Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-12-16
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 16, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PREMIER TO BE RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC TODAY
[02] PREMIER MEETS WITH EDUCATION MINISTER
[03] GREECE ENFORCES SCHENGEN PACT BY ABOLISHING CONTROLS FOR
MEMBERS
[04] THESSALONIKI BYZANTINE MUSEUM COLLABORATES WITH VIENNA'S
MUSEUM OF APPLIED ART
[05] ARMENIAN CULTURE MINISTER IN ATHENS, MEETS WITH VENIZELOS
[06] STRIKING TEACHER CHAINS HIMSELF TO GATE IN PROTEST TO
PROTEST
[07] REPPAS: THE CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE S-300 IS STILL
VALID
[08] REPPAS: THE ISSUE OF EDUCATION IS BEING HANDLED RESPONSIBLY
BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION
[09] THE STEPHANOPOULOS-SIMITIS MEETING WAS COMPLETED
[10] THE UNREST IN EDUCATION CONTINUES
[11] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE PRESENTATIONS TO FOREIGN INVESTORS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] HOLBROOKE LEAVES EMPTY HANDED AFTER MEETING WITH MILOSEVIC
[13] GREECE'S FOREIGN MINISTER IS ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO KUWAIT
[14] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT FYROM ON DECEMBER 22
[15] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY CYPRUS TALKS
[16] RUSSIA IS READY TO DELIVER S-300 MISSILES TO CYPRUS
[17] 42 WERE KILLED IN KOSOVO IN THE LAST TWO DAYS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PREMIER TO BE RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC TODAY
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to be received by the
President of the Hellenic Republic today Kostis Stephanopoulos
today, in order to discuss matters of foreign and domestic policy.
Mr. Simitis is to also brief the President on the results of
the recently-held European Union Summit in Vienna.
[02] PREMIER MEETS WITH EDUCATION MINISTER
Prime Minster Kostas Simitis met with the Minister of
Education Gerasimos Arsenis yesterday with whom he discussed the
latest developments in the education sector.
According to reports, the two men discus measures that could
be taken in order enforce the educational reforms after the
holidays. Meanwhile, the Federation of Secondary Education
Teachers insists that the government conduct a dialogue with its
representatives.
[03] GREECE ENFORCES SCHENGEN PACT BY ABOLISHING CONTROLS FOR
MEMBERS
Deputy Foreign Minster Yiannos Kranidiotis, addressing a
meeting of the foreign affairs and defense parliamentary committee
yesterday, announced that the government will abolish controls at
airports and at land and sea borders for citizens belonging to
Schengen Pact countries.
According to Mr. Kranidiotis, the discontinuance of controls
at airports has been scheduled for April 1, 1999, while controls
at the land and sea borders will be abolished as of July 1, 1999.
The deputy FM said that Greece has so far implemented the
Schengen Pact, which has been partially valid since Dec. 8, 1997.
[04] THESSALONIKI BYZANTINE MUSEUM COLLABORATES WITH VIENNA'S
MUSEUM OF APPLIED ART
An exhibition of icons dated to the 18th and 19th centuries
is to be inaugurated tomorrow at the Byzantine Museum of
Thessaloniki, in collaboration with the Vienna Museum of Applied
Art.
Greece's ambassador to Vienna Yannis Gennimatas is to open
the event where the Orthodox Metropolitan of Austria, Mihail, is
scheduled to speak.
The icons to be exhibited were reportedly produced during the
18th and 19th centuries at the Greek printing houses of Vienna for
the Orthodox monasteries and communities in the Austro-Hungarian
empire.
The exhibition will be held until February.
[05] ARMENIAN CULTURE MINISTER IN ATHENS, MEETS WITH VENIZELOS
Armenian Culture Minister Roland Saroyan, on an official
visit to Athens, met with his Greek counterpart Evangelos
Venizelos with whom he discussed the cultural ties shared by the
two countries.
Following the talks, Mr. Venizelos stated that Greece and
Armenia enjoy long-standing historical and cultural ties which
have a specific practical significance today."
Mgrs. Saroyan and Venizelos also discussed archaeological
research and
contemporary arts and decided to pursue the mutual translation of
works by Armenian and Greek writers.
[06] STRIKING TEACHER CHAINS HIMSELF TO GATE IN PROTEST TO
PROTEST
A striking teacher, who is also the father of two high school
students, chained himself to a school gate yesterday in order to
protest the school building occupations conducted by the country's
students who - in turn- are opposed to educational reforms.
Taking advantage of the 24-hour strike declared by the
nation's workforce yesterday, Iordanis Aimoniotis, defied the cold
weather and tied himself early in the morning with heavy chains to
the central gate of Thessaloniki's 17th High School.
Mr. Aimoniotis' argument was that, while the right to strike
is inviolable, so is the right to an education.
