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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-20Macedonian 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] EUROPENEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] YASSER ARAFAT: THE PALESTINIANS AND THE GREEKS HAVE HISTORICAL FRIENDSHIP TIESWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 20/03/1999 (MPA) Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat speaking before the delegates participating in PASOK's fifth party congress referred to the historical friendship ties between the Palestinian and the Greek people, the difficulties that still exist in the solution of the Middle East problem and the close cooperation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization with PASOK and its president Kostas Simitis.Mr. Arafat referred to the historical relations between the Palestinians and the Greeks stressing that the Christian Orthodox Church has played a significant role in the preservation of the friendship between the two peoples though the centuries and that Orthodoxy has become an integral part of the cultural, religious and historical heritage of the Palestinian people who continue to protect for 2.000 years now. The Palestinian president made a special reference to PASOK's founder Andreas Papandreou chracterizing him as "brother, friend and comrade", he also said that the name of Greece and the name of Andreas Papandreou will always be engraved in the collective memory of the Palestinian people after the unforgettable and historical embrace that followed the epic resistance in Beirut in1982. Mr. Arafat stated that the Palestinian side showed a commitment to peace but the peace process faced many obstacles and the most serious was the assassination of his partner in peace Israeli prime minister Yitzak Rabin. More obstacles followed, said Mr. Arafat, when today's Israeli government came to power because it has set as its primary strategic goal the undermining of the peace process by ignoring international legality. Mr. Arafat said that the Israeli government implemented only a part of the memorandum signed in Washington on October 23, 1998 namely, that which concerns the partial withdrawal of the Israeli forces, while it continued unilateral actions such as the demolition of Palestinian houses, the confiscation of land and the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and especially in Jerusalem. He also said that the Israeli government attempts to strangle and isolate the city of Bethlehem in order to undermine the preparations for the celebrations of the 2nd millennium since the birth of Christ and also in order to undermine the international programme "Bethlehem 2000". He called on the United States, Russia and the European Union to make every effort in order to persuade the Israeli government to implement the agreements signed. Mr. Arafat stated that a transitional period will come to an end on May 4, 1999 as determined in Oslo and the Palestinians make every effort to find a formula that will not only guarantee them their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state but at the same time will assist the progress of peace toward the direction of Syria and Lebanon. [02] THE DELEGATES IN PASOK'S PARTY CONGRESS GAVE A STANDING OVATION TO ARAFATWeb Posted: 16:27 GMT+2Athens, 20/03/1999 (MPA) The 5.800 delegates participating in PASOK's party congress gave a standing ovation to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.Prime minister Kostas Simitis welcomed the friend of the Greek people and said that the Greek government either alone or through the European Union will continue to back the struggle of the Palestinian people. He said that Greece will be on the side of the Palestinians to make the Mediterranean a sea of peace and cooperation, a sea of democracy and development. Mr. Simitis also said that Greece supports the implementation of the peace process and all the agreements which safeguard the future of the Palestinian people and the peace process in the Middle East. Mr. Arafat speaking before the delegates reaffirmed the historical relations of friendship and solidarity between the Palestinian and the Greek people. He said that the peace process in the Middle East has come to a deadlock and called on the United States, Russia and the European Union to intervene in order to make Israel respect the agreements signed. [03] THE PRESIDENT OF LATVIA VISITED THESSALONIKI'S MONUMENTSWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 20/03/1999 (MPA) President of Latvia Gundis Ulmanis, who is in Thessaloniki since yesterday, visited the church of St. Dimitrios, the city's patron saint, the Museum of Byzantine Civilization and the old city of Eptapirgion.The Latvian president was honored last night by city mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos with the gold medal of the city, the municipality's highest honorary distinction reserved for state leaders only. After the ceremony, the Latvian president attended a formal dinner given in his honor by minister of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannis Magriotis. Mr. Ulmanis will leave for his country this afternoon. [04] THE PROCEEDINGS OF PASOK'S FIFTH PARTY CONGRESS CONTINUEWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 20/03/1999 (MPA) The speech of minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos is expected with great interest today in