Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-01-28

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 28 January 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREECE’S DEFENSE MINISTER IN SLOVAKIA

Greece’s National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos met with his Slovakian counterpart G. Sitek, in Bratislava yesterday, his three-day official visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The two officials discussed issues related to the safeguarding peace and security in Europe, while Mr.Sitek thanked the Greek government for its stance during the crisis in Albania.

Following the talks, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos and Mr.Sitek signed a defense cooperation accord, the first between the two countries.

[02] GEN. TZOGANIS ADDRESSES OSCE’S CONFERENCE ON DEFENSE POLICY

Greece’s National Defense General Staff Chief Athanasios Tzoganis, presented the country’s positions on security-related issues in southeastern Europe, as a keynote speaker at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) conference on defense policy and military doctrines.

The Vienna-held conference features the participation of 34 general staff chiefs and senior officers from OPSCE”s 54 member- states.

Gen. Tzoganis’ address focused on "Security in southeastern Europe, challenges and prospects” wherein he stressed the need to encourage economic interdependence in southeastern Europe, but to also provide substantial financial and material aid that will permit economic reforms.

Mr. Tzoganis stressed that Greece has established close cooperation with all Balkan countries and provides all possible assistance for the consolidation of political stability and promotion of economic development.

Moreover, in a thinly veiled reference to Turkey, Gen. Tzoganis stated that “in the Aegean, the disregard of International Law and Bodies, and the resort to military tension, is the least effective tactic for the resolution of disputes.”

The Vienna Conference is the third summit meeting between military officers from OSCE member-states.

[03] AGRICULTURAL TRADE FAIR AGROTICA ’98 OPENS TODAY IN THESSALONIKI

Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas will inaugurate the 14th Agrotica international trade fair, the largest annual agricultural trade fair in the Balkans, in Thessaloniki today.

This year’s event, which started 14 years ago, organized by Helexpo, International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki, will feature an increased number of exhibitors and will occupy the largest area in the fair’s history.

According to Helexpo, 1,517 Greek and foreign exhibitors will display their goods, on a site of more than 38,500 square meters.

A total of 776 foreign exhibitors from 35 countries and 741 Greek companies will participate, while seven countries - Albania, Bulgaria, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and Tunisia - will participate with national pavilions.

[04] US AMBASSADOR TO CONDUCT FIRST VISIT TO THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

The United States Ambassador in Athens Nicholas Burns is to conduct his first visit to Thessaloniki tomorrow, where he will remain for three days.

According to his itinerary, Mr. Burns is to be received by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos tomorrow morning, followed by a meeting with the city’s Mayor Konstantinos Kosmopoulos. At 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, Mr. Burns will be the keynote speaker at a “Propeller Club” meeting.

On Friday, the US Ambassador will meet with the Prefect of Thessaloniki Kostas Papadopoulos and on Saturday evening he will be attend the formal reception given on board the United States Sixth Fleet’s flagship “LaSalle”, which will have sailed into the port of Thessaloniki on Saturday morning.

The ship, with a 700-member crew, will remain at the port until February 4.

[05] OLYMPIC GAMES COMMITTEE TO CONVENE TODAY

The Olympic Games Organizing Committee is to hold its first session today, under the presidency of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. Immediately thereafter, Mr. Simitis is to present the members of the committee to the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

On Monday, the Minister of Culture Evangelos Venizelos, who heads the relevant ministerial committee, met with the president of the Olympic Games Organizing Committee Stratis Stratigis and managing director Kostas Bakouris.

[06] GREEK FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY TO TOUR FOUR AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Greece’s Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis is to embark on a tour of four African countries, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa, today.

Mr. Kranidiotis' five-day tour is aiming at the promotion of Greece's candidacy for the post of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 1999-2000, and the strengthening of its bilateral relations with the aforementioned countries.

[07] GOVERNMENT OFFICALS OPTIMISTIC, INFLATION RATE TO SLIDE THIS MONTH

Government officials are optimistic that inflation is expected to fall to between 4.5 and 4.4 per cent this month, compared to 4.7 per cent at the end of last year.

According to the reports, the decline will continue in February and the inflation rate will stand at 3.8 per cent in May.

The government's goal in 1998 is to lower inflation to 2.5 per cent.

[08] TAX BILL AMENDMENT WILL BE PASSED IN PARLIAMENT

The controversial changes in the new tax bill concerning the public sector companies, that have caused the strong reaction of the workers, will be voted through in Parliament this evening.

Former leader of the main opposition party of New Democracy Miltiadis Evert met today with the presiding board of the General Confederation of Labor, the largest workers’ union in Greece. Its president Christos Polizogopoulos characterized the amendment concerning the public sector companies as a huge anti-democratic blunder and stressed that it threatens the constitutional rights of the workers.

