Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-12-14
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 14, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE: OUR ONLY DIFFERENCE WITH TURKEY IS
CONTINENTAL SHELF
[02] PREMIER TO ADDRESS FOREIGN PRESS
ASSOCIATION TODAY
[03] GREEK FM: WE CAN PROVIDE TECHNOLOGICAL KNOW-
HOW TO TURKEY
[04] MAIN OPPOSITION HEAD CALLS FOR POLITICAL
LEADERS MEETING
[05] STOCKBROCKERS OPTIMISTIC OVER ATHENS
BOURSE'S COURSE
[06] OVER HALF A TON OF HASHISH DISCOVERED IN
FREEZER-TRAILER
[07] GREEK, TURKISH KIDS FROM AEGEAN SEA ISSUE
PEACE MESSAGE
[08] CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS GREEK RELICS PILFERED
BY BULGARIANS
[09] MITSOTAKIS: THE HELSINKI EU DECISION ON
CYPRUS IS A GREEK SUCCESS
[10] CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ISTANBUL
WILL BE HOSTED BY THE MUNICIPALITY OF NEAPOLIS
[11] SIMITIS: NEW DIRECTION FOR THE RELATIONS
BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY
[12] SIMITIS: THE COOPERATION AND FRIENDSHIP
BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY IS FEASIBLE
[13] KARAMANLIS: THERE IS NO ROOM FOR BOASTING
BY THE GOVERNMENT
[14] TWO OUT OF THREE GREEKS VIEW THE TURKS
POSITIVELY - INCREASED POPULARITY FOR MR.
SIMITIS
[15] LOSS OF 0.9% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] GREEK MINISTER URGES BRITISH PM TO RETURN
MARBLES TO ATHENS
[17] DEFENSE MINISTER CONDUCTS OFFICIAL VISIT TO
FYROM
[18] HOUSING LOANS TO 1.800 ALBANIAN FAMILIES
[19] AGREEMENT ON MILITARY COOPERATION WAS
SIGNED BY TSOCHATZOPOULOS
[20] CEM IN FAVOR OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN THE
KURDISH LANGUAGE
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NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE: OUR ONLY DIFFERENCE WITH TURKEY IS
CONTINENTAL SHELF
Greek government spokesperson Dimitris
Reppas stated yesterday that the only recognized
difference with Turkey was the delimitation of
the Aegean continental shelf, over which, he
stated, Ankara could seek recourse to the
International Court of Justice at The Hague.
Mr. Reppas stressed that Greece is not
obliged to consent to discussing any issue
raised by Turkey.
Referring to the Helsinki EU summit, Mr.
Reppas stated that the results of the agreement
were satisfactory and more than covered Greece's
positions, he said.
"We're not saying that all the problems
have been solved; but we are in a better
situation today than we were yesterday," he
said.
[02] PREMIER TO ADDRESS FOREIGN PRESS
ASSOCIATION TODAY
Prime Minister Costas Simitis will be the
guest speaker at a 1 p.m. luncheon held in his
honor by the Foreign Press Association (FPA) of
Greece today at the Caravel Hotel in Athens.
Mr. Simitis will speak on government policy
and answer questions by Greek and foreign
reporters.
[03] GREEK FM: WE CAN PROVIDE TECHNOLOGICAL KNOW-
HOW TO TURKEY
The Greek government desires to strengthen
cooperation with Turkey and wishes to actively
support Turkey's efforts to become a member of
the European Union, Greek foreign minister
George Papandreou said in an interview with the
German newspaper Die Welt yesterday.
Mr. Papandreou offered Greece's assistance
based on its own experiences from EU accession
and, according to the article, he has already
discussed with his Turkish counterpart Ismail
Cem the prospect of "transferring know-how" with
respect to helping Turkey adapt to the 'acquis
communautaire".
[04] MAIN OPPOSITION HEAD CALLS FOR POLITICAL
LEADERS MEETING
The leader of the main opposition party,
New Democracy's Costas Karamanlis, has called
for a political leaders meting under the
chairing of the president of the republic,
reiterating his displeasure with the results of
the European Union's Helsinki-held summit.
Mr. Karamanlis stated that when he becomes
premier he will try to re-negotiate the terms of
the Summit's agreement regarding Turkey's
acceptance as an EU candidate-member.
He stated that the agreement is not
balanced since "Turkey got what it wanted
without conditions and exchanges, while Greece
limited itself to an in principle positive
statement over the Cyprus issue which, however,
also has questionable formulations".
He further accused the government of
abandoning Greek positions which had been shaped
over the past 25 years and in essence accepted
that border differences exist which should be
resolved with an across-the- board political
dialogue without conditions being set for
respect for international law, international
treaties, the lifting of the threat of the use
of force and the abandonment of Ankara's
unilateral claims.
