MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (23/04/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki April 23, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER MET WITH THE BRITISH LABOUR PARTY LEADER

After the meeting, mr.Simitis stressed that the discussion focused on issues that interest Greece and Britain and mainly on issues concerning the European Union and the european development.

[02] GREECE CATEGORICALLY REJECTED THE REPRESENTATION TURKEY MADE ON YESTERDAY'S INCIDENT IN KASTELORIZO

He said that Turkey yesterday made an unprecedented show of bad faith and appeared as the protector of slave- traders. Mr.Athanasakis added that 22.906 illegal immigrants had entered Greece in the period 1992-1995 and 5.361 of them had been brought to greek islands by turkish slave-traders.

[03] TURKS ADMIT THAT FISHING BOAT TRANSPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

[04] THE FINDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATION ON THE CAUSES OF THE HELICOPTER CRASH IN IMIA

At the same time, it is stressed that the causes that led to the helicopter crash and the deaths of its three-member crew were not fully substantiated.

According to the conclusion drawn by the committee, the causes of the helicopter crash were not substantiated by the investigation but at the same time it was substantiated that the helicopter was not downed and that there was no mechanical failure that could have led to the crash. The findings of the committee leave open the possibility of human error that could have led to the helicopter loss, while it is a fact that in the crash contributed and the adverse weather conditions in the region.

[05] GREECE EXERCISES VETO ON EU MEDA FUNDING TO TURKEY

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, who participated in the Council's meeting, emphasized that Greece will withdraw its reservations if Turkey states that the greek-turkish differences will be resolved peacefully and if Ankara states that it will resort to the International Court of Justice at The Hague for the Imia islets issue.

[06] GREEK TOURISTS WOUNDED IN CAIRO MASSACRE STILL HOSPITALIZED IN EGYPT, CONDITION IMPROVING

Referring to those victims whose conditions after the massacre did not allow for their transport to Greece, Mr. Athanasakis stated that their health is steadily improving, while, referring to Mr. Stylianos Drakoulis who was the most critically wounded, the under-Minister noted that his conditIon is considered serious since his respiratory function is technically supported.

[07] PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT IRELAND TOMORROW

According to reports, Mr. Simitis is expected to present to Mr. Major Greece's positions regarding national issues, mainly the greek-turkish differences.

This evening, the British Deputy Prime Minister Mike Heseltine will host a dinner in honor of Mr. Simitis at Lancaster House. Mr. Heseltine is the British government's co-ordinator for the promotion of british trade export and it is said that he will refer to the improvement of bilateral economic and trade relations between Greece and Britain.

Tomorrow morning, the Greek Premier will leave London for Dublin, Ireland, where he will hold talks with his Irish counterpart John Bruton during a working lunch.

[08] CULTURE MINISTER OPENS EUROMEDITERRANEAN MEETING IN BOLOGNA

Participating in this meeting are the Culture Ministers of all the EU member-states, as well as the Culture Ministers of Mediterranean countries outside the Community.

Mr. Benos was the primary speaker in the first of the meeting's three parts, and spoke on the issue of "Identity and Maintenance of the Cultural Heritage within the Euromediterranean Framework."

[09] GREEK GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF LABOR PRESIDENT MET WITH GLIGOROV

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Protopapas stated that his meeting with Mr. Gligorov was held in a very friendly climate.

Mr. Protopapas headed a delegation of confederation officials on a formal visit to Skopje, where they held talks with FYROM labor unions and the Labor Minister Naser Zimberi, exchanging views on the issue of unemployment.

[10] THE ALBANIAN PRESIDENT SPOKE ABOUT THE FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH GREECE IN HIS INVERVIEW TO "EURONEWS" TV CHANNEL

He said that the recent disagreements between Albania and Greece were due to the problems that had piled up in the past decades stressing that now there is a realistic basis for friendship and cooperation between the two countries which, he said, is very important not only for Greece and Albania but for the whole region as well.

The albanian President expressed his country's gratitude for Greece's support in its effort to become a member of european organizations.

On the issue of the greek minority in Albania, mr.Berisha said that it is a factor of friendship between the two countries and maintained that it enjoys all its rights.

[11] GREEK NAMES WERE GIVEN TO BUILDINGS IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN ATLANTA

The students of Georgia Tech University who will be housed in the Olympic Village after the end of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, have decided to give to the four central buildings of the Olympic facilities the names "Athens", "Sparta", "Olympia" and "Ithaka".

[12] GREEK PRODUCTS PROMOTION WEEK WAS HELD IN ALBANIA

The albanian businessmen had contacts with their greek colleagues and signed trade deals on food, drinks, marble, cosmetics, clothes, shoes, etc.

