Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-31
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 31, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE KOSOVO THIS EVENING
[02] PRESIDENT OF PANAMA ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO GREECE
[03] PRESIDENT OF CHINA'S PEOPLE'S NATIONAL CONGRESS IN ATHENS
[04] GREECE PROVIDES AID TO FYROM AND ALBANIA FOR REFUGEE INFLUX
[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ON TOUR TO ROMANIA, BULGARIA, FYROM
[06] GREECE OK's TURKISH TRANSPORT PLANE IN FIR FOR AID TO TIRANA
[07] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TRAVELS TO TIRANA TODAY
[08] MPA IS RIGHT ON TARGET WITH ITS TWO NEW BOOKS ON THE BALKANS
[09] MR. TSOCHATZOPOULOS WISHED FOR REASON TO PREVAIL IN KOSOVO
[10] SIMITIS AND MAJKO DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF THE GREEK MINORITY
PROPERTY ASSETS IN ALBANIA
[11] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE SOLANA STATEMENTS
[12] REPPAS: NATO HAS NOT REQUESTED THE PASSAGE OF MORE ALLIED
FORCES FROM GREEK TERRITORY
[13] THE GREEKS STUDYING IN YUGOSLAV UNIVERSITIES CONDEMN THE NATO
AIR STRIKES
[14] PAPANDREOU IS IN TIRANA
[15] THE CRISIS IN YUGOSLAVIA DOES NOT HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE
GREEK ECONOMY
[16] THE SECRET DIARY OF GEORGI DIMITROV AND THE REFERENCES TO THE
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BALKANS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] NATO CONTINUES TO RAID YUGOSLAVIA, ATTACKS IN THE NIGHT
[18] PRIMAKOV-MILOSEVIC TALKS LEAD TO NOWHERE
[19] EUROPEAN COMMISSION OPTIMISTIC OVER GREECE'S EMU ENTRANCE
[20] NATO WILL NOT DEPLOY TROOPS IN KOSOVO, FOR THE TIME BEING
[21] PRIMAKOV IS "NOT DISCOURAGED" AFTER TALKS IN BELGRADE
[22] SOLANA: YUGOSLAVIA CRISIS WILL HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY APRIL 23
[23] SOLANA: THE YUGOSLAV CRISIS WILL BE RESOLVED BY APRIL 23
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE KOSOVO THIS EVENING
The latest developments in Kosovo and NATO's raids over
Yugoslavia will be discussed in a parliamentary debate to be held
tonight at a political leaders level.
Earlier, the Permanent Committee of Foreign Affairs and
Defense will also convene in order to review the initiatives to be
undertaken by Greece, which will provide financial assistance
amounting to 2.5 billion drachmas to Yugoslavia, FYROM and
Albania.
Yesterday, the Minster of Foreign Affairs George Papandreou
briefed the leader of the main opposition party Kostas Karamanlis
on the latest developments in Kosovo.
[02] PRESIDENT OF PANAMA ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO GREECE
The President of Panama Ernesto Perez Balladares will embark
on a three-day official visit to Greece today, at the invitation
of his Greek counterpart, President Kostis Stephanopoulos.
During his stay in Athens, President Balladares will be
received by the Greek President, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and
the President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis.
The Mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos will bestow upon
the Panamanian President the city's Gold Medal.
[03] PRESIDENT OF CHINA'S PEOPLE'S NATIONAL CONGRESS IN ATHENS
The President of China's People's National Congress Li Peng,
presently on an official visit to Athens, was received by the
Greek Parliament's President Apostolos Kaklamanis yesterday, with
whom he discussed the crisis in Yugoslavia.
Mr. Peng demanded the immediate end to NATO's intervention
and a return to the negotiations.
He further added that NATO actions have already caused loss
of human lives and borne a serious impact on refugees and
destabilization in the region.
"The borders were established during World War II and should
remain unchanged" he said, warning that a change in borders
"would constitute a major crime.
"The Chinese people are against NATO's armed intervention in
Yugoslavia, as a matter of fact (conducted) without UN consent.
