Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-10-29
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, October 29, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PAN-EUROPEAN NEONAZI GROUP MEETS COVERTLY IN THESSALONIKI
[02] PREMIER WILL ANNOUNCE MEASURES TO COMBAT CRIME
[03] SLOVENIAN PREMIER TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS TODAY ON OFFICIAL VISIT
[04] PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION FOR OTE TELECOM SHARES COVERED BY 50 PER
CENT
[05] TOURISM VENTURES THRIVE IN GREECE, ANOTHER 318 FOUNDED IN
1997
[06] PAN-EUROPEAN MEETING OF NEO-NAZIS IN THESSALONIKI
[07] REPPAS: THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES WERE INFORMED ON THE
MEETING OF NEO-NAZIS IN THESSALONIKI
[08] KAKLAMANIS MET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVENIA
[09] "AGIOS GEORGIOS MILLS" TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
BIGGEST FLOURMILL IN ROMANIA
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] JOHN GLENN TO ENTHRALL THE WORLD BY ADVENTURES IN SPACE
[11] NATO RETAINS MILITARY THREAT TO ENSURE MILOSEVIC ABIDES BY
DEADLINE
[12] TURKEY FAILS TO MEET COMPENSATION DEADLINE FOR TITINA
LOIZIDOU
[13] UNDERSECRETARY OF SPORTS TO MEET WITH IOC PRESIDENT SAMARANCH
[14] GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TRAVELS TO BULGARIA
[15] US AMBASSADOR BURNS APPLAUDS GREECE'S ECONOMIC POLICY
[16] NICHOLAS BURNS: GREECE'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOLUTION OF THE
CRISIS IN KOSOVO IS ESSENTIAL
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PAN-EUROPEAN NEONAZI GROUP MEETS COVERTLY IN THESSALONIKI
Over 150 neo-Nazis and ultra-nationalists from all over the
world held a covert meeting in Thessaloniki on Saturday night,
after an initiative taken by Greece's ultra-nationalist faction
"Chrysi Avgi" (Golden Dawn).
According to local press reports, the police authorities were
aware of the said meeting in advance.
The meeting, conducted in utmost secrecy, was held in a
suburb north of Thessaloniki at a nightclub which was fiercely
guarded by specially-trained dogs and whose interior was decorated
with Nazi symbols. The attendees, having the characteristic ultra-
short, crew cut, celebrated to the tunes of military marches while
shouting pro-Hitler slogans.
The official organizer of the event, which was dubbed the
"Fifth Pan-European Youth Conference", appeared to be a so-called
"Greek Coordination of Touring Groups".
The participants, among them a female distant relative of
Adolf Hitler, traveled to Greece from the United States, Germany,
Spain, Denmark, Italy and Africa, as well as other countries, in
order to discuss new strategies and plans of action in light of
the new orders and relations that are developing in the world.
[02] PREMIER WILL ANNOUNCE MEASURES TO COMBAT CRIME
Prime Minster Kostas Simitis is to announce measures that
will combat the rising crime rate in the country, according to
reports.
These measures are said to include the hiring of an
additional 1,000 policemen, the increasing patrols transferring
policemen from administrative duty to street posts and to fortify
the police outfitting.
Moreover, the Premier is expected to announce a package of
health-related measures, the most significant of which will be the
extension of hospital doctors' on-call duties into the evening
hours.
[03] SLOVENIAN PREMIER TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS TODAY ON OFFICIAL VISIT
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek will embark on an
official visit to Greece today where he will meet with President
Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, Parliament
President Apostolos Kaklamanis and Athens Mayor Dimitris
Avramopoulos.
This marks the first official visit by a Slovenian prime
minister to Greece. Mr. Drnovsek's visit is expected to focus on
Slovenian efforts to join the European Union.
Greece is one of the countries that has not yet ratified the
EU agreement with Slovenia but is expected to place the issue on
the parliamentary agenda soon.
[04] PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION FOR OTE TELECOM SHARES COVERED BY 50 PER
CENT
Public subscriptions for shares in Greece's
Telecommunications Organization (OTE) have already climbed to 50
per cent, without taking into account the shares offered in the
United States yesterday, thus pouring into the company's coffers
over 150 billion drachmas.
The subscriptions coincide with tomorrow's end of
international book-building, divided into a secondary offering in
Greece and one abroad, and the so-far encouraging signs have been
interpreted as a potential two-fold increase in demand.
The share's price close on Tuesday at GRD6,420, surpassing by
far the bottom line of GRD5,850.
