Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-04-26
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, April 26, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] KOSOVO REFUGEES TO BE INOCULATED IN GREECE
[02] SWEDEN'S ROYAL COUPLE TO ARRIVE IN GREECE TODAY
[03] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER: PREMIER ACTS LIKE AN OBEDIENT CHILD
[04] THESSALONIKI HOSTS BALL GAME TODAY FOR PEACE IN THE BALKANS
[05] ATHENS TO HOST MUSICAL BRIDGE OF PEACE WITH BELGRADE
[06] NEW SECURITY MEASURES AT THE GREEK BORDERS
[07] ATHANASAKIS: GREECE WANTS TO JOIN THE EMU AFTER MEETING ALL
THE CRITERIA
[08] ATHANASAKIS: THE PRIME MINISTER MADE A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF
THE GREEK POSITIONS
[09] NO CONVERGENCE OF VIEWS IN THE SKANDALIDIS-KONSTANTOPOULOS
MEETING
[10] HUMANITARIAN AID TO SERBIA FROM GREEK JURISTS, COURT
EMPLOYEES AND LAWYERS
[11] OVER 10.000 NATO OFFICERS WILL BE SENT TO FYROM VIA
THESSALONIKI
[12] THE BALKAN STUDENTS' ASSOCIATIONS CALL FOR AN END TO THE NATO
BOMBINGS
[13] KARAMANLIS MET WITH TSOVOLAS AND PAPARIGA
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] NATO RAIDS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY
[15] NATO LEADERS AGREE TO CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA
[16] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH FYROM PRESIDENT IN WASHINGTON
[17] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PM FAVORS INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN KOSOVO
[18] SANDY BERGER: GREECE IS IN A TOUGH SPOT, GIVEN ITS POSITION
[19] GREEK PREMIER AND U.S. PRESIDENT DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUE
[20] UN HIGH COMMISSIONER REPORTS NEW MASSACRES IN KOSOVO
[21] THE US MASS MEDIA QUESTION THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NATO
[22] THREE NATO SCENARIOS ARE POSSIBLE IN YUGOSLAVIA
[23] THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDE ON THE OIL EMBARGO AGAINST
YUGOSLAVIA
[24] CHERNOMIRDIN - TALBOTT MEETING
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] KOSOVO REFUGEES TO BE INOCULATED IN GREECE
Approximately 2,000 refugees from Kosovo are to
receive inoculations from the Greece's Center of Preventive
Medicine of the Social Services Foundation (IKA) of
Alexandroupolis, which is cooperating with Turkey's Medical School
of Edirne and related Bulgarian centers.
A delegation is to visit the Edirne Medical School today and
the results to arise from the representatives' talks are to be
submitted to the related ministries of the three countries.
[02] SWEDEN'S ROYAL COUPLE TO ARRIVE IN GREECE TODAY
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Sylvia of Sweden are to embark
on a three-day visit to Greece today, the first-ever official
visit by a Swedish head of state to this country, at the
invitation of the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis
Stephanopoulos.
The royal couple will be received by Parliament President
Apostolos Kaklamanis today, and will attend a banquet held in
their honor by President Stephanopoulos.
Tomorrow, the King and Queen of Sweden will lay a wreath at
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and will meet with the Prime
Minister Kostas Simitis, as well as with Athens Mayor Dimitris
Avramopoulos. They will also attend a business seminar at the
Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Tomorrow night, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Sylvia will hold a
reception.
[03] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER: PREMIER ACTS LIKE AN OBEDIENT CHILD
The leader of Greece's main opposition party, New
Democracy's Costas Karamanlis, accused the Prime Minister Costas
Simitis of acting like "an obedient child" who "always says yes",
referring to the latter's stance at the NATO Summit in Washington.
He blasted the government as being "below par" and stressed
that the military operations in Yugoslavia must cease immediately.
Mr. Karamanlis also reiterated his proposal for the formation of a
Foreign Policy Council which would carve a national strategy.
[04] THESSALONIKI HOSTS BALL GAME TODAY FOR PEACE IN THE BALKANS
Greek and Serb soccer players are to play in a Thessaloniki-
held match this evening, sending a message of peace to the
Balkans.
The game's initiative lies with the Association of Soccer
Union of Macedonia and will feature a team comprising PAOK, Aris
and Hercules players and a team of Serbs who play for Greek and
European teams.
