BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY, THESSALONIKI, (23/01/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@uranus.ee.auth.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

January 23, 1996

CONTENTS

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[01] THE GREEK PRESIDENT WILL VISIT THE US WHITE HOUSE IN MAY

US President Bill Clinton and President of the greek Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will discuss the Cyprus problem and the situation in the Balkans during their meeting in the US White House that will be held on May 9th.

According to press information, President Clinton formally invited President Stephanopoulos to visit Washington and the invitation has been accepted.

A statement issued by the US White House mentions that the visit will give the opportunity to both leaders to reaffirm the close relations between the United States and Greece and also the warm friendship and the ties existing between the two peoples.

Presidents Clinton and Stephanopoulos will also discuss bilateral issues, among them the economic relations of the two countries.

[02] THE CONDITION OF PASOK'S LEADER IS UNCHANGED

The condition of PASOK's leader and former Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou presented no changes in the past 24 hours, according to the medical bulletin issued today by the Onasion Cardiology Center.

The medical bulletin mentions that the patient's body temperature is normal while the periodical support of his respiratory and renal functions with technical means continues.

[03] GREEK MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS "MANY FRIENDS IN TURKEY"

According to the Greek Embassy in Ankara, Mr. Paggalos held a brief conversation with a turkish newspaper reporter during which he said that he hopes a new era is beginning in the greek-turkish relations and that he wishes that a friendly relationship can develop among the two countries.

"No one knows that I have many friends in Turkey," the Minister is reported to have said, adding that "a short while ago I was in Konstantinople at a symposium where I gave a four-hour long speech."

Mr. Paggalos is further quoted as having said that his actions should not necessarily be taken as being reflective of his personal points of view.

This demonstration of warm interest towards Turkey by the greek Foreign Affairs Minister has surprised press officials, greek and foreign alike.

[04] GREEK INTERIOR MINISTER TO REPRESENT PREMIER IN EU SOCIALIST SUMMIT

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will be represented by Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos in the EU Socialist Prime Ministers' Summit that will be held in Vienna on January 25- 27.

Mr. Simitis will not be able to participate in the Summit due to his heavy schedule in view of his government's policy statements presentation that will be made next Monday in Parliament.

[05] POLITICAL SPRING PARTY LEADER LASHES OUT AGAIN AT PRIME MINISTER

With the pessimistic remark that Greece's new Prime Minister "will not be able to turn a new leaf in the country's history," Political Spring opposition party leader Antonis Samaras once again expressed his dissatisfaction with the election of new socialist Premier Kostas Simitis.

Following the opposition party's Policy Planning Council, during which the country's latest political developments were discussed, Mr. Samaras stated that "while Mr. Papandreou's resignation may mark the end of an era, the election of the new Premier does not mark the beginning of another one."

The opposition party leader proceeded to state that Mr. Simitis is a product of party politics, and does not represent the choice of the greek people. As such, Mr. Samaras said, a Prime Minister who has embeded in him the fear of the party instead of the fear of the people, is rendered incompetent.

[06] MACEDONIA-THRACE MINISTRY CHANGES HANDS AMIDST EMOTION

The northen Greece-based Ministry of MacedoniaThrace welcomed its new Minister Phillipos Petsalnikos in an emotion-filled ceremony today.

The newly-appointed Minister, who in the previous government had served as Deputy Minister of Education, takes on the Ministry from his predecessor Konstantinos Triarides, who had served as Macedonia-Thrace's minister for over two years.

Mr. Petsalnikos said that his undertaking of the Ministry constitutes a "challenge and a new beginning." Mr.

Triarides expressed his gratitude towards PASOK leader Andreas Papandreou for having selected him to serve in three governments, and emphasized his confidence about his successor's abilities.

[07] GREEK GOVERNMENT'S STANCE ON SKOPJAN ISSUE REMAINS THE SAME

The greek government's positions regarding the issue of Skopje are known and with those positions Greece entered the New York negotiations on the disputed issue concerning the name that FYROM will use.

The statement was made by greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to questions by reporters on whether there will be a change in the government's position on the issue of Skopje due to the fact that the new Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos has expressed his disagreement to the policy followed.

Mr.Reppas also announced that the next meeting between the representatives of Greece and Skopje will be held on the 12th or the 26th of February.

[08] THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS A HIGH PRIORITY ISSUE FOR THE US GOVERNMENT

US assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke stated that the Cyprus problem is a high priority issue for the US government and expressed the hope that there will be a solution acceptable by both communities in Cyprus.

Mr.Holbrooke made the above statement responding to a question by a reporter during his visit to Israel.

The US assistant Secretary of State also discussed with british Foreign Ministry Director mr.Greenstock the issue concerning the coordination of the EU effort with the US initiative, both aimed at the solution of the Cyprus problem.

According to information from New York, the british, speaking on behalf of their european partners, raised the issue of the US authority when they will be negotiating the european aspect of the Cyprus problem. In the meeting was also decided that a visit by mr.Greenstock to Cyprus will take place immediately after mr.Holbrooke's visit.

[09] GREEK SKIER FOUND DEAD IN HEAVILY SNOWED, FOG SHROUDED MOUNTAIN

The frozen body of 36-year-old Dimitris Papadopoulos was discovered today in northern Greece's Kaimaktsalan mountain range, three days after he was declared missing.

The skier, from the city of Skydra, got lost in the mountain range on Sunday when he set out to find his two young children, whom he thought were lost, and became disoriented in the mountain's impermeably thick fog. Papadopoulos' children had been found in the interim by other skiers on Sunday.

Extensive search efforts by police and rescue teams to find Papadopoulos were impeded by the heavy snow and thick fog that covered the popular ski resort during the weekend.

The weekend's severe weather conditions in the mountain, bitter cold and heavy snow coupled with thick fog, endangered many skiers who were familiar with the slopes.

[10] ALBANIANS JAILED IN GREECE WILL FINISH THEIR SENTENCE AT HOME

About 790 albanian inmates held in greek prisons will soon be sent back to their country in order to serve the rest of their sentences there, according to today's reports published in albanian newspapers citing official sources.

In the first group of albanian inmates that will be sent back are included 14 women and 140 young offenders ages 14 to 20.

According to the German News Agency, their extradiction to Albania was decided based on the agreement signed by the Justice Ministers of Greece and Albania in Tirana last August.

The decision follows a number of violent incidents in greek prisons caused by inmates, among them many albanians.

The European Commission recently offered 1,3 million dolars for the improvement of the living conditions in the albanian prisons and already the albanian government has started the renovation of the country's correctional institutions.

According to estimates, in Greece live over 250 thousand albanians and the majority of them are illegal immigrants.