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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-06-05

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, June 5, 1998

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY
  • [02] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES CBMS BETWEEN GREECE, TURKEY
  • [03] INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATED TODAY
  • [04] IRANIAN WITH HEROIN-FILLED PLASTIC EGGS IN STOMACH ARRESTED IN GREECE
  • [05] PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR UEFA COMPETITORS
  • [06] SPECIAL TRAFFIC POLICE MEASURES FOR THE THREE-DAY HOLIDAY
  • [07] SIMEON B', ROMANOV AND AGA HAN WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI THIS EVENING
  • [08] THE OA PILOTS ARE AGAINST THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE COMPANY
  • [09] LEGAL AID TO THE REPATRIATED GREEKS WILL BE OFFERED BY THESSALONIKI'S BAR ASSOCIATION
  • [10] SIMITIS:BSEC CHARTER SIGNED IN YALTA IS A STEP FOR PEACE
  • [11] STRIKE IN THE IONIAN BANK TO CONTINUE UNTIL WEDNESDAY
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [12] PRIME MINISTER PARTICIPATES AT YALTA'S BSEC CONFERENCE
  • [13] CONTACT GROUP TO CONVENE NEXT WEEK OVER KOSSOVO
  • [14] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH COUNTERPARTS AT BSEC CONFERENCE
  • [15] PAPANTONIOU AT ECOFIN COUNCIL MEETING TODAY
  • [16] THOUSANDS FLEE KOSSOVO, UN REFUGEE AGENCY REPORTS
  • [17] ALBANIAN FM IN YALTA, FEARS THE WORST FOR KOSSOVO
  • [18] TOP EU OFFICIAL SAYS: VARIED TIMELINE FOR EACH COUNTRY UP FOR ACCESSION
  • [19] UN SECRETARY GENERAL WANTS UNPREDEP'S STAY IN FYROM EXTENDED
  • [20] SIMITIS HAD A SHORT MEETING WITH DEMIREL IN YALTA
  • [21] UKRAINE SUGGESTED THE EXPANSION OF THE BLACK SEA COOPERATION
  • [22] THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO IS TENSE
  • [23] THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE UNITED STATES
  • [24] THE MOVEMENT OF THE NON-ALIGNED COUNTRIES CONDEMNED TURKEY FOR ITS STANCE IN THE CYPRUS ISSUE
  • [25] EMPLOYMENT IS THE MAIN ISSUE OF DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA OF THE EU SUMMIT MEETING
  • [26] GLIGOROV REJECTS REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO IN FYROM

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY

    Greek diplomatic sources have stated that the Athens-Ankara agreement to apply the Papoulias-Yilmaz 1988 memorandum is a step in the right direction, within the framework of the confidence- building measures announced yesterday by the secretary-general of NATO Javier Solana.

    Greece's Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated that the application of the said memorandum is not related to matters of national sovereignty and, as such, these matters remain unchanged.

    [02] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES CBMS BETWEEN GREECE, TURKEY

    NATO's Secretary General Javier Solana has announced that Greece and Turkey agree to implement the Papoulias-Yilmaz accord signed in 1988 concerning rules of conduct related to military activities in the Aegean.

    "The Secretary General of NATO, Dr. Javier Solana, is pleased to be able to announce that in the course of his continuing talks with the Permanent Representatives of Greece and Turkey on Confidence-Building Measures both sides have informed him of their intention to implement fully the agreements reached in 1988 between the then Foreign Ministers Papoulias and Yilmaz (the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 27 May 1988 in Athens and the Guidelines for the Prevention of Accidents and Incidents on the High Seas and International Airspace, signed on 8 September 1988 in Istanbul)," the issued statement said.

    "The two sides have also declared their willingness to continue their talks with the Secretary General in order to clarify where necessary and to strengthen and complement where possible the set of confidence- building measures which the 1988 agreements provide for and which constitute a framework of agreed rules of behaviour regarding national military activities in the high seas and the international airspace aimed at re ducing tension and avoiding dangerous incidents. In this context the Secretary General and the two countries intend to explore the opportunities for greater mutual information and coordination offered by the emerging NATO air command and control system (A CCS).

