Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-16
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 16, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] DEFENSE MINISTER BRIEFS LEADER OF MAIN OPPOSITION ON ALBANIAN
CRISIS
[02] ROLLING STONES TO ROCK ATHENS TONIGHT, THOUSANDS TO GET
SATISFACTION
[03] TWO SLIGHT EARTHQUAKES BRING TREMORS TO THESSALONIKI
[04] FBI DIRECTOR ARRIVES IN GREECE TOMORROW FOR TWO-DAY VISIT
[05] FERRARI, SUPERFAST FERRIES & CAMPARI TO STAGE SIX-DAY EVENT
TOMORROW
[06] HEAD OF HELLENIC PARLIAMENT RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF FINLAND
[07] SIMITIS HAD NO TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION WITH NANO AND CLINTON
[08] MINISTERS AND AMBASSADORS FROM 76 COUNTRIES WILL MEET IN
ALEXANDROUPOLIS
[09] NINA SIMONE, THE GREAT LADY OF JAZZ, IS IN THESSALONIKI FOR
ONE APPEARANCE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] BERISHA FOLLOWERS HOLD NEW RALLY IN TIRANA, NO EPISODES
[11] SITUATION IN ALBANIA NORMALIZED, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY
[12] GREEK FM TO GIVE ADDRESS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY EVENT
[13] GREECE AND CYPRUS SIGN CULTURAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT
[14] DEPUTY FM: CYPRUS WILL NOT BE ECONOMIC BURDEN TO THE EU
[15] TIRANA MOVES TO REMOVE BERISHA'S PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY
[16] THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WATCHES CLOSELY THE DEVELOPMENTS
IN ALBANIA
[17] SEVEN PEOPLE WERE THE VICTIMS OF THE BLOODY INCIDENTS IN
ALBANIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] DEFENSE MINISTER BRIEFS LEADER OF MAIN OPPOSITION ON ALBANIAN
CRISIS
The Minster of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos briefed
today the leader of the main opposition party, New Democracy's
Kostas Karamanlis on the latest developments in Albania.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that the problem in the
neighboring country is a political one and stated that the
situation is being normalized.
In turn, Mr. Karamanlis stated that the situation is still
too fluid and proposed that the Greek government request the
convention of an emergency session with the European Union's
foreign ministers.
Moreover, Mr. Karamanlis asked that the security of Greek
residing in Albania and Greek troops assigned there be ensured.
[02] ROLLING STONES TO ROCK ATHENS TONIGHT, THOUSANDS TO GET
SATISFACTION
Greek politicians, among them Premier Kostas Simitis, leader
of the main opposition party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis
and the leader of minor opposition party Synaspismos Nikos
Konstantopoulos are to join thousands of Rolling Stones fans
tonight at the Olympic Stadium, where Mick Jagger and his
entourage will walk the Bridges to Babylon.
The concert is to start around 9.30 p.m. and the Stones are
expected to play for two whole hours.
[03] TWO SLIGHT EARTHQUAKES BRING TREMORS TO THESSALONIKI
Two slight earthquakes brought concern to Thessaloniki's
residents last night, the first measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale
and occurring at 23.27, with the second taking place two minutes
later and measuring 2.7.
The quake's epicenter was located 10 kilometers northeast of
the city. Seismologists at the Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki Geophysics lab stated that the tremors are no cause
for concern.
[04] FBI DIRECTOR ARRIVES IN GREECE TOMORROW FOR TWO-DAY VISIT
The director of the United States Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) Louis Freeh will begin a two-day visit to
Greece as of tomorrow.
According to the U.S. embassy in Athens, Mr. Freeh, who is
currently on a European trip, will have talks on issues of mutual
interest with Greek government officials involved in law
enforcement.
[05] FERRARI, SUPERFAST FERRIES & CAMPARI TO STAGE SIX-DAY EVENT
TOMORROW
Ferrari, the famous sports car, SuperFast Ferries and Campari
are to embark on a six-day event in Athens tomorrow with the
participation of over 70 Ferrari cars from all over Europe.
The cars will depart from the Italian port of Ancona tomorrow
and will arrive in Patras 19 hours later aboard a SuperFast
ferry, owned by Greek blue-chip Attica Enterprises, which is
listed on the Athens bourse.
Among events planned starting on Friday are skill races in
Alepohori near Megara and then a drive to Athens.
The Ferraris will be lined up in front of the Kallimarmaro
Stadium in central Athens and the Acropolis.
[06] HEAD OF HELLENIC PARLIAMENT RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF FINLAND
The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis
yesterday received the Finnish President Matti Ahtisaari who is
currently on an official visit to Greece.
Following their talks, Mr. Kaklamanis stated that there is an
excellent level of relations between the parliaments of the two
countries.
In turn, Mr. Ahtisaari expressed his satisfaction over the
close cooperation between the parliaments of Greece and Finland
and noted that he discussed with Mr. Kaklamanis ways "to make the
people, and especially the youth, interested in day-to-day issues
and politics."
He also stressed the need for the strengthening national
parliaments' role and European integration. The Finnish president
also noted that the international community must support the
effort for a just solution to the Cyprus problem.
Mr. Kaklamanis expressed the hope that Cyprus' accession
talks will be concluded by the time Finland assumes the rotating
presidency of the European Union in 1999.
Finally, Mr. Kaklamanis underlined that it is necessary for
the international community to follow a mutual course so as to
restore the territorial integrity of Cyprus.
[07] SIMITIS HAD NO TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION WITH NANO AND CLINTON
There is no information that prime minister Kostas Simitis
had a telephone communication with US president Bill Clinton,
stated acting Greek government spokesman Yiannis Nikolaou.
Mr. Nikolaou also added that Mr. Simitis had no telephone
conversation with Albanian prime minister Fatos Nano and no Greek
foreign ministry official is scheduled to visit the neighboring
country. Mr. Nikolaou said that Greece is interested in restoring
normality in Albania and the Balkans as a whole, adding that it
has a stabilizing role and each time considers seriously any
initiatives it undertakes.
[08] MINISTERS AND AMBASSADORS FROM 76 COUNTRIES WILL MEET IN
ALEXANDROUPOLIS
The third international conference on "Mediterranean
cooperation and development, prospects of a new economic region
after the year 2000, Mediterranean-Balkans-Black Sea" will be held
in Alexandroupolis on October 22-25.
In the conference will participate ministers, ambassadors and
representatives of production sectors from 76 countries of the
wider region of the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
The event is organized by the Institute of Mediterranean
Cooperation with the backing of the European Parliament, the
European Bank of Investments, the Institute for Mediterranean
Studies and the local administration of the prefecture of Evros,
in north-eastern Greece.
[09] NINA SIMONE, THE GREAT LADY OF JAZZ, IS IN THESSALONIKI FOR
ONE APPEARANCE
The great lady of jazz, Nina Simone is in Thessaloniki for
one concert she will give tomorrow within the framework of the
"Gea" Festival. Speaking to journalists she made comments on the
way the contemporary music has developed, while she also spoke
about her own role in the music scene and about .... Bill Clinton
and his problems....
Widely-known for her struggle through her songs against the
violation of human rights and racism, Nina Simone said that she
fought through her music. She stressed that maybe it is impossible
to get rid of class discrimination but it is possible to get rid
of racism. Ms. Simone said that for the past 25 years she lives in
Europe because it was impossible for her to tolerate the race
discrimination in America.
The real name of Nina Simone is, Eunice Kathleen Waymon, and
was the direct target of racism at the age of 5 when during her
performance in a piano festival at the library of her native South
Carolina, she witnessed her parents being forced to leave the
front row seats because their presence was disturbing for certain
white people.
Commenting on rap music, Ms. Simone stated that this is not
music and said characteristically that she hates rap which is
"just poetry and drums, but not music".
Commenting on the Rolling Stones, whose Athens concert takes
place this evening, she stressed that they play a totally
different kind of music compared to hers and stated that "the
Stones do not play music, they destroy it" adding that "there are
no good musicians today".
