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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-06-15Macedonian 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, June 15, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] PRESIDENT OF GREECE TO CONDUCT OFFICIAL VISIT TO ROMANIAAthens, June 15 (MPA)The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos is to embark on an official visit to Romania tomorrow, accompanied by a delegation of Greek businessmen.During his stay in Bucharest, President Stephanopoulos will meet with his Romanian counterpart Emil Constantinescu with whom he will sign a bilateral agreement. On Thursday, the President will give an address at the Economic Forum and will also visit the Romanian Parliament where he will hold talks with the Speaker and vice president of the House. Later in the day, he will meet with Patriarch Theoktistos, while he will also inaugurate the Greek art exhibit at the National Museum of Art. A.F. [02] CABINET CONVENES TODAY TO ASSESS ELECTION RESULTSAthens, June 15 (MPA)Prime Minister Costas Simitis is to chair a cabinet meeting today where the participating ministers and government officials are to assess the results of Sunday’s European Parliament elections where the ruling PASOK party was defeated by the main opposition New Democracy.Mr. Simitis, who is also PASOK president, stated that the party will be judged in the elections of the year 2000. In a meeting held yesterday evening between Mr. Simitis and the secretary of the party’s central committee Costas Skandalides, a series of restructural changes were decided upon in order to improve the government’s effectiveness. A.F. [03] DEFENSE MINISTER: ELECTION RESULTS REFLECT PEOPLE’S CONCERNSAthens, June 15 (MPA)National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos conceded that Sunday's European Parliament election results were indeed unfavorable for the ruling PASOK party, however adding that PASOK can win the national elections of 2000 because it has proved that it can successfully promote its major interests and needs both in the European Union and the establishment of peace and security in the region.He criticized the main opposition party New Democracy which he said, despite having won first place in the Euroelections, is unable to create a popular majority which can only be created by the sector of the left, the sector of reform and the sector of progress. A.F. [04] FIRST PART OF GREEK BRIGADE DEPARTS FOR KOSOVO TODAYThessaloniki, June 15 (MPA)Greek troops participating in the peacekeeping force assigned to Kosovo embarked on their mission early this morning. The 501 motorized infantry battalion in Giannitsa, the first part of the Greek brigade to go to Kosovo, comprises 450 volunteer commissioned officers and professional soldiers and 50 reservists. It includes M113 armored personnel carriers, and VPL battle support vehicles. Many of its members have served in the Greek contingents of the peace forces in Bosnia and Albania. The battalion is expected to be deployed in southern Kosovo, in the U.S. sector and based in Gnilane. A.F.[05] FOCUS INITIATIVE GROUP COORDINATES EFFORT IN BELGRADE TODAYBelgrade, June 15 (MPA)Officials from the four countries comprised in the Focus initiative (Greece, Russia, Switzerland and Austria) are to meet in Belgrade today, with the participation of Yugoslavia, in order to coordinate the content and size of the humanitarian aid to be provided to the region. Experts from the aforementioned countries are to assess the needs for humanitarian aid in Yugoslavia and the distribution of the goods. A.F.[06] HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS BEGIN TODAY, STUDENTS TESTED IN HISTORYThessaloniki, June 15 (MPA)High school juniors throughout Greece were tested on the arduous subject of history today, the first exam in a two-week series that will deem their advance to the senior class.The exam’s topics were announced simultaneously in all schools through the state-television program of ERT. The students will have a three-hour opportunity to write essays and answers. A.F. [07] GREEK DRUG ORGANIZATION: BELGIAN COSMETICS ARE SAFEAthens, June 15 (MPA)A team of dermatologists and other experts from the Greek Drug Organization (EOF) found yesterday that cosmetics manufactured in Belgium do not contain cancer- causing dioxins. The first vice-president of EOF George Daratsanos stated yesterday assurances had been received from the Belgian cosmetics manufacturers, as well as from the competent European Union authorities, ruling out the possibility of animal tissues tainted with dioxin having been used in the preparation of cosmetics or suntan oils in Belgium. A.F.[08] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS STARTS FLIGHTS TO PRAGUEThessaloniki, June 15 (MPA)Greece’s state-owned airline Olympic Airways, started flights to Prague, as of yesterday, in cooperation with Czech Airlines. The airline has scheduled daily flights from Athens to Prague, except on Wednesdays. One route departs at 6 a.m. local time on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and another at 4:40 p.m. on Monday, Friday and Saturday. "Prague is a destination with growing tourism and its position in the geographical triangle Vienna-Budapest- Prague allows travelers to visit two or three cities in one trip," a spokesperson for the Greek airline company stated. A.F.