Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-06-01
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, June 1, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] TODAY'S SCHEDULE OF GREEK POLITICAL LEADERS
[02] NEW "TRANSBALKAN" TRAIN LINKS THESSALONIKI TO BALKAN CITIES
[03] KOSOVAR REFUGEES FLY FROM THESSALONIKI TO AUSTRALIA
[04] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH IN THESSALONIKI
[05] SOCIALIST YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS OF BALKANS CALL FOR COOPERATION
[06] REPPAS: THE LEGALIZATION POLICY FOR IMMIGRANTS WILL CONTINUE
[07] REPPAS ON THE OCALAN TRIAL
[08] THE FIRST NAMES OF MISSING KOSSOVO REFUGEES APPEARED ON
ABNA'S INTERNET WEB SITE
[09] PAPATHEMELIS: THE OCALAN STATEMENTS CAN NOT BE CREDIBLE
[10] THE EU SUMMIT MEETING WILL BE HELD IN KOLON ON THURSDAY
[11] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITED THE MUNICIPALITY OF NEAPOLIS
[12] FIVE TONS OF FROZEN POULTRY TAINTED WITH DIOXIN WERE
DISCOVERED BY THE BELGIAN AUTHORITIES
[13] BLACK SEA BANK LAUNCHES ITS OPERATION TODAY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] CHERNOMIRDIN-AHTISAARI-TALBOTT TO MEET AGAIN
[15] 10 PEOPLE DIED DURING LAST NIGHT'S NATO'S ATTACK ON
YUGOSLAVIA
[16] OCALAN TRIAL RESUMES
[17] RUSSIAN CABINET APPROVES NEW ECONOMIC MEASURES
[18] HUNGARY-BASED US AIRCRAFTS HAVE BEGAN RAIDS AGAINST
YUGOSLAVIA
[19] MINSK: STAMPEDE KILLS 53 PEOPLE
[20] 10,4 MILLION UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN RUSSIA
[21] BELGRADE CLAIMS TO HAVE SHOT DOWN 190 NATO PLANES
[22] ARMENIA: COALITION FOR UNITY WINS 52% IN ELECTIONS
[23] SERBIA'S ELECTRICITY NETWORK SUFFERED SEVERE DAMAGE
[24] BERISHA BLAMES THE ALBANIAN POLICE FOR THE DEATH OF THE GREEK
HOSTAGE
[25] BELGRADE MAINTAINS THAT IT HAS STRUCK A SEVERE BLOW ON KLA
[26] CHERNOMYRDIN: THERE IS WILL FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE YUGOSLAV
CRISIS
[27] A MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHED IN THE SEA OF MARMARA
[28] MILO DJUKANOVIC TO VISIT FYROM
[29] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON A THREE-DAY VISIT TO CHINA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] TODAY'S SCHEDULE OF GREEK POLITICAL LEADERS
The leaders of the greek political parties continue their pre-
electoral appearances, only two weeks before the European
elections are held.
Prime minister Kostas Simitis will give an interview which
will be broadcasted by state channel "NET" at 9.00 p.m..
President of the main opposition party "New Democracy",
Kostas Karamanlis will hold a press conference at "Zappeion", open
to all media.
Leader of "Political Spring", Antonis Samaras will also hold
a press conference at "Zappeion" at 3.pm, where he intends to talk
about every subject concerning internal and foreign political
affairs of Greece.
[02] NEW "TRANSBALKAN" TRAIN LINKS THESSALONIKI TO BALKAN CITIES
The Greek Railway Organization (OSE) will run the
international train "TRANSBALKAN" from today and until November
2nd, in order to facilitate passenger transport outside Greece,
that has been hampered because of the Kosovo crisis.
The international train 460/461, will link Thessaloniki to
Sofia, Bucharest and Budapest, and will replace the 334/335 train
which is withdrawn from circulation due to the situation in
Yugoslavia.
[03] KOSOVAR REFUGEES FLY FROM THESSALONIKI TO AUSTRALIA
Another 432 refugees from Kosovo have arrived this morning in
Thessaloniki and are due to depart by airplane to Australia. The
refugees arrived from FYROM at "Macedonia" airport by buses at
10.00 am and where transferred to special facilities created for
them inside the airport.
According to the representatives of the regional authorities
of central Macedonia, who coordinate the operation of transporting
the refugees, none of the 432 Kosovars has health problems.
Employees of the "Macedonia" airport received the refugees
offering the refreshments, cigarettes and toys for the children.
