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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-11-19Macedonian 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, November 19, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] "ECONOMIST" OPTIMISTIC OVER GREECE'S ACCESSION TO THE EMULondon, November 19 (MPA)The London-based periodical "Economist" applauds Greece's progress in reducing its public deficit in the Gross National Product, thereby increasing its chances of acceding to the Economic and Monetary Union by January 1, 2001.The magazine, in its present edition, forecasts that the country's GNP will close below the 3 per cent mark, which is the Maastricht criterion. [02] GREECE AND UZBEKISTAN SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENTAthens, November 19 (MPA)The Defense Ministers of Greece and Uzbekistan, Mgrs. Akis Tsochatzopoulos and Hikmatulah Tursunov, have signed a military cooperation agreement, the first such protocol Greece signs with a country of the former Soviet bloc in central Asia.The agreement call for the training of Uzbek officers in Greek military academies, as well as mutual participation in the "Partnership for Peace" program. [03] ALBANIA: REFERENDUM FOR � CONSTITUTION TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY�irana, November 19 (MPA)A referendum for the establishment of the country's first constitution is to held on Sunday in Albania, the first since the fall of the communist regime in 1990. The ratification of a democratic constitution, which will replace that of 1976, constituted one of the prerequisites set forth to Tirana for Albania's accession to Europe. [04] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAYAthens, November 19 (MPA)Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos embarked on an official two-day visit to South Africa today.Famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis is accompanying the FM on his visit and will conduct his musical adaptation of Odysseus Elytis' epic "Axion Esti". Mr. Pangalos has said that proceeds from the concert would be donated to South African President Nelson Mandela's charity to help impoverished children. Mr. Mandela has said he will attend the Greek composer's concert. Tomorrow, Mr. Pangalos will travel to Ethiopia to meet with government officials while he will also meet with Patriarch Paul. The Foreign Minister is to conclude the Africa tour on Saturday where he is scheduled to return to Athens. [05] 1ST BALKAN CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION BEGINSThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)The First Balkan Conference on "Education and Research Within the Frame of Sustainable Development" will be inaugurated in Thessaloniki today by the Undersecretary of Education Yiannis Anthopoulos.The three-day Conference's basic idea is to introduce new education systems, like the "Open University or the Selective Studies", as powerful instruments of knowledge within the frame of the social - economical development of any country. Scientists, politicians, reporters, industrial and commerce representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, and Turkey will participate in the Conference. The event is being held under the auspices of the Ministries of Education and Culture and it is also supported by the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace. [06] EUROPEAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: GREECE 0, ALBANIA 0Tirana, November 19 (MPA)Greece and Albania drew 0-0 in their European soccer championship qualifier match held in Tirana yesterday.With an attendance well over 15,000 fans, it was the first men's international soccer match to be played in Albania since 1996. All international sporting events in Albania were stopped last year, when riots against the government erupted after thousands of families lost their life savings in a huge investment scandal. [07] NATIONAL BANK UNVEILS AUTHENTIC COPY OF RIGAS' CHARTThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)The Cultural Center of the National Bank of Greece in Thessaloniki has acquired an authentic copy of the Chart of Rigas, the great Greek revolutionary who envisioned Balkan friendship and unity.The document will be officially presented today and it will be placed on display. The display is of great significance as it coincides with the bicentennial anniversary since Rigas' death. The Chart was printed in 1797 at Vienna and comprises 12 sheets that compose a map of four square meters. . [08] 10TH PANHELLENIC AIDS CONFERENCE BEGINS TODAY IN ATHENSAthens, November 19 (MPA)The Tenth Panhellenic AIDS conference is beginning in Athens today until November 21, featuring the participation of physicians, nursing staff and medical school students.According the a relevant news conference, the noted reduction in AIDS outbreaks in developed countries is mostly due to the emergence of new treatments, however new cases continue to appear in groups that were not previously considered prone to the virus. Meanwhile, AIDS continues to run rampant in Eastern European countries, Africa and South-eastern Asia. [09] MEETING FOR PANEUROPEAN X AXIS BEGINS IN THESSALONIKI TODAYThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)The first