Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-05-26
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 26, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GOVERNMENT, WORKERS DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE OVER BANKS
[02] SPAIN'S ROYALS ARRIVE IN GREECE WITH POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
[03] SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH GREECE'S PANGALOS
[04] INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD IN ATHENS
[05] GOVERNMENT'S POPULARITY IS FLAGGING, ACCORDING TO POLL
[06] SIMITIS MET WITH THE ROYAL COUPLE OF SPAIN
[07] SIMITIS MET WITH US SENATOR PAUL SARBANIS
[08] REPPAS DENIED THE INFORMATION ON MILITARY DIALOGUE BETWEEN
GREECE AND TURKEY
[09] THE CIRCOM MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THESSALONIKI
[10] OVER 400 DELEGATES WILL TAKE PART IN THE TRANSIT TRADE AND
COMBINED TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
[11] TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS IN SE EUROPE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN
CORFU
[12] ELECTRONIC ALLIANCE ON TOURISM BETWEEN GREECE AND AUSTRIA
[13] WAVE OF STRIKES WILL PARALYZE GREECE TOMORROW
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] TURKEY WON'T BE IN THE EU ANY TIME SOON, SAYS KINKEL
[15] IBRAHIM RUGOVA TRAVELS TO THE UNITED STATES TODAY
[16] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT REJECTS US REPORT ON MISSING PERSONS
[17] THOMAS MILLER IN CYPRUS, TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES
[18] CLERIDES - MILLER MEETING
[19] THE CARDIFF EU SUMMIT MEETING IS A MILESTONE FOR THE CYPRIOT
GOVERNMENT
[20] KASOULIDES WILL BE IN ATHENS NEXT SATURDAY
[21] US AND BRITISH TOURISTS ARE BEING MURDERED IN TURKEY FOR
THEIR PASSPORTS
[22] EVENT COMMEMORATING THE GENOCIDE OF THE GREEKS IN PONTOS WAS
HELD IN BELGRADE
[23] TURKEY: PROSECUTIONS AGAINST ISLAMISTS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GOVERNMENT, WORKERS DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE OVER BANKS
The juxtaposition between the government and the bank
sector's worker is growing.
Workers at all of Greece's banks were on a 24-hour strike
yesterday, in a sign of protest to Sunday's raid conducted by
SWAT teams at Ionian Bank's computer headquarters in Piraeus.
Meanwhile, Ionian's management last week decided to initiate
legal proceedings against the bank's unions in an attempt to put
an end to the strike. The court is to issue its ruling today.
[02] SPAIN'S ROYALS ARRIVE IN GREECE WITH POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia, the sister of
Greece's former king Konstantine, arrived in Athens yesterday
afternoon for a five-day, official visit.
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
officially welcomed the royal couple outside the Presidential
Mansion where the Spanish King and Queen received the full honors
accorded to heads of state.
Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, Prime Minister
Kostas Simitis, his wife Daphne, Foreign Minister Theodoros
Pangalos, Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos and main opposition
party leader Kostas Karamanlis were among the dignitaries present
at the official reception for the couple at the presidential
mansion.
In the evening, President Stephanopoulos hosted a dinner at the
Presidential Mansion for the Spanish monarch.
The royal couple will be received by the Prime Minister today
and will inaugurate the "Classic Greece in Spain" exhibition in
Athens.
Spanish Foreign Minister Abel Matutes, who is accompanying
the royal couple, met yesterday with his Greek counterpart
Theodoros Pangalos.
On Thursday the royal couple will visit Thessaloniki where
they will be received by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace
Philippos Petsalnikos and on Friday they will visit the
archaeological sites and museum of Vergina.
[03] SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH GREECE'S PANGALOS
Spain's Foreign Minister Abel Matutes, accompanying his
country's royal couple on their official visit to Greece, was
received by his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos in Athens
yesterday.
The two men discussed issues concerning the European Union,
as well as other matters of bilateral interest, such economic and
cultural cooperation.
Mr. Matutes, who referred to Mr. Pangalos as "a good friend",
stated that relations between the two countries are excellent and
multifaceted in the framework of European institutions and NATO.
The two ministers also discussed matters related to the
preparation of the Olympic Games.
[04] INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD IN ATHENS
A five-day conference, featuring the participation of
journalists, scholars and activists from Europe, the Middle East
Africa and America is currently being held in Athens, in order to
review the role of corporate and government control of news and
information.
The event, organized by the Andreas Papandreou Foundation in
collaboration with the Institute of Strategic and Development
Studies -Andreas Papandreou (ISTAME) is titled "A 21st century
dialogue: A media-run world".