Around 12.00 the Kosovars went aboard the "Quantas" airplane to
Australia.
During the last two weeks 1234 refugees have been transferred
from to Australia via Thessaloniki. On June 17th another group of
refugees will depart from Thessaloniki to Australia.
[04] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH IN THESSALONIKI
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos continues today his tour in
the prefecture of Thessaloniki, visiting the municipality of
Neapoli.
Afterwards he will visit the "Georgios Papanikolaou" hospital
and mount Chortiatis.
Mayor of Neapoli, Grigoris Hatzisavas will host a luncheon in
his honor.
[05] SOCIALIST YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS OF BALKANS CALL FOR COOPERATION
The Balkan Socialist Youths have issued a joint resolution
stressing the need of cooperation among the youth organisations of
the Balkans and the creation of National Youth Councils' Forum,
during their meeting at Chalkidiki held by the Youth of PASOK.
The representatives of the Youths failed to issue a unanimous
declaration on the war in Yugoslavia because of the differences
between the Yugoslav and the Albanian representatives regarding
the causes of the conflict that the responsibilities of each side.
The secretary of Public Relations of the Youth of PASOK,
Agamemnon Tatsis, stressed that the meeting itself was a very
important event because it was the first time that representatives
of young socialist organisations of every Balkan country have
gathered around the same table, especially during war time.
The vice president of the Union of the Socialist Youths of
Europe, George Tsakos, also described the meeting as a positive
step which will be followed by similar meetings to be held in
Italy and Thessaloniki.
The representatives of Yugoslavia presented data according to
which some 1000 civilians were killed during the NATO bombings and
another 5000 were wounded. The Alliance has lauched some 10.000
bombs against Yugoslavia and 3000 missiles destroying 300 schools
and two universities at Nice and Novi Sad, where 500.000 citizens
are left without water. According to the same data 500.000 people
have been lost their jobs because of the war.
The Albanian representatives noted that 250.000 Kosovars have
been reported missing and spoke of accusations made by refugees
regarding the atrocities of serb paramilitary forces against
Albanians in Kosovo.
[06] REPPAS: THE LEGALIZATION POLICY FOR IMMIGRANTS WILL CONTINUE
The economic immigrants legalization policy will continue and
all those who do not meet the necessary pre-conditions in order to
become legal they will be sent back to their countries, stated
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
Mr. Reppas added that all the immigrants who will remain in
Greece would have to respect the laws, while on the tragic case in
Elbasan, he stressed that every move in the police operation was
made having as a priority the safety of the hostages. He also
stated that the truth will come out when the findings of the joint
committee will be released.
[07] REPPAS ON THE OCALAN TRIAL
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated on the
occasion of the trial of Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in
Turkey that Greece's position is the same with that of the
European Union.
Mr. Reppas stated that there should a fair trial.
[08] THE FIRST NAMES OF MISSING KOSSOVO REFUGEES APPEARED ON
ABNA'S INTERNET WEB SITE
Two hundred names of missing Kossovo refugees are at the
disposal of those who are searching for missing people and can be
found in the web site created on the Internet by the Association
of Balkan News Agencies, ABNA.
MPA general director Mr. Spiros Kouzinopoulos stated in a
press conference that ABNA decided to create this web site in the
extraordinary meeting of its general directors in an effort to
assist in the reunion of families that were divided because of the
tragic events taking place in the region of Kossovo.
The web site that is being hosted by MPA began its operation
on May 17, 1999 and already have been received the first messages
of people who are looking for their missing relatives and friends.
MPA has created the web site and data base and it will install two
computer terminals in each of the two biggest refugee camps in
Albania as soon as the necessary infrastructure is installed by
the Albanian authorities, while later on it will do the same in
the FYROM refugee camps.
Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated that ABNA is in contact with the
Greek Red Cross that will offer a satellite phone to deal with the
problem of the limited telephone lines in Albania.
[09] PAPATHEMELIS: THE OCALAN STATEMENTS CAN NOT BE CREDIBLE
The statements made by Abdullah Ocalan in the opening of his
trial in Turkey can not have any credibility because of the state
he is in, commented to Macedonian Press Agency governing Socialist
party of PASOK parliament deputy Stelios Papathemelis.
Mr. Papathemelis stated that Ocalan is a changed, passive
individual who acts under the influence of what he has gone
through and continues to go through in the Turkish prisons which
can range from taking hallucinatory drugs by force to torture.