Our standing position is to oppose interventions in other states'
internal affairs," Mr. Peng said.
In turn, Mr. Kaklamanis stressed that China was one of the
most consistent supporters of international law on the Cyprus
problem, adding that its significant international standing could
allow it to play a key role in southeastern European developments.
[04] GREECE PROVIDES AID TO FYROM AND ALBANIA FOR REFUGEE INFLUX
Greece will provide 2.5 billion drachmas (around $8.5
million) of humanitarian aid to FYROM and Albania in order to
assist these countries in dealing with the influx of refugees from
Kosovo.
Interior Minister Vasso Papandreou has announced that two
ambulances, tents, foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals will be flown by
C-130 aircraft today and tomorrow, while 250 out of around 500 pre-
fabricated homes would be dispatched immediately to both countries
and Serbia.
Moreover, two centers will be established in Ioannina and
Thessaloniki to coordinate and supervise the agencies handling
refugee affairs.
[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ON TOUR TO ROMANIA, BULGARIA, FYROM
Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is to embark
on a three-day Balkan tour tomorrow, visiting Romania, Bulgaria
and FYROM.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will meet with his counterparts from the
aforementioned countries, as well as with the Foreign Ministers
and other government officials, with whom he will discuss the
latest developments in Yugoslavia and the overall Balkan region,
in light of NATO's raids.
While in Bucharest, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will also be received
by the Romanian Prime Minister.
[06] GREECE OK's TURKISH TRANSPORT PLANE IN FIR FOR AID TO TIRANA
The Greek government has granted clearance for the passage
of a Turkish transport plane into the Athens Flight Information
Region in order to deliver humanitarian aid to Albania.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ismael Cem submitted the relevant
request by phone to his Greek counterpart George Papandreou.
The Greek Foreign Ministry issued an announcement wherein it
states that the clearance falls within the parameters of the
recent decision adopted by the Foreign Ministers in Bucharest, who
agreed on inter-Balkan cooperation in the humanitarian sector.
Moreover, the announcement reiterated that the Greek
government does not grant clearance to Turkish fighter jets into
the Athens FIR, nor does it allow the passage of Turkish troops
through Greece.
[07] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER TRAVELS TO TIRANA TODAY
Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to travel to
Tirana today where he will meet with his Albanian counterpart
Paskal Milo in order to discuss the influx of Kosovo refugees into
Albania and the humanitarian aid to be given by Greece.
Mr. Papandreou will also discuss the issue that has arisen by
the arrival of ethnic Albanian refugees into areas inhabited by
the Greek minority and their establishment in the houses of those
Greeks who are presently in Greece.
Meanwhile, alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis is
to visit FYROM tomorrow where he will also have talks on the
refugee issue with government officials.
[08] MPA IS RIGHT ON TARGET WITH ITS TWO NEW BOOKS ON THE BALKANS
When the flames of war subside in Yugoslavia and Kosovo, then
the urgency of inter-Balkan cooperation in order to eradicate
hatred, animosity and nationalism will be illustrated.
This is precisely what the Macedonian Press Agency's
publication "Rigas Velestinlis: Inter-Balkan Cooperation Today"
professes, through a compilation of views expressed by fifty
political leaders, academicians and journalists from throughout
the Balkan region, including Greece's President Kostis
Stephanopoulos, Prime Minster Kostas Simitis, the leader of the
main opposition party, New Democracy, Kostas Karamanlis, and
others.
The book's presentation will take place tomorrow, April 1, at
the Journalists Union premises in Athens and will be attended by
Greece's Minister of the Press and Media Dimitris Reppas,
Albania's Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, New Democracy's
spokesperson Aris Spiliotopoulos and the Chairman of the MPA's
Board of Directors, Prof. Pavlos Petrides.
Also, the MPA will present its "1999 Guide for the Balkans
and the Black Sea Countries", published with the collaboration of
"Ianos" Publishing House, which contains a wealth of information
for each Balkan and Black Sea country, subdivided in the sectors
of economy, defense, policy, biographies, etc.