    "In the 1988 Memorandum of Understanding both countries have recognised the obligation to respect the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of each other and their rights to use the high seas and international airspace of the Aegean. Today's statement is a manifestation of the political will of the two governments to continue to respect these principles and to carry out in good faith the range of confidence building measures that have been agreed as well as those that may further be agreed in the talks between the Secretary General and the two countries, and as such it constitutes an important interim result of these talks."

    [03] INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATED TODAY

    On the occassion of today's International Environment Day, the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos stated that "the planet earth is seriously threatened by the overturn of the ecological balance."

    President Stephanopoulos also added that those nations with better developed infrastructures must realise the dangers which are threatening us. In its announcement, the ruling PASOK party states that it remains "faithful to the idea of self-sustained development and the goal of quality of life and the environment."

    Main opposition New Democracy party Deputy Vangelis Meimarakis said "ecological problems are aggravated to such a degree that any further neglect or indifference will render them crucial for the course of life on the planet, while extremely unfavorable repercussions exist both in the economic development and the quality of life of modern societies."

    [04] IRANIAN WITH HEROIN-FILLED PLASTIC EGGS IN STOMACH ARRESTED IN GREECE

    An Iranian male who had swallowed 18 heroin-filled plastic eggs was arrested at the Promahonas station near the Greek- Bulgarian borders for attempting to enter Greece with a fake passport.

    According to the police report, 28-year-old Naser Mohamed, a passenger on the Sofia-Thessaloniki railway route, said that he acquired the fake passport in Bulgaria for two thousand dollars .

    The heroin-filled eggs were discovered in his stomach when he was frisked by the police.

    [05] PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR UEFA COMPETITORS

    PAOK and AEK are to compete for the UEFA Cup in August, entering at the second preliminary phase, although it won't be known whom they'll be playing against until July 6.

    AEK's new coach, Dragoslav Stepanovic left for Frankfurt today where he will sit through all of AEK's videotaped games. The team is eyeing Lakis, Fratzeskos, Kala and Kiassos.

    As for Aris, it will be decided next week if the team will be managed by England's Mike MacDonald.

    The transfer targets in PAOK are still the same, namely Frousos and Katsiabis, while, as far as foreign players are concerned, Aris will take its pick after the World Cup's close.

    For Panionios, it's now official, 38-year-old Irishman Roni Whilan, who played for Liverpool in the past, will be the new coach. He will sign a one-year contract with Greece's Cup holder on June 22.

    [06] SPECIAL TRAFFIC POLICE MEASURES FOR THE THREE-DAY HOLIDAY

    A mass exodus of the big city residents is expected in the three-day holiday for the celebration of the Holy Spirit day on Monday. Traffic police has taken special measures to facilitate the motorists.

    Strong traffic police presence will be observed along the Athens-Thessaloniki national road network. Also, large tracks, of over 1.2 tons, will not be allowed in the national road network and an exemption will be made only for those carrying milk or fresh fish.

    [07] SIMEON B', ROMANOV AND AGA HAN WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI THIS EVENING

    Prince Aga Han and the exiled Kings Simeon B' of Bulgaria and Vladimir Romanov of Russia will arrive in Thessaloniki this evening on a chartered flight from Geneva.

    According to information, they will visit the monasteries of Vatopediou and Iviron in the monastic community of Mount Athos tomorrow, while on Sunday they will visit the monastery of Zografou.

    It should be noted, that Aga Han has a Swiss passport, Romanov's is French and Simeon's is Spanish.

    According to information, the visit to the monastic community of Mount Athos is placed within the framework of the creation of a Club for Friends of the Byzantium.

    [08] THE OA PILOTS ARE AGAINST THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE COMPANY

    The pilots of the state airline Olympic Airways denied in an press conference today the information that they had contacts with interested parties for the purchase of the company. It was stressed that a private company had presented a proposal but it was rejected by their union.

