Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-04-02

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, April 2, 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] FLIGHT DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS CONTINUE AT OLYMPIC AIRWAYS

Flight delays and cancellation will continue today at Olympic Airways, due to the company employees' protests.

Another attempt to hold talks between the workers unions and O.A. administration will be made today, while the draftbill submitted to Parliament by the Transportation and Communications Minister Tasos Mantelis on the revitalization of Olympic Airways is to also be reviewed today by the House's appropriate committee.

O.A. employees insist that the draftbill be withdrawn and that talks continue in order to find a compromise-solution. According to the submitted bill, all employees who do not wish to continue with the airline under the new conditions will have to resign with compensation.

[02] UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODY ELECTIONS MARKED BY APATHY

University and college students throughout Greece were called to the polls yesterday in order to cast their vote for their schools' student bodies but, above all, apathy prevailed as the abstention rate reached the 55% mark.

Meanwhile, each political faction at the universities presented their own victories, with DAP, belonging to the main opposition party New Democracy, claiming of having increased its rates, while ruling PASOK party advocates, PASP, also saying the same.

[03] GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON ON O.A. DRAFTBILL

Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas has stressed that the state is determined to proceed with the revitalization of the national carrier Olympic Airways because "citizens are entitled to enjoy a high standard of services and OA must become modern, competitive and reliable.

In the midst of the crisis that has erupted over the relevant draftbill submitted by Transportation and Communications Minister Tasos Mantelis, Mr. Reppas said the decision to table the bill was taken by the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, to which the Transport Minister agreed.

The final decision, Mr. Reppas added, was taken after consultations with Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis who gave the assurance that the voting procedure will be completed at the earliest.

Moreover, Mr. Reppas reiterated that OA chairman and managing director Theodoros Tsakiridis had not resigned as had been reported earlier.

[04] GREEK AND TURKISH SCIENTISTS MEET TO DISCUSS HEALTH ISSUES

Greek and Turkish health experts are to embark on a two-day meeting in Nafplio today where they will discuss and exchange views on public health problems related to migratory populations.

The meeting will also address the issue of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases from the angle of mobile populations, such as migrant workers, tourists, gypsies and nomads.

Greece's Welfare undersecretary Theodoros Kotsonis, who took the initiative for the meeting, stated that "populations on the move sometimes belong to disadvantaged groups, which often face more acute or particular health problems that they either had before or acquired after their movement.

"These problems must be dealt with in the most effective manner, as well as the repercussions of the movement of such populations on public health."

[05] NEW DATA SURFACE FOR ANCIENT GREEK RELIGIONS

New enlightening data has surfaced over the history of religion and worship in ancient Greece, namely the fifth century BC, from the study of the Dervenius Papyrus", the only one that has been discovered to date in Greece.

According to Kyriakos Tsantsanoglou, professor of Philosophy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, this peace of writing constitutes the oldest testament of the allegorical method of interpretation.

It was written between 340-320B.C. and includes excerpts from a poem that the ancient Greeks attributed to Orpheus, each couplet followed by its interpretation.

Specifically, the author of the writing featured on the papyrus claims that Orpheus' words were difficult to comprehend and purposely so because he did not want to be understood by any others but his mystic followers.

The charred papyrus was discovered atop the stones of the ancient tombs excavated at Derveni in 1962.

It broke into hundreds of pieces which have been re-composed by Mr. Tsantsanoglou and will be exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, from this Saturday, April 4, until August 31.

[06] MEETING OF THE OLYMPIC AIRWAYS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors of Olympic Airways meets again today, while in the afternoon a meeting will be held with its employees within the framework of the efforts to find a solution by next Thursday, when the vote on the draft bill for the state airline's reform will take place.

Meanwhile, the discussion of the controversial draft bill continues in the permanent parliamentary committee.

President of the Federation of Civil Aviation Employees' Unions Michalis Perros warned that if the draft bill is voted through the Olympic Airways employees will bring their case to the country's supreme court authority.