Subscription title allocation is expected to be conducted
during the weekend, in order to pave the road for November 2nd's
listing on the New York Stock Exchange. On Monday, the general
counsel of OTE George Chrysolouris will be the first Greek to
declare the opening of trading on the NYSE.
ΟΤΕ is Greece's largest company with a market capitalization
of $11 billion, equal to roughly 10 percent of Greece's GDP.
[05] TOURISM VENTURES THRIVE IN GREECE, ANOTHER 318 FOUNDED IN
1997
Tourism is a sector thriving in Greece where 318 new
businesses opened their doors in 1997 throughout the country, with
a vested capital of GRD19.8 billion, a rate consistent with the
domain's steady growth noted in the past five years where new
tourism-related businesses amounted to 1,416 and invested capital
amounting to GRD108.1 billion.
The region where most of these new operations have been
established is the Attica basin with 120 new companies, followed
by the Cyclades cluster of islands, Crete, Corfu and Thessaloniki.
[06] PAN-EUROPEAN MEETING OF NEO-NAZIS IN THESSALONIKI
A secret meeting of 150 members of extreme right and pro-nazi
organizations from all over Europe was held in Thessaloniki at the
initiative of the nationalist organization "Chrisi Avgi".
As it was made known, the police authorities were aware of
the meeting that was held in a night club on the outskirts of
Thessaloniki near the region of Filiron on October 24.
The skin-heads participating in the secret meeting referred
to the need for the coordination of the action of their
organizations. The hall, where the meeting took place, was
decorated with nazi emblems.
[07] REPPAS: THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES WERE INFORMED ON THE
MEETING OF NEO-NAZIS IN THESSALONIKI
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the
responsible authorities were informed over the meeting of the neo-
nazis in Thessaloniki.
Responding to questions by reporters Mr. Reppas added that
the neo-nazis violated no laws with their actions or activities.
[08] KAKLAMANIS MET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVENIA
Greek parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis met with
Slovenia's prime minister Janez Drnovesk. The meeting was held in
a very good atmosphere and the two men expressed the common views
shared by their countries on issues of international law and the
implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus.
Mr. Kaklamanis underlined that the Greek government and
parliament back Slovenia's European orientation and in the
parliament's plenary session today the EU-Slovenia association
agreement will be ratified.
Mr. Kaklamanis also issued an invitation to his Slovenian
counterpart to visit Greece for the further development of
bilateral relations.
[09] "AGIOS GEORGIOS MILLS" TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
BIGGEST FLOURMILL IN ROMANIA
The management of the biggest Romanian flour-mill was
formally taken over by the "Agios Georgios Mills". In the Romanian
flour-mill participate French and German investors and its sizes
are considerable both in Balkan and eastern European terms.
The role of the Greek company will be purely technocratic as
it will offer know-how and will give directions on issues
concerning the sector of flour in general.
The agreement signed by the two sides also provides that the
"Agios Georgios Mills" will purchase a 10% share of the Romanian
company in the immediate future.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] JOHN GLENN TO ENTHRALL THE WORLD BY ADVENTURES IN SPACE
John Glenn bid farewell to friends and families yesterday
before a scheduled blastoff into history today.
The 77 -year-old US Senator will be the oldest astronaut to
fly a mission when he returns to space 36 years after he first
made history as the first American to orbit the Earth.
The mission will include experiments into aging, which NASA
officials have given as the reason for Glenn's presence on the
shuttle despite criticism from some former astronauts and interest
groups who say it is merely a joy ride.
US President Bill Clinton will attend the launch from Cape
Canaveral where space fans have flocked by the thousands.
[11] NATO RETAINS MILITARY THREAT TO ENSURE MILOSEVIC ABIDES BY
DEADLINE
NATO has announced that it would refrain from threatened air
strikes against Serb targets because Yugoslavia had met demands to
reduce its forces in the Serb province of Kosovo and allow
humanitarian groups to assist refugees who had fled the region.
Nevertheless, NATO retained the military threat to make sure
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic carried out his pledges to
abide by UN Security Council demands that he stop the repression
of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo who are seeking autonomy.
An international air-and-ground monitoring system also will
monitor Yugoslavia's compliance.
[12] TURKEY FAILS TO MEET COMPENSATION DEADLINE FOR TITINA
LOIZIDOU
The Cypriot government has announced that Turkey has failed
to comply with the Titina Loizidou compensation deadline as
imposed by the European Court of Human Rights.
According to Cypriot news reports, Thalia Petridou, the
Cypriot government's permanent representative in Strasbourg,
Turkey has not yet paid the £320,000 in compensation following a
ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in favor of Ms.