Therefore, said Mr. Papathemelis, the statements of an accused who
is not free as a personality and is not in his normal condition as
a human being, can not have any credibility whatsoever.
[10] THE EU SUMMIT MEETING WILL BE HELD IN KOLON ON THURSDAY
The institutional restructuring of the European Union and the
crisis in Yugoslavia will be among the main issues of discussion
in the European Summit meeting that will be held in Germany on
Thursday and Friday with the participation of prime minister
Kostas Simitis.
Last week, Mr. Simitis in a letter addressed to the rest 14
EU leaders and governments underlined that this summit meeting is
the last chance for the EU to intervene in a decisive way in the
Balkan crisis.
[11] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITED THE MUNICIPALITY OF NEAPOLIS
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos continues his tour of the
prefecture of Thessaloniki. At 10:30am this morning, he visited
the municipality of Neapolis and officiated in the St. George
cathedral.
The head of the Christian Orthodox Church referred to the
close ties linking Istanbul with western Thessaloniki, home for a
large number of refugees from Asia Minor. The Ecumenical Patriarch
also visited the Giorgos Papanikolaou Hospital.
[12] FIVE TONS OF FROZEN POULTRY TAINTED WITH DIOXIN WERE
DISCOVERED BY THE BELGIAN AUTHORITIES
The Belgian authorities located 5 tons of frozen poultry,
whole chicken and parts, contaminated with dioxin.
The Belgian ministry of agriculture has warned the Greek
authorities of the discovery as contaminated poultry has been
exported to Greece.
Greek agriculture undersecretary Mr. Fountas stated that
thanks to the timely warning a large part of the contaminated
poultry has been confiscated, while only a small quantity has been
distributed to the market.
However, he admitted that there could be a problem with the
contaminated egg by-products used in pastry and in making
mayonnaise.
[13] BLACK SEA BANK LAUNCHES ITS OPERATION TODAY
The official opening of the Black Sea Bank, which launches
its operation today, will be held on June 21st in the presence of
government officials from 11 member-states of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation Pact (BSEC).
The BSEC aims at facilitating the transition of the member-
states of the BSEC to the free market economy. Thus, funds from
its budget will be channeled mainly into projects and programmes
which will be co-funded by similar organizations such as the
European Bank of Reconstruction and Development.
Members of the BSEC are Greece, Turkey, Russia, Romania,
Ukraine, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldavia and
Albania.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] CHERNOMIRDIN-AHTISAARI-TALBOTT TO MEET AGAIN
Intense diplomatic efforts will resume today in search of a
solution to the crisis in Yugoslavia. The Russian mediator Victor
Chernomirdin will hold a meeting in Bonn with President of Finland
Marti Ahtissari and the US Deputy Secretary of State, Strobe
Talbott.
Tomorrow Chernomirdin and Ahtissari will fly to Belgrade in
order to hold talks with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic.
We should note that Belgrade has announced that it accepts the
principles of the plan drafted by G-8 Foreign Ministers.
[15] 10 PEOPLE DIED DURING LAST NIGHT'S NATO'S ATTACK ON
YUGOSLAVIA
NATO continued the heavy bombing of Yugoslavia during the
night. Serb media report new victims while the major part of the
country plunged once again in darkness. NATO planes hit
telecommunication, industrial and military facilities throughout
Serbia.
According to the serb media ten people were killed while
more than 20 were injured when missiles hit a building in the city
of Novi-Pazar. A post office was bombed in the same area, as well
as a printing-office and a local television station.
[16] OCALAN TRIAL RESUMES
Abdullah Ocalan's trial proceeds today in Imrali island of
Turkey. The Kurd leader told the court yesterday that he is ready
to cooperate with the turkish authorities on the surrender of the
Kurd rebels in Southeastern Turkey.
He stressed that if he is not sentenced to death he will be
able to persuade the rebels to quit the mountain war, in three
months time. Ocalan also noted that he has not been tortured and
apologized for the victims of war.
[17] RUSSIAN CABINET APPROVES NEW ECONOMIC MEASURES
The Russian cabinet approved, at a meeting called by prime
minister Sergei Stepashin, the policy plans regarding the
reforming of the Central Bank's structure as well as the country's
relations with international financial institutions.
The cabinet discussed proposals for meeting World Bank terms,
in order to secure a new loan for Russia. Most of the proposals
aimed at the restructuring of the country's economy.
Representatives of the State Duma took part in the meeting,
headed by Duma Budget Committee chairman, Aleksander Zhukov.
