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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-04-13Macedonian 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, April 13, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] NATO STRIKES YUGOSLAV TRAIN WITH ROCKET, NINE KILLEDBelgrade, April13 (MPA)NATO rockets struck a passenger train crossing a rail bridge in southern Yugoslavia yesterday afternoon, killing nine people on board and wounding at least 20 others.According to NATO officials, the possibility of casualties cannot be excluded, despite taking “extraordinary” measures to avoid collateral damage. The train was not bound for Thessaloniki and no Greek journalists were on board, as was initially reported. Yugoslav Foreign Ministry spokesman Nebojsa Vujovic called the attack "a great tragedy, great crime against humanity in broad daylight." Meanwhile, the Alliance continues with its raids, focusing its targets on industrial sites. At the same time, ethnic Albanians continue to flee Kosovo. seeking refuge in Albania and FYROM. A.F. [02] US SECRETARY OF STATE MEETS WITH RUSSIA’S IVANOV IN OSLOOslo, April 13 (MPA)US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is to meet with her Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov in Oslo today, as part of an effort to reach a political solution to the Yugoslav crisis. US Secretary of Defense William Cohen has reiterated that the Clinton Administration is satisfied with the results of the raids in Yugoslavia. Furthermore, he added that Washington is, for the time being, opposed to deploying land troops in Yugoslavia. Yesterday, NATO Foreign Ministers agreed to continue the bombardment of Yugoslavia. A.F.[03] HIGH DEATH TOLL FOR EASTER EXODUS, THE WORST IN RECENT YEARSThessaloniki, April 13 (MPA)Forty-four persons were killed and another 484 were injured in 341 traffic accidents since Thursday, when Greeks fled the cities en masse for the country sites in order to celebrate Easter. The highway patrol has drawn extensive preventive measures in order to safeguard the return of travelers which was expected to peak yesterday evening. A.F.[04] GREEK FM MEETS WITH SECRETARY ALBRIGHT IN BRUSSELSBrussels, April 13 (MPA)Greece’s Foreign Minster George Papandreou held a brief meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Brussels yesterday, on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers informal meeting. Mr. Papandreou briefed his US counterpart on the present state of events in the Balkans and underlined Greece’s cooperation with the region’s countries. In turn, Ms. Albright acknowledged Greece’s constructive role in the region. “The Greeks have helped us and they will help more," she said. A.F.[05] NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDE TO CONTINUE BOMBING SERBIABrussels, April 13 (MPA)NATO’s foreign ministers, who convened in Brussels yesterday, have decided to continue the bombardment of Yugoslavia, until Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic meets the international community’s demands. According to the joint communique issued by the FMs of the 19 NATO members, the demands are as follows: 1) An end in a reliable way to all military activity and all acts of violence and repression. 2) The withdrawal of all forces (military, paramilitary and police) from Kosovo 3) Acceptance of an international military presence in Kosovo 4) Acceptance of the return of all refugees and the granting of permission for humanitarian aid to reach its destination 5) And the rendering of reliable proof of his intention to cooperate on the basis of the Rambouillet agreements for the shaping of a draft political agreement in harmony with international law and the UN Charter.Moreover, the communique holds Mr. Milosevic solely responsible for the crisis, by stating that his forces “created a human disaster for Kosovar civilians on a wide scale, rendering NATO's intervention necessary and justified”. The Alliance’s Secretary-General Javier Solana warned that NATO will respond forcefully if the Serbs attack Albania or threaten Montenegro. A.F. [06] GREEK PREMIER IN BRUSSELS TOMORROW FOR EU SUMMITAthens, April 13 (MPA)Greece’s Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to travel to Brussels tomorrow in order to take part in the European Union’s Summit Council.The Council will meet with the European Commission’s new president Romano Prodi. According to Mr. Simitis’ itinerary, he will travel to Sofia on Thursday. A.F. [07] GREEK FM: THE ROLE OF GREECE HAS BEEN UPGRADEDAthens, April 13 (MPA)The Kosovo crisis has upgraded Greece’s role in the region, Foreign Minister George Papandreou told the Athens daily “Ta Nea”, adding that the government’s policy has borne fruits.