Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-04-19
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, April 19, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] INFORMAL BALKAN MEETING TO BE HELD IN ATHENS TODAY
[02] PUBLIC OPINION POLL: GREECE SHOULDN'T FACILITATE NATO TROOPS
[03] GREECE NOT AT RISK FROM TOXIC CLOUD IN SERB ATMOSPHERE
[04] GREECE'S FORMER FM PANGALOS OPPOSES GIVING ACCESS TO NATO
[05] ATHANASAKIS ON THE TURKISH ELECTIONS
[06] ATHANASAKIS: NO ALARMING INDICATIONS ON TOXIC CLOUD OVER
GREECE
[07] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOLUTION OF THE
REFUGEE PROBLEM IS DECISIVE
[08] ATHANASAKIS: THERE HAS BEEN NO ISSUE OF GROUND TROOPS
OPERATIONS
[09] THE MILLENNIUM BUG WILL CLOSE THE FINANCIAL MARKETS ON
DECEMBER 31, 1999
[10] SIMITIS: THE KOSOVO ISSUE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE NATO
SUMMIT
[11] MEETING OF BALKAN SPECIALISTS IN ATHENS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREEK PM TO MEET WITH UN SECRETARY GENERAL IN NEW YORK
[13] NATO INTENSIFIES RAIDS, STRIKES BUILDINGS AND CHEMICAL PLANTS
[14] TURKEY: ECEVIT LEADING IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
[15] UNDERSECRETARY OF ECONOMY ARRIVES IN SKOPJE TODAY
[16] GREEK PREMIER TO DISCUSS KOSOVO CRISIS IN NEW YORK
[17] GREEK PREMIER'S ITINERARY IN THE UNITED STATES
[18] RUSSIAN PATRIARCH EMBARKS ON KOSOVO PEACEMAKING MISSION
[19] SERBS CLAIM TO HAVE DOWNED THREE NATO PLANES
[20] YELTSIN, CLINTON TO DISCUSS KOSOVO ON THE PHONE TODAY
[21] PREMIER OUTLINES THE TWO TARGETS OF HIS VISIT TO UNITED
STATES
[22] MILO: BELGRADE'S DECISION WAS EXPECTED
[23] YELTSIN: RUSSIA WILL NOT ALLOW THE WEST TO DEFEAT MILOSEVIC
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] INFORMAL BALKAN MEETING TO BE HELD IN ATHENS TODAY
An informal meeting of experts from those Balkan countries
neighboring with Yugoslavia is to be held in Athens today, where
they will exchange views on ways to reconstruct the region after
the war ends.
The meeting is an extension of Greece's initiative for
stabilization, democratization and development of the Balkans.
FYROM's Foreign Minister Mr. Dimitrov will take part in the
meeting, along with the European Union's German Presidency
representative Mr. Neubert and senior officials from the Foreign
Ministries of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey.
Representatives of the Belgrade Economic Institute -- who had
also been invited but are unable to attend -- will send their
proposals in writing.
[02] PUBLIC OPINION POLL: GREECE SHOULDN'T FACILITATE NATO TROOPS
Greece should not facilitate NATO's troops, even if this
stance causes the country to clash with its Allies, according to a
public opinion poll published in the Athens daily "Ta Nea".
Specifically, 56.9% of those polled are opposed to Greece
providing accommodations to NATO's troops, while 25.7% believe
that the country should withdraw from the Alliance. Fifty-three
percent are in favor of Greece remaining a member of NATO.
Concerning the war in Yugoslavia, 83.9% of those polled
believe that the United States are defending national interests in
Kosovo.
As for the war's key players, the public does not view them
in a positive light.
To begin with, 94.4% have a negative view of U.S. President Bill
Clinton, with British Premier Toni Blair faring slighting better
by being viewed negatively by 77.6% of those polled. NATO's
Secretary-General Javier Solana is viewed favorably by a mere
3.7%, while 69.5% hold a negative stance towards his policy.
On the contrary, 63.5% of those polled expressed positive
views for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, with negative
views of him and his policy amounting to 26.9%, while Russian
Premier Yevgeni Primakov is viewed favorably by 53.1%, with 16.4%
having a negative point of view.
