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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-20Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] BRITISH LOBBYIST FOR PARTHENON MARBLES RETURN IS IN ATHENSWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Áthens, 20/09/1998 (MPA) The chairman of the British Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles brought his campaign to "home ground" Friday as he arrived in Greece for a series of meetings and lectures focusing on the London-based group's efforts to pursuade the British Museum to repatriate the classical friezes."The (Parthenon) marbles will definitely be returned to Greece in the long- term...and before the 2004 Olympics if the Acropolis Museum is built to house them," Graham Binns confidently predicted after a press conference at the Center of Acropolis Studies. [02] FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF OLYMPIC MEDALISTS BEGINS TODAYWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Athens, 20/09/1998 (MPA) The first international conference of Olympic medal winners began today at the International Olympic Academy in Olympia.Organized by the Association of Greek Olympics medal winners, SEO, the conference has drawn the participation of 35 Greek and 120 foreign athletes who have won a total of 300 Olympic medals. Undersecretary for Sports Andreas Fouras officiated a reception for the participants on Saturday evening at the Zappeion Hall. The conference ends on September 23. [03] PASOK EXECUTIVE COUNCIL APPROVES MARCH CONGRESSWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Athens, 20/09/1998 (MPA) Prime Minister Kostas Simitis' proposal, in his capacity as president of PASOK's executive council, to hold the 5th party congress on March 18 to 21, 1999, was approved on Saturday by the council.The PASOK executive council results of the vote are: 81 for, 31 against and 8 blank. Mr. Simitis spoke of a united and strong PASOK party, while the Defense Minster Akis Tsochatzopoulos differentiated himself from the party's economic policy. [B] BALKANS[04] BERISHA ANNOUNCES «NATIONAL FRONT OF RESISTANCE», FOR GOV/T REMOVALWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Tirana, 20/09/1998 (MPA) Sali Berisha, leader of Albania's Democratic Party, will apparently not bow to the international community's suggestions to respect the democratic process until order is restored in his country and has provocatively stated that he will "continue to fight until the government is overthrown."A mere hours after meeting with the leaders of the Council of Europe (Greek alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou) and the OSCE (Polish Foreign Minister Borislaw Geremek), the DP's national council announced that it will no longer engage in negotiations or cooperate with the Albanian government. "The Democratic party will only hold a dialogue with the people," it said in an announcement. The party's national council also approved Mr. Berisha's proposal for the formation of a "national front of resistance" whose aim is to overthrow the "dictatorial government of Fatos Nano." Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, the DP's secretary-general Ritvan Bonte, stressed that his party is "determined to continue our struggle until the final victory." Meanwhile, socialist party officials have confirmed that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent. Social Patty secretary Petro Koci told the MPA that "we are in favor of radical changes within the government", albeit he added that "once a new government reshuffle is decided upon, its composition will not consist of technocrats, as the main opposition wants." [05] HONORARY PRESIDENT OF NEW DEMOCRACY TO MEET WITH TURKISH PREMIERWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Istanbul, 20/09/1998 (MPA) The honorary president of Greece's main opposition party and former premier, New Democracy's Konstantinos Mitsotakis, is to meet with Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz this evening with whom he will discuss the course of Greek-Turkish relations.The meeting, to take place at a hotel in Bosporus, is at the request of the Turkish premier in light of Mr. Mitsotakis' visit to Istanbul. Mr. Mitsotakis has informed the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis as well as the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides of Mr. Yilmaz's initiative. The New Democracy honorary president met yesterday with the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos. [06] EUROPEAN ORGANIZATIONS STERNLY WARN SALI BERISHAWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Tirana, 20/09/1998 (MPA) The President of the Council of Europe and the OSCE have warned Albania's Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha that the international community will isolate not only his tactics of undermining institutions but also him personally, if he continues to develop them."I'd like to say to Sali Berisha that his and his party's tactics have undermined the democratic institutions, and if they continue, it is certain the international community will isolate not only his tactics but also him personally," stated George Papandreou, Greek Alternate Foreign Minster and present leader of the Council of Europe Ministers' Committee. Mr. Papandreou, along with Polish Foreign Minister Borislaw Geremek, current chairman of the OSCE, the Council of Europe Secretary General, Daniel Tarchys, and other European diplomats, began a several hour visit to Tirana yesterday in order to negotiate with political forces a solution to the crisis. "The community is determined to help Albania and support the efforts of its legitimate government to overcome this situation." Mr. Papandreou also said that the community has not spared criticism also towards the government, directly transmitting them to Mr. Nano. The European delegation condemned the violence against institutions and murders and urged the government to bring Azem Hajdari's killers to justice. "The DP leadership did not denounce the violence. It was involved in this violence with its tactics and we maintain that this should be considered a significant political solution and radical changes should be carried out," said Mr. Geremek. He also criticized the Nano government for dragging its feet in fighting organized crime, contraband and corruption. But the foreign diplomats did not say what should be the changes, saying that this is up to the Albanian institutions, government and parliament. The European delegation said that it supports all initiatives of President Meidani to develop consensus and political settlement. Mr. Geremek said that the international community will leave aside the extremist groups seeking to polarize the Albanian politics and society. The Polish Foreign Minister said that the place of the opposition is in parliament, not in prison and not in street demonstrations. Referring to the removal of the DP leader Berisha one day ago, Mr. Papandreou said that the international community will not intervene in the process of investigations. [C] WORLD[07] GREEK FM CALLS ON EUROPE AND US TO SUPPORT CYPRUS' ACCESSION TO EUWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Washington, 20/09/1998 (MPA) Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos called on Europe and Washington yesterday to support Cyprus' European Union accession regardless of the political problem prevailing on the island republic.Addressing a crowd at the Greek Studies Program of Columbia University in New York, Mr. Pangalos conveyed Athens' concern over certain views in some European capitals, as well as in Washington, which claim that Cyprus should not become a member of the European Union because it is a divided country. "This seems as if we want to punish the victim instead of the criminal, (instead) of those who are responsible for the invasion and occupation of a portion of the island." Mr. Pangalos said that "Cyprus is a special case in this procedure. It is the only country which can tomorrow become a member of the Union and take part in its budget." The Greek minister also spoke on the strength of the Cypriot economy, which has practically no inflation and unemployment, while he added that the island republic is almost ready to fulfill Economic Monetary Union (EMU) criteria. He also said that "in this process of expansion, every member-state has its preferences, for example, Italy favors Slovenia; Germany gives priority to Poland and Hungary ''Our choice is Cyprus." [08] PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS GLAFKOS CLERIDES IN NEW YORKWeb Posted: 18:15 GMT+2Washington, 20/09/1998 (MPA) The President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides is expected to discuss an initiative to settle the Cyprus problem and the content of the initiative if it is to begin, at his meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday.According to the CNA, President Clerides said that overcoming the intransigence displayed by the Turkish side in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem, does not only depend on Ankara but also on other factors that can affect Turkey. President Clerides refrained from expressing optimism for the resumption of negotiations between the two sides in October adding that this depends on how the situation will develop. The Cypriot President will address the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly on the September 25 and during his week-long stay in New York will also meet the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke. Referring to the US role in the Cyprus peace efforts, President Clerides underlined that despite any problems President Clinton and Holbrooke may face, the US administration continues to deal "not only with the Cyprus question but also with many other serious problems". 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 http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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