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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-10

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, March 10, 1999

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON TOUR OF BALKAN COUNTRIES
  • [02] FINDINGS ON OCALAN INQUIRY TO BE GIVEN TO CHIEF PROSECUTOR
  • [03] A SCORE OF FOREIGN AIRLINES VIE FOR O.A.'S MANAGEMENT
  • [04] NEITHER TRUSTEES, NOR ROUSSEL, WILL MANAGE ATHINA'S ASSETS
  • [05] PRO-JUNTA POLICEMEN TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY
  • [06] TIPPER GORE, US VICE-PRESIDENT'S WIFE, TO VISIT THESSALONIKI
  • [07] MOODY'S ANALYSTS REVIEW COURSE OF GREEK ECONOMY
  • [08] RESOLUTION-DECLARATION BY THE US CONGRESS ON THE GREEK SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE AEGEAN ISLETS OF IMIA
  • [09] 1.000 NATO SOLDIERS ARE EXPECTED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY ON THEIR WAY TO FYROM
  • [10] MR. REPPAS ON THE SALE OF US WEAPONS TO GREECE
  • [11] REPPAS: NOTHING NEW HAS COME UP FROM KARAMANLIS' STATEMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES
  • [12] GREECE REACTS TO THE ACTIONS AGAINST ITS DIPLOMATS IN THE CONSULATE OF ISMIR
  • [13] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVED NO REQUEST BY THE US TO RENOUNCE PKK
  • [14] THE FINDINGS ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE PROSECUTOR
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [15] GERMAN CHANCELLOR G. SCHROEDER TO BE IN ATHENS ON MARCH 17
  • [16] GREECE MAY BE LOSING GROUND IN FETA CHEESE BATTLE
  • [17] BURNS: GREECE DID NOT LEAK NATO DOCUMENTS TO RUSSIA
  • [18] TURKEY: KENYA HANDED OVER OCALAN TO TURKISH SECRET SERVICE
  • [19] UNITED STATES ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE IN BELGRADE TODAY
  • [20] 400 KURDS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE THE EURO-PARLIAMENT IN STRASBOURG
  • [21] ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND 9 WERE INJURED BY AN EXPLOSION IN ISTANBUL
  • [22] MR. PAPANDREOU COMPLETED HIS CONTACTS IN SKOPJE
  • [23] BURNS: GREECE AND TURKEY ARE NOT ON THE BRINK OF WAR
  • [24] GREECE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE SUPPLY OF PKK WITH WEAPONS

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON TOUR OF BALKAN COUNTRIES

    Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou is embarking on a two-day tour of Balkan countries today, in an effort to strengthen the country's diplomatic presence in the region.

    The first stop in his itinerary is FYROM, to be followed by Albania this evening.

    Tomorrow, Mr. Papandreou will visit Bucharest and Sofia, while he will also meet with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade.

    [02] FINDINGS ON OCALAN INQUIRY TO BE GIVEN TO CHIEF PROSECUTOR

    The findings on the prosecutor's inquiry of civilian involvement in the Ocalan Affair are to be turned over to the chief prosecutor of Athens George Koliokostas today. According to reports, at least five persons will be held liable for the PKK leader's illegal entry and stay in Greece. .

    Meanwhile, criminal charges have been filed against all those responsible for leaking the classified report of former Ambassador to Kenya George Kostoulas to the press. The charges concern the violation of state secrets through the press, being an accessory prior to the fact, and the violation of legislative provisions relating to the press. Any persons deemed to have acted illegally may face charges of providing classified documents to the press, which is a felony offense.

    [03] A SCORE OF FOREIGN AIRLINES VIE FOR O.A.'S MANAGEMENT

    A score of foreign airlines have expressed their interest in taking over the management of the national airline Olympic Airways, according to the Transportation and Communications Minister Tasos Mantelis.

    Out of the eighteen airlines that have submitted their candidacies, fifteen are being seriously considered , of which five or six will actually make it to a short list.

    According to Mr. Mantelis, the new manager selection process is expected to wrap up within the following two months.

    [04] NEITHER TRUSTEES, NOR ROUSSEL, WILL MANAGE ATHINA'S ASSETS

    In the midst of a lengthy legal battle that has ensued between Thierry Roussel, the father of 13-year-old Athina Onassis- Roussel, and the Onassis Foundation board of trustees who manage her estate, a Swiss Court has, Solomon-like, stripped both disputing parties of the right to manage the heiress's assets, and, instead, have assigned the task to one of the world's five largest auditing firms.

