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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-07-03Macedonian 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 3, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] HEAT WAVE THROUGHOUT GREECE, THREE DIE FROM SIZZLING TEMPERATURESThessaloniki, July 3 (MPA)Three persons have died from heat-related causes, unable to bear the sizzling temperatures that yesterday soared to 106F (41C), while hundreds of others are hospitalised with heat stroke symptoms. For the third consecutive day, temperatures are expected to climb to scorching levels again today, reaching 108F (42C).State authorities continue to be in a state of readiness, while hospitals and ambulance services are working around the clock. 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] DIASPORA YOUTH TO MEET IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROWThessaloniki, July 3 (MPA)The young members of the Council of Greeks Abroad, European Region, (SAE) are to conduct a working session in Thessaloniki tomorrow.The nine-member youth committee of SAE is to hold contacts with local authorities and youth leaders from throughout Greece in order to draw an action plan whose emphasisi will be the use and manipulation of cutting edge technology. [03] RICHARD HOLBROOKE TO MEET IN BELGRADE WITH MILOSEVIC TODAYBelgrade, July 3 (MPA)The United States newly appointed ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke is to travel to Belgrade this afternoon where he will meet with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic.Mr. Milosevic has publicly vowed that he will try to reach a political solution to the fermenting crisis in Kossovo, which will include autonomy for the region, albeit without compromising Serbia’s sovereign rights. [04] DRAMA PREFECTURE TO BESTOW HONORS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO DIASPORADrama, July 3 (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 this evening 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] PTOLEMAIDA MAYOR , ALONG WITH TWO OTHERS, KILLED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTThessaloniki,July 3 (MPA)The Mayor of the city of Ptolemaida, Petros Tottis, his chauffeur and a motorcycle driver were killed in a traffic collision that occurred late last night in the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway.According to the highway patrol, the accident took place when a motorcycle driven by a 25-year-old woman collided with the mayor’s car. The vehicle, driven by the mayor’s chauffeur, Nestoras Alexakis, 30, went off course, tipped and exploded. The three persons bodies were discovered near the site of the collision after night-long searches. Mr. Tottis was en route to Ptolemaida from Athens. [06] NATION-WIDE STRIKE ON JULY 23, IN PROTEST OF LABOR RELATIONSAthens, July 3 (MPA)The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) has called a 24- hour nation-wide strike for July 23, protesting the government's draft bill on labor relations.``GSEE aims to improve the content of the bill and have several articles withdrawn,'' GSEE representatives said in a statement. The employees union of state-controlled Ionian Bank has also called a 24-hour strike for today in protest against a court decision which limited union participation representatives at the bank's annual shareholders meeting which took place on June 30. [07] GREECE’S DEFENSE MINISTER BEGINS US TOUR TODAYAthens, July 3 (MPA)National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos embarked on an official tour to the United States today, where he will meet with his US Defense Secretary William Cohen, who had visited Athens last April. According to reports, the two men will discuss the Cyprus issue, Greece’s purchase of US military equipment, the continuation of efforts for a reduction of tension in the Aegean and the creation of a Balkan multinational force. On Wednesday, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will be received at the Pentagon and will attend a reception in his honour at the US State Department. The defense minister will also meet with the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and members of the Jewish community.[08] RUSSIA CONFIRMS: S-300 MISSILES WON’T ARRIVE IN CYPRUS UNTIL AUTUMNNicosia, July 3 (MPA)The Russian government yesterday confirmed that its S-300 anti aircraft missiles will not arrive in Cyprus before Autumn. The Russian ambassador in Ankara, Vadim Kuznetsov, told Agence France Presse (AFP) yesterday that delivery had been delayed at the request of the Cyprus House of Representatives. "Delivery of the S-300 systems has been postponed until late Autumn under a decision by the Cypriot parliament," Mr. Kuznetsov stated. Cypriot Defense Minister Yiannakis Omirou, responding to the Russian official's statement, said he knew of no such request from the House. "I cannot comment on when the missiles will be delivered, but I can say the House never made such a request," Mr. Omirou said. Meanwhile, Mr. Kuznetsov defended the planned missile sale. "This is an entirely economic matter and has nothing to do with politics. Had we not agreed to sell the missiles, Cyprus would have bought them from another supplier," he said, adding "we don't believe that those missiles will threaten Turkey's security."