[07] THE GREEK CEMETERY IN ISTANBUL WAS VANDALIZED

Fifty-one graves in the Greek Orthodox cemetery of Agios Eleftherios in the region of Kurtulus in Istanbul were vandalized by unknown attackers. This is the first time that this cemetery, which has about 1.000 graves, becomes a target of a mass vandalism but other cemeteries had been destroyed in the past.

The Greek Consulate in Istanbul has informed the Greek ministry of foreign affairs, while the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is expected to examine the issue in its meeting today.

The attack on the cemetery of Agios Eleftherios is the third launched against the Greek Orthodox community since last December. It should be reminded that on December 3 the Ecumenical Patriarchate became the target of a bomb attack in which a deacon was injured and extensive damage was caused. On January 13, icons and ecclesiastical vessels had been stolen from the chapel of Agios Therapontas in Istanbul, while its sexton was found murdered in a well.

[08] THE HEALTH OF ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM DETERIORATES

The state of health of Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Seraphim has deteriorated while he continues to be hospitalized for a 39th day in an Athens Hospital.

The medical bulletin issued today mentions that in the past few days the Archbishop's slow convalescence presents no progress, while his overall condition has further deteriorated. The bulletin concludes that it is hard to predict the date of the Archbishop's release from hospital because of his old age, his kidney failure, the dialysis he undergoes and the serious infection he suffers from.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[09] US ENVOY FOR CYPRUS TO VISIT ISLAND TOMORROW

The United States Presidential envoy for Cyprus Richard Holbrooke is to travel to Cyprus tomorrow where he will meet with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and the leader of the Turkish- Cypriots Rauf Denktash.

According to foreign diplomatic sources, Mr. Holbrooke is not planning to visit Athens and Ankara.

[10] GREEK, BULGARIAN, ROMANIAN FMs TO MEET IN SANTORINI NEXT WEEK

The Foreign Ministers of Greece, Bulgaria and Romania are to conduct a meeting on April 10-11 at the island of Santorini, even in the case that Bucharest will not have formed a new cabinet yet.

The three ministers are to discuss the situation in the Balkans and the current Kossovo crisis.

[11] GREEK INTERCITY TRAIN TO LINK THESSALONIKI AND SKOPJE

The pilot operation of an intercity train will inaugurate Greek Railway Organization's Thessaloniki-Skopje route on April 9.

The train, named appropriately "Zorbas", will depart from Thessaloniki at 11 am, transporting a Greek delegation headed by the Minister of Transportation and Communication Tasos Mantelis. Taking part in the delegation will be other government officials as well as leaders from the business communities of Greece and FYROM.

The event will coincide with the Railway Organization's festivities commemorating the 125-year anniversary since the grounding of the railway connection between the two cities.

[12] YUGOSLAVIA REACTS TO UNITED NATIONS ARMS EMBARGO

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has issued a strong reaction to the arms embargo imposed yesterday by the United Nations Security Council until the Kossovo crisis is resolved.

In an announcement issued by the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry, the SC's embargo is characterized as an "exceptional decision" since "it reviewed the matter of a UN member-country without its consent."

Moreover, the announcement reads that "there is not, nor has there been, any armed conflict in Kossovo ... Hence there is no danger of a spillover, there is no threat to peace and security" and no basis for involving the mandatory provisions of the UN Charter.

The Council resolution calls on the authorities in Belgrade and the leadership of Kossovo's Albanian community to enter into a meaningful dialogue without preconditions.

It also expresses support for "an enhanced status for Kossovo which would include a substantially greater degree of autonomy and meaningful self-administration."

[13] BELGRADE REACTS TO THE ARMS SALES EMBARGO

The foreign ministry of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia reacted strongly to the UN Security Council decision to impose an arms sales embargo on Belgrade until the problem in Kosovo is resolved.

In a statement issued it is mentioned that the UN Security Council decision was made in exception, as the issue of a UN member state was examined without its consent.

It is also stressed that there are no clashes in Kosovo and therefore, there is no threat against the region's peace and stability. According to the statement, the problem in Kosovo is being created by the secessionist policy and the terrorism coming from certain Albanian circles.

