Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia mr Milan Milutinovic was received today by the greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou in Athens.
In the meeting which took place at the presense of greek Foreign Minister mr Carolos Papoulias, the Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia briefed the Prime Minister on the developments in the Bosnian crisis, on the talks serb President mr Slobodan Milosevic had with United States Undersecretary of State, mr Richard Holbrooke and on the new peace process opened after the withdrawal of Bosnianserb heavy weapons from Sarajevo.
In a statement after the meeting mr Milutinovic expressed optimism for the future in the area saying that there will be no new developments.
Greek Foreign Minister who straight after was received in private by mr Papandreou expressed restricted optimism for the developments in Bosnia stressing that there are difficulties and predicted that the contacts will lead in an international convention which will be the beginning for a solution to the crisis in former Yugoslavia.
Mr Papoulias hailed the US role in Bosnia and characterised the work the European mediator mr Carl Bild does as excellent adding that Greece supports the peace process.
The Athens - Scopje relations were not discussed during the meeting between the Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou and the Yugoslav Foreign Minister mr Milan Milutinovic who came in Athens to pay a very short visit, as the Greek Foreign Minister mr Carolos Papoulias who was present at the meeting said after it was concluded.
Asked on the negotiations of the name FYROM will be recognised, mr Papoulias expressed his optimism that this effort will be as successive.
Mr Milutinovic reiterated that the position of his country concerning the recognition of FYROM was not changed and stressed that Belgrade hailed the interim Athens - Scopje agreement.
Greek Foreign Minister mr Carolos Papoulias expressed the hope that the results of the meeting he will have with his to-be- appointed Turkish counterpart will be better than other similar meetings in the past.
Mr Papoulias contradited that a mediation by United States Undersecretary of State mr Richard Holbrooke "taking into account the greek national interests". Aske dwhether there could be a Grecoturkish dialogue on the Aegean Sea, the Greek minister siad that such a dialogue can take place only if Tureky accepts the issue to be referred to the international court of Hague.
The European Commission responded positively to the demand made by greek member of the European Parliament with the Coalition of the Left mr. Alexandros Alavanos who asked for the extension to the greek city of Alexandroupolis of the vertical road axis which will begin from Helsinki and end up to the bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
This is regarded as big success for Greece since British Commissioner mr Neal Kinnock responded that the Commission is willing to support the greek demand for the extension of the road axis and to invite Greece to the meeting on the issue, due to be held in Brussels in October.
The issue of the road axis was the most essential point of the discussions during the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Greece, Bulgaria and Romania that was held in the greek city of Ioannina on August 26th.
The extension of the road axis to Alexandroupolis in combination with the construction of the BurgasAlexandroupolis oil pipe-line will lead to the overall upgrading of the city and of the Evros Prefecture in general through its transformation to a transportation center of european dimensions.
The pipeline will bring russian oil from the Bulgarian port in the Black Sea to the Greek port in the Aegean Sea.
President of the Hellenic Republic mr Konstantinos Stephanopoulos will make an official visit to the United States between October 17-23.
Mr Stephanopoulos will visit Boston and will give a speech in Harvard University on October 19th while the day after he will attend a formal reception that will be given to his honour in New York by the greek ambassador in the United States mr. Lukas Chillas.
On October 23rd mr. Stephanopoulos will address the annual United Nations General Assembly.
During his visit the greek President will meet with representatives of greeks living in the United States and Canada.
President Stephanopoulos will return to Athens on October 23rd.
Greek Minister of National Economy mr Yiannos Papantoniou will attend the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund that will be held in Washington between October 4-12.
The Minister is expected to have contacts with officials of the two international economic organizations to discuss the course of the greek economy and to present the positive results concerning the decrease of the inflation.
Also, mr. Papantoniou will have the opportunity to meet with american businessmen and with a group of greekamerican investors in order to attract new investments in Greece.
The human rights situation in Turkey is worsening instead of improving according to what the Republican United States House Representative, mr John Porter said during a hearing of the Helsinki Committee on the course of democratization in Turkey.
The parliamentary committee called the White House to follow a harder line towards Turkey in order to be secured both the respect of human rights and Ankara's compliance with the democratic principles.
During the hearing of the Helsinki Committee the Republican deputies attending warned that initiatives will be undertaken against Turkey if there is no improvement in the area of human rights.
They especially underlined the continuing turkish occupation of Cyprus' northern part, the oppression of the kurdish people, the embargo against an independent state, the Republic of Armenia and the restrictions on the freedom of the Press imposed through the implementation of the anti-terrorist law.
Discussions on the materialization of joint investment initiatives in Greece and in neighbouring Balkan states will be held in the informal Greek-American Business Council which opened today and will be concluded tomorrow in Athens with the participation of 53 businessmen and high executives of large greek and american companies.
In the discussions 22 americans and 10 greeks, representing american international companies and 22 greek businessmen take part.
Greek Minister of National Economy mr Yiannos Papantoniou presented the dynamics of the greek economy and urged the businessmen to go ahead with their plans which will contribute to the stability in the region.
United States Ambassador in Athens mr Thomas Niles greeted those attending the council meeting, while ms. Luka Katselis, economic advisor to Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou, in her speech explained the positions of the greek government to the businessmen.
The basic proposals to the future investors will be presented by the President of the Macedonia-Thrace Bank mr Andreas Boumis and by the President of the Association of Industries in Northern Greece, mr Nikos Efthimiadis.
Among the american companies which take part some very well known such as Alico, Bank of America, Bechte, AT&T, Chase Manhattan, Phillip Morris, Motorola, Texaco, Mobil, Procter & Gamble, Delta Airlines and Lehman Brothers are included, while on the greek side the meeting is attended by the businessmen Boutaris, Kokalis, Mamidakis, Lavidas, Vernikos, Efthimiadis and Emfiedjoglou.