[05] STOCKBROCKERS OPTIMISTIC OVER ATHENS
BOURSE'S COURSE
Greek stockbrokers are optimistic over the
course of the Athens Stock Exchange by
assessing that the general price index will
reach the 5,800-point mark by the end of the
year. They attribute the positive trend to the
climate created after the European Union's
Helsinki summit and by tomorrow' s reduction of
interest rates as announced by the Bank of
Greece.
[06] OVER HALF A TON OF HASHISH DISCOVERED IN
FREEZER-TRAILER
Customs officials have discovered more than
674 kilos of hashish in packages stashed inside
a freezer-trailer that entered Greece from
Albania early this morning at the border station
of Kristallopigi in Florina.
The truck's 38-year-old driver, an Albanian
national, claimed that he is merely a transport
company employee and was not aware of the
trailer's content.
He told the interrogating officers that he
was to load shipments of fruit in Thessaloniki
and was to come into contact with unidentified
individuals who would notify him via a cell
phone.
[07] GREEK, TURKISH KIDS FROM AEGEAN SEA ISSUE
PEACE MESSAGE
Greek and Turkish children from the Aegean
Sea have issued a peace resolution which was
adopted at the Aegean children's summit
Conference organized by the Turkish college
"Yukselis".
The event featured the participation of
Greek children from the islands of Samos and
Chios who, along with Turkish youngsters, signed
the resolution asking for the further
improvement of bilateral ties.
[08] CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS GREEK RELICS PILFERED
BY BULGARIANS
An international conference aimed at
informing public opinion on relics stolen by
Bulgarians from Greek monasteries during the
course of World War will be organized by the
prefectural local administration of Serres and
the Democritus University of Thrace in September
0f 2000.
According to the chairman of the
Democritus University's Department of History
and Ethnology Prof. George Papazoglou, who also
spearheaded the conference's effort, the
conditions have matured for the return of
pilfered goods to their country of origin.
While Bulgarian officials had - until 1990
- insisted that the relics had been returned to
Greece in 1923, foreign experts, mostly Germans,
discovered that the stolen goods (among them
priceless manuscripts and Byzantine icons) were
stored inside the Sofia Academy of Sciences.
Professor Papazoglou stated that it is
absurd to see these relics being presented by
the Bulgarians as their own cultural heritage
and exhibit them in the United States and Japan.
[09] MITSOTAKIS: THE HELSINKI EU DECISION ON
CYPRUS IS A GREEK SUCCESS
Right-wing main opposition party of New
Democracy honorary president Konstantinos
Mitsotakis adopted a different position from
that of party president Kostas Karamanlis
regarding the Helsinki EU decision.
He characterized as undoubtedly a Greek
success the part of the decision concerning
Cyprus and expressed the belief that time will
not work in favor of Turkey, stressing that
there is hope that we will get out of the
deadlock. Mr. Mitsotakis also added that the
intervention of US president Bill Clinton was
decisive towards this direction.
On the Greek-Turkish relations, the
framework of the decision is unclear and there
are doubts if it will work in favor of Greece as
it does not bind Ankara. However, Mr. Mitsotakis
expressed the belief that those issues will be
dealt from a better basis in the coming years.
He said that it is better to have a Turkey that
is an EU candidate state instead of an isolated
Turkey. Mr. Mitsotakis said that even if Greece
could it should not have tried to block Turkey's
EU membership because there is no national
reason whatsoever to do that.
He also stressed that the policy of New
Democracy was in favor of the European
orientation of Turkey, and the socialist
governing party of PASOK was against this
policy. Therefore, today that PASOK follows this
policy this does not displease the party of New
Democracy.
[10] CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ISTANBUL
WILL BE HOSTED BY THE MUNICIPALITY OF NEAPOLIS
Children and young people from Istanbul
will be hosted by the municipality of Neapolis,
in the prefecture of Thessaloniki, according to
mayor Grigoris Hatzisavvas, who visited the city
heading a delegation.
The mayor of Neapolis discussed with the
leaders of the Greek minority in Istanbul the
establishment of exchange programs for young
people and theater companies as well as the
likelihood to establish a scholarship for
students coming from Istanbul. Also, ways were
discussed to back the Greek community in the
city mainly in the form of voluntary work.
[11] SIMITIS: NEW DIRECTION FOR THE RELATIONS
BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY
The decision for the recognition of Turkey
as an EU candidate state opens new prospects in
the relations of Greece with Turkey, underlined
prime minister Kostas Simitis in his speech
prior to the Association of Foreign Press
Correspondents news conference in Athens.
