Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-02-27

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 27 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] PREMIER PRESENTS FOREIGN POLICY IN PARLIAMENT SPEECH

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, addressing the Hellenic Parliament last night, reiterated Greece's firm position on a step-by-step approach in Greek-Turkish relations, and stated that "the problems between the two countries stem from Ankara's unacceptable demands and pressures."

The Premier also emphasized that "Greece does not discuss, in any manner, its sovereign rights" and rejected the idea of an overall political negotiation.

He further stressed the Greek proposal, that is "recourse to the International Court of Justice at The Hague for the delineation of the (Aegean) continental shelf", which, he said, "is the only issue between the two countries that requires settlement, and would decisively contribute to normalisation of the situation".

Mr. Simitis referred to the European Union decisions at the Luxembourg summit where, he stated, "it was deemed, at the present stage, that it was not feasible for Turkey to be considered as being able to be included on an equal status with the other candidates".

[02] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT BELGRADE NEXT WEEK

Greece’s Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is to pay an official visit to Belgrade on March 6, a statement by the foreign ministry said yesterday.

Mr. Pangalos is scheduled to hold talks with his Yugoslav counterpart Zivadin Jovanovic on bilateral relations and on international issues of common interest.

[03] INTERIOR MINISTER PROPOSES CHANGES IN ELECTION LAWS

The ministerial committee and political secretariat of the ruling PASOK party is to convene today where it will examine, among other things, the changes proposed by the Minister of the Interior on election laws. The basic premise of Mr. Alekos Papadopoulos’ proposal is that those who live away from their precinct vote on Saturday, while all the others can vote on Sunday as normally.

[04] MAIN OPPOSITION’S HONORARY PRESIDENT: I DON’T CARE FOR LISTS

The honorary president of Greece’s main opposition party, New Democracy’s Konstantinos Mitsotakis, has upped the ante in the on- going juxtaposition between himself and the party’s president Kostas Karamanlis, after the latter stated yesterday that he plans to take advantage of the “national capital” called Mitsotakis, either by including him in lists or propose him for the seat of President of the Republic.

In response, Mr. Mitsotakis said that he is interested in neither lists, nor the presidency.

“ I would be interested for the post of president only if the people were to elect me. But, what does interest me now is the party’s fate and future,” he stated.

[05] HIGHWAY PATROL TO TAKE EXTRA MEASURES FOR HOLIDAY WEEKEND

The Greek highway patrol is to enforce added measures as of this afternoon in light of the three-day weekend, celebrating Lent.

Meanwhile, the State Railway Organisation and the national airline Olympic Airways are to add more routes and flights in order to serve the hundreds of thousands who will take advantage of the long weekend.

Moreover, market police are beefing up on the checks conducted in the food markets, especially in the sector of meat products.

[06] PRO-JUNTA POLICEMEN SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Thirteen enlisted policemen, who were captured in video footage dating back to 1993 celebrating the junta regime, are to appear before the police department’s disciplinary committee.

The head of the committee has suggested that the highest penalty, that of expulsion from the force, be enforced for only one of the thirteen, Police chief S. Koutroumanis.

[07] ANKARA WANTS 8 REGIONS IN THE AEGEAN TO BE RESERVED FOR ITS MILITARY EXERCISES

Ankara requests 8 regions in the central and eastern Aegean to be reserved for its air and sea military exercises which will be held on March 3-24. The Turkish request is being examined by the Greek Air Force General Staff.

Greek minister of national defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated that Greece’s armaments’ program will be accelerated, stressing that speed at this moment is very important. The Greek minister also stated that Turkey constantly widens the lack of balance in armaments that exists between the two countries.

[08] THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MET IN ATHENS TODAY

Some of the changes suggested by minister of interior Alekos Papadopoulos to be included in the election legislation are for the voters to exercise their right to vote at their place of residence, the extension of the election process to last two days and also, that opinion polls will be allowed to be held in the last pre-election campaign week.

The above were examined in the joint meeting of the governmental committee with the political secretariat of PASOK during which the course of the governmental work was also examined.

[09] PANGALOS-BURNS MEETING

US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns met with Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos. In the meeting were discussed the details of Mr. Pangalos’ trip to the US on March 21-29.

In statements he made afterwards, Mr. Burns pointed out that the United States agree with the proposal to bring the Greek- Turkish disputes before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Meanwhile, US assistant Secretary of State Mark Grossman, responsible for European affairs, characterized the situation in the Aegean and in Cyprus as critical and added that the US will continue the efforts for the improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations.

[10] KAKLAMANIS-BURNS MEETING

US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns met with Greek Parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis.

In the statements both men made after the meeting, they characterized it as constructive and useful. Mr. Kaklamanis presented the Greek positions on the Greek-Turkish affairs and requested Mr. Burns to convey to his government that Greece will not accept blackmails or interventions by third parties.

[11] COMMENTS ON THE STATE OF THE GREEK ECONOMY BY MR. PAPANTONIOU

Greek minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou stated that the climate of trust prevails regarding the Greek economy. The comment was made when he was called to comment on the reports of international economic organizations concerning the course of the Greek economy.

Mr. Papantoniou stated that the trust of the international markets is being expressed in practice through the interest rates offered to the loans requested by the Greek state. He said that the terms are very favorable and this indicates that there is a climate of trust that can not be overturned by any report.

