Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-10
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 10, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON TOUR OF BALKAN COUNTRIES
[02] FINDINGS ON OCALAN INQUIRY TO BE GIVEN TO CHIEF PROSECUTOR
[03] A SCORE OF FOREIGN AIRLINES VIE FOR O.A.'S MANAGEMENT
[04] NEITHER TRUSTEES, NOR ROUSSEL, WILL MANAGE ATHINA'S ASSETS
[05] PRO-JUNTA POLICEMEN TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY
[06] TIPPER GORE, US VICE-PRESIDENT'S WIFE, TO VISIT THESSALONIKI
[07] MOODY'S ANALYSTS REVIEW COURSE OF GREEK ECONOMY
[08] RESOLUTION-DECLARATION BY THE US CONGRESS ON THE GREEK
SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE AEGEAN ISLETS OF IMIA
[09] 1.000 NATO SOLDIERS ARE EXPECTED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY ON
THEIR WAY TO FYROM
[10] MR. REPPAS ON THE SALE OF US WEAPONS TO GREECE
[11] REPPAS: NOTHING NEW HAS COME UP FROM KARAMANLIS' STATEMENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES
[12] GREECE REACTS TO THE ACTIONS AGAINST ITS DIPLOMATS IN THE
CONSULATE OF ISMIR
[13] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVED NO REQUEST BY THE US TO
RENOUNCE PKK
[14] THE FINDINGS ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE
PROSECUTOR
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] GERMAN CHANCELLOR G. SCHROEDER TO BE IN ATHENS ON MARCH 17
[16] GREECE MAY BE LOSING GROUND IN FETA CHEESE BATTLE
[17] BURNS: GREECE DID NOT LEAK NATO DOCUMENTS TO RUSSIA
[18] TURKEY: KENYA HANDED OVER OCALAN TO TURKISH SECRET SERVICE
[19] UNITED STATES ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE IN BELGRADE TODAY
[20] 400 KURDS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE THE EURO-PARLIAMENT IN
STRASBOURG
[21] ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND 9 WERE INJURED BY AN EXPLOSION IN
ISTANBUL
[22] MR. PAPANDREOU COMPLETED HIS CONTACTS IN SKOPJE
[23] BURNS: GREECE AND TURKEY ARE NOT ON THE BRINK OF WAR
[24] GREECE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE SUPPLY OF PKK WITH WEAPONS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON TOUR OF BALKAN COUNTRIES
Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou is embarking on a
two-day tour of Balkan countries today, in an effort to strengthen
the country's diplomatic presence in the region.
The first stop in his itinerary is FYROM, to be followed by
Albania this evening.
Tomorrow, Mr. Papandreou will visit Bucharest and Sofia,
while he will also meet with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic
in Belgrade.
[02] FINDINGS ON OCALAN INQUIRY TO BE GIVEN TO CHIEF PROSECUTOR
The findings on the prosecutor's inquiry of civilian
involvement in the Ocalan Affair are to be turned over to the
chief prosecutor of Athens George Koliokostas today. According to
reports, at least five persons will be held liable for the PKK
leader's illegal entry and stay in Greece. .
Meanwhile, criminal charges have been filed against all those
responsible for leaking the classified report of former Ambassador
to Kenya George Kostoulas to the press. The charges concern the
violation of state secrets through the press, being an accessory
prior to the fact, and the violation of legislative provisions
relating to the press. Any persons deemed to have acted illegally
may face charges of providing classified documents to the press,
which is a felony offense.
[03] A SCORE OF FOREIGN AIRLINES VIE FOR O.A.'S MANAGEMENT
A score of foreign airlines have expressed their interest in
taking over the management of the national airline Olympic
Airways, according to the Transportation and Communications
Minister Tasos Mantelis.
Out of the eighteen airlines that have submitted their
candidacies, fifteen are being seriously considered , of which
five or six will actually make it to a short list.
According to Mr. Mantelis, the new manager selection process
is expected to wrap up within the following two months.
[04] NEITHER TRUSTEES, NOR ROUSSEL, WILL MANAGE ATHINA'S ASSETS
In the midst of a lengthy legal battle that has ensued
between Thierry Roussel, the father of 13-year-old Athina Onassis-
Roussel, and the Onassis Foundation board of trustees who manage
her estate, a Swiss Court has, Solomon-like, stripped both
disputing parties of the right to manage the heiress's assets,
and, instead, have assigned the task to one of the world's five
largest auditing firms.