[14] KINKEL: NO TO THE ANNEXATION OF THE OCCUPIED PART OF CYPRUS BY TURKEY

"The annexation of northern Cyprus must not happen and will not happen. I am certain of that". This categorical statement was made by German foreign minister Klaus Kinkel during his interview with the German state radio while he also added that the door remains open for the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus's EU accession negotiations.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the German position coincides with the stance of France and Britain according to which, Cyprus is very hard to become an EU member in its present divided state.

[15] "ECONOMIST" MAGAZINE TO HOLD ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION IN GREECE

The London-based "Economist" magazine will organize its second roundtable discussion with the Greek government on April 8- 9, titled "Welcoming a New Business Era" and will feature an address by the European Commission President Jacques Santer.

The conference is to focus on issues concerning the Greek economy in light of the economic and monetary union, the role of the euro in the global economy and the contribution of the Olympic Games towards the overall development of Greece. Issues regarding NATO enlargement and its repercussions onto Greece will also be examined.

The conference will also be addressed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch, former US Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, main opposition New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis, other party leaders, ministers, bank governors, members of the diplomatic corps and businessmen.

[16] PRESIDENT OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO VISIT ATHENS NEXT WEEK

The President of the European Commission Jacques Santer is to conduct an official visit to Greece between April 9-13.

During his stay in Athens, Mr. Santer will meet with state and government leaders and will also be the keynote speaker at an international conference on "Greeting a new Business Age", to be held in Athens by "The Economist" magazine on April 9.

Mr. Santer will also visit the island of Crete, where he will meet with representatives of local authorities and producers. This will be Mr. Santer's third official visit to Greece since assuming the top seat of the Commission in January 1995.

[17] PRESIDENT OF POLAND TO VISIT GREECE ON MONDAY

The President of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski is to embark on an official, three-day visit to Athens on April 6 where he will hold talks with the Greek government leadership.

Mr. Kwasniewski is to also attend a Greek-Polish Business Conference on ways of expanding economic relations between the two countries to be held in Athens on April 7.

The conference is sponsored by the Hellenic Organization for Small and Medium Size Enterprises and Handicrafts (EOMMEH) and prominent Greek and Polish companies and discussions will focus on possible cooperation in the sectors of energy, telecommunications, defense, agriculture and foodstuffs, metals, clothing, tourism etc.

National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and his Polish counterpart Janus Steinhof will also attend.

[18] GREEK PREMIER TRAVELS TO LONDON FOR EU-ASIA SUMMIT

Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to depart for London today in order to represent Greece at the European Union- Asian countries summit.

Yesterday, Mr. Simitis headed a ministerial meeting in preparation of the summit, which was attended by the National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis.

Following the meeting, Mr. Papandreou stressed the importance of the EU-Asia summit and underlined Greece's active contribution to tightening Euro-Asian relations.

The 10 Southeast Asian countries which are to meet with the EU include Japan, China and South Korea. The meeting will be chaired by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, while it will also be attended by European Commission President Jacques Santer.

[19] ROBIN COOK TO MEET WITH KOFI ANNAN TOMORROW

British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook is to be received by the United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan in London tomorrow in order to discuss, among other issues, the Cyprus matter.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, responding to a question on the possible consequences born by an annexation of the island's occupied part to Turkey, responded that "something like that could not happen and will not happen."

[20] THE EU SUGGESTS SMALLER WAGE INCREASES FOR THE GREEKS

A European Union Monetary Commission report suggests the smallest possible wage increases for Greece.

In the report it is mentioned that considerable wage increases will cause inflationary tendencies and the result will be for Greece to lose the competitiveness advantages it won through the devaluation of the drachma.

Within this framework the wage increases of 2,5% decided for the civil employees will be delayed and will be paid in the summer.

[21] 101 CYCLISTS BEGAN THE TOUR OF GREECE

The athletes will cover a distance of 1.576 kilometers and will pass through 13 Greek cities namely, Serres, Xanthi, Thessaloniki, Larisa, Trikala, Ioannina, Agrinio, Patras, Olympia, Kalamata, Sparta, Nafplio and Argos.

Greece participates in the event with three teams of athletes.

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