Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-12-09
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 9, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SEVERE WEATHER IN NORTHERN GREECE, TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO
[02] BANK OF GREECE REDUCES INTERVENTION RATES BY HALF A
PERCENTAGE POINT
[03] SNOW COVERS NORTHERN GREECE, TRANSPORTATION IMPEDED
[04] STUDENTS DEFY COLD WEATHER, WILL RALLY IN THE STREETS TODAY
[05] CHIEF OF RUSSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE IN
ATHENS TODAY
[06] THESSALONIKI'S "MACEDONIA" AIRPORT CLOSED DUE TO ADVERSE
WEATHER
[07] US ENVOY FOR CYPRUS RICHARD HOLBROOKE IN ATHENS ON MONDAY
[08] BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER TO TAKE OVER AS AMBASSADOR IN
ATHENS
[09] GREEK PREMIER ADDRESSES HELLENIC-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
[10] US AMBASSADOR OPTIMISTIC OVER COURSE OF GREEK ECONOMY
[11] POLL: OPPOSITION LEADS BY 6.5% AND ARCHBISHOP IS MOST POPULAR
FIGURE
[12] YAKOVLEV VICTIMS' NEXT OF KIN FILE CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR
GRD2 BILLION
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS TRAVELS TO AUSTRIA TODAY
[14] ALBRIGHT WARNS MILOSEVIC AGAIN
[15] EXPLOSION AT GREEK COFFEE SHOP IN GERMANY WAS CAUSED BY
ACCIDENT
[16] GERMANY: S-300 MISSILES COULD AFFECT CYPRUS' ACCESSION TO THE
EU
[17] EUROPEAN SOCIALIST PARTY MEETS WITH MANIFESTO PREPARATION
COMMITTEE
[18] GREECE SEEKS NEW TRI-PARTITE TALKS ON BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS
PIPELINE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SEVERE WEATHER IN NORTHERN GREECE, TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO
Severe weather has brought on a score of transportation
problems in northern Greece where the temperatures in many regions
have fallen below the zero mark.
Cars are required to be equipped with anti-ski
chains, while a jeep with four passengers was rescued at the
outskirts of Thessaloniki where it had become immobilized
overnight.
Many villages remain inaccessible due to the heavy snow fall.
[02] BANK OF GREECE REDUCES INTERVENTION RATES BY HALF A
PERCENTAGE POINT
The Bank of Greece has reduced its intervention rates by half
a percentage point, a move expected to be adopted by the
commercial banks as well.
The National Bank has also announced great reductions in its
interest rates, varying from one to three percent.
[03] SNOW COVERS NORTHERN GREECE, TRANSPORTATION IMPEDED
Dense snowfall has created severe transportation problems in
Central and Northern Greece, where many villages have become
isolated and anti-skid chains are required on all cars driven in
Macedonia.
Temperatures are low and in some areas have fallen below
zero. The Prefect of Thessaloniki Kostas Papadopoulos has ordered
that elementary schools in the prefecture remain close for the
day.
[04] STUDENTS DEFY COLD WEATHER, WILL RALLY IN THE STREETS TODAY
High school students in Thessaloniki and Athens are to defy
the low temperatures and will take to the streets today in order
to drive home (that is, the Education Ministry) their disagreement
over proposed academic reforms. Technical college professors are
also striking today.
Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis is to meet with the
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis today. Meanwhile, he Minster of
Public Works, City Planning and Environment Kostas Laliotis said
that the proposed reforms are positive and necessary. He further
stated that the students' opposition is both negating and negative
as since they do not propose any solutions.
[05] CHIEF OF RUSSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE IN
ATHENS TODAY
The president of Russian Communist Party's central committee,
Gennady Zyuganov, is to embark on a two-day visit to Athens today,
at the invitation of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).
Mr. Zyuganov will be received by KKE's secretary-general
Aleka Paparega and will meet with leading KKE officials, as well
as other political figures.
[06] THESSALONIKI'S "MACEDONIA" AIRPORT CLOSED DUE TO ADVERSE
WEATHER
Thessaloniki's "Macedonia" airport remains inoperable since
the early morning hours today due to the snow fall that blankets
the area. All domestic and abroad departures have been placed
on old until the weather conditions improve.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Employees' Unions have embarked
on a 24-hour strike today, protesting the merger of their
supplementary pension fund with other pension funds.
[07] US ENVOY FOR CYPRUS RICHARD HOLBROOKE IN ATHENS ON MONDAY
The United States; special mediator for the Cyprus issue,
Richard Holbrooke, is expected in Athens on Monday according to
the government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas said yesterday.