Prior to the start of the game, 500 doves will be released
into the air, courtesy of the Association of Postal and Race
Doves of Kalamaria. The birds will travel to Bulgaria and Romania
prior to returning to Thessaloniki.
All game proceeds will be given to Serb humanitarian aid
causes.
[05] ATHENS TO HOST MUSICAL BRIDGE OF PEACE WITH BELGRADE
A "bridge of peace" between Athens and Belgrade will be held
today in the Greek capital, a musical event that will coincide
with another concert held simultaneously in Belgrade, featuring
the participation of a great number of musicians.
Meanwhile, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic, in a
letter addressed to the chief of the United Nations Security
Council, requests that specific measures be drawn in order to
restore peace and stability in the Balkan region.
In his letter, the Yugoslav FM stressed that the UN has not
condemned the NATO operations against Yugoslavia and accuses the
Alliance of selecting civilian targets which causes the refugees
to flee.
[06] NEW SECURITY MEASURES AT THE GREEK BORDERS
The adoption of measures that will improve the guarding of
the Greek borders was discussed in the meeting that was held in
north-western Greek city of Ioannina today. The meeting was
presided over by minister of public order Michalis Chrisochoidis
and it was held in the presence of Greek Police Chief Ioannis
Georgakopoulos.
Mr. Chrisochoidis announced that 1.000 border guards, who
will be deployed along the Greek-Albanian borders, have assumed
their duties today and spoke of a complete policing plan across
the country that will be based on the recording of the crime rate
observed in every region.
The minister of public order stated that this plan will be
implemented starting next month as the crime rates of the
different areas have already been recorded.
[07] ATHANASAKIS: GREECE WANTS TO JOIN THE EMU AFTER MEETING ALL
THE CRITERIA
Acting Greek government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis,
responding to a question by a reporter on whether the government
intends to make the country a member of the EMU earlier, stated
that Greece wants to join the European Monetary Union after
meeting all the necessary criteria.
Mr. Athanasakis said that the participation in the EMU
depends on the fulfillment of specific criteria and the government
has already managed to meet certain of them but more effort is
needed to meet all of them. He said that it is an effort made by
the Greek people as a whole and added that the government is
satisfied because it can say that the sacrifices of the Greek
people were not in vain.
[08] ATHANASAKIS: THE PRIME MINISTER MADE A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF
THE GREEK POSITIONS
Prime minister Kostas Simitis and the Greek delegation have
presented the Greek positions clearly in all the contacts they had
in the United States, stated acting Greek government spokesman
Nikos Athanasakis.
On the NATO summit meeting, he stressed that there were
different interpretations on the range of its activities and added
that Greece's participation in the alliance is to its own
interests.
He said that from this participation stem both rights and
obligations and anyone who knows what really takes place in the
international organizations understands fully the government's
stance.
[09] NO CONVERGENCE OF VIEWS IN THE SKANDALIDIS-KONSTANTOPOULOS
MEETING
Coalition of the Left opposition party leader Nikos
Konstantopoulos met today with governing socialist party of PASOK
central committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis and during the
meeting was established the opposition party's disagreement with
the policy followed by the government in the Kosovo crisis.
Mr. Konstantopoulos stated after the meeting that he has
presented a four point political proposal for dialogue, namely
that Greece should exercise its veto power in NATO against the
ground operations, the government should stop facilitating the
alliance's forces, while there should be a political party leaders
council meeting that will open the door for the establishment of a
Foreign Policy National Council and finally, the Greek parliament
should issue a decision on the new identity of NATO.
Mr. Konstantopoulos stated that it was a mistake for prime
minister Kostas Simitis to put his signature to the new role of
NATO without having the parliament's approval, while on the
meeting with Mr. Skandalidis he said that there was no agreement
and his party will continue to criticize the government policies.
From his side, Mr. Skandalidis characterized the meeting as
constructive and the discussion as interesting.
[10] HUMANITARIAN AID TO SERBIA FROM GREEK JURISTS, COURT
EMPLOYEES AND LAWYERS
Humanitarian aid mainly, food, pharmaceuticals and other
supplies is being collected in the court houses across the country
to be sent to New Yugoslavia at the initiative of the Federation
of Court Employees.
A convoy will leave from Thessaloniki on Thursday having
Belgrade as its destination and the humanitarian aid will be
distributed to the people of Belgrade, the Zastava car industry
plant employees who have been without work ever since the car
plant was destroyed by the NATO missiles and the people of
Kragugevac.