[03] GREECE NOT AT RISK FROM TOXIC CLOUD IN SERB ATMOSPHERE
There is no immediate risk of environmental pollution in
Greece emanating from the toxic cloud lingering over Serbia, after
NATO aircraft bombarded a chemical manufacturing plant.
According to professor Themistocles Kouimtzis, director of
the environmental pollution control lab at Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, local experts are awaiting the data derived from
gauging the atmosphere and rain water near the Axios River and
Thessaloniki.
The professor added that the southern winds presently over
the Sahara region are acting as a protecting barrier over Greece.
However, the laboratory chief expressed his concern over a
possible ecological disaster should NATO bombs hit accidentally or
intentionally a detergent factory near Belgrade. The said factory
houses 174 tons of acid containing floride and hydrogen at a 92
per cent concentration, which, if hit, could release a toxic cloud
in the atmosphere.
[04] GREECE'S FORMER FM PANGALOS OPPOSES GIVING ACCESS TO NATO
Greece's former foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos is
opposed to Greece granting NATO with access to the port of
Thessaloniki for conducting ground operations in Yugoslavia.
In an interview with the Athens daily "Ta Nea", Mr. Pangalos
opined that the Greek government should adopt the stance of FYROM,
which has not allowed the Alliance to use its territory for land
operations in the neighboring Yugoslavia.
The former minister stated that he doesn't believe NATO will
proceed to land operations, stating that such act would mean a
complete lack of gravity on behalf of the Clinton Administration.
Instead, Mr. Pangalos believes that the most likely outcome
of the conflict will be the partition of Kosovo.
Concerning the name issue pending between FYROM and Greece,
Mr. Pangalos disclosed that, during his term in the Foreign
Ministry, all the technical details had been completed prior to
signing an agreement which would grant FYROM the name "Republika
Macedonia-Skopje".
He further said that he did not bring forth the said proposal
for discussion with the Greek Cabinet and added that, in his view,
FYROM displayed an erroneous sense of hesitancy which is why the
agreement was not signed.
[05] ATHANASAKIS ON THE TURKISH ELECTIONS
We are not entering into Turkey's domestic affairs, stated
acting Greek government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis when asked by
reporters to comment on the election results in Turkey.
He said that the only think he wants to say is that Turkey
should not be in political instability and democracy must be
upgraded, while he expressed the wish that the new government in
Ankara will want peace and cooperation, like Greece.
[06] ATHANASAKIS: NO ALARMING INDICATIONS ON TOXIC CLOUD OVER
GREECE
There are no indications justifying any concern over the
likelihood of a toxic cloud to appear over Greece as a result of
the bombings of chemical industry plants in Yugoslavia, stated
acting Greek government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis.
He said that the responsible agencies of the ministry of
environment, public works and land planning and the ministry of
health have already began measuring the percentage of toxic
substances in the atmosphere.
[07] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOLUTION OF THE
REFUGEE PROBLEM IS DECISIVE
Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos in a press
conference in Athens today underlined the dynamic contribution and
the presence of the Greek army in dealing with the humanitarian
problem of the refugees in Albania and FYROM.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that the initiative of the
ministry of defense on the issue of the refugees was decisive and
made a special reference to the construction of refugee camps by
the Greek forces.
[08] ATHANASAKIS: THERE HAS BEEN NO ISSUE OF GROUND TROOPS
OPERATIONS
Acting Greek government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis stressed
that there has been no issue of NATO ground troops operations.
Responding to the question if more troops will pass through
Thessaloniki's port he said that the soldiers who have already
passed participate in peace-keeping forces in neighboring
countries.
[09] THE MILLENNIUM BUG WILL CLOSE THE FINANCIAL MARKETS ON
DECEMBER 31, 1999
The European financial markets are likely to remain closed on
December 31, 1999, based on an agreement reached in principle by
the EU finance ministers in order to minimize the implications
that might have the so-called "Millennium Bug" on financial
transactions.
However, it still has to be clarified if the agreement will
be in effect in all 15 member-states or just in the 11 states that
make up the Euroland.
The problem is due to the inability of the computer systems
to read the first two digits of the year date, which means that
computers in the year 2000 will go back to the year 1900.
The roots of the problem are traced back to the 60s and 70s
when in order to cut expenses, because the computer memory was
very expensive, the two first digits of the year were removed.
