Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-09-14
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 14, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THEODORAKIS NOMINATES GREEK, TURKISH RESCUERS FOR NOBEL
[02] MPA COLLECTS FUNDS ON ITS INTERNET SITE FOR QUAKE
VICTIMS
[03] PREMIER TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS IN ATHENS
TODAY
[04] MICHAEL DUKAKIS: CLINTON'S VISIT COULD AID CYPRUS
[05] STOCKS SOAR THROUGH 6,000-POINT BARRIER, ALL-TIME
RECORD
[06] EARTHQUAKE RELIEF MEASURES TO COST 200 BILLION DRACHMAS
[07] JAPANESE BUSINESS DELEGATION TO VISIT THRACE NEXT MONTH
[08] GAS CANISTERS THROWN AT RUSSIAN, ALBANIAN CONSULATE
CARS
[09] GREEK BANKS UNION ANNOUNCES EARTHQUAKE RELIEF MEASURES
[10] HUNGARIAN DEPUTY �� THESSALONIKI'S TRADE-INDUSTRY
CHAMBER
[11] THE GREEK-CYPRIOT MEETING HAS BEEN COMPLETED
[12] THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS WILL MOVE TO PREFABRICATED
HOUSES IN TWO MONTHS
[13] THE DEATH TOLL OF LAST TUESDAY'S DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE
IN ATHENS IS 127
[14] THE NUMBER OF MILITARY EXERCISES WILL BE CUT TO SAVE
FUNDS FOR PREFABRICATED HOUSES
[15] REPPAS: THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE IS READY FOR A
DISCUSSION COVERING ALL ISSUES FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE
CYPRUS PROBLEM
[16] 268 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS STOLEN FROM KORINTH WERE
LOCATED IN MIAMI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] EARTHQUAKE STRIKES TURKEY AGAIN, AT LEAST TEN KILLED
[18] GREEK FM MEETS WITH TURKISH COUNTERPART IN BRUSSELS
[19] INTERBALKAN COOPERATION FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET TOMORROW
[20] BELGRADE-SKOPJE-THESSALONIKI RAILWAY ROUTE RESTORED
TODAY
[21] MOSCOW POLICE RELEASE COMPOSITE PORTRAITS OF BLAST
SUSPECTS
[22] TURKEY, GREECE SUPPORT EMAK-ACUT AS PEACE NOBEL
CANDIDATES
[23] THE NEW EARTHQUAKE CAUSED THE WRATH OF THE PEOPLE
[24] MOSCOW: STATEMENT ON THE ARSON ATTACKS IN THESSALONIKI
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THEODORAKIS NOMINATES GREEK, TURKISH RESCUERS FOR NOBEL
Greece's world-renowned music composer
MikisTheodorakis, who had been proposed by a score of
leading figures as a Nobel peace prize candidate, is said to
have stated that he will withdraw his nomination in favor of
the Greek and Turkish rescue teams (EMAK and ACUT) that
worked side by side during the earthquakes that devastated
both countries.
The same proposal has been made by the Turkish press in
recognition of the teams' ( which comprise volunteers)
efforts to rescue human lives trapped beneath the rubble of
collapsed buildings.
The two teams have already been granted the "Abdi
Ipekcti" Greek-Turkish friendship award, following a
resolution drawn by the Greek committee.
[02] MPA COLLECTS FUNDS ON ITS INTERNET SITE FOR QUAKE
VICTIMS
In its effort to collect funds for Athens' earthquake
victims, the Macedonian Press Agency has created a home
page on its Internet server solely for this purpose, which
can be found at:
(http://www.mpa.gr/cgi-bin/help_athens.cgi?LANGUAGE=Greek).
The MPA, wishing to contribute to the offered
assistance, established the home page in order to
facilitate those who wish to provide economic aid by using
their credit cards.
A bank account has been set up at Egnatia Bank and the
collected sum will be sent to the appropriate state
authorities who in turn will distribute the funds as needed.
Those wishing to provide economic relief to the
earthquake's victims can contact MPA's site on the Internet
and then transfer to the relevant homepage.
