Read about The Loizidou vs Turkey Case of the European Court of Human Rights (18 December, 1996) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Thursday, 28 March 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-09

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, September 9, 1998

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] MANY CONSUMER GOODS AND FOODSTUFFS TO BE SOLD AT LOWER PRICES
  • [02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: TURKISH VIOLATIONS ARE STRONG ARM TACTICS
  • [03] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER IN CORFU, WARNS OF TURKISH EXPANSIONISM
  • [04] GREECE'S ALTERNATE FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR
  • [05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS ON TURKISH-ISRAELI COOPERATION
  • [06] GREEK ALTERNATE FM MEETS WITH US AMBASSADOR TO ATHENS
  • [07] GREECE, BULGARIA, ROMANIA SIGN PROTOCOL TO FIGHT CROSS-BORDER CRIME
  • [08] GREECE RATIFIES COE PROTOCOL ABOLISHING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
  • [09] 1998 STATE BUDGET HAS SURPLUS, SURPASSES GOVERNMENT'S EXPECTATIONS
  • [10] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER TO VISIT THESSALONIKI ON FRIDAY FOR 3- DAY STAY
  • [11] LEADER OF OPPOSITION PARTY "COALITION" IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
  • [12] GOVERNMENT MEETING ON UNEMPLOYMENT
  • [13] MS. PAPARIGA LAUNCHED AN ATTACK AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
  • [14] THE GREEK PRESIDENT GREETS THE MPA CONFERENCE ON RIGAS VELESTINLIS
  • [15] THE PRESS REPORTS ON THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE INSTALLATION OF THE S-300 MISSILES HAVE BEEN DENIED
  • [16] AN ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE DELEGATION IS IN ATHENS
  • [17] THE PREFECT OF VIOTIA WILL PROCEED WITH THE SEIZURE OF 60 MILLION DM AS A FORM OF WAR REPARATIONS BY GERMANY FOR THE DISTOMO MASSACRE
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [18] YELTSIN INSISTS ON HIS CHOICE OF PREMIER, DUMA CONTINUES TO REJECT HIM
  • [19] GREEK FM: TURKEY IS ONLY INTERESTED IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH THE EU
  • [20] GREECE, IRAN AND ARMENIA SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
  • [21] YELTSIN- CHERNOMYRDIN MEETING
  • [22] GREEK AND BULGARIAN FIRE DEPARTMENTS' COOPERATION
  • [23] THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS IN THE RUDOZEM-XANTHI CROSSING ARE UNDERWAY
  • [24] 43 YEARS AFTER, THE TURKISH PRESS REFERS TO THE SEPTEMBER INCIDENTS

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] MANY CONSUMER GOODS AND FOODSTUFFS TO BE SOLD AT LOWER PRICES

    A number of foodstuffs are expected to be sold at lower prices soon, following an agreement reached between the Ministry of Development and food manufacturers to continue with negotiations that could lead to lower prices.

    Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Finance, state revenue showed an increase of 18.23% during the month of August 1998, in comparison to last year..

    [02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: TURKISH VIOLATIONS ARE STRONG ARM TACTICS

    The Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated that the recent violations of Greece's air space by Turkey ate nothing more than the neighboring country's strong arm tactics.

    Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that Turkey from time to time was to actively display its dynamic presence in the Aegean Sea by challenging the air space between six and ten miles.

    The Defense Minister stressed that these air space violations are dynamically dealt with by the Greek Air Force.

    [03] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER IN CORFU, WARNS OF TURKISH EXPANSIONISM

    Cypriot Defense Minister Yiannakis Omirou, who was at the island of Corfu yesterday in honor of the twinning of the island with the city of Paphos, stated that Turkish expansionism is a threat not only to Cyprus but to all of Greece.

    Mr. Omirou said that the present time was "critical for our national issues". Referring to recent statements by Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the Cypriot Defense Minister said that the Turkish premier was "repeating himself."

    Mr. Yilmaz, in Israel on an official visit, warned Cyprus on Monday that Ankara would "take all necessary measures" if Nicosia deployed Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles on the divided island.

    [04] GREECE'S ALTERNATE FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR

    Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou received the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dragan Vucicevic yesterday.

    The two men discussed the European Union-imposed ban on Yugoslav civil aviation flights to EU countries and other issues of mutual concern. Mr. Papandreou reiterated Greece's steadfast positions concerning Kossovo.

    [05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS ON TURKISH-ISRAELI COOPERATION

    National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated that the Turkish-Israeli cooperation in the form of an axis has provoked reactions from all of the region's countries.

    The creation of the axis "is confirmed from the moment Turkey uses high Israeli technology to support its own unilateral claims against many nations in the region," Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said. "This creates a problem, is a source of instability provoking a crisis and dangers for the region," he added.

    Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that he will meet with his Israeli counterpart in Athens during October and will bring before him the Greek objections concerning the Turkish-Israeli cooperation.

    [06] GREEK ALTERNATE FM MEETS WITH US AMBASSADOR TO ATHENS

    Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou met with and US Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns yesterday and discussed relations between Greece and the US, the situation in the Balkans and the investment climate in Greece.

    Following the talks, Mr. Papandreou said that he and Mr. Burns discussed issues concerning the prospects of American investments in Greece and the wider Balkan region, as well as joint investments in this region by Greece and the US. They also discussed issues regarding the Thessaloniki International Fair.

    In turn, Mr. Burns said that he briefed Mr. Papandreou on the participation of American companies in the TIF.

    Mr. Burns said that "for a long time American companies abstained (from investments in Greece), but the Greek economy is being expanded, restructured and modernized and therefore it is a very good place for Americans to invest."

    [07] GREECE, BULGARIA, ROMANIA SIGN PROTOCOL TO FIGHT CROSS-BORDER CRIME

    A protocol of close cooperation in the fight against cross- border crime in the region of the Balkans was signed yesterday by the public order minister of Greece, George Romeos, and the interior ministers of Bulgaria, Bogmil Bonev and of Romania, Gavril Dezeu.

    "The citizens of all the countries regard security as an ultimate good. It is our obligation to provide it to them", Mr. Romeos said during a press conference after the signing.

    Expressing his satisfaction at the signing of the cooperation protocol, the Greek minister said that the course to be followed from now on will prove the three governments will to fight organized crime.

    The protocol envisages the implementation of a system and exchange of information to prevent and investigate into different forms of organized crime, terrorism, as well as production and trafficking of illicit drugs, an announcement of the Bulgarian interior ministry said.

    It added that the protocol also provided for cooperation between the three countries in the fight against arms smuggling, money laundering and illegal financial operations and theft of cultural property.

    [08] GREECE RATIFIES COE PROTOCOL ABOLISHING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

    Greece yesterday ratified a protocol of the Council of Europe (CoE) Treaty on the Protection of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms, which abolishes capital punishment.

    The protocol, to become effective on October 1, essentially formalizes what was approved of long ago. The abolition of the death penalty had been ratified by the Greek parliament in 1993 and the last execution in Greece took place in 1973.

    [09] 1998 STATE BUDGET HAS SURPLUS, SURPASSES GOVERNMENT'S EXPECTATIONS

    Last month's state revenue rose to GRD747.3 billion, amounting to an increase of 18.3%, surpassing the government's own expectations which had hoped for an increase of approximately 12 per cent.

    The increase in revenues during the month of August is primarily due to a 24.12% increase in revenues from income tax and a 6.5% increase in customs tax. Also, revenue acquired from the Value Added Tax increase by 6.51%, thus pouring significant figures into the state coffers.

    The surplus in revenues has brought on a wave of optimism among the government finance and economy circles. According to reports, the state may reduce the special consumption tax if the inflation rate allows it do so.

    The upward course of public revenue was a year-long process, as revenues received over the January to August period of 1998 increased by 15.25 per cent compared to an annual target of 10.85 per cent.

    [10] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER TO VISIT THESSALONIKI ON FRIDAY FOR 3- DAY STAY

    The leader of the main opposition party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis, is to embark on a three-day visit to Thessaloniki this Friday.

    During his stay in the northern capital. Mr. Karamanlis will local party leaders and deputies.

    On Sunday, Mr. Karamanlis will visit the 63rd International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki and will give a press interview in the afternoon.

    [11] LEADER OF OPPOSITION PARTY "COALITION" IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

    The leader of the Coalition of the Left and Progress opposition party Nikos Konstantopoulos is to arrive in Thessaloniki tomorrow for a two-day visit accompanied by a delegation of party officials.

    Mr. Konstantopoulos will give a press conference tomorrow afternoon and afterwards will visit the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki.

    [12] GOVERNMENT MEETING ON UNEMPLOYMENT

    The issue of unemployment was the main subject of discussion in a government meeting held in Athens today under prime minister Kostas Simitis.

    Minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou characterized employment as a major issue for Greece and underlined that the basis has been set for a new action plan for 1999 that will be submitted to the European Union.

    Minister of labor Miltiadis Papaioannou stressed that dealing with unemployment is an issue of first priority for the government which makes efforts to strengthen employment.

    [13] MS. PAPARIGA LAUNCHED AN ATTACK AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT

    The prime minister is not just following a liberal policy but he implements a savage and brutal capitalism which is not different from that followed by Clinton, Kohl, and Blair, stressed Greek Communist Party general secretary Ms. Aleka Papariga commenting on the prime minister's speech in the opening of Thessaloniki's 63rd International Trade Fair.