Loizidou.
"It seems that Turkey is not prepared to pay the compensation
now or in the immediate future," ambassador Petridou stated from
Strasbourg.
Turkey has tried to divert attention by adopting a European
Commission on Human Rights decision, which it says is contrary to
the court's.
Turkey has been ordered to pay the compensation to Ms.
Loizidou for denying her access to her home and property in
Kerynia.
Any decision on action against Ankara has been postponed
until December 18, when a European ministerial committee will meet
to examine the situation.
Ankara claims it has no responsibility for what goes on in
the occupied areas and says the court should address its
complaints to the Denktash regime.
Although Turkey disputes the "landmark" ruling for Cyprus,
there is no precedent of a member state failing to comply with a
Court decision.
[13] UNDERSECRETARY OF SPORTS TO MEET WITH IOC PRESIDENT SAMARANCH
Greece's Sports Undersecretary Andreas Fouras is to meet with
International Olympics Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio
Samaranch in Lausanne today.
The two men will discuss issues related to the 2004 Olympics
which will be held in Athens.
[14] GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TRAVELS TO BULGARIA
A delegation from the Greek Parliament's committee for
European Affairs is presently conducting a three-day official
visit to Bulgaria, headed by the Parliament's vice-president and
committee chairman Lukas Apostolides .
The delegates will meet with the members of the Bulgarian
parliament's foreign policy and European embodiment committee, the
vice-president of the Bulgarian Parliament Ivan Kurtev and the
Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Antoaneta Primatarova.
Moreover, according to the Bulgarian press agency BTA, the
delegates will be received by the Bulgarian Vice President Todor
Kavalgiev tomorrow.
[15] US AMBASSADOR BURNS APPLAUDS GREECE'S ECONOMIC POLICY
United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns saluted the
economic policy enforced by the Simitis government, during an
address he presented on Tuesday in New York.
Mr. Burns is presently in the United States to address the US
Secretary of State's Overseas Security Advisory Council, speak to
several universities and Greek-American organizations on Greek-US
relationships, and meet with US officials.
Within the framework of a conference concerning Greek-
American business relations under the prism of the Olympic Games
of 2004, Mr. Burns stressed that within a short course of time
Greece has made leaps and bounds in its development and encouraged
US businessmen to invest in the country.
The conference was titled "United States-Greece relations:
Business Opportunities for today, the 2004 Olympics and Beyond",
and was attended, among others, by Greek Telecommunications
Organization representatives, as well as officials from "Sigma
Securities".
The secretary-general in charge of the investment sector in
Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance Elias
Plaskovites pointed out that Greece's rate of development
surpassed by one percent that of the European Union last year,
reaching 3.5%.
Moreover, Mr. Plaskovites outlined the rapid development of
public infrastructures, a key priority of the Greek government,
mentioning that during the period of 1993-1997, $22 billion were
invested in infrastructures, among them two national highways, the
Athens metro and the new airport.
Lastly, the Greek official presented the incentives for
investing in Greece, where he stated that subsidies range from 15-
45%, while tax exemptions can vary from 40-100% of the venture's
cost.
[16] NICHOLAS BURNS: GREECE'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOLUTION OF THE
CRISIS IN KOSOVO IS ESSENTIAL
Greece's contribution to the solution of the crisis in Kosovo
was praised by US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns in his
speech delivered in the Greek-US business relations conference
held in New York on Tuesday.
Mr. Burns stated that during the Halbrooke-Milosevic
negotiations the US official requested the intervention of Athens
twice in his effort to stress the unity and determination of NATO
and the Greek government responded positively to his request.
Characterizing Greece as the de facto leader in the wider
Balkan region, Mr. Burns backed the solution of the Imia islets
issue through the International Court of Justice in The Hague and
urged the two sides to fully implement the memorandum signed by
Karolos Papoulias and Mesut Yilmaz in 1988.
Referring to the five-year armaments program aimed at the
modernization of the Greek armed forces, Mr. Burns reminded the
recent decision for the purchase of the "Patriot" US anti-missile
system. The US diplomat stated that the United States got the
biggest share of the Greek armaments system because the US weapons
systems are reliable and are being used by the US armed forces as
well.
However, Mr. Burns appeared pessimistic regarding the
solution of the Cyprus problem.
From his side, Greek ambassador to Washington Alexandros
Filon, speaking in the same conference, stressed that the Cyprus
issue is not a Greek-Turkish dispute but an international issue of
an illegal invasion and occupation and therefore, it must be dealt
with based on the UN resolutions.
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