The response has already been overwhelming with
contributions from the Greek community of Toronto and other
Greek organizations from abroad, as well as private
individuals from both Greece and -especially- Turkey, such
as Ahmet Oral and Mehmet Cekin.
[03] PREMIER TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS IN ATHENS
TODAY
Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis will meet with
visiting Cypriot
President Glafcos Clerides in Athens today, in order to
review the new initiatives taken on the Cyprus issue.
The foreign and defense ministers of both countries
will also attend the talks.
The meeting is expected to focus on the island's
accession course to the European Union, in light of the
Summit Meeting to be held at Helsinki in December whose key
topic will be the EU's expansion.
[04] MICHAEL DUKAKIS: CLINTON'S VISIT COULD AID CYPRUS
In a Thessaloniki-held press conference
yesterday, the Democratic Party candidate in the U.S.
presidential elections of 1988, Michael S. Dukakis, stated
that U.S. President Bill Clinton's visit to Turkey and
Greece later this year will provide an important chance for
progress to be marked on the Cyprus issue.
Mr. Dukakis, who lost to George Bush in 1988, added that
Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was "a serious problem"
in the efforts to find a solution.
"Clinton has committed himself more than any other
president to this issue," the former Massachusetts governor
stated, while conceding that no real progress in resolving
the dispute had been achieved so far.
Nevertheless, he added, President Clinton's visit to
the region in November could result in progress, basing his
opinion on the improved climate in Greek-Turkish relations
and the "human aspect" following the mutual aid in quake
relief efforts in both Greece and Turkey.
The former presidential candidate was received by
Thessaloniki's Mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos who bestowed
upon him the city's golden medal.
Mr. Dukakis was the guest of honor at Thessaloniki's
Anatolia College (ACT) yesterday evening where he accepted
the school's Michael S. Dukakis Chair in Public Policy and
Service.
Mr. Dukakis has had a distinguished career as the
governor of Massachusetts serving two non-consecutive terms
- and was voted "Best Governor in the Nation" by the
National Governors' Association in 1986. After the
presidential elections, he completed his third term as
governor and then entered the academic world. He has since
held several appointments at US universities, most recently
as a visiting professor at the department of policy studies
at UCLA.
[05] STOCKS SOAR THROUGH 6,000-POINT BARRIER, ALL-TIME
RECORD
Marking an unprecedented feat in its history, the
Athens Stock Exchange broke through the 6,000-point
barrier, propelled by high liquidity.
The general index ended 5.09 percent higher at 6,032.85
points, its 49th record in 1999, now standing at 120.38
percent up from the start of the year.
Turnover yesterday was heavy at 527.94 billion drachmas
on 61,417,116 shares traded.
Sector indices ended as follows: Banks (+5.47 pct),
Insurance (+1.17 pct), Construction (+8.0 pct),
Miscellaneous (+2.86 pct), Leasing (+8.0 pct), Investment
(+6.90 pct), Industrials (+4.20 pct) and Holding (+2.97
pct).
National Bank of Greece ended at 26,700 drachmas, Alpha
Credit Bank at 26,500, Commercial Bank at 31,700, Titan
Cement at 38,800, Hellenic Petroleum at 4,622, Intracom at
30,320, Minoan Lines at 8,925, Panafon at 9,850 and Hellenic
Telecoms at 7,850.
[06] EARTHQUAKE RELIEF MEASURES TO COST 200 BILLION DRACHMAS
A package of earthquake relief measures introduced by
the government will cost about 200 billion drachmas, or
perhaps even more, according to Finance and National Economy
Minister Yiannos Papantoniou.
The Minister stated that the costs will be absorbed by
the state in the course of the following three years, but
will peak in a 15-year period, the loan subsidy term.
Nevertheless, Mr. Papantoniou stressed that the said
measures are not to bend the state's economy which, as he
characteristically said, "the cost is in line with the
economy's endurance.
The package of measures consists of monetary assistance
to help victims rebuild their devastated homes, rent
subsidies for those forced to live in temporary lodgings and
cash payments for pensioners and the unemployed.
[07] JAPANESE BUSINESS DELEGATION TO VISIT THRACE NEXT MONTH
A delegation of Japanese businessmen is to visit
Thrace, in Northern Greece, next month, in order to look
into the opportunities for economic and trade liaisons with
local ventures.