Among those scheduled to speak are Jean-Bertrand Aristide,
the former president of Haiti, who will speak on "What the Media
doesn't print: Neoliberalism and structural adjustment policies";
Ramsey Clark, the former U.S. attorney general, who will speak on
"Media Manipulation of Foreign Policy"; and renowned Egyptian
writer and novelist Nawal El-Sadawi, who will speak on "Western
Cultural Imperialism reflected in the Media and International
News".
Addressing the conference, Press Minister Dimitris Reppas
spoke of the risks lurking in the domination of the mass
communication media and new technologies, stressing the need for
formulating policies on a European Union level, with the criteria
being the maintenance of human qualities and collective goods.
In turn, Alternate Foreign Minister and president of ISTAME,
George Papandreou, said that those controlling technology, along
with those producing, interpreting and transmitting information
were all crucial to the future of democracy.
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos attended
the opening of the conference.
[05] GOVERNMENT'S POPULARITY IS FLAGGING, ACCORDING TO POLL
The government's popularity is flagging, according to a
recent poll conducted by an Athens daily, while the main
opposition party's is on the rise, although both the Premier and
the main opposition's leader are not as liked by the public as
they used to be.
According to the poll, published in today's issue of "Ta
Nea", the ruling PASOK party's popularity fell to 15% in May 1998,
as opposed to the 17.7% it marked in March of 1998.
Main opposition New Democracy saw a sizable increase in its
popularity, which rose to 15.4% in May, as opposed to 10.5% in
March.
The same is not true for either party's leaders.
Specifically, Prime Minister, and PASOK President, Kostas Simitis
gathered markedly fewer positive remarks in May of this year in
comparison to March, as they dropped to 31.2% from 40.7%. Positive
views for New Democracy's leader Kostas Karamanlis dropped to
41.9% from 49% during the same two-month period.
Ranking first - and most popular - among the political
leaders is the President of the Coalition of Left and Progress
(Synaspismos) Nikos Konstantopoulos with 56.2%, followed by the
President of the Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI) Dimitris
Tsovolas (49.6%).
Ranking third and fourth respectively are New
Democracy's leader and the Prime Minister, followed by the
secretary-general of the Communist Party of Greece Aleka Paparega
with 23.9% and the President of Political Spring Antonis Samaras
15.9%.
At the same time, 65% of those polled believe that, yes,
Greece will gain accession to the European Monetary Union.
[06] SIMITIS MET WITH THE ROYAL COUPLE OF SPAIN
Spain's royal couple met with prime minister Kostas Simitis
at noon today and in the afternoon they will have contacts with
right-wing main opposition party New Democracy leader Kostas
Karamanlis and other political party leaders.
On Thursday, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia will be in
Thessaloniki and they will meet with minister of Macedonia-Thrace
Philippos Petsalnikos.
The royal couple will visit the city museums and the churches
of Agios Dimitrios and Agia Sofia, while on Friday they will visit
the archaeological site of Vergina.
[07] SIMITIS MET WITH US SENATOR PAUL SARBANIS
Prime minister Kostas Simitis met with Greek-American US
Senator Paul Sarbanis and discussed issues concerning the Greek-US
relations and the US policy on the Greek-Turkish issues.
Mr. Sarbanis, speaking in a special event yesterday, backed
the Greek positions on the Greek-Turkish issues and pointed out
that Ankara has a difficult time in understanding and accepting
the principles of international law.
[08] REPPAS DENIED THE INFORMATION ON MILITARY DIALOGUE BETWEEN
GREECE AND TURKEY
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas categorically
denied the information on military dialogue between Greece and
Turkey that was included in a front page article of the Turkish
newspaper "Cumhurriyet".
However, Mr. Reppas left open the likelihood of an exchange
of views in the meeting of prime minister Kostas Simitis with his
Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz within the framework of the Black
Sea meeting on June 4.
On the issue of Turkey's funding by the European Union, Mr.
Reppas stressed that the Greek position on the veto remains firm
for as long as Turkey does not change its stance and does not meet
the preconditions set in the Luxembourg Summit.
[09] THE CIRCOM MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THESSALONIKI
The 16th meeting of the CIRCOM Regional will take place in
Thessaloniki on Thursday with the participation of 300
representatives of the Pan-European Union of Regional Television
Stations (CIRCOM) and managers of leading European television
channels from 38 European countries.
In the conference, that is being organized by the state
television channel ET3 and will be completed on Saturday, will be
discussed issues concerning co-productions, program exchanges,
live TV shows, other services offered and the future of
television.
Among the issues for discussion will be the "Balkan TV
Magazine", the digital TV broadcast revolution, the improvement of
the regional television , television rights , the television
executives of the year 2010, the news philosophy, one-man
television crews, the "Euro TV Regio" pilot program, the news
bulletins via Internet, the regional television in the European
capitals, the co-productions of CIRCOM members for the year 2000
etc.
