Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-12-10

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 10 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] GREECE TO ENTER EMU BY THE YEAR 2002, SAYS PRIME MINISTER

Greece must enter the European Monetary Union by the year 2002, stated the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis during his address in Parliament last evening where talks concerned the national economy’s convergence with the economies of the other EU member- states.

Mr. Simitis stressed that the program currently applied by the government will continue to be enforced as it is already bearing results.

Meanwhile, the President of the country’s main opposition party, New Democracy’s Kostas Karamanlis, criticized the government for its policies which he characterized as “doddering”. The other opposition parties’ leaders made similar remarks. In his rejoinder, Mr. Simitis stated that the main opposition party makes issues out of untimely subjects and constantly refers to the past without looking at the future. A.F.

[02] PARLIAMENT ’S FOREIGN AND DEFENSE COUNCIL TO CONVENE TODAY

The Greek Parliament’s Foreign and Defense Council is to convene today under the leadership of Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos who will brief the deputies on the Alliance’s new command structure.

Meanwhile, the European Union’s Summit is to be held this Friday and Saturday in Luxembourg, the country currently holding the Community’s rotating presidency, and will be attended by the “15” state and government leaders.

The EU leaders will tackle the issue of Turkey’s ties with the European Union and its participation in the Summit. A.F.

[03] DELEGATIONS FROM GREECE-BULGARIA TO EXAMINE MILITARY COOPERATION

A Greek Bulgarian meeting concerning military cooperation between the two countries will be held in Thessaloniki on Friday, December 12, at the city’s Third Army Corps.

Heading the delegations with be the leader of Greece’s Armed Forces Athanasios Tzoganis and his Bulgarian counterpart Miho Mihov. The two men will proceed to the signing of a program on Greek-Bulgarian military cooperation for the year 1998.

The two teams are to also visit the Bulgarian city of Santaski. A.F.

[04] HYATT REGENCY’S HOTEL IN THESSALONIKI TO BE READY BY START OF 1999

Hyatt Regency is to open hotel and conference facilities in Thessaloniki by the start of the year 1999, according to hotel officials. The 40-billion-drachma unit will be founded in the area of Thermi, to be built on 100 stremmata, 10% of which will be buildings and the remaining will be recreational and open air areas.

The hotel’s accommodations will include 500 beds, 29 suites, of which two will be “presidential” and parking space for 600 automobiles. A.F.

[05] ONE OUT OF FOUR GREEK YOUNGSTERS IS OVERWEIGHT, STUDY REVEALS

Poor dietary habits that are being adopted at a young age have resulted in one out four Greek youngsters being overweight, a statistic correlated to eating fast food up to five times a week and not exercising.

Recent studies conducted by the Greek Foundation of Cardiology (ELIKAP), have revealed that, from as young as 11 years old, Greek children show signs of hypertension at a 13% rate and high cholesterol levels at a rate that reaches 15%.

Coinciding with the World Day for Children, 400 doctors- members of ELIKAP are to visit school rooms throughout the country tomorrow, as part of an educational campaign for healthier living.

According to the Professor of Cardiology at the University of Athens Dr. Toutouzas, both adults and children need to realize that it is up to them to avoid cardiovascular disease by following the simple rules of prevention.

“Fish, chicken, fruits and vegetables is a simple mnemonic rule for a healthy diet,” Dr. Toutouzas stated, advising also that the salt habit is one that should be kicked since it leads to hypertension, a condition suffered by two million Greeks. A.F.

[06] TURKISH F-16 FIGHTER JETS VIOLATED THE ATHENS FIR

Ten Turkish F-16 fighter jets violated the Athens FIR and came close to Thermaikos Bay in five formations. They appeared north of the island of Lesvos and continued to North Sporades islands, off Thermaikos Bay.

Specifically, at 9:05am today two Turkish F-16 fighter jets violated the Athens FIR in the region between the north-eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos and Limnos. The fighter jets appeared over the north Sporades islands and came as close as 30 miles south of Kassandra, Chalkidiki where they were intercepted by Greek Mirages that had taken off from Skyros.

Later, 10 Turkish F-16 fighter jets violated the Athens FIR in pairs and followed the same course. Nine Greek Phantoms and F- 16 fighter jets took off to intercept the Turkish fighter jets.

Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated from Thessaloniki that the Turkish fighter jets did not violate the Greek national air space but the Athens FIR, as it happens for many years now.

[07] NEW OPINION POLL ON THE POPULARITY OF PARTIES AND POLITICIANS

The new opinion poll, conducted by the MRB company and made public yesterday by a private television channel, caused various reactions on behalf of the Greek political world.

According to the opinion poll, the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leads the Socialist governing party of PASOK by 5,1%, while the popularity of prime minister Kostas Simitis and ND leader Kostas Karamanlis is falling.

