Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-12-28
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 28, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ILLEGAL ALIENS SMUGGLED TO GREECE IN A HEARSE, CHASE ENSUES
[02] THESSALONIKI'S "MACEDONIA" AIRPORT CLOSED DUE TO FOG
[03] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES IN ATHENS TODAY
[04] STUDENTS VOW TO PRESS ON WITH PROTESTS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS
[05] GREECE'S FM ON S-300, FYROM AND DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
[06] GREEK ROADS NETWORK TO BE UPGRGADED WITH GRD487.5 BILLION
[07] THE SIMITIS-CLERIDES MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW
[08] THEODOROS PANGALOS ON THE S-300 MISSILES
[09] 1000 CHILDREN VACCINES FOR EACH BOMB ARE OFFERED TO IRAQ BY
THE GREEK CARAVAN OF SOLIDARITY
[10] ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSE PROBLEMS IN TRANSPORTATION
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[11] CEASEFIRE IS OBSERVED IN KOSSOVO
[12] BALKAN YOUTH TO COOPERATE AGAINST CRIME
[13] BULGARIA'S FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY IS PEACE IN KOSOVO
[14] BELGRADE: OPPOSITION SUPPORTS MILOSEVIC'S POLICY IN KOSSOVO
[15] THE OSCE OVERSEES THE TRUCE REACHED IN KOSOVO
[16] THE TURKISH AUTHORITIES CANCELED THE CHRISTMAS MASS IN A
CATHOLIC CHURCH
[17] CYPRUS'S NATIONAL COUNCIL WILL CONVENE TOMORROW ON THE
S-300 MISSILES
[18] KYPRIANOU: THE S-300 ARE JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ILLEGAL ALIENS SMUGGLED TO GREECE IN A HEARSE, CHASE ENSUES
An unknown man smuggled seven Albanian nationals into Greece
by loading them into a hearse, stolen from a funeral home, early
this morning.
According to the Kastoria police headquarters, the culprit
stole the vehicle from the village of Maniaki -which is located
near the Greek-Albanian border in western Macedonia.
He agreed to smuggle the seven migrants into the city of
Thessaloniki for an undisclosed fee by boarding them onto the
hearse, in the space where the coffin is normally placed.
When patrol officers at the Agia Kuriaki station motioned for
the hearse's driver to stop for an inspection, he sped and was
subsequently chased by the patrol cars.
When the police started closing in on him, the macabre
smuggler and its human cargo abandoned the vehicle. They all
still remain at large.
[02] THESSALONIKI'S "MACEDONIA" AIRPORT CLOSED DUE TO FOG
Dense fog has blanketed the region of Macedonia as of early
this morning, preventing aircraft take-off as of 7 am.
Meanwhile, drivers are faced with a series of hurdles as ice
has covered many areas of the national highways. The highway
patrol is advising drivers to be cautious.
Nineteen persons lost their lives and another 295 were wounded, in
216 accidents that occurred as of Thursday, when the Christmas
holiday weekend began.
[03] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES IN ATHENS TODAY
Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides will arrive in Athens
today where he will meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, and
other government and opposition party officials, with whom he
will discuss the issue the S-300 missiles.
No decision was taken at Thursday's meeting of the all-party
Cypriot National Council regarding Nicosia's plans to deploy the
anti-aircraft missiles, which has provoked fears in the United
States and European countries of an increase in tension.
[04] STUDENTS VOW TO PRESS ON WITH PROTESTS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS
Greece's high-school students, who are vehemently opposed to
the planned academic reforms, have vowed to press on with their
mobilizations even after the holidays.
The students, who remain barricaded in their high school
buildings, have dismissed the slight modifications proposed by
Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis as "inadequate".
Meanwhile, the Ministry is optimistic that the students will
grow tired and return to their school desks after the holidays.
[05] GREECE'S FM ON S-300, FYROM AND DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The "step-by-step" approach policy towards Turkey has passed,
as Ankara has refused to accept it, according to Greece's Foreign
Minister Theodoros Pangalos who spoke at an interview with an
Athens daily.
