Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-01-18
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, January 18, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] STUDENTS TO CONTINUE WITH PROTESTS OVER EDUCATION REFORM
[02] DEFENSE MINISTER FORECASTS EARLY ELECTIONS IN GREECE
[03] REPPAS: WE DO NOT DANCE TO THE RHYTHM OF TURKEY
[04] REPPAS: OCALAN'S ARRIVAL IN GREECE IS NOT REGARDED AS
ADVISABLE
[05] REPPAS: MR. ARSENIS HAS THE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE OF THE
GOVERNMENT
[06] THE EURO-PARLIAMENT IS IN FAVOR OF THE RETURN OF THE
PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECE
[07] PANGALOS WILL BE IN BULGARIA TOMORROW
[08] NEW PROTEST RALLIES WILL BE HELD BY STUDENTS TOMORROW AND ON
THURSDAY
[09] PROTEST RALLIES WILL BE HELD TOMORROW BY PENSIONERS
[10] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT EXPRESSED REVULSION FOR THE SLAUGHTER OF
CIVILIANS IN KOSSOVO
[11] SPILIOTOPOULOS: THE STATEMENTS OF THE TURKISH FOREIGN
MINISTRY ARE UNACCEPTABLE
[12] THE FINNISH PRIME MINISTER IS ON A VISIT TO GREECE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] NATO WARNS OF AIR RAIDS OVER SERBIA
[14] MR. PAPAIOANNOU IS ON A VISIT TO CYPRUS
[15] NEW CLASHES IN KOSOVO
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] STUDENTS TO CONTINUE WITH PROTESTS OVER EDUCATION REFORM
Students throughout Greece appear to be tireless as they are
intent on pressing on with their protests to the education
reforms.
They will conduct new rounds of rallies tomorrow and
Thursday. Meanwhile, the Teachers Federation has rejected the
Education Minster Gerasimos Arsenis's offer for dialogue and
demands direct talks with the Premier Kostas Simitis.
Meanwhile, the Hellenic Parliament dismissed a vote of no
confidence in Mr. Arsenis Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis
early Sunday after a three-day debate by a margin of 36 votes.
[02] DEFENSE MINISTER FORECASTS EARLY ELECTIONS IN GREECE
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis stated that nothing
could divert the course of the government towards fulfilling its
mandate and that in 2000 "we will win the next elections".
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, expressed
the opinion that the country will undergo early elections.
Regarding inter-party politics, he implied that the present
leadership of the ruling PASOK will not be challenged in the
party's upcoming congress.
[03] REPPAS: WE DO NOT DANCE TO THE RHYTHM OF TURKEY
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responded to the
new provocation by Ankara which disputes the ownership of the
Greek islets with the phrase "we do not dance to the rhythm of
Turkey".
Mr. Reppas said that Turkey always creates problems to
maintain the tension between the two countries.
[04] REPPAS: OCALAN'S ARRIVAL IN GREECE IS NOT REGARDED AS
ADVISABLE
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the
Kurdish PKK party has not requested from Greece to grant a
political asylum to Abdullah Ocalan.
He stated that no contacts have been made with government
officials on the issue and he observed that the government does
not regard as advisable the arrival of the Kurdish leader in
Greece.
[05] REPPAS: MR. ARSENIS HAS THE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE OF THE
GOVERNMENT
Minister of education Gerasimos Arsenis has the complete
confidence of the government, said Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas. Responding to the question on what will the
government do if the minister submits his resignation, Mr. Reppas
stated that there are no reasons for Mr. Arsenis to choose this
route.
Commenting on the violent incidents taking place during the
students' mobilizations, Mr. Reppas said that they are an
unacceptable form of protest.
[06] THE EURO-PARLIAMENT IS IN FAVOR OF THE RETURN OF THE
PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECE
A resolution calling for the return of the Parthenon Marbles
from London to Athens was adopted on Friday by the Euro-Parliament
after a request submitted by Greek Euro-deputies from the
governing socialist party of PASOK, the Communist Party, the
Coalition of the Left Party and Political Spring Party.
In favor of the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece is
55% of the Euro-deputies and the resolution will become an
official Euro-Parliament decision on February 8. In a press
conference they gave today the Greek Euro-deputies mentioned that
British Euro-MP Als Lomash had tabled a resolution in the Euro-
Parliament in early November for the return of the marbles calling
the British government to consider it. The resolution got the
signatures of 399 Euro-deputies out of a total of 626.
The Greek Euro-MPs have already informed Greek president
Kostis Stephanopoulos on this development. The Euro-Parliament
decision will be delivered to British prime minister Tony Blair,
prime minister Kostas Simitis and EU Council of Ministers
president Joshka Fischer.
[07] PANGALOS WILL BE IN BULGARIA TOMORROW
Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos will visit Bulgaria
and Romania tomorrow and the day after. In the talks he will have
with his Bulgarian counterpart will be discussed issues concerning
the course of the implementation of agreements already in effect,
such as those on the three new border crossings in Exohi, Ehinos
and Nimpheon and the management of the waters of Nestos River.