Responsible for the promotion of the products in Tirana was the Greek Organization of Foreign Trade.

The Albanian and Greek businessmen also discussed the issue concerning the establishment of joint manufacturing businesses in Albania.

In the exhibition held in Albania participated 18 of the largest businesses in the city of Kavala.

[13] GREEK GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF LABOR PRESIDENT MET WITH GLIGOROV

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Protopapas stated that his meeting with Mr. Gligorov was held in a very friendly climate.

Mr. Protopapas headed a delegation of confederation officials on a formal visit to Skopje, where they held talks with FYROM labor unions and the Labor Minister Naser Zimberi, exchanging views on the issue of unemployment. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[14] CYPRIOT SOCIALIST PARTY LEADER ON VISIT TO UNITED STATES

Mr. Lyssarides stated that he informed the American officials on the cypriot positions and regarding the direction the american initiative must take regarding the Cyprus issue.

Tomorrow, Mr. Lyssarides will meet with Ben Gilman, President of the Congress's International Relations Commission, the Commission's minority leader Lee Hamilton and the greek-american senator Paul Sarbanis.

[15] HANS VAN DEN BROEK TRAVELS TO ANKARA TOMORROW

During his stay in Turkey, Mr. Van Den Broek will hold talks with the Turk President Suleiman Demirel and the Premier Mesut Yilmaz, as well as with the Turk Foreign Minister Emrei Gonensay.

According to the Commissioner's spokesperson, Mr. Van Den Broek's aim in his visit to Ankara is to re- constitute good relations between the Commisision and the new turkish government, as well as the exchange of points of view over the problems that have arisen or are expected to arise by the application of the European Union-Turkey Customs Union.

Also, the Commissioner will discuss with the turkish officials the preparations of the Union Council of EU- Turkey, which was postponed on March 25th but the Italian EU Presidency insists on its convention prior to the expiration of its six-month term, that is prior to July and most likely on May 13-14.

[16] THE EUROPEAN COURT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WILL EXAMINE THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ANKARA

The European Human Rights Committee estimates that Ankara has violated a number of articles of the european convention for the protection of human rights.

The Committee has received over 400 complaints against Ankara. The first case that will be examined by the European Court concerns the accusation made by Husein Akduvar and other 7 individuals according to which the turkish armed forces attacked their village in the province of Diyiarbakir on November 10th, 1992, burned down their homes and killed their live stock. A few months later in April 1993 turkish soldiers completely destroyed the Kelektsi village.

The turkish authorities maintained that the military operations in the village were not violent and attributed its destruction to the Kurdish Labour Party separatist rebels.

The European Committee for Human Rights sent observers in the region on March and April of 1995 to examine the situation and to gather facts.

Also, the European Court will examine the accusation made by Zeki Aksoi before his assassination in April of 1994. In May of 1993, Aksoi had brought his case before the European Court accusing the turkish security forces of brutal tortures during his detention that caused the paralysis of his upper limbs. A year after Aksoi submitted the accusation to the European Court he was murdered and his killers were never arrested.

Ankara had accused a kurdish rebel for the murder of Aksoi.

[17] BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISIT TO SKOPJE POSTPONED

In an interview with the Russian newspaper "Semovja" FYROM's Foreign Minister Frchkovski expressed his suspicion that some countries might refuse such high level meeting, therefore FYROM suggested the meeting to be preceded by an "elastic forum of politicians" to discuss such an idea, Bulgarian daily "Continent" reported.

[18] FYROM TO JOIN NATO'S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE

The Defense Minister in Skopje unofficially estimates that, accounting for the technical procedures, FYROM might officially join NATO in about one year.

[19] THE BASEL INTERNATIONAL BANK TO DIVIDE THE FORMER YUGOSLAV PROPERTY

Moreover, in a meeting in Skopje on Friday the representatives of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and FYROM expressed their common principle stand, based on the Badinter's Commission Report and International Law principles, that all former Yugoslav republics are equal successors. The Slovenian and Croatian representatives left yesterday for Brussels to discuss the succession issue with Carl Bildt.

[20] THIRTY-THREE KILOS OF HEROINE CONFISCATED BY ROMANIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS

[21] FYROM'S TRADE UNION TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN FAMILY

"In order to become full member of the European Confederation of Trade Unions, the Trade Union of the FYROM must be independent and free and the government should take care of the social aspects of the transformation," Emilio Gabalio said, adding that this process is neither easy nor simple.

He also expressed his satisfaction that the initiative to form an European Social Council was accepted by FYROM's officials and over the fact that the Collective Bargaining with the government and the privatisation agreement had been signed.

[22] FYROM AND ALBANIA TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC COOPERATION

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