    Miss Onassis-Roussel is the granddaughter of the legendary shipping mogul Aristotle Onassis and is the sole heir to the $600 million fortune which she stands to inherit as soon as she turns 18.

    According to the Court's ruling, the decision to shift the management to an independent party was drawn in light of the risks emanating from the ongoing legal battles between Roussel and the Onassis Foundation who remain locked in a feud. The Foundation intends to appeal the ruling, on the premise that it is not in accordance with the will of Athina's mother, Christina Onassis, who died in 1988.

    Mr. Roussel refused to comment on the ruling.

    [05] PRO-JUNTA POLICEMEN TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY

    Fifteen policemen who were captured in video footage dating back to 1993 celebrating the junta regime, are to appear in Thessaloniki's court of appeals today.

    The former police chief Spyros Koutroumanis is among the defendants, who have all been expelled from the force.

    The enlisted policemen, who were apparently ultra-right-wing followers, had videotaped themselves jubilantly celebrating the country's former dictatorial regime.

    [06] TIPPER GORE, US VICE-PRESIDENT'S WIFE, TO VISIT THESSALONIKI

    Tipper Gore, the wife of United States Vice President and presidential candidate Al Gore, is to visit Thessaloniki on March 16 where she will address a forum organized by the city's American College Anatolia.

    Ms. Gore will speak on The Role of Volunteerism in Covering Social Needs."

    The event will be held in honor of the 60th anniversary since the founding of Anatolia's Alumni Association, which also coincides with the school's administrative board resolution to promote volunteerism through its social activities.

    Ms. Gore, a known advocate of volunteerism, is the Clinton Administration's mental health adviser.

    [07] MOODY'S ANALYSTS REVIEW COURSE OF GREEK ECONOMY

    Analysts from the US credit rating agency Moody's concluded a two-day stay in Athens yesterday where they had arrived in order to gather information on the country's economy before a regular review of Greece's ratings to be issued this summer.

    According to reports, their assessments so far are positive. The analysts were received by the national economy and finance ministries who briefed them on inflation, deficits and debts, while the Bank of Greece supplied them with data on interest rates, credit expansion and foreign exchange policy.

    [08] RESOLUTION-DECLARATION BY THE US CONGRESS ON THE GREEK SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE AEGEAN ISLETS OF IMIA

    A resolution-declaration, in which the Greek sovereignty over the Aegean islets of Imia is underlined in the most categorical way, is being promoted by the US Congress. The resolution that was submitted for discussion in the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee by New Jersey US House representative Frank Palone is co-signed by 16 US House representatives among them, Greek-American Michael Bilirakis and co-chairwoman of the Greek Group Caroline Maloney.

    In the resolution it is stressed that the Imia islets are Greek and that Turkey should agree to bring the issue for discussion before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. A similar resolution had been tabled last year by Greek-American US House representative Michael Pappas and had been approved by the plenary session of the US House of Representatives.

    [09] 1.000 NATO SOLDIERS ARE EXPECTED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY ON THEIR WAY TO FYROM

    About 1.000 NATO officers and soldiers are expected to arrive at Thessaloniki's airport today having as their final destination FYROM, where in the next few days they will be incorporated into the NATO brigade deployed in the region of Tetovo.

    The peace-keepers, most of them German and British officers and soldiers, began arriving since early in the morning and by late in the afternoon it is expected a total of 6 transport aircraft. Other two C-130 transport planes are expected to arrive tomorrow carrying 160 German officers and soldiers, as well as military equipment. Also, a British ship carrying military vehicles, containers and supplies will sail into the port of Thessaloniki.

    [10] MR. REPPAS ON THE SALE OF US WEAPONS TO GREECE

    Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that there is no such an issue like the freezing of the sale of US weapons to Greece.

    Mr. Reppas explained that there is a climate of pressures but no such an issue has been raised formally. Responding to a question on a statement made by US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns, he observed that this US position was not made known to the government.

    [11] REPPAS: NOTHING NEW HAS COME UP FROM KARAMANLIS' STATEMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

    Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis did not raise his opposition voice in the talks he had with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright or in his interview with the CNN, commented Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.

