Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-05-14

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, May 14, 1997

TITLES

[01] M.P.A. WILL BE MAJOR SOURCE OF GREEK NEWS FOR YUGOSLAVIA'S MEDIA

[02] GREEK-TURKISH EXPERTS COMMITTEES WILL NOT MEET WITH EACH OTHER

[03] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: TURKISH AGGRESSION IS MAIN THREAT TO GREECE

[04] SOCIAL DIALOGUE STARTS TODAY, OPPOSITION'S UNIONISTS ABSTAIN

[05] UN CHIEF TO INVITE CLERIDES, DENKTASH FOR MEETING IN END OF MAY

[06] TURKISH-CYPRIOT REGIME TO SELL HOTELS THAT BELONG TO GREEK- CYPRIOTS

[07] ALBANIA: GOVERNMENT COALITION MAY COLLAPSE AFTER BERISHA'S NEW LAW

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] M.P.A. WILL BE MAJOR SOURCE OF GREEK NEWS FOR YUGOSLAVIA'S MEDIA

Belgrade, May 14 (MPA)

Tanjug was one the five largest news agencies in the world prior to the break-up of Yugoslavia and is still continuing strong to this day.

"Politika" is one of the Balkan region's oldest newspapers, with a daily circulation of 300,000. The paper is part of a conglomerate that houses radio and television stations and also publishes about ten magazines.

During his stay in Belgrade, the M.P.A.'s General Director Spyros Kouzinopoulos was received by Serbia's Minister of Information Radmila Milediyevic whom he briefed on the Association of Balkan News Agencies, whose presidency will be taken over by MPA on July 1, and the Balkan News Bank, to be established in Thessaloniki by MPA and which will feature the participation of all of the Balkan countries' national news agencies. A.F.

[02] GREEK-TURKISH EXPERTS COMMITTEES WILL NOT MEET WITH EACH OTHER

Paris, May 14 (MPA)

Regarding the meeting with his Turkish counterpart Tansu Ciller, held yesterday within the framework of the Western European Union Foreign and Defense Ministers meeting in Paris, Mr. Pangalos said that it was limited to "social talk." A.F.

[03] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: TURKISH AGGRESSION IS MAIN THREAT TO GREECE

Thessaloniki, May 14 (MPA)

While no one is objecting to a dialogue, one should know what is to be negotiated, what is to be requested, what is to be suggested and how far one can progress, the Minister stated, clarifying that a dialogue can be held over the Aegean's continental shelf, but not on granting Turkey's aircraft with air corridors above the Aegean.

"Turkey should enforce, at last, that which stands for all countries. Just as the Greek planes have to submit flight plans when they intend to enter Ankara's FIR, then the Turkish aricraft should abide with the enforcement of these rules as well," Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said.

Moreover, the Minister continued, the Turkish aggression constitutes the main threat for Greece, regardless if this (aggression) subsides at times. He added that Greece must remain firm on the preconditions it has set forth in regards to the Greek- Turkish dialogue and to continue asking from Turkey that it actively display that it accepts these terms.

On other matters, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also referred to Greece's need to face the new millenium's challenges posed in the European Union and the Balkan region, as well as secure social cohesion and development in order to successfully address its national issues.

"We must arrive at a national plan of a social course that will lead Greece into coordination with the European societies," Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said. In regards to the Western European Union's meeting, the Greek Defense Minister said that the WEU should develop into the European Union's defense mechanism. A.F.

[04] SOCIAL DIALOGUE STARTS TODAY, OPPOSITION'S UNIONISTS ABSTAIN

Athens, May 14 (MPA)

The talks are being held between government officials, employers and unionists, but union representatives who belong to the opposition parties are not attending the dialogue.

The Premier opened the session by stating "we must face the future aggressively, not defensively." He also added that the social dialogue's targets are based on the triptych of employment, social cohesion and higher social standards. Mr. Simitis emphasized that the government aims to not only improve the incomes of those who are already employed, but to also create accesses to jobs.

Referring to the rally held at that time outside the State's Auditing Building by the country's pensioners, Mr. Simitis said that the organizers should take into consideration the fact that, aside from the fact that dialogue is necessary for the society's progress, the majority of the Greek people are in favor of the dialogue, want a creative debate of views and to face the problems faced by the Greek society.

"We have a duty against the Greek people to proceed with this discussion," Mr. Premier stated.

The Minister of Labor Miltiades Papaioannou accused the abstaining unionists of displaying small-party behavior.

In the dialogue, we must all consider the fact that theyre is an empty chair next to us, and this chair belongs to the jobless and the socially barred, because there, in the social dialogue, the jobless have no representation. This must be seriously considered above all by us, the government, as well as the employed and the employers," Mr. Papaioannou said.

"The government is inviting us to a dialogue without promising that it will include matters tabled by the Greek Confederation of Workers (GSEE), such as insurance and taxation," stated a GSEE official. A.F.

[05] UN CHIEF TO INVITE CLERIDES, DENKTASH FOR MEETING IN END OF MAY

Nicosia, May 14 (MPA)

Mr. Feisher, who met today with President Clerides, said that the issue of direct talks between President Clerides and Mr. Denktash will be tackled by Mr. Annan's deputy Sir Kiran Pedergast, who is to arrive this evening in Cyprus.

Moreover, Mr. Feishel stated that Mr. Pedergast wil visit Athens and Ankara, after Nicosia, prior to returning to New York. A.F.

[06] TURKISH-CYPRIOT REGIME TO SELL HOTELS THAT BELONG TO GREEK- CYPRIOTS

Nicosia, May 14 (MPA)

Cyprus' permanent representative to the UN Nikos Agathocleous has forwarded a letter to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan wherein he points out that the sale of these hotels would constitute a breach of the European Court for Human Rights ruling in the case of Titina Loizidou. A.F.

[07] ALBANIA: GOVERNMENT COALITION MAY COLLAPSE AFTER BERISHA'S NEW LAW

Tirana, May 14 (MPA)

The country's general elections have been planned for June 29 but eight opposition parties have already announced that they plan to refrain from the process and that they will re-examine their participation in Prime Minister Bashkim Fino's government of national reconciliation.

OSCE's special envoy Franz Vranitski asKed the Democratic Party to review its decision and to try to "find a common ground" with the remaining parties.

"The Democratic Party failed to keep the agreement it had drawn with the opposition parties," Mr. Vranitski said.

"It tabled an amendment to Parliament without prior having asked for the opinion of the other parties and OSCE. It will be a great disappointment for the Albanian people and the international community if the Albanian parties fail to abide by their agreement."

Albania's Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano said that his new law is a replica of the election law of 1996 which led to the rigging of May 26's elections.

Mr. Berisha defended the new law and countered the Social Party's threat of boycotting the elections by saying "if the Socialists threaten to boycott the elections in spite of the significant changes the election system has undergone, then this shows that they have no intention of participating in the elections."

US State Department spokesperson Nicholas Burns said that the Albanian Parliament's decision is wholly contrary to the process that would lead Albania away from the crisis.

The Albanian Parliament discussed and approved the law while the country's Premier Bashkim Fino was on a formal visit to Washington where he was received by US Secretary of State Madleine Albright. A.F.

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: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article