The leaderships of the two neighboring
countries must create a situation of stability,
friendship and cooperation strengthening the
climate formed after the earthquakes, said Mr.
Simitis, adding that the Greek government is
already doing this by safeguarding the Greek
national rights and interests. He said that
Greece has a leading place in the region and
this is due to its democratic institutions, its
strong economy and its contribution to the
efforts for peace and cooperation.
Mr. Simitis stressed that Greece will enter
the year 2000 having achieved the recovery of
its economy and added that this success is being
recognized by all foreign organizations,
stressing that the country is not characterized
by insecurity but by the convergence with the
rest European countries. He said that the place
of Greece in the new juncture is the biggest
recognition for the efforts made so far and the
Greeks can face the future with optimism and
positive anticipation.
Responding to the question on the criticism
launched by the opposition regarding the
Helsinki decision on the International Court of
Justice in The Hague, Mr. Simitis stated that
the outcome of the Helsinki EU Summit meeting is
absolutely positive for Greece. He said that
Greece does not recognize any other difference
with Turkey except from that of the continental
shelf in the Aegean and if Turkey believes that
it has demands it can bring its case to The
Hague.
On the likelihood of the threat for the use
of force by Turkey, he said that there is no
such precedent in the European Union and the
European Council can reconsider its EU accession
if something like that happens. He underlined
that there is a new direction for the Greek-
Turkish relations which will become more visible
as time passes. He said that the war climate
between the two countries is a picture that
belongs to the past, adding that there is no
reason for concern calling on Turkey to follow
this new direction.
Commenting on the statements of Turkish
prime minister Bulent Ecevit he said that the
European Council decisions are binding for all
and for the EU candidate states.
The prime minister characterized as
positive the statement made by New Democracy
honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who
stated that the EU decision on Cyprus is
undoubtedly a Greek success.
[12] SIMITIS: THE COOPERATION AND FRIENDSHIP
BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY IS FEASIBLE
The clear position that the solution of the
Cyprus problem is determined by the framework
set by the UN resolutions was expressed by prime
minister Kostas Simitis responding to a question
by Turkish newspaper "Hurriyet" correspondent
Anur Batur in the press conference he gave in
the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents
in Athens.
Mr. Simitis responding to the question what
would be his advise to Glafkos Clerides after
the Helsinki EU summit meeting, underlined that
the Cypriot president has repeatedly stated that
the UN decisions determine his stance and the
Greek government is in total agreement. Mr.
Simitis stated that the United Nations have
given directions that should be followed.
The "Hurriyet" correspondent also asked the
prime minister if it would be to the benefit of
the European Union to accept only the Greek
Cypriot side which, according to her, it will
lead to the separation of the island and create
further problems. Mr. Simitis stressed that the
EU decision in Helsinki correctly points out
that the solution of the political problem will
help in the accession procedures adding however,
that when there was a decision for the opening
of the EU accession negotiations with Cyprus in
1995 the existence of the political problem was
known for 20 years.
It was known that in spite of the repeated
efforts that had been made the problem was not
solved, said Mr. Simitis. The European Union
reached its decision knowing that there was a
likelihood that the political problem will
remain unsolved and that it will be faced with
the question on whether it will accept the
Cyprus membership in spite of that fact. It then
decided to go ahead with the accession
negotiations even if the Cyprus problem remained
unsolved. Mr. Simitis added that the EU
reaffirmed in Helsinki that the solution of the
political problem is not a pre-condition for
Cyprus' EU membership.
Mr. Simitis underlined that such a
development is to the benefit of the Greek-
Turkish relations and stressed that the solution
of the Cyprus problem will contribute to peace
and cooperation and also to the efforts aimed at
overcoming the rivalries between the two
communities in the island.
[13] KARAMANLIS: THERE IS NO ROOM FOR BOASTING
BY THE GOVERNMENT
Right-wing main opposition party of New
Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis called for
the political party leaders council to convene
in the meeting he had with president
Stephanopoulos while he reiterated his proposal
for the establishment of the National Council on
Foreign Policy.
In the meeting dominated the conditions
formed after the Helsinki EU decision and
afterwards Mr. Karamanlis stated to reporters
that that the government moved away from the
firm Greek positions as they had been developed
in the past 25 years. He said that Greece is
being led to a negotiation on all issues with
Turkey and only regarding Cyprus the Helsinki EU
decision was positive in principle. He also
underlined that there is no room for boasting
and celebrations by the government while there
is a lot of room for concern.
[14] TWO OUT OF THREE GREEKS VIEW THE TURKS
POSITIVELY - INCREASED POPULARITY FOR MR.
