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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-05-06Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, May 6, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK PREMIER TO MEET WITH COUNTRY�S POLITICAL LEADERSAthens, May 6 (MPA)Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to meet with the country�s political leaders whom he will brief on the recently-held Euro Summit, meeting first with the leader of the main opposition party New Democracy�s Kostas Karamanlis. Tomorrow, the Premier will give a press conference. Yesterday, he was received by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos whom he briefed on the results of the Euro Summit held over the weekend in Brussels.[02] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS TO BE ENTHRONED ON SATURDAYAthens, May 6 (MPA)The newly-elected Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Crhistodoulos is to be enthroned this Saturday at the Athens Metropolis. The President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will not attend the ceremony, but representatives from the ecumenical patriarchate and the orthodox churches are to be present.[03] KOSSOVO CRISIS STILL FERMENTINGPrishtina, May 6 (MPA)The situation in Kossovo remains tense as armed conflict continues for the fourth successive day between Serb armed forces and Albanian guerrillas. Yesterday, Russia�s alternate Foreign Minister Ivanov met with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic with whom he reviewed the Kossovo situation.[04] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ADDRESSES WEU MEETINGMadrid, May 6 (MPA)Greece�s Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated yesterday that the Western European Union (WEU) must develop in tandem with NATO and not in opposition to the Alliance. Addressing the WEU parliamentary assembly meeting held in Madrid , Mr. Tsochatzopoulos added that "the principle of compatibility and joint - and not separate - use of available means and facilities must be maintained. " The WEU and NATO plan their first-ever joint exercise for the year 2000. Greece will be hosting a two-day WEU defense and foreign ministers' meeting on Rhodes which begins next Monday.[05] GREECE,US COOPERATE ON COPYRIGHT ISSUESAthens, May 6 (MPA)Greece and the United States are cooperating on copyright issues and hope to reach a solution that will be mutually beneficial, according to the government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas. Mr. Reppas stated yesterday that US Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns is to confer with the Greek government on this matter. The United States warned last week that it would embark on World Trade Organization dispute settlement procedures after the Greek government failed to curb high rates of piracy of U.S.-owned films and programs by -mostly local- television stations.[06] GREEK ADVERTISERS OPPOSE EU BAN ON TOBACCO ADSAthens, May 6 (MPA)The European Union-proposed ban on tobacco advertisements has been met with the fierce opposition of the Union of Greek Advertising and the Union of Greek Daily Newspapers who argue that the ban infringes on the public�s right to information and choice. These two groups were linked with their European counterparts, who also voice concern over the ban during a tele-conference between Athens and Brussels yesterday. Stavros Leousis of the Union of Greek Advertisers said it is the right of the consumer to make an educated assessment of the pros and cons of a product. "If one cigarette is 'lighter' than another, or has a better filter, the proposed ban would deny consumers the right to know that, and the right to choose on the basis of adequate information", Mr. Leousis stated. "That is not fair". The chairman of the European Editors Council Frank Rogers agrees. "The freedom in which one communicates information pertaining to products is closely linked to the freedom of the press". The EU is to decide on whether or not it will go ahead with the tobacco ban later this month.[07] WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION TO CONFER IN RHODES THIS WEEKENDAthens, May 6 (MPA)The Western European Union is to hold a conference at the island of Rhodes this weekend and, according to reports, NATO�s secretary-general Javier Solana is expected to refer to the subject of confidence-building - measures between Greece and Turkey. At a meeting of the WEU parliament in Spain, Mr. Solana met with Greek defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who invited the Alliance�s chief to Greece this summer. The foreign and defense ministers of Greece and the other nine WEU members will be at the Rhodes conference, while Turkey�s defense minister will also attend, as Turkey has associate status in the WEU.