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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-10-14

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, October 14, 1999

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] PREMIER VOWS IMPROVED LIVING STANDARD AFTER EMU ACCESSION
  • [02] SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF DOOMSDAY CULT ARRIVE IN PIRAEUS PORT
  • [03] EUROPEAN COMMISSION HOLDS BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN RHODES
  • [04] GREEK FM DENOUNCES ABDUCTION OF UN MILITARY OBSERVERS
  • [05] GREEK-TURKISH TRADE AND INDUSTRY CHAMBER TO BE FOUNDED
  • [06] GREEK FM: OUR DESIRE, NOT THE VOTE, FOR TURKEY IN EU IS A GIVEN
  • [07] SHIP TRAVELLERS DENY CULT ALLEGATIONS, WILL DEPART FOR ITALY
  • [08] GREECE BECOMES FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR TURKISH TOURISTS
  • [09] SIMITIS IS IN FINLAND FOR THE EU SUMMIT MEETING
  • [10] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE PLUNGED AGAIN
  • [11] NEW DEMOCRACY SUGGESTED SEPARATE EXAMS FOR ADMISSION TO HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
  • [12] TWO GREEK TOURISTS RETURNED FROM PAKISTAN
  • [13] GREEK EURO-DEPUTY QUESTION ON THE TURKISH RESTRICTIONS CONCERNING THE COAST NAVIGATION
  • [14] ATHANASAKIS: THE SAFETY OF THE HOSTAGES IN ABKHAZIA IS A PRIORITY
  • [15] AHEPA CALLS ON THE GREEK-AMERICANS TO CHANGE THEIR STANCE IN THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [16] GEORGIA:NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDER WAY FOR UN HOSTAGES
  • [17] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER IS ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO ISRAEL
  • [18] GREEK PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PEACE, SECURITY WITH TURKEY
  • [19] SAE PRESIDENT, ANDREW ATHENS, CONDUCTS VISIT TO ALBANIA
  • [20] GREEK PM DEPARTS FOR FINLAND TODAY IN LIGHT OF EU SUMMIT
  • [21] ABKHAZIA: RANSOM DEADLINE PASSES, KIDNAPPERS UP THE ANTE
  • [22] ALBANIA: SOCIALIST YOUTH LEADER SAYS ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED
  • [23] THE QUEEN OF SPAIN WILL BE ON A PRIVATE VISIT TO GREECE
  • [24] THE GREEK PRESIDENT CONTINUES HIS VISIT TO IRAN
  • [25] ABKHAZIA: THE GUNMEN FREED FOUR OF THEIR HOSTAGES - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] PREMIER VOWS IMPROVED LIVING STANDARD AFTER EMU ACCESSION

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis is optimistic that once Greece enters the Economic and Monetary Union, the country's growth rate will accelerate and reach an annual level of four percent.

    He further added that by the year 2004, the average Greek citizen's living standard will rise to 80-85% of the EU's more developed member- states. Mr. Simitis said that the reduced interest rates and the rapid changes currently taking place in the business sector are forming favorable prospects for the country's economy.

    [02] SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF DOOMSDAY CULT ARRIVE IN PIRAEUS PORT

    The 25 passengers aboard the "Nisos Kypros" cruiseship, who are suspected members of the "concerned Christians" doomsday cult, arrived today at the port of Piraeus.

    They were free to disembark, although European Commission officials are reportedly recording their movements at the port.

    A member of the group has denied that they are members of any cult or planning a mass suicide in the Holy Land to mark the new millennium and hasten the coming of Christ, as claimed by Israel authorities.

    ""We are Catholics and do not belong to any cult," said a written statement distributed by their representative when the boat docked in Rhodes yesterday.

    [03] EUROPEAN COMMISSION HOLDS BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN RHODES

    Access given to enterprises in support services provided by the European Union will be discussed during a conference to begin today at the island of Rhodes, organized by the General Directorate of the European Commission.

    The three-day event, will feature the participation of 600 delegates from various European countries, who will attempt to secure a wide- yet focused- action plan from the Commission in supporting enterprises at a local level.

    [04] GREEK FM DENOUNCES ABDUCTION OF UN MILITARY OBSERVERS

    Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou has denounced the abduction of five United Nations military observers, among them a Greek army officer, who were kidnapped yesterday in Abkhazia, Georgia's breakaway province.

    Mr. Papandreou has ordered Greece's Ambassador in Tbilisi to undertake all the necessary actions with the Georgian authorities, in cooperation with the UN Secretary-General's representative.

