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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-22

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.


MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 22, 1998

SECTIONS

  • [A] NATIONAL NEWS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] PM TO MEET WITH MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY HONORARY PRESIDENT
  • [02] MEDITERRANEAN CULTURE MINISTERS HOLD CONFERENCE IN RHODES SEPT. 25-27
  • [03] PM TO SPEAK AT PASOK RALLY MARKING 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF PARTY VICTORY
  • [04] "ARTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS" TO EMBARK ON 3-MONTH TRAIN TOUR OF BALKANS
  • [05] ALTERNATE FM TO BRIEF COUNCIL OF EUROPE ON ALBANIA MISSION
  • [06] GREECE PROPOSES CREATION OF WORLD UNION FOR OLYMPIC MEDALISTS
  • [07] GREEK & ROMANIAN COMMERCE-INDUSTRY CHAMBERS SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL
  • [08] SIMITIS WILL SPEAK AT AN OPEN-AIR RALLY IN ATHENS
  • [09] GAINS WERE RECORDED IN THE INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKETS
  • [10] A "WILD SWAN" WILL MAKE A STOPOVER IN THESSALONIKI TO TELL THE STORY OF CHINA
  • [11] THE GREEK INVESTMENTS IN ROMANIA REACHED 80.7 MILLION DOLLARS IN 1998
  • [12] MITSOTAKIS BRIEFED THE PRIME MINISTER ON HIS MEETING WITH YILMAZ
  • [13] REPPAS: BILL CLINTON IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
  • [14] THE GREEK MINISTER OF JUSTICE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE LEWINSKY SEX SCANDAL
  • [15] PANGALOS' INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RADIO
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [16] US FAVOR BI-ZONAL, BI-COMMUNAL FEDERATION IN CYPRUS
  • [17] FRANCE AND GERMANY EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR CLINTON'S LEWINSKY PLIGHT
  • [18] ALBANIA: BOMB THROWN AT HOME OF MINOR OPPOSITION LEADER, NO VICTIMS
  • [19] FORMER DIRECTOR OF ALBANIAN PRESS AGENCY, ATA, ARRESTED
  • [20] MELOS SPEAKS AFTER ATTACK: CULPRITS WANT TO HARM GREEK- ALBANIAN TIES
  • [21] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN NEW YORK
  • [22] BOMB ATTACK TARGETING THE HOUSE OF VASILIS MELOS
  • [23] THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO GREECE BECAME DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEW RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
  • [24] TASOS STAFILIDIS: A YOUNG ACTOR FROM KILKIS IN THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT
  • [25] THE GREEK PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME WAS PRESENTED IN LONDON BY THE UNDERSECRETARY OF FINANCE
  • [26] THIRTEEN TONS OF HEROIN WERE SEIZED IN TURKEY IN 1997

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] PM TO MEET WITH MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY HONORARY PRESIDENT

    The Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to have a meeting with the honorary president of the main opposition party of New Democracy Constantine Mitsotakis where the latter will inform Mr. Simitis on his meeting with Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz, held in Istanbul on Sunday.

    Specifically, Mr. Mitsotakis will brief the Premier on the views expressed by Mr. Yilmaz on the course of the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.

    [02] MEDITERRANEAN CULTURE MINISTERS HOLD CONFERENCE IN RHODES SEPT. 25-27

    The first Mediterranean wide conference of culture ministers will be held on the island of Rhodes from September 25-27.

    Greece's Culture Minster Evangelos Venizelos has stated that all of the region's countries except Libya will be participating and will discuss all the large cultural programs planned for the celebration of the new millennium as well as the 2004 Olympic Games.

    The minister said that the celebrations for the year 2000 include exhibitions, publications, Greek participation in musical and theatrical international events, as well as the new monuments such as the new Acropolis museum and Goulandris Museum of Modern Art.

    He said that the events for the year 2000 include a religious element represented by the Orthodox Christian Church and organized by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and will include Byzantine art exhibitions.

    [03] PM TO SPEAK AT PASOK RALLY MARKING 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF PARTY VICTORY

    Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is scheduled to speak at a rally of ruling PASOK supporters this evening in the Athens district of Kallithea to mark the second anniversary of his party's 1996 general election victory.