The Japanese guests, comprising officials from the
embassy of Japan and their country's Foreign Trade
Organization, are to visit Thrace on October 4-5 upon the
invitation of the Rodopi-Evros local administration, the
Bureaus of Industrial Change and the European Information
Center.
During their two-day stay, the visitors will become
acquainted with the region's economic profile and the
investment opportunities.
The event will also feature the participation of
officials from the Northern Greece Industries Association
and the "Hermes" European program for strengthening ties
between the European Union and Japan.
[08] GAS CANISTERS THROWN AT RUSSIAN, ALBANIAN CONSULATE
CARS
Members of the "People's Revolutionary Front"
organization threw gas canisters against four parked and
unattended vehicles belonging to the Russian and Albanian
consulates in Thessaloniki today.
According to police reports, the unknown culprits
placed the gas canisters in a passenger vehicle belonging to
the Russian embassy and then set it on fire, causing
material damages.
A short while later, and with the same modus operandi,
they targeted a small van and another passenger vehicle,
both belonging to the Russian embassy, again causing
extensive material damages.
One hour later, the culprits placed gas canisters in a
passenger vehicle belonging to the Albanian consulate
resulting in damages to the said car as well as to another
one nearby.
According to the proclamations left by the "People's
Revolutionary Front" on the crime scenes, the attacks were
in protest to "the arrivals of the American officials in
Thessaloniki."
None of the targeted vehicles were parked near the
consulates at the time of the attacks.
[09] GREEK BANKS UNION ANNOUNCES EARTHQUAKE RELIEF MEASURES
In an effort to ease the plight of those hit by last
Tuesday's earthquake, the Greek Banks Union has proceeded to
a package of measures that will facilitate both private
individuals and businesses that suffered damages or losses
and has also offered to aid in the reconstruction efforts.
The measures include lower rates for personal, consumer
and business loan rates by two percentage points until
December 31, 2000, and freezing enforced action; support
for citizens hit by the earthquake through the extension of
mortgage, personal and consumer loan payment deadlines by up
to six months; support for citizens and businesses by
extending payments on loans up to six months from the
deadline;
Theodoros Karatzas, the president of the Union of Greek
Banks, announced that Greek banks would cover the cost of
separate reconstruction projects totaling more than three
billion drachmas.
Cypriot banks active in Greece will also participate in
the earthquake relief efforts.
[10] HUNGARIAN DEPUTY �� THESSALONIKI'S TRADE-INDUSTRY
CHAMBER
Hungarian parliamentarian Istvan Godor has requested
that Thessaloniki's Trade and Industry Chamber undertake
initiatives that would support his country's efforts to gain
entry to the European Union.
During his visit to the Chamber yesterday, Mr. Godor
was accompanied by the Budapest Chamber's public relations
director and honorary president as well as the director of
the Hellenic-Hungarian chamber of Budapest.
The talks with Thessaloniki's chamber officials focused
on issues of mutual interest and the further cooperation
between the two fraternized chambers.
[11] THE GREEK-CYPRIOT MEETING HAS BEEN COMPLETED
Greece and Cyprus are ready to proceed with talks for
the solution of the Cyprus issue without preconditions and
within the framework of the UN decisions, stated prime
minister Kostas Simitis immediately after the Greek-Cypriot
meeting held in Athens with Cypriot Republic president
Glafkos Clerides, the leadership of the ministries of
foreign affairs and defense from both countries and the two
government spokesmen.
Mr. Simitis called on Turkey to prove that it respects
the international community and the UN Security Council
decisions. From his side, the Cypriot Republic president
stated that there was unanimity between Greece and Cyprus
over the handling of the issue and underlined that on the
sidelines of the UN general assembly meeting that will be
held in the United States he will have contacts with UN
secretary-general Kofi Annan, US special coordinator Tom
Weston and other officials.
In the meeting was also discussed Cyprus' EU accession
course and Mr. Simitis expressed satisfaction because the
process moves ahead and Cyprus meets most of the criteria
for EU membership compared to the rest candidate countries.
