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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-07-02Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, July 2, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] HEAT WAVE THROUGHOUT GREECE, TEMPERATURES SOAR TO 102FThessaloniki, July 2 (MPA)State authorities are in a state of readiness in order to address the various problems that may arise from the heat wave expected to strike Greece today, according to the National Weather Bureau. According to the forecasts, the temperatures are expected to soar to 106F (41C) today, reaching 108F (42C) tomorrow and Saturday. The Prefect of Thessaloniki, Kostas Papadopoulos has ordered hospitals and ambulance services to be in a state of readiness, especially for the groups which are most prone to heat strokes, such as the elderly and the ill. Temperatures are forecast to fall on Sunday, with a cool front moving in from the north, the weather service said in a news release.[02] CANADA IN FAVOR OF RETURNING PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECEOttawa, July 2 (MPA)Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos is currently in Canada where he represented Greece at the two-day international conference on international cultural cooperation in Ottawa. Mr. Venizelos was received by Canada’s National Heritage Minister Sheila Copps who advocated the immediate return of the Parthenon Marbles, currently housed in the British Museum, to their homeland, Athens. He also invited Ms Copps to attend an international conference on "Women-Athletics and Sponsorship" to be held in Athens in September, and also invited the Canadian minister to represent her country as an observer at a meeting of the Culture Ministers of the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation- Barcelona Process on the island of Rhodes in September, to be attended by 15 European Union and 12 non-EU Mediterranean countries.[03] THREE NEW BORDER CROSSINGS TO BE CREATED BETWEEN GREECE - BULGARIAAthens, July 2 (MPA)Greek and Bulgarian experts are to meet today and tomorrow in Athens in order to discuss the creation of three new toll stations at border crossings between the two countries.The experts are to hammer out the exact locations of the new toll stations at Rudozem-Xanthi and Kerdzali - Komotini. [04] DRAMA PREFECTURE TO BESTOW HONORS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO DIASPORADrama, July 2 (MPA)The Prefecture of Drama, in northern Greece, is to bestow honors on two of its citizens who are distinguished members of the Greek community living abroad, namely Swedish deputy Nikos Papadopoulos and the Secretary-General of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) Christos Karypides.The two men will be honored in a celebration to be held on tomorrow, July 3, at 8:30 p.m. at the amphitheatre of the Prefecture of Drama. Along with Mgrs. Papadopoulos and Karypides, the general director of the Macedonian Press Agency Spyros Kouzinopoulos will also be honored for his valuable input and contribution to informing Greeks throughout the world. [05] TURKISH RACKETEERS MURDER TOURISTS TO STEAL THEIR PASSPORTSLondon, July 2 (MPA)Passport racketeers in Turkey have killed 174 British nationals during the past ten years, according to press reports in Britain.London daily “The Guardian” reported that most of the victims were of Asian descent whose passports sold for about 6,000 sterling each. The coveted passports are considered by the racketeers as a sure way to enter Europe. According to “The Guardian”, Britain’s Foreign Office has informed the Turkish authorities who stated that they are aware of the issue. [06] UN SPECIAL ADVISER IN NICOSIA TODAY, TO MEET WITH CLERIDES, DENKTASHNicosia, July 2 (MPA)The UN Secretary-General’s special adviser for the Cyprus issue Diego Cordovez arrived in Nicosia today, where he will be received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and the leader of the Turkish-Cypriots Rauf Denktash.According to UNFICYP’s spokesperson, Mr. Cordovez might conduct a second round of talks with Mgrs. Clerides and Denktash. Tomorrow, Mr. Cordovez will meet with the Secretary- General’s newly-appointed special representative in Cyprus Ann Herkus, who will replace Mr. Gustav Feishel. [07] HOLBROOKE AND STATE DEPARTMENT: WE SUPPORT IBRAHIM RUGOVALondon, July 2 (MPA)The United States have openly expressed their support to the leader of Kossovo’s