Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-11-17
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 17, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY UPRISING COMMEMORATED TODAY
[02] CAR SALES INCREASE AS PRICES DROP
[03] CROATIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT GREECE THIS MONTH
[04] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TRAVELS TO SOUTH AFRICA ON THURSDAY
[05] 1ST BALKAN CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
[06] EUROPEAN HIGH COURT JUSTICES IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
[07] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON FORCED OCCUPATION
LOAN
[08] PROTEST MARCHES FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE POLYTECHNIC
UPRISING WILL BE HELD IN THESSALONIKI AND ATHENS THIS AFTERNOON
[09] GREECE WILL OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES FOR THE EMU
[10] THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS UNDERSECRETARIES OF GREECE AND
SWITZERLAND WILL HAVE A POLITICAL DIALOGUE TWICE A YEAR
[11] 80 GREEK BUSINESSES IN SKOPJE
[12] THE GREEK EXPORTS TO ITALY REACHED 363 MILLION ECU IN THE
FIRST HALF OF 1998
[13] EXPLOITABLE GOLD RESERVES WERE FOUND IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] GREEK UNDERSECRETARY OF SPORTS IN TIRANA FOR THREE DAY VISIT
[15] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC PARLIAMENT CONCLUDES VISIT TO CYPRUS
[16] TENSION IN THE ANKARA-ROME RELATIONS BECAUSE OF OCALAN
[17] MILITARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREECE AND GEORGIA
[18] JOINT GREEK-BULGARIAN PLAN FOR THE MINING OF LEAD AND ZINC
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY UPRISING COMMEMORATED TODAY
Strong police forces have been deployed in the area of the
Athens Polytechnic School, near the National Archaeological
Museum, and other university buildings, as the 25-year anniversary
since the 1973 Polytechnic student uprising against the military
junta is being commemorated today.
The police force is a preventive measure to guard against
incidents that might occur during the events which are to
culminate with a rally to the American embassy in Athens and a
rally to the American general consulate in Thessaloniki .
The events commemorate the student protest at the Athens
Polytechnic against the military junta in 1973, which was
forcefully overthrown and came to symbolize resistance to the
seven-year dictatorship. The anniversary has been corrupted by
violence through the years, as various self-proclaimed
"anarchists" have managed to mar the day by provoking clashes with
police, setting fire to cars and retail stores in the area, and
causing extended damages within university buildings.
[02] CAR SALES INCREASE AS PRICES DROP
Car sales have already marked an increase as prices have
dropped after the abolishment of the special consumption tax.
Nevertheless, many dealerships have yet to announce their new
price lists as they await further instructions from the Ministry
regarding those vehicles that have already been through customs
but have not been issued license plates.
[03] CROATIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT GREECE THIS MONTH
Croatia's president Franjo Tudjman will pay an official
visit to Greece from November 23 to 25, at the invitation of his
Greek counterpart, the office of President of the Hellenic
Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos announced.
[04] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TRAVELS TO SOUTH AFRICA ON THURSDAY
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is to embark on
an official two-day visit to South Africa on Thursday, November
19.
Famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis will accompany the FM
on his visit and will conduct his musical adaptation of Odysseus
Elytis' epic "Axion Esti".
Mr. Pangalos has said that proceeds from the concert would be
donated to South African President Nelson Mandela's charity to
help impoverished children.
Mr. Mandela has said he will attend the Greek composer's
concert.
[05] 1ST BALKAN CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
The First Balkan Conference on "Education and Research
Within the Frame of Sustainable Development" will start in
Thessaloniki on Thursday, November19.
The three-day Conference's basic idea is to introduce new
education systems, like the "Open University or the Selective
Studies", as powerful instruments of knowledge within the frame of
the social - economical development of any country.
Scientists, politicians, reporters, industrial and commerce
representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Serbia, Montenegro,
Romania, and Turkey will participate in the Conference.
The event is being held under the auspices of the Ministries
of Education and Culture and it is also supported by the Ministry
of Macedonia and Thrace.
[06] EUROPEAN HIGH COURT JUSTICES IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
A five-member delegation of higher court justices from the
European Union is to visit the courts of Thessaloniki today in
order to meet with Greek justices and examine a series of matters
that concern the combat of international crime.