Miss Onassis-Roussel is the granddaughter of the legendary
shipping mogul
Aristotle Onassis and is the sole heir to the $600 million fortune
which she stands to inherit as soon as she turns 18.
According to the Court's ruling, the decision to shift the
management to an independent party was drawn in light of the risks
emanating from the ongoing legal battles between Roussel and the
Onassis Foundation who remain locked in a feud. The Foundation
intends to appeal the ruling, on the premise that it is not in
accordance with the will of Athina's mother, Christina Onassis,
who died in 1988.
Mr. Roussel refused to comment on the ruling.
[05] PRO-JUNTA POLICEMEN TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY
Fifteen policemen who were captured in video footage dating
back to 1993 celebrating the junta regime, are to appear in
Thessaloniki's court of appeals today.
The former police chief Spyros Koutroumanis is among the
defendants, who have all been expelled from the force.
The enlisted policemen, who were apparently ultra-right-wing
followers, had videotaped themselves jubilantly celebrating the
country's former dictatorial regime.
[06] 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 be 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.
[07] MOODY'S ANALYSTS REVIEW COURSE OF GREEK ECONOMY
Analysts from the US credit rating agency Moody's concluded a
two-day stay in Athens yesterday where they had arrived in order
to gather information on the country's economy before a regular
review of Greece's ratings to be issued this summer.
According to reports, their assessments so far are positive.
The analysts were received by the national economy and finance
ministries who briefed them on inflation, deficits and debts,
while the Bank of Greece supplied them with data on interest
rates, credit expansion and foreign exchange policy.
[08] RESOLUTION-DECLARATION BY THE US CONGRESS ON THE GREEK
SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE AEGEAN ISLETS OF IMIA
A resolution-declaration, in which the Greek sovereignty over
the Aegean islets of Imia is underlined in the most categorical
way, is being promoted by the US Congress. The resolution that was
submitted for discussion in the US House of Representatives
International Relations Committee by New Jersey US House
representative Frank Palone is co-signed by 16 US House
representatives among them, Greek-American Michael Bilirakis and
co-chairwoman of the Greek Group Caroline Maloney.
In the resolution it is stressed that the Imia islets are
Greek and that Turkey should agree to bring the issue for
discussion before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
A similar resolution had been tabled last year by Greek-American
US House representative Michael Pappas and had been approved by
the plenary session of the US House of Representatives.
[09] 1.000 NATO SOLDIERS ARE EXPECTED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY ON
THEIR WAY TO FYROM
About 1.000 NATO officers and soldiers are expected to arrive
at Thessaloniki's airport today having as their final destination
FYROM, where in the next few days they will be incorporated into
the NATO brigade deployed in the region of Tetovo.
The peace-keepers, most of them German and British officers
and soldiers, began arriving since early in the morning and by
late in the afternoon it is expected a total of 6 transport
aircraft. Other two C-130 transport planes are expected to arrive
tomorrow carrying 160 German officers and soldiers, as well as
military equipment. Also, a British ship carrying military
vehicles, containers and supplies will sail into the port of
Thessaloniki.
[10] MR. REPPAS ON THE SALE OF US WEAPONS TO GREECE
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that there
is no such an issue like the freezing of the sale of US weapons to
Greece.
Mr. Reppas explained that there is a climate of pressures but
no such an issue has been raised formally. Responding to a
question on a statement made by US ambassador to Athens Nicholas
Burns, he observed that this US position was not made known to the
government.
[11] REPPAS: NOTHING NEW HAS COME UP FROM KARAMANLIS' STATEMENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis did not raise his opposition voice in the talks
he had with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright or in his
interview with the CNN, commented Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas.
Mr. Reppas added that Mr. Karamanlis expressed positions that
are in agreement with the positions of the Greek socialist
government and nothing new or interesting came up during his visit
to the US so far.
[12] GREECE REACTS TO THE ACTIONS AGAINST ITS DIPLOMATS IN THE
CONSULATE OF ISMIR
The Greek government will deal through the diplomatic route
with the issue that has been created as a result of the actions
against Greek diplomats in the Ismir consulate.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas condemned those
actions and characterized them as damaging for the Greek-Turkish
relations.
