Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-03-03

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 3 March, 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 CONCERNED OVER KOSSOVO SITUATION

The Greek Foreign Ministry has issued an announcement expressing its regret and concern over the violent events which took place in Kossovo on Saturday.

The announcement read that Greece will promote all initiatives currently in progress and those which will begin within the next few days "so as to achieve immediate commencement of talks between the representatives of the local population and the Yugoslav government, so as to find a solution with which the sovereignty, unity and integrity of Yugoslavia as well as the rights of the Albanian majority in Kossovo will be respected."

Meanwhile, Albanian President Reijep Mejdani will be in Athens on March 9, where he will be received by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Premier Simitis.

[02] GREECE AND EGYPT SIGN COOPERATION ACCORD ON FIGHTING CRIME

Greece’s Public Order Minister George Romeos and his Egyptian counterpart Habib El Adly have signed a cooperation accord on fighting terrorism, crime, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and counterfeiting.

The accord was signed in Cairo on Saturday by the two officials and it also provides for an exchange of information on terrorism and organised crime, including reports by experts and other publications.

[03] SAE EMBARKS ON INITIATIVE TO RE-OPEN CHALKI THEOLOGY SCHOOL

The Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) is to embark on a world- wide campaign aimed at having the Chalki School of Theology reopened, to be officially inaugurated on March 12 in Washington during a ceremony that will be attended by a score of US officials and international dignitaries.

The President of SAE Andrew Athens, who visited Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos in February, told the Patriarch that all SAE bodies will participate in the international campaign, while he also pledged that SAE will do everything in its power to assist the patriarchate in achieving economic independence. The historic school was shut down in 1973 after a Turkish government decision.

[04] ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM’S STATE OF HEALTH IS BETTER, BUT NOT GOOD

Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece, Seraphim, is in a better state of health, according to his treating physicians at Athens’ Laiko Hospital.

According to the medical reports, the Archbishop is to remain in the hospital until his therapy is completed. His physicians have also stated that his brain and liver are responding well to the chemotherapy he is undergoing. Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou visited the Archbishop this morning.

[05] ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM’S STATE OF HEALTH REMAINS CRITICAL

Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece, Seraphim’s state of health is critical, according to his treating physicians who have also stated that his brain and liver are responding well to the chemotherapy he is undergoing.

Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou visited the Archbishop this morning.

[06] THE TIME HAS COME FOR FILING TAX REPORTS

The time has come for filing tax reports, with freelancers, tradesmen and manufacturers whose last name begins with the letter A being first on the filing list.

Salaried workers and pensioners have until March 17 to file their reports, while April 15 is the last day on which businesses with 3rd category books can file their reports.

[07] EU CITIZENS WISHING TO VOTE IN GREECE MUST FILE BY MARCH 31

Citizens of other European Union member-states wishing to vote in Greek local government elections this year, and for the Europarliament in 1999-provided they have been residing in the country for at least two years- will have to submit applications by March 31.

Applications should be submitted to prefectural headquarters for those residing in prefecture seats, and directly to municipal authorities for the rest.

Greek citizens residing abroad may inquire at local consular authorities.

[08] INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE JOINS FORCES WITH ATHENS DAILY

International Herald Tribune and Greek daily Kathimerini have joined forces to publish a daily newspaper for distribution in Greece, starting next Monday.

The paper will include the entire edition of the International Herald Tribune plus a daily section in English from Kathimerini.

The combined newspaper will deliver an international look at world politics, business, culture and sport from the IHT while providing local coverage of the day's news in Greece, including economics, commentary and entertainment listings from the pages of Kathimerini, a press release said.

The IHT, founded in Paris in 1887, will be printed on the Kathimerini presses, combined with the daily supplements and distributed in the early hours to subscribers, hotels, airlines and news stands. Greece thus becomes the 15th of the Herald Tribune's remote printside locations spread over three continents.

[09] GREECE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A SOLUTION FOR THE KOSOVO CONFLICT

The Greek international law expert of the University of Thessaloniki Veniamin Karakostanoglou who was a member in an international mission for the prevention of the conflict in Kosovo in 1992-’93 as well as head of the OSCE branch office in Bosnia’s Socolac, said, in an interview with MPA, that Greece had the right and the obligation to participate in the effort to find a solution for the Kosovo issue since it would undergo the consequences of the conflict in the region more severely than any other country.

Mr Karakostanoglou stressed that Greece should take advantage of the good diplomatic relations it has with Tirana and Belgrade so as to take part in every initiative for the normalization in the region.

Mr Karakostanoglou underlined the need for more moderate views to be adopted by Serbs as well as by the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo and noted that unless the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo withdraw from their position for the indepedence of the region and Serbs give the Albanian community the rights provided by international accords, it would be impossible to hold a constructive dialogue.

[10] GREEK PRESIDENT AND PARTIES SIGN STATEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Greek President Kostis Stefanopoulos, the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, the President of Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis and the leaders of all political parties signed today during a manifestation that took place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights, a statement in the book of the International Amnesty which contained the following: “ I promise to do anything that is possible so as to ensure that the rights established by the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights will become a reality in the whole world”.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[11] NEW MILITARY EXERCISES CONDUCTED BY TURKEY IN THE AEGEAN

Ankara embarked today on new military exercises in the Aegean Sea, having bound ten regions of which Greece had turned down three since they are located within the Flight information Region of Athens.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has proceeded to draw a study on the consequences it could have on the neighbouring country a potential change in the Aegean Sea’s status quo.

[12] GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH FORWARDS HUMANITARIAN AID TO ROMANIA

The Greek Orthodox Church has forwarded 15,000 tonnes of oranges urgently needed by children, elderly and impoverished families in Romania.