Mr. Holbrooke's visit to Athens is part of his tour of the region.
and he is also expected to visit Ankara. and Nicosia. He will be
received by Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos.
Mr. Reppas stated that it was positive that the international
community was showing an "active interest" in the resolution of
the Cyprus issue.
[08] BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER TO TAKE OVER AS AMBASSADOR IN
ATHENS
Britain's High Commissioner for the Cyprus issue David
Madden will take over as British ambassador in Athens as of May
1999 replacing Sir Michael Llewellyn-Smith.
Mr. Madden served over four years on the island and will be
replaced by John Martin CMG (Commander of the Order of Saint
Michael and Saint John).
Mr. Martin served in Cyprus as head of the High Commission's
political section from 1978 to 1982. His last ambassadorial post
was Malawi.
[09] GREEK PREMIER ADDRESSES HELLENIC-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis addressed the annual Hellenic-
American Chamber of Commerce's economy conference yesterday
evening, speaking on the country's overall course of the economy.
Mr. Simitis stated that "we can predict with certainty that
Greece will be the 12th member of Economic and Monetary Union
(EMU) in 2001."
Nevertheless, he warned of excessive optimism since,
"considerable uncertainties are lurking on the international scene
and world developments are not under control."
He vowed that the government will always be vigilant and will
continue to avoid taking the "easy way of compromises from which
we would obtain easy political gains at the expense, however, of
the country's overall interests.
"We have achieved a great deal. We are now a country which
has regained its self-confidence and faced two international
crises in a period of a few months, maintaining its basic course
steady," he said and placed emphasis on the fact "that despite the
tediousness of the adjustment process, the country succeeded in
maintaining the cohesion of society."
Furthermore, Mr. Simitis called on business people and local
companies to prepare themselves in a multiple way for the upcoming
introduction of the euro and referred once again to the upcoming
tough negotiations with the European Union's powerful countries
which advocate a
restriction of EU funds concerning Common Agricultural Policy and
the Structural Funds.
The conference, which concluded last night, was sponsored by
the National Bank of Greece, National Investment Bank for
Industrial Development, Commercial Bank of Greece, Sigma
Securities and Agricultural Bank of Greece Mutual Funds.
[10] US AMBASSADOR OPTIMISTIC OVER COURSE OF GREEK ECONOMY
United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns addressed
the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce's annual conference
yesterday where he expressed his optimism over the progress noted
in the Greek economy.
Mr. Burns stated that the country is on the verge of
qualifying for the European Economic and Monetary Union and this
is good news for US-Greek investment relations
"Trade and investment relations between the two countries are
currently at a low ebb, although there has been especially
positive growth in the current year," Mr. Burns said.
"The news is good for the Greek and American economies.
Opportunities exist, and, with the contribution of all parties
concerned, economic relations between the two countries will grow
further," he added.
[11] POLL: OPPOSITION LEADS BY 6.5% AND ARCHBISHOP IS MOST POPULAR
FIGURE
A recently-conducted poll presents the main opposition party
New Democracy (ND) as having a 6.5-per cent lead over the ruling
PASOK party, while the most beloved public figure seems to be the
outspoken Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Chistodoulos.
According to the poll conducted by the firm MRB, 25.3 per
cent of those questioned said they would vote for PASOK; 31.8 per
cent preferred ND, 5 per cent opted for Communist Party of Greece
(KKE), 4.8 per cent for the Coalition for the Left and Progress
(Synaspismos), 5.2 per cent the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI)
and 1.5 per cent would vote for Political Spring.
Eight and a half per cent of respondents answered that they
would cast blank or void ballots.
The MRB poll also showed that the percentage of undecided
voters stands at 13.8 per cent.
According to the poll, 28.6 per cent of respondents believe PASOK
is better suited to deal with the country's problems, while 26.3
per cent thought the same of ND.
The most popular public figures in Greece are Archbishop of
Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, with 76.4 per cent; Athens
Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos with 71.3 per cent and President of
the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, with 69.5 per cent.
As for the political leaders, the poll indicated that
positive opinion for Prime Minister Costas Simitis stood at 31.4
per cent; ND leader Costas Karamanlis at 39.7 per cent; KKE leader
Aleka Papariga at 14 per cent; DHKKI leader Dimitris Tsovolas at
46 .5 per cent and Synaspimos leader Nikos Constantopoulos at 46.5
per cent.
