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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-08-20
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, August 20, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PM PREPARES FOR OFFICIAL VISIT TO ALBANIA
[02] TEMPERATURES TO REACH SCORCHING LEVELS AGAIN THIS
WEEKEND
[03] DEPUTY FM SALUTES ELECTION OF NEW ARCHBISHOP OF
AMERICA
[04] RESCUE ATTEMPTS FOR SURVIVORS MUST CONTINUE, EXPERTS
SAY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[05] DEATH TOLL OF MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE SURPASSES 7,000-MARK
[06] TURKISH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT THANKS HIS GREEK
COUNTERPART
[07] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE ELECTS NEW ARCHBISHOP OF
AMERICA
[08] LARGEST ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATION HELD IN BELGRADE
[09] TURKISH PRESS SALUTES GREECE'S RUSH TO AID VICTIMS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PM PREPARES FOR OFFICIAL VISIT TO ALBANIA
Prime Minister Costas Simitis is chairing a cabinet
meeting today, in light of his imminent visit to Albania,
August 24.
During the course of today's meeting, the government
officials are to examine bilateral relations between the two
countries under the prism of the Balkan reconstruction
program currently under development.
Moreover, the cabinet will examine the Albanian
government's protestations over Greece's mass deportations
of illegal immigrants.
[02] TEMPERATURES TO REACH SCORCHING LEVELS AGAIN THIS
WEEKEND
The National Weather Service has forecast another
heatwave during the following four days, with temperatures
expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in Athens and 38
degrees in Thessaloniki.
According the meteorologists, this year's summer has
proven so far to be the hottest during the past 20 years.
Municipalities throughout the country are is a state of
readiness and all public areas that feature air conditioning
will remain open to the general public.
[03] DEPUTY FM SALUTES ELECTION OF NEW ARCHBISHOP OF
AMERICA
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis, who is
also responsible for
issues concerning Greeks living Abroad, called on Greeks in
the United States to unite around their new church leader,
thus securing the peace and the unity of Hellenism and
Orthodoxy.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously elected
Dimitrios of Vreshteni as the new Archbishop of America
yesterday, having accepted the resignation submitted by the
Archbishop of America Spyridon
Mr. Niotis added that "it is an autonomous and final
decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the of the Holy
Synod, which was arrived at following a responsible way of
weighing all elements."
[04] RESCUE ATTEMPTS FOR SURVIVORS MUST CONTINUE, EXPERTS
SAY
Rescue attempts for potential survivors of the recent
devastating earthquake in Turkey must continue even three
days after the occurrence according to the chief of the
European Seismological System of Prevention and Emergency
Francoise Tontre, who stated that she herself has witnessed
the rescue of earthquake survivors in Armenia survivors even
after the passage of nine days.
Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, the official
stated that it is most likely that one will survive during
the first three days, although she stressed the importance
of the timely prevention and information of every
earthquake-prone country, as well the system's member-
states, which includes Greece
The director of the Council of Europe's General Agency
for Prevention and Assistance in natural and Technological
Disasters stated to the MPA that the region has to be
observed for further seismic activity, albeit he assessed
that the worse part has already passed.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[05] DEATH TOLL OF MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE SURPASSES 7,000-MARK
More than 7,000 persons have lost their lives from the
massive earthquake that struck northwestern Turkey on
Tuesday morning, and the number is expected to increase as
not all bodies have been extricated from the ruins yet.
As the public is outraged over shoddy construction
workmanship, seismologists have advised the survivors to
stay outdoors as an increasing number of aftershocks is
being forecast.
[06] TURKISH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT THANKS HIS GREEK
COUNTERPART
The President of Turkey's National Assembly, Yadirim
Akbulut, has forwarded a letter to his Greek counterpart,
Apostolos Kaklamanis, thanking him
for the interest shown by the Hellenic Parliament in the
efforts to aid the victims of the earthquake that devastated
Turkey and claimed thousands of lives.
In his letter, Mr. Akbulut expressed his appreciation
"for the spirit of solidarity which the Greek Parliament has
shown, particularly regarding the dispatch of medical
assistance for the victims of the earthquake".
Greece was among the first countries to rush to
humanitarian assistance to Turkey.
Turkey's Ambassador to Athens Ali Tuygan in a letter to
Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos expressed the gratitude
and appreciation of the Turkish
people and said that "it is particularly important and
encouraging for people to discover that during tragic and
difficult times their neighbors and allies are standing by
them extending a helping hand".
[07] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE ELECTS NEW ARCHBISHOP OF
AMERICA
The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
Istanbul has unanimously elected Dimitrios of Vreshteni as
the new Archbishop of America, having accepted the
resignation submitted by the Archbishop of America Spyridon,
who was elected to the post of the Metropolitan of Chaldea.
The new Archbishop of America, who comes from the
Church of Greece,
is scheduled to arrive at the Fanar, the Seat of the
Orthodox Church in Istanbul today for the ceremony.
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos said
that the election of Mr. Dimitrios to the post "is an
excellent choice and because of his spiritual, theological,
practical and mental abilities it heralds a rebirth of the
Greek-Orthodox Church of America, with the help of God."
[08] LARGEST ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATION HELD IN BELGRADE
Over 100,000 Serbs gathered in yesterday's anti-
government rally held in Belgrade, demanding the resignation
of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
The rally, the first after a period of two and a half
years, was also marked by the opposition's inability to
carve a common strategy for the removal of Mr. Milosevic and
his regime, divisions apparent within the opposition
parties.
Zoran Djindjic, head of the Democratic party, which
plays a leading part in the "Alliance for Change" coalition,
proposed that a fifteen-day deadline be given to the
government for its resignation otherwise, he stressed,
"massive protests and strikes should be organized throughout
the state."
Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) of Vuk Draskovic, who reneged
on his vow not to appear at the rally, stressed that the
opposition should exert pressure for early elections.
"Alliance for Change" is opposed to this proposal as it
believes that Mr. Milosevic is not willing to hold free and
democratic elections.
The state-owned television station downplayed the
rally, calling it a "failure".
[09] TURKISH PRESS SALUTES GREECE'S RUSH TO AID VICTIMS
Turkish daily "Sabah" warmly saluted the aid readily
offered by Greece to the earthquake victims, in an article
published today titled "The Greeks are weeping".
The paper also refers to the coverage of the earthquake
by the Greek press, stressing that the two countries went
from enemies to friends in one night.
"Sabah" also points out that Greece was quick to send
humanitarian assistance in the form of five fire-fighting
aircraft, one helicopter, foodstuffs, clothing, medical
supplies, trained dogs and personnel and special teams with
expertise in extricating quake victims from collapsed
buildings.
Special mention was also made of the fact that non-
governmental organizations in Greece mobilized to provide
aid to Turkey, such as "Journalists for the Aegean" which
expressed an interest in hosting the children of their
Turkish counterparts in camps at Thrace and the islands of
Lesvos and Chios.
Moreover, the paper reported that tens of thousands of
Greeks have rushed to the hospital to donate blood and that
the Greek chapter of Red Cross has already forwarded a vast
amount of medical and pharmaceutical supplies.
Moreover, the President of the Hellenic Parliament
Apostolos Kaklamanis has proposed to his Turkish counterpart
that a mobile medical unit travel from Greece to the
earthquake-stricken region.
Regarding the donated blood, according to "Sabah" the
Turkish Ministry of Health has asked for the postponement of
its shipment as there are problems in the electrical supply
of the region which would endanger the safe storage of the
blood units.
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