    The Pilots' Union accused the government of trying to limit the flight destinations of Olympic Airways aiming at the sale of the company. Also, the pilots stated that they will continue to refuse to work overtime to cover the needs of the company.

    [09] LEGAL AID TO THE REPATRIATED GREEKS WILL BE OFFERED BY THESSALONIKI'S BAR ASSOCIATION

    A legal aid programme for the repatriated Greeks will be put into effect by Thessaloniki's Bar Association starting next September.

    Thessaloniki's Bar Association has already started the implementation of the legal aid programme for the repatriated Greeks from the former Soviet Union, who are estimated to be about 18.500, came to Greece as refugees and want to become permanent residents of Thessaloniki.

    The effort underway aims at informing them on the Greek legislation and their rights for their uneventful accession into the Greek society and the lowering of the crime rate among them which is partly the result of their not being aware of the Greek laws.

    [10] SIMITIS:BSEC CHARTER SIGNED IN YALTA IS A STEP FOR PEACE

    Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis described the charter of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Pact, which was signed today in Yalta, as a very important step, that will contribute to the strengthening of economic relations, stability and peace in the area.

    Mr Simitis stressed that, through the charter, BSEC was transformed into an official economic organization which will promote a form of cooperation based on the principles of international law.

    Provided that Greece is the only BSEC member-state which, also, belongs to the European Union, mr Simitis underlined that the country emphasized the role of the Community in the area and pledged to continue this bid.

    [11] STRIKE IN THE IONIAN BANK TO CONTINUE UNTIL WEDNESDAY

    The Ionian Bank workers will continue their strike until next Wednesday supported by the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE). The decision was taken by the majority of the GSEE members.

    However, the president of GSEE Christos Polizogopoulos stressed that, after Wednesday, the strike will not be supported by the Confederation.

    The president of the Ionian Bank employees Giannis Markakis underlined that the strike will continue until June 19, the date, on which a general meeting of the workers is due to take place.

    Meanwhile, today was the last day of the rotation strikes at the Commercial Bank, embarked by the Greek Banks Employees' Union (OTOE).

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [12] PRIME MINISTER PARTICIPATES AT YALTA'S BSEC CONFERENCE

    Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is currently in Yalta where he represents Greece at a conference of the heads of state and government of the 11 Black Sea Economic Cooperation Pact (BSEC) member-states.

    Today, the participants will sign the charter of a new international regional organization which will upgrade the BSEC.

    It is envisaged that the Black Sea Commerce and Development Bank, based in Thessaloniki, and the International Center for Black Sea Studies, based in Athens, will undertake an active role in the development of various activities, mainly economic.

    [13] CONTACT GROUP TO CONVENE NEXT WEEK OVER KOSSOVO

    British Foreign Minister Robin Cook, whose country currently holds the European Union's rotating presidency, has announced that the contact Group is to convene next week in order to discuss the worsening conflict occurring in Kossovo.

    The meeting is taking place after an appeal issued by Albania whose government has reported the influx of thousands of refugees from Kossovo.

    [14] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH COUNTERPARTS AT BSEC CONFERENCE

    Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, currently in Yalta for the Black Sea Economic Cooperation pact (BSEC) summit, met yesterday with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, as well as with the Romanian prime minister, the presidents of Georgia and Azerbaijan, and the prime minister of Moldova.

    Mr. Simitis is expected to meet new Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko today.

    After the first day of sessions, Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis stated that "Greece has an interest in the area. Firstly, because it has historical ties and traditional friendships with the peoples of the region. Secondly, because there is a strong economic and trade interest in this region of Europe - a region with tremendous prospects for development, especially in the energy sector."

    The 11-nation group is comprised of Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Moldova.

    [15] PAPANTONIOU AT ECOFIN COUNCIL MEETING TODAY

    The National Economy and Finance Ministers of the European Union's member-states are to meet in Luxembourg today in order to prepare an agenda of discussions on the Economic and Monetary EMU at the forthcoming Cardiff summit.