According to the Appellate Court of Thessaloniki, the
justices will focus their discussions on the delay noted in the
exchange of information between the local bureaus and the Interpol
regarding the extradition of criminals arrested in Greece, murder
cases, drug trafficking, etc.
[07] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON FORCED OCCUPATION
LOAN
The Greek Foreign Ministry has issued an announcement
responding to German claims that war reparations to Greece had
come to an end with a 1960 agreement and that Germany had also
aided Greece economically through European Union funds and, thus,
was not liable for the return of
a forced "loan" that the central bank of Greece handed over to
German occupation forces during World War II.
Greece responded in a relevant announcement by expressing
regret and stressing that the German statement contained
inaccuracies. Athens noted that war reparations are one thing,
while the forced occupation loan is another.
The foreign ministry added that the wartime "loan" was not a
remedy for criminal or illegal acts perpetrated by Nazi forces
during the occupation.
"It was a specific amount taken from the Greek economy at
gunpoint and was used by the German state for its own purposes.
According to every rule of law, its return is imperative," the
announcement read.
The foreign ministry said that references made to the EU's
own funds and cohesion policy in the EU is "absolutely
unbecoming."
This policy belongs neither to Greece nor to Germany and
relations between member-states are not a network of bilateral
relations. The announcement stated that the EU has its "own
independent dynamism" and its own rules of operation, which are
the result of overall negotiating.
The statement added that excellent bilateral relations
between Athens and Bonn and close cooperation between the two
countries in the framework of the EU, NATO and other international
organizations necessitate sincerity and clarity around this
important issue.
[08] PROTEST MARCHES FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE POLYTECHNIC
UPRISING WILL BE HELD IN THESSALONIKI AND ATHENS THIS AFTERNOON
The three-day events for the 25th anniversary of the
Polytechnic uprising in Athens that eventually led to the fall of
the military junta in Greece will culminate this afternoon with
the protest marches to the US consulate in Thessaloniki and the US
embassy in Athens.
Police has drawn up a plan aimed at averting incidents during
the marches but has focused its attention to averting the
occupation of university buildings by groups of young protesters.
The deputy dean of the Polytechnic School in Athens has stated
that no decision has been made for the lifting of the university
asylum except in the case of an emergency.
At noon today, an event was held commemorating the
Polytechnic uprising in the ministry of Macedonia-Thrace and in
the presence of minister Yiannis Magriotis.
[09] GREECE WILL OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES FOR THE EMU
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
report on the Greek economy that was given to publicity today,
predicts high growth rates for the next three years.
Specifically, it includes the speculation that Greece will
pass the challenges successfully and will enter the Economic and
Monetary Union using as a criterion the 12-month period that
begins in April 1999.
[10] THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS UNDERSECRETARIES OF GREECE AND
SWITZERLAND WILL HAVE A POLITICAL DIALOGUE TWICE A YEAR
Greek undersecretary of foreign affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis
agreed with his Swiss counterpart during contacts they had in
Switzerland to have a political dialogue twice a year.
During their talks the two undersecretaries examined the
course of bilateral relations and Switzerland's relations with the
EU as well as a number of issues such as, the situation in the
Balkans, the Cyprus problem and the Greek-Turkish relations. In
the talks it was established that the two governments share the
same views on a wide range of issues and it was agreed that new
ways should be examined to further strengthen their economic and
trade relations.
[11] 80 GREEK BUSINESSES IN SKOPJE
Eighty businesses from Greece will launch new contacts or
they will renew the existing ones with businesses in FYROM within
the framework of the 2nd Exhibition of Greek businesses in the
country that will open in Skopje on December 2 and will last four
days.
In the exhibition will be promoted among others, the Greek
Sugar Industry and the animal feed industry as well as, the
Brewery of Northern Greece. Also, in the exhibition will
participate the Arts and Crafts Chambers of Athens, Thessaloniki,
Kilkis and Pieria.
[12] THE GREEK EXPORTS TO ITALY REACHED 363 MILLION ECU IN THE
FIRST HALF OF 1998
The largest share of the Italian market got the Greek
products last year. The Greek exports to Italy reached 1.168
billion ECU showing a slight increase compared to 1.146 billion
ECU in 1996.