    Mr. Simitis is expected to outline the government's progress to date and stress its commitment to achieving inclusion in Economic and Monetary Union.

    [04] "ARTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS" TO EMBARK ON 3-MONTH TRAIN TOUR OF BALKANS

    "Artists Without Borders", a Greek non-profit group, is to embark on a three-month train tour of 11 Balkan and European cities tomorrow, outlining the origins of culture and the development of Western civilization.

    The train consists of six white wagons representing various stages of Western culture: democracy, theater, commerce and industry, technology, the Olympic idea and human rights. The train will spend at least two days in each city and hold theatrical shows with local groups. It is funded by the Greek culture ministry and parliament.

    The train will first visit Sofia, Bulgaria and then travel to Bucharest, Romania; Leipzig, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Strasbourg, France; Milan, Italy; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Zagreb, Croatia; Banja Luka and Sarajevo, Bosnia; Belgrade, Yugoslavia and end in Skopje, capital of FYROM.

    [05] ALTERNATE FM TO BRIEF COUNCIL OF EUROPE ON ALBANIA MISSION

    Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, currently the president of the Council of Europe's (CoE) ministerial committee, will brief the C of E today on the outcome of his recent mission to Albania last weekend.

    According to reports, the president of the C of E's Parliamentary Assembly, Leni Fischer, said Mr. Papandreou would give the assembly more details on his trip to Tirana, where he represented the CoE.

    The European delegation, sponsored by the CoE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Western European Union (WEU) and the European Union, urged Albania's political leaders to find a peaceful solution to the country's turmoil and issued a stern warning to opposition leader and former Albanian president Sali Berisha not to undermine stability in the country.

    Ms Fischer also called for self- restraint in Tirana, saying the Albanian crisis threatened the "fragile balance" in the Balkans, especially given the tension in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo.

    "We cannot accept violence in Albania, the country needs peace," she told reporters, adding that Albanian President Rexhep Mejdani was expected in Strasbourg on Thursday to speak before the assembly.

    [06] GREECE PROPOSES CREATION OF WORLD UNION FOR OLYMPIC MEDALISTS

    Olympic Games medalists from all over the world are participating in the international conference of Olympic medal winners currently held at the International Olympic Academy in Olympia.

    Sports Undersecretary Andreas Fouras announced the Greek government's intention to support the effort for the creation of a world union for Olympic champions, with its permanent headquarters in ancient Olympia.

    The conference, due to end tomorrow, was also addressed yesterday by the president of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games committee, Stratis Stratigis, and many Olympic medalists.

    Organized by the Association of Greek Olympics medal winners, SEO, the conference has drawn the participation of 35 Greek and 120 foreign athletes who have won a total of 300 Olympic medals.

    [07] GREEK & ROMANIAN COMMERCE-INDUSTRY CHAMBERS SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL

    The commerce and industry chambers of Greece and Romania signed a cooperation protocol yesterday, thereby sealing with success the contacts made between Greek and Romanian businessmen.

    The protocol was signed between the Greek and Romanian chambers' chairmen, namely Mgrs. Dimitris Bacatselos and George Cojocaru respectively.

    The agreement foresees the undertaking of opportunities between the two sides aiming at the fortification of commercial ties between their members.

    Moreover, the two chambers will exchange relevant information pertaining to economy and ventures, while they will also undertake the initiative for the organization of events that will support bilateral business missions.

    [08] SIMITIS WILL SPEAK AT AN OPEN-AIR RALLY IN ATHENS

    An assessment of the government's work in the past two years and the policy that will be followed by the government until the next parliamentary elections, will be presented by prime minister Kostas Simitis in his speech that will be delivered at an open-air rally in Davakis Square in Kallithea, Athens today.

    The governing socialist party of PASOK has made every preparation for a big rally and according to the party's central committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis, times have changed and no comparisons can be made with the political rallies held in the 80's, adding that the party's leading members want a big rally.

    [09] GAINS WERE RECORDED IN THE INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKETS

    An upward trend was recorded today in most stock markets of the world which is attributed to yesterday's publicising of Clinton's video-taped testimony before the special grand jury that caused less damage than expected.

