Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-12-30
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 30, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CYPRUS' S-300 MISSILES TO BE DEPLOYED IN CRETE
[02] FOG IMPEDES LANDING AND TAKE OFF AT MACEDONIA AIRPORT
[03] 13-YEAR-OLD GOOD SAMARITAN RETURNS LOST WALLET TO POLICE
[04] PORT OF THESSALONIKI SERVES AS A PASSAGE FOR NATO VESSELS
[05] FINANCE -NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTER: EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL STATE
[06] KARAMANLIS: THE GOVERNMENT HANDLED THE S-300 MISSILES ISSUE
IN A SUPERFICIAL WAY
[07] FOREIGN MINISTER PANGALOS RESPONDED TO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY
KARAMANLIS
[08] TURBULENCE IN GREECE AND CYPRUS OVER THE S-300 MISSILES
[09] EMPHASIS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE SOCIAL STATE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ARRIVES AT TIRANA TODAY
[11] TWO GREEK SAILORS MISSING IN PORT OF TEXAS FOUND BURNED
[12] BOSTON MUSEUM ALLEGEDLY HOUSES LOOTED GREEK ARTIFACTS
[13] TEXT OF CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES' STATEMENT ON S-300
[14] BALTIMORE'S "MAN OF THE YEAR" IS A GREEK-DESCENT ATTORNEY
[15] GREEK-CYPRIOTS, TURKISH-CYPRIOTS SERVE PEACE THROUGH MASHAV
[16] RADIO-ACTIVE MUD THREATENS THE NESTOS VALLEY
[17] NEW BRANCH OF THE GREEK SUPER-MARKET CHAIN "VEROPOULOS" WILL
OPEN IN TETOVO, FYROM
[18] A GREEK COMPANY IS INTERESTED IN THE TREPCA AND BOR MINES IN
THE FRY
[19] INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS TO CANCELLATION OF S-300 DEPLOYMENT
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CYPRUS' S-300 MISSILES TO BE DEPLOYED IN CRETE
The President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides has announced his
decision for the non deployment of the Russian-made S-300 surface-
to-air missiles in Cyprus.
Following a three-hour session of the island's National
Council, the government's top advisory body made up of political
party leaders, President Clerides said that he would negotiate
with the Russian government the possible deployment of the
missiles in Greece's southern island of Crete.
The National Council failed to take a unanimous decision on
the S300 issue. The anti-aircraft missiles were ordered by the
Cyprus government in January 1997.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis backed the decision by
stating that ``it is a decision which the Greek government fully
supports.''
[02] FOG IMPEDES LANDING AND TAKE OFF AT MACEDONIA AIRPORT
Persistent fog continued to impede flight landing and take
off at Thessaloniki's "Macedonia" airport this morning, forcing
aviation authorities to cancel all morning flights.
It is hoped that a modern electronic system, the ILS 2,
which enables "blind" landings will solve the problem when it is
installed some time in 1999. The new system will safely guide
aircraft from the ground in conditions of zero visibility to
within 30 meters above the runway. The pilot will then be able to
safely land the aircraft. The present ILS system is an older
version which is ineffective in conditions of thick fog.
Meanwhile, northern Greece is undergoing one of the coldest
winters in recent years, as the temperatures have fallen to as low
as -15 Celsius in some areas.
The frosted roads, combined with early morning fog, are
forcing drivers to be extra cautious and anti-skid chains are
required in many provincial roads due to the snow.
[03] 13-YEAR-OLD GOOD SAMARITAN RETURNS LOST WALLET TO POLICE
In sharp contrast to the latest barrage of negative
reports, news of a 13-year
old good Samaritan, son of repatriated Greeks from the former
Soviet Union, , was a delightful change.
Kostas Tsakalides, from the village of Lakkoma, Chalkidiki,
discovered a forgotten wallet, loaded with 300,000 drachmas (a
little over than a thousand dollars) inside a telephone booth.
He promptly returned it to the nearby butcher, Prokopis
Pavlides, in hopes that the rightful owner will be found.
Kostas arrived in Greece eight years ago from Georgia. Having
lost his mother, he lives with his grandmother and grandfather
while his dad works in Thessaloniki.
When the Macedonian Press Agency asked the outstanding young
man why he didn't keep the money, when he could have viewed it as
an unexpected Christmas gift from Santa Claus, Kostas simply
responded, "I thought that it could belong to a poor person who
got a Christmas bonus and wanted to buy gifts for his family."
[04] PORT OF THESSALONIKI SERVES AS A PASSAGE FOR NATO VESSELS
Six NATO vessels have moored in Thessaloniki since December
11, using the city's port as a stopover to FYROM where they are
supporting the Alliance's peacekeeping force assigned to Skopje.