[13] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVED NO REQUEST BY THE US TO
RENOUNCE PKK
The Greek government has received no request by the United
States to renounce PKK stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas.
Mr. Reppas refused to comment on the statement made by
parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis according to which, the
United States want Greece to make humiliating statements of
repentance regarding PKK on the occasion of the Ocalan affair.
[14] THE FINDINGS ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE
PROSECUTOR
The findings of the inquiry into the Ocalan affair will be
delivered today to chief prosecutor Mr. Koliokostas.
According to information, the three prosecutors who conducted
the urgent preliminary investigation concerning the conditions
under which the Kurdish leader entered Greece, stayed in the
country and later departed, have attributed responsibilities to at
least 5 private individuals.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] GERMAN CHANCELLOR G. SCHROEDER TO BE IN ATHENS ON MARCH 17
The President of the European Union and German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder will arrive in Athens on March 17, where he
will be received by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.
Mr. Schroeder's visit to Greece is part of his series of
contacts held in light of the EU Summit Conference.
[16] GREECE MAY BE LOSING GROUND IN FETA CHEESE BATTLE
Feta cheese, one of Greece's trademark products, may not bear
the European Commission's seal of national authenticity for long,
as the European Court's imminent decision is expected to lift the
cheese's protected status.
According to Greece's eurodeputy Antonis Trakatellis, the
Court's ruling, to be issued on March 16, would concern both
lifting the exclusive rights to produce feta cheese and the seal
of national identity.
The EC had issued a list of 318 European secured products
and foodstuffs that cannot be reproduced in close resemblance and
called by the same name as the original, Greece's feta being among
them.
However, Denmark, Germany and France challenged the inclusion
of feta cheese on the aforementioned list, claiming that the
specific cheese's name is of a "general character".
The Danish government purports that the word "feta"
has a Latin root which in the Greek and Italian languages means
"piece", while Germany and France support that the name "feta" is
a common one and has nothing to do with its geographical origin.
France further claims that there really is no substantive relation
between Greece and feta.
Greece's feta cheese is made by goat milk, whereas the Danish
variety is made of cow's milk.
[17] BURNS: GREECE DID NOT LEAK NATO DOCUMENTS TO RUSSIA
United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns
has stated that the inquiry performed into claims that Greece
leaked classified NATO documents to Russia failed to substantiate
the allegations.
Mr. Burns, who is presently in the U.S. participating in a
series of US-Greek events, stated that the committee conducting
the inquiry enjoyed the exemplary cooperation of Greece's Defense
Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos. Moreover, the US diplomat assessed
that the State Department will soon lift the arms sale ban it
imposed on Greece for the duration of the inquiry.
[18] TURKEY: KENYA HANDED OVER OCALAN TO TURKISH SECRET SERVICE
The Kenyan authorities handed the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan
over to the Turkish secret services, according to an eight-page
memorandum submitted by Turkey to the European Court of Human
Rights.
Also in the memorandum, the Turkish government describes the
conditions under which Mr. Ocalan is being held, by stating that
his cell measures 13 sq.m., is well lit, not soundproof, and has
warm and cold water.
Moreover, the memorandum claims that books, newspapers and
magazines are being made available to the prisoner who supposedly
can exercise in the prison's court and can visit with his family
and attorneys.
[19] UNITED STATES ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE IN BELGRADE TODAY
United States envoy Richard Holbrooke is to arrive in
Belgrade today, in an effort to convince Yugoslav president
Slobodan Milosevic to accept the agreement pertaining to Kosovo.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr. Holbrooke expressed his concern over
the consequences that could arise if either of the two
conflicting sides refused to sign the accord, which is slated for
a final discussion in Rambouillet on March 15, stating that this
would amount to a "new tragedy."
[20] 400 KURDS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE THE EURO-PARLIAMENT IN
STRASBOURG
About 400 Kurds demonstrated outside the Euro-Parliament
building in Strasbourg protesting against the prison conditions
under which Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan is being held in a
Turkish jail, according to the French news agency AFP.
