Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-10-26
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, October 26, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] GREEK PM AT PRESS CONFERENCE IN FYROM
[02] THESSALONIKI'S LIBERATION CELEBRATED TODAY
[03] SAE SENDS MESSAGE TO U.S PRESIDENT, CANDIDATES
[04] PAPANTONIOU: THE RISE OF THE VALUE OF THE US DOLLAR IS
COINCIDENTAL
[05] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE TOLERANCE TOWARD TURKEY IS DANGEROUS
[06] AN AIRPORT EMPLOYEE WAS LOCKED BY MISTAKE IN THE LUGGAGE AREA
OF AN AIRPLANE
[07] GAINS OF 0.63% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[08] THE ACTING GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE SIMITIS-ECEVIT MEETING
[09] THESSALONIKI CELEBRATES ITS LIBERATION ANNIVERSARY AND THE
FEAST OF ITS PATRON SAINT
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] THE EUROPEAN UNION CALLS ON ALBANIA TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF
THE GREEK MINORITY
[11] YUGOSLAVIA BECAME A FORMAL MEMBER OF THE STABILITY PACT
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PM AT PRESS CONFERENCE IN FYROM
Prime Minister Costas Simitis, presently in FYROM for the
summit conference of Southeastern Europe's state and government
leaders, stressed that utmost aim for the Balkans is achieving the
region's reconstruction and security, through a policy of
cooperation and the processes of democratization and development.
Addressing a press conference given jointly with the other
leaders, Mr. Simitis also stated that rules of international law
should be applied since investments and cooperation cannot proceed
in an insecure environment.
The Premier referred to cooperation between countries in
southeastern Europe and the European Union, saying that
integration in Europe is the best guarantee for cooperation and
this should be the direction to be followed.
Reiterating Greece's policy in actively contributing with
initiatives toward overcoming crises in the region, Mr. Simitis
stated that "we should not forget that we, the people of the
Balkans, live in the same neighborhood and for this reason a
common effort is needed to achieve peace, cooperation, friendship
and cooperation, which is of vital importance for the development
of our countries and the prosperity of our citizens."
Referring to Yugoslavia, Mr. Simitis stated that the goal for
the support of political change in the said country was achieved,
while he also added that Greece is ready to offer the necessary
help for peace and security in the region.
This was the first visit of a Greek premier in FYROM, a
development which proves Greece's positive role in the region.
The informal summit featured the participation of Greece,
Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Albania and FYROM. The next
Balkan leaders summit will be held at Skopje, in February 2001.
[02] THESSALONIKI'S LIBERATION CELEBRATED TODAY
The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos
is presently in Thessaloniki where he will attend the festivities
held in honor of the city's patron Saint Demetrius day (today,
October 26) which coincides with the anniversary of the city's
liberation, as well as the commemoration of 'NO Day' -- the 59th
anniversary of Greece's entry into W.W.II. (October 28).
A doxology was performed this morning at the city's
monumental St. Demetrius Church.
On the 28th of October, the President will lay a wreath at
the 3rd Army Corps and will attend the military parade. The events
will also be attended by the Minister of Defense Akis
Tsochatzopoulos, who will represent the Premier, while the
government will be represented by the Minister Macedonia-Thrace
George Paschalides.
[03] SAE SENDS MESSAGE TO U.S PRESIDENT, CANDIDATES
The President of the World Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE)
Andrew Athens, has appealed to the U.S. President Bill Clinton to
condemn Turkey's violation of NATO's accords during the recent
military maneuvers code-named "Destined Glory".
In a telegraph forwarded to the White House, Mr. Athens
stated that "aside of the fact that it is unfair, it is
unfathomable for Turkey to be able to violate its NATO obligations
without facing any repercussions.
"We urgently demand an assurance on behalf of the U.S>
policy, as well as NATO's stance, in regards to the recent crisis
created by Turkey towards the Allies".
The message was also forwarded to presidential hopefuls Al
Gore and George Bush.
[04] PAPANTONIOU: THE RISE OF THE VALUE OF THE US DOLLAR IS
COINCIDENTAL
Minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou
characterized the rise of the value of the US dollar as
coincidental, stressing that for this reason the US currency race
does not concern the Greek government.
After the meeting he had with prime minister Kostas Simitis
today, Mr. Papantoniou reiterated that the final decisions of the
government concerning the economic measures aimed at dealing with
the rise of the heating oil prices will be announced next
Wednesday together with the budget presentation.
[05] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE TOLERANCE TOWARD TURKEY IS DANGEROUS
Turkey is a destabilizing factor in the region and the
tolerance on behalf of Greece is dangerous, stated Greek minister
of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos speaking in a book presentation in
Thessaloniki yesterday.