In addition to the frigates, NATO aircraft are also landing
at the Sedes base, thus transforming the city into a center of
military operations for the first time since World War I.
The 1,500 troops, from Norway, France, Italy, Belgium and
Germany, usually spend three to four days in town before they are
transported by C-130 aircraft to Skopje.
[05] FINANCE -NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTER: EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL STATE
The Minister of National Economy and Finance Yiannos
Papantoniou has announced that the government intends to grant
emphasis to the social state.
During an interview with an Athens radio station, Mr.
Papantoniou forecast increased rates of economic development and
said that this would avail a greater amount of funds towards the
citizen and the country's social services.
Furthermore, Mr. Papantoniou stressed that the European
common currency, the euro, creates new conditions of stability and
further de-escalation of interest rates.
[06] KARAMANLIS: THE GOVERNMENT HANDLED THE S-300 MISSILES ISSUE
IN A SUPERFICIAL WAY
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis launched strong criticism against the socialist
government of PASOK and the prime minister himself over the stance
adopted in the issue of the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft
missiles in a press conference he gave in Athens at noon today.
Mr. Karamanlis stated that prime minister Simitis must
realize that such issues, like the
S-300 missiles, should not be handled superficially and off-hand,
adding that small politics have no place in issues of national
importance. The leader of the main party of the opposition also
called on the prime minister to accept the New Democracy proposal
for the establishment of a National Policy Council.
[07] FOREIGN MINISTER PANGALOS RESPONDED TO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY
KARAMANLIS
Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos issued a written
response to the statements made by New Democracy leader Kostas
Karamanlis over the handling of the issue of the S-300 missiles by
the government.
Mr. Pangalos states that the New Democracy leader knowing
that he can have a short-term benefit for his political party
ignores the positive developments in the Cyprus issue that are the
result of the coordinated and systematic actions by the
governments of Greece and Cyprus.
Furthermore, adds Mr. Pangalos, the leader of New Democracy
does not realize that with such statements he creates national
unity problems for the sake of small politics.
[08] TURBULENCE IN GREECE AND CYPRUS OVER THE S-300 MISSILES
The decision of Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides not to
deploy the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus and
to hold negotiations with Russia for their possible installation
in the island of Crete, caused turbulence in Greece and Cyprus,
while the United States and the European Union expressed
satisfaction.
In the Cypriot National Council meeting yesterday three
political parties (Democratic Alarm, AKEL, United Democrats)
agreed with Mr. Clerides' decision, while the other three (EDEK,
DHKO, New Horizons) expressed disagreement and a political crisis
is not ruled out depending on the stance that will be adopted by
socialist EDEK party leader Vasos Lissarides toward the Cypriot
government.
[09] EMPHASIS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE SOCIAL STATE
Minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou
in an interview with the Athens radio station "FLASH" announced
that an emphasis will be given to the social state in Greece. Mr.
Papantoniou predicted greater growth rates which will gradually
allow the allocation of more resources to be used for the citizens
and the improvement of social services.
The minister of national economy also pointed out that the
EURO creates conditions for greater stability and the further de-
escalation of interest rates.
Mr. Papantoniou expressed optimism over the course of the
national economy not only in 1999 but during the next 10 years. He
said that 1998 was a good year for the economy as there was a de-
escalation of inflation and interest rates, while significant
steps were made toward the public sector reform and the
restriction of the public sector deficit.
On the issue of inflation, Mr. Papantoniou speculated that
the 2% goal will be met and predicted that the interest rates will
drop from 6% to 7% in the next two years.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ARRIVES AT TIRANA TODAY
Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is to travel
to Tirana today, at the invitation of his Albanian counterpart
Luan Haidaraga.
While in Albania, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will meet with the
country's President
Rejep Meidani and Prime Minister Pandeli Majko, as well as Foreign
Minister Paskal Milo and the Archbishop of Albania Anastasios.
He will also pay a visit to the Isberis military camp, the
headquarters of Albania's Greek force, and will also visit the
site of the Military Hospital at Gjirocaster.
[11] TWO GREEK SAILORS MISSING IN PORT OF TEXAS FOUND BURNED
The burned bodies of the two sailors of the Cypriot-flag ship
SVioleta" have been discovered in the ship's engine-room after
having been missing since yesterday afternoon when the ship,
waiting to dock at Galveston, Texas, caught on fire.
They are Manolis Gavalas and Nikitas Labrinos, while the 21
Filipino sailors and the ship's captain Grigoris Alexiou are safe.
[12] BOSTON MUSEUM ALLEGEDLY HOUSES LOOTED GREEK ARTIFACTS
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, has acquired scores of Greek
and Roman antiquities looted from Italian archaeological sites,
according to the Boston Globe.
