MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (04/03/1996)

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

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

04/03/1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] DENKTASH FLOWN TO ANKARA IN DEMIREL'S PRIVATE PLANE

Turk President Suleiman Demirel provided a private plane for the patient's transfer, while Denktash's family members were also flown to Ankara, accompanied by a number of cardiologists.

[02] TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY ISSUES PROTEST TO GREEK EMBASSY

Accoridng to the turkish Ministry's announcement, the episode is described as "harrassment" that occurred on turkish territorial waters and violated the patrol boat's right to unimpeded passage.

Diplomatic sources consider Ankara's move to be a routine act.

[03] MINISTERIAL COUNCIL, CENTRAL COMMITTEE TO MEET TOMORROW

This afternoon, the Minister of Interior Akis Tsohatzopoulos met with the Premier and prepared for tomorrow's meeting.

According to sources, one of the topics that weighs heavily on the agenda is the prospect of abolishing the seats of regional directors. it is almost certain, according to the same sources, that in case the seats are not abolished, the positions will be re-assigned to higher members of the hierarchy.

[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS THE BOMBINGS IN JERUSALEM

The Greek Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas stated that "we consider such actions to be terrorist acts, they annihilate peace in the whole region.

"We believe that such phenomena and actions will be handled decisively in order to bring about peace and progress in the region," stated Mr. Reppas.

[05] BLACK SEA EXCAVATIONS TO BE REVEALED IN THESSALONIKI

The Congress is a result of a long-time effort to strengthen the cultural relations between Greece and others countries of the Balkan Peninsula. The archeologists who performed the excavations in the region have been invited to present the findings of their research and to discuss the problems of the settlers as well as how this research expands our knowledge for the ancient world.

Attending the Congress will be Greek Minister of Culture Stavros Benos, Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, as well as the ambassadors of the Russian Federation, Ukrania, Romania and Bulgaria, among others.

[06] HELLENIC AMERICAN COUNCIL DELEGATION IN THESSALONIKI

The primary aim of the delegation's visit to Thessaloniki, and generally in Greece, was to make the first contacts that will promote a common investment activitity of greek and greek-american businesses into Eastern Europe and the Balkans, as well as to promote greek exports to the United States, and conversely, aiming at the re-direction of these exports to the Middle East, Eastern and Western Europe.

According to Mr. Spyropoulos, Greece's economy constitutes a very basic national issue and the balance of its trade is a basic parameter of the economy. He believes that the common investments in third countries can function as top-rate public relations for Greece on other national issues.The Councils' president added that there is a direct need for greek products in the american market. Moreover, Mr. Spyropoulos noted that there is a marked improvement in the quality of greek products.

Referring to his contacts with Northern Greece's local authorities, Mr. Spyropoulos said that he was pleased and added that, while "we didn't expect to sign contracts in the mere three days of our visit, the fact that we are here, as we had promised, is a good start."

Mr. Spyropoulos also referred to the capabilities of the greeks abroad to influence the United States government, in light of the recent turkish provocations, especially during a pre- election time period.

Mr. Spyropoulos pointed out that the Council mobilized all its powers to promote the greek positions on the Imia issue and added that US President Bill Clinton has so far received more than 50,000 letters of protest.

However, Mr. Spyropoulos clarified that the problem lies with the State Department, not with the american government.

When asked if the Council's visits to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which recently was visited by the Presidium of the Congress of Greeks Abroad (SAE), mark an attempt to undermine SAE, Mr. Spyropoulos stated that the Hellenic-American Council supports SAE, believes in its ideas and promotes them.

"The soul and creation of SAE is the United States, in other words, the National Council," he stated.

[07] GREEK PRESS AND MEDIA MINISTER SPEAKS ON THE MISSING IN CYPRUS

According to mr.Reppas, greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will raise the issue to the Council for the Customs Union of Turkey-EU and will demand explanations by the turkish Foreign Minister. Also, the greek government will send a letter to the UN Secretary-General, who is dealing with the issue of the missing in Cyprus while the greek government will inform on the issue the non governmental organizations for human rights, such as Amnesty International and Helsinki Watch.

Regarding the activities of the Italian and Dutch military attaches, mr.Reppas said that the case has closed adding that the two diplomats have been recalled as the greek government has demanded.

Commenting on the terrorist attacks in Israel, the greek government spokesman stated that such actions are endangering the peace process in the Middle East adding that they should be handled in a dynamic way in order to solidify peace in the region.

[08] TURKISH PATROL BOAT HARASSED GREEK TRAWLER IN NORTHERN AEGEAN

Late on Sunday night, while the greek trawler was bound for the island of Samothraki the turkish patrol boat approached it and for some time it had its searchlight on the trawler's crew.

The "psychological war" and the harassment of the greek fishermen by the Turkish Coastguard continued for about 20 minutes and it stopped only when a greek Coastguard boat appeared in the region making the turkish patrol boat to head for the turkish territorial waters.

[09] DENKTASH SHOULD BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES, SAY EURODEPUTIES

The proposal is a result of the self-proclaimed leader's unabashed confession that more than 2,000 persons missing since the 1974 turkish invasion of Cyprus have been killed in cold blood.

The issue to bring Denktash to TheTribunal will be brought before the European Union-Cuyprus Joined Parliamentary Committee session, currently taking place in Nicosia. The EU Commissioner on External Affairs Hans Van Den Broek is also participating in the session.

The Cypriot government however is expressing its reservations regarding the referral to The Tribunal.

According to Cypriot government spokesperson Yiannis Kassoulides, the Republic of Cyprus has not yet decided to press charges on Denktash for the war crimes.

"It is still an open matter," Kassoulides said.

"Our priority is to continue with the efforts of the tripartite committee," he said, referring to the investigation team working under the United Nations auspices for over ten years on the issue of the missing Cypriots.

[10] CURRENT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ON THE FOREFRONT OF DISCUSSIONS

According to press information, the discussions focused on the issue of the name that will be used by Skopje and for this reason the presence of mr.Zacharakis was necessary.

It should be noted that Greece's permanent representative in the UN came to Athens for consultations in view of the new round of Greek-Skopjan talks on the final name that will be adopted by FYROM, which is scheduled to begin in April under mediator Cyrus Vance.

Other issues that were discussed were the Cyprus problem and the greek government's stand after the recent statements by Rauf Denktash on the fate of the 1.619 persons still missing in Cyprus, as well as, Greece's relations with Italy and Holland after the recall of the military attaches of the two countries from their embassies in Athens.

[11] EU-CYPRUS JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE BEGAN WORK IN NICOSIA

In the meeting will be discussed the relations between Cyprus and the European Union with an emphasis on Cyprus' accession course, the Cyprus problem, the condition of those still trapped in the turkish occupied territories in northern Cyprus and the protection of the Cypriot cultural heritage in the occupied territories.

Meanwhile, co-chairperson of the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee mrs.Mehtilt Rote demanded the denunciation of all those responsible for the cold blooded murder of people who were thought to be missing while she also called for investigations in order to be determined exactly what happened to them.

Mrs.Rote commenting on the revelations made by turkish- cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on the issue of those missing said that his statements caused anger and pain adding that it is inconceivable for someone who is regarded as responsible for the para-military organizations to make such statements.

[12] PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE DELEGATION MET WITH THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER

The problem in the relations of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople with the Patriarchate of Moscow that resulted from the issue of the jurisdiction over the Orthodox Church of Esthonia, worries the greek Foreign Ministry which is making efforts to restore the relations between the two Patriarchates and to create a good climate.

[13] PASOK DELEGATION MEETS WITH MILOSEVIC IN BELGRADE

Moreover, within the parameters of the Congress's session, a delegation of the Albanian Party for Human Rights and Liberties met with the Minister without Portfolio Marguite Savovic, who is responsible for the areas of human rights and rights of ethnic minorities of The F.R. of Yugoslavia.

According to the Yugoslavian News Agency Tanjug, the vice- president of the Party for Human Rights George Lekkas, emphasized that his party considers Cossova to be a province of the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia.

It was commonly agreed upon that now is the right time for Albania and Yugoslavia to stabilize their relations by granting mutual respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[14] GREEK-AMERICANS TO ADOPT FAMILIES FROM CONSTANTINOPLE

Mr. Spyropoulos , who is heading a 14-member delegation from the United States currently on a visit to Constantinople, described his impressions of the group's recent meeting in Constantinople with Patriarch Vartolomew.

Expressing his concern for the fate of Constantinople's Greeks, where the once-astounding number of 300,000 Greeks in 1955 has been reduced to a mere 2,500 elderlies today, Mr. Spyropoulos spoke of the difficult task the Orthodox Church is faced with.

"The small population of Greeks makes the function of Constantinople's orthodox churches very difficult," he said.

He referred to his meeting with the Patriarch as an important and moving one, a meeting that was sealed by the Council's invitation to Mr. Vartholomew to visit the greek communities in the United States.

The Patriarch accepted the invite and expressed to the delegation his aim to visit all the corners of the world where Greeks are found.

[15] DENKTASH IS IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER HEART ATTACK

Currently hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a Nicosia hospital, Denktash will be flown to Ankara this week to be examined by a team of doctors provided by Turkish President Suleiman Demirel.

The 72 -year-old leader of the turkish-occupied territory has never had a heart attack before and, according to his doctor Sait Kenan, his attack can be linked "to his age , exhaustion and recent stress."

During the following 48 hours it will be assessed if Denktash is completely out of danger. According to another of his treating physicians, Denktash is not completely out of risk.

"There is no complication at the moment," said Dervis Oral, "the risk continues, but is diminishing gradually."

[16] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS TO START NEW FLIGHTS TO BELGRADE IN MARCH

An airline representative in statements to the yugoslav newspaper "Politica" stressed that the flight Athens-Thessaloniki- Belgrade was the result of the rapid increase in the number of passengers travelling to and from both countries and the continuous development of the Greek-Yugoslav economic relations and trade transactions.

The "OLYMPIC AIRWAYS" airplane, "Air-72", which can carry 68 passengers will fly from Belgrade to Thessaloniki and Athens every morning on Wednesday and Saturday, while the flight back from Athens to Belgrade with a stop over to Thessaloniki will take place on the same days and time.

[17] SAUDI ARAMCO TO BUY HALF OF GREEK MOTOROIL

Aramco will also invest $50 million to restore the refinery, as well as to clean up pollutions at the refinery's installations in the Gulf of Corinth.

The refinery, owned by the Vardinoyiannis Group, has an annual capacity of 4.95 million tons and suplies 600 gas stations in the AvinOil chain.

Aramco, which has for long been on the trail of a european market opportunity, will use this alliance as a base from which it will supply new markets in Eastern Europe.