Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-03
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 3, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PM DECRIES ATTEMPTS AT SLANDER, DISTORTION, UNREST
[02] SWEDISH REPORTER DISCLAIMS HAVING WRITTEN CONTENTIOUS PHRASE
[03] MORE KOSOVO-BOUND ARMAMENTS ARRIVE IN THESSALONIKI
[04] GREEK ECONOMY REVIEWED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION
[05] TIPPER GORE, US VICE-PRESIDENT'S WIFE, TO VISIT THESSALONIKI
[06] MR. REPPAS CHARACTERIZED AS RIDICULOUS THE TURKISH
ALLEGATIONS
[07] NEW DEMOCRACY SPOKESMAN: TURKEY CONTINUES ITS PROVOCATION
[08] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
[09] REPPAS: THE STATEMENT BY MR. MITSOTAKIS IS A POSITIVE SIGN
[10] MAGRIOTIS-ATHENS MEETING
[11] EFFORTS FOR THE DE-ESCALATION OF INFLATION
[12] THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ADMITTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION THIS YEAR
WILL BE INCREASED BY 7.000
[13] 127 INTELLECTUALS SIGNED A TEXT ON OCALAN
[14] REPPAS: NO GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO THE MASS MEDIA ON THE
OCALAN CASE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] GREEK PRESIDENT IN UZBEKISTAN, SIGNS 3 BILATERAL AGREEMENTS
[16] STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SIMITIS
[17] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ON GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
[18] US CONGRESSMEN RECOGNIZE GREEK SOVEREIGNTY IN IMIA ISLANDS
[19] GERMAN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS TO VISIT ISLAND NEXT WEEK
[20] BURNS TO ADDRESS US-GREEK COMMERCIAL COMMISSION MEETING
[21] UNHCR: KOSOVO'S REFUGEES LIVE IN "APALLING" CONDITIONS
[22] THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS NOT A PRECONDITION FOR
CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PM DECRIES ATTEMPTS AT SLANDER, DISTORTION, UNREST
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis stated there are many
who are trying to promote views and policies, through the
situations created, with distortions, slandering and the creation
of events leading to troubled situations, such as (PKK leader)
Ocalan's illegal entry into Greece.
"Those who brought Mr. Ocalan to Greece, without legal
processes, while the government's statement was clear that this
would be contrary to Greek interests, did not think of what was
beneficial for the country. Period. Let us not search further," he
said.
Mr. Simitis further stressed that the country's interest
must be highlighted, adding that "those who spread rumors and
create false impressions and innuendoes will find us before them."
[02] SWEDISH REPORTER DISCLAIMS HAVING WRITTEN CONTENTIOUS PHRASE
TT Swedish news agency reporter, Janus Lindgren, has
disclaimed the libelous phrase attributed to Greece's former
foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos in a wire report written by
him during correspondence from the European Socialist Party in
Milan, and stressed that he does not recognize the report's
opening paragraph since it does not contain his writing.
Mr. Lindgren stressed that he never quoted Mr. Pangalos as
having stated "we decided to send Ocalan to Turkey," simply
because the latter never said such thing.
The contentious wire claimed that Mr. Pangalos referred to
the Ocalan affair and was erroneously titled "Greece supported the
handing over of Ocalan", while its first paragraph contained the
phrase "with the aim of sending Ocalan to Turkey. "
Mr. Lindgren insisted that he did speak with Mr. Pangalos
about the Ocalan affair when he met him shortly before the ESP's
luncheon.
"We had a discussion about who would be the Greek candidate
for the European Commission," he said, adding " then I posed some
questions on how Ocalan was apprehended by Turkey and how the
(Greek) government acted and reacted.
"Then Mr. Pangalos told me that there weren't many
alternative solutions available to Greece," Mr. Lindgren said,
adding that Mr. Pangalos said Greece could either seek assistance
from other European countries, "which was impossible, given what
had happened in Italy, or to send him directly to Turkey, which
was also impossible, or thirdly, to send him to Latin America".
The Swedish correspondent said that he cannot explain the
title or the report's introduction.