[09] STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS ON HOLBROOKE-MILOSEVIC MEETINGWashington, July 3 (MPA)State Department spokesperson James Rubin stated that the meeting to be held today between the US ambassador the UN Richard Holbrooke and F.R.Y.’s Serb President Slobodan Milosevic is aimed at getting “President Milosevic to realize that he's leading his country down the path to ruin.”During yesterday’s briefing, Mr. Rubin added that ``it's time for him (Milosevic) to get it through his head that the only course of wisdom is to pull back his forces, stop the crack down, stop the use of heavy military equipment, and start the use of the good sense of negotiations to resolve this problem.'' Moreover, Mr. Rubin defended the recently-held meetings between Holbrooke and other U.S. officials with the members of the Kossovo Liberation Army, by stating ``it would be foolhardy for us not to realize that the necessities of a cease- fire require discussions with those who are in ability, in a position to enforce and implement such a cease-fire. And so we're going to be quite realistic and try to make that happen. '' [10] CORDOVEZ IN CYPRUS, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDESNicosia, July 3 (MPA)The United Nations secretary-general’s special adviser on the Cyprus issue, Diego Cordovez, met with Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides again today, after yesterday’s first round of talks, which also included a meeting between Mr. Cordovez and the leader of the Turkish-Cypriots Rauf Denktash. Following the contacts, Mr. Cordovez deferred statements until tomorrow’s scheduled press conference. According to sources, the talks focused on the Security Council’s recently-approved resolutions on Cyprus. One of the resolutions, passed on Monday, stressed its full support for long-running efforts exerted by the UN Secretary- General to reunite the divided island as a federation through negotiations between the leaders of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish- Cypriot communities. The other resolution renewed the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus for another six months through to the end of the year.[11] HELLENIC PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT ON VISIT TO CHINAAthens, July 3 (MPA)The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis is to depart tomorrow for a nine-day official visit to China, following an invitation by his Chinese counterpart Li Peng.During his stay in Beijing, Mr. Kaklamanis will hold talks with the state and government leaders of China, on matters of bilateral and mutual interest. [12] TURKEY ARRESTS ONE OF ITS NAVY OFFICERS ALLEGEDLY SPYING FOR GREECEAnkara, July 3 (MPA)The Turkish authorities have arrested a non-commissioned navy officer for allegedly spying for Greece.According to the Istanbul daily “Hurriyet”, the officer, whose name was not released, was working at a navy dockyard at Golcuk, east of Istanbul and has been charged with transferring classified military documents to Greece. [13] EXHIBITION OF ALEKOS PHASIANOS NEW ART COLLECTION IN SANI FESTIVALThessaloniki, July 3 (MPA)The new collection of paintings by famous Greek contemporary artist Alekos Phasianos is to be unveiled tomorrow at the Sani Art Gallery, an event that is part of the annual Sani Festival, in Halkidiki. Mr. Phasianos, whose masterful pieces depict simple-yet- spontaneous excerpts of daily life through ethereal brushstrokes - his distinguishable style, is to give a live presentation of his method and technique during the exhibition.[14] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN CYPRUS TODAYNicosia, July 3 (MPA)The UN Secretary-General’s newly-appointed special representative in Cyprus Ann Herkus is to arrive in Cyprus today, as she will officially take her post at the island on Monday.Ms. Herkus, who is succeeding Gustav Feishel, is to meet with the Secretary-General’s special adviser on the Cyprus issue Diego Cordovez tomorrow in Cyprus. [15] EU TO DECIDE IN SEPTEMBER ON THE FATE OF OLYMPIC AIRWAYS’ FINANCESAthens, July 3 (MPA)A slighter-than-expected shares increase and the deferment of an approval for the subsidisation of new capital until September, as opposed to the end of July as the Greek government had hoped for, are two of the not-so-pleasant developments after the recent negotiations held between the administrators of the state-owned Olympic Airways and the European Commission.At the same time, a tough battle will have to be fought in order to secure from the European Union even a verbal “OK” over the Greek state’s intention to vouch for the USD378 million to be allocated for paying off the 12 aircraft ordered by OA. Since the OA issue will not be listed on the agenda of the EU’s latest plenary session, which means that it will be shelved until September, both the Greek government and the OA administrators ask that the EU grant its approval “a.s.a.p.” in order to enable he state to guarantee the USD378 million. If the said guarantee is not granted on time by the Greek state, the already debt-ridden airline stands at losing the GRD 20 million in down payments it already has submitted to Boeing and Airbus. 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 |
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