[12] YAKOVLEV VICTIMS' NEXT OF KIN FILE CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR
GRD2 BILLION
The relatives of eight victims abroad the Yakovlev passenger
plane that crashed last year on a ravine near Mt. Olympus, have
filed a class action lawsuit against the Ukrainian airliner
Aerosweet seeking over two billion drachmas in damages for the
deaths of their beloved ones.
The lawsuit names both Aerosweet and the parent company Elvov
and was filed in Thessaloniki's First Circuit Court. The
plaintiffs charge that on the day of the fatal crash the airline
changed the aircraft, which originally was a Boeing 737 with the
older Yak-47, breaching a relevant agreement. Moreover, it lists a
score of errors caused by lack of pilot training and inadequate
aircraft maintenance.
The crash occurred on December 17, 1997, killing all 74
people on board. The court hearing will be held in November 1999.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS TRAVELS TO AUSTRIA TODAY
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides is
to arrive in Vienna today on order to represent the island at the
European Union Summit conference concerning the countries slated
for accession.
The talks will be held on Saturday while the Summit will
begin on Friday. President Clerides and the leaders of the states
lined up for accession will be received earlier by the Austrian
Chancellor Viktor Klima.
[14] ALBRIGHT WARNS MILOSEVIC AGAIN
United States Secretary of State Madleine Albright has
reiterated her warning to the President of Yugoslavia Slobodan
Milosevic that he stop hurling threats of taking action in
Kossovo. The US official also called on region's Albanians to
abandon any hopes of gaining independence within this Serb
province.
.
[15] EXPLOSION AT GREEK COFFEE SHOP IN GERMANY WAS CAUSED BY
ACCIDENT
German authorities have announced that yesterday's explosion
at the Greek coffee shop in Erlagen, near Nuremberg, was caused
by an accidental gas leak, ruling out any foul play.
Nineteen persons were wounded, three of whom were
hospitalized. Two individuals are of Greek origin, among them the
coffee shop's owner, while the rest are German.
[16] GERMANY: S-300 MISSILES COULD AFFECT CYPRUS' ACCESSION TO THE
EU
Germany, one of the four EU members who advocate that a
solution to the Cyprus issue be reached before the island gains
accession, warned yesterday that the deployment of the Russian-
300 missiles on the island was likely to affect Cyprus' accession
negotiations with the EU.
Germany's special representative for Cyprus, Detlev Graf zu
Rantzau, stated during a press conference that his country
believes that Turkey does not pose a security threat to Cyprus,
and that even if the island was "armed to the teeth" it would
still be undefendable.
Furthermore, he stated that Turkey has no hope of EU
membership as long as the Cyprus problem, among other conditions,
remain unresolved.
Mr. Rantzau will replace Sir David Hannay as the EU special
representative for Cyprus when Germany takes over the EU
presidency from Austria in January.
Following his talks with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides,
Mr. Rantzau stated that "I expressed to the President the concern
of my government about a possible bringing into the country of the
S-300 missiles, a concern that was well known to President
Clerides.
"I also expressed the confidence of my government that
President Clerides would find a solution to the S-300 missile
question that would be compatible with the security issues of
Cyprus and compatible with the relations of Cyprus with the
European Union."
The German officials explained that "my government's argument
is that even if there were a threat, we would feel that the
deployment of these missiles would not enhance the security
situation because, if anyone wanted to attack Cyprus, these
missiles would not help Cyprus, because they
would be taken out before hostilities began.
"Cyprus is not defendable against the military attack of a
determined antagonist... Even if, I think, one would want to arm
the Republic of Cyprus to the teeth and cram tanks, planes and
missiles into the country... the island is not defendable," he
said.
He stressed that Germany believes the best way forward in
terms of security would be the finding of a political solution.
[17] EUROPEAN SOCIALIST PARTY MEETS WITH MANIFESTO PREPARATION
COMMITTEE
Greece's National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and
Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis are to attend today's
meeting of the European Socialist Party's (ESP) presidium and its
manifesto preparation committee, held in Brussels.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos is the ESP's Deputy President and Mr.
Kranidiotis is a member
of the manifesto's preparation committee.
The meeting will focus on the manifesto's text in light of
the 1999 Euro-elections, as amended by the ESP's party-members,
and will be headed by British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.
[18] GREECE SEEKS NEW TRI-PARTITE TALKS ON BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS
PIPELINE
Greece has invited Bulgaria and Russia to an urgent meeting,
by Christmas, in order to discuss the Burgas-Alexandroupois oil
pipeline project.
The Greek government has announced that the project's draft
report is ready. As a member-state of the European Union, Greece
has undertaken the study and course of the future pipeline, which
is to be funded by the EU.
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