Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 22, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SIMITIS RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF PASOK, MEETS WITH SKANDALIDES
[02] PREMIER: OUR TARGET IS A STRONG GREECE
[03] TSOCHATZOPOULOS IS LEADER IN PASOK NEW CENTRAL COMMITTEE
[04] PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF JAPAN IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
[05] BODIES OF MT. OLYMPUS CLIMBERS RETRIEVED TODAY
[06] PRESIDENT OF PANAMA TO VISIT GREECE THIS MONTH
[07] ASE ON A STEADILY UPWARD COURSE
[08] PASOK'S NEW CENTRAL COMMITTEE SECRETARY WILL BE ELECTED NEXT
MONDAY
[09] REPPAS: THE PRIME MINISTER IS ABSOLUTELY SATISFIED WITH THE
PASOK PARTY CONGRESS
[10] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT AWARE OF A PLAN FOR THE
SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM
[11] SIMITIS LEAVES FOR BERLIN TOMORROW
[12] THE BERLIN SUMMIT MEETING IS A HISTORIC EVENT FOR THE FUTURE
OF GREECE
[13] KOSTAS SKANDALIDIS: PASOK'S PARTY CONGRESS WAS ONE STEP
FORWARD
[14] THE OPPOSITION PARTIES ON THE ELECTION OF SIMITIS
[15] PASOK'S PARTY CONGRESS WAS DEEPLY DIVIDED
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS TO CONVENE IN BRUSSELS TODAY
[17] US SENATE PASSES RESOLUTION ON GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY
[18] RICHARD HOLBROOKE ARRIVES IN BELGRADE THIS EVENING
[19] KOSOVO: NATO FORCES READY AND POISED FOR ATTACK
[20] IRAQ-TURKEY OIL PIPELINE SHUT DOWN AFTER EXPLOSION
[21] "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE" VOTED BEST PICTURE AT OSCARS
[22] PAPANDREOU-SOLANA MEETING IN BRUSSELS
[23] HALBROOKE ISSUED A WARNING TO MILOSEVIC
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SIMITIS RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF PASOK, MEETS WITH SKANDALIDES
Greece's ruling PASOK party president Kostas Simitis has been
re-elected to the three-year post, as he stood unchallenged
during yesterday's elections at the party's fifth congress,
amassing a 65.7% of the votes. Out of 5,666 ballots, the Premier
received 3,723 votes, while 1,708 delegates cast blank votes and
another 235 of the ballots were void.
In his triumphant salutation, Mr. Simitis stressed that the
ruling party will lead into a stronger Greece. Today, he will meet
with Kostas Skandalides.
[02] PREMIER: OUR TARGET IS A STRONG GREECE
Following his triumphant re-election to the post of ruling
PASOK party president yesterday, Ruling Prime Minister Kostas
Simitis stressed the need for a strong and proud Greece which will
create the necessary base for social solidarity and justice.
In his closing address to the party's fifth congress, Mr.
Simitis stressed that unity was achieved despite predictions to
the contrary.
[03] TSOCHATZOPOULOS IS LEADER IN PASOK NEW CENTRAL COMMITTEE
The ballot counting process for the appointment of the ruling
PASOK party's new Central committee has been completed, with the
Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos having gathered
the majority votes, 3,230 ballots.
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is next with 2,843,
followed by Evangelos Venizelos, 2,830; Kostas Laliotis, 2,667;
Theodoros Pangalos, 2657; Paraskevas Avgerinos, 2,482; Alekos
Papadopoulos, 2,422; Apostolos Kaklamanis, 2,415 and Vasso
Papandreou, 2,408.
Among the remaining elected members are: Ioannis
Charalabopoulos, Yiannis Souladakis, Haris Kastanides, Gerasimos
Arsenis, Christos Papoutsis, Pantelis Ikonomou, Stephanos Manikas,
Yiannos Papantoniou, Dimitris Reppas, Karolos Papoulias, Anna
Diamantopoulou and Thomas Tsouras.
[04] PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF JAPAN IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
Prince and Princess Hitachi of Japan are presently in
Thessaloniki, as part of their official visit to Greece, the first
ever Japanese imperial visit to the country.