    The government's economic policy is not a one way street, said Ms. Papariga, adding that there is an alternative way and this should be followed by the Greek people.

    [14] THE GREEK PRESIDENT GREETS THE MPA CONFERENCE ON RIGAS VELESTINLIS

    The two-day Inter-Balkan conference, organized by Macedonian Press Agency to take place in Thessaloniki on September 11-12 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the death of the visionary of the Inter-Balkan cooperation, Rigas Velestinlis attracts the international attention.

    In his message to the delegates, Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos points out that Rigas Fereos was a pioneer of what we call Inter-Balkan cooperation today and that the idea to form a Balkan federation was inspired at the time when he undertook action in the Danube-bordering hegemonies.

    Finally, the president mentions that the scientists participating in the Inter-Balkan conference will present their views on the effect of Rigas Fereos' ideas on the countries of south-eastern Europe and the need for Inter-Balkan cooperation today giving new dimensions to the evaluation of Rigas Fereos' work under the light of today's circumstances.

    In his message foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos mentions that the conference organized by MPA is an ideal opportunity for all to honor this great historical figure, who beyond his contribution to the nation was one of the pioneers of the Inter- Balkan idea and cooperation. He also stressed that today's conjuncture of circumstances demands more than ever to undertake decisive action in order to turn the vision into a reality.

    In the conference will participate distinguished personalities from all the Balkan countries among them, Albanian foreign minister Paskal Milo, FRY minister of information Alexander Vutsic, Bulgarian undersecretary of culture Svetlozar Zekov, Albanian undersecretary of education Anrea Marto, Bosnian Academy of Science president Hukovic Seid, Romanian academician of Greek origin Antonios Nikolaou, Sofia Institute of Balkan Studies director Agop Karabetian as well as, academicians, historians, newspaper and radio-television directors and national news agencies general directors from all the Balkan countries.

    [15] THE PRESS REPORTS ON THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE INSTALLATION OF THE S-300 MISSILES HAVE BEEN DENIED

    Acting government spokesman Yiannis Nikolaou denied the press reports on a new postponement of the installation of the Russian S- 300 anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus and added that the policy followed by Athens and Nicosia on the issue remains stable.

    On the violations of the Greek air space by Turkish fighter jets, he said that Ankara escalates the crisis in the region.

    [16] AN ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE DELEGATION IS IN ATHENS

    An Ecumenical Patriarchate delegation is in Athens today for contacts with representatives of the Church of Greece and Archbishop Christodoulos.

    The contacts the members of the delegation will have will focus on the details concerning the establishment of permanent delegations representing the Church of Greece in Brussels and the Patriarchate in Athens. The two sides stated that they will work for the most favourable development possible in the targets they have set.

    [17] THE PREFECT OF VIOTIA WILL PROCEED WITH THE SEIZURE OF 60 MILLION DM AS A FORM OF WAR REPARATIONS BY GERMANY FOR THE DISTOMO MASSACRE

    Prefect of Viotia in central Greece Ioannis Stamoulis plans to proceed with the seizure of 60 million DM that are in the hands of a third party. The measure will be taken in case the German government continues to refuse reparations to the families of the victims of the Distomo village massacre that was committed by the German occupiers just before the end of WWII.

    The demand of the prefect of Viotia is presented in a lengthy article by Alexander Dahl published in the newspaper "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung", in which it is mentioned that just before leaving Distomo the Nazi forces murdered 228 of its residents in revenge for the action of the Greek resistance fighters who had killed 3 German soldiers a few days before.

    The German foreign ministry has refused to pay reparations to the families of the victims of the Distomo massacre maintaining that it was a measure taken within the framework of the war and that there is no justification for reparation demands 50 years after the end of WWII.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [18] YELTSIN INSISTS ON HIS CHOICE OF PREMIER, DUMA CONTINUES TO REJECT HIM

    While the Russian parliament has for the second time rejected Victor Cernomyrdin as prime minister, President Boris Yeltsin is to insist on his choice of premier and will once again nominate his name to the Duma.

    If the Duma rejects Cernomyrdin in a third vote, which must take place within a week of Yeltsin's renomination of the acting premier, the parliament may be dissolved, and the country will be launched into a three to five month election process.

    [19] GREEK FM: TURKEY IS ONLY INTERESTED IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH THE EU

    Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos yesterday accused Turkey of being interested only in the economic aspect of its relations with the European Union and called on Ankara to respect European values.

    Speaking at a joint conference with Iranian and Armenian Foreign Ministers Kamal Kharrazi and Vartan Oskanian, respectively, Mr. Pangalos said that "Turkey claims that it is a European nation, it wants to enter the European Union, but is interested only in the economic and funding aspects."

    He said that anyone who was "interested joining such families as that of the EU must learn to respect the values and responsibilities, which all the European countries have". Any such nation must respect human rights as well as the rights of minorities and to apply the rules of International Law, he added.