ethnic Albanians Ibrahim Rugova, stating that he is the correct interlocutor and the central and indispensable leader of the Albanian side in Kossovo and this is why US president Bill Clinton met with him.In an effort to justify the recent contacts made by US officials and the leaders of the Kossovo Liberation Army, State Department spokesperson James Rubin, told journalists at yesterday’s daily briefing that “if we're going to get a cease- fire, we have to be in touch with the people who can control one side of the equation. “ If we don't have contact with the Kosovar Liberation Army and we get Milosevic to do what he should have done long ago - which is to stop the crackdown - the cease-fire will not be able to sustain. “As a practical matter, we need to be in touch with those who can make it possible for a cease-fire to sustain; and that's the reason - and the only reason - we have been in contact with the Kosovar Liberation Army,” Mr. Rubin explained. US newly-appointed ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke told the BBC that it is necessary to conduct talks with those who control the Albanian minority’s armed forces. “Of course, Ibrahim Rugova has our complete support,” Mr. Holbrooke said, adding “but Mr.Rugova , as he states, does not control the armed autonomists.” Moreover, Mr. Holbrooke stated that his contacts with KLA members were not planned. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel warned that NATO’s policy towards the Serbs should not create false hopes of independence for Kossovo’s Albanians. He also stated that any military intervention by NATO will require a relevant decision by the UN Security Council. [08] SERBS RECAPTURE KOSSOVO MINE FROM ETHNIC ALBANIANSPrishtina, July 2 (MPA)Serbian security forces have regained control of a strategic coal mine just outside Kossovo's capital from ethnic Albanian guerrillas, according to press reports. Reporters were taken on a tour of Ade village, adjacent to the mine at Belacevic, by the Serbian media centre. The village was the scene of two days of fighting between ethnic Albanian insurgents and Serbian forces. The ethnic Albanians took control of Belacevic, ten kilometers west of Prishtina, and other nearby villages last week. Heavy mining equipment operating in the coal pit and the conveyor belt that transfers coal from the mine to two nearby generating plants in Obilic was operating on Wednesday.[09] STATE SUBSIDIES TO INDUSTRY SECTOR AMOUNTED TO ECU798 MILLION IN ‘96Brussels, July 2 (MPA)According to a report issued by the European Commission on the decade’s state subsidisation, Greece ranks sixth among the European Union’s 15 member-states in regard to state subsidies granted to the industry sector. Specifically, 798 million ECU were pumped into the country’s industry sector, a clear reduction when programmed to 1995’s 868.5 million ECU., and 1992’s 1.1 billion ECU. The transportation sector holds the lion’s share, with 31.5% of the subsidies, 4.4% of which (MECU44.1) were granted to Olympic Airways. The EU member ranking first in the state subsidies list is Germany, devouring 12,8 billion ECU in the industry sector during 1996.[10] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA TRAVELS TO TIRANA TODAYTirana, July 2 (MPA)NATO secretary-general Javier Solana is to conduct a visit to the capital of Albania, Tirana, today, where he will hold talks with Albanian President Reijep Meidani, Premier Fatos Nano, and the country’s Foreign and Defense Ministers. During his stay, Mr. Solana will inaugurate NATO’s offices at the Albanian defense ministry; the only one located in South-eastern Europe and which has been operating since last month. The state-owned media grant special emphasis to Mr. Solana’s visit to Tirana, due to the current crisis in Kossovo.[11] SOCCER: GERMAN PLAYER SIGNS WITH THESSALONIKI’S ARISThessaloniki, July 2 (MPA)German player Reiner Raufman, who played for Cyprus last year, is expected to sign a three-year contract with Aris today.Joining PAOK will be Joe Nagbe, while Kostas Lagonides is to return to the team, having already signed a one-year contract. According to reports, a Latin-American ball player who took part in Mudial is also coveted by PAOK. Meanwhile, Iraklis is continuing training in light of Sunday’s game with Bucharest’s National, whose players are to arrive in Thessaloniki tomorrow evening. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |