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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-06-23

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 23, 1998

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] TRAIN, PLANE TRAVELERS BEWARE, STRIKES AHEAD
  • [02] FYROM FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES TODAY ON OFFICIAL VISIT
  • [03] GREEK AND CYPRIOT MINISTERS OF TRANSPORTATION MEET IN ATHENS
  • [04] PRESIDENT OF GREECE ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO CYPRUS THIS WEEK
  • [05] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO VISIT MOUNT ATHOS IN OCTOBER
  • [06] 20% OF GREEKS LIVE BELOW POVERTY LEVELS
  • [07] EARTHQUAKE OF 3.5 RICHTER SHAKES CHALKIDIKI
  • [08] US AMBASSADOR TO ATHENS ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
  • [09] THE GREEK-FYROM RELATIONS ARE AT AN EXCELLENT LEVEL
  • [10] SIMITIS - PAPANTONIOU MEETING
  • [11] KARAMANLIS WILL TOUR NORTH-WESTERN GREECE
  • [12] THE NEW PASSAGE AT THE GREEK-BULGARIAN BORDERS WILL OPEN IN THE YEAR 2000
  • [13] THE "GREEK BISCUIT COMPANY" WILL EXPAND TO CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE BALKANS
  • [14] THE EU COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE ISLANDS OF IMVROS AND TENEDOS
  • [15] THE OLYMPIC FLAME WAS HANDED OVER TO THE MAYOR OF MOSCOW
  • [16] THE VATUM-ISTANBUL-THESSALONIKI-VENICE NEW COASTAL LINE WAS INAUGURATED YESTERDAY
  • [17] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF JEWISH LAWYERS AND JURISTS IN THESSALONIKI ON SUNDAY
  • [18] COUNCIL FOR THE HELLENES ABROAD HEADQUARTERS NOT TO BE TRANSFERRED
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [19] HOLBROOKE TO ARRIVE IN BELGRADE TODAY
  • [20] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT TO PRESS ON WITH EFFORTS TO LOCATE MISSING PERSONS
  • [21] BELARUS: EIGHT AMBASSADORS RECALLED FROM MINSK
  • [22] A PLANE HIJACKING IS UNDERWAY IN VALENSIA, SPAIN
  • [23] CULTURAL EVENTS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF RIGAS FEREOS' DEATH
  • [24] INTERNATIONAL CONCERN OVER THE KOSOVO PROBLEM

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] TRAIN, PLANE TRAVELERS BEWARE, STRIKES AHEAD

    Travelers who have opted for trains or airplanes in order to arrive at their destination are in for great delays.

    Employees at the state-owned Railway Organization (OSE) are to embark on mobilizations with work stoppages today and a 24-hour strike tomorrow, forcing the railway to cut back on a great number of routes.

    As for Olympic Airways, the national air carrier is suffering from a shortage in stewards and pilots which means delays, flight merges and cancellations.

    [02] FYROM FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES TODAY ON OFFICIAL VISIT

    FYROM's foreign minister Blagoje Hatzinski begins an official two-day visit to Greece today and is expected to raise the issue of the name of his country in his meetings with Greek government officials, while other topics to be discussed include the Kossovo crisis and the bilateral ties between Athens and Skopje.

    According to FYROM's state-owned radio station, Mr. Hatzinksi's visit to Athens is taking place at a time when the two countries' relations have developed in many sectors, such as defense and culture.

    [03] GREEK AND CYPRIOT MINISTERS OF TRANSPORTATION MEET IN ATHENS

    Transport Minister Tassos Mantelis received his Cypriot counterpart Leontios Ierodiakonou in Athens yesterday, where the two agreed to promote cooperation between their countries'' national air carriers, Olympic Airways and Cyprus Airways.

    In addition, the charter companies of the two countries' national air carriers, namely OA's Macedonian Airways and Euro- Cyprus charter company, are to also established channels of cooperation.

    Moreover, Mr. Mantelis stated that Cypriot businessman S. Hatjioannou's British-based Easyjet will be granted a license for flights between London and Athens. Easyjet will feature a 9,800- drachma single fare and 19,600-drachma return fare offer for 10 days as of July 10.

    [04] PRESIDENT OF GREECE ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO CYPRUS THIS WEEK

    The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos is to embark on an unprecedented visit to Cyprus this Thursday.

    Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides stated that Mr. Stephanopoulos' visit takes place at a very critical period for Cyprus, during which "we need the greater possible support and Greece is our most loyal supporter. "

    President Stephanopoulos is scheduled to arrive on June 25 for a four day official visit, the first visit of a Greek head of state since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, in 1960.

    During his stay, Stephanopoulos will be received by President Clerides, the President of the House of Representatives Spyros Kyprianou and the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos.

    He will also have meetings with party leaders and address a special session at the House of Representatives.

    The Greek President will be escorted by Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis, Finance Under- Secretary Alexandros Baltas and other officials.

    [05] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO VISIT MOUNT ATHOS IN OCTOBER

    Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos is to conduct a two-day visit to the Mt. Athos monastic community in October, for celebrations marking the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the Xenophon Monastery.

    During his visit, the Patriarch will meet at Karyes with the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who will also attend the celebrations.

    [06] 20% OF GREEKS LIVE BELOW POVERTY LEVELS

    One out of every five Greeks lives below poverty levels, while 500,000 persons in the country are unemployed, a plight expected to worsen in the near future.

    According to a study conducted by the Labor Institute of the General Confederation of Greek laborers, which was presented recently in the city of Volos, the country's high unemployment levels and the widely-spanning poverty are not uncommon within the European Union.

    There are 20 million jobless persons who live in the EU's 15 member-states, while 50 million persons subsist in relative poverty and are socially isolated. Sixty percent of the EU's unemployed are below the age of 25, just starting out their careers.

    The UN's most current poverty figures place 1.3 billion people worldwide below the poverty line, which means they live on a mere $1 a day (303 drachmas).

    [07] EARTHQUAKE OF 3.5 RICHTER SHAKES CHALKIDIKI

    The earthquake that shook the Chalkidiki peninsula during the early morning hours, measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale, is a routine phenomenon according to experts from Thessaloniki's Aristotelian University.

    According to the University's geophysicists, the slight earthquake occurred at the region of Ierissos and was recorded by the lab's seismological telemetric network at 2.29 am, 85 kilometers southeast of Thessaloniki.

    University seismologist Manolis Skordiles told the Macedonian Press Agency that this morning earthquake is not related to the recent quakes that occurred in the peninsula's south part and stressed that the wider region of Ierissos is marked by frequent slight tremors, a usual phenomenon for the area. In September of 1932, a quake measuring 7 on the Richter scale brought catastrophe to the region of Ierissos, claiming dozens of lives. The scale is logarithmic, which means that a quake of 5- Richter is ten times the power of a 4-Richter quake.

    [08] US AMBASSADOR TO ATHENS ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

    United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns is to arrive in Thessaloniki tomorrow evening where he will present an address at the city's Greek-American four-year college "Anatolia".

    Ambassador Burns will salute this year's graduates during their commencement ceremony.

    [09] THE GREEK-FYROM RELATIONS ARE AT AN EXCELLENT LEVEL

    The relations of Greece with FYROM are at an excellent level and have developed greatly in the two years since the signing of the interim accord, pointed out Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos and his FYROM counterpart Blagoe Hantzinski in the joint press conference they gave after their meeting in Athens today.

    Based on the facts presented, the economic transactions between the two countries are estimated to worth over 225 million dollars, while Greece occupies the third place among the trade partners of FYROM.

    Mr. Pangalos stated that a cross-border cooperation agreement has been signed and that next month Greek minister of public order Giorgos Romeos will visit Skopje.

    Mr. Pangalos stressed that he shares the same position on the issue of Kosovo with his counterpart from FYROM supporting the autonomy of the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo without any change in the existing borders.

    Regarding the issue of the name that will be used by FYROM, Mr. Pangalos stated that the issue was not examined extensively and that it was agreed that the relevant procedure will develop in the United Nations.

    From his side, Mr. Hantzinski underlined the great potential for further development in the relations between Greece and FYROM.

    [10] SIMITIS - PAPANTONIOU MEETING

    The state of the country's economy was at the center of the meeting minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou had with prime minister Kostas Simitis.

    The prime minister also met with members of the governing Socialist party of PASOK political secretariat.

    The current political developments were also at the center of the meeting the local party leaders of New Democracy had today with party leader Kostas Karamanlis.

    [11] KARAMANLIS WILL TOUR NORTH-WESTERN GREECE

    Right-wing opposition party leader Kostas Karamanlis will be on a four-day tour of north-western Greece. The tour will start on Saturday and will last until Tuesday, June 30.