“In spite of the Greek public’s differing views regarding NATO’s operations, Greece’s role is finally recognized. To begin with, the humanitarian aspect, the country’s contribution to the refugee issue, the setting up of camps, and the successive visits to Albania and Skopje,” Mr. Papandreou stated. He added that “secondly, with our potential to contribute in resolving the crisis, through our channels with the Serbs and, finally, the restoration of Yugoslavia and the Balkans, following the crisis, with Greece being the cornerstone.” Concerning the possibility of NATO deploying ground troops in Yugoslavia, Mr. Papandreou stated that it cannot be ruled out, although he stressed that no such decision is imminent. A.F. [08] PASOK EXECUTIVE BUREAU TO DISCUSS EUROELECTIONS, KOSOVOAthens, April 13 (MPA)The Executive Bureau of the country’s ruling PASOK party is to convene today under the chairing of Prime Minster Kostas Simitis in order to discuss the upcoming European parliament elections and the latest developments in Yugoslavia.The party’s Central Committee is to convene on Saturday in order to review preparations for the Euroelections. A.F. [09] EUROPARLIAMENT CHIEF SPEAKS TO MPA ON YUGOSLAVIAStrasbourg, April 13 (MPA)The President of the European Parliament Jose Maria Jil Robles has forwarded to all of the House’s political party leaders the Yugoslav leadership’s letter which was relayed to him by Greek euro-deputy Nikitas Kaklamanis. The letter, whose content was not publicized, was written by the presidents of the Serb and Federal Yugoslav Parliament, Messrs. Minic and Vozovic, and is the result of lengthy talks held between them and Mr. Kaklamanis during which they accepted his proposal to request the mediation of the European Parliament for the start of talks aiming at a “fair and viable” solution”, as well as the immediate cease of NATO’s bombings. Mr. Robles stated that should the majority of the political groups, which are convening today, decide on the letter, then it will be placed on the agenda. “The letter expresses the key positions of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, from that point of view, it doesn’t contain any new elements, but the groups could include it in the draft resolutions that are being drawn for the plenary session regarding Kosovo,” Mr. Robles added.The session will be held following the Albright- Ivanov talks held in Oslo today. A.F. [10] TRUCKS CARRYING ARMS FOR UCK CONFISCATED IN ANCONARome, April 13 (MPA)Port authorities in Ancona, Italy, have confiscated three trucks carrying arms and ammunition reportedly destined for the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), according to the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug.The trucks, which arrived initially from Bosnia, had accompanying documentation that their cargo was humanitarian aid for Kosovo refugees. Following the cargo confiscation, the leader of Italy’s Green Party Parliamentary Group Mauricio Pieroni told the Italian media that “we must distance ourselves from the Kosovo Liberation Army”, adding that western governments have in the past often supported the side that was proven later to be the enemy of peace. A.F. [11] KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY ASKS FOR ARMS FROM UNITED STATESBelgrade, April 13 (MPA)The spokesman of the Kosovo Liberation Army Yakup Krasnici has requested that the United States assist his organization by providing them with arms, and that it proceed to deploying ground troops in Kosovo.According to the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, Mr. Krasnici met with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Brussels yesterday evening and requested that the Clinton Administration support the UCK’s struggle. Quoting Belgian media, Tanjug reported that Ms. Albright rejected Mr. Krasnici’s request, by stating that the US do not want to violate the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations on Yugoslavia. A.F. [12] ANOTHER ROUND OF EXPLOSIONS ROCKS PRISHTINAPrishtina, April 13 (MPA)NATO warplanes bombarded the capital of Kosovo Prishtina this morning, targeting military camps and oil refineries. Meanwhile, representatives of Greek political youth organizations are presently meeting with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade.A Russian convoy of humanitarian aid entered Yugoslavia this morning, after a two-day diplomatic row with Hungary over its contents. Gen. Wesley Clark, the supreme NATO commander in Europe, has requested an additional 300 aircraft. A.F. [13] PREMIER AND DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSS ARMS PROGRAMAthens, April 13 (MPA)Defense Minster Akis Tsochatzopoulos has expressed his contained optimism over the discovery of a political solution to the crisis in Yugoslavia, following his meeting with the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. The two men discussed the country’s armed forces outfitting program, as well as the developments in Kosovo. Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that there are certain approaches that aim at finding a political solution and expressed the hope that the conditions are set forth to actually allow these plans to materialize. A.F.[14] ALBANIA’S ARCHBISHOPRY OFFERS ENORMOUS RELIEF TO REFUGEESTirana, April 13 (MPA)The Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Albania has undertaken the responsibility of providing an enormous amount of relief to Kosovo’s refugees.In an exclusive interview with the Macedonian Press Agency, the Archbishop of Tirana and all of Albania Anastasios stated that the Church has already forwarded more than 100 tons of foodstuffs and other materials to the tent “cities” housing the refugees, while it is also setting up additional tents that will house up to 12,000 persons. “These refugees may not belong to our religious family, but they are beleaguered individuals,” His Reverence stated, adding that “this automatically prompts us to do whatever we can with love and respect in order to alleviate their suffering.” A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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