PASOK's fifth party congress that continues for a third day in the facilities of Olympic Stadium in Athens.Also today, are expected the speeches of minister of interior Vaso Papandreou and minister of environment, public works and land planning Kostas Laliotis as well as other leading party members. Prime minister Kostas Simitis and PASOK central committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis will also speak in response to the positions expressed so far by the delegates. Meanwhile, the prime minister is the only candidate for the leadership of the party after the statement made by Pantelis Economou that he does not intend to be a candidate. Palestinian president Yasser Arafat is expected to attend the congress while he will also meet with Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos. [05] KARAMANLIS: THE EURO-ELECTIONS ARE POLITICAL AND WILL JUDGE THE POLICY OF THE SIMITIS GOVERNMENTWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Tripoli, 20/03/1999 (MPA) The Euro-parliament elections are political and will judge the policy followed by prime minister Simitis' government, stressed right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis yesterday speaking in Astros.The leader of New Democracy accused the government of lacking boldness and of showing weakness. [06] REPPAS: PASOK IS THE TARGET OF A PROPAGANDA ATTACK BY ITS POLITICAL RIVALSWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens , 20/03/1999 (MPA) Minister of press and government spokesman Dimitris Reppas speaking in PASOK's fifth party congress stated that PASOK is the target of a propaganda attack launched by its political rivals, who attempt to persuade the people that the government's policy has failed.Mr. Reppas criticized the party members who exert criticism on the government, stressing that this way they hurt the party. Earlier, minister of education Gerasimos Arsenis had stated that the speech of prime minister Kostas Simitis played the role of a catalyst as it contributed to the climate of unity covering every aspect of PASOK's political positions. Mr. Arsenis stated that the big target for PASOK is the victory in the national elections that will be held in the year 2000, characterizing them as a national mission with a deep political content, while he also said that PASOK will be the winner both in the Euro-parliament elections and in the national elections. He referred to the national issues and mainly to the Greek-Turkish relations. He said that the existing security systems can not deal with the Turkish expansionism which is a clear danger for the country and stressed that Greece has to undertake national initiatives, while the Joint Defense Doctrine of Greece and Cyprus needs to be upgraded and reinforced. [07] MANOLIS DASKALAKIS LEFT PASOKWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 20/03/1999 (MPA) Manolis Daskalakis, member of PASOK's outgoing executive bureau, announced that he leaves the party after 25 years as an active member. The statement was made after completing his speech in the fifth party congress in Athens.In his speech Mr. Daskalakis launched an attack both against the government and the prime minister himself and said that PASOK has drifted away from the policy followed by its founder Andreas Papandreou. He said that PASOK copies the policies of the conservatives, saying characteristically, that the government, the prime minister and today's PASOK are the best guarantors of the interests of the establishment. [08] THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE WAS DISCUSSED BY STEPHANOPOULOS AND ARAFATWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 20/03/1999 (MPA) Palestinian president Yasser Arafat met with Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos in Athens. The Palestinian leader was accompanied to the presidential building by deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis.The two presidents discussed the Palestinian problem and Mediterranean issues. [09] VASO PAPANDREOU: THE PARTY CONGRESS MUST LEAVE PASOK UNITEDWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 20/03/1999 (MPA) The party congress must leave PASOK united because the battle is not in the congress but outside in society, it is the battle with the conservative policy, underlined minister of interior Vaso Papandreou in her speech in PASOK's fifth party congress in Athens.Ms. Papandreou said that each one has his own share of responsibility in promoting unity within the party and therefore, she said, this is not the time to ask what PASOK has done for each one of us but what we are doing for PASOK. On the issue of patriotism, the minister stressed that its meaning must be redefined as each one gives his own definition, adding that because of this we got a lesson in the most hard way very recently, referring to the Ocalan case. [B] EUROPE[10] THE LIKELIHOOD OF A WAR GETS CLOSER TO KOSOVOWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Brussels, 20/03/1999 (MPA) The clouds of war gather over Kossovo. The air strikes will be unavoidable unless the Serb leaders sign the peace plan, warned NATO secretary-general Javier Solana.US president Bill Clinton, who requested the support of the US Congress in case of NATO strikes, stated yesterday that today and tomorrow will have consultations on the issue of Kossovo. 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 |
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