Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 96-12-04

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, December 4, 1996

TITLES

[01] GREEK PREMIER MEETS FYROM'S AND TURKEY'S PRESIDENTS DURING OSCE SUMMIT

[02] PREMIER CONVENES INNER CABINET TO DISCUSS FARMERS' RALLYING

[03] PARLIAMENT'S COMMITTEE ON FINANCE STARTS BUDGETARY DISCUSSIONS TODAY

[04] IRISH ENVOY FOR CYPRUS HOPES DIRECT TALKS WILL START BY NEXT MARCH

[05] EUROPARLIAMENT AND COMMISSION DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON TURKEY'S FUNDS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] GREEK PREMIER MEETS FYROM'S AND TURKEY'S PRESIDENTS DURING OSCE SUMMIT

Lisbon, December 4 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Simitis told reporters that these meetings were of a social character and perhaps even a political one, in the sense that "we didn''t talk about the weather, we commented that there are some issues that need to come to a close."

In his brief and informal meeting with Mr. Gligorov, Mr. Simitis mentioned the need for the two countries to further develop their relations and, in order for this to be achieved, the President of FYROM must look into the name issue currently pending between the two countries and seek its resolve.

When asked if Greece plans to hold direct talks with FYROM and Turkey, Mr. Simitis reminded the reporters that the dialogue with FYROM is currently taking place through the United Nations, while regarding Turkey, he said that "there is no margin for dialogue."

[02] PREMIER CONVENES INNER CABINET TO DISCUSS FARMERS' RALLYING

Thessaloniki, December 4 (M.P.A.)

This evening, Agriculture Minister Stefanos Tzoumakas will meet in Larisa with the Pan-Thessaly Coordinating Committee of Farmers.

Meanwhile, interstate and intrastate roads have remain blocked-off in dozens of sites throughout the country. In Thessaloniki, the farmers proceeed to block access to the "Macedonia" airport, while the local district attorney's office has pressed charges for obstruction of public transportation against the rallying farmers and has ordered them to allow off- road access to the airport.

The protesting farmers, who block the roads with motley lines of tractors, denounce the Government's economic policy and demand from the State to clear their debts and offer them increased crop subsidies.

Aside from the anomalies created in cross-country transportation, fresh food deliveries are also greatly affected as the goods are being held up at the production site and deliveries cannot proceed to out-of-town markets.

Concurrently, the city's port remains inactive for the ninth day in a row, with its administrative employees participating in a country-wide strike. The strikers demand that the Government hand them productivity bonuses and adjust their incomes to inflation.

The President of the Thessaloniki Port Authority Apostolos Genitsaris told the Macedonian Press Agency yesterday that while every individual has the inalienable right to strike, the consequences brought on by this work stoppage include a devastating effect upon the local economy and a blow to the port's credibility.

Twenty-three ships were waiting to berth at the port yesterday, of which 14 were rerouted towards Cyprus, Turkey or other, smaller ports in Greece.

[03] PARLIAMENT'S COMMITTEE ON FINANCE STARTS BUDGETARY DISCUSSIONS TODAY

Athens, December 4 (M.P.A.)

The debate over the 1997 budget will begin on December 17 in the Parliament's Plenary Session and will be completed at midnight on December 21.

Today, the Minister of Merchant Marine Stavros Soumakis will meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis from whom he is expected to request a review of the tax bill affecting those who work in the maritime industry.

[04] IRISH ENVOY FOR CYPRUS HOPES DIRECT TALKS WILL START BY NEXT MARCH

Nicosia, December 4 (M.P.A.)

The Irish diplomat also stated that for as long as the Cyprus problem remains unresolved, the island's accession to the EU will be very difficult to achieve. Mr. Heaslip also advocated that talks must take place between the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafkos Clerides, and the self-called leader of the occupying regime in northern Cyprus, Rauf Denktash.

Mr. Heaslip is expected to meet today with the alternate Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General and with the EU member-countries' ambassadors in Cyprus.

[05] EUROPARLIAMENT AND COMMISSION DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON TURKEY'S FUNDS

Brussels, December 4 (M.P.A.)

The Europarliament, through recent resolutions, ruled for the cessation of funding to Turkey due to this country's continuous violations of human rights. Two days ago, the European Parliament ruled that it must pre-approve the MEDA funding for Turkey's development programs chosen by the Commission.

Dutch Commissioner Hans Van Den Broek appears to linearly oppose such option by supporting, albeit informally, that the approval of funding for such programs is a matter that lies exclusively within the authority of the European Commission which has undertaken the task of approving programs related to Turkey's democratization and development of its southeastern regions, which is where the majority of the country's Kurdish minority lives.

Faced with the apparent conflict between the two branches of the EU, the Europarliament's President Klaus Haencsh will propose to the Commission the formation of a special committee, to comprise two members of the Commission and two or three eurodeputies, which will examine those programs for Turkey which are subject to approval and will in turn submit its proposals to the European Parliament.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/

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