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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-07-07Macedonian 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 7, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] ALL FIRES UNDER CONTROL, ARSON SUSPECTED, STATE RUSHES TO AIDThessaloniki, July 7 (MPA)The forest fires that raged around the country throughout the weekend have been put out or are under control, although thousands of acres of forest land have turned to ash.Locals whose houses and properties were burned down are crying out arson, while the Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas also stated that suspicious activity could have been behind many of these fires. The government is to compensate fire victims with 200,000 drachmas (approximately $700) and this amount will be given by the end of next week. Those whose houses were totally ravaged by the fires will be given two million drachmas, while a specially-formed committee is to register the damages in order to enable state-owned banks to grant 15-year loans, 40% of which is to be given free of interest and the remaining subsidized. [02] GREEK PREMIER IN PORTUGALLisbon, July 7 (MPA)Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to be received by his Portuguese counterpart in Lisbon today, where he traveled in order to inaugurate the Greek stand of EXPO ’98. Following his meeting yesterday with Portuguese President George Sabaio, Mr. Simitis stated he ascertained a meeting of the minds in regards to establishing peace in the Balkans and applying international law in the Aegean Sea and Cyprus.[03] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS US COUNTERPARTWashington, July 7 (MPA)National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is currently on an official tour to the United States, where he will meet with his US Defense Secretary William Cohen and the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) George Tennet in Washington today. Also, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is to meet with the Senatorial committees on foreign affairs and defense. Yesterday, the Greek Defense Minister stated that Turkish policy challenges international accords. Tomorrow, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will be received at the Pentagon and will attend a reception in his honor at the US State Department.[04] GREECE AND RUSSIA SUPPORT THE UN’s EFFORTS OVER CYPRUS ISSUEAthens, July 7 (MPA)Greece’s Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis met with Russian envoy for Cyprus Vladimir Tchizhov in Athens yesterday and agreed to undertake initiatives for the promotion of a military dialogue on Cyprus aiming at the island's ultimate demilitarization. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "The two sides agreed that the two texts provide a good basis for the assumption of initiatives to promote a military dialogue and a reduction of the presence of military forces on the island, aiming at its ultimate demilitarization. "[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ON BALKAN, MEDITERRANEAN SECURITY POLICYNew York, July 7 (MPA)Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, currently on an official visit to the United States, has expressed Athens' support for NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana's efforts to promote measures decreasing tension between Greece and Turkey. Speaking at an event organized in his honor by the Council on Foreign Relations and focusing on the issue of "Security Policy in the Balkans and Mediterranean", Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that Turkey's revisionist policy has challenged international treaties governing the status quo of borders in the region, adding that Ankara has made overt territorial claims over more than 100 Greek islands and islets in the Aegean. He also reiterated Greece's support for the immediate implementation of confidence-building measures (CBMs) between the two countries, as anticipated by the 1988 Papoulias-Yilmaz communique.[06] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO MOSCOWMoscow, July 7 (MPA)Cypriot Defense minister Yiannakis Omirou leaves for Moscow today on a four-day official visit where he will hold talks with his Russian counterpart Igor Sergeyev. However, according to the CNA, the much-talked about S-300 missiles will not be on the meeting agenda. The announcement of Mr. Omirou's visit came just days after Russian Ambassador to Cyprus, Georgi Muradof, had given an interview to a Turkish-Cypriot daily Kibris, in which he said no Turkish-Cypriot, Turk, or property belonging to them would be harmed by the S-300 missile system, as it was purely defensive in nature. The S-300s would be used exclusively to defend Cyprus from an air attack Mr. Muradof also pointed out that while Turkey objected to co-operation between Cyprus and Russia, the Cypriot government had voiced no objections to joint projects by Turkey and Russia. Neither the Cypriots, nor Greece, nor Turkey want a war to erupt, Muradof concluded, adding that he "did not believe" Turkey would strike at the missiles once they had been deployed.[07] UN SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR FACE-TO-FACE TALKS IN CYPRUS “ASAP”New York, July 7 (MPA)Members of the Security Council on Monday called for the resumption of face- to-face talks between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus as soon as possible.Speaking on behalf of Council members following a briefing by the Secretary- General's Special Adviser for Cyprus, Council President Ambassador Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation called for the face- to-face talks between Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community. "The members of the Council reaffirmed their full support for the mission of good offices of the Secretary-General and of the efforts of his Special Advisor, Diego Cordovez," Ambassador Lavrov told reporters. Mr. Cordovez just returned from Cyprus, where he met separately with both Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash to discuss the possible substance of future face-to-face talks. According to Ambassador Lavrov, Mr. Cordovez plans to return to Cyprus later in the summer. "He is hoping there might be some movement by that time," Ambassador Lavrov said. [08] UN SECRETARY GENERAL WARNS OF DETERIORATING SITUATION IN KOSSOVONew York, July 7 (MPA)United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has reported that the deteriorating situation in Kossovo could potentially destabilize the entire Balkan region. In a new report to the Security Council, the Secretary-General stated that a new outbreak of violence in Kossovo caused some 6,900 refugees to flee to Albania by the end of June. In addition, over 10,000 people have been internally displaced within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, while approximately 45,000 have been displaced within Kossovo. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) does not have access to the internally displaced persons. "The international community is appalled by the situation in Kossovo," the Secretary-General writes. He calls on the parties concerned to demonstrate restraint and resume negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. "I am increasingly concerned that, unless hostilities in Kossovo are stopped, tensions could spill across borders and destabilize the entire region." Currently, the United Nations has no political presence in Kossovo. The Secretary-General notes that a monitoring mission in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia made up of foreign diplomats and accredited organizations is reportedly being set up. He says such a mission would improve the international community's ability to directly asses the situation on the ground.[09] NORTHERN GREECE’S RAILWAY WORKERS TO STRIKE ON THURSDAYThessaloniki, July 7 (MPA)Only three trains are to run on the railway tracks of Macedonia and Thrace this Thursday, after the 24-hour strike declared by the sector’s workers in the region.In Athens and the Peloponnese , the scheduled routes will proceed as scheduled, expect from those whose destination is in Macedonia and Thrace. For more information on the schedule changes, travelers can contact the local railway stations or their travel agencies. [10] TIRANA PRESS HAILS GREECE’S MEDICAL CARE FOR ALBANIANSTirana, July 7 (MPA)Tirana’s independent daily “Koha Jon”, has reported on Greece’s contribution to providing medical care for thousands of Albanians.According to official data provided in the article, 64,000 Albanians were hospitalized in the two hospitals of the city of Ioannina. The Greek state paid approximately 5.5 billion for their care. Also, according to the article, 40-50% of the patients in the two hospitals of Ioannina are Albanians. [11] GREEK EXPORTS TO THE BALKANS ON THE RISE, 29.2% INCREASE LAST YEARThessaloniki, July 7 (MPA)The overall volume of Greek exports presented a marked increase of 6.5% last year, reaching the ECU9.4 billion.According to the statistical exports register for the past five-year period, issued by the Institute of Exports Research and Studies, emerging as the most profitable markets for the Greek exports are eastern Europe and the Balkans, where exports jumped to 23.8% and 29.2% respectively. Exports to the United States showed an increase on 19.6%. Nevertheless, European Union member-states continue to be the most significant markets for Greek products. 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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