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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-02-20Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPENEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] THE GREEK ARMED FORCES WILL BE REINFORCED WITH PATRIOT MISSILESWeb Posted: 16:05 GMT+2Athens, 20/02/1999 (MPA) The contract with the defence company RAYTHEON concerning the purchase of 4 Patriot missile batteries (PAC 3) with an estimated value of 887 million dollars has been signed in the Pentagon.In order to deal with the immediate operational needs, the US government will deliver to Greece three used Patriot systems by June that will be leased for a period of 3 years. After the end of the lease, the missile systems will be donated to the Greek armed forces. [02] THE THREE-DAY CARNIVAL HOLIDAY IS UNDERWAYWeb Posted: 16:05 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 20/02/1999 (MPA) The big exodus of the city people has started in order to celebrate the three-day holiday of the carnival and Shrove Monday.Traffic police has implemented special measures on the national road network, while traffic police officers are placed in busy parts of the road network to make the movement of traffic easier. Thousands of holiday makers from Thessaloniki and Athens are on their way to the cities of Xanthi, Naousa and Patras where the carnival celebrations are underway. [03] GREEK INITIATIVES ON OCALANWeb Posted: 16:05 GMT+2Athens, 20/02/1999 (MPA) Greek National Information Service chief Mr. Stavrakakis has resigned, while new minister of interior Ms. Vaso Papandreou said that the Greek secret service will be restructured from top to bottom.Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos and prime minister Kostas Simitis will undertake parallel initiatives aimed at briefing foreign leaders on the protection of Ocalan and the holding of a fair trial. The prime minister yesterday said that the government handling of the PKK leader affair was wrong. However, he stated that there is no question of political responsibilities anymore. Meanwhile, right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis and the Greek Communist Party called again for the resignation of prime minister Kostas Simitis. [B] BALKANS[04] THE GREEK STUDENTS IN SOFIA ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE OCALAN CASEWeb Posted: 16:05 GMT+2Sofia, 20/02/1999 (MPA) The Organization of Greek Students in Sofia calls for the release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and the end of the persecution of the Kurdish people.In the statement they have issued, the Greek students studying in Bulgarian universities underline that they express their solidarity to the Kurdish people that are at the center of international attention, stressing that the Kurds fight for their right to live. The Kurdish people, is underlined in the statement, are not terrorists. Terrorists are those who in their effort to expand their economic markets do not hesitate to start a war on countries that resist and fight in order to stay free. The students stated that Greece always fought for freedom and democracy, but with its stance in the Ocalan case the Greek government is in conflict with the ideals of the Greek people. [05] GLASS CAGE FOR OCALAN IN IMRALIWeb Posted: 16:05 GMT+2Istanbul, 20/02/1999 (MPA) Tough security measures are in effect in the prison-island of Imrali where Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan is being held and has been characterized as forbidden zone while according to information, Ocalan will be in a bullet-proof glass cage throughout his trial. The Turkish officials stated that the glass cage will be used for Ocalan's own protection in case of an attack against him.Meanwhile, according to the Turkish private television station "6", Ocalan faces heart problems and specifically he is suffering from an emphysema , while his stomach problem is treated with a vegetable diet and medicines. According to the same source, the Turkish ministry of health will send two heart doctors to Imrali today or tomorrow to examine the Kurdish leader. [C] EUROPE[06] THE US SECRETARY OF STATE IS IN RAMBOUILLET, FRANCEWeb Posted: 16:05 GMT+2Paris, 20/02/1999 (MPA) The deadlock continues in the peace talks on Kosovo. US president Bill Clinton and British prime minister Tony Blair warned Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic of a dynamic intervention in case the talks fail today.Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived in Rambouillet, France this morning in a last minute effort to persuade the Serbs and the ethnic Albanians to reach an agreement. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |