Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-01
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 1, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PKK MEMBER'S PRESS CONFERENCE BRINGS ON FLURRY OF REACTIONS
[02] PRESIDENT OF GREECE TRAVELS TO UZBEKISTAN TODAY
[03] GREEK ECONOMY REVIEWED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION
[04] MIKIS THEODORAKIS CHAGRINED OVER PKK MEMBER'S INGRATITUDE
[05] PASOK DEPUTY BADOUVAS EXPELLED FROM PARLIAMENTARY GROUP
[06] FORMER FM'S TRIP TO KENYA WAS A PLANNED AND OFFICIAL VISIT
[07] BULGARIAN BUSINESSMEN IN THESSALONIKI THROUGH OPE
[08] HIGH TURNOUT RATE AT ELECTIONS FOR PASOK'S CONGRESS
[09] CONCERT TO BE HELD IN SUPPORT OF KURDS TONIGHT IN ATHENS
[10] GREEKS EARN IMPRESSIVE RANKS IN SWIM SHORT COURSE WORLD CUP
[11] REPPAS: KURDISH COLLABORATION WITH ANTI-GOVERNMENT ELEMENTS
AIMED AT THE GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION
[12] THE FORMER GREEK AMBASSADOR TO KENYA TESTIFIES BEFORE THE
PROSECUTOR
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] GREEK PM AT EUROPEAN SOCIALIST PARTY CONGRESS IN MILAN
[14] CHRISTOPHER HILL IN PRISHTINA TODAY
[15] ALBANIA TO SIGN PEACE ACCORD FOR KOSOVO, ACCORDING TO PRESS
[16] US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ACCUSES TURKEY OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS
[17] HAND GRENADE BLAST INJURED 17 PEOPLE IN AN ISTANBUL COFFEE
SHOP
[18] RESOLUTION AGAINST TURKEY WAS ADOPTED BY THE EUROPEAN "GREEN"
PARTIES CONFERENCE IN NICOSIA
[19] ALEXANDROS MALLIAS IS GREECE'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO ALBANIA
[20] DRAFT RESOLUTION ON THE KURDISH ISSUE WAS SUBMITTED BY GREECE
AND ITALY
[21] THE US ENVOY WILL BE IN PRISTINA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PKK MEMBER'S PRESS CONFERENCE BRINGS ON FLURRY OF REACTIONS
After an aide of PKK leader Abdulah Ocalan hurled an array of
espionage and betrayal allegations against the Greek Prime
Minister and a number of government officials, a flurry of
reactions came forth throughout Greece, led by the Premier Kostas
Simitis who said that "some people are attempting to blacken the
image of Greece. Our country over the years has helped at its
cost those who are persecuted and suffering. Look around you at
the thousands of Kurds, the hundreds of thousands of Albanians and
compare Greece to the other countries of the European Union," Mr.
Simitis said.
Famous composer Mikis Theodorakis also expressed his chagrin
over the sense of ingratitude displayed by the PKK secretary Semsi
Kilic who leveled the undocumented accusations , a mere few hours
after her successful evacuation from the Greek embassy in Nairobi
by the Greek government. Obviously distraught, Mr. Theodorakis
stated that Ms. Kilic's words were an insult to all of Greece.
Meanwhile, the PM expelled deputy Kostas Badouvas from the
ruling party's Parliamentary Group since he espoused the
accusations made by Ms. Kilic.
Main opposition party leader Kostas Karamanlis accused the
Premier of subjecting the country to risks and international
isolation, calling on him to resign.
[02] PRESIDENT OF GREECE TRAVELS TO UZBEKISTAN TODAY
President Kostis Stephanopoulos embarks on a three-day
official visit to Uzbekistan today, at the invitation of his
counterpart Islam Karimof.
Greece and Uzbekistan signed a friendship and cooperation
pact and a series of cooperation agreements in commerce,
technology, training and tourism when Mr. Karimof visited Greece
on April 1, 1997.
Newly appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis is
accompanying the Greek president on his visit.
[03] GREEK ECONOMY REVIEWED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION
The governor of the Bank of Greece Lukas Papademos is to meet
on Wednesday with the governor of the European Union's Central
Bank, with whom he will discuss the Greek economy's overall
situation and the flexibility of one out of the five conditions
set forth by the Maastricht Treaty, that is inflation.
