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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-09-25Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] KARAMANLIS IS ON A VISIT TO THESSALONIKIWeb Posted: 15:27 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 25/09/1999 (MPA) Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis visited the Trade Unions' Center yesterday immediately after his arrival in Thessaloniki where he will stay for three days.Mr. Karamanlis called for quicker pace in the development of the economy, while concerning the EMU he maintained that it will be achieved but it will not be a true convergence. He characterized as insufficient the government's policy on Thessaloniki, while he expressed optimism that the city can be the economic and cultural center of south-eastern Europe. The leader of the main opposition party visited today Thessaloniki's Technical and Trade Chamber and the Greek Sugar Industry plant in Plati at the prefecture of Imathia, while this evening he will speak in a dinner that will be given in honor of the production sector representatives at the "Ioannis Vellidis" conference center. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to visit Thessaloniki's Port Organization and later at 1pm he will give a press conference. [02] SIMITIS: THE COURSE OF THE ECONOMY IS VERY GOODWeb Posted: 15:27 GMT+2Athens, 25/09/1999 (MPA) The course of the economy is very good and this is our strongest point, stated prime minister Kostas Simitis speaking in the cabinet meeting that was held yesterday. Mr. Simitis appeared optimistic concerning the stock exchange and stressed that the whole situation will be normalized soon.Minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou stated that the market's trend will remain upward. Mr. Papantoniou stated that Greece's application for EMU accession will be submitted in the first 10 days of March and the decision is expected in early June. [B] BALKANS[03] AGREEMENT ON THE BUYOUT OF A FYROM BANK WAS SIGNED BY ALPHA CREDIT BANKWeb Posted: 15:27 GMT+2Skopje, 25/09/1999 (MPA) The Alpha Credit Bank moves closer to the buyout of the fourth largest bank in FYROM after the signing of a deal for the purchase of the majority, 65%, of the shares of the Skopje Kreditna Banka for the sum of 18.54 million DM.For the time being, the deal is up for approval by the local authorities and if it is approved Alpha Credit Bank will be the first Greek bank with a presence in FYROM. Skopje's Kreditna Banka AD is a private bank and has three branches in the cities of Skopje, Tetovo and Strumnica. The Credit Group is already represented in Romania through its subsidiary Banca Bucuresti SA, in Albania through the Alpha Credit branch in Tirana and in Bulgaria through the Ionian Bank branch in Sofia. [C] WORLD[04] AFGHAN-GREEK AGREEMENT FOR OIL DRILLINGS IN AFGHANISTANWeb Posted: 15:27 GMT+2Islamabad , 25/09/1999 (MPA) An agreement on joint oil drillings in Afghanistan was signed recently between the country's government and the Athens based ECC company. The agreement was announced by Afghan industry minister Maulvi Ahmed Jan pointing out that the company first will proceed with oil drillings in the eastern and western parts of the country which are rich in oil and natural gas.The Afghan minister stated to the news agency PPI that the government tries to attract new investors to the sectors of oil and natural gas. He said that the goal is the construction of oil refineries in the country but the majority of the companies want first to make oil drillings and toward this direction the agreement was signed yesterday with the Athens based ECC company. [05] PAPANDREOU: THE STEPS MADE IN THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE ARE POSITIVEWeb Posted: 15:27 GMT+2New York , 25/09/1999 (MPA) Foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey Giorgos Papandreou and Ismail Cem, in a meeting they had last night within the framework of the UN general assembly in New York, agreed on the promotion of a wider-based dialogue for peace in the region in which will participate academicians and intellectuals from the two countries. Mr. Papandreou characterized the steps made so far in the Greek-Turkish dialogue as positive, while the third round of talks will start in a few days.The two ministers also decided the cooperation of Greece and Turkey on issues of electrical power supply, earthquake protection and culture but they did not discuss the main problems between the two countries which are the Cyprus problem and the Aegean as according to Mr. Papandreou, the positions held by Athens and Ankara continue to be totally different. Mr. Papandreou stated that Greece wants a discussion on the essence of the Cyprus problem, while at the same time he expressed satisfaction over the statement issued by the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council who characterized the current situation in Cyprus as unacceptable. Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos speaking in Washington's American University stated that Turkey can not become a member of the EU for as long as it continues the occupation of northern Cyprus. He said that Greece supports Turkey's EU accession under the pre-condition that steps of progress will be made in the issues of human rights and Cyprus as well as, in the country's domestic and foreign policy. Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also stated that Turkey must accept Cyprus' accession into the EU because this way the road for its own accession will open. According to information, US secretary of state Madeleine Albright issued an appeal to the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey to stop the military exercises in the Aegean and use the money that will be saved this way for the rebuilding of the regions damaged by the recent devastating earthquakes. 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/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |