Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-08-06
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, August 6, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PRODUCTS ARE SAFE, DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY ASSURES
[02] NATIONAL STATISTICS AGENCY: INFLATION CLOSED AT 2.1% IN
JULY
[03] HEALTH AND WELFARE MINISTRY ISSUES SOLAR ECLIPSE
WARNING
[04] UKRAINIAN TOURISTS FALL VICTIM TO ALIEN ROBBERS IN
GREECE
[05] MACEDONIA-THRACE MINISTER, ALBANIAN LABOR
UNDERSECRETARY
[06] THERMAICOS BAY MUSSELS GET CLEAN BILL FROM ITALIAN LABS
[07] MPA'S CONTRIBUTION TO GREEK PRESS ABROAD SALUTED WIDELY
[08] GOVERNMENT ASSESSES INFLATION DROP
[09] HEATWAVE EXPECTED NEXT WEEK, TEMPERATURES TO SOAR
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] HOLBROOKE TO SERVE AS US AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS
[11] ALTERNATE FM MEETS WITH ISRAELI LEADERS
[12] PKK TO CONFORM TO OCALAN'S APPEAL FOR END OF AGGRESSION
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PRODUCTS ARE SAFE, DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY ASSURES
Greek products are completely safe, in regards to
dioxin, according to the Ministry of Development. According
to controls performed on 13 samples of dairy, poultry and
meat products, the Ministry announced that the dioxin levels
are extremely low, The controls are to continue on 10 more
samples and results are expected in the following weeks.
[02] NATIONAL STATISTICS AGENCY: INFLATION CLOSED AT 2.1% IN
JULY
According to the National Statistics Agency, the
state's inflation rate closed at 2.1% in July, remaining at
about the same level with June's rate.
The lack of fluctuation is attributed to price
reductions in various food products and to the summer sales
period. Fuel prices dropped by three drachmas as of
Wednesday, a result of the state's reduction of consumption
tariffs in order to combat inflation.
[03] HEALTH AND WELFARE MINISTRY ISSUES SOLAR ECLIPSE
WARNING
The Health and Welfare Ministry has issued a press
release warning of dangers related to viewing the solar
eclipse on Wednesday.
Even a short exposure to the sun's rays during the
eclipse could cause permanent damage to the eyes. Only
special equipment should be used by observers.
The solar eclipse will be visible in Greece between
12:40 p.m. and 5:35 p.m., while it will reach it s peak at
2:10 p.m. local time.
[04] UKRAINIAN TOURISTS FALL VICTIM TO ALIEN ROBBERS IN
GREECE
A group of 40 tourists from Ukraine were robbed of
$13,000.00 and GRD60,000.00 in the city of Kavala yesterday
when three young aliens entered their Kiev-bound bus and
demanded their money and valuables.
Although the three unknown culprits shot their guns in
the air no one was injured. The local police is conducting
an investigation for the discovery and arrest of the
suspects.
[05] MACEDONIA-THRACE MINISTER, ALBANIAN LABOR
UNDERSECRETARY
The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannis Magriotis met
with the Albanian Undersecretary of Defense Gergi Leka
yesterday, whom he briefed on the Greek government's
immigration policy.
Specifically, Mr. Magriotis outlined the three basic
axes of the said policy: First, the immigrants' smooth
social and productive accession to the Greek society and
economy.
"We want them to accede, to work legally, have
insurance, have support, " Mr. Magriotis stated.
The second axis has to do with controls and
registrations, and the third axis has to do with Greek-
Albanian cooperation in aiding the neighboring country to
rebuilt its economy.
[06] THERMAICOS BAY MUSSELS GET CLEAN BILL FROM ITALIAN LABS
Italy's National institute of Sea Research has cleared
Greek mussels from the Thermaicos Gulf of Thessaloniki of
allegations that they were tainted with the DSP toxin.