    Greece's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in continuous and close cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense, striving for the release of the hostages.

    [05] GREEK-TURKISH TRADE AND INDUSTRY CHAMBER TO BE FOUNDED

    Entrepreneurs from Greece and Turkey have agreed on the establishment of a Greek-Turkish trade and industry chamber, in a meeting held on the sidelines of the international Business Council of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, presently held in Athens.

    Concurrently, the participants agreed on the formation of nine task forces which will examine the prospects of cooperation in the sectors of construction, banking, shipping, stock markets and tourism.

    [06] GREEK FM: OUR DESIRE, NOT THE VOTE, FOR TURKEY IN EU IS A GIVEN

    Clarifying the Greek government's stance on the issue of Turkish-European relations, Foreign Minister George Papandreou stated that Greece's desire for Turkey's European orientation is indeed a given, but its relevant vote is not to be thought of as such.

    Meanwhile, optimism abounds in Ankara over the European Commission's proposal to select Turkey as an EU candidate-member, in spite of the fact that it recognizes the said country's political and human-rights shortcomings.

    These issues were pointed out by Greece's European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou, who stated that meeting the political criteria constitutes a sine qua non for Turkey's accession to the European Union.

    Greece's main opposition party New Democracy has requested from the ruling PASOK party to pressure Turkey into undertaking goodwill actions ont he Cyprus issue and Greek- Turkish matters.

    [07] SHIP TRAVELLERS DENY CULT ALLEGATIONS, WILL DEPART FOR ITALY

    The 19 passengers aboard the "Nisos Kypros" cruiseship, who have been accused of being members of the "Concerned Christians" doomsday cult, are to depart for Italy from the Patras port this evening.

    Having repeatedly denied the accusations, the foreigners said that the Israeli authorities fed the unsubstantiated rumors when their ship docked at the Haifa port.

    Israel has been on the alert for the said cult, which is planning a mass suicide in the Holy Land to mark the new millennium and hasten the coming of Christ.

    [08] GREECE BECOMES FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR TURKISH TOURISTS

    Turkish travel agencies are organizing "friendship tours" to Greece, following the warming trend noted in relations between the two neighbors, with demand for visits to Thessaloniki being notably high, since the city hosts the house of Kemal Ataturk.

    According to the Turkish "Cumhurriyet", travel agencies in Turkey are organizing Greek tours between October 27 - November 2, which includes the Democracy Day holiday (October 29).

    Turkish tourist agents have stated that the tour packages to Greece include visits to Turkish consulates and Greek-Turkish associations.

    [09] SIMITIS IS IN FINLAND FOR THE EU SUMMIT MEETING

    Prime minister Kostas Simitis is in Tampere, Finland to attend the extraordinary EU Summit meeting that will be held tomorrow and on Saturday.

    In the two-day meeting will be discussed security and justice issues, while in the formal dinner of the 15 EU leaders will be examined the issues of the Euro-Turkish relations and the European Union enlargement. On the relations of the EU with Turkey, Mr. Simitis will back the position according to which, Ankara should make essential steps in order to be among the candidate states for EU accession.

    [10] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE PLUNGED AGAIN

    Big losses of 3.88% were recorded today in the general index of the Athens Stock Exchange which closed at 5.916,68.

    The volume of transactions dropped considerably from 486 billion in yesterday's session to 410 billion drachmas. However, the index which at some point dropped to 5.5% managed to regain ground before the end of the session. The Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE, share helped toward this direction as it recorded an increase of 1.25%.

    [11] NEW DEMOCRACY SUGGESTED SEPARATE EXAMS FOR ADMISSION TO HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

    Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis suggested separate exams for the students who wish to be admitted to higher education institutions.

    Mr. Karamanlis suggested general exams on 6 to 7 subjects. The measures announced by Mr. Karamanlis also include the founding of a general high school that will replace the existing type of high school.

    [12] TWO GREEK TOURISTS RETURNED FROM PAKISTAN

    Two Greek tourists, Antonis Atsalakis and Yianns Triantafillou, who were trapped in Pakistan after the military coup in the country, arrived in Athens in the early morning hours today. The two had gone to Tibet on vacation and on their way back to Greece they had to stay in Pakistan for 24 hours in order to transfer to another flight.

    During their arrival in the country, the military coup took place and they informed the Greek embassy of their presence there. The embassy staff acted immediately and managed to find airplane tickets for their return to Greece.