Also, the value of Greek products that were imported by Italy
in the six-month period of January-June 1998 reached 363 million
ECU.
According to figures provided by the Italian consulate in
Thessaloniki, an upward trend was observed and in the Italian
exports to Greece. The value of Italian products that appeared in
the Greek stores last year exceeded the 3.666 billion ECU compared
to 3.508 billion in 1996, while in the first half of 1998 the
Italian exports to Greece were 1.202 billion ECU.
[13] EXPLOITABLE GOLD RESERVES WERE FOUND IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS
General director of "Gold mines of Thrace AMBE" Mr. Megapanos
gave the assurance that there are "easily recoverable" gold
reserves in Alexandroupolis and confirmed the information on the
existence of gold reserves estimated at 1.250.000 ounces in the
region of Perama in Alexandroupolis, north-eastern Greece. The
information was made public 15 days ago by the other two companies
participating in the joint venture namely, the Australian "Le
Source" and the Canadian "Inmet".
Mr. Megapanos stated that the mining process will start in
the next two years and will last about 10-12 years.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] GREEK UNDERSECRETARY OF SPORTS IN TIRANA FOR THREE DAY VISIT
Greece's Undersecretary of Sports Andreas Fouras is presently
on a three-day visit to Tirana, heading an athletic delegation.
Mr. Fouras will be received by the President of Albania
Reijep Meidani, the Premier Pandeli Majko and Albania's Minster
and Undersecretary of Sports, Mgrs. Edi Rama and Kresnik Tartari
respectively.
Greece and Albania are expected to sign a protocol of
cooperation in the sports sector during Mr. Fouras' visit.
He will also attend tomorrow's match between the Greek and
Albanian men's national teams for the European championships cup
qualifier in Tirana.
[15] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC PARLIAMENT CONCLUDES VISIT TO CYPRUS
The President of the Hellenic Parliament, Apostolos
Kaklamanis, wrapped up a two-day official visit to Cyprus
yesterday evening, having met with the President of Cyprus
Glafkos Clerides, his Cypriot counterpart, Spyros Kyprianou and
other political leaders.
Following his meeting with President Clerides, Mr. Kaklamanis
stated that any problems with Cyprus's EU accession will be
overcome, adding that the EU enlargement process can only be
completed with Cyprus' entry.
Mr. Kaklamanis also conveyed a message of solidarity from
Greek Premier Kostas Simitis, which referred to the two countries'
"common struggle and solidarity".
[16] TENSION IN THE ANKARA-ROME RELATIONS BECAUSE OF OCALAN
Tension continues in the Ankara-Rome relations as it appears
that the Italian government is not willing to extradite Kurdish
PKK leader Abdulah Ocalan to Turkey.
Turkey maintains that Italy can not persist in its refusal to
extradite a wanted criminal, as it characterizes Ocalan. Italian
prime minister Massimo D'Alema in an interview left open the
likelihood to grant political asylum to the Kurdish leader and
stated that Ocalan's arrival to Italy can mean that he has
abandoned terrorism.
[17] MILITARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREECE AND GEORGIA
A military delegation from the former soviet republic of
Georgia, headed by deputy minister of defense Mr. Grogol
Katamandze, arrives in Athens today for a three-day visit.
Among the members of the delegation is the ministry of
defense General Staff chief and according to local sources, the
Georgian delegation is expected to sign a programme of military
cooperation and joint military training with Greece to be in
effect in 1999.
[18] JOINT GREEK-BULGARIAN PLAN FOR THE MINING OF LEAD AND ZINC
A Greek-Bulgarian cooperation for the mining of lead and zinc
will be financed by the European Union, according to a statement
issued by the mayor of Zlatograd in southern Bulgaria.
Mayor Nikolai Despotov stated that an application has been
submitted for the investment and a decision on the funding of the
plan is being expected soon. He said that the financing will be
made within the framework of the "Interreg-2" programme which aids
the cross-border cooperation.
It should be noted that the cross-border cooperation
programme offers financial support for joint bilateral business
activities by two countries, one of which must be a member of the
European Union.
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