To the question on the Clinton sex scandal, she said that she
does not understand why people criticize something that all men
want to do, saying "not that I like Clinton as a president but he
has rights too and his personal life is his own business".
Ms. Simone also referred to Maria Callas saying that she was
a genuine diva, while she characterized Nelson Mandela as the
greatest man on the planet.
Nina Simone was born in 1933. Her first success was the song
"I loves you Porgy" at the end of the ‘50's and later it was
followed by "Gin house blues", "I put a spell on you", "Don't let
me be misunderstood" and the great classic song "My baby just
cares for me".
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] BERISHA FOLLOWERS HOLD NEW RALLY IN TIRANA, NO EPISODES
A rally organized by followers of the main opposition leader
and former president Sali Berisha did not result in any episodes.
A parliamentary committee is to review whether or not Mr.
Berisha's and five Democratic Party deputies' parliamentary
immunity will be lifted in order to criminally prosecute them.
Meanwhile, the European Union, the Organization for Security and
cooperation in Europe and the Western European Union has issued an
appeal to all of Albania's political forces to support president
Rejep Meidani
[11] SITUATION IN ALBANIA NORMALIZED, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY
The situation in Albania appears to have been normalized,
although the police are in a state of readiness in light of this
afternoon's rally organized by main opposition leader and former
president Sali Berisha.
The Albanian parliament's appropriate committee is to examine
the district attorney's request to lift Mr. Berisha's
parliamentary immunity which he enjoys as the leader of the main
opposition party. Mr. Berisha and four of his colleagues, face
charges of organizing, aiding and abetting an armed uprising.
Meanwhile, the European Union, the Organization for Security and
cooperation in Europe and the Western European Union has issued an
appeal to all of Albania's political forces to support president
Rejep Meidani.
[12] GREEK FM TO GIVE ADDRESS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY EVENT
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is to present an
address at New York's Columbia University tomorrow evening, where
he will speak on "Greece and Europe's future".
The event is organized by the Greek Studies program, the
School of International and Public Relations and the Institute of
Western Europe.
[13] GREECE AND CYPRUS SIGN CULTURAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT
The Cultural Ministers of Greece and Cyprus Evangelos
Venizelos and Lycourgos Kapas respectively, signed a Cultural
Cooperation Program for the years 1998-2000 in Nicosia yesterday.
The agreement provides for upgraded Greek participation in
the annual Cyprus festival "Ta Kypria", now underway, the
furthering of cooperation in theater, music, cinema and
archaeology, as well as exchanges and cooperation in the
international art and music fields.
It also provides for Cyprus' participation in the Cultural
Olympiad to take place in Greece from the year 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Venizelos underlined the importance of cultural
cooperation between the two countries and pointed out that never
before had it been set out in such a formal way as in the
agreement signed today. He said the agreement had a "practical
basis".
In turn, the Cypriot Culture Minister stated that "as we
believe closer cultural cooperation is our national duty, the two
ministries have developed close ties aiming at safeguarding the
historical identity of the Greek nation."
He added that meetings between delegations of the two
ministries will be held every six months and there will be a
constant exchange of information and views.
Replying to questions, Mr. Venizelos expressed disappointment
with the European Union's stance towards the destruction of the
cultural heritage in the areas of the Republic occupied by Turkey
since 1974.
He said the EU should show more sensitivity as it believes in
the common European cultural heritage and noted that UNESCO and
the Council of Europe show more interest in the situation.
[14] DEPUTY FM: CYPRUS WILL NOT BE ECONOMIC BURDEN TO THE EU
Addressing the Development Bank's general assembly meeting
held in Athens yesterday, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs
Yiannos Kranidiotis stated that Cyprus will not create very high
expenditures for the European Union's budget after accession.
Speaking on the issue of "The Prospects of Europe: Greece and
Cyprus, a Dynamic and Supplementary Relation", Mr. Kranidiotis
said that whatever expenditures will be channeled in their largest
part in the northern part of Cyprus, being the less developed. He
said that for Cyprus to obtain economic benefits, it will go ahead
quickly and systematically with the adjustment of the economy to
the facts and claims of the big united market of Economic Monetary
Union.