    Gains were recorded and in the general price index in the Athens Stock Exchange. At noon today there was an increase by 2.88%.

    [10] A "WILD SWAN" WILL MAKE A STOPOVER IN THESSALONIKI TO TELL THE STORY OF CHINA

    One of China's "wild swans", Jung Tsang, will make a stop in Thessaloniki to present her book which is included in the 11 most popular books of the 20th century in Britain. "The Wild Swans - Three Daughters of China" was first published in English in 1991 and in two years it sold 5 million copies.

    It was declared Britain's Book of the Year in 1994 and its author was honored with the first NRC Award, while it is among the first 11 books included in the list with the 100 most read books in Britain in the 20th century. The list includes just 13 women authors.

    By September 1995 it had been translated into 28 languages. In June 1997 it was published in Greece and now is at its 8th edition.

    [11] THE GREEK INVESTMENTS IN ROMANIA REACHED 80.7 MILLION DOLLARS IN 1998

    Greece ranks 11th in the list with the 20 most significant foreign investors in Romania. The Greek invested capital in the country was 80.7 million dollars on July 31, 1998 and appeared considerably increased compared to last March when it was less than 68 million dollars.

    The 1.526 businesses of Greek interest correspond to 2.4% of foreign investors in Romania, while the 482 Cypriot businesses correspond to 0.8% in a total of 59.103 registered foreign and joint ventures in Romania.

    The biggest share of investments in the Romanian market belongs to the 900 Dutch businesses which, with a capital of 462.4 million dollars, correspond to 13.8% of the foreign invested capital.

    [12] MITSOTAKIS BRIEFED THE PRIME MINISTER ON HIS MEETING WITH YILMAZ

    Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis briefed prime minister Kostas Simitis on the contents of his meeting with Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz.

    Mr. Mitsotakis avoided to make any statements to reporters on the contents of his meeting with Mr. Yilmaz after his meeting with prime minister Simitis. The Greek prime minister will meet with his Turkish counterpart on October 12 on the sidelines of the Balkan conference that will be held in Antalya, Turkey.

    [13] REPPAS: BILL CLINTON IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

    Bill Clinton was elected by the people and he is accountable only to the American people. This was the response of Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas to reporters when he was asked to comment on Bill Clinton's stance after the publicising of the video-taped testimony he had given before the grand jury concerning his sexual relationship with the young White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.

    [14] THE GREEK MINISTER OF JUSTICE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE LEWINSKY SEX SCANDAL

    Greek minister of justice Evangelos Yiannopoulos issued a statement on the Lewinsky sex scandal that rocks the White House and threatens the US president with impeachment.

    Mr. Yiannopoulos mentions among others that the democratic people around the world should revolt against the new McCarthyism, stressing that in the past the extreme right in America, the organised fascist world, the American reactionaries were murdering democratic presidents, democratic leaders and progressive scientists, like John Kennedy, his brother Robert and Martin Luther King, while Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were sent to the electric chair. In the McCarthy period film directors, actors, writers and other literary people were persecuted as well as, politicians like Malcolm X , says Mr. Yiannopoulos.

    The minister of justice statement continues saying that those who had refused to go to Vietnam were called homosexuals. First they were murdering people, now they humiliate them. First bullets, now stains. A new kind of a KKK is being revived through the method of erotic tapes. Everything the extreme right and the right failed to get through the election vote now try to get it through slander.

    Mr. Yiannopoulos concludes that the European people resist to the new way of humiliation of the political thought and action, adding that the alleged independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr is the continuation of the darkest act aired by all the television networks.

    [15] PANGALOS' INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RADIO

    Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos gave an interview to the Associated Press Radio correspondent to the United Nations Ms. Sally Shelley Swing.

    On the Cyprus issue, Mr. Pangalos said that the Greek formula is the UN formula that calls for a two-zone, two-community federation after talks between the Cypriot Republic and the Turkish Cypriot leadership. Mr. Pangalos stated that Greece supports this procedure and pressures should be exerted on Ankara because Ankara is directly associated with the Turkish Cypriot intransigence.

    The main goal of the world community should be the end of the Turkish military presence in Cyprus, said Mr. Pangalos, adding that Turkey will have to state that it will withdraw its forces. Mr. Pangalos said that pressures can be exerted on Turkey regarding its armaments, stressing that it uses heavy American weapons in Cyprus that have been given to Ankara only for the reinforcement of its own defence and therefore, it commits an illegal act based on the US legislation and the whole issue must be resolved by the US government.

    On the S-300 missiles, Mr. Pangalos stated that it is an issue concerning only the Cypriot government as Turkey has the total air control due to the fact that its Air Force planes are just 5 minutes away from Cyprus and therefore, Cyprus has the right to defend itself.

    On the future of Europe, Mr. Pangalos said that the EU with the single currency, the common defence and foreign policy and the new institutions that will bring Europe closer to its people, like the direct election of certain of its officials, will play a leading role in the world scene.

    On the crisis in Kossovo, Mr. Pangalos stated that Greece has sent the largest humanitarian aid and has accepted on its territory 300.000 Albanian refugees. He said that Greece shares the view of the international community and does not want independence for Kossovo but an increased autonomy within Serbia, while a military intervention will not be the appropriate solution to the problem.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [16] US FAVOR BI-ZONAL, BI-COMMUNAL FEDERATION IN CYPRUS

    Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos met with the US emissary for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke in New York yesterday.

    The US official stated that Washington fully supports the creation of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation on the island. Moreover, Mr. Holbrooke told the Greek Foreign Minster that he will remain at his Cyprus post.

    When asked if the Turks will be convinced to restart the negotiations based on the US proposal, Mr. Holbrooke responded that he did not know.

    [17] FRANCE AND GERMANY EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR CLINTON'S LEWINSKY PLIGHT

    French Prime Minster, Germany chancellor and the vice- president of the Italian government have all expressed their support for the United States President Bill Clinton concerning the Monica Lewinsky scandal that has taken the world by storm.

    Helmut Kohl expressed his concern for the debilitation of the world's most significant post and stated that the fact that this matter was publicly discussed is unbearable.

    Bill Clinton admitted to having had an inappropriate relationship with Ms. Lewinsky.

    [18] ALBANIA: BOMB THROWN AT HOME OF MINOR OPPOSITION LEADER, NO VICTIMS

    A bomb was thrown at the house of Albania's minor opposition party leader he Human Rights Union president Vasilis Melos, causing minor manages. There were no victims in the attack, which occurred last night, while the perpetrators remain unknown.

    On Sunday evening a hand grenade was thrown at the house of one of the six prosecutors involved in the charges brought against main opposition leader Sali Berisha.

    [19] FORMER DIRECTOR OF ALBANIAN PRESS AGENCY, ATA, ARRESTED

    The former director of the Albanian press agency ATA Ilir Zhilla, has been arrested on charges of "participating in the armed uprising" that has tormented the neighboring country, according to the French news agency AFP, which quotes court sources.

    Mr. Zhilla was arrested on Sunday evening, the same day the director of the Democratic Party's radio station Radio Contact Alfons Zeneli was arrested. Mr. Zeneli is charged with participating in last week's violent anti-government rallies where eight persons were killed and 80 others were injured.

    The staff director of Radio Contact stated that the police did not produce a warrant for Mr. Zeneli's arrest outside a Tirana cafeteria, while Agron Bala, the radio station's owner, told the AFP that he was beaten by unknown culprits who he said were acting for the government.

    The ATA has reported that the police has ordered the arrest of approximately twenty individuals.

    [20] MELOS SPEAKS AFTER ATTACK: CULPRITS WANT TO HARM GREEK- ALBANIAN TIES

    Albania's minor opposition party leader, the Human Rights Union president Vasilis Melos, has expressed his concern that last night's attack, when a makeshift bomb was thrown at his house causing only minor damages, may aim at straining relations between Albania and Greece.

    There were no victims in the attack, which followed a similar one against the house of one of the six prosecutors assigned to bringing charges against the president of the main opposition party, the Democratic Party's Sali Berisha.

    Mr. Melos, when asked if the attack could be associated with last weekend's C of E, OSCE and WEU meeting in Tirana, where Greece's alternate FM George Papandreou also participated in his capacity as C of E president, responded "maybe."