    Greece will be represented by National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou.

    According to Greek diplomatic sources, the text on the basic orientations which ministers will discuss contains positive references to the Greek economy, and an updated convergence program for Greece will be among the first to be submitted to the Commission, before the end of the month.

    [16] THOUSANDS FLEE KOSSOVO, UN REFUGEE AGENCY REPORTS

    More refugees from Kossovo in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia continued to arrive in Albania yesterday, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported from Albania that more than 6,500 arrivals have been registered as of Thursday. UNHCR said that between 8,000 and 10,000 refugees are now estimated to be in Albania.

    The United Nations agency said that the high number of refugees from Kossovo has stretched to the limits the food, accommodation and transportation resources in the Tropoja area which is the point of entry into Albania.

    UNHCR field staff said that they witnessed large numbers of refugees continuing to stream down the mountain and that several of them collapsed once they reached the plateau which is a four to six hour walk from Tropoja. Some of the refugees, including a number of women and children, have suffered shrapnel wounds, the agency said. Reported deaths included two elderly people who died of exhaustion and a two year old boy who died attempting to pass a mountain crossing with his mother.

    The United Nations refugee agency said that local authorities are providing as much transportation as possible to bring the refugees down the mountain and that additional resources have been rushed to the area.

    [17] ALBANIAN FM IN YALTA, FEARS THE WORST FOR KOSSOVO

    Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo the participants at the Yalta-held BSEC conference that one can no longer speak of an incipient conflict in Kossovo but of war.

    ``The situation created in Kossovo requires urgent intervention to stop the genocide there which is now being expressed in all its force,: Mr. Milo said.

    ``If this conflict explodes like it is exploding, it will in the near future create scenes that would be worse and much more painful than Bosnia.''

    He called on the United Nations, OSCE and NATO to intervene in order to prevent escalation into a full blown war at Kossovo.

    [18] TOP EU OFFICIAL SAYS: VARIED TIMELINE FOR EACH COUNTRY UP FOR ACCESSION

    The Director General of the European Commission's Task Force for accession negotiations, Nicolaus Van Der Pas, who arrived in Cyprus yesterday to hold talks on the island's preparation for EU accession, stated that the screening process for all the countries hoping for accession will be held in accordance with that country's convergence rate.

    Mr. Van Der Pas said that Cyprus' accession process had so far been smooth and fast, having already moved through eight of the 31 negotiating chapters.

    During his stay, Van Der Pas, who is accompanied by the Task Force's negotiator on Cyprus, Leopold Maurer, will meet President Glafcos Clerides, House President Spyros Kyprianou, Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides, Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou and Cyprus' Chief EU negotiator George Vassiliou.

    They will also hold contacts with the permanent secretaries of all the ministries and with officials from the Attorney- general's office.

    [19] UN SECRETARY GENERAL WANTS UNPREDEP'S STAY IN FYROM EXTENDED

    United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recommended that a U.N. force in FYROM should be renewed for six months, instead of being withdrawn by the end of August as originally planned.

    Mr. Annan cited as a reason the current crisis in the neighbouring Serbian province of Kossovo. He also offered, in a report to the Security Council, to submit proposals by July 15 for strengthening the 800-member U.N. contingent. The U.N. Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) has been in FYROM since 1995 to prevent conflicts in other parts of the former Yugoslavia from spilling over.

    Referring to the unrest in Kossovo, Mr. Annan said it ``would seem to be premature to proceed with a decision to withdraw UNPREDEP after August 31,'' as called for by the Security Council last December. There are fears that an escalation of the unrest in Kossovo could also involve FYROM, whose population of about two million includes nearly half a million ethnic Albanians.

    Mr. Annan noted discussions were still under way in NATO and elsewhere on the possible need for an expanded international military presence in the region because of the situation in Kossovo. He said consultations were also continuing on arrangements for monitoring an arms embargo that the Security Council imposed on Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) on March 31 to try to force a peaceful settlement in Kossovo.

