Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-05-03
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 3, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THESSALONIKI HOSTS EXPATRIATE GREEK MEDIA CONFERENCE
[02] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO MEET WITH N. GREECE BUSINESSMEN
[03] ECONOMIC CONFERENCE HELD ON "DAY AFTER" KOSOVO CONFLICT
[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT SALUTES WORLD PRESS DAY
[05] EXPATRIATE GREEK JOURNALISTS SALUTE PRESS FREEDOM DAY
[06] FIRE RAGES THROUGH MT. OLYMPUS, ENGULFING MANY ACRES
[07] REV. JACKSON TELLS GREEK PRESS: WE NEED TO TRUST MILOSEVIC
[08] NEW POLL FINDS RULING PARTY HAVING CLIMBED NOTCHES UP
[09] NATO CONVOYS WITH MILITARY SUPPLIES HAVE LEFT FOR SKOPJE
[10] REPPAS: GREECE OFFERS SECURITY
[11] REPPAS: THE RELEASE OF THE THREE US SOLDIERS IS A VERY
POSITIVE ACTION
[12] PAPANTONIOU MET WITH BUSINESSMEN AND BANKERS
[13] EXTREMIST INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS THE BLOCKADES OF PORTS HARM
GREECE'S PICTURE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] US PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH CHERNOMYRDIN IN WASHINGTON
[15] NATO REIGN DEEPENS, DARKNESS FALLS ON BELGRADE
[16] GREEK TRANSPORTATION MINISTER AT FYROM TODAY
[17] GREEK PRESIDENT TO PAY VISIT TO ARMENIA ON MAY 11-13
[18] GREEK PRESIDENT TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO GEORGIA ON MAY 10
[19] UNESCO FIGHTS IMPUNITY OF CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS
[20] MPA PARTICIPATES IN HERMES TRADE EXPO THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK
[21] TALBOT: CLINTON-MILOSEVIC MEETING IS UNLIKELY
[22] HAROLD PINTER IS AGAINST THE BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA
[23] CHERNOMIRDIN: THE TALKS WITH CLINTON ARE IMPORTANT
[24] ECEVIT RECEIVED THE MANDATE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT
[25] THE RAMBOUILLET AGREEMENT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE OCCUPATION
OF YUGOSLAVIA, WRITES "LE MONDE"
[26] YUGOSLAVIA'S APPEAL AGAINST NATO WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE
HAGUE TODAY
[27] THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GREEK MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION IS ON
A VISIT TO SKOPJE
[28] NATO BOMBED ANOTHER BUS TODAY KILLING 10 PEOPLE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THESSALONIKI HOSTS EXPATRIATE GREEK MEDIA CONFERENCE
The first Greek Expatriate Mass Media Conference got underway
in Thessaloniki yesterday, featuring the participation of Greek
political leaders, academics, journalists and others.
Macedonia-Thrace Minister Yiannis Magriotis addressed the
conference and stated that Greece had given a warning to all
international organizations that the war in
Yugoslavia was not ethically just and did not create the
preconditions for a long-term co- existence of peoples.
World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) President Andrew
Athens also addressed the participants and stated that he had
noted the absence of a Serb lobby in the United States, which
could have promoted the stance of the Serbs.
The four-day event is being held under the auspices of
Greece's Ministry of Press and Media, Foreign Affairs and SAE,
while it also has the support of the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry and
the prefecture of Thessaloniki.
[02] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO MEET WITH N. GREECE BUSINESSMEN
A delegation from the Economic Chamber of Yugoslavia is to be
in Thessaloniki on Wednesday, May 5, for a meeting with
businessmen from northern Greece, in order to review the damages
suffered by the sector from the conflict in Kosovo.
Among the subjects to be discussed will be the difficulties
faced by Greek
manufacturers and businessmen who are active in Yugoslavia.
The participants will brief one another on the consequences
of the war, not only borne on the Greek businesses active in the
neighboring country, but in Northern Greece's tourism industry
and exporting - transporting ventures.
[03] ECONOMIC CONFERENCE HELD ON "DAY AFTER" KOSOVO CONFLICT
The consequences borne on the Greek economy by the
war in Kosovo are to be addressed in an economic conference today,
hosted by the National
Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and which will
feature the participation of forty-nine representatives from the
country's banking and business
sectors.
The participants will discuss the impact of the
military operations in Yugoslavia and the plans for economic
restructuring of the region after the crisis.