SIMITIS
Two out of three Greeks have friendly
feelings toward the Turks after the recent
earthquakes that hit both countries, according
to a secret research conducted on behalf of
PASOK by the polling company Metron Analysis
which was published by the Athens newspaper "TA
NEA".
The opinion poll was conducted across
Greece in September on a sample of 2.403 people
over the age of 18 and shows an increase in the
popularity of the prime minister by 8 percentage
points, while the governing socialist party of
PASOK is leading the second largest party by
0.7%. On the Greek-Turkish relations, 57.5% of
the Greeks have a better opinion about the Turks
compared to the past and 41.6% have not changed
their opinion about them. Specifically, among
the PASOK voters 63.7% have a better opinion
about the Turks. Also, 51.1% of those
participating in the Gallup poll anticipate the
improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations,
while 44.2% do not believe that anything will
change.
Of the most interesting facts in the
research is that two out of three Greeks (67.7%)
state that they have friendly feelings toward
the Turks and only one in three (31.5%) have
responded that they have a dislike toward them
or they are indifferent. The positive feelings
about the Turks transcend party lines (70.9% for
PASOK and 62.1% for New Democracy).
[15] LOSS OF 0.9% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
New losses of 0.9% were recorded today in
the Athens Stock Exchange and the general index
closed at 5.574,15.
The enthusiasm over the political
developments in Helsinki and the imminent
interest rate cut proved to be of short duration
as the investors appeared cautious and showed
limited purchase interest. The main
characteristic of the session was again the mass
liquidation of stocks while the volume of
transactions remained low at 225 billion
drachmas (5 billion drachmas lower compared to
yesterday's session).
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] GREEK MINISTER URGES BRITISH PM TO RETURN
MARBLES TO ATHENS
Presently in London for a two-day official
visit focusing on economic, commercial and
bilateral relations, Development Minister
Evangelos Venizelos urged British Prime Minister
Tony Blair yesterday to return the Parthenon
Marbles to Greece.
Following a meting with the British Premier
in Downing Street yesterday, Mr. Venizelos
stressed that such a gesture would consolidate
the British leader's position on the world
stage.
"I observed to Mr. Blair that if he hopes
to play the role of a world leader, and he truly
aspires to this role, then an initiative in the
direction of the Marbles was the best way to
go."
[17] DEFENSE MINISTER CONDUCTS OFFICIAL VISIT TO
FYROM
Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is
presently conducting an officials visit to
Skopje, on the occasion of delivering ten
"Leonidas" personnel armored tanks from Greece
to FYROM.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is to meet with his
counterpart from FYROM Nikola Kliusev, Prime
Minister Liupcho Georgievski, president-elect
Boris Trajkovski and Foreign Minister Alexander
Dimitriov.
Prior to returning to Greece this evening,
the Defense Minister will attend the tank-
delivery ceremony which will be held at the
Ilinden camp of Skopje.
[18] HOUSING LOANS TO 1.800 ALBANIAN FAMILIES
One thousand eight hundred families will
have a house soon thanks to the housing loan
granted by Greece to Albania.
According to the newspaper "Sekuli", the
loan will be used for the construction of 1.500
apartments and the purchase of other 300 which
will house the families who lost their houses
when they invested in the so-called "pyramid
schemes" the collapse of which had led to the
disruption of the Albanian state in 1997.
[19] AGREEMENT ON MILITARY COOPERATION WAS
SIGNED BY TSOCHATZOPOULOS
Greek minister of defense Akis
Tsochatzopoulos signed a defense cooperation
agreement in Skopje with his FYROM counterpart
Nikola Kljusev.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos and Mr. Kljusev
stressed that the two sides are committed to the
military cooperation, adding that the fact that
the two countries sign such agreements proves
that they have friendly relations. Meanwhile,
the formal delivery to FYROM's armed forces of
10 "Leonidas" armored personnel carriers and 5
"Mercedes" jeeps offered by the Greek armed
forces took place today.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also announced that in
April next year the Greek ministry of defense
will equip the heart surgery unit that will
operate within the framework of the FYROM armed
forces. In addition, both ministers stated that
there is a need for the situation in Kossovo to
be stabilized.
[20] CEM IN FAVOR OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN THE
KURDISH LANGUAGE
Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem stated
that Turkey from now on will not block the
demand of the Kurdish population for television
programs in their language now that the country
is an EU candidate state.
Mr. Cem stated to CNN Turk that all Turkish
citizens must be able to use their mother tongue
in television programs, adding that this is a
conviction of the Turkish state and this right
is regarded as very important by the European
Union.
The Turkish foreign minister admitted that
in certain cases there was violation of freedoms
underlining that the time has come for such
restrictions to be lifted.
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