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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-12-29
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 29, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] RULING PARTY PASOK AHEAD OF OPPOSITION,
ACCORDING TO SURVEY
[02] RULING PARTY AND MAIN OPPOSITION EXCHANGE
SEVERE WORDS
[03] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC TO VISIT
PORTUGAL THIS WEEK
[04] NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ARRIVES IN ATHENS
TODAY
[05] HOUSE SPEAKER: TURKEY HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO
RAPPROCHMENT
[06] QUAKE OF 3.9 RICHTER SHAKES POROS, NO
DAMAGES REPORTED
[07] MPA TO HOST INTER-BALKAN CONFERENCE ON
REGIONAL PEACE
[08] SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS
[09] REPPAS: GREECE WILL EXPRESS ITS POSITION
REGARDING TURKEY'S EU CANDIDATURE IN HELSINKI
[10] REPPAS: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL BE
HELD IN SEPTEMBER 2000
[11] BIG GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] PAPAZOI: THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON
MARBLES TO GREECE IS A MORAL ISSUE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] PRINCE CHARLES SYMPATHETIC TO PARTHENON
MARBLES RETURN
[14] FOREIGN MINISTER IN SWEDEN TO DISCUSS
UPCOMING EU SUMMIT
[15] COVER UPS ORCHESTRATED OVER DAMAGE TO
PARTHENON MARBLES
[16] BELGRADE INSISTS, WANTS ITS SOLDIERS BACK
IN KOSOVO'S BORDERS
[17] PROMISES TO GREEK INVESTORS BY THE ALBANIAN
PRIME MINISTER
[18] THE EU WARNS TURKEY NOT TO EXECUTE THE
DEATH PENALTY IMPOSED ON OCALAN
[19] ECOFIN MEETING IN BRUSSELS
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NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] RULING PARTY PASOK AHEAD OF OPPOSITION,
ACCORDING TO SURVEY
Ruling PASOK party is leading the
popularity race in the Attica basin by 29.8%,
followed by the main opposition party of New
Democracy with 20%, according to a survey
conducted recently by the "Opinion" polling
company.
The two main parties are followed by the
Communist Party of Greece with 6.4% , the
Coalition of the Left and Right with four
percent, Democratic and Social Movement with
4.8% and Political Spring with three percent.
Approximately thirty percent of those
polled stated that they are undecided as to whom
they plan to vote, although, according to the
findings of a V. PRC survey, 47 percent of those
polled believe that PASOK will win the next
elections. Moreover, 40.7% of those polled are
not in favor of early elections.
[02] RULING PARTY AND MAIN OPPOSITION EXCHANGE
SEVERE WORDS
In a climate reminiscent of a pre-election
mood, Prime Minister and ruling PASOK party
leader Costas Simitis took offense to remarks
made by main opposition leader Costas Karamanlis
on Friday, in which he accused the government of
what he called audacity and abuse of power,
claiming that "the long stay in power results in
an abnormal function of the political system's
institutions".
Mr. Simitis stated that "it appears that
Mr. Karamanlis, in his swing to the ultra-
right, has forgotten that there is democracy in
this country and we will defend this democracy."
[03] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC TO VISIT
PORTUGAL THIS WEEK
The President of the Republic Costis
Stephanopoulos will conduct a state
visit to Portugal from December 1-4 at the
invitation of his Portuguese counterpart Jorge
Sampaio.
President Stephanopoulos will be
accompanied by deputy foreign minister
Christos Rokofyllos.
[04] NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ARRIVES IN ATHENS
TODAY
NATO Secretary General George Robertson
will arrive in Athens today, November 29, where
he will hold talks with Prime Minister Costas
Simitis, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
announced.
On Thursday, the president of the European
Union, Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Liponnen
will be in Athens for talks.
[05] HOUSE SPEAKER: TURKEY HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO
RAPPROCHMENT
Turkey has not taken any steps of
rapprochement so far towards the Greek side,
despite the relevant remarks made by United
States President Bill Clinton to the Turkish
leadership, the President of the Hellenic
Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis told his Italian
counterpart Luciano Volante, when the latter
inquired on the course of Greek-Turkish
relations.
Regarding Cyprus, Mr. Kaklamanis said there
are no indications that something substantive
will result from the impending meeting between
Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish
Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
Messrs. Kaklamanis and Volante signed a
protocol yesterday on widening prospects of
promoting bilateral Parliamentary cooperation,
which will concern issues such as parliamentary
diplomacy, combating organized crime, the
holding of joint cultural events and the
exchange of visits at all levels, among others,
are the focus of the cooperation.
[06] QUAKE OF 3.9 RICHTER SHAKES POROS, NO
DAMAGES REPORTED
A weak tremor measuring 3.9 on the Richter
scale shook the island of Poros during the early
morning hours today, with the epicenter located
in the sea region.
The tremor, which occurred at 4 a.m., was
also felt in nearby Athens.