Among those expected to attend the meeting are National Bank of
Greece,
Commercial Bank of Greece, Alpha Credit Bank, EFG Eurobank,
Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization, Bank of Piraeus, Thrace
Paperworks, Delta
Dairy, Asprofos, Medical Center, Intracom, the Federation of Greek
Industries
and chambers of commerce and industry.
Undersecretary of National Economy Alexandros Baltas is
chairing the government delegation.
[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT SALUTES WORLD PRESS DAY
The Minister of Press and Media, and government spokesperson,
Dimitris Reppas conveyed Greece's undivided support and
appreciation for journalists and stressed the importance of a non-
aligned and independent media.
Mr. Reppas said that by being independent, journalists will
make a decisive
contribution in shaping the public's objective opinion and,
ultimately, further strengthening the democratic nature of public
and political life.
The Press Minister also added that there can be no
constitutional freedom without freedom of the press, adding that
the press does not merely carry out an informative function, but
contributes substantively to the application of democracy,
representing one of its components.
[05] EXPATRIATE GREEK JOURNALISTS SALUTE PRESS FREEDOM DAY
By observing a moment of silence in memory of those
journalists who lost their lives while on duty, the First
Conference of the Federation of Expatriate Greek Journalists
opened its second session this morning in Thessaloniki honoring
the World Press Freedom Day.
In a written statement, the Federation's chairman Dimitris
Kastanas referred to the recent bombardment of the Yugoslav
television station in Belgrade and said that the attack
constitutes a severe blow to the freedom of press and information,
as it escapes all military and political boundaries.
"This tactic cannot be justified. Alas, if each time
propaganda is detected media are bombarded or journalists killed.
"This act constitutes the most abhorrent form of terrorist
action and every journalist, especially in the United States, has
a duty to resist and fight against these types of military actions
and mentalities that lead us to the Dark Ages.
"Propaganda cannot be addressed with violence, but, rather,
through alternative methods of information.
The resort to violence implies inability and fear of dealing
with the heart of the problem," he said.
[06] FIRE RAGES THROUGH MT. OLYMPUS, ENGULFING MANY ACRES
Locals have joined the firefighters in a frantic effort to
contain the fire that has been raging at Mt. Olympus since
yesterday afternoon.
The fire, whose cause remains unknown, broke out in a
forested area at an altitude of 1,800 meters. The region is
accessed with difficulty and the firefighters need to travel great
distances in order to approach the blaze.
[07] REV. JACKSON TELLS GREEK PRESS: WE NEED TO TRUST MILOSEVIC
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who successfully mediated for the
release of the three U.S. soldiers held captive in Yugoslavia by
Serb forces, told a Greek newspaper that the time has come for a
diplomatic solution to the crisis in Yugoslavia.
"We need to be willing to see with our own eyes that
Milosevic is ready to proceed to negotiations. Peace must be given
a chance and we should not continue the war, for the sake of war,"
he told the Athens daily Eleftherotypia.
Commending on Greece's stance towards the crisis, the
Reverend stated that the country made a effort to break the chain
of violence, but, it is a member of NATO and participates in its
decisions.
[08] NEW POLL FINDS RULING PARTY HAVING CLIMBED NOTCHES UP
An impressive shift has taken place in the public's opinion
of the ruling PASOK party as, according to the most recent poll,
its popularity climbed to 25.6%, considerably higher than
January's 13.8%.
According to the Athens daily Ta Nea, Prime Minister Costas
Simitis is also enjoying an increased amount of support, since his
popularity has shot up to 45.1%, as opposed to January's 24.8
percent.
While the popularity of the main opposition party's leader
(New Democracy's Costas Karamanlis) is also upward-bound, 64.2
percent of those polled responded that the government should
fulfill its four-year term regardless of the European Parliament's
imminent election results.
When asked to find who is the fittest for the country's
premiership post, 36.6 percent of those polled favored Mr.
Simitis, with 33.9 percent opting for Mr. Karamanlis, although the
latter's popularity (46.1%) has a slight edge over the
Premier's.
The leader of the Left Coalition (Synaspismos), Nikos
Kostantopoulos remains at the top of the scale with 57.8% ,
followed by the Democratic and Social Movement (DIKKI) leader
Dimitris Tsovolas who amassed 50.4% in his favor.
[09] NATO CONVOYS WITH MILITARY SUPPLIES HAVE LEFT FOR SKOPJE
Two long NATO convoys of trucks carrying military supplies
left Thessaloniki in a tense atmosphere today destined for FYROM.
The supplies had arrived at the port of Thessaloniki with NATO
ships in the past four days.