According to reports, the EU could propose that Greece,
instead of achieving the median inflation rate of those three
countries with the highest index, it could alternatively, if it
achieves a two-percent inflation rate at the end of the year,
apply for EMU accession in March of the year 2000.
[04] MIKIS THEODORAKIS CHAGRINED OVER PKK MEMBER'S INGRATITUDE
Greece's famous composer Mikis Theodorakis has expressed his
chagrin over the sense of ingratitude displayed by PKK member
Semsi Kilic who, a mere few hours after her successful evacuation
from the Greek embassy in Nairobi, accused the Greek government of
espionage and betrayal.
Obviously distraught during his televised statement, Mr.
Theodorakis (who is a known liberal) stated that Ms. Kilic's
words were an insult to all of Greece, a country that has always
stood by oppressed, not the oppressors, as history attests. He
said that her accusations are unfathomable and announced that, as
much as he feels for the Kurdish people and their plight, he is
canceling his participation in tonight's concert held in support
of the Kurds.
[05] PASOK DEPUTY BADOUVAS EXPELLED FROM PARLIAMENTARY GROUP
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis has expelled parliamentarian
Kostas Badouvas from the ruling PASOK party's parliamentary group
over the latter's involvement in the Ocalan affair and the fact
that he fully adopted the accusations made against the government
by the PKK leader's secretary.
Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated that given
the deputy's position in the matter, he no longer belongs ion the
party's parliamentary group.
[06] FORMER FM'S TRIP TO KENYA WAS A PLANNED AND OFFICIAL VISIT
The Greek foreign ministry has categorically denied the
allegations made by a PKK member who said that former FM
Theodoros Pangalos had traveled to Kenya in late 1998 in order to
prepare the grounds for the arrest of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Mr. Pangalos made an official visit to Africa in November of
1998, which visit was organized at the beginning of the year and
announced to the press in May 1998, a foreign ministry
announcement read.
"The official visit of the former foreign minister, Theodoros
Pangalos, to Africa was used in an unacceptable manner during the
press conference on Saturday.
"It stretches the boundaries of imagination that an official visit
organized at the beginning of the previous year and announced to
reporters in May could have any relationship to the events which
followed much later," according to the Foreign Ministry.
[07] BULGARIAN BUSINESSMEN IN THESSALONIKI THROUGH OPE
A delegation of 21 Bulgarian businessmen is to attend a
seminar organized by the Exports Promotion Organization (OPE)
where contacts will be made with Greek entrepreneurs.
The Bulgarian investors are representing the food sector,
while there are also delegates from the Center of Light Industry,
Plovdiv's Chamber of Trade and Industry, and Bulgaria's Export's
Promotion Center.
The OPE seminar falls in the auspices of Greece's technical
assistance to Bulgaria, which is provided through funds from the
Ministry of National Economy.
The organizers aim to provide the visitors with significant
information on export businesses, as well as product promotion
and distribution abroad.
[08] HIGH TURNOUT RATE AT ELECTIONS FOR PASOK'S CONGRESS
Approximately 80% of the ruling PASOK party's members voted
in yesterday's elections of the delegates to the party's 5th
congress.
In Thessaloniki, which has 260 delegates, is it assessed that
60% are in favor of Akis Tsochatzopoulos, with the remaining 40%
camping with "reformers" Evangelos Venizelos and Yiannis
Magriotis.
[09] CONCERT TO BE HELD IN SUPPORT OF KURDS TONIGHT IN ATHENS
Featuring a pantheon of Greek artists, musicians and
intellectuals, all participating on a volunteer basis, Athens will
host a free concert this evening at Constitution Square, held in
support to the Kurdish people.
However, on the aftermath of the allegations made by Semis
Kilic -the secretary of Kurdish Leader Abdullah Ocalan- against
Greece, some of the previously-willing participants have canceled
their appearance. Among them are Greece's famous composer Mikis
Theodorakis, signer Maria Faradouri and actor Stavros Paravas.
[10] GREEKS EARN IMPRESSIVE RANKS IN SWIM SHORT COURSE WORLD CUP
Greek swimmers earned impressive ranks during the Arena
Festival swim short course World Cup, held during the weekend in
Gezelgirchen, Germany.
PAOK's Katia Sakatsani broke Greek records in the 200 medley
races with 2:18.87, topping her 1997 record 2:19.31, while in the
400 medley she finished fourth.
The Cup's last meet will be held tomorrow in Iberia, Italy,
where eight more of Greece's top swimmers will race.