    The leader of New Democracy will visit the prefectures of Grevena, Florina, Kastoria and Kozani, where he will have contacts with local authorities and will speak in open-air rallies organized by his party.

    [12] THE NEW PASSAGE AT THE GREEK-BULGARIAN BORDERS WILL OPEN IN THE YEAR 2000

    The new passage at the Greek-Bulgarian borders in the region of Komotini will be ready to open in the year 2000, stated the regional governor of north-eastern Greece Stavros Kabelis who visited south-eastern Bulgaria.

    Mr. Kabelis stated that the Greek authorities will give to the municipal authorities of Kirtzali in Bulgaria the complete report for the construction of the Komotini-Makaza road axis and the new border post at the Greek-Bulgarian borders.

    [13] THE "GREEK BISCUIT COMPANY" WILL EXPAND TO CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE BALKANS

    The "Greek Biscuit Company" is expected to benefit greatly especially, in the sectors of exports and production, as a result of its move to buy out 67% of a food industry in Johannesburg. The move was made recently by the group of industries headed by Mr. Kiriakos Philippou.

    High executives of the business group stayed for a number of weeks in Johennesburg, South Africa and prepared the outline of the investment plan that will be materialized in the four company plants in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Vereeninging and Durban.

    The next move of the company will be to purchase a new plant, this time in a central European country. Also, in the plans of the company's management is included the construction of a production unit in a Balkan country.

    [14] THE EU COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE ISLANDS OF IMVROS AND TENEDOS

    The state of democracy and human rights in Turkey remain an issue of high priority for the European Union Council, as it is mentioned in a response issued by the council to an earlier question made by Greek Euro-deputy for the Coalition of the Left party Alekos Alavanos on the vandalism targeting the church of Annunciation in the island of Imvros.

    In its response the council expresses regret for the recent developments and points out that it is aware of the fact that based on the July 1923 Treaty of Lauzanne, Turkey has undertaken certain commitments toward the non Muslim minorities for the protection of individuals and property.

    [15] THE OLYMPIC FLAME WAS HANDED OVER TO THE MAYOR OF MOSCOW

    The Olympic flame was handed over today to Moscow's mayor Yuri Luskov by the Greek Olympic Committee president Lambis Nikolaou.

    The mayor of the Russian capital will take the flame to his country where the first World Youth Games will be held in July 11- 19.

    The flame was delivered in a special ceremony in the archaeological site of Pnika in Athens in the presence of Athens' mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, Greek Tourist Organization general secretary Yiannis Zgouros and a Russian delegation.

    [16] THE VATUM-ISTANBUL-THESSALONIKI-VENICE NEW COASTAL LINE WAS INAUGURATED YESTERDAY

    New prospects are being opened for Greece's relations with the Black Sea countries and Italy by the Vatum - Istanbul - Thessaloniki - Venice new coastal line that was inaugurated yesterday by the Georgian shipping company Gesco Line.

    The Georgian company's representative in Greece is Kinissi Tour Operator which examines the likelihood of a coastal line that will link Thessaloniki with Odessa.

    [17] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF JEWISH LAWYERS AND JURISTS IN THESSALONIKI ON SUNDAY

    The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists based in Tel Aviv will pay homage to the Jews of Thessaloniki, who were the victims of the Holocaust, with their conference that will be held in Thessaloniki on Sunday.

    In the conference will participate 140 delegates from 15 countries. The majority of them are lawyers, judges and Law professors and are expected to arrive in Thessaloniki on Thursday not only to attend the conference but to visit sites associated with the Jewish presence in the city such as, the Holocaust Monument, the Synagogue of Monastiriotes and the Jewish Museum.

    The conference proceedings will open on Sunday morning with the speech of the Jewish Lawyers International Association president Ms. Hadassa Ben-Itto, who has been appointed arbitrator in the issue of the Jewish assets held by Swiss banks.

    [18] COUNCIL FOR THE HELLENES ABROAD HEADQUARTERS NOT TO BE TRANSFERRED

    The secretary general for Hellenes Abroad, Stavros Lambrianidis, stated to the Macedonian Press Agency that the Greek Foreign ministry and the General Secretariat of the Council for the Hellenes Abroad fully support the institution of the Council as well as Thessaloniki as its permanent headquarters.

    Mr Lambrianidis' comments were incited by a report published in "Thessaloniki" newspaper, according to which the activities of the Council for the Hellenes Abroad in the Macedonian capital were to be reduced while it was planned that its main headquarters would be transferred to Athens.