[07] MPA TO HOST INTER-BALKAN CONFERENCE ON
REGIONAL PEACE
The Macedonian Press Agency is to host a
journalism conference, titled "the Prospect of
Inter-Balkan cooperation after Kosovo: the Role
of the Media", which will be attended by senior
journalists from 60 of the Balkan region's
largest media organizations.
The event, to be held in Thessaloniki on
December 10-11, will feature the participation
of leading journalists from Albania, Bulgaria,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, FYROM,
Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and
Yugoslavia, as well as directors and chief
editors from Greece's largest media.
The strife-torn region of Kosovo will also
be represented at the conference; the publisher
of the "Koha Ditore" daily Beton Suroi will
attend, as well as the director of the "Rilidia"
daily Plerim Reka, the journalist-historian
Skelcem Ratsa, and others.
Moreover, the event will feature the
participation of officials from the United
Nations and the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, as well as FYROM's
alternate Minister of Press and Information
Dragi Arsov and Albania's Minister of Press Musa
Oulkini.
The conference is taking place under the
auspices of the Ministries of Press and Mass
Media, Development, and Macedonia-Thrace, as
well as with the assistance of the Thessaloniki
Trade and Industry Chamber and the Northern
Greece's Journalists Association.
[08] SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS
An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter
scale shook the sea region of the Ionian Sea
island of Zakynthos today.
The tremor occurred at 10am this morning
and according to police, no damages were
reported.
[09] REPPAS: GREECE WILL EXPRESS ITS POSITION
REGARDING TURKEY'S EU CANDIDATURE IN HELSINKI
The US ambassador to Athens reiterated his
country's position, responded Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Reppas when asked by
reporters to comment on the interview given by
Mr. Nicholas Burns to the Athens newspaper
"Kathimerini" in which he was in favor of
Turkey's EU candidature.
The Greek government will express its
position on the issue when the time will come in
the Helsinki EU Summit meeting said Mr. Reppas
and added that Greece wants Turkey's European
prospect and works toward this direction but
most of all Turkey itself must work toward this
end.
[10] REPPAS: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL BE
HELD IN SEPTEMBER 2000
There will be no early parliamentary
elections neither a speeding up of the
procedures for the election of the new president
of the republic, stated Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to
questions made by reporters.
Mr. Reppas stated that the right-wing main
opposition party of New Democracy raises an
issue of parliamentary elections on the occasion
of the election of the new president of the
republic, expressing the position that it will
refuse to vote for the re-election of Kostis
Stephanopoulos to the post but it has not asked
yet for early elections.
Nobody wants early elections, said Mr.
Reppas, adding that the government's position is
to complete its term. Elections will be held in
September 2000 and only two days ago the prime
minister pointed out that the government will
complete its four-year term and will not seek
early elections, said the government spokesman.
Mr. Reppas pointed out that Mr. Simitis has
not received proposals for early elections by
government officials, while on the public
opinion polls according to which, the governing
socialist party of PASOK leads the right-wing
main opposition party of New Democracy, Mr.
Reppas commented that the public opinion polls
do not influence the government, adding that it
is working in order to win the vote of the
people. The government is elected by the people
and not by the opinion polls, said Mr. Reppas,
adding that the political climate is positive
toward the government efforts and optimism is
justified.
[11] BIG GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Big gains have been reported in the Athens
Stock Exchange today. The general index closed
at 5.806,33 with a rise of 3.37%, while the
transactions reached 376.2 billion drachmas.
The interest of the investors focused on
the shares of big credit institutions, like the
National Bank of Greece, the Bank of Commerce,
the Credit Bank and Ergo Bank. The stock market
had the same behavior with that of last Friday.
It started with a dynamic rise and later there
was decline but on the second half of the
transactions there was an explosive rise of
purchase interest.
The majority of the stocks closed with
gains, while 102 dropped and 32 remained stable.
All the secondary indexes closed with gains
except from the holdings that had losses.
[12] PAPAZOI: THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON
MARBLES TO GREECE IS A MORAL ISSUE
Minister of culture Elisavet Papazoi
characterized the return of the Parthenon
Marbles to Greece as a moral issue. In a press
conference she pointed out that certain well-
known personalities have expressed great
interest in the issue and this is indicative of
the positive climate formed in the British
public opinion.
Ms. Papazoi referred to the extensive
damage caused to the Parthenon Marbles mainly in
the period 1937-38, while on the legal basis of
the Greek demands for the return of the Elgin or
Parthenon Marbles she pointed out that there are
issues that leave the field open to legal
manipulation, adding however that a case like
this can not be resolved at a legal level.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] PRINCE CHARLES SYMPATHETIC TO PARTHENON
MARBLES RETURN
Pressure is mounting on the British
government for the return of the Parthenon
Marbles to Greece, with the Prince of Wales
himself having stated that in light of the
Olympic Games of the year 2004, the priceless
monuments should be returned to their homeland.
Meanwhile, an international symposium is to
get underway tomorrow where the participants
will review issues related to the Marbles's
maintenance and upkeep at the British Museum
where they are being presently housed.