A spokesperson for the Romanian Orthodox Church, which represents 90 percent of the 23 million-strong population of Romania, stated that it would oversee the distribution of the oranges to institutions housing children and elderly and to poor families.

According to official statistics, more than 50 percent of Romanians live under the poverty level.

[13] RAUF DENKTASH SETS FORTH NEW TERMS FOR RESOLVING CYPRUS ISSUE

The leader of the Turkish-Cypriot regime occupying the island’s northern territory Rauf Denktash has set forth new terms for resolving the Cyprus issue and that is that his pseudostate be recognised before he meets with the president of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides for negotiations.

“Let’s meet and talk as two states,” Mr. Denktash stated.

[14] AUSTRALIAN POLITICIAN DISPLEASED WITH CONTINUED OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS

Australia’s shadow Foreign Minister Lori Brereton has expressed his displeasure over the continuous occupation of Cyprus.

Responding to a question submitted by the Highest Commissioner of Cyprus to Australia, Andreas Georgiades, during Mr. Brereton’s speech before Cabera’s diplomatic association concerning his country’s foreign policy, Mr. Brereton stated that “as it has been stressed in the latest resolution issued by the Labour Party regarding Cyprus, Turkey has no right to ignore the United Nations resolutions.

Moreover, the Australian politician stated that when he takes office in the ForeignMinistry he will upgrade and strengthen Australia’s Highest Commission in Cyprus.

[15] PRESIDENT OF EU’S MINISTERIAL COUNCIL TRAVELS TO BELGRADE

The crisis that has erupted in Kossovo is to be the subject discussed with the Yugoslav officials in Belgrade by the president of the European Union’s ministerial council Robin Cook.

Mr. Cook, representing the EU’s presidium, will also visit Bosnia within the framework of the efforts to expedite the process of applying the Dayton peace accord.

The British official will visit Banja Luca, the headquarters of Bosnian-Serbs and the capital, Sarajevo, where he will meet with key government officials, and members of the opposition parties, while he will also address the Parliament of the Serb Republic.

Among the subjects expected to be brought up during his visit are issues concerning the refugees’ return to their homeland and other matters concerning mass media and human rights.

[16] ALBANIA, ITALY SIGN BILATERAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT

A protocol for bilateral cooperation for the year 1998 is to be signed in Rome today between the Albanian Minister of Development and Economic Cooperation Ermelinda Mexi and Italy’s Foreign Minister Laberto Dini.

The protocol foresees the funding of 60 billion lirettes to Albania which are to be allocated for the upgrading of Albania’s public agencies and the country’s police force.

Italy is committed to granting Albania with 210 billion lirettes by the year 2001.

[17] SITUATION IN KOSSOVO REPORTED AS CALM, SERB PARTIES SUPPORT POLICE

The situation in Kossovo is reported as being calm, after the bloody incidents that took place on Saturday and yesterday’s violent episodes when police attacked a rally conducted by about thirty thousand Albanian-speaking persons in the centre of Prishtina.

According to Belgrade’s independent radio station “B92”, the co-ordinating committee that organised yesterday rally, stated that about 150 individuals were injured during yesterday’s episodes.

Meanwhile, all of the Serb political parties hold the Albanians as being responsible for the violent episodes in Kossovo and asked the Albanian leaders to realise that the region constitutes an integral part of Serbia and Yugoslavia and in no way will it become a breakaway state.

The episodes have provoked the intense concern of the international community. Washington has announced that the police violence used against the protesters illustrates Milosevic’s intention to resolve the issue with violent means. At the same time, the United States have denounced the “terrorist actions” of the “Liberating Army of Kossovo” and have asked both the Serbian and the Albanian sides to display self restrain in order to alleviate the tension.

[18] TENSION MOUNTS IN KOSSOVO, FEAR FOR NEW BLOODSHED

Tension in mounting at Kossovo, as people are afraid that new episodes will take place, as a few of the 16 Albanian speaking protesters killed on Saturday during conflict with the Serbian police are being buried today.

Great Britain, as the country currently presiding over the European Union, announced that it will dispatch a Foreign Office official to Belgrade and Pristina in an effort to alleviate the tension in the region. Meanwhile, Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Theodoros Pangalos is to travel to the Serb capital on Friday.

[19] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER TO TOUR MIDDLE EAST NEXT WEEK

Albania’s Prime Minister Fatos Nano is to embark on an official tour through the Middle East next week, according to local press reports.

Mr. Nano is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Gaza Strip, where he will meet with King Fahd, Prime Minister Benjamin Netaniahu and Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat, respectively.

[20] GREEK INITIATIVE ON THE KOSOVO CONFLICT

The Greek initiative to defuse the Kosovo crisis is in progress. The Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano had telephone talks with his Greek counterpart Kostas Simitis and the Yugoslavian attache visited the Greek deputy Foreign Minister Giannos Kranidiotis.

It should be reminded that the Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will visit Belgrade on Friday. Regarding the eventuality of a meeting between Milosevic and Rugova in Athens, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that several initiatives about the Kosovo issue were in progress and that there would be more in the future.

[21] FYROM IS CONCERNED ABOUT KOSOVO

The Defense Minister of FYROM Lazar Kitanofski expressed his concern over the current situation in Kosovo and stressed the necessity for Serbs and ethnic Albanians to begin a dialogue so as to gradually solve the problem.

He added that, according to the plan of the Defense Ministry, there would not be any reinforcements of the military forces along the border line since-as he said-no information verifies that something similar is happening at the other side of the borders. He also noted that so far there were no serious threats to impose such a reinforcement.

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