This is the most notable lead New Democracy got over PASOK since the parliamentary elections of 1996.

The most popular political personality is mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos.

[08] THE AGREEMENTS OF OTE WITH INTRACOM AND ZIEMENS WERE APPROVED

The agreements reached by the Greek telecommunications company OTE with Intracom and Ziemens were approved today within the framework of the five-year program for the modernization of the Telecommunications Company network, which is estimated to bring additional gains of 700 billion drachmas.

The users of the network will also benefit as the offered services will be improved and access to a number of new services will be possible.

[09] THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL ECONOMY MET WITH THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANK OF GREECE

Minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou met with governor of the Bank of Greece Loukas Papadimos today, as the six-month report issued by the ministry provides for tough fiscal policy in 1998.

According to the report, there were deviations from the targets of the economy in 1997 in the sectors of the de- escalation of interest rates, the problems concerning the drachma and the primary surplus.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[10] GREEK ALTERNATE FM SPEAKS TO BELGIAN PRESS ON TURKEY’S TIES WITH EU

Greece’s alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou granted an extensive interview to the Belgian daily “Libre Belgique, where he stressed that “in spite of the commonly-held view, Greece has no doubt of Turkey’s European orientation, but Ankara must make an effort in this direction.”

In the article, Mr. Papandreou called on the European Union leaders to be honest with Ankara and added that Turkey does have issues that it must resolved. Moreover, the Greek alternate Foreign Minister reiterated that Greece will be willing to lift its veto on Turkey’s Customs Union with the EU if Turkey accepts recourse to the International Court of Justice at The Hague for the Imia islets issue.

Mr. Papandreou did underline that he agrees with all those who see Turkey as member of the European Union in the future.

We make no discrimination on the basis of religious of cultural criteria, every country has its character, however, the EU does have certain principles, democratic values, respect of human rights, a state of justice,” he pointed out, adding that “all the countries who wish to become EU members have to accept these principles.”

The Greek official added that “I have the impression that certain countries want to have their cake and eat it too. They want to have good ties with Turkey, but without allowing it to approach Europe, They want to give (Turkey) something, like they give candy to a child. But this is not the best food (for a child) for growth. We need to be clear with the Turks on what exactly we expect from them and what it is that they must do in order to become EU members.”

In regards to the Cyprus issue, Mr. Papandreou stated that the beginning of accession negotiations could be a useful opportunity and stressed that if the Turkish community decided to refrain from these talks it will have lost an historic opportunity.

“The Turkish-Cypriots could become the first Moslem- and Turkish - community of Europe. This could constitute a bridge between the EU and Turkey.” A.F.

[11] C OF E’S PRESS MINISTERS HOLD 5TH SUMMIT IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

Over 40 ministers of press and media from the Council of Europe member-states, along with observers and other officials, are to gather in Thessaloniki tomorrow in order to participate at the Fifth European Ministerial Summit for Politics in the Mass Media.

The Summit will be inaugurated by the Greek Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas and the C of E’s alternate secretary- general Hans Christian Kruger, while salutations will be forwarded by the President of Greece Kostis Stephanopoulos and the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

The conference, to be held until Friday, is jointly organized by the C of E and Greece’s Ministry of Press and Media, which will hold the presidency of the event.

This marks the first time that Greece has been assigned the organization of such a significant event in the sector of information and communication.

The Greek delegation, headed by the secretary-general of information Yiannis Nikolaou will focus on the theme “Society of Information: a Challenge for Europe” .

The two-day Summit will examine the opportunities provided by the governments for the adoption of a common policy in regards to new technologies and the new services related to communication- information. The ministers will try to draw a regulating framework that will aim at safeguarding human rights and freedoms, as well as the basic principles of democracy. A.F.

[12] COUNCIL OF EUROPE WANTS TO IMPROVE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

The Council of Europe is to grant priority to the development and strengthening of its control mechanism regarding support of democratic freedoms, in light of the operation of the new European Court of Human Rights in November of 1998, stated the C of E’s new alternate secretary-general Hans Christian Kruger.

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Kruger said that the main target of the Council is to further establish its recently-conducted expansion to 40 member-states.

The new European Court of Human Rights will address issues concerning the respect of individual freedoms of 800 million citizens from Portugal to Vladivostok and from Iceland to Cyprus. It will be set for operation after the closing of Greece’s presidency in November of 1998. A.F.

[13] GREEK AND ALBANIAN POLICE DELEGATIONS MEET, AGREE TO COOPERATE

Delegations of the border police forces of Greece and Albania met yesterday at the border station of Kakavia.

According to the chief of police of Gjirocaster, the Albanian team requested from the Greek delegation to provide its support in logistic facilities and added that the Greek side expressed its full support to the Albanian police. A.F.

