Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-02-12

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 12 February 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] ALTERNATE FOREIGN MINISTER IN THESSALONIKI

Addressing the "Association for Democracy in the Balkans" in Thessaloniki yesterday, Greece’s Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou stressed Greece’s role as a force of stability and economic growth and as a promoter of democratic values, respect for human rights and cooperation among peoples.

Mr. Papandreou pointed out Greece's exemplary ties with other Balkan states, and stressed that the government was making efforts to expand its role in the region, by supplementing this role with activities on the part of banks and the business world, as well as by universities.

[02] FARMERS TO BLOCK OFF NATIONAL HIGHWAY AT MALGARA FOR THREE HOURS

Farmers from the region of Northern Greece are to block off the country’s national highway at the Malgara Junction for three hours this afternoon.

Already about 13 blocks have been set up by various groups of local farmers.

Meanwhile, in a sign of support, the local labor center is to conduct a rally at 6:30 this evening in Thessaloniki.

[03] GREEK FARMERS TO MEET WITH AGRICULTURE MINISTER TODAY

The country’s protesting farmers are to meet today with a government delegation headed by Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas and including Finance Undersecretary George Drys, agriculture undersecretaries Dimitris Sotirlis and Vassilis Geranidis, and the governor of the Agricultural Bank of Greece, Petros Lambrou.

The farmers of central Greece have said they will intensify blockades this week and will continue their protest until their demands are met for state subsidies and cheaper petrol for agricultural use. Local farmers however, have said that they are opposed to the meeting and have asked that Agriculture Ministry officials travel to Thessaloniki in order to embark on negotiations.

Meanwhile, the local producers blocked off the national highway yesterday at Malgara.

[04] AGRICULTURE MINISTER: WE WANT TO HELP, BUT CAN’T GIVE GRD 900 BILLION

Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas, referring to the crucial meeting he is to have today with farmers’ representatives, stated in a radio interview that the farmers’ demands are unrealistic, as the cost for fulfilling them would entail an additional 900 billion drachmas from the state’s budget.

Moreover, he accused the country’s farming groups as acting like “demagogues” and claimed that those who embark on mobilizations and road blocks do not number more than 2,000, at a time when 800,000 Greeks are farmers.

Today’s meeting will also be attended by a government delegation which will include includes the undersecretaries of finance George Drys; agriculture, Dimitris Sotirlis and Vassilis Geranidis as well as the governor of the Agricultural Bank Panayiotis Lambrou.

Items on the agenda include matters related to lower fuel prices and lending rates, a doubling of VAT return coefficients and suspension of court action taken against several farmers from last year's protests.

[05] TURKEY SHOULD SEEK RECOURSE THROUGH THE HAGUE, SAYS PAPANDREOU

Greece’s alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, in Thessaloniki yesterday, stated that Turkey is unable to adjust to the new European environment and this is the reason why the European Union must insist on the conditions set forth by the Luxembourg-held Summit so that the neighboring country will understand that it is not mere talk.

Moreover, Mr. Papandreou stated that solutions can be found through the framework of the International Court of Justice at The Hague and through international law.

[06] VIETNAM’S DEPUTY PREMIER IN ATHENS TODAY

The deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Manh Cam arrived in Athens today where he will meet with Greece’s alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

Mr. Cam, who also serves as his country’s Foreign Minister, is to be received by Premier Kostas Simitis tomorrow. The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations between Athens and Hanoi.

[07] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT CAN NOT REGARD THE NEW TURKISH MOVE AS A PROPOSAL

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas commenting on the Turkish “proposal” stated that the positions expressed are a mix of Ankara’s previous claims and can not be seen positively by the Greek government.

Meanwhile, regarding the revelations made by the former Turkish Navy chief that on the days of the crisis over Imia Turkey was planning a war against Greece, Greek undersecretary of foreign affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis pointed out that the Greek government’s strategy, which is aimed at easing the tensions, favors the solution of the Greek-Turkish problems.

[08] THE FARMERS BLOCKADED THE NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK AT MALGARA

The farmers of northern Greece, who disagree with the meeting the coordinating committee of the farmers from Thessaly, central Greece, will have today with a ministerial delegation headed by agriculture minister Stefanos Tzoumakas, blockaded the Athens- Thessaloniki highway at Malgara.

Meanwhile, the farmers from Evros, north-eastern Greece, occupied the Agriculture Bank building in the city of Orestiada and threatened to occupy both the Alexandroupolis Airport and the prefecture building of Evros tomorrow. They are protesting against the small compensation they received after the bad weather that destroyed their farm products last October.

[09] REFORM PROGRAM FOR OLYMPIC AIRWAYS

The Greek government is examining a reform program for Olympic Airways and the airline’s employees are being called to present their positions.

The Olympic Airways management examines different ways to deal with the problems created in the flights of the airline due to the work stoppages by its employees and among others, it considers renting more airplanes.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[10] GREEK-BULGARIAN-RUSSIAN PIPELINE COMPANY TO BE FORMED IN MARCH

The Greek, Bulgarian and Russian joint firm Interbalkan Pipeline is expected to be formed in March in order to embark on preparations for construction work on the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, stated Bulgaria’s Deputy Premier Yevgeni Bakarziev during a Sofia-held conference on foreign investments.