" It appears that something happened in the process of the
dispatch from
Stockholm to Athens," he said, stressing that the phrase "with
the aim of sending
Ocalan to Turkey" was not written by him and may have been added
later.
[03] MORE KOSOVO-BOUND ARMAMENTS ARRIVE IN THESSALONIKI
Another vessel arrived at the port of Thessaloniki yesterday,
carrying arms and military supplies bound for Kosovo.
The Egyptian-flagged (German-chartered) "Fast Alexandria"
transported 60 military vehicles, 22 personnel vehicles, 20
containers with ammunition and pharmaceutical supplies.
According to military sources, no other military vessels are
expected to arrive at the Thessaloniki port until March 5.
Since February 18, eight vessels have docked at the port and
over 2,500
troops arrived at the city's airport.
[04] GREEK ECONOMY REVIEWED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION
The governor of the Bank of Greece Lukas Papademos is to meet
today 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.
[05] TIPPER GORE, US VICE-PRESIDENT'S WIFE, TO VISIT THESSALONIKI
Tipper Gore, the wife of United States Vice President and
presidential candidate Al Gore, is to visit Thessaloniki on March
16 where she will address a forum organized by the city's American
College Anatolia.
Ms. Gore will speak on The Role of Volunteerism in Covering
Social Needs."
The event will held in honor of the 60th anniversary since
the founding of Anatolia's Alumni Association, which also
coincides with the school's administrative board resolution to
promote volunteerism through its social activities.
Ms. Gore, a known advocate of volunteerism, is the Clinton
Administration's mental health adviser.
[06] MR. REPPAS CHARACTERIZED AS RIDICULOUS THE TURKISH
ALLEGATIONS
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterized as
ridiculous the Turkish allegations saying that Ankara is in a
state of anti-Greek psychosis. He said that Greece's stance is
aimed at creating a good climate in the Greek-Turkish relations
and added that Turkey unfortunately does not have a similar stance
and is constantly trying to create tension.
Turkey's foreign affairs undersecretary Korkmas Haktanir
stated in an interview to the Turkish newspaper "Milliyet" that if
Greece continues to support the Kurdish PKK rebels very bad things
will happen between the two countries. He said that Turkey will
not tolerate Greece's stance toward terrorism and maintained that
the terrorist organization "17 November" is a political party of
the Greek state.
Meanwhile, Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit in an
interview to the newspaper "Aksam" stated that Greece's
foolishness is clear and launched an attack against the European
Union countries saying that "they show racial discrimination
tendencies toward Turkey".
[07] NEW DEMOCRACY SPOKESMAN: TURKEY CONTINUES ITS PROVOCATION
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy spokesman
Aris Spiliotopoulos stated that Turkey continues the provocative
actions and statements in a clear effort to take full advantage of
the consequences of the Ocalan case.
Mr. Spiliotopoulos stated that the Turkish threats strengthen
the national unity and the government should use this fact to
react immediately and with determination.
[08] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
Greece's stance is aimed at having a good atmosphere in the
Greek-Turkish relations underlined Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas.
Mr. Reppas added that unfortunately Turkey does not have a
similar attitude and is constantly trying to create tension while
statements are being made that electrify the existing climate even
more.
[09] REPPAS: THE STATEMENT BY MR. MITSOTAKIS IS A POSITIVE SIGN
The statement of right-wing main opposition party of New
Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis displays his
own point of view, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas, adding that many New Democracy officials express similar
positions from time to time.
Mr. Reppas characterized as a positive sign the statement
made by Mr. Mitsotakis and launched an attack against the party of
New Democracy saying that it continues to make accusations and
adopt different allegations because the prevailing reasoning
underneath its stance has to do with the fall of the government.
Mr. Mitsotakis made the statement in an attempt to intervene
in the political scene after the developments in the Ocalan case
and issued an appeal to stop the exaggerations and the mutual
accusations.
Mr. Mitsotakis blamed the government for the situation
characterizing it as totally weakened and politically disabled and
pointed out that the country was heavily wounded by the recent
developments.
In his statement underlined among others that even though the
government is totally weakened and politically disabled it will
have to deal with a period extremely critical for Greece's course,
a period which is also nationally dangerous and added that his
conclusion is that sobriety should prevail, while political and
personal aspirations should be set aside and do what should be
done for the benefit of the country.