In the article, published by "Apogevmatini", Mr. Pangalos
commended on the S-300 missiles purchased by Cyprus from Russia
and stated that he does not see a dead end but, rather, a new
beginning from a diplomatic point of view and pointed out that
through the two latest UN resolutions the international community
is, for the first time, undertaking the responsibility to impose a
solution to the Cyprus issue.
Moreover, the outspoken Minister did not rule out the
possibility that the ruling PASOK party may lose the elections by
stating characteristically: "I have never believed that PASOK
should rule the country eternally and for ever." Furthermore, he
commended that the leader of the main opposition party, New
Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis is interested in nothing else but
becoming Premier.
"For that reason alone, if he ever does become Premier,
within fifteen days the Greeks will be pulling their hair out."
Regarding his recent visit to FYROM, he stressed that there
is no Slavic-Macedonian minority in Greece and lashed against the
nationalists in FYROM and within PASOK circles.
Concerning the property issue, set forth by Skopje, Mr.
Pangalos said this is a matter that concerns the Greek side as
well, since half the property at Bitola (Monasteri) belongs to
Greeks.
Commenting on the ongoing crisis in the education sector, Mr.
Pangalos supported Education Minster Gerasimos Arsenis and accused
the Communist Party of Greece and the teachers of instigating the
students' mobilizations. He further stated that he advocates
police intervention in opening the roads blocked by students.
[06] GREEK ROADS NETWORK TO BE UPGRGADED WITH GRD487.5 BILLION
The Ministry of Environment, City Planning and Public Works
has made it a priority to upgrade the country's road network,
promoting 15 large projects with the aid of the European Union's
funds.
The majority of the projects concern Egnatia Road, thereby
confirming the government's expressed commitment to overcome any
delay.
The projects, amounting to GRD487.5 billion, are to be
auctioned during 1999 and are funded by the Second Community
Support Framework.
[07] THE SIMITIS-CLERIDES MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, who is expected to arrive
in Athens later this afternoon, will meet with Greek prime
minister Kostas Simitis tomorrow. Their talks will focus on the
issue of the S-300 missiles after the adoption of the two recent
UN Security Council decisions on Cyprus. Mr. Clerides will also
meet with the opposition party leaders.
Earlier this morning, the Cypriot president had contacts in
Nicosia with the political party leaders in Cyprus.
[08] THEODOROS PANGALOS ON THE S-300 MISSILES
The "step-by-step" policy toward Turkey is a practice of the
past as Ankara has rejected it, said Greek foreign minister
Theodoros Pangalos in an newspaper interview.
Referring to the issue of the S-300 missiles, he said that he
does not see a deadlock but a new start from a diplomatic point of
view and pointed out that with the two latest UN Security Council
decisions the international community undertakes for the first
time the responsibility to implement a solution on the Cyprus
issue.
[09] 1000 CHILDREN VACCINES FOR EACH BOMB ARE OFFERED TO IRAQ BY
THE GREEK CARAVAN OF SOLIDARITY
The Greek Caravan of Solidarity, that was founded by the Euro-
parliament deputies of PASOK Paraskevas Avgerinos, New Democracy
Panagiotis Lambrias and Coalition of the Left Alekos Alavanos,
offers much needed help to the children of Iraq.
Under the slogan "1000 children vaccines for each bomb" the
Caravan launches a campaign to collect food and medicine and the
goal is a better future for the young Iraqis who are suffering
from malnutrition and are dying from all sorts of diseases.
One million children are malnourished in Iraq and the
inadequate sanitary conditions as a result of the embargo have
sent the mortality rate to a record high due to different kinds of
diseases, such as diarrhea.
One out of 50 children in Iraq, who suffered from diarrhea,
died in 1996 when the ratio in 1990 was 1 in every 600 children.
At the same time, 1 in 8 children with respiratory problems died
in 1996 compared to 1991 when 1 child out of 60 died from
different kinds of diseases.
About 5.000 children under the age of 5 died in Iraq each
month of 1998, when in 1990 the average number of children dying
every month was about 700.
[10] ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSE PROBLEMS IN TRANSPORTATION
The thick fog in north-central Greece created problems in all
forms of transportation and caused minor traffic accidents.
Throughout the provincial road network in north-western
Greece the cars move with great difficulty due to the icy
conditions.