[11] REPPAS: KURDISH COLLABORATION WITH ANTI-GOVERNMENT ELEMENTS
AIMED AT THE GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas spoke of a
collaboration between Kurds and anti-government elements aimed at
the resignation of prime minister Kostas Simitis.
Mr. Reppas said that the government is not afraid of the
truth, has nothing to hide and wants light to be shed on the
Ocalan affair. He spoke of an unprecedented attack against the
government and the prime minister launched by the secretary of
Ocalan and pointed out that the reasons that led her to this
attack will become clear through the judicial inquiry underway,
adding however that Greece will continue to back the Kurdish
people.
Mr. Reppas accused the right-wing main opposition party of
New Democracy and the rest of the opposition parties in Greece of
rushing to adopt the unfounded allegations made by Ocalan's
secretary and called on them to distinguish between political
party issues and issues of national importance.
He said that the transformation of the Kurdish problem into a
Greek-Turkish dispute will not help toward the solution of the
problem itself and added that all those who maintain that the
Kurdish problem can be solved through a Greek-Turkish war are
Greece's enemies. He also wondered why Greece is the one that is
being accused when Ocalan earlier had left from Syria, Italy and
Russia. He said that Greece had not invited Ocalan, neither had
negotiated with the government of Kenya, while no response has
been given yet to the question why Ocalan had left Italy earlier.
[12] THE FORMER GREEK AMBASSADOR TO KENYA TESTIFIES BEFORE THE
PROSECUTOR
Former Greek ambassador to Kenya Mr. Kostoulas testifies
before the prosecutors, who have undertaken the preliminary
investigation on the responsibilities private individuals may have
in the Ocalan case. According to information, the inquiry is
expected to be completed by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, the reactions over the press conference of
Ocalan's associate in Athens continue. Minister of environment,
public works and land planning Kostas Laliotis characterized it as
anti-Greek delirium and added that no one can, regardless of
being a Greek or a Kurd, to judge the intentions and the positions
of the Greek government.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] GREEK PM AT EUROPEAN SOCIALIST PARTY CONGRESS IN MILAN
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to take part in the
European Socialist Party's Congress, which begins in Milan today.
The Greek Premier is said to be determined to set forth the
Kurdish issue and the Ocalan affair by condemning Turkey's human
rights violations and its abhorrent disregard for the European
Union's principles and regulations.
The Premier is accompanied by former foreign minister
Theodoros Pangalos, their first joint appearance since the latter
was asked by the former to resign last week.
Meanwhile, rumors that Mr. Pangalos is to be assigned as
Greece's new EU Commissioner have yet to be confirmed.
[14] CHRISTOPHER HILL IN PRISHTINA TODAY
United States envoy Christopher Hill is to hold talks with
the leaders of the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo today, while efforts
are presently underway to establish the political terms achieved
last week curing the in-principle peace agreement at Rambouillet,
France.
Meanwhile, armed conflict between the two sides in Kosovo
continues.
[15] ALBANIA TO SIGN PEACE ACCORD FOR KOSOVO, ACCORDING TO PRESS
All the leaders of Kosovo's ethnic Albanians are ready to
sign the peacekeeping accord in Kosovo, according to Belgrade's
daily "Dnevni Telegraf" which quotes sources from Prishtina.
According to the paper, rumors calling for fallings out among
the Albanians regarding the accord's text, do not stand.
Specifically, the only hitch is the stance adopted by the
representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) Adem Demaci,
who does not agree with the accord's political section.
Nevertheless, the paper continues, Mr. Demaci's stance will
not be a hurdle and the Albanian side will proceed to signing the
accord.
[16] US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ACCUSES TURKEY OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS
The US State Department report on human rights accuses Turkey
of violations pointing out that the country's armed forces exert
effective but indirect influence on Turkey's political life as the
Turkish military presents itself as the guarantor of the secular
state.
It is mentioned that the state of emergency adopted since
1987 is still in effect in six provinces where the Kurdish PKK
rebels are active. Also, the special police forces are accused of
serious human rights violations. It is mentioned that it is widely
acknowledged, by the government as well, that the country's human
rights record is inadequate and should be improved not only due to
its international obligations and commitments but also as a result
of the demands made by the Turkish people themselves.