The honorary president of New Democracy stressed that
Greece's relations with the neighboring Turkey are at their most
dangerous point of the past decades, adding that the Turkish side
has lost its self-control. Mr. Mitsotakis said that this makes it
even more imperative for Greece to maintain its own self-control
in order to deal with this phase of tension with patience and
prudence within the framework of its European course and in
cooperation with the United States which have overall and specific
responsibilities in the present phase stressing that no fuel
should be added to the fire both in domestic and foreign policy
issues.
[10] MAGRIOTIS-ATHENS MEETING
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannis Magriotis met with World
Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, president Andrew Athens. They
discussed SAE's medical program which materialises in the
countries of the former Soviet Union as well as the issue of the
building in Thessaloniki where the SAE offices will be permanently
based.
Mr. Magriotis pledged again to assist SAE in its initiatives
and efforts made for the further strengthening of relations
between the Greeks living abroad and Greece.
In statements he made after the meeting with Mr. Athens, Mr.
Magriotis stressed that Turkey follows a strategy of mud-slinging
in an effort to undermine Greece but it has no success in its
goals. He said that Turkey has come across a "wall" formed by the
international community because Greece has a concrete
participation in the international developments and has a
stabilizing role in the region.
Responding to questions by reporters on whether there is a
likelihood of a "hot incident" with Turkey, Mr. Magriotis said
that the efforts of Turkey toward this end will not bring results,
adding that Turkey always wants tension in the region because it
suffers continuous diplomatic setbacks.
[11] EFFORTS FOR THE DE-ESCALATION OF INFLATION
The Greek government makes efforts aimed at the further de-
escalation of inflation which in February remained at 3.7% and at
averting the risk of a deviation from its course toward the EMU.
Minister of development Evangelos Venizelos met with
representatives of industrialists and super-market owners in order
to revive the agreement aimed at keeping the prices under control
or even reduce them as in the case of basic consumer goods.
The president of the Association of Greek Industrialists
stated that there is no intention for price increases and if this
happens it will keep up with inflation.
[12] THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ADMITTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION THIS YEAR
WILL BE INCREASED BY 7.000
The number of students that will be admitted in Greek
universities and technical institutions this year will be
increased by 7.000 reaching 72.000 as a result of the decision to
create 41 new departments.
The candidates should complete and submit a list with the
university schools they prefer by the end of March.
[13] 127 INTELLECTUALS SIGNED A TEXT ON OCALAN
Over 100 intellectuals signed a text on the Ocalan case. The
text, which is signed by 127 intellectuals, speaks of an effort to
destabilise the country made by those who are responsible for the
plight of the Kurdish leader.
It is stressed that patriotism has no relation with
warmongering and that the effort made by different elements to
substitute the government in exercising the country's foreign
policy is directed against democracy itself.
[14] REPPAS: NO GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO THE MASS MEDIA ON THE
OCALAN CASE
It is ludicrous to even talk about an intervention to the
mass media by the government on the Ocalan case as the government
itself was the target, stressed Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas in response to the allegations made against the
government.
Mr. Reppas added that the government moves have already
started to prove that the conspiracy accusations made against it
were unfounded, a fact that many do not like.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] GREEK PRESIDENT IN UZBEKISTAN, SIGNS 3 BILATERAL AGREEMENTS
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos,
who is presently on an official visit to Uzbekistan, met with his
Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimof in Tashkent yesterday evening.
Megrs. Karimof and Stephanopoulos signed three agreements
that further expand relations between the two countries.
The agreements concern cooperation in the consular sector, a
road transports agreement and cooperation between the two
countries' national banks.
The two heads of state discussed international issues and
Greek-Turkish relations. They also expressed the political will
for further expansion of relations between Greece and Uzbekistan
in all areas, particularly in the economic, cultural and
commercial sectors.
President Stephanopoulos is accompanied by Deputy Foreign
Minister Grigoris Niotis and a delegation of Greek businessmen.
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.
[16] STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SIMITIS
State Department spokesperson James Foley has stated that
the United States have excellent relations with the Greek
government, which they expect to continue, during yesterday's
regular press briefing.