[09] THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES COMMITTEE MET IN ATHENS TODAY

The committee responsible for the holding of the 2004 Olympic Games met in Athens today presided over by prime minister Kostas Simitis.

After the meeting, the committee headed by the prime minister, was received by the President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

[10] LEGISLATIVE REGULATION IN PARLIAMENT ON THE COMPOUND INTEREST IMPOSED BY THE GREEK BANKS

The ministry of national economy and finance is expected to submit a legislative regulation in Parliament concerning the compound interest imposed by the Greek banks.

The move came after a Supreme Court ruling according to which, the banks’ practice is illegal. The interest rate on overdue debts will be 2,5%, while compound interest will be imposed if no payments are made to the banks for a period of six months. The new regulation will not have a retroactive effect.

[11] THE GREEK PRESS OFFICE WAS INAUGURATED IN STRASBOURG

Ministry of press and mass media general secretary Yiannis Nikolaou inaugurated in Strasbourg yesterday the new Press Office of the Greek permanent delegation to the Council of Europe.

Greece’s permanent representative to the European organization ambassador Dimitris Konstas, speaking in the inauguration ceremony, pointed out the important role the office will play situated “in the heart of Parliamentary Europe” in view of the fact that Greece will soon take over the presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

Speaking to MPA, press counsellor Christos Failadis stressed that the new Press Office aspires to turn into a source of information for researchers and journalists, while it will also play an important role in the spread of the Greek ideals.

[12] 2 TURKISH SLAVE-TRADERS AND 13 KURDISH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED

The Greek Coast Guard arrested 13 Kurds and the two Turkish slave-traders who attempted to bring them illegally to Greece.

The arrests were made when their boat capsized due to heavy seas, off the island of Chios in eastern Aegean.

The Coast Guard located the illegal immigrants and arrested the two Turkish slave-traders, who maintained that they did not intend to disembark the Kurds at the Greek coasts and that their boat drifted away from the Turkish coasts due to the strong winds in the region.

[13] UKRAINIAN AIRCRAFT IMPOUNDED AT THESSALONIKI AIRPORT

A “Boing 727” aircraft of the Ukrainian air company “Aerosweet” was impounded today at “Macedonia” airport, following a resolution by Greek judicial authorities, after a request submitted to the Court of Thessaloniki by relatives of a woman who was killed in the tragic accident on December 17 when an Ukrainian Yak-42 of the same company crashed on to the Pieria mountains in Central Greece.

The juridical resolution concerning a conservative impounding asked the staff of the Civil Aviation Service and not to allow the boarding to anyone of the 45 passengers who were to depart for Kiev.

According to the resolution the aircraft will remain at the airport until the 9th of February, when the trial of the essence of the claim will take place, unless the air company defrays a letter of guarantee worth 40 million drachmas up to that date.

[14] GREECE-FYROM TALKS ON NAME ISSUE TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK TOMORROW

The Ambassadors of Greece and FYROM, Christos Zacharakis and Ivan Tosevski respectively, are to hold a new round of talks concerning the FYROM name issue in New York tomorrow. .

Yesterday’s negotiations lasted two hours and featured the participation of United Nations mediator Cyrus Vance.

Following the talks, Mr.Tosevski was asked if any progress was noted, whereupon he responded “certainly.”

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[15] GERMAN F.M. TO TURKEY: TAKE CONTINENTAL SHELF ISSUE TO THE HAGUE

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel has adopted his Greek counterpart’s (Theodoros Pangalos) proposal that Turkey should accept recourse to the International Court at The Hague for the overall Greek-Turkish differences.

Mr. Kinkel also stated that "the European Union is not responsible for the problems which Turkey has created, such as the occupation of northern Cyprus in violation of international law, and the problem with the Kurds". He added that the EU decision to open membership negotiations with Cyprus was “a given.”

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Netzani Utkan responded to Mr. Pangalos’s proposal, by stating that there is no reason for Turkey to appeal to The Hague to ratify that the 10-mile limit of the Greek air space is contrary to International Law. He also once again set forth claims of supposed violations of the rights of the Moslem minority living in Thrace.

[16] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN ATHENS TOMORROW

The President of the European Parliament Jose Maria Jil Robles is to conduct a three-day official visit to Athens, beginning tomorrow.

Invited by the President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis, Mr. Robles will meet with Greece’s political leadership.

In a press conference given in Strasbourg, Mr. Robles stated that his contacts with Greece’s political leaders will be of a general nature and he noted that he wants to form an opinion on how Greece sees the structural hurdles of the European fulfillment, the Euro, the Amsterdam Accord, and the Greek Parliament’s view on issues related to the unified European election process.

