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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-10-16

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.


Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2

SECTIONS

  • [A] GREECE
  • [B] BALKANS
  • [C] EUROPE
  • [D] WORLD

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] GREECE

  • [01] DUIZENBERG PRAISED THE GREEK ECONOMY
  • [B] BALKANS

  • [02] THE ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IS ON A TWO-DAY VISIT TO KOSOVO
  • [03] THE GREEK TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION GOT 51% OF THE BTC SHARES
  • [C] EUROPE

  • [04] GREECE IS SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE EU SUMMIT MEETING IN TAMPERE
  • [05] THE PRIME MINISTER REACTED STRONGLY TO THE OPPOSITION DEMANDS CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER
  • [06] SIMITIS: TURKEY'S CANDIDATURE MUST BE REAL AND NOT FICTITIOUS
  • [D] WORLD

  • [07] EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 7 ON THE RICHTER SCALE HIT CALIFORNIA

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] GREECE

    [01] DUIZENBERG PRAISED THE GREEK ECONOMY

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Athens, 16/10/1999 (MPA) European Central Bank president Vim Duizenberg yesterday appeared satisfied regarding the course of the Greek economy and optimistic that Greece will adopt the EURO within the framework of the set timetable.

    The most powerful man in Europe stated speaking in an event in Athens that 290 million Europeans are included in the EMU today and very soon they will be 300 million. He urged the Greek government to continue to seek the economic convergence with the Euro-zone criteria by displaying the same determination it has displayed so far. He said that Greece's efforts to win such a convergence should be praised, adding that it is too soon to reach a firm conclusion.

    [B] BALKANS

    [02] THE ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IS ON A TWO-DAY VISIT TO KOSOVO

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Tirana, 16/10/1999 (MPA) Albanian foreign minister Paskal Milo is on a two-day visit to Kossovo and speaking to MPA responded to a question on a proposal by Socialist Party officials calling on the government to ask for a vote of confidence in parliament after the results of the 3rd Socialist Party Congress which was held recently.

    Mr. Milo stressed that this issue does not concern him personally and expressed the point of view that the government should not be afraid to ask for a vote of confidence especially after establishing that cracks are being created at its foundations.

    When asked if this is an appropriate moment for the government to ask for a vote of confidence, he underlined that the internal affairs of the Socialist Party can not upset the country's political life stating characteristically, that it is a democratic party that has the majority seats in parliament.

    [03] THE GREEK TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION GOT 51% OF THE BTC SHARES

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Sofia, 16/10/1999 (MPA) The Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE, bought 51% of the shares of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Organization, BTC, in a joint venture with the Dutch KPN for the price of 510 million dollars.

    The sale agreement provides that the two partners will get 51% of the existing mobile phone service company Mobicom. OTE and KPN will get the full ownership when the second permit for the GSM system will be issued.

    Therefore, OTE now owns a significant share not only in the BTC but in the telecommunications organizations of Serbia, Romania, Armenia and the Albanian mobile phone service as well.

    [C] EUROPE

    [04] GREECE IS SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE EU SUMMIT MEETING IN TAMPERE

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Tampere, 16/10/1999 (MPA) The 15 EU leaders meeting in Tampere, Finland decided on special regulations for the protection of the EU external borders and the tackling of organized crime and Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis stated that Greece which has the most extensive external borders in the European Union feels satisfied with those decisions.

    In a press conference, Mr. Simitis stated that Greece has 35% of the total external borders of the European Union and the special regulations such as, the protection and the checks along those borders, will assist Greece considerably in its effort to effectively protect its own borders, while at the same time the cooperation in new technologies is also being promoted.

    Mr. Simitis responding to a question by MPA stated that the individuals involved in organized crime will not be able to enter Greece easily, while cooperation with other EU countries will be much more effective and therefore, the security level in Greece will be improved considerably. He also said that a common area of justice is necessary and the legislation of the EU states must be adjusted toward this purpose.

    [05] THE PRIME MINISTER REACTED STRONGLY TO THE OPPOSITION DEMANDS CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Tampere, 16/10/1999 (MPA) Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis characterized as "outrageous" the demand of the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy which called for the resignation of foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou because of his statements according to which, the Greek government is not dogmatic in surrendering sovereign rights.

    The prime minister stated from Tampere, Finland where the informal EU Summit meeting is being held, that all the statements made by Mr. Papandreou on judicial assistance and police cooperation within the framework of the European Union are placed within the international law the country has to respect because it has certain international obligations.

    New Democracy in a statement it has issued underlines that the country's sovereign rights are neither surrendered nor traded. The Greek Communist Party accused the Greek foreign minister and the government of legalizing the dispute of the country's borders, while Social Democratic Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas characterized the foreign policy followed by the government as dependent and subservient.

    [06] SIMITIS: TURKEY'S CANDIDATURE MUST BE REAL AND NOT FICTITIOUS

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Tampere, 16/10/1999 (MPA) The majority of the European leaders appeared positive but with many reservations regarding the preconditions that must be met by Turkey in order to be characterized as candidate for EU accession state during last night's formal dinner in Tampere, Finland where the informal EU summit meeting is taking place.

    Prime minister Kostas Simitis, in statements he made immediately afterwards, stressed that many of the European leaders maintained that Turkey's candidature for EU accession must be real and not fictitious namely, it has to meet the pre-conditions set by the Treaty of Copenhagen and abide by the decisions reached in the EU summit meetings.

    Prime minister Simitis stated that the European prospect of Turkey will benefit Turkey and the European Union and will contribute to the consolidation of peace and cooperation in the region. He stressed however, that Turkey's candidature presupposes responsibilities and obligations that stem from the treaties and the decisions reached by the European Councils.

    The proposal for Turkey's candidature was tabled by European Commission president Romano Prodi, who stressed that the Commission wants to open the European prospect of Turkey stressing, however, that the country will have to meet the criteria for accession in the pre-accession procedure period.

    Furthermore, the "15" agreed on a general principles level on issues of immigration and asylum granting, while a more specific agreement was reached on the authority of Europol. Also, they discussed the issue of the Stability Pact in the Balkans, while prime minister Simitis underlined the need to promote the materialization of relevant programs in order to be evident to the Balkan countries that the European Union is willing to make positive interventions.

    Meanwhile, the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy used tough language against prime minister Simitis through its spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos who maintained that the Greek prime minister handled the issue of the Turkish EU candidature in a way that was irresponsible, superficial and dangerous.

    [D] WORLD

    [07] EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 7 ON THE RICHTER SCALE HIT CALIFORNIA

    Web Posted: 16:43 GMT+2
    Los Angeles, 16/10/1999 (MPA) A powerful earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale hit the region of California in the United States at 11:45am today (Greek time) and its epicenter was located 56 kilometers north of the Joshua Tree region, east of Los Angeles.

    The earthquake had a long duration and caused panic to the residents of Los Angeles, while it was felt in Las Vegas and San Diego.

    The powerful earthquake was recorded by the Geo-physics Institute of Thessaloniki's Aristotle University and according to seismology professor Vasilis Papazachos, for the moment no exact assessments can be made on whether this was the main earthquake.

    According to Mr. Papazachos, it is possible that the big earthquakes which occurred lately in different parts of the world are related. He said that the earthquake in Turkey was related with those in Taiwan and Mexico, adding that there is a time and space correlation in earthquakes.


    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/


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