[11] OVER 10.000 NATO OFFICERS WILL BE SENT TO FYROM VIA
THESSALONIKI
Over 10.000 NATO officers will be sent to FYROM via
Thessaloniki in the following days.
NATO officials, who are coordinating the passage of troops,
supplies and humanitarian aid from Thessaloniki, have stated that
10-15.000 soldiers will pass through the Macedonia Airport, adding
that they are part of a 28.000 men force which according to the
initial NATO planning, was scheduled to be deployed in FYROM.
About 13.000 soldiers are already in FYROM and they have been
transported to the country via Thessaloniki in the period between
the end of February and mid March.
The second part of the NATO force will be made up mainly of
British, German, French, Canadian and Italian soldiers.
[12] THE BALKAN STUDENTS' ASSOCIATIONS CALL FOR AN END TO THE NATO
BOMBINGS
The Balkan Students' Associations participating in the South-
Eastern European Youth Center issued a joint declaration calling
for the immediate end of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.
The center is an Athens based international non governmental
youth organization that was founded two months ago during the 3rd
Balkan Students' Associations Conference. Its members are students
associations and organizations from Greece, Turkey, FYROM,
Albania, Cyprus, Yugoslavia, Romania and Bulgaria.
In their joint declaration they call for peace negotiations,
condemn any change of borders in the Balkans and underline the
need to support the democratic governments in the region.
[13] KARAMANLIS MET WITH TSOVOLAS AND PAPARIGA
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis met with Democratic Social Movement leader
Dimitris Tsovolas and Greek Communist Party general secretary Ms.
Aleka Papariga.
Mr. Tsovolas and Mr. Karamanlis stressed after their meeting
the need for a political party leaders council meeting under the
chairmanship of president Kostis Stephanopoulos.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] NATO RAIDS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY
Another round of NATO raids pounded Yugoslavia last night,
staying true to the Alliance's vow to intensify the attacks. Novi
Sad was caught in the eye of the storm where, according to the
Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, the Danube River's last bridge was
downed. Moreover, the Allied aircraft hit a fuel housing facility
in Valjevo and an airport located close to the Hungarian border.
The country is now left devoid of television programming,
after NATO missiles struck the Serb television station's largest
transmitter early yesterday. Meanwhile, the head of the
international Red Cross is wrapping up his visit to Belgrade today
where he met with Yugoslav leaders.
[15] NATO LEADERS AGREE TO CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA
The leaders of NATO's 19 member-states have agreed to
continue the air raids against Yugoslavia, albeit, as Greece's
Premier Costas Simitis said, it was commonly believed that the
military means will not suffice and diplomatic efforts need to
intensify.
The US deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbot is to discuss
this matter in Moscow today.
[16] GREEK PREMIER MEETS WITH FYROM PRESIDENT IN WASHINGTON
Greece's Premier Costas Simitis, met with the President of
FYROM Kiro Gligorov in Washington yesterday, with whom he
discussed the latest developments in the Balkan region in light
of NATO's bombardment of Yugoslavia.
According to the BBC's Greek service, the meeting was held in
a positive climate, while the name issue pending between the two
countries was not brought up. Messrs. Simitis and Gligorov stated
that the talks pertaining to the name are being continued in the
United Nations under the auspices of the mediator Cyrus Vance.
Both leaders expressed their intent to expand economic cooperation
between the two countries through the promotion of joint ventures.
[17] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PM FAVORS INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN KOSOVO
Calling on the Yugoslav people to face reality and not harbor
false hopes that NATO will be defeated, the Yugoslav deputy Prime
Minister Vuk Drascovic has stated that he is in favor of the
development of an international force in Kosovo, within the
framework of the Security Council's resolutions proposed by
Russia and Western countries.
"The world must learn the truth", he told a Serb privately-
owned television station, adding that "certain powers in Serbia
are lying to the people.
"The so-called patriots are lying to the people that we can
win an early victory over NATO and that the alliance is close to
collapse. NATO has never been so united and strong as it is
today", he said.
Speaking on the UN presence in Kosovo, Mr. Draskovic stressed
that it cannot be regarded as occupation, as Yugoslavia is a UN
member.
Speaking on the Russian position, Draskovic stressed that
Moscow is not planning to get involved in a third world war.
"Russia has no other way than to publicly condemn the
aggression against Yugoslavia and then to explain to the West in
telephone talks that it is not going to spoil relations with it",
the deputy premier said.