    "What I can say is that Mr. Papandreou relayed the concern of the C of E as well as of a neighboring country over the situation in Albania," Mr. Melos said, adding that "maybe someone, through this action, wants to create another episode in Greek-Albanian relations since there can be reactions in Greece when this act is aimed against the leader of the Human Rights Union party."

    Mr. Melos' party also represents the interests of the Greeks living in Albania.

    [21] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN NEW YORK

    The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides is to meet with Russia's newly appointed Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in New York today, within the framework of the United Nations 53rd General Assembly.

    Mgrs. Clerides and Ivanov are expected to discuss the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, while present at their talks will also be the Russia special envoy to Cyprus Vladimir Cisov.

    [22] BOMB ATTACK TARGETING THE HOUSE OF VASILIS MELOS

    The bomb attack targeting the house of Vasilis Melos, president of the Human Rights Union party, which represents the Greek minority in Albania opens a new round of unrest in the Albanian capital, according to political observers. This is confirmed by a similar attack against prosecutor Bugiar Ibtci.

    Mr. Melos in his first statements, after the attack on his house, was very careful but he launched a verbal attack on all those who want to upset the political climate in Albania and the country's relations with Greece.

    [23] THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO GREECE BECAME DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEW RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT

    Russia's ambassador to Greece Ms. Valentina Matviyenko has accepted the post of deputy prime minister, responsible for social affairs, in the new Russian government, stated to Itar-Tass the Russian embassy spokesman in Athens.

    Ms. Matviyenko is 49 years old and works for the Russian foreign ministry since 1991. She was an active member of the Communist party youth league in the 70's and 80's before her election to the Duma.

    [24] TASOS STAFILIDIS: A YOUNG ACTOR FROM KILKIS IN THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT

    Tasos Stafilidis, a young actor from the village of Gavras in Kilkis, northern Greece, is the Greek candidate of the Leftist Party who was elected to the Swedish Parliament. Speaking to MPA, Tasos Stafilidis said that without his Greek roots he would have been different from what he is today.

    His parents went to Sweden as immigrants in 1970 and a year later Tasos was born in Lessbo Vaxsjo. He became an actor and later he was involved in politics. His parents wanted him to learn Greek and even though he speaks the language fluently he is not happy with his Greek, saying that he can not use political terms in the Greek language.

    He said that in last Sunday's elections was voted by many Greeks adding that his voters showed trust in him because they were satisfied with his work in the Helsingborg City Hall during the past 7 years.

    [25] THE GREEK PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME WAS PRESENTED IN LONDON BY THE UNDERSECRETARY OF FINANCE

    The Greek privatizations programme was presented to 75 foreign investors in London by Greek undersecretary of finance Nikos Christodoulakis.

    To the question by the BBC, if foreign investors are concerned over the impact of the international money investment crisis on the Greek market, Mr. Christodoulakis responded that the Greek market was one of the most stable in Europe during the latest crisis and this happened because the Greek investors had not been exposed too much in the markets of Russia and Eastern Europe and even less to the markets of Malaysia and Latin America.

    Mr. Christodoulakis said that the fundamental factors that affect the development of the Greek economy are favourable, while businesses are profitable and Greek investors are not greatly exposed to unstable stock markets, adding that an international progress is recorded in private and state investments. This means, added Mr. Christodoulakis, that economy will continue to develop positively in the next two years and therefore, the Athens Stock Exchange will follow an upward trend regardless of the temporary turbulence that may be observed.

    To the question on the problems in the international money markets and how they can affect the Greek market, Mr. Christodoulakis responded that this question can not be answered easily because sometimes unexpected events can play a decisive role.

    Finally, he expressed optimism both for the Greek market and the foreign investments in Greece. Foreign investments have already been made and now they give fruit therefore, one can be optimistic, said Mr. Christodoulakis.

    [26] THIRTEEN TONS OF HEROIN WERE SEIZED IN TURKEY IN 1997

    Thirteen tons and 634 kilos of heroin were seized by the Turkish authorities in 1997.

    According to statements made by Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz, published by the newspaper "Hurriyet", the confiscated heroin corresponds to 38% of the total quantity of the drug confiscated at the same period of time all over the world and to 54% that was confiscated in Europe.


    Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/


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