Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-11-08
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 8, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PRESIDENT OF GREECE TO VISIT SLOVENIA THIS
MONTH
[02] ATHENS GETS READY FOR US PRESIDENT'S
ARRIVAL
[03] "MOCK TRIAL" PLANNED TONIGHT IN LIGHT OF
US PRESIDENT'S VISIT
[04] ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE TO CHANGE ITS
OPERATIONS
[05] INCLEMENT WEATHER RENDERS SAILING
PROHIBITIVE
[06] SOFIA OFFERS IDEAS FOR GREECE'S BALKAN
RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
[07] 80.5% OF THE GREEKS HAVE A NEGATIVE OPINION
ABOUT BILL CLINTON
[08] MS. KARAMANOU WAS RE-ELECTED WOMEN'S
SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT
[09] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN ALL
NECESSARY MEASURES FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS AGAINST
CLINTON
[10] "FRIENDSHIP TRAIN" - AN AMBASSADOR OF PEACE
FROM TURKEY WILL ARRIVE IN THESSALONIKI ON
WEDNESDAY
[11] THE GREEK PRESIDENT IS ON A VISIT TO MUNICH
[12] NEW RISE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[13] COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARISTOTLE
UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI AND CHARLES
UNIVERSITY OF PRAGUE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] GREEK PRESIDENT TO INAUGURATE NATIONAL
BAVARIAN MUSEUM
[15] PM MEETS WITH COUNTERPARTS IN SOCIALIST
INTERNATIONAL
[16] DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH PALESTINIAN
LEADER ARAFAT
[17] EU REGIONAL POLICY COMMISSIONER IN ATHENS
THIS WEEK
[18] CULTURE MINISTER TRAVELS TO SYDNEY TODAY
[19] BRITISH MUSEUM RENTS PARTHENON MARBLES ROOM
FOR PARTIES
[20] PM DISCUSSES EU EXPANSION, TURKEY'S
CANDIDACY WITH DUTCH PM
[21] ISTANBUL MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE ST.
NIKOLAOS CHURCH
[22] THE SIMITIS-JOSPEN MEETING WILL BE HELD
THIS AFTERNOON
[23] KORITSA WAS THE LAST STOP OF THE ECUMENICAL
PATRIARCH'S TOUR OF ALBANIA
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NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PRESIDENT OF GREECE TO VISIT SLOVENIA THIS
MONTH
The President of the Hellenic Republic
Costis Stephanopoulos will conduct an official
visit to Slovenia on November 10-12 at the
invitation of Slovenian President Milan Kucan.
Mr. Stephanopoulos will be accompanied by
Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis.
[02] ATHENS GETS READY FOR US PRESIDENT'S
ARRIVAL
Athens police authorities are taking
draconian security measures for the arrival of
United States President Bill Clinton who will
land in Athens next Saturday on Air Force One.
The US President will be accompanied -
aside from First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton -
by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,
Assistant Secretary of State Marc Grossman,
National Security adviser Sandy Berger, White
House Chief of Staff Tony Podesta, National
Security Council European Affairs director Tony
Blinken and Ambassador Alfred Moses, the
presidential Cyprus envoy.
Upon arrival, Mr. Clinton will hold a brief
meeting with President Costis Stephanopoulos, to
be followed by private talks with Prime Minister
Costas Simitis and, later, with New Democracy
leader Costas Karamanlis.
President Stephanopoulos will host a dinner
for the US president and American officials in
the evening.
Mr. Clinton is to deliver a speech on US-
Greek relations - with references to the
Balkans, Cyprus and Greek-Turkish relations at
the Megaron Mousikis on Saturday afternoon,
while he will also address the American-Greek
Chamber of Commerce on Sunday morning.
The US president will also be accompanied
by a number of prominent Greek-Americans,
including Senator Paul
Sarbanes, World Council of Hellenes Abroad
president Andrew Athens, businessmen Angelos
Tsakopoulos and John Katsimatidis, lobbyist
Andrew Manatos.