In its Sunday edition the paper said the questionable
objects included three valuable Greek vases apparently excavated
illegally from 2,300-year-old grave sites in the Apulian region of
southern Italy and smuggled out of the country.
In what the Globe called ``a telltale admission,'' the Museum
of Fine Arts described the three vases as among a ``host'' of
newly discovered artifacts in a book it published in 1993. The
newspaper has been investigating the museum's collections with the
help of classical scholars and art experts.
It reported that it found that only 10 of the 71 items in the
Greek and Roman collection had any recorded ownership or
provenance.
The remaining artifacts, including the three vases mentioned
in the book, have no pedigree at all -- strong circumstantial
evidence that most were recently unearthed by grave-robbers, the
Globe said.
This is not the first time the Boston Museum is involved in
such controversy.
Its ``Monet in the 20th Century'' exhibit, which closes this
weekend before moving next month to the Royal Academy of Arts in
London, was accused of failing to note clearly that one of the
artist's works had been looted by the Nazis.
Moreover, A year ago, the Museum of Fine Arts turned aside a
public demand from the government of Guatemala that it return
scores of pre-Columbian artifacts looted from ancient Mayan grave
sites in that country.
The museum then argued that the artifacts had entered the
United States legally between 1974 and 1981. It was only in 1983
that the museum committed itself to international standards
designed to curb the widespread plundering of antiquities.
[13] TEXT OF CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES' STATEMENT ON S-300
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides
announced last evening that the Russian-made S-300 surface-to-air
missiles will not be deployed in
Cyprus.
The following is the text of the President's
announcement, made after a National Council meeting held in
Nicosia.
"I [have] reached the decision on the non-deployment of the
missiles in Cyprus and agreed that we negotiate with the Russian
Government their possible deployment in Crete.
"I feel the need to underline that the sole criterion
in reaching this decision was the interest of the Cypriot people
and the wider interest of Hellenism.
I accept that my decision deviates from a previous
decision on the deployment of the missiles in Cyprus. However, I
do not accept that today's decision was the
outcome of submission to pressure, threats, and blackmail.
" It was merely the outcome of a responsible
examination and a realistic assessment of the current conditions,
factors, and prospects that directly or indirectly affect the
course of our national issue.
"I neither reproach nor criticize as being wrong the
decision made for the purchase and deployment of the S-300
missiles.
"However, I would not be a responsible leader if I
obstinately insisted today on the decision made then, knowing that
the implementation of that decision would harm the substantial and
lasting interests of Cyprus and Greece.
"I respect the views that are contrary to my decision.
I know I will be the target of acute criticism due to my decision.
"However, I [have] never hesitated in adopting a
decision that I believed served the interests of the country,
which I always set above personal and political observations.
"I believe in the correctness of the decision I made
today and I am completely certain that with this decision our
national issue and our national interest are effectively served."
[14] BALTIMORE'S "MAN OF THE YEAR" IS A GREEK-DESCENT ATTORNEY
An attorney of Greek descent. Peter Angelos, has been
declared as "Man of the Year" by the city's largest circulation
paper, the Baltimore Sun, for his multifaceted contribution to the
state of Maryland.
In a lengthy article, the Baltimore Sun, outlines Mr.
Angelos's personal attributes, benefactions and social activities.
He is the sole owner of a baseball team in the state.
Most characteristically, the paper hails Mr. Angelos for his
contribution to improving the local quality of life and stresses
that no one else has had so much to offer to philanthropic
purposes and the city's development.
[15] GREEK-CYPRIOTS, TURKISH-CYPRIOTS SERVE PEACE THROUGH MASHAV
Thirty individuals from both sides of the divided island of
Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, have responded to the
call of peace, surpassing any political differences.
They recently completed a development program for peace,
organized by Israel's MASHAV (the Hebrew acronym for the Center
for International Cooperation in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign
Affairs).
The program, the first of its kind, featured the
participation of entrepreneurs, unionists, teachers and young
people and its aim is to promote dialogue among the two
communities.
As a result, the participants programmed the joint
organization of common cultural events, themed "Peace Ahead", and
proposed a draft agreement for the discovery of a solution to the
Cyprus issue.
[16] RADIO-ACTIVE MUD THREATENS THE NESTOS VALLEY
Radio-active mud threatens the Nestos river valley as well
as, life in the river which crosses Bulgaria and Greece. This
could happen if the storage area of the uranium enrichment plant,
located near the village of Elesnica, is flooded, according to a
statement that was made to the Sofia newspaper "Novinar" by
Jordanka Stojanova representative of the Bulgarian ministry of
environment.
Specialists have warned of an environmental disaster both for
Greece and Bulgaria and in case Bulgaria is responsible for the
border pollution then it will fully cover the expenses for the
restoration of the natural environment estimated at about
50.000.000 ECU.
[17] NEW BRANCH OF THE GREEK SUPER-MARKET CHAIN "VEROPOULOS" WILL
OPEN IN TETOVO, FYROM
A new branch of the Greek super-market chain "Veropoulos"
will open in the FYROM city of Tetovo early next year. The super-
market will cover a space of 3.000 square meters and will employ
80 people.
It should be noted, that it is the third branch of this super-
market chain that will open in FYROM.
[18] A GREEK COMPANY IS INTERESTED IN THE TREPCA AND BOR MINES IN
THE FRY
Greek businessman Evangelos Mitilineos announced in Belgrade
yesterday that his company is interested in purchasing the package
of shares of the Trepca mines in Kossovo and in participating in
the privatization process of the mines in the Serb city of Bor, in
case the Yugoslav government proceeds with the privatization of
these two large mineral production units.
The "Mitilineos Ltd" company had signed a 5-year contract
with the Trepca mines two years ago providing for the purchase of
minerals worth 500 million US dollars, while last February another
7-year agreement was signed with the Bor mines for the purchase of
copper worth 1.2 billion US dollars.
Mr. Mitilineos appeared satisfied with the cooperation he had
until now with those two mines and added that the agreement with
Trepca was especially constructive as it has contributed
decisively to the further development of his company.
[19] INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS TO CANCELLATION OF S-300 DEPLOYMENT
Mere hours after Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides announced
his decision not to proceed with the deployment of the Russian-
made surface-to-air S-300 missiles on the island, the
international community responded to the development.
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis expressed his support
for President Clerides' decision not to install the missiles on
the island.
"It is a decision which the Greek government fully backs",
the Premier said, adding that "the question was and still is that
progress is achieved in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem
and the consolidation of a feeling of security to Cypriot
Hellenism".
He explained that Greece has an interest in persevering with
diplomatic efforts, respect for international legality, and
utilization of all possibilities for a comprehensive and peaceful
solution of the Cyprus problem.
Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Aris
Spiliotopoulos said that the government was responsible for the
developments on the S-300 missile issue.
He claimed that Greece "cashed in the results" of the wrong
choices made by the government in exercising foreign policy and
added that "no one ever explained to the Greek people, how, why
and with which aim and prospect the purchase and deployment of the
S-300 on Cyprus was decided.
The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in its press release said
that the development of the issue proves that the partition of the
island is kept secret, the process of the island republic's
accession to the European Union "which is the leverage for the
partition" is presented as salvation for the Cyprus problem, it is
not allowed by a small country to purchase defensive arms and the
joint defense doctrine has gone "totally bankrupt."
The Democratic and Social Movement Party (DHKKI) accused the
government of making irregular concessions while the leader of
the Political Spring Party Antonis Samaras said that the Simitis
government has become an accessory to a concession without
returns.
The United States welcomed Cyprus' decision and said this
would boost a U.N. initiative to reduce tensions on the divided
island.
``We welcome and support President (Glafcos) Clerides'
decision not to bring the S-300 missiles to Cyprus. We commend the
government of Cyprus for taking this important step to ease
tensions on the island,'' said Lee McClenny, a State Department
spokesman.
Mr. McClenny said ``this action will give important new
impetus to (U.N.) Secretary General (Kofi) Annan's September 30
initiative to reduce tensions and promote a just and lasting
settlement of the Cyprus dispute.''
He said Washington ``wholeheartedly supports the secretary
general's initiative and will take all necessary steps to support
a sustained effort to implement it.''
Britain's Foreign Secretary Robin Cook characterized
President Clerides' decision as an important contribution to the
international efforts aimed at reducing tension on the island and
at the creation of conditions necessary for the achievement of a
fair and viable solution.
Austria's Foreign Minster Wolfgang Schussel saluted the
decision as an immense success of the EU's, Britain's and US's
diplomacy.
Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin has
expressed the hope Cyprus will respect its contract concerning
Russian defensive system S-300, pointing out that he sees no
danger to regional security as a result from this purchase.
"Our position is that this is a purely commercial contract,"
he said, adding, we do not believe that this contract is the
origin of tensions in Cyprus".
Mr. Rakhmanin said that "Russia has moved forward some ideas
on how to reduce tensions on the island" and stressed that "the
main proposal is the demilitarization of Cyprus and I believe
these ideas are still on the table".
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ismail Cem stated that the
controversial missiles must remain in Russia since, if they are
deployed in Crete Ankara will react as, he stated, a NATO member-
state cannot be equipped with Russian armaments and aim them
against another member of the Alliance.
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