The demonstrators maintain that Ocalan's state of health has
deteriorated since the day of his imprisonment at the prison-
island of Imrali at the Sea of Marmara where he will be tried for
treason and will face the death penalty.
Police forces tried to break up the rally and according to
information, more Kurds are expected in Strasbourg from the
neighbouring Germany in order to participate in protests.
[21] ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND 9 WERE INJURED BY AN EXPLOSION IN
ISTANBUL
One person was killed and 9 were injured when a parked car
exploded near a trade center in the suburb of Bakirkioi in
Istanbul at noon today.
The causes of the explosion are unknown but according to
local authorities, it could be a sabotage. A police investigation
is underway.
[22] MR. PAPANDREOU COMPLETED HIS CONTACTS IN SKOPJE
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, who went to Skopje
within the framework of his tour of south-eastern European
countries, announced at noon today that Greece and Skopje will
undertake a joint initiative for a statement on Kosovo that will
be issued by the five countries in the region of the Balkans.
Mr. Papandreou met with his counterpart in Skopje Mr
Alexander Dimitrov and with prime minister Ljupco Georgievski.
Mr. Papandreou pointed out that a new dynamic is being
created in the relations of the two countries and added that this
is demonstrated by the joint initiative on Kosovo, which provides
for the respect of the existing borders, supports a wide autonomy,
the respect of human rights and the European prospect of the whole
region.
He stressed that the new spirit of cooperation with Skopje is
also being expressed by the statements of the Skopjan prime
minister on significant economic means of cooperation between the
two countries.
Later in the afternoon, Mr. Papandreou will visit Tirana and
tomorrow he will be in Bucharest and Sofia, while in the afternoon
tomorrow he will meet with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic
in Belgrade.
[23] BURNS: GREECE AND TURKEY ARE NOT ON THE BRINK OF WAR
The view that Greece and Turkey are not on brink of war in
spite of the tension that has been created in the Greek-Turkish
relations as a result of the Ocalan affair, was expressed by US
ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns.
Mr. Burns said that the Ocalan affair deteriorated even more
the relations between Greece and Turkey closing every channel of
communication and stressed that the US do not prefer one country
over the other, while he stated that 1999 will be a difficult year
for the Greek-Turkish relations and for this reason efforts should
be made for a peaceful relation without the use of force and
without the threat for the use of force.
Mr. Burns expressed the belief that there will not be a war
even though there is tension and stressed that the United States
try to persuade the two countries to avoid the provocative
actions.
In a speech he delivered in a New York university he denied
any alleged involvement of the United States in the operation for
the abduction and arrest of Ocalan and said that he was informed
about the presence of the Kurdish leader in Kenya through a
telephone call he received by Theodoros Pangalos. Commenting on
the role of Greece in the Balkans, Mr. Burns characterized the
country as the only stabilizing power in the region.
US ambassador Nicholas Burns condemned Turkey's claims over
Greek islands in the eastern Aegean and its statements on the
alleged "grey zones" in the Aegean, while he denied as unfounded
the rumours that Greece allegedly leaked NATO secrets to Russia in
return for high technology weapons systems.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, Mr. Burns stated that the
talks in 1998 were interrupted because of the Turkish Cypriot side
when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash demanded the recognition
of the Turkish Cypriot regime and the withdrawal of Cyprus'
application for membership in the European Union.
[24] GREECE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE SUPPLY OF PKK WITH WEAPONS
Greece had no involvement in the supply of the Kurdish PKK
rebels with weapons stated categorically one of the leading
members of PKK, Selim Curukkaya, who was one of the rivals of
Abdullah Ocalan.
In an interview with the weekly magazine ESPRESSO (11/3/99),
he responded to the question on whether PKK received weapons from
Greece and land mines from Italy, by saying that until 1993, when
he was an active member of PKK, he had not heard of weapons supply
neither from Greece nor from Italy. He said that it is obvious
that these are Turkish fabrications and that Ocalan has started to
confess everything the Turks wanted to make him confess under the
influence of drugs.
To the question if PKK is funded through illegal drug-
trafficking, he responded again that these are also Ankara's
fabrications, stressing that the main source of funds for PKK are
the Kurds living abroad. He also pointed out that at least until
1993 no other country, except Syria, offered support to PKK
neither material assistance nor direct weapons' supply.
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