[03] "MOCK TRIAL" PLANNED TONIGHT IN LIGHT OF
US PRESIDENT'S VISIT
A mock trial will be held at Athens's
central constitution square this evening, where
United States President Bill Clinton and U.S.
policy in the Balkans will be "tried" in a
"people's court".
The event is organized by the Actors Guild, is
cooperation with other pacifist organizations,
who object to Mr. Clinton's upcoming visit to
Athens.
A number of protest marches are to be held
this week in both Athens (to the American
Embassy) and Thessaloniki (to the US
Consulate).
In what seem to be protests possibly linked
to Mr. Clinton's visit, a bomb exploded outside
a Levis jeans store in Athens yesterday and
shots were fired outside the Hellenic-American
Union in Athens, although no one was hurt and
there were no immediate claims of
responsibility.
[04] ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE TO CHANGE ITS
OPERATIONS
Two significant measures regarding the
operation of the Athens Stock Exchange are to be
introduced by the Minister of National Economy
and Finance Yiannos Papantoniou tomorrow.
The first concerns the extension of trading by
two hours, while the second concerns the
expansion of the fluctuation rate from -+ eight
percent to -+ 12 percent.
These measures are expected to be
enforced at the start of next year.
[05] INCLEMENT WEATHER RENDERS SAILING
PROHIBITIVE
A wave of inclement weather, coupled with
gusty winds, has rendered sailing prohibitive
for most of Greece's ports Greece today.
Sailing is prohibited from the ports of
Piraeus, Rafina, and from Kavala, Thasos and
Lefkimi.
[06] SOFIA OFFERS IDEAS FOR GREECE'S BALKAN
RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
Bulgaria has proposed to the Greek
government a specific "package" of projects and
interventions which could be funded by the Greek
Plan for Balkan Reconstruction, in the sectors
of transportation, telecommunications and social
welfare.
Although Athens has yet to announce the
projects to be funded by its Plan (amounting to
GRD18.5 billion for the five-year period of 2000-
2004), Bulgaria has provided a series of
suggestions to the Greek government in regards
to the allocation of the said monies.
Specifically, Bulgaria proposes that
funding be made available for the drafting and
construction of a section of the Strouma
Highway, as part of the Transeuropean transport
corridor 4. Furthermore, Bulgaria proposes
that funding be made available for the
reconstruction of Sofia's ring-road, also a part
of the Transeuropean transport corridor 4.
Beyond the vested interest Bulgaria holds
in the aforementioned projects, they are also of
value to Greece given their European dimension.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria's National Program for
Regional Development for the span of 2000-2006
includes a package of key projects for the
Pazardjik region, near Plovdiv. The said
package is expected to serve as a guide for the
allocation of Greek funds while the region's
geographic closeness to Greece is, according to
Bulgaria, an added advantage for directing Greek
funds therein.
Moreover, Bulgaria proposes that a part of
the Greek funds could be allocated for
additional capitalization of the Bulgarian
Export Insurance Agency (BEIA)
Meanwhile, in regards to the establishment
of 2-3 health centers in Bulgaria (as provided
by the Greek Plan), Bulgaria suggests that the
necessity of such centers should be reviewed
given the country's on-going health reform and,
instead, proposes the purchase of medical
equipment.
[07] 80.5% OF THE GREEKS HAVE A NEGATIVE OPINION
ABOUT BILL CLINTON
Based on the conclusions of an opinion poll
conducted by the polling company ALCO on behalf
of the Athens newspaper "Ethnos", 80.5% of the
Greeks who took part in the opinion poll have a
negative opinion about US president Bill Clinton
and 12.2% have a positive opinion.
The negative opinion is shared by the
voters of all political parties. Specifically, a
negative opinion about the US president is
shared by 86.4% of the leftist voters, 83.3% of
the governing socialist party of PASOK voters
and 75.3% of the right-wing main opposition
party of New Democracy voters.