[14] UNIONIZED TRUCK DRIVERS IN FYROM PROTEST VISA ISSUANCE PROCESS

The independent union of truck drivers in FYROM conducted a protest rally outside the Greece-FYROM Liaison Office in Skopje yesterday, demanding that the visa-issuance process for travel to Greece be simplified.

According to the president of the union Straso Ivanov, the way these visas are currently issued is like an embargo enforced against his country. Mr. Ivanof stated that the truck drivers should be issued an annual visa good for multiple trips to Greece.

He threatened that if his association’s request is not met, then the drivers will proceed to block the roads that lead to Greece. A.F.

[15] HIJACKED RUSSIAN AIRLINER HAS BEEN FREED WITH NO VICTIMS

Security services ended a hijacking of a Moscow-bound passenger plane today, freeing unharmed all 142 travelers and crew on board the Russian airliner and arresting a lone hijacker, according to the French news agency AFP which cites the Russian news agency Interfax.

The plane was hijacked early this morning during a flight from Magadan in the Russian far east to Moscow. After flying in circles above the Russian capital for about an hour, the Ilyshin- 62 landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

Upon landing, Russia’s anti-terrorist Alpha forces seized the hijacker who was reported wound up with cables, supposedly explosive. The lone-acting man, contrary to previous reports of three accomplices, is said to have tried to transfer gold deposits from Magadan’s gold mines. A.F.

[16] TURKEY’S PARLIAMENT TO DECIDE ON CENSURE VOTE AGAINST PM YILMAZ

The Turkish Parliament is to discuss today the censure vote submitted against the country’s Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

According to Turkish legislation, the government will be forced to resign if the censure proposal is passed. In order for this to be achieved, the opposition must gather an overall majority, that is 276 votes. A.F.

[17] OSCE ACCUSES SERB AUTHORITIES OF IRREGULARITIES DURING ELECTIONS

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has accused the Serb authorities of not following its recommendations during Sunday’s presidential election process.

OSCE spokesperson Gerard Stowdman stressed that the Serb authorities should be more active in their efforts to restore faith and trust of the Serb people to the elections system.

Among OSCE recommendations was the need to provide more media coverage to the elections and Mr. Stowdman said that the state- owned television channel was clearly in favor of the ruling party’s candidate. A.F.

[18] THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER MET WITH HIS COUNTERPART FROM LUXEMBOURG

Prime minister of Luxembourg Jean Claude Junker, who is currently holding the European Council presidency, visited Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis in Athens and their talks focused on the issue of the EU enlargement. They also discussed Greece’s objections to the likelihood of Turkey’s participation in the European conference.

Prime minister Simitis insisted in the Greek positions according to which, there is no need for the European conference to be held, while he also stressed that Turkey should accept International Law and stop raising obstacles to Cyprus’ accession into the European Union. Specifically, Mr.Simitis said that if the EU starts simultaneous accession negotiations with the 11 candidate-states there will be no need for the European conference in which Turkey will participate. He also said that in case such a body is established Turkey should not participate in it if it does not meet certain terms and pre-conditions.

Mr.Junker stated that every effort will be made to safeguard Greece’s interests. He also said that the candidate states are not all equally prepared for EU accession and that a pre-selection of countries should be made by the European Commission, while he suggested that accession negotiations should start with 6 countries in the first phase. Luxembourg’s prime minister also agreed with mr.Simitis that in order for a country to become an EU member should meet certain pre-conditions.

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that no meeting between mr.Simitis and his Turkish counterpart has been scheduled to take place in the Luxembourg summit.

Meanwhile, European Commission president Jacques Santer stated in a press conference today, in view of the EU Summit meeting on Friday and Saturday in Luxembourg, that Turkey should respect the good neighbourly relations and solve its bilateral problems with Greece through appeals to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Mr.Santer stated that Turkey’s EU accession course is a fact but more time will be needed by Ankara compared to the other candidate states because it will have to contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem and adopt a constructive stance toward Cyprus’ accession into the EU. He also said that Turkey could participate in the European conference and develop harmonious relations with the European Union.

[19] CONFERENCE OF GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT PARTIES

A three-day conference of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties opened in the Zappion Building in Athens today at the initiative of the Greek political party Coalition of the Left.

Party leader Nikos Konstantopoulos underlined that a solution must be found for the Cyprus problem based on the UN resolutions and the agreements reached. He also said that Cyprus must have a joint sovereignty, with a two-community and two-zone federation, while he underlined the European prospects for a united Cyprus and maintained that the EU accession negotiations should start without problems.