[14] FOREIGN MINISTER IN SWEDEN TO DISCUSS
UPCOMING EU SUMMIT
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is
presently on a visit to Stockholm, another stop
in his round of contacts to brief the European
Union member-states on
Greece's positions, in light of the imminent EU
Helsinki summit.
In an interview published in Sunday's
edition of the Athens newspaper
"Eleftherotypia", Mr. Papandreou said that if
Greece was forced to use its veto at Helsinki on
the issue of Turkey's candidacy, the
responsibility for this would lie with Greece's
EU partners. The outcome at Helsinki, he added,
would have an effect on Greek-Turkish
rapprochement presently under way but he said he
hoped that talks over the next few days would
bring results.
[15] COVER UPS ORCHESTRATED OVER DAMAGE TO
PARTHENON MARBLES
A London-held conference, which gets
underway today, will hear a series of claims of
conspiracy, bribery and cover-ups allegedly
orchestrated by the British Museum for the past
60 years concerning the damage it inflicted upon
the priceless Parthenon Marbles.
According to the U.K. newspaper
"the Daily Telegraph", historian William St.
Clair will tell today's conference that senior
British politicians -- including two prime
ministers -- as well as the museum's own staff
have been deceived by the cover-up.
Mr. St. Clair has also
uncovered evidence that Lord Elgin, who removed
the sculptures from Greece in 1801, bribed
Turkey – which ruled Greece at the time -- to
allow him to take more pieces than he had been
officially allowed, the paper stated.
The conference will also hear
claims that the marbles were cleaned more than
60 years ago with wire wool, hammers and
chisels to remove stains and traces of paint, it
said.
More than 20 specialist archeologists and
conservationists from around the world will
provide testimony during today's conference.
A.F.
[16] BELGRADE INSISTS, WANTS ITS SOLDIERS BACK
IN KOSOVO'S BORDERS
Belgrade insists on a return of troops to
the UN-administrated Kosovo province and its
borders with Albania and FYROM, according to a
French news agency AFP dispatch.
Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadinas
Jovanovic stated that his country insists on
fulfilling an obligation of returning a part of
its army and police to Kosovo and the border
with Albania and FYROM, according to the Tanjug
news agency, whil ehe also accused international
officials of preventing the deployment, "showing
they are on the side of (ethnic Albanian)
terrorists and separatists, for the creation of
a greater Albania and changing the borders in
the Balkans.
"Therefore, they are not only in a conflict
with Yugoslavia, but also with a majority of UN
members, since most of the world demands full
respect of the UN resolution," Mr. Jovanovic
said.
[17] PROMISES TO GREEK INVESTORS BY THE ALBANIAN
PRIME MINISTER
Assurances for the creation of the
appropriate conditions that will allow for free
investment activity in his country were given to
representatives of Greek businesses
participating in the "Trade Fair ‘99" exhibition
by Albanian prime minister Ilir Meta.
Meanwhile, Greek ambassador Alexandros
Mallias, who accompanied the Greek businessmen,
underlined that there is big investment interest
in Albania. From his side, prime minister Meta
promised the creation of suitable conditions
(incentives and implementation of a legislative
framework) that will contribute to the recovery
of the Albanian economy.
The Albanian prime minister after
underlining the excellent state of bilateral
relations, he stressed that Albania has to
create better conditions for the promotion of
specific cooperation programs given the fact
that Greece is a strategic partner for Albania.
He assured the Greek businessmen that he will
not allow any kind of pressures to be exerted on
them coming for example, from government
ministers or public administration officials
which could block their investment activity and
could create corruption phenomena. Mr. Meta also
called on the Greek businessmen to inform him
personally in case they face such problems in
order for those responsible to be brought to
justice.
[18] THE EU WARNS TURKEY NOT TO EXECUTE THE
DEATH PENALTY IMPOSED ON OCALAN
Finnish prime minister Paavo Liponen issued
a warning to Turkey according to which, the
execution of the death penalty imposed on
Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan would block
the country's accession into the European Union.
The Finnish government official stressed
that Turkey must abolish the death penalty as it
is not compatible with the situation existing in
Europe, adding that this is something that must
be done if the Turkish side wants someday to be
accepted in the European Union.
Also, Javier Solana, head of the joint
foreign and defense policy, had warned Turkey
last week that its application for an EU
candidate status could be put at risk in case no
positive steps were made in the Ocalan case.
[19] ECOFIN MEETING IN BRUSSELS
The course of the Euro and its exchange
rate to the US dollar are being discussed today
in the EU finance and national economy ministers
meeting, ECOFIN, that is being held in Brussels.
Also, a reference will be made during the
meeting to the positive course of the Greek
economy, while it is expected that the EU
recommendation to Greece to cut its excessive
public deficit will be lifted. This fact is
being interpreted as a recognition of the fact
that the deficit in Greece has been cut and
also, as a positive step for Greece's course
toward joining the EMU.
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