Of those who responded to the
questionnaire, 92.4% have stated that they do
not trust the US president, 82.6% believe that
his visit will not help the issues of Cyprus and
the Greek-Turkish relations, while 61.2% believe
that the Clinton visit should be canceled under
the existing circumstances. The opinion that the
Clinton visit will hurt the Simitis government
is shared by 32.1% of those asked, 30.1% believe
that it will be beneficial and 37.8% appear
hesitant to express an opinion.
The opinion poll was conducted on November
3-5 with the participation of 1.000 people from
the region of Athens aged 18-70 years old.
[08] MS. KARAMANOU WAS RE-ELECTED WOMEN'S
SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT
Spain's Dolores Renau was elected Women's
Socialist International president while PASOK
Euro-deputy Anna Karamanou was re-elected to the
post of the vice-president.
Ms. Karamanou was assigned the
responsibility of the geographic area of Turkey
and the countries of south-eastern Europe and
the Caucasus.
On Friday, PASOK's Euro-deputy will be
honored with the Ipekci Prize for her actions
toward the Greek-Turkish rapprochement.
[09] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN ALL
NECESSARY MEASURES FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS AGAINST
CLINTON
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
stated that the government has taken all
necessary measures for peaceful protests against
US president Bill Clinton. He said that the
right of the people to free expression can not
be restricted, adding that the government
believes that the protests will be peaceful.
Mr. Reppas condemned the wave of bomb
attacks and stated that it is understandable
that it has created a climate of concern in the
government.
[10] "FRIENDSHIP TRAIN" - AN AMBASSADOR OF PEACE
FROM TURKEY WILL ARRIVE IN THESSALONIKI ON
WEDNESDAY
A "train of friendship" will arrive in
Thessaloniki on Wednesday morning as an
ambassador of peace from Turkey.
The train will leave Istanbul tomorrow afternoon
and it is made up of two cars namely, the one
used by founder of modern Turkey Kemal Ataturk
for his trips in the country and the museum car
in which photographs of Ataturk and Eleftherios
Venizelos are being displayed reflecting the
climate of their time.
The "train of friendship" aims at giving
another dimension to the 61st anniversary of
Kemal Ataturk's death. His memory will be
honored at the house where he was born in
Thessaloniki at 9:05am on Wednesday, the exact
time of his death.
The "train of friendship" will come to
Greece at the initiative of the Turkish Radio
and Television (TRT) in cooperation with the
Turkish Railways (DDY). In the mission also
participate members of the rescue team AKUT
which took part in the rescue efforts after the
two devastating earthquakes that hit Greece and
Turkey recently as well as Turkey's national
assembly art issues adviser Yassar Tsali.
The Turkish mission will be in Athens on
Thursday morning and in the evening of that day
its members will attend the formal reception
that will be given by the Turkish embassy to the
Greek capital on the occasion of the Peace and
Friendship Abdi Ipekci Awards.
[11] THE GREEK PRESIDENT IS ON A VISIT TO MUNICH
President of Greece Kostis Stephanopoulos
is in Munich today and this afternoon he will
inaugurate an exhibition in this German city.
During his stay in Munich, Mr.
Stephanopoulos will meet with the prime minister
of the state of Bavaria, government officials as
well as with representatives of the Greek
community and the local Greek Orthodox Church.
He will also visit museums and he will lay a
wreath to the monument for the Greeks who died
for freedom. Mr. Stephanopoulos will return to
Athens late this evening.
[12] NEW RISE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The week in the Athens Stock Exchange
opened in a dynamic way with the general index
at 2.42% closing at 5.753,60. The volume of
transactions reached 355 billion drachmas.
The general index moved upwards as a result
of the strong purchase interest expressed by
investors but no impressive developments took
place that could be able to change the picture
of the market.
[13] COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARISTOTLE
UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI AND CHARLES
UNIVERSITY OF PRAGUE
A cooperation agreement is expected to be
signed tomorrow between Thessaloniki's Aristotle
University and Charles University of Prague.