[09] MR. TSOCHATZOPOULOS WISHED FOR REASON TO PREVAIL IN KOSOVO
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who leaves
tomorrow for a tour of Bulgaria, Romania and FYROM, stated in a
press conference in Athens today that reason should prevail and
open the door to a cease fire.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that the solution to the crisis
in Kosovo should be a political one that will include the
principles of the inviolability of the borders, the respect of
human rights, the right of Kosovo to autonomy and the agreement of
all parties involved and the international community to a
political settlement of the problem.
On the issue of the refugees, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos pointed out
that Greece has requested that economic assistance should be given
by the international community to the neighboring countries with
Yugoslavia.
When asked by reporters to comment on the problems that may
be faced by the ethnic Greek minority in Albania because of the
refugees who will be sent to the southern part of the country, he
pointed out that the Greek government has made its interest in the
safety and property of the Greeks living in the southern part of
Albania very clear.
[10] SIMITIS AND MAJKO DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF THE GREEK MINORITY
PROPERTY ASSETS IN ALBANIA
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis had a telephone
communication with Albanian prime minister Pandeli Majko to whom
he pointed out that the necessary actions should be made for the
safeguarding and protection of the property assets of the ethnic
Greek minority in south Albania.
According to what Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
said to journalists, it is not the first time that the Greek
government raises the issue and added that the Albanian prime
minister has showed a special interest.
[11] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE SOLANA STATEMENTS
It is a very long time until the 50th anniversary of NATO at
the end of April, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas commenting on the statements of NATO secretary general
Javier Solana that by then a solution will be found for Kosovo.
Mr. Reppas added that a solution must be given now if not
yesterday.
[12] REPPAS: NATO HAS NOT REQUESTED THE PASSAGE OF MORE ALLIED
FORCES FROM GREEK TERRITORY
NATO has not requested the passage of more allied forces from
Greek territory, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas.
He said that already have passed through Greece about 10.000
soldiers destined for FYROM, adding that their duties are not
clearly defined and that they are not equipped for land
operations.
Commenting on press publications that the United States have
imposed an arms sales embargo on Greece, he said that there is no
such issue and that the materialization of the country's armaments
programme continues.
[13] THE GREEKS STUDYING IN YUGOSLAV UNIVERSITIES CONDEMN THE NATO
AIR STRIKES
The associations of Greek students studying in universities
in Belgrade, Pristina, Novi Sad, Nis and Kragugevac with a
petition they have sent to the mass media condemned the NATO and
US air strikes against an independent and sovereign state and
expressed their full support to the struggling and suffering
Yugoslav people.
In the petition it is stressed that the Serb people must know
that they will always have the support of the Greek students,
adding that in the years they have spent studying in Yugoslavia
they have developed close friendly ties with the Serbs.
[14] PAPANDREOU IS IN TIRANA
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou is in Tirana in
order to coordinate the operation for the transport of Greek
humanitarian aid destined for the Kosovo refugees.
Greece will give 2,5 billion drachmas and humanitarian aid
that will arrive to Albania and Skopje with two C-130 transport
planes. The aid is aimed at helping the two countries to deal with
the wave of refugees from Kosovo.
Meanwhile, minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos will be
on a three-day tour of the Balkan states starting tomorrow
morning. Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will visit Romania, Bulgaria and
FYROM and will have contacts with his counterparts, the ministers
of foreign affairs and other government officials to discuss the
developments in Yugoslavia.
[15] THE CRISIS IN YUGOSLAVIA DOES NOT HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE
GREEK ECONOMY
Bank of Greece governor Loukas Papadimos stated, while
submitting the annual monetary policy report, that the likely
extension of the armed clashes in Yugoslavia is not expected to
have a direct effect on the Greek economy.
Mr. Papadimos added that the developments is possible to
cause nervousness to certain markets and suggested calm and
vigilance.