Mysterious murders, deaths while in police custody due to
excessive force and disappearances of civilians continued in
Turkey during the past year. Significant cases remain unsolved for
many years such as, the case of the 48 police officers who are
accused of the murder of journalist Metin Goktepe in 1996. The
report mentions that 25 journalists were in Turkish jails until
the end of 1998, while the 1991 anti-terrorist law is still in
effect. The campaign against the Islamists and the Kurdish
separatists continued during the past year.
The broadcast of radio and television programs in the Kurdish
language is not allowed, while the printed material into the
Kurdish language, even though it is not characterized as illegal,
it is very limited. According to the report, the Turkish
government has closed radio and television stations that have
broadcast programs of Kurdish interest or used the Kurdish
language.
A special reference was made in the report on the Ecumenical
Patriarchate. It is stressed that the Turkish government continues
to impose restrictions on religious minorities and that the
Turkish authorities closely monitor the activities of the
Christian Orthodox Church. It is mentioned that the Theology
School of Halki remains closed since 1971 and due to the existing
legislation concerning the Turkish nationality, the religious
communities in Turkey are unable to train new clerics.
Extremist groups attack minorities as in the case of St.
Therapontas chapel where the guard was killed and certain objects
were stolen. The investigation into this case, as well as the bomb
attack against the Patriarchate in December 1997 did not lead to
arrests and members of religious minorities fear that there will
be an increase of radical Islamism.
The ministry of education has a tight control over the
material taught in schools and due to this fact many Greek origin
students find it difficult to continue their studies in Turkey and
as a result they are forced to go to Greece from where in most of
the cases never return.
[17] HAND GRENADE BLAST INJURED 17 PEOPLE IN AN ISTANBUL COFFEE
SHOP
Seventeen people were injured by a bomb blast in a coffee-
shop at the suburb of Esenler in Istanbul when a woman, member of
the PKK, threw a had grenade, according the French news agency
AFP. Two of the injured are in a critical condition.
Also, three molotov cocktail bombs were thrown in a garage in
Istanbul's Umranije suburb and five buses were destroyed by the
fire that was caused by the blasts.
The Turkish authorities blame for the violence the PKK
fighters who are protesting against the arrest of their leader
Abdullah Ocalan.
[18] RESOLUTION AGAINST TURKEY WAS ADOPTED BY THE EUROPEAN "GREEN"
PARTIES CONFERENCE IN NICOSIA
A resolution condemning Ankara's policy in the Turkish
occupied northern Cyprus characterizing it as unacceptable was
adopted in the 2nd conference of the European Greens held in
Nicosia.
In a statement issued by the Ecologists Environmentalists
Movement, which participated in the conference proceedings, it was
mentioned that a strong resolution on the Kurdish problem and the
abduction of Abdullah Ocalan was adopted, while Turkey is accused
of unprecedented cruelty.
In the conference, according to the statement issued, a
special meeting of the Green parties of Cyprus, Greece and Turkey
was held in which were examined the serious political and
environmental problems of the region such as the Cyprus issue, the
Kurdish issue and the construction of the nuclear plant in Turkey.
In the conference participated over 1.500 delegates,
journalists and politicians from the 30 political parties making
up the European Green Federation as well as observers from
Australia, the United States, Africa and Asia.
[19] ALEXANDROS MALLIAS IS GREECE'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO ALBANIA
Greece's new ambassador to Albania Alexandros Mallias
presented his credentials to Albanian president Redjep Meidani.
The Albanian mass media gave extensive publicity to the
ceremony and referred to Mr. Mallias' diplomatic career.
[20] DRAFT RESOLUTION ON THE KURDISH ISSUE WAS SUBMITTED BY GREECE
AND ITALY
A joint draft resolution calling for the fair trial of
Abdullah Ocalan, the enactment of the right for objective
representation in court, the abolition of the death penalty and
the final solution of the Kurdish problem, was submitted today by
the delegations of Greece and Italy in the European Socialist
Party conference that is being held in Milan.
In the text it is pointed out that Ankara's behavior on the
Kurdish issue will determine its relations with the European
Union, while it is announced that the European Socialist Party
will undertake initiatives on the issue.
[21] THE US ENVOY WILL BE IN PRISTINA
US envoy Christopher Hill is expected to have talks with the
leaders of the ethnic Albanians in Pristina today.
At the same time, the international efforts continue aimed at
having the political terms included in the interim peace agreement
reached in Rambouillet, France last week, accepted. Meanwhile, the
clashes between the two sides continue in Kosovo.
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