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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-07-09Macedonian 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 9, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH US COUNTERPARTWashington, July 9 (MPA)Greece?s National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is continuing his ten-day official visit to the United States and met with his US counterpart William Cohen in Washington yesterday. Referring to the Kossovo issue, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated the only solution that could bear permanent results and stability in the region can be arrived at through diplomatic efforts. In turn, Mr. Cohen agreed, adding that the use of military force should only be used as a last resort.[02] RUSSIAN S-300 MISSILES TO BE TEST FIRED IN MOSCOW TODAYMoscow, July 9 (MPA)The S-300 anti-aircraft missiles purchased by Cyprus from Moscow are to be test-fired today in Russia. Cypriot Defense Minister Yiannakis Omirou is currently in Moscow on a four-day visit and will attend the test-firing of the ground- to- air missiles which will take place at a firing range 1,200 km south of Moscow. The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides is also due to visit Moscow from July 11-14.[03] NORTHERN GREECE?S RAILWAY WORKERS TO STRIKE TODAYThessaloniki, July 9 (MPA)Only three trains, serving social needs, are to run on the railway tracks of Macedonia and Thrace today, 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. [04] PASOK POLITICAL SECRETARIAT TO CONVENE TODAYAthens, July 9 (MPA)The government?s planned structural changes are to be at the center of a discussion held by the ruling PASOK party?s Political secretariat and headed by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. Deputy Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis has announced a 0.1- point slip in consumer price inflation to 5.2 percent in June from 5.3 percent in May. The official figure is due for release today. However, the government does not expect the inflation rate to edge below 5.0 percent before the end of the summer.A meeting at the finance ministry focused on progress in meeting this year's central government budget and on setting fiscal policy targets for 1999. [05] STATE EXPECTS MORE TOURISTS TO VISIT GREECE THIS YEARAthens, July 9 (MPA)The Greek Tourism Organization?s Secretary-General Nikos Skoulas stated today that the state expects an increase of10-12% in the number of tourists who are to visit Greece this year.Last year, the number of tourists who chose Greece to spend their holidays amounted to 10.5 million, marking an 8.24% increase in comparison to 1996. [06] EU EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER FLYNN IN GREECE TODAYAthens, July 9 (MPA)EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn, responsible for issues of employment and social affairs, will visit Greece today. During his two-day visit to Greece, the EU Commissioner will have contacts with government officials.Today, he will meet with prime minister Kostas Simitis and with ministers of labor and health to discuss issues within their authority and tomorrow he will visit hospitals and psychiatric clinics in the region of Athens and in the island of Leros. [07] GREEK TRANSPORTATION MINISTER EMBARKS ON VISIT TO BELGRADEBelgrade, July 9 (MPA)Transport and Communications Minister Tassos Mantelis is to embark today on a three-day visit to Belgrade in order to promote cooperation between Greece and Yugoslavia in the sectors of transport and communication. Mr. Mantelis is heading a delegation of public utilities and organizations executives. He is scheduled to hold talks with Serb President Milan Milutinovic and Yugoslav federal Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic, as well as the Yugoslav ministers of transport and communications.[08] US STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON COMMENTS ON NO-FLY ZONE IN AEGEANWashington, July 9 (MPA)US State Department spokesperson James Rubin stated that proposals to create a no-fly zone over h the Aegean Sea and Cyprus, where foreign aircraft violating the zone would be downed, is simply ?not realistic?Mr. Rubin also stated that the Clinton Administration would like the deal of the deployment of the S-300 anti-aircraft missiles at the island to be canceled, while he also stressed that Turkish threats for military action, in case the missiles are deployed, are denounced by the US government. [09] THERE IS NO IMMINENT CRISIS IN CYPRUS, BRITAIN SAYS NOWNicosia, July 8 (MPA)Britain does not think there is an imminent crisis in Cyprus and is not calling for caution regarding visits to the island, the Cypriot News Agency reports. Commenting on a "Sky News" report, which more or less repeats the scenario that appeared recently in the "Sunday Times", about Ministry of Defense contingency plans to evacuate the island, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "I do not think Sky News know of something in Cyprus that we do not know". Asked what advice the Foreign Office gives to prospective travelers to Cyprus, the spokesman said that "we made it quite clear, that it is not our assessment that there is any crisis in Cyprus, making necessary a change in our stand regarding visits there". He added that "our policy remains the same" and that "we do not see any reason for British citizens planning to visit Cyprus to change their plans".[10] EU?S AUSTRIAN PRESIDENCY REAFFIRMS START OF CYPRUS ACCESSION TALKSNicosia, July 9 (MPA)The Austrian-held presidency of the European Union has reaffirmed that the start of Cyprus' accession talks with the EU is based on the decision of the Luxembourg European Council. Austrian Chancellor, Viktor Klima, whose country currently holds the rotating six- month EU presidency, has also called on the British Representative for Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, to continue offering his services during the Austrian presidency. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels yesterday, Mr. Klima said the EU began accession negotiations with Cyprus, based on the conclusions of the December 1997 European Council, but the Turkish- Cypriots, who were invited to participate, have so far refused to participate in the talks. He said Austrian Foreign Minister, Wolfgang Schussel, will make every effort to solve the problem and expressed the hope that during the Austrian presidency, there will be an overall agreement. Mr. Klima said Sir David Hannay, Britain's Cyprus envoy, had worked hard on the Cyprus problem and for this reason, he was asked to continue his services during the Austrian presidency.[11] BRITISH MPs TABLE MOTION FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO CYPRUS ISSUELondon, July 9 (MPA)British parliamentarians have tabled a motion to the House of Commons recognizing the right of the Republic of Cyprus to defend itself. The motion, titled "Cyprus: Efforts to secure peace", also calls on Turkey to accept the demilitarization of Cyprus. "This House recognizes the right of the Republic of Cyprus to defend itself but welcomes President Clerides' readiness to suspend the importation and deployment of S-300 Russian ground-to- air missiles...on the condition that progress is forthcoming on an agreed schedule of action which includes measures leading towards the goal of demilitarization," the motion said. It "calls upon the Turkish government to accept as a matter of principle, the demilitarization of Cyprus as a matter of urgency". The motion, supported by 122 deputies so far, also calls upon "all sides in negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem to settle their differences by peaceful means". Furthermore, it "urges the UN Secretary General to undertake intensive efforts to secure an agreement between the parties on all security matters".[12] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON VISIT TO ALBANIA, FYROMTirana, July 9 (MPA)German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel arrived in Tirana yesterday evening, embarking on an official visit to Albania and FYROM. Mr. Kinkel stated that NATO will not hesitate to resort to arms if negotiations concerning the Kossovo crisis fail.The German FM was received by Albania?s President and Premier. [13] UN REPORT: AT LEAST 52,000 DISPLACED PERSONS FROM KOSSOVOGeneva, July 9 (MPA)There are at least 52,000 displaced people throughout Kossovo, according to a new United Nations update on the situation there. The update, issued by the Belgrade Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), states that the agency does not know the whereabouts of former residents of whole towns and villages on the Albanian border area which have been deserted.Refugees interviewed by UNHCR after crossing the border into northern Albania over the past week reported that the journey was more dangerous than ever before due to shelling. Despite the dangers, 83 people crossed this week, including several who were elderly, sick or accompanying young children. According to reports from the new arrivals, there are still many civilians seeking to cross the border into Albania, the update states. There have been a number of reports of security incidents, which UNHCR says may explain the lack of refugee movements into Albania during four of the past seven days. Relations between refugees and the local population in Albania are good, according to UNHCR. However, both fear that the conflict may spread to northern Albania. In the country's Tropoje district, the local population is armed, and even young boys are seen carrying Kalishnikovs. "There are many shooting incidents all the time," the update states. [14] ONE OUT OF THREE CHILDREN IN THE WORLD LACK BIRTH CERTIFICATESGeneva, July 9 (MPA)One out of three children born each year are at risk because they are not registered at birth, according to a new report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The Progress of Nations, an annual report on how effectively countries are improving the status of children, says that the 40 million children who are unregistered each year are deprived of key citizenship rights. Twenty-two nations have no data on birth registration. "This is one of the major unreported stories of our time," UNICEF's Executive Director, Carol Bellamy, said at the launching of the report in London on Wednesday. She pointed out that lack of a birth certificate threatened children. "Whether seeking immunization, entering school or proving one is too young for military service or to work in hazardous industries, a birth certificate is a necessity. Without proof of birth, a child cannot be legally vaccinated in at least 20 countries, according to the report. More than 30 States require birth registration before a child can be treated in a health center. Most countries demand to see a birth certificate before enrolling a child in school. Many require one for supplemental feeding programs. The author of the lead article in The Progress of Nations, Unity Dow, brought her personal experience as the first female High Court Judge in Botswana to the task of reporting on birth registration. Noting the usefulness of a birth certificate in the hands of a teenager accused of a crime, she writes, "I am presiding over a murder trial of a young man who does not have a birth certificate. If convicted, he could face the hangman's noose because he cannot prove that he was under 18 at the time the crime was committed." Her article provides details about the countries where birth certification is made difficult by cumbersome procedures or costs. In addition, she devotes attention to the problems faced by refugees and others born away from home. "Threatening as it is to be without a birth certificate in a settled community, to be denied proof of identity outside the borders of one's home country is to be consigned to the no- man's land of statelessness," she observes. Some countries have been taking steps to improve their certification process, according to the report. Under the auspices of the United Nations Statistical Division and a consortium of UN agencies, training workshops have been held for registrars throughout the world to improve civil registration systems.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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