The cooperation concerns the Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki departments of
physics and civil engineering and the
departments of physics and math of Prague's
Charles University. The agreement provides for
lectures and visit exchanges for scientific and
research purposes.
Thessaloniki's Aristotle University has
already signed cooperation agreements with other
52 foreign universities.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] GREEK PRESIDENT TO INAUGURATE NATIONAL
BAVARIAN MUSEUM
The President of the Hellenic Republic
Costis Stephanopoulos is presently in Munich
where he will officially open an exhibition at
the National Bavarian Museum.
President Stephanopoulos will open the
exhibition at a ceremony today. The exhibition -
‘Modern Greece - Greeks and Bavarians in the era
of Ludwig I' - will run through to February next
year.
The Greek president is expected to return
to Athens this evening.
[15] PM MEETS WITH COUNTERPARTS IN SOCIALIST
INTERNATIONAL
Prime Minister Costas Simitis is presently
in Paris, where he will address as a keynote
speaker the 21st Socialist International
conference which opens today and features the
participation of socialist and social-democrat
leaders from 130 countries.
The conference will elect its new president
and will consider approval of the "Declaration
of Paris".
Mr. Simitis is accompanied by PASOK
Secretary Costas Skandalidis, Foreign Minister
George Papandreou and Alternate Foreign Minister
Christos Rokofyllos.
The Premier is also scheduled to meet with
French President Jacques Chirac tomorrow.
[16] DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH PALESTINIAN
LEADER ARAFAT
Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos met
with the Palestinian president Yasser Arafat
during the former's official visit to Ramala,
the Autonomous Palestinian Territories, and
relayed the Greek government's interest in
promoting the Middle East peace process.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos assured Mr. Arafat that
the recent agreement signed between Greece and
Israel does not compromise the Palestinians.
In addition to bilateral matters the Greek
Minister, who recently met with the Israeli
Premier Ehud Barak, discussed the establishment
of a regional security system, which would
include Greece, Israel, Palestine, Cyprus,
Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
Responding to questions regarding the
recent signing of the Greek-Israeli defense
agreement, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that "we
had the opportunity to brief the Palestinian
Authority on our initiatives and aims, so as to
be able to promote peace, security, cooperation
and stability among all peoples in the wider
eastern Mediterranean region.
"We should overcome the rationale of
divisions and selective cooperation between some
peoples," he added.
Mr. Arafat thank the Greek minister, the Greek
government and the Greek people "for their
continuing support of the Palestinian people in
all sectors, whether directly or indirectly
through the European Union, " adding that "we
are proud and happy for this visit, as well as
for the historical bonds between Greeks and
Palestinians."
[17] EU REGIONAL POLICY COMMISSIONER IN ATHENS
THIS WEEK
The European Union's Regional Policy
Commissioner Michel Barnier will conduct a visit
to Athens on November 12, where he is scheduled
to meet with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and
Foreign Minister George Papandreou with whom he
will discuss issues pertaining to the inter-
governmental conference and innovations in
institutional affairs, in view of the European
Union's expansion.
Mr. Barnier will also meet with National
Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou to discuss
regional policy issues.
[18] CULTURE MINISTER TRAVELS TO SYDNEY TODAY
Culture Minister Elizabeth Papazoi will
travel to Sydney today, where she will hold
talks with the New South Wales government.
Ms Papazoi will have talks with New South
Wales State Premier Bob Carr, Olympic Games
Minister Michael Knight and other state
officials.
[19] BRITISH MUSEUM RENTS PARTHENON MARBLES ROOM
FOR PARTIES
At astronomical rates, the British Museum's
officials are providing the room housing the
priceless Parthenon Marbles for fundraising
soirees and dinner parties, according to an
article published in today's edition of the U.K.
daily "The Guardian".
According to the story, the Museum's
officials cater the fundraising events to
corporate clients and millionaires who do not
balk at paying £35,000 (1,750,000 drachmas) -
excluding the cost of food, drink or staff - for
dining by the Marbles, with guests and waiters
dressed in Greek costume.
People wishing to hire the venue have to
take out £2 million indemnity insurance (about
one billion drachmas) before they are allowed
in, the article reports, although the Museum
admits that even this would be inadequate if the
Marbles were damaged.
The guests can also listen to jazz bands,
string quartets or harpists in the marbles room
but are banned from dancing or smoking,
although, according to the article, some guests
are known to have sneaked a cigar in front of
the priceless antiquities.
The disclosure that the museum is
exploiting the Marbles for such events has
shocked academics, MPs and former trustees.
Sir Kenneth Alexander, a former trustee of
the National Museum of Scotland and former
chancellor of Aberdeen university, described the
British Museum's actions as a "crass misuse of
one of the world's greatest antiquities".
Andrew Dismore, a Labor Party MP and
member of the British Museum Society, said "I am
frankly dismayed at the attitude of the museum.
"As for costume dinners, what are we going
to have next?
Themed orgies in the Roman galleries?"
[20] PM DISCUSSES EU EXPANSION, TURKEY'S
CANDIDACY WITH DUTCH PM
Prime Minister Costas Simitis met with his
Dutch counterpart Wim Kok in Paris yesterday, on
the sidelines of the 21St session of the
Socialist International with whom he discussed
the expansion of the European Union in light of
the upcoming Helsinki Summit in December.
Speaking to the press after the meeting,
Mr. Simitis stated that their discussion focused
on the European Union's enlargement, which is
of particular concern to Greece since the issue
of Turkey's candidacy will be discussed.
Mr. Simitis added that "we want to
safeguard all the conditions of enlargement
which will guarantee a peaceful course in the
region. Our primary concern is always peace and
cooperation in the Balkan region."
[21] ISTANBUL MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE ST.
NIKOLAOS CHURCH
The Turkish interior ministry accused 13
Istanbul municipality officials of being
responsible for the demolition of the Christian
Orthodox church of St. Nikolaos because they
gave their permission for this in order to
create a park in its place. The above are
reported in the Turkish newspaper "Sabah" which
points out that in spite of the fact that the
church was a historical monument it was
demolished and its debris were cleared away in
one night.
According to the newspaper report, the
ministry of interior ordered a special inquiry
which has been completed and its findings have
already been submitted to the prefecture of
Istanbul. Also, the case file has been sent to
the Istanbul prosecutor in order to press
charges against the responsible employees of the
company that took over the demolition of the
church.
[22] THE SIMITIS-JOSPEN MEETING WILL BE HELD
THIS AFTERNOON
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis will
meet in Paris this afternoon with his French
counterpart Lionel Jospen and tomorrow he will
have a meeting with French president Jacques
Chirac.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
stated that the main topics of the discussions
in the meetings the prime minister has on the
sidelines of the 21st conference of the
Socialist International are issues concerning
the European Union and Greece and the Helsinki
Summit meeting. In the conference participate
socialist and social-democrat leaders from 130
countries.
[23] KORITSA WAS THE LAST STOP OF THE ECUMENICAL
PATRIARCH'S TOUR OF ALBANIA
The residents and the local authorities of
the city of Koritsa in Albania offered a warm
reception to Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos
who completes his tour of Albania today and
tomorrow he will return to Istanbul.
Thousands of faithful had gathered at the
central square of Koritsa to welcome the
Ecumenical Patriarch, who was accompanied by
Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All of
Albania and many clerics from the Albanian
Christian Orthodox Church.
The Ecumenical Patriarch officiated in the
doxology that was held in the city's newly built
cathedral and speaking to the people sent a
message of peace, brotherhood and cooperation
among the peoples. Later, he visited the City
Hall and met with representatives of local
residents and organizations.
The Ecumenical Patriarch was scheduled to
return to Tirana later this evening to attend a
formal dinner that will be given in his honor by
the Archbishop of Albania and tomorrow he will
be back to Turkey.
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