The first convoy of 92 trucks, smaller vehicles and
containers left in the early morning hours today and was followed
by a second convoy made up of 96 trucks carrying supplies for the
French and British forces in FYROM.
Groups of demonstrators attempted to block the port's exit
gate during the convoys' departure and police had to intervene in
order to remove the protesters.
[10] REPPAS: GREECE OFFERS SECURITY
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, when asked to
comment on the contents of the US State Department report on
terrorism in Greece, stated that the cooperation of the Greek
agencies with the corresponding US agencies in order to counter
terrorism is a proof of the efforts made by Greece to deal with
the issue.
Mr. Reppas pointed out that Greece is a country that offers
security and its democratic institutions are functioning.
[11] REPPAS: THE RELEASE OF THE THREE US SOLDIERS IS A VERY
POSITIVE ACTION
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas expressed regret
for the bombings of unarmed civilians by NATO in Yugoslavia. He
added that the Greek government participates in the efforts for a
peaceful solution in Kosovo and said that events such as the
recent attack on a bus full of people make the efforts for a
peaceful solution imperative.
Mr. Reppas characterized the release of the three US
soldiers, that was decided by Yugoslav president Slobodan
Milosevic, as a very positive action.
[12] PAPANTONIOU MET WITH BUSINESSMEN AND BANKERS
Minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou
had a meeting today with representatives of companies, bankers and
presidents of trade organizations. They examined the effects the
war in Yugoslavia has on the Greek economy.
Mr. Papantoniou requested an evaluation of the overall cost
and expressed Greece's intention to ask for the assistance of the
European Union in order to overcome the economic consequences of
the war. The meeting was attended by Greek Industries Association
chairman Iason Stratos, National Bank of Greece governor Mr.
Karatzas and Alpha Credit Bank president Mr. Kostopoulos.
[13] EXTREMIST INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS THE BLOCKADES OF PORTS HARM
GREECE'S PICTURE
Ministry of mass media and press general secretary Yiannis
Nikolaou, who attended the Thessaloniki conference of the
Federation of Greek Journalists living abroad, characterized
actions such as blockades of ports, occupation of airports and
statements like the one made by the prefect of Chania in Crete,
who declared US ambassador Nicholas Burns as a persona non grata,
as extremist interventions that harm the picture of Greece abroad.
He also pointed out that it is the inalienable right of the Greek
citizens to have their own opinion.
Mr. Nikolaou also said that the ministry of mass media and
press will launch a campaign by the end of May aimed at boosting
Greece's image abroad. This campaign will take place in the United
States, France and Britain and will last a year, while it is
estimated to cost 1 billion drachmas.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] US PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH CHERNOMYRDIN IN WASHINGTON
United States President Bill Clinton is to meet with the
Russian President's special envoy for Yugoslavia Viktor
Chernomyrdin in Washington, in an effort to reach a political
solution to the crisis plaguing Kosovo.
President Clinton will also receive Rev. Jesse Jackson who is
making a triumphant return to the U.S. after having successfully
mediated for the release of the three U.S. soldiers held captive
by Serb forces.
During his departure from Belgrade, Rev. Jackson asked
President Clinton to accept the proposal made by Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic that they meet for direct talks.
[15] NATO REIGN DEEPENS, DARKNESS FALLS ON BELGRADE
NATO aircraft destroyed the entire power supply system of
Serbia when, in a nightly air raid, they bombed a power station
south of Belgrade.
Although electricity has been restored in most areas of
Serbia, where television and radio stations went off air for a
long period of time, while hospitals had to resort to their
emergency power generators.
[16] GREEK TRANSPORTATION MINISTER AT FYROM TODAY
Greece's Minister of Transportation Tasos Mantelis and the
Ministry's Undersecretary are to meet with FYROM's President Kiro
Gligorov during their two-day visit to Skopje.
Mr. Mantelis is heading a delegation of officials from
Greece's public and private enterprises, as well as deputies, in
an effort to promote bilateral cooperation in the sectors of
communications and transportation, aiming at the region's
development and stability.
[17] GREEK PRESIDENT TO PAY VISIT TO ARMENIA ON MAY 11-13
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
will pay an official visit to Armenia on May 11-13 at the
invitation of the republic's leadership.
Before arriving in Armenia the President will make an
official visit to Georgia.
While in Tbilisi, he will meet Georgian President Eduard
Shevardnadze, the parliament speaker and the foreign minister to
discuss further development of cooperation between the two
countries and regional issues.