    [13] GREEK EURO-DEPUTY QUESTION ON THE TURKISH RESTRICTIONS CONCERNING THE COAST NAVIGATION

    Greek Euro-deputy Yiannis Marinos from the right-wing opposition party of New Democracy submitted a question to the European Union Council of Ministers concerning the restrictions imposed by the Turkish authorities. Specifically, the cargo ships of Cypriot interests or the ships that come from Cypriot ports are not allowed to approach the Turkish ports.

    The Euro-deputy asks if those restrictions are in accordance with the European Union principles and if the Council will react when the interests of ships under EU flags are being hurt by a country that wants to become an EU member. The question will be discussed in the plenary session of the European Parliament on October 27.

    [14] ATHANASAKIS: THE SAFETY OF THE HOSTAGES IN ABKHAZIA IS A PRIORITY

    Acting government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis stated that the safety of the hostages is a priority and expressed the hope that everything will go well and the abducted UN observers in Abkhazia will be freed.

    The Greek government watches closely the events as they develop as well as the UN negotiations which are underway with the hostage takers.

    [15] AHEPA CALLS ON THE GREEK-AMERICANS TO CHANGE THEIR STANCE IN THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

    AHEPA's Cypriot and Greek affairs Committee chairman Dr. Takis Crist maintains that the promises given by US president Clinton on the solution of the Cyprus problem have not been met and with a memo calls on all the members of the organization to reconsider their stance in view of the US presidential elections and intensify their efforts to better inform the American public opinion over the tragedy of Cyprus. He also calls on the governments of Greece and Cyprus not to give in to the US pressures to accept Turkey into the EU and recognize the Turkish Cypriot regime.

    The memo refers to the October 7 White House meeting on the Greek-Turkish affairs and Cyprus the results of which, according to Dr. Crist, were disappointing as the US side did not appear willing to change the tactic it follows in approaching the issue of the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem.

    The AHEPA memo underlines that the new efforts for the resumption of the dialogue between the two communities in Cyprus will be unsuccessful not so much because of the continuing intransigence of the Turkish Cypriot side but mostly because of the US stance toward Turkey.

    This view is being backed by the results of Turkish prime minister Ecevit's recent visit to Washington during which the US side showed its intention to base its policy on its trade interests and not on international law. It is also mentioned that Turkey promotes an ambitious modernization program for its armed forces and arms companies from the United States and Europe compete for contracts that will bring them huge profits.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [16] GEORGIA:NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDER WAY FOR UN HOSTAGES

    Negotiations are presently underway for the release of five members of the Sukhumi office of the UN military observer mission, who were taken hostage yesterday in Abkhazia, Georgia's breakaway province.

    A Greek UN staff member, George Kopanos is among the hostages held by armed kidnappers in the high-mountain village of Mramba, two kilometers from Azhara village. Georgia's Minister of the Interior stated that "in case of necessity, special task units of the Georgian Interior Ministry are ready to carry out an operation to free the workers of the Sukhumi office of the UN military observer mission".

    The UN military observer mission was attacked by masked men early on Wednesday as a helicopter with the observers aboard landed. The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of $200,000.

    [17] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER IS ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO ISRAEL

    Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, presently on an official, three- day visit to Israel, is to be received by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak today in Tel Aviv.

    Mr. Tsochatzopoulos met with Israeli President Ezer Weisman yesterday, while he also toured the Holocaust museum and visited the tomb of Israel's assassinated Premier Yitzak Rubin.

    Commenting on his visit, he stated that "it constitutes the basis for new Greek-Israeli ties."

    [18] GREEK PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PEACE, SECURITY WITH TURKEY

    The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, presently on an official visit to Iran, appealed for "peace and security" between Athens and Ankara.

    "We are very much concerned with the fate of the peoples living in the Balkans, and with relations with Turkey," President Stephanopoulos stated after a meeting with former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi- Rafsanjani.

    In turn, Mr. Rafsanjani stated that Tehran "wants Athens and Ankara to hold talks, and hopes that would serve peace and stability in the region."

    The President also met Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, on Wednesday. The president arrived here Tuesday on a three- day visit, only the second by an EU head of state since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

    "My visit aims to promote closer cooperation than in the past, not only between our two countries but between the European Union and Iran through Greece," President Stephanopoulos said after being welcomed by his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami.

    [19] SAE PRESIDENT, ANDREW ATHENS, CONDUCTS VISIT TO ALBANIA

    The President of the Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) Andrew Athens, is conducting a visit to Tirana, where he is expected to meet with the President of Albania Reijep Meidani.

