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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-04-19Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>NEWS IN ENGLISHAthens, Greece, 19/04/1999 (ANA)MAIN HEADLINES
NEWS IN DETAILFM Papandreou calls for integrated approach to BalkansForeign Minister George Papandreou said on Monday the international community should not treat the Balkans "in piecemeal fashion" whenever there is a crisis. What is needed, he added, is the formulation of a single policy not only by the European Union but also by NATO and other international entities such as Russia. Papandreou was speaking before an informal meeting of Balkan foreign ministry officials on the crisis. Officials from Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greece, Romania and Turkey are attending the meeting. Other issues are the security of countries in the region - particularly the safeguarding of territorial integrity and respect for existing borders, democratisation - especially from the viewpoint of human and minority rights, and the economic development of the Balkans through infrastructure works with the contribution of the international community. Greece commissions official report on NATO bombing effects Foreign Minister George Papandreou said on Monday that the Greek government had asked the "Democritus" atomic energy research centre in Athens to draw up an official report on the possible repercussions of NATO bombing in Yugoslavia for Greece and the greater region. "They have told us verbally that there is no cause for alarm, at least with respect to radiation, but we shall wait for the written report," Papandreou said shortly before an informal meeting of senior foreign ministry officials of Balkan countries. The ecological aspect of the Kosovo crisis is one of the issues to be discussed at today's meeting. Greek experts monitor for possible toxic cloud traces The atmosphere in northern Greece is being constantly monitored, but there are no indications of serious environmental repercussions to nearby countries from the bombing of chemical and petrochemical plants around Belgrade, atmospheric physicist Christos Zerefos said today, adding that the southerly winds that have been blowing these past few days have worked as a shield. Zerefos, a professor of atmospheric physics at Thessaloniki's Aristotelion University, said that locally, things were bad, but "on an inter-state level, I don't think that we shall have severe repercussions". Ministries, experts to meet on toxic cloud problem Health Minister Lambros Papadimas said later that a meeting would be held at the environment ministry on Tuesday morning with the participation of experts and environment and health ministry experts to discuss stepping up and coordinating checks. Papadimas said it was logical for the public to be concerned about the environmental repercussions but that all health and environment ministry checks so far had failed to detect any radioactivity or toxic contamination in either the air, land or water. These checks were being carried out around the clock, the minister said. They will continue and be stepped up over the next few days. Greece to raise environmental repercussions at UN Deputy Environment Minister Theodoros Koliopanos will bring up the issue of the environmental effects of the war during his address to a UN conference in New York on viable development on Wednesday. Koliopanos is expected to refer to the consequences of the aerial bombardment of Yugoslavia on the environment not only in the immediate reigion but also in the wider region of the Balkans and the Mediterranean. He will ask the UN's Committee on Viable Development to set up a body to monitor and catalogue the damage to the natural environment and demand that those responsible for causing the damage undertake the respective restoration. Majority of Greeks want to stop support for NATO bombing More than 50 percent of Greeks are opposed to continuing to provide logistical support for NATO in Greece for its bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, a poll published in Monday's Ta Nea showed. The poll, by V.PRC, showed that 57 percent of respondents said Greece should not provide any support to NATO operations. Twenty-six percent said it should continue to provide support. NATO has been using the airport and port of Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki to move supplies and troops into Macedonia. Asked whether Greece should leave the Alliance, 53 percent of respondents said no and 25.7 percent said it should. Former FM Pangalos says NATO can do without Thessaloniki In an interview in Athens daily Ta Nea, former foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos came out against allowing NATO to use the port of Thessaloniki for any preparations for a land invasion of Kosovo. Pangalos, who predicted the bombing would continue for about four to five months, said the longer the crisis continued, the higher the prospect of a partitioning of Kosovo. He said however that a Greek veto at NATO would have no effect. Left leader criticises PM's lack of consultation Coalition