[18] GREEK PRESIDENT TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO GEORGIA ON MAY 10
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
is to conduct a two-day official visit to Georgia on May 10, the
first visit by a Greek president to Georgia after the Caucasian
republic became independent.
The President will meet with his Georgian counterpart Eduard
Shevardnadze, parliamentary speaker Zurab Zhvania, Foreign
Minister Irakly Menangarishvili and other officials.
Discussions will focus on issues of further development of
cooperation
between the two countries, as well as regional problems.
[19] UNESCO FIGHTS IMPUNITY OF CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) is celebrating the World Press Freedom Day
under the slogan of "Struggle against the impunity of crimes
against journalists."
This Day was instituted by the UNESCO General Conference on
May 3, 1991, coinciding with the adoption of the Windhoek
Declaration, and is dedicated to informing the public about
violations of the freedom of the expression of opinions.
This year's main theme is violence against journalists; in
many countries, killings, assaults and threats are methods used to
muzzle journalists and, in most cases, those crimes go unpunished.
According to UNESCO, at least 20 journalists were killed in
1998 while on the job, while 500 journalists have been killed in
recent years. Innumerable instances
of violence, such as unfounded arrests, threats, attacks,
persecution and even tortures are added to the list.
This problem prompted UNESCO member-states, at the latest
General Conference in November 1998, to approve a resolution
calling for accepting the principle of non-application of the
statute of limitations to crimes perpetrated for the purpose of
preventing the exercise of the right to the freedom of
information.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, UNESCO Director-General
Federico
Mayor, and High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson are to
gather in
Bogota, Colombia, today, in order to bestow on Jesus Blancornelas,
Mexican journalist and publisher, UNESCO's World Prize for
contribution to the press freedom cause.
[20] MPA PARTICIPATES IN HERMES TRADE EXPO THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK
The Macedonian Press Agency is to participate at the 7th
Annual Business Development Trade Show and Exhibition in the
United States (Hermes Expo International 1999) , to be held on May
7-8 at the New York Hilton.
The event is expected to give the opportunity to Greeks
living on both sides of the Atlantic to consolidate their
communication channels.
This marks the first the MPA has the opportunity to take part
in such an organized show, which will illustrate the agency's
multifaceted activities in the media sector, and especially its
singular commitment to the Greek community abroad.
This year's event will also feature the participation of
ventures from Albania, Romania and other Balkan countries.
Greece's Undersecretary of Sports Andreas Fouras will
inaugurate the event and has expressed the hope that the
participation of the General Secretariat of Sports and
representatives of the Greek business sector will contribute to
the further advancement of Greek products and services in the
U.S., as well as to the promotion of Greece's sports
infrastructure, especially in light of the Athens-held Olympic
Games of 2004.
The Archbishop of America Spyridon will also attend the
inauguration ceremony.
Greek businesses interested in serving the needs of the Greek
American community and establishing an initial strong foothold in
the massive American market, the exhibition is certainly worth
attending as a number of joint-venture seminars will be held,
which can provide fertile ground for such investments.
[21] TALBOT: CLINTON-MILOSEVIC MEETING IS UNLIKELY
US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott believes that a
meeting between US President Bill Clinton and President of
Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic is unlikely, as he said in an
interview with the CBS television station yesterday.
The head of the US administration is unlikely to be
particularly willing to meet the Yugoslav leader, Mr. Talbott
noted, adding that he was unaware of the US president's intentions
to that effect, although he strongly doubted the possibility of
the meeting.
The US does not wish to conduct talks with Mr. Milosevic
directly, but prefers to act with the mediation of third
countries, including Russia, Mr. Talbott noted.
He pointed out that Mr. Milosevic' message to President
Clinton allegedly containing a proposal for a meeting looks very
much like a "propagandist trick."
NATO has made it clear what we can do to stop the conflict
right away. Above all, Belgrade shall have to comply with the
proposals put forward by NATO, he said, adding that President
Clinton will stop the bombardments only if Mr. Milosevic agrees to
these terms.
[22] HAROLD PINTER IS AGAINST THE BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA
Famous playwright Harold Pinter in an article published by
the British newspaper "Telegraph" yesterday expressed his
opposition to the policy followed by the Blair government and NATO
on the crisis in Kosovo.
In an article under the headline "We are thieves, guilty of
murder", part of which was broadcast by the BBC radio service, the
British author condemns the NATO bombings and referring to the
reaction of the British public opinion, he said that the British
have accepted 40 days of bombings without asking many questions.