[10] SIMITIS: THE KOSOVO ISSUE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE NATO
SUMMIT
The issue of Kosovo will be discussed in the NATO summit
meeting in Washington, stated prime minister Kostas Simitis who is
New York and will meet today with UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.
Mr. Simitis reiterated yesterday the Greek stance on the
Yugoslav crisis and summarised it into three points, namely to
reach a political solution, create a plan for the development of
the region and coordinate the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The prime minister stressed that the consequences from the
crisis in the Balkans will not lead Greece to change its course
and expressed optimism that Greece will achieve its goal and join
the EMU.
[11] MEETING OF BALKAN SPECIALISTS IN ATHENS
A meeting of specialists from Balkan countries that border
with Yugoslavia is taking place in the ministry of foreign affairs
in Athens aimed at the exchange of views and proposals for the
reconstruction of the Balkans after the end of the war.
The meeting is a follow-up to the Greek initiative for the
stabilization, democratization and development of the Balkans and
is being held in continuation of the telephone conversations
foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou had with his counterparts from
Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREEK PM TO MEET WITH UN SECRETARY GENERAL IN NEW YORK
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is presently in New York, where
he will take part in the NATO summit marking the 50th anniversary
of the Alliance.
Mr. Simitis' visit follows Greece's initiative for ending the
war in Yugoslavia and settling the conflict in Kosovo through
peaceful means.
The Premier will meet with United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan with whom he will discuss the Kosovo issue.
[13] NATO INTENSIFIES RAIDS, STRIKES BUILDINGS AND CHEMICAL PLANTS
As NATO raids continue to incessantly target key structures
in Yugoslavia, among them chemical manufacturing plants, fears of
an ecological disaster abound among scientists.
A thick cloud literally looms over Belgrade's suburb Pancevo
where a chemical oil plant was bombarded and many residents
complained of respiratory problems.
According to Serb media, a NATO missile slammed into a
monumental building in the heart of Novi Sad, Serbia's second
largest city.
[14] TURKEY: ECEVIT LEADING IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Turkish Prime Minster Bulent Ecevit is leading in the
country's parliamentary elections, held yesterday, where voters
cast their ballot on the local, mayoral and national races.
Mr. Ecevit's Democratic Left Party is steadily ahead in the
polls counted so far, while the Islamist Virtue Party is faring
worse than it expected.
The ultra-right Nationalist Movement Party is marking an
increase, while Mesut Yilmaz's Motherland Party and Tansu Ciller's
True Path Party both appear to be losing ground.
[15] UNDERSECRETARY OF ECONOMY ARRIVES IN SKOPJE TODAY
Greece's Undersecretary of National Economy Alexandros Baltas
is to travel to Skopje today, where he and a delegation of Greek
entrepreneurs will examine the prospects of purchasing FYROM
ventures on preferential terms.
FYROM's market remains an attractive field for Greek
investors, with
indirect Greek ventures amounting to $70 million, either having
already been established or being in the works.
[16] GREEK PREMIER TO DISCUSS KOSOVO CRISIS IN NEW YORK
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, presently in New York
for NATO's 50th anniversary, plans to outline the three points of
Greece's proposal for Kosovo, namely the discovery of a political
solution, the creation of a plan for the region's development and
the coordination of humanitarian aid efforts.
Mr. Simitis has stressed that any consequences to be borne
from the Balkan crisis will not steer Greece away from its course
and has expressed his optimism that the country will achieve its
target of acceding to the Economic and Monetary Union.
During his stay in the United States, the Premier will meet
with U.S. officials and leading members of the Greek-American
community.
[17] GREEK PREMIER'S ITINERARY IN THE UNITED STATES
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, presently in New York
for NATO's 50th anniversary, is to meet with UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan this afternoon and with Archbishop Spyridon of America
tomorrow.
On Wednesday, Mr. Simitis will address a lunch held in his
honor by the Council on Foreign Relations. The Premier's address
will concern foreign policy issues, including the Kosovo crisis,
Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.
On Thursday, the Premier will attend a lunch held in his
honor by the board of directors of the Woodrow Wilson Research
Institute on foreign, economic and social policy issues.
