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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-04-26Macedonian 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 26, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] NATO RAIDS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUE TO INTENSIFYBelgrade, April 26 (MPA)Another round of NATO raids pounded Yugoslavia last night, staying true to the Alliance’s vow to intensify the attacks. Novi Sad was caught in the eye of the storm where, according to the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, the Danube River’s last bridge was downed. Moreover, the Allied aircraft hit a fuel housing facility in Valjevo and an airport located close to the Hungarian border. The country is now left devoid of television programming, after NATO missiles struck the Serb television station’s largest transmitter early yesterday. Meanwhile, the head of the international Red Cross is wrapping up his visit to Belgrade today where he met with Yugoslav leaders. A.F.[02] NATO LEADERS AGREE TO CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIAWashington, April 26 (MPA)The leaders of NATO’s 19 member-states have agreed to continue the air raids against Yugoslavia, albeit, as Greece’s Premier Costas Simitis said, it was commonly believed that the military means will not suffice and diplomatic efforts need to intensify. The US deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbot is to discuss this matter in Moscow today. A.F.[03] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH FYROM PRESIDENT IN WASHINGTONWashington, April 26 (MPA)Greece’s Premier Costas Simitis, met with the President of FYROM Kiro Gligorov in Washington yesterday, with whom he discussed the latest developments in the Balkan region in light of NATO’s bombardment of Yugoslavia. According to the BBC’s Greek service, the meeting was held in a positive climate, while the name issue pending between the two countries was not brought up. Messrs. Simitis and Gligorov stated that the talks pertaining to the name are being continued in the United Nations under the auspices of the mediator Cyrus Vance. Both leaders expressed their intent to expand economic cooperation between the two countries through the promotion of joint ventures. A.F.[04] KOSOVO REFUGEES TO BE INOCULATED IN GREECEAlexandroupolis, April 26 (MPA)Approximately 2,000 refugees from Kosovo are to receive inoculations from the Greece’s Center of Preventive Medicine of the Social Services Foundation (IKA) of Alexandroupolis, which is cooperating with Turkey’s Medical School of Edirne and related Bulgarian centers.A delegation is to visit the Edirne Medical School today and the results to arise from the representatives’ talks are to be submitted to the related ministries of the three countries. A.F. [05] SWEDEN’S ROYAL COUPLE TO ARRIVE IN GREECE TODAYAthens, April 26 (MPA)King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Sylvia of Sweden are to embark on a three-day visit to Greece today, the first- ever official visit by a Swedish head of state to this country, at the invitation of the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. The royal couple will be received by Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis today, and will attend a banquet held in their honor by President Stephanopoulos. Tomorrow, the King and Queen of Sweden will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and will meet with the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, as well as with Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos. They will also attend a business seminar at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Tomorrow night, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Sylvia will hold a reception. A.F.[06] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER: PREMIER ACTS LIKE AN OBEDIENT CHILDAthens, April 26 (MPA)The leader of Greece’s main opposition party, New Democracy’s Costas Karamanlis, accused the Prime Minister Costas Simitis of acting like “an obedient child” who “always says yes”, referring to the latter’s stance at the NATO Summit in Washington.He blasted the government as being “below par” and stressed that the military operations in Yugoslavia must cease immediately. Mr. Karamanlis also reiterated his proposal for the formation of a Foreign Policy Council which would carve a national strategy. A.F. [07] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PM FAVORS INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN KOSOVOLondon, April 26 (MPA)Calling on the Yugoslav people to face reality and not harbor false hopes that NATO will be defeated, the Yugoslav deputy Prime Minister Vuk Drascovic has stated that he is in favor of the development of an international force in Kosovo, within the framework of the Security Council’s resolutions proposed by Russia and Western countries.