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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-06-09Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, June 9, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK P.M.: THE WAR IS ENDING, PEACE IS SMILING AT BALKANSThessaloniki, June 9 (MPA)Addressing a cheering crowd that flooded Thessaloniki’s central square last night during the ruling PASOK party’s pre-election rally for Sunday’s European Parliament race, Prime Minister Costas Simitis gave a message of optimism and urged voters to opt for stability. Referring to the G-8 agreement for a resolution on peace in Kosovo, the Premier stated that the war is ending and peace is finally smiling at the Balkans, stressing that the government didn’t gamble with the country’s fate and accused the opposition parties of resorting to demagogic tactics.He said that if their proposals in regards to the war in Yugoslavia had been utilized, then Greece would have become a part of the problem, not a part o the solution. Mr. Simitis underlined that the country is a factor of peace and an oasis of stability in the region. Referring to the main opposition party New Democracy and its leader Costas Karamanlis, he said that “they are fishing in murky waters”, evasive when called upon to clearly state their position. In regards to Sunday’s elections, Mr. Simitis stated that voters are called upon to answer a dilemma: “Vote stability or uncertainty?” In spite of the inclement weather, which cleared shortly before Mr. Simitis’ speech, PASOK officials said that the number of supporters who came to the rally surpassed the main opposition’s by 20-30%. A.F. [02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: PEACE IN KOSOVO HAS TO BE SUPPORTEDThessaloniki, June 9 (MPA)Greece’s Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos urged that peace in Kosovo be supported and stressed the importance of dispatching the international force in the region as soon as possible, once the Serb troops begin withdrawing and the bombing ends.Speaking to an Athens radio station, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that four countries (the United States, France, Germany and Canada) have expressed their interest in sending troops to Kosovo, while the U.S. contingent presently in the Aegean is waiting for the “go ahead” in order to pass through Greece into FYROM and Kosovo. Commenting on the various reactions concerning the passage of troops, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos characterized them as unrealistic and pointed out that the Serbs themselves are requesting the troops’ presence since they fear possible action from the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). A.F. [03] BRITAIN SALUTES GREECE’S STANCE DURING KOSOVO CRISISLondon, June 9 (MPA)In spite of their differences in the ways of approaching the Kosovo crisis, the British government salutes Greece’s contribution to NATO’s operation against Yugoslavia and has expressed its eagerness to cooperate with Athens in the reconstruction of the Yugoslav province. According to BBC radio, which quotes British officials, the Foreign Office has viewed as “significant” the proposals set forth by Greece’s Foreign Minister George Papandreou, concerning regional stability in the Balkans, and believes that Greece can carry out a decisive role in terms of the Serb peoples rapprochement with the European Union.Regarding community aid offered to Yugoslavia, Foreign Office sources told BBC that no aid will be given as long as President Slobodan Milosevic remains in office. On the contrary, aid will be poured in Kosovo in order to allow for the return of the thousands of Kosovo refugees. Concerning Kosovo’s reconstruction, the same sources told BBC that the United Kingdom, either through its Industry Department or through private initiative, is ready to embark on joint ventures with Greece. A.F. [04] MINISTERIAL SESSION TO BE HELD TODAY ON “CHICKEN- GATE”Athens, June 9 (MPA)The Ministries of Development, Agriculture and Health are to hold a meeting today in order to discuss the dioxin-contaminated foods scandal. The Greek Drug Organization (EOF) ordered yesterday that a great number of Belgium-made baby food be taken off the shelves, while it also calls on consumers to exercise caution when purchasing foodstuffs, being careful as to the food’s country of origin. A.F.[05] NATO EXPRESSES CONTAINED OPTIMISM OVER KOSOVO AGREEMENTKumanovo, June 9 (MPA)NATO officials have expressed their contained optimism over the achievement of an agreement with Yugoslavia concerning the withdrawal of Serb troops and police from Kosovo. An Alliance official stated that the signing of the agreement could be made today, although he added that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has the last word on the matter. However, Belgrade doesn’t appear willing to proceed to the signing of an agreement if the UN Security Council doesn’t first adopt the G-8 final draft plan for the Yugoslav issue. The said resolution could be issued today, although Russia and China’s interpretation of the plan’s certain aspects continue to differ from the West’s. A.F.