[16] THE SECRET DIARY OF GEORGI DIMITROV AND THE REFERENCES TO THE
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BALKANS
The words of Georgi Dimitrov, who had stated half a century
ago, that history should be studied in order to learn from the
mistakes of the past, were reminded by his son Boiko Dimitrov,
former foreign minister of Bulgaria, during the presentation of
the book under the title: "Georgi Dimitrov: pages from the secret
diary" that was held at the Journalists of Athens Daily Newspapers
Association offices today.
As it was underlined by the son of Georgi Dimitrov, who was
the Communist International general secretary in the period 1944-
1949, "the peoples who were for hundreds of years under foreign
occupation and managed to preserve their language and ethnic
identity, can not be characterized as savages and barbarians by
anyone", referring this way to the current developments in the
Balkans. He also pointed out that the fact that the diary was
published first in Greece, right after its publication in
Bulgaria, is an indication of the historical closeness and the
friendship that exists between the two peoples.
Spiros Kouzinopoulos, who had the care of the book that was
published by the publishing house "Kastaniotis", made a special
reference to the parts of the Dimitrov diary that are of special
interest to the Greek public such as, the references of Dimitrov
and Stalin to the December events, the 1946 abstention, the civil
war and the Macedonian issue. He especially pointed out that both
the leaders of the Communist International watched with concern
the efforts made by Tito to incorporate the Greek Macedonia into
Yugoslavia in order to create a non existent "Macedonian nation".
He also referred to the tension that existed between Belgrade and
Tirana since then concerning Kosovo and the danger for the
involvement of the whole region in an armed conflict like the one
happening today with the known tragic effects.
University professor Pavlos Petridis pointed out that the
publishing of the book is a very significant effort as the
Dimitrov diary sheds light on unknown aspects of the contemporary
Balkan history, while journalist Giorgos Leontaritis reminded an
interview given by Georgi Dimitrov in 1947 to the then
correspondent of the Athens newspaper "Rizospastis" to Sofia
Lefteris Mavroidis. In the interview he had stressed that for
peace and security to be established permanently in the Balkans,
there should be true democracy, while good neighborly relations
must be restored between the Balkan states and the intervention of
imperialists, international trusts and monopolies in the internal
affairs of the Balkan states must end.
The book presentation was attended among others by PASOK Euro-
deputy Yiannis Roumbatis, New Democracy deputy Ilias Vesdrevanis,
former minister Nikos Martis and former Communist Party general
secretary Grigoris Farakos.
A similar presentation of the book "Georgi Dimitrov: pages
from the secret diary" will be made in Thessaloniki tomorrow
during which will speak besides Boiko Dimitrov, Institute for
Balkan Studies director Vasilis Kontis and author Panos Dimitriou.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] NATO CONTINUES TO RAID YUGOSLAVIA, ATTACKS IN THE NIGHT
NATO continued to raid Yugoslavia throughout the
night, with Tomahawk missiles targeting the outskirts of Belgrade,
as well as the city of Prishtina.
NATO ambassadors have agreed to enlarge the list of targets,
this time including downtown Belgrade.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appealed to
the international community to offer more humanitarian aid to
assist with the Kosovo refugee crisis.
According to UNHCR reports, the number of refugees who have
fled Kosovo is presently estimated at 120,000. The Yugoslav
government 's vice-president Vuk Drascovic lashed against NATO,
holding the Alliance responsible for "a crime against humanity."
[18] PRIMAKOV-MILOSEVIC TALKS LEAD TO NOWHERE
Russian Prime Minister Yevgeni Primakov returned "empty-
handed" from his talks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic
held in Belgrade yesterday.
As a result, United States President Bill Clinton stated that
``we must not allow, if we have the ability to stop it, ethnic
cleansing or genocide anywhere we can stop it, particularly at the
edge of Europe. ''
Mr. Clinton also said ``the NATO air campaign is designed to
raise the price of that policy ... For a sustained period, he will
see that his military will be seriously diminished, key military
infrastructure destroyed, the prospect of international support
for Serbia's claim to Kosovo increasingly jeopardized."
Responding to Mr. Milosevic's overture, who said that he will
withdraw his troops from Kosovo, after political negotiations, on
the condition that NATO cease the raids, German chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder said that the Yugoslav leader's proposal does not
constitute a premise for a political solution.