    [20] SIMITIS HAD A SHORT MEETING WITH DEMIREL IN YALTA

    The charter of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Pact that turns the institution into an official economic organization was signed in Yalta today. Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis had contacts with state leaders, while he had a few-minute meeting with Turkish president Suleiman Demirel.

    In statements he made, Mr. Simitis pointed out that he did not seek a meeting with Mr. Demirel neither the Turkish president with him but they had a short discussion within the framework of the Summit meeting contacts.

    In the meeting with the Turkish president were discussed issues concerning the summit, while Mr. Simitis underlined the necessity of peace in the region and the implementation of international law.

    [21] UKRAINE SUGGESTED THE EXPANSION OF THE BLACK SEA COOPERATION

    Ukrainian president Leonid Kudzma issued an appeal for closer cooperation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Pact countries, in his speech for the signing of the organization's new charter.

    The leaders of the 11 countries of the Pact agreed on a charter aimed at the strengthening of their cooperation, while Mr. Kudzma stressed that new prospects of cooperation are being opened even though very often the member-states have different national interests.

    The Ukrainian president in an effort to renew the targets of the Pact suggested the strengthening of the military cooperation among its members, the holding of regular political meetings and the wider cooperation to counter illegal arms trade and drug trafficking in a more effective way. He also called on businessmen to participate in the cooperation more actively.

    [22] THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO IS TENSE

    The United States announced that they are trying to save the dialogue between Serbia and the representatives of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, who left the talks because of the worsening of the armed clashes.

    Meanwhile, over 40 ethnic Albanians were killed in the latest Serb military operations targeting villages close to the borders with Albania.

    [23] THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE UNITED STATES

    The Turkish newspaper "Yeni Yuzyil" writes that similar moves, with that of the French Parliament's decision to recognise the genocide of the Armenians by the Turks, appear to be made in the United States as well.

    The newspaper mentions that many state Parliaments in the US have included in their daily agenda the discussion of draft resolutions condemning the genocide of the Armenians which was committed by the Turks.

    [24] THE MOVEMENT OF THE NON-ALIGNED COUNTRIES CONDEMNED TURKEY FOR ITS STANCE IN THE CYPRUS ISSUE

    The leaders of the non-aligned countries in their final declaration expressed their deep disappointment for the lack of progress in the Cyprus issue, stressing that responsible for the failed effort to reopen the inter-communal talks is the Turkish policy of intransigence.

    Turkey's effort to set conditions for the holding of the talks, requesting among others the recognition of the Turkish- Cypriot regime in the Turkish occupied northern part of the island, is also being condemned.

    In the part of the declaration that refers to Cyprus, the foreign ministers of the non-aligned countries support the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus and express their solidarity to the government and people of Cyprus.

    The members of the non-aligned movement call for the immediate implementation of the UN resolutions and urge the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures in order to hold a world conference on Cyprus and its demilitarisation. Also, they express their concern regarding the Turkish threats for the use of force and the annexation of the occupied territories and condemn the efforts of the Turkish side to change the basis of the inter- communal dialogue.

    [25] EMPLOYMENT IS THE MAIN ISSUE OF DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA OF THE EU SUMMIT MEETING

    The high unemployment in Europe will be the main issue of discussion in the EU Summit meeting in Cardiff, according to statements made by British prime minister Tony Blair.

    The British prime minister said that in Cardiff the EU leaders will assess the progress made in the EU expansion, the expansion process itself and the changes that need to be made in order to become more effective, while issues concerning organised crime and environmental protection will also be examined.

    [26] GLIGOROV REJECTS REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO IN FYROM

    FYROM president Kiro Gligorov had a meeting today with the political director of the German Foreign ministry, Volfang Isinger.

    According to a statement issued by the presidential bureau, mr Gligorov was particularly satisfied over Germany's bids aiming at strengthening bilateral relations.

    Mr Gligorov, also, expressed his concern over the tense situation in Kosovo reiterating that his country is economically incapable of offering refuge to the ethnic Albanians who flee Kosovo.


    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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