[10] OVER 400 DELEGATES WILL TAKE PART IN THE TRANSIT TRADE AND
COMBINED TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
The 2nd Conference on Combined Transportation and Transit
Trade in south-eastern Europe will open in Thessaloniki on June 4
with the participation of over 400 delegates most of them foreign.
The conference is organized by Thessaloniki's International Trade
Fair HELEXPO and the Transportation Technique Workshop of
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The conference will last until June 6 and the participants
will examine significant proposals for the solution of the
problems faced by combined transportation in the Balkans. About 60-
70% of the goods are being carried to their destination through
combined transportation, while 5-10% of travelers use that form of
transportation.
[11] TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS IN SE EUROPE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN
CORFU
The institutional problems faced by transportation in south-
eastern Europe will be discussed in a meeting that will be held in
the Ionian Sea island of Corfu on May 28-29 within the framework
of the American initiative SECI for the cooperation in SE Europe.
The main subject of the meeting will be the facilitation of
trade among the countries participating in the initiative.
In the SECI initiative participate countries from the wider
region of the Balkans, while supporters of the initiative are the
United States, Austria, Germany, Moldavia, Switzerland, Italy,
Russia, international organizations and the European Union.
[12] ELECTRONIC ALLIANCE ON TOURISM BETWEEN GREECE AND AUSTRIA
The alliance between Greece and Austria, for the promotion of
tourism in both countries through the electronic management of
tourist information, was sealed recently through its
implementation.
A meeting was held as a follow-up of the relevant agreement
between the Greek Tourist Organization and the corresponding
Austrian agency to examine the potential for a closer cooperation
of a strategic nature between the two countries.
As it was made known, quicker and fuller information will be
offered through the electronic system both to individual tourists
and to those traveling in groups. Moreover, the reliability of the
offered services will be safeguarded.
[13] WAVE OF STRIKES WILL PARALYZE GREECE TOMORROW
Greece will be "paralyzed" tomorrow, as the strikes,
announced by the General Confederation of Greek Workers and the
Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council, will be joined by
employees in state banks, the mass transportation sector, schools,
hospitals, tax offices and services of local and prefectorial
authorities.
Moreover, workers in ports, the state electricity,
telecommunications, water supply, postal services and big
industries will, also, participate in tomorrow's strike wave.
Meanwhile, the preparations for the pan-Hellenic strike
organized by the General Confederation of Greek Workers, as well
as preparations for the pan-Macedonian rally organized by the
Labour Centres of the cities of Northern Greece, which will be
held tomorrow, were completed.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] TURKEY WON'T BE IN THE EU ANY TIME SOON, SAYS KINKEL
German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel has stated that Turkey
won't be able to accede to the European Union in the foreseeable
future, referring to that country's pressing issues, such as
violation of human rights, the Kurdish issues and the Greek-
Turkish disputes.
Meanwhile, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled
against Turkey, ordering it to pay compensatory damages in the
cases of individual and political rights violations.
[15] IBRAHIM RUGOVA TRAVELS TO THE UNITED STATES TODAY
The leader of Kossovo's ethnic Albanians Ibrahim Rugova is to
travel to the United States today where he will meet with US
President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madleine Albright.
Mr. Rugova's spokesperson stated that his visit aims at
granting more publicity to the escalating tension in Kossovo.
[16] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT REJECTS US REPORT ON MISSING PERSONS
The United States report, issued last week by US President
Bill Clinton, on the fate of five US Greek Cypriots listed as
missing persons has been met with skepticism by the Cypriot
government.
According to Cypriot press reports, Cypriot President Glafkos
Clerides is to turn over the report to the island's attorney-
general's office for an opinion.
Although refusing to comment on the report, which declares
the five to be dead, Cypriot government spokesperson Christos
Stylianides made it clear the government would accept only
physical proof that any of the 1,619 are dead.
The US on Friday released a 37-page report on the fate of the
five Greek Cypriots with US citizenship, one of whom, Andreas
Kassapis, has been proved dead through DNA testing on remains
found by an American team in the occupied areas.
The US report, prepared by ambassador Robert Dillon,
concludes that Kassapis, then 16, was killed shortly after his
capture on August 20, 1974, "very likely by Turkish Cypriot
militia men and buried in a field in northern Cyprus near his home
town of Asha."
His partial remains were found there in December 1997 by a UN
team of forensic experts and will be returned to his family in the
US.
Of the remaining four, the report said, one probably died
from physical hardship stemming from captivity in the northern
mountain range above Karavas on August 8, 1974
The other two "very likely" died in separate killings carried
out by Turkish Cypriot fighters in the Mesaoria region between
August 15 and August 21, 1974.
The fifth person was last seen in the company of several
unidentified Turkish or Turkish Cypriot persons "who may very well
have robbed and killed him," the report said.
Commenting on reports of these people being taken prisoner,
it added that the team found "no evidence" bearing out these
allegations, which it described as "unfounded".
"Although the US government believes that all five missing
Americans are dead, it will continue to pursue any additional
leads it receives on their fate," the report concludes.
The US State Department said that, had the four survived, one
would be 84 years old and the other three over 90.
"It would be unrealistic to hold out any hope of them still
being alive," the State Department said.
Mr. Stylianides said the Cypriot government was studying the
report, which has been sent for state legal advice.
"The position of the government is clear," he said. "We do
not accept to consider any missing person dead unless scientific
convincing evidence is provided about his identity."
He added that the government was pleased that the remains of
one of the five missing had been positively identified.
[17] THOMAS MILLER IN CYPRUS, TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES
The United States special coordinator for the Cyprus issue
Thomas Miller arrived at the island yesterday evening and will
meet with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides today.
Mr. Miller is expected to exert pressure on the Cypriot
government to cancel the order of the Russian-made S-300 anti-
aircraft missiles.
[18] CLERIDES - MILLER MEETING
The position of the United States that the installation of
the S-300 missiles will not help in the efforts to find a solution
to the Cyprus problem was reiterated by Thomas Miller, who
underlined that the United States do not set the cancellation of
the deal as a precondition for the continuation of their efforts
in Cyprus.
Mr. Miller met with Cypriot president Mr. Clerides and made
it clear that the United States will continue their efforts aimed
at finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.
[19] THE CARDIFF EU SUMMIT MEETING IS A MILESTONE FOR THE CYPRIOT
GOVERNMENT
The Cypriot government regards the EU Summit meeting that
will be held in Cardiff, Wales next month as a milestone.
The above were stated by Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis
Kasoulides, who underlined that equally important will be the
stance of the UN Security Council toward the renewal of the
UNFICYP mandate and the UN secretary-general report on his good
offices in Cyprus.
[20] KASOULIDES WILL BE IN ATHENS NEXT SATURDAY
Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoulides will be in
Athens on Saturday for meetings with members of the Greek
government.
Referring to his imminent visit to Athens, Mr. Kasoulides
stated that the two governments will continue to have regular
contacts both on the Cyprus problem and his country's EU accession
course.
Cyprus's prosecutor general Alekos Markidis and head of
Cyprus's negotiating team Giorgos Vasiliou will also be in Athens
on Friday for talks concerning Cyprus's EU accession course.
[21] US AND BRITISH TOURISTS ARE BEING MURDERED IN TURKEY FOR
THEIR PASSPORTS
American and British tourists are murdered in Turkey for
their passports that are being sold in illegal underground markets
for up to 10.000 US dollars each.
The London newspaper "The Independent" writes that there are
crime gangs of forgers operating in Turkey to which the passports
of the murdered American and British tourists are being sold by
their killers.
The newspaper mentions two cases of British nationals, who
were "lost somewhere in Turkey" and underlines that British Labor
Party Parliament member Keith Vaz will call for an extraordinary
discussion in Parliament over the fate of the 174 British
citizens, who disappeared in Turkey in the last 10 years.
The newspaper mentions the case of Edgar Fernandes from east
London, who disappeared almost as soon as he arrived in Turkey and
was found dead in Bosporos three weeks later. His family believes
that he was killed for his passport.
[22] EVENT COMMEMORATING THE GENOCIDE OF THE GREEKS IN PONTOS WAS
HELD IN BELGRADE
An event commemorating the anniversary of the genocide of the
Greeks in Pontos by the Turks was held in Belgrade.
In the event, that was organized by the Greek press office in
Belgrade and was held in the Chapel of the Belgrade Theology
School, were present Cypriot ambassador Andreas Skarparis, the
Greek embassy delegation in Belgrade, members of the Association
of Greeks in Serbia "Rigas Fereos" and Greek-Serb friendship
associations.
Within the framework of the event, the press office organized
a photo exhibition on the long presence of the Greeks in Pontos
and the suffering of the refugees. In the exhibition was also
presented a map of the region where the Greeks of Pontos wanted to
create the autonomous "Republic of Pontos".
[23] TURKEY: PROSECUTIONS AGAINST ISLAMISTS
Turkish government and justice persecute the Businessmen
Union called MUSIAD, which, actively supports Islamists.
Following the recent prosecution against 20 businessmen who,
financially and morally, supported the Welfare party, which was
declared illegal by the Constitutional Court, now, the Prosecutor
of Ankara's State Security Court pressed charges against the
president of Erol Yarar with the accusation that he "stirred up
peoples' hatred through religious discriminations".
Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available
on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at
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