The project is price tagged at approximately 750 million dollars, while the cost of building the pipeline between Burgas- Vlore, Albania, via FYROM will exceed one billion dollars.

Greek executive Christos Katsanis, an executive director of the National Bank's branch office and president of the federation of foreign investors in the country, said the Sofia conference on investments was an important and useful initiative to attract foreign investments to Bulgaria.

[11] TURKISH ADMIRAL REVEALS NEW DATA ON NIGHT OF IMIA CRISIS

The Turkish military commandos who took over the second islet of the Imia cluster of rock islands two years ago arrived there by swimming underwater, stated the then-leader of the Turkish Naval Forces, Admiral G. Erkaya during a televised interview.

Moreover, the Turkish official revealed that the then-Premier of Turkey Tansu Ciller had advocated full military confrontation.

[12] POLAND TO DISPATCH ANTI-CHEMICAL WARFARE UNIT TO PERSIAN GULF

Poland’s undersecretary of Defense Radek Sikorski has confirmed the Polish government’s intention to dispatch an anti- chemical warfare unit to the Persian Gulf, in case the United States launch an attack on Iraq.

The relevant decision was drawn after a government meeting, held after the relevant American request issued by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Polish Foreign Minister who is currently in Washington.

Mr. Siroski relayed his govenrment’s hope that the existing tension in the region will defuse, albeit concurrently stressing his country’s commitment to dispatch the aforementioned unit, since it constitutes “an expression of support” to the American initiatives for Iraq’s compliance with the United Nations decisions.

Poland, Along with the Czech Republic and Hungary, is currently on the brink of gaining accession to NATO and Warsaw holds a fervent desire to gain the ratification for the Alliance’s expansion from its 16 member-states.

[13] US REQUEST HUNGARY’S SUPPORT IN POTENTIAL ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ

The United States have officially requested Hungary’s contribution in case of an attack against Iraq, according to the Hungarian News Agency (MTI).

While the Hungarian Foreign Ministry has yet to publicize the details of the American request, its spokesperson stated that Hungary could aid in the sectors of administration, medical services and protection against chemical warfare.

In 1991, during the Persian Gulf crisis, Hungary had granted the green light to the Pentagon in allowing US aircraft to conduct flights through Hungary’s national air space corridors.

Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic are currently on the brink of gaining accession to NATO. Their foreign ministers are currently in Washington, as part of the efforts underway to gain the Senate’s seal of approval for their countries’ accession to the Alliance. The relevant protocol, which was signed last November, has already been approved by Denmark and Canada.

[14] FIVE-POINT PROPOSAL ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS

Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem presented a five-point proposal on the Greek-Turkish relations to Greek ambassador to Ankara Christos Nezeritis.

In a statement issued by the Turkish foreign ministry it is stressed that the points of the proposal are the joint definition of the problems in the Aegean between the two countries, the formalizing of the Madrid agreement, the development and implementation by both countries of the confidence-building- measures in the Aegean suggested by the UN secretary-general, the approval by both governments of the group of specialists meeting and the holding of a high level meeting by foreign affairs ministry officials of the two countries.

[15] CLERIDES WILL BE BACKED BY THE UNITED DEMOCRATS IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

The United Democrats will back the candidature of incumbent president Glafkos Clerides in the second round of the presidential elections in Cyprus that will be held on Sunday.

The Socialist Party, EDEK, of Vasos Lyssarides will decide who will back in the second round of the elections this afternoon.

[16] THE EU HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT INCLUDES POSITIVE REFERENCES TO GREECE

Positive references to Greece are included in the report on the human rights situation in the European Union for 1996 that will be discussed in the European Parliament plenary session next week.

The discussion will be based on the report prepared by French Euro-deputy Ms. Pailler on behalf of the Political Freedoms Committee.

Specifically, the report praises the measures taken by the Greek authorities on the release from prison of the conscientious objectors and on the enactment of legislation that recognizes their rights.

[17] THE MPA GENERAL DIRECTOR MET WITH ALBANIAN UNDERSECRETARY MAKO LAKRORI

Macedonian Press Agency general director and president of the Association of Balkan News Agencies, ABNA, Spyros Kouzinopoulos met yesterday with Albanian undersecretary on European integration Mako Lakrori and they discussed ways for the further improvement of the cooperation between MPA and the Albanian News Agency, ATA.

Mr. Kouzinopoulos presented the programs of MPA and ABNA for a more constructive cooperation with ATA and also the potential for the exchange of information among the Balkan states via satellite, explaining that this was the purpose of the creation of a Data Bank.

From his side, Mr. Lakrori underlined the importance of the cooperation between the two news agencies and the significance of the initiatives undertaken by MPA.

Albanian News Agency director Frok Tsupi was also present in the meeting.

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