“The world must learn the truth”, he told a Serb privately-owned television station, adding that “certain powers in Serbia are lying to the people. “The so-called patriots are lying to the people that we can win an early victory over NATO and that the alliance is close to collapse. NATO has never been so united and strong as it is today", he said. Speaking on the UN presence in Kosovo, Mr. Draskovic stressed that it cannot be regarded as occupation, as Yugoslavia is a UN member. Speaking on the Russian position, Draskovic stressed that Moscow is not planning to get involved in a third world war. "Russia has no other way than to publicly condemn the aggression against Yugoslavia and then to explain to the West in telephone talks that it is not going to spoil relations with it", the deputy premier said. Mr. Draskovic who heads the right-wing nationalist Serb Renewal Party (SPO), said he had reminded Serbia's leaders that "in the pre-communist era", Serbia "used courteous terms when dealing with the enemy occupying it" particularly in 1917 and 1918. A.F. [08] SANDY BERGER: GREECE IS IN A TOUGH SPOT, GIVEN ITS POSITIONWashington, April 26 (MPA)The United States President’s national security advisor Sandy Berger has stated that Greece continues to support NATO’s decisions, in spite of its reservations which mostly stem from its geographical position and its efforts to gain accession to the Economic and Monetary Union.Speaking during an interview, Mr. Berger stated that the Greeks, due to their country’s geographical proximity to Kosovo and their natural sympathy towards the Serbs, are in a tough spot, but in no way have they hindered NATO’s activities. “They have not tried to avert NATO from (conducting) military operations, in spite of the fact that, here in Washington, Premier Simitis stressed that a diplomatic solution has to be found,” he stated. “In reality, I believe that they have displayed a great sense of courage, accepting and abiding by NATO’s decisions,” he added. A.F. [09] GREEK PREMIER AND U.S. PRESIDENT DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUEWashington, April 26 (MPA)Greece’s Prime Minister Costas Simitis discussed the Cyprus issue with the President of the United States Bill Clinton, he reiterated yesterday during the press conference held at the end of the NATO Summit in Washington.Responding to a relevant question, Mr. Simitis stated that during his talks with President Clinton he “stressed the need to enforce the United Nations resolutions, promote the resolution of the political issue and, concurrently, advance the Cypriot President’s proposal for the demilitarization of the island. Meanwhile, Greece’s Foreign Minister George Papandreou, addressing the Fletcher Institute of Analysis and Foreign Policy, in a conference organized by the Socrates Kokkalis Foundation, stated that Greece would like to see the same standards and regulations presently applied in Kosovo enforced in Cyprus as well. A.F. [10] THESSALONIKI HOSTS BALL GAME TODAY FOR PEACE IN THE BALKANSThessaloniki, April 26 (MPA)Greek and Serb soccer players are to play in a Thessaloniki-held match this evening, sending a message of peace to the Balkans.The game’s initiative lies with the Association of Soccer Union of Macedonia and will feature a team comprising PAOK, Aris and Hercules players and a team of Serbs who play for Greek and European teams. Prior to the start of the game, 500 doves will be released into the air, courtesy of the Association of Postal and Race Doves of Kalamaria. The birds will travel to Bulgaria and Romania prior to returning to Thessaloniki. All game proceeds will be given to Serb humanitarian aid causes. A.F. [11] UN HIGH COMMISSIONER REPORTS NEW MASSACRES IN KOSOVOSkopje, April 26 (MPA)The United Nations High Commissioner for the Refugees (UNHCR) has stated that new massacres have been reported in a number of Kosovo villages.Quoting testimony given by Albanian refugees who arrive at the FYROM border, UNHCR’s representative in FYROM Paula Gedini stated armed Serb forces have committed killings and rapes in three villages near the city of Liplian, 10 kilometers south of Prishtina. A.F. [12] ATHENS TO HOST MUSICAL BRIDGE OF PEACE WITH BELGRADEAthens, April 26 (MPA)A “bridge of peace” between Athens and Belgrade will be held today in the Greek capital, a musical event that will coincide with another concert held simultaneously in Belgrade, featuring the participation of a great number of musicians.Meanwhile, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic, in a letter addressed to the chief of the United Nations Security Council, requests that specific measures be drawn in order to restore peace and stability in the Balkan region. In his letter, the Yugoslav FM stressed that the UN has not condemned the NATO operations against Yugoslavia and accuses the Alliance of selecting civilian targets which causes the refugees to flee. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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