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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-03-03Macedonian 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, March 3, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK PRESIDENT IN UZBEKISTAN, SIGNS 3 BILATERAL AGREEMENTSTashkent, March 3 (MPA)The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, who is presently on an official visit to Uzbekistan, met with his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimof in Tashkent yesterday evening.Megrs. Karimof and Stephanopoulos signed three agreements that further expand relations between the two countries. The agreements concern cooperation in the consular sector, a road transports agreement and cooperation between the two countries' national banks. The two heads of state discussed international issues and Greek-Turkish relations. They also expressed the political will for further expansion of relations between Greece and Uzbekistan in all areas, particularly in the economic, cultural and commercial sectors. President Stephanopoulos is accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis and a delegation of Greek businessmen. Greece and Uzbekistan signed a friendship and cooperation pact and a series of cooperation agreements in commerce, technology, training and tourism when Mr. Karimof visited Greece on April 1, 1997. A.F. [02] GREEK PM DECRIES ATTEMPTS AT SLANDER, DISTORTION, UNRESTAthens. March 3 (MPA)Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis stated there are many who are trying to promote views and policies, through the situations created, with distortions, slandering and the creation of events leading to troubled situations, such as (PKK leader) Ocalan's illegal entry into Greece."Those who brought Mr. Ocalan to Greece, without legal processes, while the government's statement was clear that this would be contrary to Greek interests, did not think of what was beneficial for the country. Period. Let us not search further," he said. Mr. Simitis further stressed that the country's interest must be highlighted, adding that "those who spread rumors and create false impressions and innuendoes will find us before them." A.F. [03] STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SIMITISWashington, March 3 (MPA)State Department spokesperson James Foley has stated that the United States have excellent relations with the Greek government, which they expect to continue, during yesterday's regular press briefing.When asked if the Greek government's stability is at risk following the resignation of three top ministers over the Ocalan affair, Mr. Foley stated that the US have confidence in Greek Premier Kostas Simitis and see no sign of instability. A.F. [04] SWEDISH REPORTER DISCLAIMS HAVING WRITTEN CONTENTIOUS PHRASEAthens, March 3 (MPA)TT Swedish news agency reporter, Janus Lindgren, has disclaimed the libelous phrase attributed to Greece's former foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos in a wire report written by him during correspondence from the European Socialist Party in Milan, and stressed that he does not recognize the report's opening paragraph since it does not contain his writing.Mr. Lindgren stressed that he never quoted Mr. Pangalos as having stated "we decided to send Ocalan to Turkey," simply because the latter never said such thing. The contentious wire claimed that Mr. Pangalos referred to the Ocalan affair and was erroneously titled "Greece supported the handing over of Ocalan", while its first paragraph contained the phrase "with the aim of sending Ocalan to Turkey. " Mr. Lindgren insisted that he did speak with Mr. Pangalos about the Ocalan affair when he met him shortly before the ESP's luncheon. "We had a discussion about who would be the Greek candidate for the European Commission," he said, adding " then I posed some questions on how Ocalan was apprehended by Turkey and how the (Greek) government acted and reacted. "Then Mr. Pangalos told me that there weren't many alternative solutions available to Greece," Mr. Lindgren said, adding that Mr. Pangalos said Greece could either seek assistance from other European countries, "which was impossible, given what had happened in Italy, or to send him directly to Turkey, which was also impossible, or thirdly, to send him to Latin America". The Swedish correspondent said that he cannot explain the title or the report's introduction. " It appears that something happened in the process of the dispatch from Stockholm to Athens," he said, stressing that the phrase "with the aim of sending Ocalan to Turkey" was not written by him and may have been added later. A.F. [05] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ON GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONSUnited Nations, March 3 (MPA)The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has expressed his concern over the course of Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue, referring to the aftermath of the PKK leader's (Abdullah Ocalan) apprehension.Speaking to the press, Mr. Annan stated that the tension that has arisen in the relations between Athens and Ankara is indeed worrisome, but it should not constitute a cause for conflict. "We watched all he developments (surrounding) Ocalan's arrest and in the relations between Greece and Turkey, but I hope that this difficult period will be overcome and not lead to war," the UN chief said. At the same time, Washington