energy link ups in the Balkans and priority will be given to 11 of them. The new energy link ups that concern the sectors of electricity, natural gas and oil distribution have been proposed by the interested countries and were evaluated by a special action group that met for about a year.

[15] OVER 30 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HAVE AIDS

World Day Against AIDS today and the international health organizations mention that there is an increase of the cases of the deadly disease recorded worldwide.

Specifically, over 30 million people in the world have tested HIV positive, while according to the Greek ministry of health, it is expected that the AIDS cases in Greece will be reduced by 30%.

[16] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH FRENCH PRESIDENT CHIRAC AND PM JOSPIN

The Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Simitis met with the President of France Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospen in Paris today.

The three leaders discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, the Greek-Turkish issues, the Cyprus issue and Ankara’s European outlook.

France’s political leadership stressed that Turkey should partake in the European Union Summit, while Mr. Simitis reiterated Greece’s firm stance that Turkey must respect international law in order to secure its participation in the Summit.

Tomorrow Mr. Simitis is to address the Western European Union’s Conference titled “The position of the WEU before the new political reality.” Greece is to preside over the WEU beginning in January.

[17] THE NATO MINISTERS OF DEFENSE MEET TOMORROW

Greece’s Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos departed for Brussels today where he will participate at the three-day conference of NATO’s defense ministers which begins tomorrow.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos’ departure for Brussels was expedited by the report that the President of the Alliance’s Military Committee Gen. Knowman intends to add on the agenda a request submitted by Ankara which challenges the status of the military flights over the Aegean Sea. While Greece has enforced the term that the air flights center should have pre-determined parameters of liability, Turkey wants to do away with this condition, thereby allowing it to conduct flights that would violate Athens’ FIR.

[18] CONCERN ABOUNDS OVER NUCLEAR WASTE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

The Professor of Nuclear Physics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Kostas Papastefanou told the Macedonian Press Agency that he is highly concerned over the future of the Mediterranean, giving heightened emphasis to the Bulgarian nuclear plant at Kozlodui.

According to the academician., there are 42 nuclear reactors located next to rivers which dump their waste either directly into he Mediterranean or in the Black Sea and the Ellispontos.

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