[12] SMALL EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTHERN GREECE

A small earthquake measuring 4,1 on the Richter scale shook the region of Arkadia in the Peloponnese, southern Greece and its epicenter was located in the village of Tropea.

According to local authorities, no damages were reported.

[13] ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM’S STATE OF HEALTH IS CRITICAL

The state of health of Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece, Seraphim is characterized as critical, according to the medical bulletin issued at noon today.

The Archbishop suffers from kidney failure and is hospitalized in Athens after he was diagnosed with an infection. As it was made known, the Archbishop underwent a dialysis this morning.

Among his visitors today were right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis, minister of justice Evangelos Yiannopoulos, honorary president of ND Konstantinos Mitsotakis and leader of the Democratic Social Movement Dimitris Tsovolas.

[14] OVER 11,5 MILLION FOREIGN TOURISTS WILL VISIT GREECE THIS YEAR

Over 11,5 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Greece this year and their increased number will give a further boost to all-year-round tourism, stated general secretary of the Greek Tourist Organization, EOT, Nikos Skoulas, who also speculated that the tourists from Italy will be about 600.000 namely, their numbers will be 10% higher compared to 1997.

Mr. Skoulas made a special reference to the so-called theme tourism that promotes alternative forms of vacations and attracts new tourist target groups. A special emphasis was also given to city tourism. Mr. Skoulas clarified that the Greek Tourist Organization goal is to attract more foreign tourists to the large urban centers of Thessaloniki and Athens.

[15] A FYROM THEATER PERFORMANCE IN ATHENS NEXT MONTH

The theater play “Powder-keg” by Deyian Dukovski from FYROM will be presented in an Athens theater on March 4.

According to the press secretariat of FYROM, it is the first theater performance by FYROM artists ever presented to the Greek public.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[16] UN’s CORDOVEZ TO VISIT CYPRUS ON MARCH 16

The United Nations Secretary General’s special adviser Diego Cordovez is to visit Cyprus on March 16 in order to continue his efforts for reaching a solution to the Cyprus issue.

Mr. Cordovez is to also visit Athens and Ankara, while his tour will last one week. The UN’s efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue were temporarily shelved in November, given the island’s presidential elections.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Turkish-Cypriot regime occupying the island’s northern part Rauf Denktash has stated that he will not participate in the new talks, after the European Council’s decision to not include Turkey into accession negotiations.

Moreover, Mr. Denktash has refused to meet with the British envoy for the Cyprus issue Sir David Hannay, after the British government’s decisions to review the travel documents of the Turkish-Cypriots.

[17] SIR DAVID HANNAY EMBARKS ON CONTACTS FOR CYPRUS ISSUE TODAY

The British envoy for the Cyprus issue Sir David Hannay, currently in Nicosia, is to embark today on a series of contacts for the Cyprus issue and the island’s European course.

Sir Hannay will be received by the president of the Republic of Cyprus Glaflkos Clerides, while he will also have meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Yiannakis Kasoulides and Greece’s under-secretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis who is currently on a three-day official visit to the island.

The British diplomat will also visit the occupied territory where he will not be received by the leader of the Turkish- Cypriots Rauf Denktash who refuses to meet with him.

[18] GREEK-BULGARIAN COOPERATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF EVROS RIVER

The municipalities of Greece’s Orestiada and Bulgaria’s Plovalin have signed a cooperation agreement for environmental protection, and especially the Evros River, with the participation of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki’s TEI and Plovalin’s Agricultural University.

The agreement concerns joint studies of air, ground and water pollution levels, and a joint proposal is to be submitted to the European Union for funding from the INCO-COPERNICUS programme.

Agreeing the pollution control is of viable significance for both regions, the participants vowed to apply the necessary measures, with the input of the International Organisation for the protection of the Mediterranean.

[19] YUGOSLAV-GREEK COOPERATION IN MILITARY SECTOR

The opportunities for military co-operation between Greece and Yugoslavia were reviewed during a meeting held in Belgrade between the vice-president of the Yugoslav Federal Republic Zoran Lilic and a delegation from Greece’s Ministry of Defense, headed by Mr. Sbokos.

Yugoslav Lieutenant-General Jovan Cekovic, who is also the director of "Jugoimport-SDPR", attended the meeting where both sides expresses the desire for increased military and economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the sector of the arms industry.

Mr. Lilic stated that he views Greece and its people as historically true allies and expressed his gratitude for Greece’s support during Yugoslavia’s and Serbia’s difficult times.

Mr. Lilic stressed that the common economic interests can strengthen the traditional friendship between the two peoples and emphasized the opportunities for Greek and Yugoslav co-operation in mutual research, production and investments.

[20] BRITISH ENVOY SIR HANNEY HAD A NUMBER OF CONTACTS IN NICOSIA

British special envoy to Cyprus Sir David Hanney had a number of contacts in Nicosia on the issue of Cyprus and the island’s European course.

The British envoy was received by Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, while he also met with Greek undersecretary of foreign affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis.

[21] UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN ATTACKED A POLICE STATION IN ISTANBUL

Eight police officers were injured from a grenade explosion when their police station in Istanbul was attacked this morning, according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu.

According to press reports, three unidentified gunmen opened fire against the police station at the outskirts of Istanbul. The police officers returned the fire and until now no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

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