    Mr. Reppas added that Mr. Karamanlis expressed positions that are in agreement with the positions of the Greek socialist government and nothing new or interesting came up during his visit to the US so far.

    [12] GREECE REACTS TO THE ACTIONS AGAINST ITS DIPLOMATS IN THE CONSULATE OF ISMIR

    The Greek government will deal through the diplomatic route with the issue that has been created as a result of the actions against Greek diplomats in the Ismir consulate.

    Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas condemned those actions and characterized them as damaging for the Greek-Turkish relations.

    [13] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVED NO REQUEST BY THE US TO RENOUNCE PKK

    The Greek government has received no request by the United States to renounce PKK stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.

    Mr. Reppas refused to comment on the statement made by parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis according to which, the United States want Greece to make humiliating statements of repentance regarding PKK on the occasion of the Ocalan affair.

    [14] THE FINDINGS ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE PROSECUTOR

    The findings of the inquiry into the Ocalan affair will be delivered today to chief prosecutor Mr. Koliokostas.

    According to information, the three prosecutors who conducted the urgent preliminary investigation concerning the conditions under which the Kurdish leader entered Greece, stayed in the country and later departed, have attributed responsibilities to at least 5 private individuals.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [15] GERMAN CHANCELLOR G. SCHROEDER TO BE IN ATHENS ON MARCH 17

    The President of the European Union and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will arrive in Athens on March 17, where he will be received by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

    Mr. Schroeder's visit to Greece is part of his series of contacts held in light of the EU Summit Conference.

    [16] GREECE MAY BE LOSING GROUND IN FETA CHEESE BATTLE

    Feta cheese, one of Greece's trademark products, may not bear the European Commission's seal of national authenticity for long, as the European Court's imminent decision is expected to lift the cheese's protected status.

    According to Greece's eurodeputy Antonis Trakatellis, the Court's ruling, to be issued on March 16, would concern both lifting the exclusive rights to produce feta cheese and the seal of national identity.

    The EC had issued a list of 318 European secured products and foodstuffs that cannot be reproduced in close resemblance and called by the same name as the original, Greece's feta being among them.

    However, Denmark, Germany and France challenged the inclusion of feta cheese on the aforementioned list, claiming that the specific cheese's name is of a "general character".

    The Danish government purports that the word "feta" has a Latin root which in the Greek and Italian languages means "piece", while Germany and France support that the name "feta" is a common one and has nothing to do with its geographical origin. France further claims that there really is no substantive relation between Greece and feta.

    Greece's feta cheese is made by goat milk, whereas the Danish variety is made of cow's milk.

    [17] BURNS: GREECE DID NOT LEAK NATO DOCUMENTS TO RUSSIA

    United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns has stated that the inquiry performed into claims that Greece leaked classified NATO documents to Russia failed to substantiate the allegations.

    Mr. Burns, who is presently in the U.S. participating in a series of US-Greek events, stated that the committee conducting the inquiry enjoyed the exemplary cooperation of Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos. Moreover, the US diplomat assessed that the State Department will soon lift the arms sale ban it imposed on Greece for the duration of the inquiry.

    [18] TURKEY: KENYA HANDED OVER OCALAN TO TURKISH SECRET SERVICE

    The Kenyan authorities handed the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan over to the Turkish secret services, according to an eight-page memorandum submitted by Turkey to the European Court of Human Rights.

    Also in the memorandum, the Turkish government describes the conditions under which Mr. Ocalan is being held, by stating that his cell measures 13 sq.m., is well lit, not soundproof, and has warm and cold water.

    Moreover, the memorandum claims that books, newspapers and magazines are being made available to the prisoner who supposedly can exercise in the prison's court and can visit with his family and attorneys.

    [19] UNITED STATES ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE IN BELGRADE TODAY

    United States envoy Richard Holbrooke is to arrive in Belgrade today, in an effort to convince Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to accept the agreement pertaining to Kosovo.

    Speaking to the BBC, Mr. Holbrooke expressed his concern over the consequences that could arise if either of the two conflicting sides refused to sign the accord, which is slated for a final discussion in Rambouillet on March 15, stating that this would amount to a "new tragedy."

    [20] 400 KURDS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE THE EURO-PARLIAMENT IN STRASBOURG

    About 400 Kurds demonstrated outside the Euro-Parliament building in Strasbourg protesting against the prison conditions under which Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan is being held in a Turkish jail, according to the French news agency AFP.