    A deputy of the governing party of PASOK, Giannis Magriotis, submitted a question to the Greek parliament concerning this matter.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [19] HOLBROOKE TO ARRIVE IN BELGRADE TODAY

    Newly appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke is to arrive in Belgrade today for talks with Serb president Slobodan Milosevic.

    The American diplomat is expected to insist that the Serb security forces be withdrawn from Kossovo.

    Ambassador Holbrooke will also visit Skopje and Pristina and will also meet with Kossovar Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova and his colleagues.

    [20] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT TO PRESS ON WITH EFFORTS TO LOCATE MISSING PERSONS

    The Cypriot government is determined to press on with its efforts to find the remains of four Cypriots of American citizenship and hand them to their relatives, the President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides stated yesterday, speaking after a memorial service for Andreas Kasapis, the fifth Cypriot-American citizen who had been missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island.

    "We will continue our efforts to ascertain the fate of all persons missing," Mr. Clerides stated and added that Jean-Pierre Ritter, UN representative to the tripartite Investigatory Committee on Missing Persons will arrive at the island in early July.

    The Investigatory Committee also includes Takis Christopoulos, who represents the Greek Cypriot side and Rustem Tatar, from the Turkish Cypriot side.

    A report, released earlier this year, concludes that the other four Americans, of Greek descent, "in all likelihood did not survive the events in Cyprus in the summer of 1974."

    Mr. Kasapis' remains were buried yesterday in his home-town of Detroit, US.

    [21] BELARUS: EIGHT AMBASSADORS RECALLED FROM MINSK

    The ambassadors of Greece, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Japan and the United States have departed from the capital of Belarus Minsk, in protest to the behavior of the local authorities who somewhat forcibly evicted the diplomats from their residences.

    The government of Belarus demanded that the diplomats be relocated from their suburban homes to another region in order to conduct construction works. Government officials did so with a variety of means, including cutting off the electricity, cutting off plumbing services, cutting off the telephone service and denying vehicular access - not letting cars go through.

    Both the United States and the governments of the EU's member- states have called on Belarus to recall its diplomats from their capitals until a mutually-accepted solution is reached.

    [22] A PLANE HIJACKING IS UNDERWAY IN VALENSIA, SPAIN

    The Spanish airline IBERIA Boeing 747 passenger plane that was hijacked today, during a domestic flight to Barcelona from Seville with 124 passengers and a 7member crew on board, remains at the airport of Valensia, Spain.

    According to international news agencies, three unidentified gunmen forced their way to the cockpit and made the pilot land the plane at the airport of Valensia where it was surrounded immediately by a strong police force.

    Head of the Greek embassy press office Mr. Hatzilambis stated that the hijackers released 15 children and 3 elderly passengers and that they have threatened to blow up the plane if it is not refueled in order to go to Tel Aviv. Initially, the hijackers had asked to go to Athens and according to Mr. Hatzilambis, on board the plane is the mayor of Seville.

    The Reuters news agency reported that an adviser of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netaniahou stated that no decision was made to allow the hijacked plane to land at the airport of Tel Aviv.

    [23] CULTURAL EVENTS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF RIGAS FEREOS' DEATH

    Cultural events on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Rigas Fereos death will be held at the Neboisa Tower the scene of torture for Fereos and his comrades. The events will take place on June 26 organized by the Association of Greeks in Serbia in cooperation with the Serb-Greek Friendship Society.

    The president of the Association of Greeks in Serbia stated in an interview with Belgrade's newspaper "Politika" that the events in memory of Rigas Fereos confirm the strong traditional ties that exist between the two peoples.

    Rigas Fereos and 7 of his comrades were killed 200 years ago tomorrow. Fereos was the first one to materialize the idea to organize the Greeks, who were living under the Turkish yoke in a powerful national liberation movement inspired by the principles of the French Revolution.

    [24] INTERNATIONAL CONCERN OVER THE KOSOVO PROBLEM

    Albanian prime minister Fatos Nano warned today over the danger for Albania to be involved in a war with Yugoslavia due to the Kosovo conflict and called on NATO, which convened in Vienna today, to launch a military intervention in the serbian province, so as to avert a potential spreading of the crisis.

    Meanwhile, the US ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke, also, expressed fear for a war in the Balkans, after the talks he had with the FYROM president Kiro Gligorov and the prime minister Branko Crvenkovski, concerning the Kosovo crisis.


    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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