session of the directing committee for the Paneuropean X Axis, chaired by Greece, is to begin in Thessaloniki today and will be held until tomorrow.The meeting will feature the participation of representatives from all the interested countries, namely Greece, FYROM, the F.R. of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. The participants, aside from documenting the present infrastructure situation, are to tackle issues concerning the increase of passenger and freight mobility between Central and South Eastern Europe. The development of the said axis is expected to provide a boost to Greek exports towards Central Europe, thereby increasing Northern Greece's role as a stopover for passenger and freight, especially since the port of Thessaloniki will serve this very purpose. The X Axis begins in Thessaloniki and runs through Skopje, Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubliana to end in Saltzburg, Austria. Sections of the axis are being developed trough Grac, Budapest and Sofia. [10] DELEGATION OF CHINESE JOURNALISTS TO VISIT THESSALONIKIThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)A delegation of Chinese journalists, led by the secretary- general of the Pan-Chinese Journalists' Association Liang Gujie, is to visit Thessaloniki between November 23-25.The delegates are to conduct a series of meetings, among them with the Prefect of Thessaloniki Kostas Papadopoulos on Tuesday, November 24. [11] NEW DEMOCRACY DEPUTY BAKOYANNI DEPARTS FOR VISIT TO THE USAthens, November 19 (MPA)Main opposition party deputy, New Democracy's Dora Bakoyanni, is departing for an official visit to the United States today.Ms. Bakoyanni is to address an event held at the US Congress tomorrow, concerning the role of Greece today and before the change of the century. Moreover, the deputy, who has served numerous times as minister during New Democracy's term and is also the daughter of N.D.'s honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis, is to meet with White House staff, leaders of the Greek-American community and American businessmen. [12] INTERBALKAN-BLACK SEA BUSINESS CENTER TO HOLD MISSION TO BELGRADEThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)The Thessaloniki-based Inter-Balkan and Black Sea Business Center (DIPEK) is to organize a business mission to Belgrade in an effort to establish economic ventures between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Greece.The mission will depart from Thessaloniki the following Thursday and will remain in the Yugoslav capital until Sunday. Various chambers of northern Greece are participating in the delegation, along with various businessmen who are active or interested in developing ventures in Yugoslavia. [13] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES TO VISIT ATHENS ON NOVEMBER 27Nicosia, November 19 (MPA)Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides is to be received by Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis on November 27, during his visit to Athens where he will be accompanied by Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides and Defense Minister Yiannakis Omirou.The talks will be attended by Greece's Foreign and Defense Ministers, Mgrs. Theodoros Pangalos and Akis Tsochatzopoulos respectively. On the agenda for the meeting are Cyprus' EU accession process and the issue of the S-300 missiles. [14] TURKISH WARSHIPS DOCK IN KYRENIA HARBORNicosia, November 19 (MPA)Four Turkish warships docked in Cyprus's occupied Kyrenia harbor yesterday as part of Turkish military exercises that will include strikes on mock S-300 missile targets.Two Turkish navy frigates and two submarines sailed into Kyrenia harbor yesterday morning, where three cruisers were already stationed. Turkish naval and air exercises code-named "Determination" and "Taurus" were both in full swing in the occupied areas yesterday. As part of "Taurus 98", Turkish Armed Forces will attack mock targets representing the S-300 missiles, which it has threatened to strike for real if they are ever deployed in Cyprus. On Monday, Turkish air force planes violated Cyprus airspace on three separate occasions, Cypriot Defense Ministry sources said yesterday. In the morning, two R4 reconnaissance planes entered Cyprus airspace through occupied Kyrenia, flew over Kyrenia and left through the Karpass peninsula. They were followed by two more R4s, which followed the same flight pattern. Live ammunition will be used during the exercises and the government expects more air violations in the coming days. The Taurus exercises began yesterday and will end tomorrow, while Determination, which started on Monday, will end next week. [15] UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ROME FOR IGADRome, November 19 (MPA)Greece's undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis is presently in Rome where he will represent Greece at the international forum of the "Allies of IGAD" , which addresses issues related to Somalia and Sudan.The IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority for Development) is a regional cooperation organization in Africa which is active in matters related to development policy and political prevention and management of crises. The "Allies of IGAD" was founded in 1994 by