    The demonstrators maintain that Ocalan's state of health has deteriorated since the day of his imprisonment at the prison- island of Imrali at the Sea of Marmara where he will be tried for treason and will face the death penalty.

    Police forces tried to break up the rally and according to information, more Kurds are expected in Strasbourg from the neighbouring Germany in order to participate in protests.

    [21] ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND 9 WERE INJURED BY AN EXPLOSION IN ISTANBUL

    One person was killed and 9 were injured when a parked car exploded near a trade center in the suburb of Bakirkioi in Istanbul at noon today.

    The causes of the explosion are unknown but according to local authorities, it could be a sabotage. A police investigation is underway.

    [22] MR. PAPANDREOU COMPLETED HIS CONTACTS IN SKOPJE

    Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, who went to Skopje within the framework of his tour of south-eastern European countries, announced at noon today that Greece and Skopje will undertake a joint initiative for a statement on Kosovo that will be issued by the five countries in the region of the Balkans.

    Mr. Papandreou met with his counterpart in Skopje Mr Alexander Dimitrov and with prime minister Ljupco Georgievski.

    Mr. Papandreou pointed out that a new dynamic is being created in the relations of the two countries and added that this is demonstrated by the joint initiative on Kosovo, which provides for the respect of the existing borders, supports a wide autonomy, the respect of human rights and the European prospect of the whole region.

    He stressed that the new spirit of cooperation with Skopje is also being expressed by the statements of the Skopjan prime minister on significant economic means of cooperation between the two countries.

    Later in the afternoon, Mr. Papandreou will visit Tirana and tomorrow he will be in Bucharest and Sofia, while in the afternoon tomorrow he will meet with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade.

    [23] BURNS: GREECE AND TURKEY ARE NOT ON THE BRINK OF WAR

    The view that Greece and Turkey are not on brink of war in spite of the tension that has been created in the Greek-Turkish relations as a result of the Ocalan affair, was expressed by US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns.

    Mr. Burns said that the Ocalan affair deteriorated even more the relations between Greece and Turkey closing every channel of communication and stressed that the US do not prefer one country over the other, while he stated that 1999 will be a difficult year for the Greek-Turkish relations and for this reason efforts should be made for a peaceful relation without the use of force and without the threat for the use of force.

    Mr. Burns expressed the belief that there will not be a war even though there is tension and stressed that the United States try to persuade the two countries to avoid the provocative actions.

    In a speech he delivered in a New York university he denied any alleged involvement of the United States in the operation for the abduction and arrest of Ocalan and said that he was informed about the presence of the Kurdish leader in Kenya through a telephone call he received by Theodoros Pangalos. Commenting on the role of Greece in the Balkans, Mr. Burns characterized the country as the only stabilizing power in the region.

    US ambassador Nicholas Burns condemned Turkey's claims over Greek islands in the eastern Aegean and its statements on the alleged "grey zones" in the Aegean, while he denied as unfounded the rumours that Greece allegedly leaked NATO secrets to Russia in return for high technology weapons systems.

    Referring to the Cyprus issue, Mr. Burns stated that the talks in 1998 were interrupted because of the Turkish Cypriot side when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash demanded the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot regime and the withdrawal of Cyprus' application for membership in the European Union.

    [24] GREECE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE SUPPLY OF PKK WITH WEAPONS

    Greece had no involvement in the supply of the Kurdish PKK rebels with weapons stated categorically one of the leading members of PKK, Selim Curukkaya, who was one of the rivals of Abdullah Ocalan.

    In an interview with the weekly magazine ESPRESSO (11/3/99), he responded to the question on whether PKK received weapons from Greece and land mines from Italy, by saying that until 1993, when he was an active member of PKK, he had not heard of weapons supply neither from Greece nor from Italy. He said that it is obvious that these are Turkish fabrications and that Ocalan has started to confess everything the Turks wanted to make him confess under the influence of drugs.

    To the question if PKK is funded through illegal drug- trafficking, he responded again that these are also Ankara's fabrications, stressing that the main source of funds for PKK are the Kurds living abroad. He also pointed out that at least until 1993 no other country, except Syria, offered support to PKK neither material assistance nor direct weapons' supply.


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