[18] HUNGARY-BASED US AIRCRAFTS HAVE BEGAN RAIDS AGAINST
YUGOSLAVIA
Twenty four US F-18 jet-fighers that were deployed inside
Hungary, have began raids against Yugoslavia since last week,
according to sources from Taszar air base in southern Hungary.
Meanwhile, on May 28th, the hungarian government announced
that it will allow the deployment of 18 A-10 aircrafts, which are
designed to attack tanks, at the same base.
According to the ministry of Defense of Hungary, three A-10
aircrafts have arrived by today at Taszar base and the rest are
due to arrive over the next days.
Sixteen KC-135 mid-air refueling planes are already stationed at
the airport of Budapest
[19] MINSK: STAMPEDE KILLS 53 PEOPLE
At least 53 people were killed last night in the Bellorussian
capital and some 100 people were injured as a result of the
stampede of 2000 persons who attended a beer festival.
The crowd rushed into a subway to find shelter from the
sudden shower and people, seized in panic, were stamped to death.
According to Mikhail Mysnikovich, head of the presidential
administration, 78 people have been hospitalized, while seven
remain in critical condition.
Bellorussian President, Alexander Lukashenko called the
stampede "monstrous" and asked the relatives of the victims "not
to blame or judge anybody".
[20] 10,4 MILLION UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN RUSSIA
The number of unemployed people in Russia rose by 2,3 million
after the economic crisis that torments the country since August
1998, and according to the State Statistical Committee about 10,4
million people remained out of work at the end of April.
Meanwhile the central bank of Russia announced a growth of
2,85% of the state's deposits of gold, which account to 11,6
billion dollars. However, gold deposits have decreased by 5%
compared to their amount at the beginning of the year.
[21] BELGRADE CLAIMS TO HAVE SHOT DOWN 190 NATO PLANES
The Deputy Secretary of Information of the Serb government,
Radmila Visic, claimed that Yugoslavia has shot down more that 190
NATO aircrafts since March 24, when the Alliance launched air
raids against the country, in her interview at the Macedonian
Press Agency.
Mrs Visic accused NATO of concealing the actual number of its
losses during the two-month war in Yugoslavia and reassured that
when the hostilities are over, the Alliance will be forced to
inform first of all the mothers of the dead pilots, who still
don't know the truth.
"Of course Americans and the rest of the NATO allies do not
admit that they lost 190 aircrafts and they will not admit it in
any of their briefings. However, even in the Internet, in NATO web-
site there are data that confirm this number and verify the claims
of the Yugoslav army", said Mrs. Visic. "I am certain that when
this is all over, then the international public opinion and
especially the American one will face the Vietnam syndrome and
then the mothers of the pilots of the shot down planes will be
informed that their sons where killed in the raids against
Yugoslavia", she stressed.
When asked about why the Yugoslav authorities do not present
photos or videos that confirm their allegations of having downed
190 planes, the Serb minister noted that even NATO itself has
admitted that Yugoslavia has a remarkable strategy.
"It is part of are tactics, not to show the. I, like a good
soldier, will not give more information on this. However, the fact
that NATO has announced that it will bring another 1.200 planes
against a country with small air force, doesn't that mean anything
to you?".
Mrs Visic also pointed out the ecological side-effects of the
war against her country and stressed that "he ecological disaster
cannot be refrained inside the borders of Yugoslavia and that
right now NATO attacks all the countries around the river Danube".
She also expressed her regret for all the Greek students that
attended Yugoslav universities and were forced to disrupt their
studies and return to Greece because of the war.
She accused NATO of wanting to occupy Yugoslavia and shut off
every free source of information while noting that the work of
Greek journalists in her country is an objective source of
information transmitted all over the world showing exactly what is
happening there. "NATO is defeated in the war of information" she
stressed.
Mrs Visic accused the Alliance of causing the massive exodus
of the refugees and said that the Albanians are free to chose
where they want to go; they are free to go to Skopje, Albania or
Greece or even return to Kosovo.
[22] ARMENIA: COALITION FOR UNITY WINS 52% IN ELECTIONS
The Coalition for Unity has won 52% of the votes in the
elections held in Armenia yesterday, according to preliminary
results issued by the Armenian Xentral Electoral Commission.
The coalition is formed by the Defence minister's Vazgen
Sarkissian's Republican Party of Armenia and the People's Party of
Armenia, lead by Karen Dermichian.