    Mr. Athens' itinerary includes meetings with Archbishop of Albania Anastasios, Prime Minister Pandeli Majko, the President of Omonia Vasili Dule, as well as with the United States Ambassador to Tirana Joseph Librecht.

    Yesterday, Mr. Athens met with the Albanian Undersecretary of Education , the ministers of health and economics, as well as the leader of the Human Rights Union Party.

    [20] GREEK PM DEPARTS FOR FINLAND TODAY IN LIGHT OF EU SUMMIT

    Prime Minster Costas Simitis is to depart for Tampere, Finland, today, where he will take part in the informal European Union Summit.

    The two-day summit will concern security, justice and illegal immigration, while the "15" will also review matters concerning the EU's expansion and the timeline for the accession negotiations with new countries.

    In regards to Turkey's accession, Mr. Simitis will stress that Ankara has to proceed to substantive steps and measures in order to achieve candidate-country status.

    [21] ABKHAZIA: RANSOM DEADLINE PASSES, KIDNAPPERS UP THE ANTE

    Negotiations to free six United Nations military observers (among them a Greek army officer) and a translator kidnapped in Georgia's breakaway province of Abkhazia continued today after a deadline for ransom money expired.

    The masked gunmen who seized the group yesterday demanded that Georgia pay a ransom of 250,000 dollars before midday or warned that "one of the hostages will be killed," Koba Natakharia, head of the province's administrative body, told the French news agency AFP.

    The deadline expired as negotiations continued, spokesmen for the Georgian interior and security ministries said.

    [22] ALBANIA: SOCIALIST YOUTH LEADER SAYS ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED

    The vice-president of the Albanian government and president of the Socialist Youth Party (FRESH) Ilir Meta has publicly accused the newly-elected leader of the Socialist Party Fatos Nano of rigging the elections appointing the ruling party's new executive committee.

    Addressing the FRESH delegates, Mr. Meta stated that Mr. Nano designed the elimination of their candidates for the executive committee and accused him of having rigged the ballots.

    When asked by the Macedonian Press Agency how he plans to respond to the rigging which he claims took place, Mr. Meta stated that, during the committee's first session, he will demand responsibilities by all those who allow it to take place.

    [23] THE QUEEN OF SPAIN WILL BE ON A PRIVATE VISIT TO GREECE

    The Spanish press refers to the private visit of Queen Sophia to "her country Greece" which starts tomorrow.

    The newspaper ABC writes that she will complete her visit on Monday with a meeting with minister of culture Elisavet Papazoi. Later on that day, Queen Sophia will attend the opening of an exhibition with paintings of El Greco that were recently shown in Madrid.

    It is the third visit of Queen Sophia to Greece after the abolition of monarchy. In 1981, the Spanish royal family received a special permission to attend the funeral of Queen Frideriki, Sophia's mother, while last year she made a formal visit to Greece accompanied by her husband the King of Spain Juan Carlos and took the opportunity to visit her parents' graves.

    [24] THE GREEK PRESIDENT CONTINUES HIS VISIT TO IRAN

    Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos continues his visit to Teheran and today met with the leader of the Islamic Revolution Ali Hamenei .

    In statements he made, the Greek president pointed out that he is in a very friendly country.

    Meanwhile, minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who is on a three-day visit to Israel, will meet today with Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak.

    [25] ABKHAZIA: THE GUNMEN FREED FOUR OF THEIR HOSTAGES

    The Abkhazian gunmen, who were holding UN military observers as hostages since yesterday, among them Greek army major Giorgos Kopanos and an interpreter, released four of the 7 hostages they were holding in Georgia's break away region of Abkhazia. The news was reported by the Georgian state television and the news agencies Reuters and Interfax. Specifically, those released are UN observers from Germany, Sweden, Uruguay and the Czech Republic, while Greek army major Giorgos Kopanos, a Swiss UN observer and the group's interpreter are still being held.

    A correspondent of the Georgian television stated that the released are being transferred to a safe place, while negotiations between the kidnappers and special UN mediators continue.

    The abductors initially had requested a 200.000 dollar ransom for the release of those captured but later they increased the sum to 250.000 dollars.

    In a press conference Greek undersecretary of defense Dimitris Apostolakis pointed out that two Greeks, a diplomat and a army officer will leave soon for Georgia to attend the negotiations. Mr. Apostolakis stated that the Greek ministries of foreign affairs and defense watch the developments closely and have informed the Georgian ministry of security that they want to be briefed prior to any decision for an armed intervention.

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