President of the Turkish Republican Party Mehmet Ali Talat maintained that the solution of the Cyprus problem must have the form of a loose federation with a sovereign autonomy for both sides, while he stated that the Turkish Cypriots should participate in the negotiations for Cyprus’ EU accession.

[20] GREEK-BULGARIAN MEETING

A Greek-Bulgarian meeting on the cooperation of the two countries in the military sector will be held at the 3rd Army Corps Headquarters in Thessaloniki on Friday.

In charge of the two delegations will be Greek National Defense General Staff Chief Athanasios Tzoganis and his Bulgarian counterpart M.Michov, who will sign the Greek-Bulgarian military cooperation program for the year 1998.

[21] THE SEARCH FOR THE LOCATION OF A MISSING TURKISH SAILOR IS FRUITLESS

The search conducted by the Greek Navy and Coast Guard with the assistance of a helicopter for the location of the missing Turkish sailor from the cargo ship “S. Ugurlu” that sunk at dawn today, off the coasts of Kimi, continues to be fruitless.

The Turks chose not to send a distress signal to the center of operations of the Greek ministry of merchant marine which was informed on the accident by the captain of the Greek cargo ship “Iraklis Glory” that was in the region at the time.

Coast Guard ships arrived at the scene of the shipwreck and were able to rescue 10 of the 11 crew members of the Turkish cargo ship.

The cargo ship that was carrying iron ore had sailed from the port of Thessaloniki with destination Venice, Italy. It should be noted that at the time of the shipwreck the weather conditions in the region were mild.

[22] “I GREW UP AMONG GREEKS”, SAYS TURKISH SINGER NILUFER

“I grew up among Greeks”, said to MPA Turkish singer Nilufer, UNICEF’s good will ambassador, who is in Thessaloniki for a concert within the framework of the Cultural Capital of Europe events.

Born in Istanbul, the famous Turkish singer lived as a child in an apartment building where all its residents were Greeks. “All my Greek friends now live in Athens”, says Nilufer, and adds that there are political problems that have not been resolved yet but there are no problems dividing the two peoples.

Nilufer became UNICEF’s good will ambassador a month ago and stated that she loves children and wants to protect them, that is why she has participated or backed many of the international organization’s events.

[23] PLANS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SOFIA-THESSALONIKI HIGHWAY

Bulgaria will receive the sum of 8 million ECU from the EU program PHARE for the construction of a new Sofia-Thessaloniki highway that will cut in half the distance between the two cities in view of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

By the end of 1999, Bulgaria will receive from PHARE a total of 92 million ECU for the implementation of cross-border cooperation programs with Greece in the sectors of infrastructure and environment. The Greek side will be financed by the INTERREG II program.

The announcement was made in Sofia today after the meeting of the joint committee responsible for the control and programming of the cross-border cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria, during which an economic memorandum on bilateral programs that will materialize in the next two years was signed.

The next meeting of the joint Greek-Bulgarian Committee of cross-border cooperation has been scheduled to take place in April 1998.

[24] A US COMPANY PROCESSES PROGRAMS FOR KOZLODUI

The American company “Westinghouse” processes programs for the installation of a new digital command and control center for the number 5 and number 6 reactors of Kozlodui’s nuclear power plant in Bulgaria.

The agreement between the Bulgarian side and the US company is expected to be signed by the end of January 1998, stated the power plant’s director Ivan Ivanov.

The US company processes a plan that will secure alternative nuclear fuel suppliers for Kozlodui. According to Mr.Ivanov, it is possible that in the next few years the nuclear plant’s supply will be undertaken by European companies that produce fuel for Russian made reactors, such as Kozlodui’s.

[25] SIMITIS : “NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE EUROPEAN ORIENTATION OF TURKEY”

The Greek Premier, Mr. Kostas Simitis, said once more to his counterpart in Luxembourg and president of the European Council, Mr. Jean Claude Yiounker, that Greece has no objections concerning the European orientation of Turkey provided that Turkey will keep the four conditions, which Greece believes that are vital for its security. This conditions defined by Mr. Simitis concern the respect of the system of values and principles, upon which the European Completion is structured.

[26] STOCKHOLME WILL BE THE NEXT CULTURAL CAPITAL

On Friday the term of Thessaloniki as Cultural Capital of Europe will end. During a formal ceremony at the convent of Lazarists the mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Konstantinos Kosmopoulos, will “hand over the torch” to his counterpart in Stockholm. In the morning, on the same day, at the Company of Macedonian Studies, the Swedish academic, Mr. Sture Liner, will present his book titled “ A Swedish woman in Greece of the 19th century”. The Swedish Minister of Culture, Ms. Marita Oulvskog, will be present in this presentation. Tomorrow night Mr. Yehounti Menouhin will direct the Room Orchestra of Lithuania and the Public Orchestra of Lithuania in the “Messiah” of Hentel.

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