Western countries and this is Greece's first year of participation. [16] GREEK-BULGARIAN FIBER-OPTIC LINK TO BE READY WITHIN SIX MONTHSThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)A fiber optics telecommunications system linking Greece to Bulgaria is to operate within six months after completion of the latest step in the project, according to officials.A new stretch of the cable in Bulgaria that is finally to link Sofia with Thessaloniki. was launched on Tuesday by Greece's Intracom, a high-technology communications specialist that is listed on the Athens bourse, and also active in the Balkans. Intracom expects to complete the cable within six months against the one-year deadline contained in the original deal with BTK, Bulgaria's state telecom, which is funding the project. The cable on the Greek side has already been completed. [17] GREECE'S DEFENSE MINISTER IN UZBEKISTANTashkent, November 19 (MPA)Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos held talks with his Uzbek counterpart, Khik-matulla Tursunov in Tashkent yesterday, where they also signed a military cooperation agreement.Mr. Tsohatzopoulos also held talks with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, while today he will meet with Prime Minister Utkir Sultanov and the Uzbek Parliament Speaker Erkin Khalilov. During a press conference, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos praised Uzbekistan's role as "an island of stability in a volatile part of the world". The military cooperation agreement signed yesterday has three main axes: activities within the framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace program, cooperation as part of a collective policy of Eurasian security - as is being shaped by the Euroatlantic Council - and thirdly, purely bilateral relations. The Greek minister also said both sides want accession to a "joint European security policy" regarding to security vis-a-vis the transport of oil from the greater region. He added that a European initiative on the crucial issue is necessary. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' visit will be followed by talks in Tashkent between National Economy Undersecretary Alekos Baltas and the granting by Athens of credits totaling 50 million dollars. President Kostis Stephanopoulos, meanwhile, will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan next March. In addition, a Greek embassy is expected to open soon in Tashkent. Up to now, Greece has been represented in Uzbekistan by its embassy in Moscow. [18] SEMINAR ON THE GREEK ECONOMY TO BE HELD IN PARIS TOMORROWParis, November 19 (MPA)A seminar on the Greek economy will be held in Paris tomorrow, jointly organized by the French Commerce Chamber of Greece with the Federation of Greek Industry and French employers association, MEDEF.Among those who will address the seminar titled "Greece at the Dawn of the New Millennium", are Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and Deputy National Economy Minister Alekos Baltas. French representatives of business will discuss their experiences in Greece of the industry and infrastructure sectors. [19] SEV AND FRENCH COMMERCIAL CHAMBER OF GREECE MEET IN PARISParis, November 19 (MPA)Greek and French business representatives will embark on meetings in Paris today within the context of a business mission jointly organized by the Greek Industries Association (SEV) and the French Commercial Chamber of Greece.The Greek delegation comprises 21 business executives representing a number of sectors of Greek industry, who will seek to strike new deals or to continue and extend existing ones. [20] TWO MILLION BRITISH TOURISTS TRAVELED TO GREECE SO FAR IN 1998Thessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)Approximately two million Britons visited Greece so far in 1998, and the number is expected to increase by 16% before the year is over.Britain praised Greece's tourism sector in its "World Travel Market" exhibition in London where the Hellenic Tourism Organization (���) general secretary Michalis Kyriakidis met with travel entrepreneurs who he said now view Greece in a more positive light, praising recent upgrades in infrastructure and at the nation's airports. The International Federation of Tour Operators (IFTO) has indicated its overall satisfaction with improvements in services offered by the Greek tourism sector. [21] GREECE TO PARTICIPATE AT NEXT YEAR'S FOOD FAIR IN AUSTRALIAAthens, November 19 (MPA)The Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO) has announced that it will organize the Greek participation at Australia's "FINE-FOOD" international fair in Sydney next summer.The food and beverage exhibition is the largest of its kind in that country. [22] NATIONAL NEWS AGENCIES CAN SERVE AS GUIDING LIGHTHOUSESSofia, November 19 (MPA)National news agencies can grant the mass media the opportunity to become light into the darkness, by providing them with sound information and promoting cultural values, stated the Macedonian Press Agency's General Director during his address given at a conference organized by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency in Sofia, celebrating its centennial anniversary.In his address titled, "The Mass Media and Communications in the 21st