Upon their arrival at 5:30 p.m. yesterday evening, the
Japanese Prince and Princess visited the Monastery of Lazariston,
and inaugurated its Japanese poster exhibition and, afterwards the
Minster of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannos Magriotis hosted a dinner in
their honor.
This morning, the Crown Prince Hitachi and the Princess
visited the archaeological site of Vergina.
Prince Hitachi expressed his admiration at the royal tombs of
Vergina and for the Museum tour.
"You are very fortunate to have discovered such significant
findings," the Crown Prince stated, while he also expressed
interest for the region's vegetation. Prior to his departure from
Vergina, the mayor Mr. Meliopoulos bestowed the imperial couple
with a bust of Philip as well as a replica of the Macedonian
King's golden urn.
Prince Hitachi and the Princess also toured the Boutari
Winery in Naoussa where they were greeted by a folkloric dance
group and were given a tour of the winery.
The Honorary Consul of Japan Dimitris Bakatselos will host a
luncheon in their honor this afternoon in Thessaloniki and they
will also visit Thessaloniki's St. Dimitrius Church and tour the
city as well.
Their visit is in light of the 100th anniversary of the 1899
Greek-Japanese friendship and trade agreement.
[05] BODIES OF MT. OLYMPUS CLIMBERS RETRIEVED TODAY
The bodies of the three mountain climbers who were killed on
the slopes of Mt. Olympus in northern Greece a week ago were
retrieved today by Army alpinists.
Rescue efforts were delayed due to the adverse weather
conditions .
The bodies were transferred to Thessaloniki's AHEPA Hospital for
autopsy.
The three mountaineers, aged 19, 21 and 37, were part of a
group from the Thessaloniki Mountaineering Club. Rescuers believe
one fell down the 800-metre ravine, dragging the other two with
him, as they were attempting to scale the mountain.
[06] PRESIDENT OF PANAMA TO VISIT GREECE THIS MONTH
The President of Panama Ernesto Perez Balladares is to
conduct an official visit to Greece from March 31 to April 2, the
office of the presidency has announced .
Mr. Balladares is visiting Greece at the invitation of the
President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.
[07] ASE ON A STEADILY UPWARD COURSE
The General Price Index of the Athens Stock Exchange marked
an upward course today, steadily rising above 3,8000 points, thus
resulting in high profits for the banking institutions.
The transactions volume has also risen, escalating to 51
billion drachmas.
[08] PASOK'S NEW CENTRAL COMMITTEE SECRETARY WILL BE ELECTED NEXT
MONDAY
The new central committee of the socialist governing party of
PASOK will convene on Monday, March 29 to elect its new secretary
and the members of the executive bureau.
Outgoing central committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis, who
met with prime minister Kostas Simitis today, responded to the
question on whether he will be again the central committee
secretary by saying that the party president will recommend the
candidate, adding that he will offer his services to the party
regardless of the post he will have.
[09] REPPAS: THE PRIME MINISTER IS ABSOLUTELY SATISFIED WITH THE
PASOK PARTY CONGRESS
The prime minister is absolutely satisfied with the outcome
of PASOK's fifth party congress, stated Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas, adding that Mr. Simitis was strengthened by the
results and that the initiatives he will undertake will have a
positive effect.
To the question on the likelihood of a government reshuffle,
he responded that there is no such an issue.
[10] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT AWARE OF A PLAN FOR THE
SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that no
plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem has come to the
knowledge of the Greek government.
Mr. Reppas said that a US initiative is expected but the
United States will wait for the elections in Turkey to be held
first. In any case, he said, there are the UN resolutions that
define the framework for a solution and the Greek government will
not allow this framework to be broken.
[11] SIMITIS LEAVES FOR BERLIN TOMORROW
Prime minister Kostas Simitis leaves for Berlin tomorrow to
attend the EU summit meeting that will be held on March 24-25.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the EU
summit will be decisive for the course and the future of the
country and that the government is prepared to defend the Greek
national interests.