Mr. Pangalos and his Bulgarian counterpart Nadezda Michailova
will also discuss issues of common interest such as the situation
in Kosovo and the international initiatives for peace and
stability in the region of south-eastern Europe.
Undersecretary of finance Mr. Dris, who is accompanying Mr.
Pangalos, and his Bulgarian counterpart Mr. Minev will sign an
agreement of bilateral customs cooperation between Greece and
Bulgaria. The Greek foreign minister will also meet with the state
and political leadership of the country.
[08] NEW PROTEST RALLIES WILL BE HELD BY STUDENTS TOMORROW AND ON
THURSDAY
This week is expected to be crucial concerning the
developments in the sector of education and new protest rallies
are scheduled to be held tomorrow and on Thursday by the secondary
education students who continue to strongly react to the education
reform promoted by the government.
Meanwhile, the teachers' union has rejected the proposal for
dialogue by education minister Gerasimos Arsenis and wants a
direct meeting with prime minister Kostas Simitis. The secondary
education teachers will decide today if they will be on a strike
on January 21 and 28.
[09] PROTEST RALLIES WILL BE HELD TOMORROW BY PENSIONERS
A protest rally against the income policy of the government
will be held tomorrow at the center of Athens by the Pensioners'
Associations.
Similar mobilizations have been scheduled to take place
tomorrow by pensioners in other big cities across the country.
[10] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT EXPRESSED REVULSION FOR THE SLAUGHTER OF
CIVILIANS IN KOSSOVO
The Greek government is concerned over the developments in
Kossovo and stresses that there should be vigilance in order for
the problem to be dealt with and the crisis to be defused. The
above were stated by Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
who expressed the government's revulsion for the slaughter of
civilians and the hope that those responsible will be arrested.
Mr. Reppas added that the crisis will be overcome only if the
existing agreements are respected.
[11] SPILIOTOPOULOS: THE STATEMENTS OF THE TURKISH FOREIGN
MINISTRY ARE UNACCEPTABLE
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy press
spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos characterized as completely
unacceptable the statements made by the Turkish foreign ministry
press spokesman over the status of the Greek islets in the Aegean
and the Athens FIR.
Ankara has to realize that similar positions show disregard
to every meaning of international law and are inconsistent with
the European orientation Turkey should seek on a permanent basis,
added Mr. Spiliotopoulos.
[12] THE FINNISH PRIME MINISTER IS ON A VISIT TO GREECE
Finnish prime minister Pavo Libonen, who is on a formal visit
to Athens, had separate meetings with Greek president Kostis
Stephanopoulos, prime minister Kostas Simitis and parliament
president Apostolos Kaklamanis.
In the press conference after the meeting with Mr. Libonen,
Mr. Simitis pointed out the significance of the visit of the
Finnish prime minister to Greece in view of the fact that Finland
will take over the rotating EU presidency in the second half of
1999. The contacts Mr. Libonen had focused on bilateral issues, as
well as on issues concerning the two countries within the
framework of the EU.
Mr. Libonen expressed his support to Greece's positions on
the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem, while he
thanked the Greek government for the fact that Finland became an
EU member during the Greek EU presidency in 1994. He also
congratulated the Greek government for the achievements of the
Greek economy.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] NATO WARNS OF AIR RAIDS OVER SERBIA
NATO ambassadors held a crisis meeting on Sunday to discuss
Friday's massacre of 45 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and the threat
of a return to full-scale conflict in the Serb province.
According to official reports, no military action will be
taken for the time being. Meanwhile, the President of Serbia Milan
Milutinovic launched a verbal attack against William Walker,
accusing him of displaying favoritism towards the Albanians of
Kossovo.
The United Nations Security Council will convene today to discuss
the massacre.
[14] MR. PAPAIOANNOU IS ON A VISIT TO CYPRUS
Greek minister of labor Miltiadis Papaioannou met with
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia and afterwards he
stated to reporters that he conveyed the assurances of prime
minister Kostas Simitis that the policy drawn up by Greece on the
way the Cypriot issue must be dealt with has permanent and stable
references, namely the internationalization of the problem under
the new facts which are Cyprus' EU accession course and the
strengthening of the security of the island.
Mr. Papaioannou also briefed Mr. Clerides on the contents of
the protocol of cooperation on employment which is signed today
by Greece and Cyprus.
Mr. Papaioannou also met with Cypriot parliament president
Spiros Kiprianou.
[15] NEW CLASHES IN KOSOVO
New clashes have erupted near the village of Racak in Kosovo
where on Friday over 40 ethnic Albanians were killed by Yugoslav
security forces. According to information, the Serb police use
submachine guns and mortars.
Meanwhile, the international community exerts pressures again
on Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to put an end to
violence. Two high ranking NATO military officials are expected in
Belgrade today to issue a last warning to the Serb leadership.
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