[06] NATO BOMBINGS IN SERBIA, KOSOVO CONTINUEBelgrade, June 9 (MPA)Allied aircraft continued to pound targets in Serbia and Kosovo, striking Novi Sad and other regions where warning sirens screeched throughout the night.According to United States President Bill Clinton, the raids could end only if the withdrawal of Serb forces from Kosovo is verified. A.F. [07] UN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR BALKANS: KOSOVO IS A DEVASTATED LANDUnited Nations, June 9 (MPA)UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Balkans Carl Bildt has described Kosovo as a devastated wasteland that will have to be rebuilt from the bottom up. Speaking to the press in Geneva yesterday, Mr. Bildt said the task ahead in Kosovo was staggering and "well beyond anything done so far certainly in Europe and perhaps in the world in the latter part of this century." Mr. Bildt said the region was profoundly destabilized not only by the flows of refugees and the political tensions, but also by the economic destruction and devastation of trade routes, industry and communication infrastructures. Kosovo could not be considered in isolation from what happened around it and in the region, he said, adding that even if the utmost was done in Kosovo, "it would be dependent on what happened in the region.” A.F.[08] BLAST IN ISTANBUL INJURES TWO, POLICE SUSPECT PKKIstanbul, June 9 (MPA)Two people sustained minor injuries when a hand grenade was thrown by unidentified assailants at a shop in Istanbul's Kadikoy district yesterday evening, the Turkish Anatolia news agency reported today. The blast caused minor damage to the shop which was closed at the time, the report said, adding that the police have detained a number of suspects in security operations following the explosion. Security measures have been beefed up in Turkish cities since Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan went on trial for his life last week on treason and separatism charges. Turkish authorities suspect PKK rebels to be behind a spate of bombings that hit Istanbul after Ocalan was captured and brought to Turkey in February. A.F.[09] GREEK FOREIGN MINSTRY DELEGATION VISITS NORTH OSSETIAVladikavkaz, June 9 (MPA)A delegation from the Foreign Ministry department for ties with Greek communities abroad, conducted a one- week visit to North Ossetia where the participants attended an arts festival. George Melos, the department’s chairman who led the delegation, told the Russian news agency Itar-Tass that inter-ethnic accord, good neighborly relations and peace in the Caucasus are component parts of stability not only in that region, but also in Russia in general, in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions. "The complicated Balkan problem is the result of a number of objective and subjective factors and contradictions in relations between nations in the multinational Yugoslavia. They can be settled by political methods and never by force," Mr. Melos said.After meeting with members of the Greek cultural community called Prometheus, the Foreign Ministry’s delegation ascertained that North Ossetia’s Greeks live harmoniously with people of other nationalities and are active in various fields of the Republic’s economy, science, culture and public health sectors. The festival featured the Argonauts folk dance group and a music group from Athens, while literary soirees of Greek poets and writers were also held. A.F. [10] GREEK JOURNALISTS TO VISIT TO PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINAAthens, June 9 (MPA)A 12-member delegation of Greek journalists is to conduct a visit to the People’s Republic of China between June 19-28.The Greek journalists will travel to Beijing where they will visit radio and television stations, while they will also tour the city’s suburbs, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven. During their stay in Hangzhou and Shanghai, the Greek journalists will visit the offices of the "Zhejian Daily" and “Shanghai Jie Fang” newspapers. A.F. [11] GREECE TO HOST THREE BEARS FROM WAR-TORN YUGOSLAVIAThessaloniki, June 9 (MPA)Three young bears from the war-torn Yugoslavia are to be transported to Greece, thanks to the efforts of the ecological organization “Arcturos”, which will host them at its veterinarian site in Aetos, Florina.Prior to their transport, the bears were housed in Belgrade’s zoo which hadn’t been spared the terror of the relentless bombings. In addition to the hundreds of human lives lost, NATO’s air strikes against the Yugoslav capital bore severe consequences on the animals which, left unattended and without food, at times resorted to cannibalism. With the aid of the Thessaloniki Prefecture and the Greek Ministry of Agriculture, two members of “Arcturos”, departed for Yugoslavia last night in order to receive the three bears, aged 2-3 years, and transport them to Greece on Friday. A.F. [12] EARTH’S WARMING POSES A THREAT TO MARINE LIFEAthens, June 9 (MPA)Climate changes and increases in earth’s temperatures are posing significant threats to marine life, such as plankton, which constitutes the basis of the aquatic food chain, polar bears, seals, sea lions, penguins, various sea birds and coral reefs, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In a recently-published report, WWF stresses that the earth’s warming could constitute the “coup de grace” for many species which are already faced with great pressures due to extensive fishing and the destruction of their preserves.Species in northern seas, where the highest rise in temperature is noted, are the most threatened, although, according to a WWF-Hellas marine life specialist, the repercussions are also felt in the Mediterranean where the rise in temperature promotes the settlement of new species, especially in the Sea’s eastern region, resulting in the displacement of certain endemic and native species, an alteration that bears unforeseeable consequences for the course of marine life. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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