On Saturday, the 19 NATO leaders will attend a formal dinner
held in their honor and hosted by US president Bill Clinton at the
White House.
Mr. Simitis will depart for Greece on Sunday, April 25 after
the close of the NATO summit.
[18] RUSSIAN PATRIARCH EMBARKS ON KOSOVO PEACEMAKING MISSION
The Patriarch of Moscow and All of Russia Alexi II, who plans
a peacemaking mission to Yugoslavia, met with Yugoslav ambassador
to Russia Borislav Milosevic today, according to the Russian news
agency Itar-Tass.
Diplomatic sources stated that Romania provided an air lane
for the Patriarch's plane but it could not guarantee the safety
of his flight.
Moreover, Itar-Tass reported that Hungary agreed today to
provide air passage to the Patriarch's flight to Belgrade
tomorrow.
While in Belgrade, the Russian Patriarch will meet with
Yugoslav officials and the head of the Serb Orthodox Church,
Patriarch Pavle.
[19] SERBS CLAIM TO HAVE DOWNED THREE NATO PLANES
Air defense gunners of the Prishtina Corps of the Yugoslav
Armed Forces shot down three NATO planes flying over Kosovo,
according to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.
Quoting the Serb state-owned television station RTS, Itar-
Tass reported that two of the aircraft were downed on Saturday,
during their raid in central Yugoslavia and the third was shot
down later on Saturday, in the Cicavica mountain massif.
[20] YELTSIN, CLINTON TO DISCUSS KOSOVO ON THE PHONE TODAY
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is to speak with his U.S.
counterpart Bill Clinton this afternoon, in order to discuss the
Kosovo crisis, according to the French news agency AFP.
Citing Kremlin foreign policy aide Sergei Prikodko, AFP
reported that the talks will take place after Mr. Yeltsin has
consulted top government officials to devise a new strategy to
defuse the escalating crisis in the Balkans.
[21] PREMIER OUTLINES THE TWO TARGETS OF HIS VISIT TO UNITED
STATES
Speaking upon his arrival in New York, Prime Minister Kostas
Simitis stated that the purpose of his visit has two targets:
first, to outline Greece's position on the Kosovo crisis and,
second, to present the country's policy to US offcials and the
Greek-American community leaders.
Mr. Simitis outlined the specific reasons held by Greece for
developing peacemaking initiatives in the Balkan region.
"Greece has a double identity," he stated.
"It participates in the multinational formations, it follows
the general direction. But it is also a country in the Balkan
region, it belongs to Southeastern Europe, it participates in the
activities taking place in the Mediterranean region. It has
special problems, it has its own interests and aims in this
region.
"As such, whatever adjustments there may be, whatever
regulations are agreed upon, the new parameters have to serve
Greece's aim as well, that is to correspond to the region's
special conditions," he said, adding "to serve (Greece's) special
interests and aims.
The Premier itemized the three points of Greece's proposal
for Kosovo, namely the discovery of a political solution, the
creation of a plan for the region's development and the
coordination of humanitarian aid efforts.
He stressed that he is confident the country will achieve its
target of acceding to the Economic and Monetary Union, stressing
that it is an "attainable goal."
The second aspect of the Premier's visit is to conduct a
series of meeting with U.S. Officials and Greek-American leaders,
to whom he will outline the state's policy and present its
achievements, mainly in the economic sector.
[22] MILO: BELGRADE'S DECISION WAS EXPECTED
Albanian foreign minister Paskal Milo stated that
Yugoslavia's decision to cut its diplomatic ties with Albania was
expected.
He said that Belgrade had cut its diplomatic ties with
Albania in 1949 exactly 50 years ago. He said that Albania is not
afraid because it is ready to defend its sovereignty and it has
the backing of NATO.
[23] YELTSIN: RUSSIA WILL NOT ALLOW THE WEST TO DEFEAT MILOSEVIC
NATO missiles hit a transmitter near the Kosovo regional
capital of Pristina at 11am this morning, Greek time.
Meanwhile, Russian president Boris Yeltsin stated today that
he will not allow the West to defeat Yugoslav president Slobodan
Milosevic and take control of Yugoslavia. He also stressed that US
president Bill Clinton hopes that the Yugoslav president will
capitulate and surrender his country but this will not be allowed
to happen.
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