He also said that Greece will assist in this effort.
They also discussed the joint defense doctrine,
security issues and the cooperation in the economic sector
specifically, tourism.
[12] THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS WILL MOVE TO PREFABRICATED
HOUSES IN TWO MONTHS
The tents offering temporary shelter to the earthquake
victims in Athens will be replaced by prefabricated houses
by November 1, stated undersecretaries of interior and
welfare Giorgos Floridis and Theodoros Kotsonis.
Based on the inspections made so far, 10% of the
buildings must be demolished, while 38% are temporarily
unsafe to live in. The initial inspections will be completed
today and soon a second inspection will follow that will be
combined with the demolition of the badly destroyed
buildings. Meanwhile, according to the available figures,
the emergency economic aid of 200.000 drachmas has been
distributed to most earthquake victims.
[13] THE DEATH TOLL OF LAST TUESDAY'S DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE
IN ATHENS IS 127
The number of the people killed last Tuesday in the
devastating earthquake that hit Athens continues to rise.
The number of the dead reached 127, while other three bodies
have been located under the rubble of the collapsed
"Ricomex" factory plant. The identification of the bodies
recovered from the rubble has become very difficult.
Thousands of homeless live under dramatic conditions,
while the aftershock of 3.9 on the Richter scale that was
registered yesterday just before 11pm and its epicenter was
located in the region between Penteli and Parnitha alarmed
the people in the wider region of Athens.
The seismologists warn that the declining aftershock
activity will continue for weeks.
[14] THE NUMBER OF MILITARY EXERCISES WILL BE CUT TO SAVE
FUNDS FOR PREFABRICATED HOUSES
Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos announced that
the number of military exercises will be cut in order to
save the necessary funds for the construction of 1.000
prefabricated houses to shelter the victims of the
devastating earthquake that hit Athens on September 7 and
measured 5.9 on the Richter scale.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also added that camps for the
housing of the homeless will be built in military camps and
that civil engineers serving in the military will be sent to
the regions where the camps for the homeless will be
constructed in order to help speed-up the procedures.
[15] REPPAS: THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE IS READY FOR A
DISCUSSION COVERING ALL ISSUES FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE
CYPRUS PROBLEM
The Greek Cypriot side is ready for a discussion
covering all issues for the solution of the Cyprus problem,
stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas regarding
the meeting of Cypriot Republic president Glafkos Clerides
with Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis.
When asked to comment if the solution of the Cyprus
problem will be affected by the atmosphere created after the
cooperation between the Greek and Turkish rescue teams for
the recovery of survivors under the collapsed buildings both
in Greece and Turkey, he stated that this atmosphere can
lead to a better level of relations between Greece and
Turkey if Ankara adopts a different stance on a number of
issues, such as the Cyprus problem.
[16] 268 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS STOLEN FROM KORINTH WERE
LOCATED IN MIAMI
Two hundred sixty eight ancient Greek artifacts which
had been stolen from the archaeological museum of Korinth in
1990 were located in Miami in the United States.
Greek minister of culture Ms. Elisavet Papazoi stated
to an Athens radio station that most of those involved in
the illegal trading of antiquities were Greeks.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] EARTHQUAKE STRIKES TURKEY AGAIN, AT LEAST TEN KILLED
At least ten persons were killed and over 600 were
injured during yesterday's earthquake that rocked the
already devastated northwestern part of Turkey. According to
Greek seismologists, the tremor measured 6.8 on the Richter
scale, although their Turkish counterparts stated that the
earthquake measured 5.8 on the open-ended scale.
According to the experts, this was an aftershock
stemming from August 17's quake and does not affect seismic
activity in Greece.
In Athens, meanwhile, the death toll from last
Tuesday's earthquake has risen to 128, while state engineers
are still inspecting buildings.
[18] GREEK FM MEETS WITH TURKISH COUNTERPART IN BRUSSELS
Following their meeting in Brussels yesterday, the
foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey, George Papandreou
and Ismael Cem respectively, stated that the present climate
in Greek-Turkish relations will continue its positive
course.