He underlined that the efforts of Turkey to justify its
decision to close its airspace for the Greek aircraft within the
framework of the NATO exercise were unsuccessful, adding that the
Treaty of Montreaux lifted the demilitarization of Dardanelles and
the islands of Limnos and Ikaria and therefore, the Turkish
arguments are groundless.
He also pointed out that Greece, through its participation in
the EU, must promote its position in the geopolitical environment
and continue to play its role as a factor of stability, security
and cooperation.
[06] AN AIRPORT EMPLOYEE WAS LOCKED BY MISTAKE IN THE LUGGAGE AREA
OF AN AIRPLANE
An Airport of Kos employee was discovered in the luggage area
of an airplane where he was locked by mistake.
Olympic Airways seasonal employee, 24yearold Emmanuel Lambrou
was unloading luggage from a Crossair airplane at the airport of
the island of Kos, in south-eastern Aegean when he was locked by
mistake in the airplane's luggage space and flew to the island of
Rhodes, the next stop of the specific plane.
The employee was discovered in a state of shock and according
to statements made by the responsible airport authorities, he was
lucky because the trip from Kos to Rhodes is just a few minutes
and the airplane was flying at a low altitude.
[07] GAINS OF 0.63% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Stabilizing tendencies prevailed in the Athens Stock Exchange
today. The general index was at 3.772,72 points increased by
0.63%.
The volume of transactions was small at 57 billion drachmas.
[08] THE ACTING GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE SIMITIS-ECEVIT MEETING
The government has a specific policy on the issues of
national importance and the Greek-Turkish relations. It has a
strategy and strategies need perseverance which we have,
underlined acting Greek government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris
referring to yesterday's few-minute talk between prime minister
Kostas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit in
Skopje.
He said that the Greek government wants the implementation of
the Helsinki agreement and insists in the protection of its
rights.
The acting government spokesman called on Turkey, which is an
EU candidate state, to follow a specific route like the rest of
the EU candidate countries and added that the issue of the
partnership relation will be examined by the European Union
without Turkey.
On the NATO exercise "Destined Glory", he stressed that
Greece is right and this is recognized by NATO, adding that the
Turks know this and that is why they did not bring their case to
the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He concluded by
saying that what needs to be done is NATO to be firm on its
principles, adding that for as long as this is not happening the
alliance is not convincing.
[09] THESSALONIKI CELEBRATES ITS LIBERATION ANNIVERSARY AND THE
FEAST OF ITS PATRON SAINT
Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, minister of defense
Akis Tsochatzopoulos, New Democracy opposition party leader Kostas
Karamanlis and the mayor of Thessaloniki referred to the meaning
of today's anniversary of the city's liberation and its role in
the current developments.
The president stated that this is a great day for the people
of Thessaloniki, the Macedonians and all the Greeks, stressing
that memories linked with that day lead us steadily toward the
future.
Defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos in statements he made on the
occasion of the celebrations said that they send a big message of
hope to the Greek people that this year a new creative course will
start that will satisfy the national needs and demands in order to
have peace, security, cooperation and stability in the region.
Also present in the celebrations were former president of the
republic Christos Sartzetakis, minister of Macedonia-Thrace
Giorgos Paschalidis, Thessaloniki's prefect Kostas Papadopoulos,
parliament deputies and local administration officials.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] THE EUROPEAN UNION CALLS ON ALBANIA TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF
THE GREEK MINORITY
One of the basic criteria for the future development of the
EU-Albanian relations is the respect of democratic principles,
human rights and the rights of the minorities, responded the
European Union Council to a question by Greek Euro-deputy Michalis
Papagiannakis concerning the schools of the Greek minority in
Albania.
The Greek Euro-deputy, elected with the Coalition of the Left
party, had asked if the EU Council is going to make a demarche to
the Albanian government which violates the constitutional right of
the members of the ethnic Greek minority to get an education in
their mother-tongue.
[11] YUGOSLAVIA BECAME A FORMAL MEMBER OF THE STABILITY PACT
Yugoslavia became a formal member of the Stability Pact in
south-eastern Europe today. The agreement was signed in Bucharest
by president Kostunica representative, Goran Svilianovic, one of
Serbia's Democratic Opposition leaders.
In statements he made afterwards, Mr. Svilianovic stressed
that Yugoslavia's accession into the Stability Pact is a first
step for its accession into the European institutions.
In a letter sent to Bodo Hobach, the president of Yugoslavia
stressed that his country as an equal member will meet all its
obligations defined by the Stability Pact.
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