[07] REPPAS: THE CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE S-300 IS STILL
VALID
The contract signed by the Cypriot government for the
purchase of the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles is still
valid, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
Mr. Reppas added that the issue is being dealt with
responsibly by the Cypriot government.
[08] REPPAS: THE ISSUE OF EDUCATION IS BEING HANDLED RESPONSIBLY
BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION
The issue of education is being handled responsibly by the
minister of education Gerasimos Arsenis who has started a dialogue
to end the ignorance and misinformation, stated Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Reppas. Responding to a question on what orders
have been given to Mr. Arsenis by the prime minister in the
meeting they had yesterday, Mr. Reppas pointed out that the prime
minister does not intervene to the work of his ministers and
simply cooperates with them.
Mr. Reppas said that the fact that a dialogue is taking place
does not mean changes will be made, stressing that the government
has presented its proposals and waits to hear the views of others.
[09] THE STEPHANOPOULOS-SIMITIS MEETING WAS COMPLETED
Prime minister Kostas Simitis briefed president Kostis
Stephanopoulos on all the developments in the Greek government's
domestic and foreign policy.
Specifically, Mr. Simitis referred to the outcome of the
Vienna EU Summit meeting, while on the crucial issue of the
community resources, he pointed out that Greece shares the same
position with certain other countries and hopes that after a few
months there will be results that will meet its interests.
[10] THE UNREST IN EDUCATION CONTINUES
The unrest in education continues as many schools in the
country are still under occupation by the students, who continue
the street blockades.
On Sunday, the students will meet to decide on the future of
their mobilizations.
This evening, minister of education Gerasimos Arsenis will
speak in a special event on education, while tomorrow the
responsible parliamentary committee on education reform is
scheduled to hold a meeting.
[11] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE PRESENTATIONS TO FOREIGN INVESTORS
Presentations of the National Bank of Greece to foreign
investors were made last Monday and Tuesday in London and Paris
respectively, within the framework of the strategy of the National
Bank of Greece Group aimed at approaching big investors
especially, foreign institutional investors and promote products
of the Greek capital and money market.
Over 60 investors attended the presentations held in London
and Paris in which were displayed the developments and prospects
of the Greek economy as well as the investment opportunities
created, the opportunities opened in the bond and share markets,
and the economic services offered by the National Bank of Greece
Group.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] HOLBROOKE LEAVES EMPTY HANDED AFTER MEETING WITH MILOSEVIC
United States envoy Richard Holbrooke met with the President
of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic
yesterday, but their talks led to nowhere as, according to the US
diplomat, the vast differences between the Serbs and Kossovo's
Albanians remain as such.
Mr. Milosevic accused the international community of not
keeping the promises it made.
[13] GREECE'S FOREIGN MINISTER IS ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO KUWAIT
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos has embarked on
a two-day official visit to Kuwait where he will be received by
Emir Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir as-Sabah, and other government
officials.
Following his talks in Kuwait, Mr. Pangalos will travel to
Islamabad for talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
with whom he is expected to sign bilateral relations agreements.
[14] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT FYROM ON DECEMBER 22
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is to conduct a
official visit to Skopje next week, at the invitation of the new
prime minister of FYROM Ljubco
Georgievski.
According to a foreign ministry statement, Mr. Pangalos will
meet with FYROM government officials with whom he will discuss the
latest developments in the Balkans and international affairs and
will exchange views on the present state of
bilateral relations.
[15] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY CYPRUS TALKS
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he is
encouraged by the constructive manner in which Greek-Cypriot and
Turkish Cypriot leaders are participating in United Nations-
sponsored talks on Cyprus.
In a letter to the Security Council released yesterday, the
Secretary- General said that the President of Cyprus Glafcos
Clerides and the Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had
indicated their wish for the initiative to continue. He commended
both men for their statesmanship and vision.
The Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for
Cyprus, Dame Ann Hercus, began a series of confidential meetings
on 16 October with the two leaders. The "shuttle talks" are
focusing on reducing tension, core issues and
humanitarian/goodwill issues.
The Secretary-General said he also considered it positive
that both sides had respected the confidentiality of the talks.
They had made clear their commitment to avoid tension, build peace
in Cyprus and the region, and achieve an overall settlement by
peaceful means, he added.
[16] RUSSIA IS READY TO DELIVER S-300 MISSILES TO CYPRUS
Moscow has reiterated its readiness to honor the contract
signed with Cyprus concerning the purchase of the Russian-made
anti-aircraft S-300 missiles by the Republic of Cyprus.
According to Cyprus' RIK, the new general director of the
missiles' manufacturing company Rozvoruzenie, Georgi Rabota, -
during his visit to Cyprus- gave his personal assurance that
Russia will deliver the missiles.
[17] 42 WERE KILLED IN KOSOVO IN THE LAST TWO DAYS
The victims in the recent bloody incidents in Kosovo are 42.
The armed clashes caused strong concern to the international
community as there is a risk for new tension in the region at a
time when efforts are being made for a political solution to the
problem of Kosovo.
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