Messrs. Papandreou and Cem met yesterday on the
sidelines of the European Union Foreign Ministers meeting
where the "15" discussed Turkey's European course, in
relation to Greek-Turkish relations.
The EU will grant economic relief to Greece in light of
the devastating earthquake that struck Athens last Tuesday.
[19] INTERBALKAN COOPERATION FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET TOMORROW
Greece's alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis
will represent Greece at the Inter-Balkan Cooperation
Foreign Ministers' meeting, to be held in Bucharest
tomorrow.
The discussion will center on the enforcement of the
Stability Pact and the adoption of a Balkan Chart of good
neighborliness, stability, security and cooperation in
Southeastern Europe.
[20] BELGRADE-SKOPJE-THESSALONIKI RAILWAY ROUTE RESTORED
TODAY
The Belgrade-Skopje-Thessaloniki railway route
is now restored, as the restoration of the bridge at the
Grdelica canyon in southern Serbia, which had undergone
extensive damages during the NATO bombing, has been
completed and is now open to traffic.
The bridge was damaged on April 12, struck by
two NATO missiles. Twenty persons were killed in that attack
which occurred when a train was crossing the bridge passage.
The reconstruction project was funded by the
Directorate of Rebuilding
Serbia.
[21] MOSCOW POLICE RELEASE COMPOSITE PORTRAITS OF BLAST
SUSPECTS
Composite police portraits of two more suspects in the
terrorist bomb blast that flattened a Moscow apartment
building, were issued today, as the death toll in the
tragedy rose to 109, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass
reported.
According to Itar-Tass, in quoting an official
statement, the portraits depicted two men, one very young
with brown hair and the other with a round face and curly
black hair.
Moscow Mayor Yugi Luzhkov announced Monday night that
two suspects had been arrested in connection with the
blast, though the Russian federal security service did not
immediately confirm the statement.
The bombing was the bloodiest attack on record in the
Russian capital,
according to local television reports, and followed the
bombing of another Moscow apartment building Thursday that
killed 92 people.
The latest death toll issued today rose to 109,
including 10 children, the emergency situations ministry
said.
[22] TURKEY, GREECE SUPPORT EMAK-ACUT AS PEACE NOBEL
CANDIDATES
The leaders of both Greece and Turkey support the
proposed candidacy of the Greek and Turkish rescue teams
(EMAK and ACUT, respectively) for the 1999 Nobel peace
prize, according to the Istanbul daily "Hurriyet".
Turkish President Suleiman Demirel told the paper that
"I wholeheartedly support this proposal. It was a
spontaneous event. These people rushed to help one another,
without missing a beat, they did a great service to
friendship. This means that both peoples longed for
friendship."
Greece's President Kostis Stephanopoulos also spoke to
the Turkish paper and expressed his support for the
proposal.
"The governments have to follow the people's wishes.
Our peoples wish to make peace permanent. I hope it becomes
so," the President said.
[23] THE NEW EARTHQUAKE CAUSED THE WRATH OF THE PEOPLE
The panic caused by yesterday's strong earthquake in
the wider region of Marmara is recorded today by all the
Turkish newspapers.
The main news in all the Turkish newspapers is the
tremor registered at 5.8 on the Richter scale, according to
the calculations of the Turkish seismologists, while there
is conflicting information on the number of the people
killed, injured or trapped under the rubble of collapsed
buildings.
The only thing on which everyone agrees upon is that
the new earthquake has caused the wrath of the people toward
the Turkish state officials.
[24] MOSCOW: STATEMENT ON THE ARSON ATTACKS IN THESSALONIKI
A high ranking official of the Russian foreign ministry
stated to the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS in Moscow that
an investigation is underway with the assistance of the
Greek police authorities concerning the arson attack
targeting three vehicles of the Russian consulate in
Thessaloniki.
According to Thessaloniki's police authorities, the
terrorist organization Popular Revolutionary Front is
responsible for the arson attacks targeting four cars, which
were the property of the consulates of Russia and Albania
and were parked in different parts of the city. The attacks
caused only material damage.
According to leaflets found nearby, the terrorist
organization launched the attacks in a show of protest
against the arrivals of US officials in Thessaloniki.
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