When asked if the Greek government's stability is at risk
following the resignation of three top ministers over the Ocalan
affair, Mr. Foley stated that the US have confidence in Greek
Premier Kostas Simitis and see no sign of instability.
[17] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ON GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has expressed
his concern over the course of Greek-Turkish relations and the
Cyprus issue, referring to the aftermath of the PKK leader's
(Abdullah Ocalan) apprehension.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Annan stated that the tension that
has arisen in the relations between Athens and Ankara is indeed
worrisome, but it should not constitute a cause for conflict.
"We watched all he developments (surrounding) Ocalan's arrest
and in the relations between Greece and Turkey, but I hope that
this difficult period will be overcome and not lead to war," the
UN chief said.
At the same time, Washington expressed its concern over G/T
relations and has asked Ankara to cease its threatening statements
against Greece, while advising Athens to show self-restrain.
[18] US CONGRESSMEN RECOGNIZE GREEK SOVEREIGNTY IN IMIA ISLANDS
Seventeen United States congressmen have signed a resolution
which recognizes Greece's sovereignty over the Imia islands and
which adds that Turkey should agree to bringing the matter forth
with the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
The said resolution was submitted for discussion in the House
of Representatives foreign affairs committee.
[19] GERMAN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS TO VISIT ISLAND NEXT WEEK
German special envoy to Cyprus Detlev Graf Zu Rantzau is to
visit the island next week in order to discuss latest
developments on the Cypriot issue and the country's EU accession
progress.
According to press reports, Mr. Zu Rantzau would be
discussing "recent developments after the decision not to deploy
anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus, and the events of the past three
months."
Zu Rantzau will arrive on Sunday, and will be received by
Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides on Monday morning.
During his five-day stay, the German diplomat will also have
meetings with Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kassoulides and Cyprus'
chief EU negotiator George Vassiliou.
He will also meet foreign diplomats, including British High
Commissioner David Madden and US Ambassador Kenneth Brill. In
addition, the German envoy will meet with Turkish-Cypriot leader
Rauf Denktash and UN permanent representative Dame Ann Hercus.
[20] BURNS TO ADDRESS US-GREEK COMMERCIAL COMMISSION MEETING
United States Ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns, presently
in the U.S., is to participate in the semi-annual US-Greek
Economic and Commercial Commission meeting, which will be held on
March 5. I
In addition to official consultations, Mr. Burns is also
participating in a meeting of the US-Greek Business Council in New
York and is addressing the American Foundation for Greek Language
and Culture in Tampa and speaking at New York University.
[21] UNHCR: KOSOVO'S REFUGEES LIVE IN "APALLING" CONDITIONS
Fearful of clashes between the Kosovo Liberation Army and the
security forces, thousands of evacuees were staying out in the
open in the freezing Balkan winter or taking refuge in packed
houses under "appalling" conditions, the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported yesterday.
Describing the refugee situation along Kosovo's south-eastern
border with FYROM, a UNHCR spokesman told the press that the
agency's officials had witnessed about 500 people, mostly women
and children, from Gajre camping on a nearby snow- covered
mountainside, pitching plastic tents and making fires.
UNHCR, which is arranging delivery of aid for these people,
transported 10-day- old twin babies suffering from exposure to a
nearby hospital.
In another location, near the border crossing point called
General Jankovic, UNHCR saw some families packed into houses, each
hosting as many as 30 to 50 evacuees. The agency's spokesman
described housing conditions -with no heating or
sanitation facilities- as "appalling."
[22] THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS NOT A PRECONDITION FOR
CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION
The British undersecretary of foreign affairs responsible for
European issues in a speech she delivered at the Royal Institute
for International Relations left open the likelihood for a new
initiative by the international community for the solution of the
Cyprus problem.
The British government official reiterated the British
position according to which, the solution of the political problem
in Cyprus is not a pre-condition for its accession into the
European Union even though the solution of the problem would have
made Cyprus' EU accession easier. It was also stressed that
Britain supports all the initiatives for Cyprus, the efforts made
by Ms. Hercus under the UN auspices and the recent UN resolutions
on the issue.
|