Mr. Draskovic who heads the right-wing nationalist Serb
Renewal Party (SPO), said he had reminded Serbia's leaders that
"in the pre-communist era", Serbia
"used courteous terms when dealing with the enemy occupying it"
particularly in
1917 and 1918.
[18] SANDY BERGER: GREECE IS IN A TOUGH SPOT, GIVEN ITS POSITION
The United States President's national security advisor Sandy
Berger has stated that Greece continues to support NATO's
decisions, in spite of its reservations which mostly stem from its
geographical position and its efforts to gain accession to the
Economic and Monetary Union.
Speaking during an interview, Mr. Berger stated that the
Greeks, due to their country's geographical proximity to Kosovo
and their natural sympathy towards the Serbs, are in a tough spot,
but in no way have they hindered NATO's activities.
"They have not tried to avert NATO from (conducting)
military operations, in spite of the fact that, here in
Washington, Premier Simitis stressed that a diplomatic solution
has to be found," he stated.
"In reality, I believe that they have displayed a great sense
of courage, accepting and abiding by NATO's decisions," he added.
[19] GREEK PREMIER AND U.S. PRESIDENT DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUE
Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis discussed the Cyprus
issue with the President of the United States Bill Clinton, he
reiterated yesterday during the press conference held at the end
of the NATO Summit in Washington.
Responding to a relevant question, Mr. Simitis stated that
during his talks with President Clinton he "stressed the need to
enforce the United Nations resolutions, promote the resolution of
the political issue and, concurrently, advance the Cypriot
President's proposal for the demilitarization of the island.
Meanwhile, Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou,
addressing the Fletcher Institute of Analysis and Foreign Policy,
in a conference organized by the Socrates Kokkalis Foundation,
stated that Greece would like to see the same standards and
regulations presently applied in Kosovo enforced in Cyprus as
well.
[20] UN HIGH COMMISSIONER REPORTS NEW MASSACRES IN KOSOVO
The United Nations High Commissioner for the Refugees (UNHCR)
has stated that new massacres have been reported in a number of
Kosovo villages.
Quoting testimony given by Albanian refugees who arrive at
the FYROM border, UNHCR's representative in FYROM Paula Gedini
stated armed Serb forces have committed killings and rapes in
three villages near the city of Liplian, 10 kilometers south of
Prishtina.
[21] THE US MASS MEDIA QUESTION THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NATO
After a month of NATO bombings in Yugoslavia, the US mass
media have begun to question openly the effectiveness of the whole
operation.
In a military analysis published in the New York Times it is
mentioned that a month after the start of the NATO bombings
against Yugoslavia nobody can say who is the winner.
It is stressed that the bombings were launched to achieve
three objectives namely, to underline the unity of NATO in case of
unprovoked attacks, stop the persecution of ethnic Albanians by
Milosevic and limit the military capabilities of the Serbs. Until
now, it is stressed in the article, only the first objective has
been met as both the ethnic cleansing against the Kossovo
Albanians continues and the Serb resistance does not appear to
have suffered from the attacks.
[22] THREE NATO SCENARIOS ARE POSSIBLE IN YUGOSLAVIA
Former NATO Supreme Commander in Europe, general Joulwan
stated that he believes that there are three possible scenarios in
the Kosovo crisis.
The first scenario provides for the creation of a NATO
protected zone inside Kosovo where the refugees will be staying
until the crisis is resolved. The second provides for the
"freeing" of Kosovo for which a force of 60-100.000 men will be
needed, and the third scenario provides for the advancement of the
NATO forces to Belgrade but in order for this option to be
fulfilled will be needed up to 200.000 men.
[23] THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDE ON THE OIL EMBARGO AGAINST
YUGOSLAVIA
The EU foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg today to ratify
the decision on the oil embargo against Yugoslavia. Russia,
however, has announced that will not comply with the embargo.
In the NATO summit meeting that was held in Washington it was
decided that the bombings will continue and the cargo ships
carrying oil for Yugoslavia will be subjected to inspection.
[24] CHERNOMIRDIN - TALBOTT MEETING
US deputy Secretary of State Talbott is in Moscow to meet
with Victor Chernomirdin. The Russian presidential envoy will
brief the US official on the talks he had with Slobodan Milosevic.
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will be in the
Russian capital on Wednesday. Meanwhile, NATO has stated that it
wants Russia's participation to secure a solution that will
guarantee peace in the Balkans.
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