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Friday, 19 April 2024
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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-04-17Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] PAPANDREOU: WE GIVE EMPHASIS TO THE DAY AFTERWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 17/04/1999 (MPA) The Greek government gives emphasis to the day after the crisis in Kossovo to secure long-term stability in the region, stated Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, and called on the international community not to remember the Balkans only when there is a crisis.In a interview with the newspaper "Imerisia", Mr. Papandreou reminded that Belgrade gave the "green light" to the Greek government to send humanitarian aid to Kossovo and Montenegro through non governmental Greek organizations which have displayed remarkable self-sacrifice. The Greek foreign minister underlined that the leading role of Greece in this area is already recognized by all and added that the Greek government will soon raise the issue of the humanitarian aid to NATO. [02] 96% OF THE GREEKS CONDEMN THE NATO BOMBINGS OF YUGOSLAVIAWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 17/04/1999 (MPA) An opinion poll conducted by the polling company V.PRC on behalf of the Athens newspaper "TA NEA", shows that 96% of the Greeks condemn the NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, while 51.4% approve the way the government is handling the crisis and 52.9% believe that Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic and the Serb government violate the human rights of the Kossovo ethnic Albanians.Also, 36.3% believe that ethnic Albanians in Kossovo must be given autonomy, while 33.5% believe that Kossovo should remain part of Serbia. On the coverage of the events by the mass media, 65% believe that it is very good to fairly good and just 7.6% maintain that events are not reported right. [03] KRANIDIOTIS-BURNS MEETINGWeb Posted: 14:57 GMT+2Athens, 17/04/1999 (MPA) Deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis met with US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns yesterday evening.Mr. Kraniditis met with the US ambassador on the occasion of the Clinton decree which characterizes as a "war zone" the Ionian Sea region north of Aktion and Lefkada. The Greek deputy foreign minister made it clear to the US ambassador that this decree under no circumstance can have legal effects. From his part, the US ambassador stated that he will give a response immediately after he is briefed on the content of the decree. However, the Greek prime minister had stated yesterday that the United States have defined danger zones and this concerns the Americans who have business transactions in the region. [04] KARAMANLIS IS VISITING KILKISWeb Posted: 13:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 17/04/1999 (MPA) Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis is visiting Kilkis today and this evening he is scheduled to speak in an open air rally in the city of Serres.Yesterday evening, in his speech in the municipalities of Sikies and Koufalia he characterized the Simitis initiative for the settlement of the crisis in Yugoslavia as nothing but hot air. Mr. Karamanlis called for the establishment of a Foreign Policy National Council. [05] SIMITIS: GREECE WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN THE WARWeb Posted: 13:57 GMT+2Athens, 17/04/1999 (MPA) Greece will not be involved in the war, stated the Greek prime minister, stressing that it will send military forces wherever it believes it is right to do so.Mr. Simitis presented a Greek three-point action plan similar to that of Germany which provides for the withdrawal of the Serb forces from Kossovo and the simultaneous end of the NATO operations. The prime minister appeared pessimistic over the likelihood for a solution to be found in the NATO summit meeting that will be held in Washington on April 23-25. [B] BALKANS[06] THE REFUGEE CAMP BUILT BY THE GREEK FORCES IN POGRADEC, ALBANIA WILL OPEN TOMORROWWeb Posted: 14:57 GMT+2Koritsa , 17/04/1999 (MPA) The refugee camp built by the Greek forces in Pogradec, south Albania will open tomorrow. Initially, are expected to arrive 200 refugees from Kossovo, while by mid next week the camp will be able to receive over 2.000 people.The camp was built by Greek soldiers, next to the lake of Achrid, 6 kilometers north of Pogradec. A platoon of engineers officers arrived in the region from Nea Santa, Kilkis in northern Greece and was assisted by soldiers of the Greek peace-keeping force stationed in Albania. The commander of the Greek unit, captain Angelos Vlachopoulos stated to MPA that the soldiers faced many problems because they had to create the necessary infra-structure, while more problems were created by the fact that through the camp passes the railway line linking Koritsa with Tirana. The camp has 18 Greek Red Cross doctors and nurses to offer medical care to the refugees who live in inhumane conditions and already have been reported cases of infectious diseases among them, while the Albanian authorities fear the outbreak of epidemics of meningitis, scabies and typhus, according to south Albania regional director Bardi Aliskoli, who spoke to MPA. President of the Greek Red Cross, Andreas Martinis, who is heading the mission stated to MPA that the number of doctors and nurses in the camp will increase depending on the needs and if it is deemed necessary the Greek Red Cross will send doctors and nurses to north Albania and Skopje. [07] NATO CONTINUES ITS AIR RAIDS ON YUGOSLAVIAWeb Posted: 13:57 GMT+2Belgrade, 17/04/1999 (MPA) NATO launched new air raids on Yugoslavia last night. According to the Serb television, four missiles hit a industrial plant in the region of Valievo, 95 kilometers north-west of Belgrade and caused extensive damage. Over 25 explosions were heard in the capital of Kossovo, Pristina. In the last 24 hours, over 10.000 refugees from Kossovo have crossed the borders with Albania.Meanwhile, a marathon race for peace is being held in the Yugoslav capital today, while later in the afternoon tens of tons of humanitarian aid from Greece will be delivered to the municipality of Belgrade. [C] WORLD[08] RUBIN: THE US WANTS THE GREEK GOVERNMENT TO SUCCEED IN ITS EFFORTSWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Washington, 17/04/1999 (MPA) US State Department spokesman James Rubin stated to journalists that the US cooperates with all the NATO allies on ways in which the refugees could be helped and added that Washington is aware that the Greek government continues to cooperate with non governmental organizations for the transportation of humanitarian aid.To the question if the Greek efforts were successful, Mr Rubin responded that the non governmental organizations of Greek doctors have entered Kosovo with several tons of pharmaceuticals and other supplies. Mr. Rubin stated that the United States want the Greek government efforts to succeed and added that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has discussed the issue with her Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov as well as the fact that Russia must exert pressures on Belgrade to allow free access to the organizations offering humanitarian aid. 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 |
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