Century", Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated that the explosion of new technologies is challenging certain fundamental axioms, such as the individual's image and the right to freedom of mobility and conduct. "Within this frenzied rate of international economic societal and political developments, modern technology is at the driver's seat by elevating the concept of possessing information into an impetus. The pressing need felt by the Balkan states with international dynamism, to enter the next millennium with the best afforded outlook determines the degree of significance that must be granted to the entirety of the mss media-publicity- information," Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated. Concurrently, he stressed that it is imperative that the national news agencies, more so than all of the other news organizations, contribute to the improvement of quality by providing more news and information for the neighboring peoples, on matters related to the common cultural heritage, in order to bring these peoples closer, develop friendship, cooperation and to eradicate once and for all the danger of conflagration. "We believe that the creation of the Balkan News Bank, whose pilot operation has already begun at the Macedonian Press Agency's facilities, is to steer us in this direction, through the participation of the national news agencies of all the Balkan countries, a direction to be further drawn by the system of satellite linkage among the national news agencies of South- eastern Europe with Thessaloniki, a program promoted by the MPA and viewed quite favorably by the European Union, the Map's general director stated. Mr. Kouzinopoulos stressed that in the course to the 21st century, the national news agencies, by granting the correct information and illustrating cultural values, can grant the mass media the opportunity to bring light into darkness, by striking ignorance and populism so that the media may become a foundation of hope for the weak, a voice and refuge of the persecuted and a suit of armor for the people. Mr. Kouzinopoulos also pointed out that the citizen should not feel that the development of technology will constitute a barrier to the protection of his fundamental rights, since, as he stated, "we would then be at risk of finding ourselves in a situation with indiscernible boundaries between politically correct censorship and ethics-based protection. "Nations must guarantee that the information and multimedia revolution will proliferate while granting maximum respect to human rights. This includes not only the fundamentals -privacy and copyright-, but also the right to use new technologies," he added. He further stated that the threat of transforming the news world into a vast supermarket is evident already, especially during an era when the people's interest in politics is declining, while thoughtless consumerism and abstention from the public life are on the rise. The journalists' role in the new era will remain a significant one for assuring credibility in the news, checking the reliability of sources and aiding the reader in forming the same point of view. However, in order to achieve this, great efforts have to be exerted in the professional training sector and in the dissemination and promotion of professional conduct rules, which will be made known to the public and will be upheld by the journalists. He concluded that as a result of the globalisation of information, the mass media, and especially the national news agencies, have a duty and an obligation to promote culture and cultural values overall. [23] CUSTOMS WORKERS IN PORTS, AIRPORTS AND BORDERS ON 3-DAY STRIKEThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)Greek customs workers are continuing their three-day strike for the second day today, a move that has created havoc in the country's ports, airports and borders where travelers can enter the country only by foot.Customs workers have said they will only allow the entry of military-related equipment, pharmaceuticals for hospitals and radioactive materials. The strike, set to end tomorrow, also poses problems for implementation of the government's new tax regime on automobiles, as cars set for import remain stuck at border posts for at least three days [24] PREMIER MEETS WITH LEADERS OF GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF WORKERSAthens, November 19 (MPA)Prime Minster Kostas Simitis met with the presidium of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the country's largest union, a meeting attended by the Ministers of National Economy and Labor, Yiannos Papantoniou and Miltos Papaioannou respectively.According to reports, the GSEE has requested more flexible objective criteria and additional funds for unemployment. [25] US REQUEST OCALAN'S EXTRADITIONWashington, November 19 (MPA)The United States have requested the extradition of the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan from Italy, as Ankara continues to exert pressure on Rome to hand him over. Meanwhile the Greek Foreign Ministry has reacted strongly to Turkish claims that Greece and Cyprus grant protection to Kurdish autonomists.Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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