    Mr. Pangalos reiterated that Greece supports the immediate resumption of talks for the resolution of the Cyprus problem and the application of all relevant United Nations decisions and resolutions.

    He added that "Turkey refuses dialogue and refuses to apply the resolutions of the UN, aspiring to keep the island divided and to retain its military presence there." Referring to Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Pangalos said that "when one creates a problem, one must show the way to its solution" while he stressed that Turkey has a "package" of territorial claims against Greece.

    [20] GREECE, IRAN AND ARMENIA SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

    The Foreign Ministers of Greece, Iran and Armenia - Theodoros Pangalos, Kamal Kharrazi and Vartan Oskanian, respectively - met in Tehran yesterday where they signed a memorandum of understanding which constitutes a continuation of the one signed during the first tripartite ministerial meeting in Athens on December 22, 1997.

    Afterwards, the three foreign ministers expressed satisfaction over progress achieved in all sectors of tripartite cooperation and over the work achieved by the four committees created after the first ministerial meeting in Athens and which are the communications, tourist cooperation, industry and technology and economy and energy committees.

    The three ministers agreed to extend their cooperation to other sectors and to create an additional committee which will deal with environmental protection, health and the handling of industrial accidents and natural disasters with the cooperation of corresponding national organizations from each country.

    All three foreign ministers reportedly expressed strong reservations over military cooperation between Israel and Turkey..

    [21] YELTSIN- CHERNOMYRDIN MEETING

    Russian president Boris Yeltsin met today with prime minister designate Victor Chernomyrdin and foreign minister Gevgeni Primakov.

    A Kremlin spokesman stated that the president has not decided yet if he will insist in Mr. Chernomyrdin's candidacy for a third time or whether he will back another candidate for the post of the prime minister.

    The Communists have reiterated that they will vote down the prime minister designate even if this means the dissolution of Parliament and new elections.

    [22] GREEK AND BULGARIAN FIRE DEPARTMENTS' COOPERATION

    The prospect of cooperation of fire departments at a Balkan level was announced by Bulgarian newspapers characterizing as dangerous the increase of forest fires in 1998. The newspaper "Demokratsia" writes that the Bulgarian government has asked for the assistance of Greek fire-fighting aircraft in order to deal with the problem.

    According to Bulgarian fire department chief Cyril Voinov, since early 1998 have been recorded 3.000 fires more compared to the number recorded in 1997.

    Based on official data, 61 people were killed as a result of the fires and 200 were injured, while thousands of hectars of forest and farm land have been destroyed.

    [23] THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS IN THE RUDOZEM-XANTHI CROSSING ARE UNDERWAY

    The works for the construction of the road network linking the three new border crossings with Greece have been accelerated by the Bulgarian side, while the works at the Rudozem crossing that links Bulgaria with Greece in the region of Xanthi began soon after the meeting in Athens of the prime ministers of Greece and Bulgaria Kostas Simitis and Ivan Kostov.

    The newspaper "Standart" points out that the reconstruction of the Rudozem-Tsepintsi-Greek borders highway is expected to be underway in October.

    [24] 43 YEARS AFTER, THE TURKISH PRESS REFERS TO THE SEPTEMBER INCIDENTS

    Forty three years have passed since the Greeks of Istanbul paid the price of the Turkish planned bomb attack targeting the house of Kemal Ataturk in Thessaloniki. Forty three years after the incidents of September 6 and 7, 1955 "Milliyet" journalist Edip Emil Oimen and Migirdits Margosian of "Yeni Yuzyil" approach the issue from a different point of view as compared to the official Turkish stance.

    Mr. Margosian stresses that after the May 27, 1960 coup those responsible for the sad events of September were tried in court and in their testimony had admitted that they themselves had given the order to plant a bomb in Kemal's house in Thessaloniki, while they also admitted that this act was organized by the Turkish state itself. Mr. Margosian also points out that during those years certain individuals in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, who were "responsible" for the protection of their own nationals, finally managed to turn into enemies people who until then were sharing the same culture and land. The news of the bomb attack against Kemal's house was used as an excuse for the overnight vandalism and destruction of Istanbul, that taught an alleged "lesson" to all the minorities living in the city.

    Mr. Edip Emil Oimen writes that the news of the bomb attack in Thessaloniki spread immediately in Turkey and the people believing that it was true suffered some kind of mass hysteria attacking and destroying the shops, the houses and the churches of the Greeks in Istanbul and Ismir. Mr. Edip Emil Oimen stresses that in the beginning there was no reaction by the state authorities but later they blamed the Communists for the incidents among them, Aziz Nesin.


    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
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    mpegr2html v1.01 run on Wednesday, 9 September 1998 - 19:39:07 UTC