Results which were received yesterday vindicated the
Greek producers, who believe the entire affair was
engineered by French competitors.
Results are also expected from laboratories in Vigo,
Spain and samples will also be sent to Germany.
Meanwhile, local authorities are running their own
tests through the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki,
and have halted mussel cultivation until all results have
been published.
[07] MPA'S CONTRIBUTION TO GREEK PRESS ABROAD SALUTED WIDELY
The European Union's contribution to the establishment
of peace in the Balkans, the founding of a Hellenistic
international center and the significant offering of the
Macedonian Press Agency were among the topics discussed
during the First Inter-Balkan Meeting of Greek Press
Correspondents Abroad, held in Thessaloniki.
The event was organized by the Greek Press
Correspondents Abroad, in cooperation with the journalism
associations of Bulgaria and Romania and was held within the
framework of "ÉÍÔÅRREG II", under the auspices of the
Ministries of Press and National Economy.
The Macedonian Press Agency was honored for its
contribution by the organizers, who stressed that the agency
is "almost the only Greek news organization that
wholeheartedly supports the Greek-affiliated press in the
Balkans."
Both Thessaloniki and Chicago were proposed as
headquarters of the international Hellenistic center.
[08] GOVERNMENT ASSESSES INFLATION DROP
The government is assessing two factors that aided the
reduction of the inflation rate to 2.1% in July: the
reduction of fuel consumption tax and the increased
production of fresh produce in August.
However, the state's economy and finance ministries are
concerned over the increasing fuel prices worldwide as well
as mounting operating costs which force businesses to up
their prices.
[09] HEATWAVE EXPECTED NEXT WEEK, TEMPERATURES TO SOAR
Temperatures are expected to soar next week in the
Greek cities, reaching 40-42 degrees Celsius in some areas.
According to the National Weather Service, the
temperatures will begin rising as of tomorrow. State
officials are advising city dwellers to stay indoors,
preferably in air-conditioned areas and drink plenty of
fluids.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] HOLBROOKE TO SERVE AS US AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS
The US Senate has elected Richard Holbrooke
to serve as the United States Ambassador to the United
Nations.
Following a 14-month term as Balkan mediator, Mr.
Holbrooke was appointed to his present post with 81 votes in
favor and 16 against.
[11] ALTERNATE FM MEETS WITH ISRAELI LEADERS
Greece's alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis
met with Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy and Minister to
the Premier's Office Chaim Ramon in Israel yesterday, where
the talks confirmed the spirit of cooperation enjoyed by the
two countries.
Mr. Kranidiotis and the Israeli officials discussed
joint business prospects and bilateral military cooperation,
focusing on the formation of a joint committee to study
prospects for trade cooperation and the creation of various
joint ventures.
Both sides agreed over the possibilities for improved
and closer cooperation in the military sector, with the
Israeli navy chief set to visit Athens this month to be
followed by National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos'
visit to Israel in September.
Mr. Kranidiotis stressed that Athens placed particular
emphasis on the promotion of a peace process in the Middle
East, especially since this could lead to a diffusion of
tensions and the downgrading of various military "axes and
anti-axes" in the region.
Mr. Kranidiotis also met with former premier Simon
Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
[12] PKK TO CONFORM TO OCALAN'S APPEAL FOR END OF AGGRESSION
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) will obey convicted
leader Abdullah Ocalan's call for rebel forces to be
withdrawn outside Turkey.
The support came as the country's chief prosecutor
called yesterday for the death sentence on the PKK leader on
treason charges to be upheld.
In his statement, distributed by his lawyers, Ocalan
had called on PKK forces to lay down their arms and move
outside Turkey's borders in a bid to resolve the 15-year
bloody conflict between the Turkish army and rebels in
pursuit of Kurdish self-rule.
In the declaration issued from prison, Ocalan called on
the PKK to end the armed struggle and withdraw its forces
from Turkish territory for the sake of peace from September
1, 1999.
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