[08] GREECE�S DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH SPANISH COUNTERPARTMadrid, May 6 (MPA)Greece�s Defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos met with his Spanish counterpart Eduardo Serra in Madrid yesterday, where he briefed him on the Cyprus issue, specifically the recent developments concerning the US presidential envoy�s failed attempts to re-start talks between the island�s two communities. "We regret the intransigence of the Turkish Cypriot side, in the same way as we regret Turkey's refusal to accept the promotion of a solution to the Cyprus issue based on international rules and the UN's resolutions," Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated. "My country does not refuse dialogue, but certain preconditions must exist such as respect for international treaties and international law, as well as abstention from provocative attitudes," Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said. Mr. Serra stated that his country follows the principle of resolving problems with peaceful means so as to decrease tensions.They discussed a variety of issues, ranging from security to the establishment of a unified currency throughout the European Union. They also discussed the upcoming visit to Athens of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia. [09] WHITE HOUSE AGREES IN PART WITH HOLBROOKE�S ASSESSMENTSWashington, May 6 (MPA)The White House spokesperson Mike McCurry stated yesterday, during the daily briefing, that the Clinton Administration �concurs with some of the assessments provided by Ambassador (Richard) Holbrooke�, referring to the latter�s failed attempts to re-start talks between Cyprus�s Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots. According to Mr. McCurry, the US Presidential envoy has indicated the United States has continued to -- will be prepared to continue the US�s effort to facilitate a search �for a settlement on Cyprus, an ongoing conflict between two of our close allies and, in turn, their allies and their associated populations on the island of Cyprus. � It's high time to end that conflict and try to bring about a settlement which we believe you can see your way to if the parties set aside some of their differences and move forward and negotiate seriously. We would certainly hope that both the Turkish Cypriots and the government on Cyprus would make that effort,� Mr. McCurry said.When asked to comment on reports that Mr. Holbrooke is planning now to use NATO forces to prevent a conflict over Cyprus stemming from the Turkish side�s displeasure of Cyprus�s purchase of S-300 Russian missiles, Mr. McCurry stated that �this would be something that we would have to take up and deliberate within the confines of the North Atlantic Council.� However, he added, �I'm not aware that there is a pending issue with respect to the S-300s that arises in NATO, although they clearly are concerned about that because they -- within NATO, our allies share the concerns that we've expressed about the potentially destabilizing aspects of the introduction of that missile technology into the reason.� [10] ALBANIA WANTS INTERNAITONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN KOSSOVOTirana, May 6 (MPA)Albania�s parliamentary committee on foreign affairs is to hold successive meetings with foreign diplomats in order to decide on the assignment of an international peacekeeping force in Kossovo.The parliamentary committee is to meet today with the ambassadors of the United states, France and Germany, while tomorrow they will receive the ambassadors of Italy, Greece , Russia and Spain. [11] BELGRADE TO HOST �RIGAS FEREOS AND THE BALKAN PEOPLES�Belgrade, May 6 (MPA)The international conference titled �Rigas Fereos and the Balkan peoples 1798-1998� is to be held in Belgrade tomorrow, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary since the death of the Greek revolutionary. The event is jointly organized by the School of literature of Belgrade�s University, Greece�s Democritus University, the Balkanological Institute of the Serb Academy of sciences and Arts and the Athens-based association �Rigas Fereos Velestinlis�.[12] ALBANIA, GREECE SIGN AGREEMENT ON HEALTHTirana, May 6 (MPA)Albania and Greece have proceeded to the signing of a two-year, health issues related agreement which provides for the development of joint research programs between the two countries, and cooperation between research centers on issues of mutual interest.The agreement took place within the framework of the three-day visit to Tirana conducted by Greece�s Health Minister Kostas Geitonas. As part of the agreement, Greece will also provide free hospital care for up to 300 Albanian citizens per year, at the discretion of the health minister. Greece is also preparing a program of internships at Greek hospitals for young Albanian physicians. [13] GREECE A BRIDGE OF ENERGY FLOW BETWEEN MIDDLE EAST- EUROPECairo, May 6 (MPA)The creation of a network of continues flow of energy among the countries of North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Mediterranean is part of a plan, which includes Greece, that has been signed in Cairo between the Greek Minister of Development Vaso Papandreou and her Egyptian counterpart. Through this energy plan, Greece is rendered as the �gate� for the expansion of this energy network throughout Europe.The first part of this plan foresees a continuous flow of energy between Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. The countries of northern Africa will try to get linked with the system through Egypt, while the European countries will be linked through Greece and Turkey. Ms. Papandreou stated that the political differences between Greece and Turkey will not hamper the materialization of this plan. In the future, the European countries will have the option of gaining access tot he network through Spain- Morocco and Italy-Tunisia. The first phase of the plan, which is expected to be activated within the year, is to cost USD500 million and will result in the conservation of energy in the aforementioned countries, valued at two-to-three billion dollars. 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/Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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