expressed its concern over G/T relations and has asked Ankara to cease its threatening statements against Greece, while advising Athens to show self-restrain. A.F. [06] MORE KOSOVO-BOUND ARMAMENTS ARRIVE IN THESSALONIKIThessaloniki, March 3 (MPA)Another vessel arrived at the port of Thessaloniki yesterday, carrying arms and military supplies bound for Kosovo.The Egyptian-flagged (German-chartered) "Fast Alexandria" transported 60 military vehicles, 22 personnel vehicles, 20 containers with ammunition and pharmaceutical supplies. According to military sources, no other military vessels are expected to arrive at the Thessaloniki port until March 5. Since February 18, eight vessels have docked at the port and over 2,500 troops arrived at the city's airport. A.F. [07] GREEK ECONOMY REVIEWED BY THE EUROPEAN UNIONAthens, March 3 (MPA)The governor of the Bank of Greece Lukas Papademos is to meet today with the governor of the European Union's Central Bank, with whom he will discuss the Greek economy's overall situation and the flexibility of one out of the five conditions set forth by the Maastricht Treaty, that is inflation.According to reports, the EU could propose that Greece, instead of achieving the median inflation rate of those three countries with the highest index, it could alternatively, if it achieves a two-percent inflation rate at the end of the year, apply for EMU accession in March of the year 2000. A.F. [08] US CONGRESSMEN RECOGNIZE GREEK SOVEREIGNTY IN IMIA ISLANDSWashington, March 3 (MPA)Seventeen United States congressmen have signed a resolution which recognizes Greece's sovereignty over the Imia islands and which adds that Turkey should agree to bringing the matter forth with the International Court of Justice at The Hague.The said resolution was submitted for discussion in the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee. A.F. [09] GERMAN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS TO VISIT ISLAND NEXT WEEKNicosia, March 3 (MPA)German special envoy to Cyprus Detlev Graf Zu Rantzau is to visit the island next week in order to discuss latest developments on the Cypriot issue and the country's EU accession progress.According to press reports, Mr. Zu Rantzau would be discussing "recent developments after the decision not to deploy anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus, and the events of the past three months." Zu Rantzau will arrive on Sunday, and will be received by Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides on Monday morning. During his five-day stay, the German diplomat will also have meetings with Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kassoulides and Cyprus' chief EU negotiator George Vassiliou. He will also meet foreign diplomats, including British High Commissioner David Madden and US Ambassador Kenneth Brill. In addition, the German envoy will meet with Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and UN permanent representative Dame Ann Hercus. A.F. [10] BURNS TO ADDRESS US-GREEK COMMERCIAL COMMISSION MEETINGWashington, March 3 (MPA)United States Ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns, presently in the U.S., is to participate in the semi- annual US-Greek Economic and Commercial Commission meeting, which will be held on March 5. IIn addition to official consultations, Mr. Burns is also participating in a meeting of the US-Greek Business Council in New York and is addressing the American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture in Tampa and speaking at New York University. A.F. [11] TIPPER GORE, US VICE-PRESIDENT'S WIFE, TO VISIT THESSALONIKIThessaloniki, March 3 (MPA)Tipper Gore, the wife of United States Vice President and presidential candidate Al Gore, is to visit Thessaloniki on March 16 where she will address a forum organized by the city's American College Anatolia.Ms. Gore will speak on The Role of Volunteerism in Covering Social Needs." The event will held in honor of the 60th anniversary since the founding of Anatolia's Alumni Association, which also coincides with the school's administrative board resolution to promote volunteerism through its social activities. Ms. Gore, a known advocate of volunteerism, is the Clinton Administration's mental health adviser. A.F. [12] UNHCR: KOSOVO'S REFUGEES LIVE IN "APALLING" CONDITIONSUnited Nations, March 3 (MPA)Fearful of clashes between the Kosovo Liberation Army and the security forces, thousands of evacuees were staying out in the open in the freezing Balkan winter or taking refuge in packed houses under "appalling" conditions, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported yesterday.Describing the refugee situation along Kosovo's south- eastern border with FYROM, a UNHCR spokesman told the press that the agency's officials had witnessed about 500 people, mostly women and children, from Gajre camping on a nearby snow- covered mountainside, pitching plastic tents and making fires. UNHCR, which is arranging delivery of aid for these people, transported 10-day- old twin babies suffering from exposure to a nearby hospital. In another location, near the border crossing point called General Jankovic, UNHCR saw some families packed into houses, each hosting as many as 30 to 50 evacuees. The agency's spokesman described housing conditions -with no heating or sanitation facilities- as "appalling." A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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