Referring to the dialogue which Athens pioneered with other Mediterranean countries and states from the Middle East, Mr. Robles stated that “Greece is the preferential observation post and I believe that the views of the Greek authorities will help us in developing our ties in that (geographical) direction. We have an interest in working toward the development of the Mediterranean’s southern end, since Europe’s’ viable interests are not limited only to the North.

While avoiding comment on Greek-Turkish issues, Mr. Robles did say that “the European Union is always on the side of its allies.”

[17] FINANCIAL TIMES: THREE GREEK COMPANIES LISTED IN EUROPE’S TOP 500

The London-based “Financial Times” has included three Greek companies for the first time in a list of Europe's 500 top companies.

Namely, Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) is listed in the 108th position based on the company's capitalization - measured in earnings multiplied by the number of issued stocks, followed by Alpha Credit Bank at 361 and National Bank of Greece at 454.

OTE is the only Greek company to be included in the Global 500 list at the 359th position.

The “Financial Times” started publishing the Europe 500 list 16 years ago, while its Global 500 list is in its second year run.

[18] SOS SIGNAL FROM A TURKISH CARGO SHIP

Fire erupted on board a Turkish cargo ship with 20 crew members and a distress signal was sent from the international waters, off the coasts of Cavo D’Oro, when its captain was unable to control it.

A Greek helicopter arrived in the region and its pilot contacted the ship’s captain, who refused the Greek assistance, stating that he has requested help from a Turkish tugboat. A Greek Navy frigate and a tugboat have also arrived in the region.

[19] MEETING ON NATO’S SOUTHERN REGION STRATEGY WILL BE HELD IN CORFU

A meeting on NATO’s Southern Region Strategy will be held in the Ionian island of Corfu on January 30, hosted by First Regiment Commander Lieutenant-General Dimitris Dimou.

In the meeting will be discussed issues concerning policy and strategy matters in NATO’s southern wing and will be attended by NATO’s Southern Wing Commander admiral T.J.Lopez as well as, by the commanders of all the sub-headquarters of the alliance.

[20] THE NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING OF THE MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL OF CHURCHES WILL BE HELD IN LEBANON

The General Assembly meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches will be held for the first time in Lebanon next year.

The General Assembly of the Council, that was founded in 1974, usually meets in Cyprus every four years and last week its members were in Nicosia to discuss the decrease in the number of Christians observed in the Middle East. During the one-day meeting, the representatives of the Churches appealed for dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

[21] NEW TRANSLATION OF AESOP’S FABLES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND

A new translation of Aesop’s Fables will be published in England in a few days by the publishing house Penguin Classics and translators Robert and Olivia Temple hope that the book titled “Aesop, The complete fables” will be published in the United States next June.

It is a translation of 350 fables, 100 of which are being translated for the first time into English.

Mr. Temple stated that this new translation presents a new picture of ancient Greece.

[22] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES IS THE FAVORITE TO WIN THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

According to an opinion poll conducted by the Cypriot state radio and television channel, 34,8% of the people questioned believe that today’s president Glafkos Clerides will win the first round of the presidential elections in Cyprus, followed by Giorgos Iakovou (30,9%), Vasos Lissarides (8,2%), Alexis Galanos (4%), Giorgos Vasiliou (3,6%), Nikos Koutsou (1,6%) and Nikos Rolandis (0,1%).

The undecided are 8,8%, while 5,3% chose not to respond to the question. The poll was conducted on January 8-18.

Based on the same poll, Mr. Clerides is also the favorite to win in the second round of the presidential elections, with 41,7%, followed by Mr.Iakovou with 37,1%.

[23] THE PROGRAM “THRACE-AEGEAN-CYPRUS” IS STRENGTHENED

Ministers of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos and Aegean Elisavet Papazoi, announced in a press conference in Thessaloniki, the strengthening of the “Thrace-Aegean-Cyprus” program.

The two ministries decided to strengthen the cooperation of the responsible institutions in Thrace, the Aegean and Cyprus in the sectors of culture, environment, sports, tourism, the economy and transportation. As it was made known, in the period of 1998- 1999 the sectors of culture and environment will be financed with the sum of 100 million drachmas.

Both Mr. Petsalnikos and Ms. Papazoi stressed that their goal is the promotion and reinforcement of the joint border region that begins from Thrace, in north-eastern Greece and ends up in Cyprus through the Aegean.

Ms. Papazoi stated that the Greek government is interested in expanding the European program “Natura 2000”, which provides for ecological interventions in small Aegean islands, to other islands as well without taking under consideration if Turkey places those islands inside the so-called “gray zones”.

[24] 80 COAL MINERS ARE ON A HUNGER STRIKE IN BULGARIA

Eighty coal miners in Tsiprovets, Bulgaria are on a hunger strike since yesterday and remain in their galleries, 400 meters below the surface of the Earth, in protest to the unacceptable working conditions and their long overdue wages.

According to their union representative, the coal miners have not been paid since last November.

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