[09] US-RUSSIAN TALKS ON KOSOVO SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROWMoscow, June 15 (MPA)The Russian and U.S. defense ministers, Igor Sergeyev and William Cohen respectively, are to hold talks on the Kosovo issue on Wednesday, June 16 in Helsinki, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported. Quoting military and diplomatic sources, Itar-Tass also reported that the two men will hold a telephone conversation this evening. A.F.[10] RUSSIA REPORTEDLY TO SEND THOUSANDS OF TROOPS TO PRISHTINAMoscow, June 15 (MPA)Russia is preparing to send between 5,000 and 7,000 paratroops to Kosovo in the next three or four days, flying them into the airport of Prishtina which is currently in the hands of a Russian force, the Ria- Novosti news agency reported.Quoting Serb sources in its dispatch from Belgrade today, Ria-Novosti said that once they arrive in Pristina, flying via Ukraine and Bulgaria in Ilyushin-76 transports, the troops would be deployed in the southern Serbian province as part of the international KFOR peacekeeping force. The report said that Bulgaria had given its permission for the Russian aircraft to use its airspace. However Bulgaria's BTA news agency reported yesterday that Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadejda Mikhailova had told Moscow that its request would not be granted until an accord was reached between Russia and NATO on a unified command for the peacekeeping force. An aide to Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Andranik Migranian, on Sunday called the lack of an immediate Bulgarian reply a "hostile act" in an interview with the private Bulgarian radio Express. Also yesterday, Romania rejected a Russian request to use its airspace for flights to Kosovo, arguing that previous UN Security Council approval would be needed for such a decision. A.F. [11] US PRESIDENT- RUSSIAN COUNTERPART DISCUSS KOSOVO BY PHONEMoscow, June 15 (MPA)Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his U.S. counterpart Bill Clinton had a telephone conversation yesterday where they continued their discussion of issues concerning the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Kosovo. According tot he Russian news agency Itar-Tass, Messrs. Yeltsin and Clinton agreed to intensify bilateral dialogue, including between the military, in order to work out mutually acceptable solutions connected with the further peacekeeping operation.To this end, the two sides will continue their contacts, including via diplomatic channels. The presidents agreed that their defense ministers will meet within days. President Yeltsin reportedly blasted threats to Russian peacekeepers from the Kosovo Liberation Army and KLA's provocations despite the deployment of the international peacekeeping force. He stressed that such provocative actions force Serbs and representatives of other ethnic groups out of the province, endangering the entire settlement process. President Clinton showed understanding for the Russian leader's concerns and called for strict compliance with corresponding U.N. Security Council resolutions. In connection with the upcoming G-8 summit in Cologne on June 20, the two presidents expressed their interest in a thorough exchange of views on topical issues of Russian-American relations in various areas. A.F. [12] US SECRETARY OF STATE TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTERWashington, June 15 (MPA)U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Defense Secretary William Cohen will leave "shortly" for Helsinki, Finland, for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, over Russia's participation in the international Kosovo peacekeeping force (KFOR).Ms. Albright told reporters yesterday that they intend to "work out the longer-term issues about the participation of Russians in KFOR." She also noted the necessity of uniform command over the peacekeeping mission in the Serb province. A.F. [13] ALBANIA TO RECEIVE 30 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FROM IMFWashington, June 15 (MPA)The International Monetary Fund has announced a 30 million dollar Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility for Albania. According to the French news agency AFP, IMF directors commended Albanian authorities for restoring macroeconomic stability following the 1997 financial disturbances, sparked by the collapse of pyramid schemes.They noted in a statement that in 1998, "output rebounded from its earlier losses, inflation was significantly reduced, and international reserves were kept at a reasonably comfortable level." Albania's prudent macroeconomic policies and progress in key structural reforms had led to these successes, the IMF said. The IMF said it also recognized the flood of Kosovar refugees had placed enormous strain on the country, but that "with sufficient external support, the crisis need not derail Albania's recovery." The directors also stressed it was critical for Albania "to observe the highest standards of transparency in accounting for expenditures and funding connected with the Kosovo crisis." A.F. [14] OCALAN WARNS OF COUP POTENTIAL IN CASE OF HIS EXECUTIONAnkara, June 15 (MPA)PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is presently incarcerated by the Turkish authorities at Imrali island, has warned of a potential coup in case he is executed.In a statement conveyed through his attorneys to the “Ozgur Politika” daily, Mr. Ocalan said that he has fallen victim to conspiracy which targets Turkey as well and expresses his concern for the outcome by stressing that his destruction will be a trap which will lead to a flare-up of chauvinism. He added that there is the possibility of a coup taking place, which would result in bloodshed. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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