[19] EUROPEAN COMMISSION OPTIMISTIC OVER GREECE'S EMU ENTRANCE
In its biannual report on the 1998 economies of the European
Union's member-states, the European Commission has forecast
inflation rates of 2.1 in 1999 and 1.9 per cent in 2000 for
Greece, which means that the country would be meeting one of the
two remaining criteria (the other being a convergence of interest
rates) for participation in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by
the year 2001.
The report, which also provides forecasts for 1999, states
that "the performance of the Greek economy continued to improve:
GDP growth accelerated while significant progress was achieved in
curbing inflation and correcting fiscal imbalances...
"Investment activity continued to be strong while exports
contributed to an acceleration in real output to an estimated rate
of economic growth of 3.6 per cent," the report added.
"The situation in the labor market improved in 1998, albeit
marginally, and the unemployment rate resumed a slow downward
path...Slowing demand and labor costs assisted the containment of
inflation in the post-devaluation period. On average consumer
prices rose by 4.8 per cent in 1998, down from 5.5 per cent in
1997.
"The general government deficit in 1999 is forecast to be 2.1
per cent of GDP...The primary surplus is expected to reach 6.5 per
cent of GDP in 1999 and 2000, thus contributing to a further
decline in the debt ratio in both years."
[20] NATO WILL NOT DEPLOY TROOPS IN KOSOVO, FOR THE TIME BEING
NATO is not planning to deploy troops in Kosovo "at the
present moment", according to the Alliance's secretary-general
Javier Solana.
Nevertheless, according to the French news agency AFP, Mr.
Solana reiterated that the Western nations have agreed to send
troops to Kosovo after a cease-fire is reached and an agreement is
signed between the warring sides.
Commending on yesterday's talks between Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic and Russian Premier Yevgeni Primakov, Mr.
Solana stated that all the members of the Alliance would be
prepared to accept just agreements,. But would not accept unjust
agreements.
[21] PRIMAKOV IS "NOT DISCOURAGED" AFTER TALKS IN BELGRADE
Russian Prime Minister Yevgeni Primakov stated yesterday that
he was "not discouraged" by the failure of his attempt to mediate
an end to NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia.
According to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, Mr. Primakov
told a Russian television station that "we were expecting an
outcome of this kind; we are not discouraged" and added that "we
will continue to press ahead in the search for solutions to
resolve the Kosovo crisis through political means."
Moreover, the Russian Premier said that "we received from
Milosevic after six hours of talks, a signal which, in our view,
is sufficient to begin a political "settlement" process.
[22] SOLANA: YUGOSLAVIA CRISIS WILL HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY APRIL 23
NATO' s secretary-general Javier Solana believes that the
crisis in Yugoslavia will have been resolved by April 23, the day
when the Alliance's will hold its Summit on the occasion of its
50th year anniversary.
In an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera,
Mr. Solana stressed that NATO's raids against Yugoslavia will not
cease until Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic provides
guarantees that the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo will end.
Meanwhile, the political committee of the Council of Europe,
which is convening in Rome, has received a recommendation, co-
signed by Greece, for a ten-day cease-fire during Easter.
[23] SOLANA: THE YUGOSLAV CRISIS WILL BE RESOLVED BY APRIL 23
NATO secretary-general Javier Solana expressed the belief
that the Yugoslav crisis will be resolved before April 23 when the
summit meeting for the 50th anniversary of the alliance will be
held.
Mr. Solana in an interview to an Italian newspaper stressed
that the NATO air strikes will not stop until there are guarantees
from Slobodan Milosevic for the end of the ethnic cleansing in
Kosovo. NATO gave the green light for a wider spectrum of attacks.
The permanent representatives of the north Atlantic alliance
decided to include in their attacks targets in more regions of the
Serb territory.
Meanwhile, Russian prime minister Gevgeni Primakov stated
that Moscow will continue its diplomatic effort for the end of the
violence in Yugoslavia.
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