Moreover, Mr. Kranidiotis stated that Europe, Greece and
Cyprus are faced with new prospects, opportunities and challenges
on the threshold of the 21st century since the global system, as
he said, appears to lack institutional bases of stability, the
European Union with the establishment of EMU and enlargement is
emerging as the exclusive factor of stability.
[15] TIRANA MOVES TO REMOVE BERISHA'S PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY
The Albanian government has moved to prosecute the leader of
the main opposition Democratic Party -and former president- Sali
Berisha for inciting the uprising of September 14, which it
characterized as an attempted coup d'etat.
The prosecutor's office has already requested that Mr.
Berisha's parliamentary immunity be lifted, along with other five
deputies from the Democratic Party, on the grounds of organizing
and participating in an armed uprising, which resulted in the
destruction of government buildings and stores.
A parliamentary committee is to review whether or not Mr.
Berisha's and the five deputies' parliamentary immunity will be
lifted in order to criminally prosecute them.
Mr. Berisha has stated he is not concern over possibly being
stripped of parliamentary immunity.
"I am not at all concerned," he stated. "I am determined to
face any attack will all my strength."
The Albanian parliament yesterday ratified the Public Order
Ministry's request to have the military police and a SWAT team to
its avail given the critical stage of the situation.
Moreover, the government announced that it will adopt harsher
measures in dealing with Mr. Berisha's armed followers.
Approximately 150 armed individuals are reportedly still
stationed at the Democratic Party's headquarters.
[16] THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WATCHES CLOSELY THE DEVELOPMENTS
IN ALBANIA
The international community watches closely the rapid
developments in Albania as the risk for the spread of violence and
the likelihood of a civil war are still present.
In a joint statement the OSCE, the European Union and the
Western European Union condemned the use of violence and issued an
appeal to all the political forces in Albania to back president
Redzep Meidani in his efforts to defuse the crisis. Russia also
expressed concern over the unexpected developments in Albania and
issued an appeal for self-restraint.
The foreign ministers of Germany and France suggested to the
European Council president that an international police operation
should be organized in Albania to avert the likelihood of new
clashes, while they also proposed the increase of the EU funds to
the country in order to stop it from plunging into chaos.
Meanwhile, the Albanian capital appears to be returning to
normality but police is in a state of alert as armed followers of
Berisha's Democratic Party remain in the party offices refusing to
hand over their guns. The ministry of public order issued an
ultimatum calling them to leave the building by sunset.
The leader of the opposition Sali Berisha vowed to continue
the "peaceful" demonstrations, as he characterized them, until the
government resigns.
[17] SEVEN PEOPLE WERE THE VICTIMS OF THE BLOODY INCIDENTS IN
ALBANIA
Seven people were killed and 50 were injured in the bloody
incidents that in the past few days rocked the Albanian capital of
Tirana, while the material damages caused are estimated to be over
one million dollars.
The pro-government newspaper "Zeri i populit" likened
Democratic party leader and former president Sali Berisha to the
south American dictator Pinocet and published the statement of
prime minister Fatos Nano who denied the rumors according to
which, he is ready to resign, stressing that his resignation would
be a betrayal for the Albanian people who trusted him with their
vote.
Calm is gradually restored in Albania even though the
mastermind of last Monday's coup attempt, Sali Berisha, with new
inflammatory statements continues to add fuel to the fire, while
at the same time, the Albanian government examines ways to disarm
the 150 followers of Sali Berisha, who remain at the party's
central offices in Tirana. As it was made known, the procedures
for the lifting of Berisha's parliamentary immunity and his
prosecution that were activated by the general prosecutor's office
and the government, move rapidly.
Today, light was shed on the mystery surrounding the 48hour
disappearance of prime minister Fatos Nano as according to the
newspaper "Sekuli", at the critical hours when the coup attempt
was taking place, the prime minister had found refuge at Daiti
mountain near the Albanian capital, where he was guarded by 300
police officers, national guardsmen and socialist party
supporters. As it was made known, during those hours Mr. Nano had
no communication with president Redzep Meidani and had contact
only with certain of his ministers through his mobile phone.
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