Influenced by the horror pictures of the refugees the British were
quick to respond to the calls for assistance and backed the
bombings. But the politicians and the army knew that the NATO air
raids would create a wave of refugees. They did not need the spy
satellites in order to know that Voiclav Seseli had stated in the
Yugoslav parliament since last October that all the ethnic
Albanians would disappear from Kossovo with the first bomb on
Yugoslavia.
Harold Pinter is a co-producer of the documentary "Counter
Blast" which will be broadcast by the BBC television tomorrow and
in his article promises that it will reveal that the Clinton
government was backing the ethnic cleansing policy in Yugoslavia
in 1995.
[23] CHERNOMIRDIN: THE TALKS WITH CLINTON ARE IMPORTANT
Russian president special envoy Victor Chernomirdin
characterized as important the talks he will have with US
president Bill Clinton in Washington to whom he will deliver a
letter by the Russian president for the solution of the crisis in
Kosovo.
Reverent Jesse Jackson will also meet with the US president
at the White House to deliver a letter by Yugoslav president
Slobodan Milosevic. In an interview, Mr. Jackson stated that the
time has come for a diplomatic solution in Yugoslavia and "we
should be willing to see with our own eyes that the Yugoslav
president is ready to proceed with negotiations".
[24] ECEVIT RECEIVED THE MANDATE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT
Caretaker prime minister Bulent Ecevit received the mandate
by Turkish president Suleiman Demirel today to form a government.
The most likely scenario, according to political analysts, is
that Ecevit will form a coalition government with the Nationalist
Action Party of the extreme right and the centrist Motherland
party of Mesut Yilmaz.
[25] THE RAMBOUILLET AGREEMENT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE OCCUPATION
OF YUGOSLAVIA, WRITES "LE MONDE"
The sovereignty of Yugoslavia would have been in danger if
Belgrade had accepted the Rambouillet agreement, according to the
French newspaper "Le Monde".
"Le Monde" published yesterday parts of the Rambouillet peace
agreement text and pointed out that the proposed agreement in
reality was a secret NATO plan behind which was hidden
Yugoslavia's occupation.
"Le Monde" points out that certain parts of the agreement
were not revealed and were not presented to the Yugoslav and the
Albanian delegations neither during the peace talks in Rambouillet
nor later in Paris.
[26] YUGOSLAVIA'S APPEAL AGAINST NATO WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE
HAGUE TODAY
The representatives of Serbia will submit to the prosecutor
general of the International Court of Justice in The Hague their
appeal against NATO member-states participating in the air
operations against Yugoslavia.
According to the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, the appeal is
accompanied by evidence and by the signatures of 15.000 Yugoslav
citizens.
The decision to bring before justice the NATO members that
participate in the bombing of Yugoslavia had been made by the
federal government of Yugoslavia on April 25. Those countries are
accused of using force against a sovereign state, of violating the
sovereignty of this state, of not respecting the decision to
protect the unarmed civilians and non military targets and of
violating the basic rights and freedoms of the people.
[27] THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GREEK MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION IS ON
A VISIT TO SKOPJE
The leadership of the Greek ministry of transportation and
communication that left by train from Thessaloniki this morning,
headed by minister Tasos Mandelis, will meet in Skopje tomorrow
with FYROM president Kiro Gligorov and prime minister Ljupco
Georgievski.
The governments of Greece and FYROM want to place bilateral
cooperation in the sectors of transportation and communication on
a new basis in order to create the pre-conditions for economic
development and stability in the region.
The Greek strategic goals for cooperation with FYROM are: the
development of a passenger railway and road network linking
Thessaloniki with Skopje, the speedy construction of road axis X
on FYROM territory, the development of a freight freeway, less red
tape at the border crossings, postal service cooperation and
finally, the Greek government will seek the FYROM support for the
establishment of an Upper Air Space Management Center in the
Balkans based in Thessaloniki.
On the telecommunications sector, bilateral relations are
developing positively. The digital cable link between Florina and
Bitola using fiber optics technology is already in operation,
while the link of Kilkis with Gevgeli is at its final stage before
operation.
However, the Greek interest is mainly focused on the
privatization of FYROM's National Telecommunications Organization
as the Greek State Telecommunications Organization, OTE, aims at
purchasing 1/3 of its company share.
[28] NATO BOMBED ANOTHER BUS TODAY KILLING 10 PEOPLE
NATO fighter jets bombed a bus in the region of Savina Boda
in Kossovo early this afternoon. According to initial information,
the bus was hit by a missile killing 10 people, mainly women and
children.
The rescue crews can not approach the region, about 20
kilometers from Pec, as the bombings continue.
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