of the Left and Progress (SYN) leader Nikos Constantopoulos today criticised premier Costas Simitis for going to the US for a NATO summit without holding a meeting of the Greek political leaders or a debate in parliament. He was speaking to reporters after a 45-minute meeting with President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos, whom he briefed on his recent trips to Yugoslavia and FYROM. Simitis left last night for a week- long visit to the US, during which he will meet with UN secretary general Kofi Annan in New York later today and attend a three-day informal NATO summit marking the alliance's 50th anniversary that begins Friday in Washington. Island fire brought under control A fire threatening to engulf residences on the island of Skiathos was brought under control early on Monday, authorities said. The fire, which broke out under as yet undetermined circumstances, was fanned by strong winds towards the island's main town. It was reported to have turned away from the town overnight. Ten fire trucks and 60 firemen were sent by boat from Volos to the island late on Sunday to battle the blaze. Forty soldiers and six fire-fighting aircraft were used to fight the fire on Sunday. Anti-forest fire planning brought forward Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysohoides told reporters on Monday that preparations to prevent and contain the forest fires which plague Greece every year would begin a month earlier. Chrysohoides said another 1,500 permanent fire fighters would be hired and the number of seasonal contract workers would be doubled. Contracts to lease fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters would be signed by end-April, he added. Police arrest 34 illegal immigrants Police today arrested 34 illegal immigrants and three other men who were transporting them, on the national highway between the Kipi border post with Turkey and the northeastern Greek town of Alexandroupolis. Police said 36-year-old Guram Artzumanov, who was driving a van carrying 31 Iranians and three Iraqis, and Yannis Posnakidis and Nikos Dimitriadis, both 26, who were driving ahead of the van in a car in order to warn the van driver in the event of a police check, were arrested on the 30th kilometer of the Kipi-Alexandroupolis highway. The illegal immigrants told police they had been smuggled into Greece near Soufli by a Pakistani, who then returned to Turkey. Albanian couple arrested over drug-running An Albanian couple believed to have been trafficking substantial quantities of heroin and cocaine from Albania was arrested in Athens today, police said. They said Ilmi Necan Ilis, 30, and his wife Ilda Ziba, 27, were arrested in the one-family home they were living in in the Neos Kosmos suburb. Police found and confiscated 841 grams of heroin, 365 grams of cocaine and 3.521 million dr., 729 US dollars, 1,330 pounds sterling and 470 deutschemarks during a search of the house. Armed bank robbers fire shots in Piraeus heist Four armed and masked men burst into a branch of the National Bank in Piraeus on Monday firing in the air with automatic weapons before snatching a sack containing an unknown amount of money and escaping. The bank guard fired at the robbers and it is thought one of them may have been hit. Cannabis Shop owner released on bail The proprietor of a store specialising in products made from Indian hemp was released on bail of two million drachmas on Monday, following her testimony to a magistrate on charges of distributing narcotic substances. Georgia Kalofolia, the proprietor of the "Cannabis Shop" in central Athens, was taken into custody and questioned by police late last year for the alleged distribution and promotion of narcotic substances. In September last year, Kalofolia, the publisher, editor-in-chief, copy-editor and staff writer of the 01 magazine were each sentenced to 15 months' jail and fined two million drachmas after an Athens court found them guilty of promoting the use of illicit drugs. O1 had featured the store's range of clothing made from Indian hemp. The feature had prompted a suit from the president of the Greek Anti-Cancer Council, alleging that the way the article had been written had encouraged the use of narcotics among young people. WEATHERMostly fine weather throughout the country today, turning to local cloud in the north in the afternoon. Athens will be sunny and mild, with temperatures ranging from 10-20C. Same in Thessaloniki, turning overcast in the afternoon, and temperatures from 8-17C.FOREIGN EXCHANGEMonday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 300.874 Pound sterling 484.691 Japanese yen (100) 254.170 French franc 49.062 German mark 164.546 Italian lira (100) 16.621 Irish Punt 408.633 Belgian franc 7.978 Luxembourg franc 7.978 Finnish mark 54.127 Dutch guilder 146.037 Danish kr. 43.295 Austrian sch. 23.388 Spanish peseta 1.934 Swedish kr. 36.188 Norwegian kr. 38.882 Swiss franc 200.716 Port. Escudo 1.605 Aus. dollar 193.653 Can. dollar 201.872 Cyprus pound 555.540 Euro 321.825(M.P.) Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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