On the selection of the new EU Commission members and its
president, he stressed that it will be made after consultations,
while on Christos Papoutsis he pointed out that he enjoys the
confidence of the Greek government. On the charges launched
against Mr. Papoutsis by Theodoros Pangalos he commented that
every party official can have his own views.
[12] THE BERLIN SUMMIT MEETING IS A HISTORIC EVENT FOR THE FUTURE
OF GREECE
The future of Greece's further development will be at stake
in the informal EU summit meeting that will be held in Berlin on
March 24 and 25.
Greece is fighting to secure an aid of 22 billion Euro, about
7 trillion drachmas, from the structural funds and the cohesion
fund, while it also wants the ratification of the agriculture
ministers' agreement for the reform of the common farm policy
which provides an additional 150 million Euro annually, about 53
billion drachmas, as extra resources for the Greek agriculture as
well as ratio increases in the production of milk and the planting
of new vineyards.
The prime minister has stated repeatedly that Greece's
development is based on the sums of money that the country will
get from the "Santer package".
The European Council meeting in Berlin constitutes a final
effort on behalf of Greece in order to win the resources through
which, according to the Greek government, the country will achieve
the convergence with its EU partners.
[13] KOSTAS SKANDALIDIS: PASOK'S PARTY CONGRESS WAS ONE STEP
FORWARD
PASOK's central committee will meet next Monday at noon to
elect its secretary and the executive bureau members. The
announcement was made today by Kostas Skandalidis after the
meeting he had with prime minister Kostas Simitis.
Mr. Skandalidis stated that he discussed with the prime
minister the moves of the following days that will lead to the
central committee meeting. He characterized the congress as a step
forward and pointed out that the composition of the new central
committee was the result of the free conscience and will of the
party congress delegates.
In a statement he made to an Athens newspaper, Mr. Simitis
stressed that now that the party congress has ended there is a
need to show greater determination in the materialization of the
government policy. The prime minister said that the congress
decisions offer the opportunity to move ahead in a more dynamic
way and at the same time, take a test on unity in the political
fights of the months that will follow.
[14] THE OPPOSITION PARTIES ON THE ELECTION OF SIMITIS
The parties of the opposition saw the fifth party congress of
PASOK from their own perspective.
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis spoke of a PASOK "state-sustained leading
caste". New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis
stated that Mr. Simitis managed to be re-elected party president
with a majority that does not meet its expectations and added that
PASOK moves toward the Euro-elections which it will certainly
lose.
Democratic Social Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas
underlined that all those who leave the governing socialist party
of PASOK are welcomed to his own party, while Coalition of the
Left press spokesman Dimitris Papadimoulis observed that in the
party congress of PASOK the idea of center-left was mistreated.
[15] PASOK'S PARTY CONGRESS WAS DEEPLY DIVIDED
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy local
officials discussed the outcome of the contacts party leader
Kostas Karamanlis had during his visit to the United States,
PASOK's party congress and the developments in the European
Commission.
In statements he made afterwards, New Democracy press
spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos stressed that the party congress of
PASOK proved that the party is deeply divided both at ideological
and political level. He also spoke of rhetoric without any content
that can not be adjusted to the needs of the 21st century.
He also said that the big inadequacy of the governing party
became apparent, while the clash within the party was put off
until after the European Parliament elections.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS TO CONVENE IN BRUSSELS TODAY
The European Union Foreign Ministers Council, which convened
in Brussels yesterday, is to discuss the Kosovo crisis and the
Agenda 2000 topic, while attention is also to be given to the en
masse resignation of the European Commission.
The Foreign Ministers are expected to focus on overcoming the
various procedural hurdles in electing the new body, which is
expected to be formed by May.
Meanwhile, Italy's former premier Romano Prodi is viewed as
the surest contender for the leading post of the EC, a candidacy
supported by Italy, Germany and Great Britain.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, and current
EU President, appears willing to contain his ambition regarding
the span of the community's fiscal reforms, following the latest
compromises unveiled by Germany last night.
According to the proposal, Spain and the cohesion countries,
Greece included, are to be spared the reduction of restructural
funds.
Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou will meet with NATO
Secretary General Javier Solana today and brief him on Greek
positions regarding the crisis in Kosovo.
[17] US SENATE PASSES RESOLUTION ON GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY
The United States Senate has passed a resolution
commemorating March 25 as Greek Independence Day - A National
Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.
The resolution, passed for the 14th consecutive year, was
voted unanimously and co-sponsored by 51 senators.
[18] RICHARD HOLBROOKE ARRIVES IN BELGRADE THIS EVENING
United States envoy Richard Holbrooke is to arrive in
Belgrade this evening, in a last-minute attempt at convincing
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to sign the peacekeeping
accord on Kosovo.
US Secretary of State Madleine Albright has stated that Mr.
Holbrooke will give Mr. Milosevic two options: to end operations
against the region's ethnic Albanians and accept the Accord,
including the deployment of NATO troops in the region, or
undertake full responsibility for the consequences to be borne
from NATO's air raids.
Prior to his arrival in Belgrade, Mr. Holbrooke is expected
to make a stopover in Brussels where he will briefly meet with the
French and English Foreign Ministers, Hubert Vedrine and Robin
Cook, respectively, with whom he will discuss the message he is to
relay to Mr. Milosevic.
[19] KOSOVO: NATO FORCES READY AND POISED FOR ATTACK
NATO forces are ready and poised for an attack against
Yugoslavia, as soon as the "go ahead" is given.
A high-ranking NATO official told the BBC radio that the
Alliance is ready to embark on air and ground strikes in Kosovo as
the forces are presently on short alert.
He also stated that NATO secretary-general Javier Solana is
awaiting the results of today's talks in Belgrade, prior to
issuing commands for military intervention.
[20] IRAQ-TURKEY OIL PIPELINE SHUT DOWN AFTER EXPLOSION
The Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline has been shut down since Friday
when a blast occurred on the Turkish grounds, according to the
French news agency AFP.
Pumping has stopped until the Turkish side repairs the
damage, according to anonymous sources speaking to the AFP.
The Turkish news agency Anadolu announced the explosion
yesterday, reporting that a section of the pipeline in the Mardin
province had been damaged and that there were no victims.
The Turkish authorities believe that the blast could be the
work of Kurdish rebels, as part of protests marking the Kurdish
new year.
[21] "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE" VOTED BEST PICTURE AT OSCARS
"Shakespeare in Love" emerged as the big winner at this
year's Oscars, not only winning the Best Picture award, but also
earning its lead female actress Gwyneth Paltrow, the Best Actress
award, in addition to Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench,
Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Costume.
Italy's Roberto Benigni was voted Best Actor for his
performance in "Life is Beautiful" which was also voted Best
Foreign Film and Best Original Dramatic Score.
Steven Spielberg was voted Best Director for his "Saving Private
Ryan".
[22] PAPANDREOU-SOLANA MEETING IN BRUSSELS
Foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou met in Brussels earlier
this morning with NATO secretary-general Javier Solana within the
framework of the European Union foreign ministers' summit.
Referring to the issue of Kosovo, Mr. Solana pointed out that the
international community is ready to intervene militarily if no
agreement is reached.
Mr. Papandreou stated that every effort should be made for a
peaceful settlement of the problem, while he was in favor of a
complete European policy on the Balkans.
When asked about the issue of the European Commission
presidency, Mr. Solana stated that if a proposal is made to him he
will probably accept to take over the post. On the issue of the
Commissioners, it is possible that they will remain to their posts
until the Euro-parliament elections.
[23] HALBROOKE ISSUED A WARNING TO MILOSEVIC
Belgrade 22 March (MPA)
US envoy Richard Halbrooke warned Yugoslav president Slobodan
Milosevic that he will face serious consequences if he does not
react positively to the latest efforts made in order to accept the
proposed peace plan on Kosovo.
Mr.Halbrooke had talks in Brussels with NATO secretary-general
Javier Solana and with the foreign ministers of France and
Britain. Russian prime minister Gevgeni Primakov expressed his
country's opposition to the likelihood of NATO air strikes against
Yugoslav targets.
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