Subject: BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN 8/6/95 Topic: mpa From: Macedonian Press Agency Thessaloniki, June 8th 1995 NATO ACCEPTS GREEK POSITIONS CONCERNING THE NATO STAFFS NATO Defense Ministers accepted today the Greek positions concerning the activation of the NATO staffs in Thessaloniki and Larissa said today the Greek National Defense Minister Mr Yerassimos Arsenis after the NATO ministerial Session in Brussels. Objections were raised by the Turkish deligation under Mr Mehmet Giolhan but they were not discussed. Mr Arsenis had earlier today, before the opening of NATO's Defence Ministers, met today the NATO Secretary General Willy Klaes and his US counterpart William Perry Summit. During the Summit was expressed satisfaction for the positive developments that resulted from the greek mediating initiative while it was also expressed the wish for the release of the rest of the UN peace-keepers still held as hostages by the bosnian serbs. THE GREEK MEDIATION IN BOSNIA AIMED AT THE POLITICAL SOLUTION The essence of the greek mediation initiative on Bosnia is the political solution of the problem, stated greek government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos. The greek government spokesman also stated that Secretary General on European Affairs, mr. Theodorakis will inform tomorrow on the initiative the Ambassadors of the 15 EU countries to Athens. In Brussels where the NATO Defense Ministers met, Greek Defense Minister Mr Arsenis was congratulated by his counterparts on the success of the initiative while in NEW York UN SEcreatary General Dr Boutros Boutros Ghalli thanked Greek Foreign Vice Minister Mr Gr.Niotis for the help provided by Greece towards the release of the hostages. Mr.Venizelos also said that greek Prime Minister Mr Andreas Papandreou Papandreou is likely to brief the european leaders tomorrow in Paris. Arriving in Paris Mr Papandreou reiterated the Greek position for a peaceful solution of the crisis. GREEK MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY FOR A BALKAN PACT Leader of the main greek opposition party of New Democracy, Miltiadis Evert concluded his formal visit in Sofia where he met with bulgarian President Zeliu Zelev, Prime Minister Jan Videnov, Foreign Minister Pirinski and Parliament President Sentov. Mr.Evert in a press conference stressed the need for the strengthening of cooperation between Athens and Sofia and underlined that the talks he had with the bulgarian leadership were useful, constructive and fruitful while he reiterated his proposal for the signing of a Balkan agreement on the mutual recognition of the existing borders in the region. The leader of New Democracy stated that Greece and Bulgaria can play a leading role in the Balkans and said that bilateral relations can be improved through the cooperation in the economic sector, the construction of road networks, the exploitation of the water resources of the river Nestos and the construction of the oil pipe-line Burgas-Alexandroupolis. EXTRAORDINARY EU SUMMIT IN PARIS TODAY AND TOMORROW Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou left for Paris to participate in the extraordinary EU Summit meeting. The main topics for discussion will be the bosnian crisis and the greek mediating initiative that had as a result the release of 108 blue-helmets. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali thanked the greek government for the mediating effort during his meeting with greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Grigoris Niotis in New York. Also, UN Secretary General representative, Joe Seals stressed that is especially appreciated the help offered by the greek government for the release of the UN soldiers held as hostages by the bosnian serbs. THE GREEK-ALBANIAN SUB-COMMITTEE MET IN TIRANA The greek-albanian sub-committee which met in Tirana on June 6 and 7 dealt with issues concerning the borders and the defence. The records kept during the meeting were made public today by greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Kostas Bikas. The two sides agreed on the need for measures and projects at the borders in order to stop the violations while it was agreed that the albanian side will prepare a draft agreement on the prevention of border incidents which will be studied by the greek side. On July 5th, will meet in Athens the Inter-governmental Greek- Albanian Committee headed by greek National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and by his albanian counterpart in order to be discussed issues of economic cooperation between the two countries. A FRAMEWORK OF PRINCIPLES SHOULD BE ADOPTED SAYS GREEK PROFESSOR The adoption by the Balkan countries of a framework of principles that will include the respect of borders, the rejection of military threats and the taking of measures that will create climate of mutual trust which will discourage possible violations of the status quo in the region, will be the best way to secure the stability in the Balkans, according to an interview of Athens Pantion University professor Stelios Alifantis that was published in bulgarian newspaper "24 Hours". Regarding the membership of former communist states in NATO he said that by the year 2.000 the alliance has to resolve all the problems stemming from its internal reforms. Mr.Alifantis said regarding the accession of those countries into the European Union that the accession of a state into the EU is mostly an economic problem while the membership in NATO is an issue of national security. TURKEY WAS FOUND GUILTY BY THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. According to the European Court of Human Rights decision, Ankara must pay indemnities and court expences to the individuals imprisoned unjustifiably for a long period of time. The Court decided that Ankara must pay indemnities of 6 thousand dollars to each of the two opposition members who were held in turkish prisons for two and a half years because of their political beliefs. The two were finally acquitted by a turkish court. The two political prisoners, who brought their case to the European Court of Human Rights, are journalist Nabi Yiagtsi Secretary General of the turkish Labour party and Nihat Sargin a doctor and Secretary General of the turkish Communist party. The two turkish politicians were arrested in 1987 when they returned to Turkey after a long absence abroad. EL GRECO's MASTERPIECE ''SAINT PETER" BOUGHT BY GREECE "Saint Peter", the masterpiece of Dominikos Theotokopoulos, El Greco, now belongs to the National Art Gallery in Athens. The painting was bought from art collector Stanley Moss and the 300 million drachmas needed for its purchase were gathered through donations from institutions and private individuals from all over Greece. The first million was donated by music composer Vangelis Papathanasiou who has writen an oratorium for El Greco which will promote internationally the fact that one of his unique paintings now belongs to Greece and also will remind the international community that Diminikos Theotokopoulos was greek. -------------------------MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY--------------------------- The Macedonian Press Agency is a non-governmental press organization which aims: - To transfer and make use of news and information about the situation in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean countries mostly upon matters which are of vital interest for the Greek business, scientific and cultural activities. - To become a "bridge" between the Greeks who live abroad and their home countryby contributing to a more essential connection and above all to inform them about the investment opportunities as well as the intellectual and artistic movements in Greece, the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. - To show the achievements and the abilities of the business, scientific and intellectual world of Greece all over the world. 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