The Communist Party of Armenia received 16.33% of the votes,
the Armenian Revolutionary Federations received 9.25% and the
Right Coalition Block received another 5.4%.
The premier's Vazgen Manoukian, National Democratic Union
failed to surmount the 5% minimum required for representation in
the parliament, while voter turnout was 55.7 percent.
[23] SERBIA'S ELECTRICITY NETWORK SUFFERED SEVERE DAMAGE
The Yugoslav authorities encounter great difficulties in
their efforts to restore the damages in the electricity network of
Serbia, caused by NATO missiles.
The state electricity company of Serbia announced that in the
last 24 hours the electricity network has suffered the worst blow
since the beginning of the Alliance's raids against Yugoslavia.
NATO missiles have bombed the power distribution stations at
Nice, Obrenovac and Novi Sad as well as the two largest power
distribution stations of Serbia located outside Belgrade, while
aircrafts attacked power towers between Obrenovac and Belgrade.
Late last night the authorities managed to restore the
electricity supply of areas in the center of Belgrade while the
largest part of Voivodina and the suburbs of the yugoslavian
capital remain without power.
[24] BERISHA BLAMES THE ALBANIAN POLICE FOR THE DEATH OF THE GREEK
HOSTAGE
Albanian opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha
blames the Albanian police for the death of the Greek hostage
during the storming of the bus near Elbasan, pointing out that the
tragic incident should not become an excuse for the deportation of
Albanian illegal immigrants from Greece.
Mr. Berisha condemned the way in which the Albanian police
handled the case of Albanian bus hijacker Flamur Pisli, putting in
danger the lives of the Greek hostages he was holding and called
for transparency in the clearing up of the case.
He said that eight Albanian inmates have been killed while in
police custody and those responsible for the crimes were never
found which proves that human life has no value in Albania.
Mr. Berisha also stated that if the Greek version is
confirmed on who killed the Greek hostage, which is already proven
by the existing video tape, it will be an act of shame for the
Albanian government.
[25] BELGRADE MAINTAINS THAT IT HAS STRUCK A SEVERE BLOW ON KLA
The Pristina based Yugoslav army units struck a blow on the
Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, rebels who have tried to enter Kosovo
from northern Albania, according to Belgrade.
Based on a news report broadcast by the Serb state television
last night, 2.000-3.000 Albanian separatists in cooperation with
Albanian and NATO army officers have tried unsuccessfully to widen
the front between Djakovica and Vrdnik to create a safe corridor
to Kossovo.
The Serb state television also broadcast footage with the
military outposts of Kosara and Gorozup, pointing out that in
spite of the allegations of the Albanian mass media that KLA has
seized the two outposts, the Yugoslavs continue to control the
region and defend the country's borders with Albania.
[26] CHERNOMYRDIN: THERE IS WILL FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE YUGOSLAV
CRISIS
Russian mediator Victor Chernomyrdin, Finnish president
Maarti Ahtisaari and US assistant secretary of state Strobe
Talbott discuss in Bonn today the stance they will adopt toward
Belgrade.
Mr. Chernomyrdin stated before leaving Moscow that there is
will from all sides for a political solution to the Yugoslav
crisis. Mr. Chernomyrdin and Mr. Ahtisaari will visit Belgrade
tomorrow for talks with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.
[27] A MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHED IN THE SEA OF MARMARA
A military helicopter, possibly Turkish, crashed in the Sea
of Marmara today and according to available information, 2 people
were killed and 4 were injured.
The causes of the crash are being investigated.
[28] MILO DJUKANOVIC TO VISIT FYROM
Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic is to pay an official
visit to FYROM today according to officials of the Foreign
Ministry of FYROM.
Mr Djukanovic is expected to meet Foreign Minister of FYROM,
Alexander Dimitrov as well as President Kiro Gligorov. This would
be the first visit of the Montenegrin President to FYROM.
[29] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON A THREE-DAY VISIT TO CHINA
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanof arrived in China today
for a three-day visit, during which he will meet with Chinese
President Jiang Zemin.
Ivanov is to lay the groundwork for a summit to be held this
autumn between Jiang Zemin and Russian President Boris Yeltsin,
according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Mr. Ivanov will also hold talks with his Chinese counterpart
Tang Jiaxuan, concerning the Kosovo crisis while a joint
communique is to be issued criticizing the NATO raids against
Yugoslavia.
Russian Foreign Minister will also meet with Chinese premier
Zhu Rongji to discuss the yugoslav problem as well as the
relations between Russia, China and India.
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