In the city of Kastoria, in north-western Greece, members of
organizations for the protection of animals bring food for the
birds living around the frozen lake, while in many regions of
northern Greece the water supply was interrupted because of the
deep freeze that destroyed water pipes.
Temperatures dropped considerably in Kastoria with 10 degrees
Celsius below zero, Serres had -4 degrees, Thessaloniki -3 and
Kozani -1 degree Celsius.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[11] CEASEFIRE IS OBSERVED IN KOSSOVO
Following a four-day period of intense gun fire in Kossovo,
international observers have announced that cease fire is being
enforced by Serb forces and Albanian autonomists.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has
warned that it will re-examine the assignment of observers in
Kossovo if the tension climaxes.
[12] BALKAN YOUTH TO COOPERATE AGAINST CRIME
A delegation of 50 young men and women from Athens, Rome,
Tirana and Sofia have submitted proposals on ways to combat crime
committed by young persons, within the framework of a seminar held
in Sofia under the initiative of the Association of youth for
Development.
During the ten-day event, the participants will review a plan
titled "the Youth of Sofia, Athens Tirana and Rome for the
Development of Cooperation in combating Crime and Immigration
among the Young".
They will meet with officials from Bulgaria's Foreign
Ministry and will also visit orphanages and schools in Sofia.
[13] BULGARIA'S FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY IS PEACE IN KOSOVO
Sofia's foreign policy priority is regional security and
establishing peace in Kossovo, according to Bulgaria's Foreign
Minister Najdezda Michailova.
Ms. Michailova stated that the country's involvement in
resolving the Kosovo crisis could boost the country's credibility
and added that Bulgaria is not in a position to wait for other
countries to undertake decisions that concern the region.
[14] BELGRADE: OPPOSITION SUPPORTS MILOSEVIC'S POLICY IN KOSSOVO
The safeguarding of Kossovo constitutes a primary duty for
the state and its citizens, according to the leader of Serbia's
main opposition party, Vuk Draskovic of the Serb Renewal Movement.
Mr. Draskovic stressed that the safeguarding of Kossovo needs
to override any partisan differences and battles for power and
added that he would sacrifice the party for the sake of Kossovo.
[15] THE OSCE OVERSEES THE TRUCE REACHED IN KOSOVO
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) undertook to oversee the implementation of the cease fire
that was agreed in Kosovo yesterday while at the same time,
warnings have been issued that the international observers'
mission in the Serb province will end if the violent armed clashes
continue.
The truce was reached after four days of clashes between Serb
forces and ethnic Albanian separatists.
[16] THE TURKISH AUTHORITIES CANCELED THE CHRISTMAS MASS IN A
CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Turkish authorities canceled the Christmas mass in the
Catholic church of St. Anthony in Istanbul's Peran suburb using as
an excuse their concern over the likelihood of a repeat of the
unpleasant events that took place a month ago.
After the arrest of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in Italy the
followers of the only legal pro-Kurdish party (HADEP), who on
November 17 were out protesting in Istanbul's Independence Avenue,
sought refuge in the Church of St. Anthony and the police later
removed them by using force.
The Istanbul local authorities adopted strong security
measures in the regions where the Christmas mass was held by the
minorities living in the city to prevent unpleasant incidents as
the Christmas holiday coincided with the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan.
[17] CYPRUS'S NATIONAL COUNCIL WILL CONVENE TOMORROW ON THE
S-300 MISSILES
The National Council of Cyprus will convene tomorrow
afternoon after the return of Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides
from Athens where he will meet with Greek prime minister Kostas
Simitis to reach a final decision on the S-300 missiles.
The above were mentioned by Cypriot government spokesman
Christos Stilianides, who underlined that cooperation between
Nicosia and Athens is excellent and decisions are reached jointly.
[18] KYPRIANOU: THE S-300 ARE JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
The view that the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles are
just the tip of the iceberg was expressed by Cypriot parliament
president Spiros Kyprianou, who wondered if the Joint Defense
Doctrine is still in effect and backed the view that a national
conference should be held to reach final decisions on the issue of
the Russian missiles.
Mr. Kyprianou, in a press conference he gave after meeting
with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, stated that things should
not be left to the mercy of what the Americans and the British
wish, who promote today their own positions and views without
meeting much resistance.
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