MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (07/03/1996)

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

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

March 7, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] SWEDISH PRESS SUED FOR WRONGFULLY NAMING FYROM "MACEDONIA"

"Expressen", the largest in circulation newspaper among all scandinavian countries with 450,000 issues sold daily, published a calendar in the beginning of 1996 that presents the names and flags of various countries in the world. In this publication, FYROM is referred to as "Macedonia" and as its flag is presented the Vergina star, an act that, according to the "Aristotle" Association's lawsuit, "constitutes a provocation against the Greek culture and our national rights."

The lawsuit states that "The newspaper should have been aware of the recent political developments on the Macedonian issue, at a time when the international and scandinavian press in their majority have reported extensively on this issue, since five months ago (when during the last New York talks between Greece and FYROM it was commonly agreed upon not to use the Vergina symbol or to address Skopje as "Macedonia")

"It is also obvious that "Expressen" did not display the proper attention through its publications of the relevant calendars," the suit emphasized.

It should be noted that, since August of 1993, the "Aristotle" Association had the prudence to safeguard the Vergina symbol as its trademark.

According to the association's president Dr. Christos Karypides, "Aristotle" , through this lawsuit, asks "Expressen" to remove the calendar from circulation and to grant a public apology to the greek comunity.

Meanwhile, an article published in the daily "L' Express" and titled "Expressen Now Learned Where Greece Is", attorney- journalist Maria Gaith supports wholeheartedly the "Aristotle" arguments.

"The Vergina sun is an ancient Greek symbol that is associated with the royal House of Macedonia," wrote Ms. Gaith in her article.

Moreover, she proceeds to write that "the wrongful usage of the Greek symbol on behalf of the "Expressen" unavoidably created the mistaken impression in the Swedish public opinion that the Vergina star is a national symbol of FYROM, something that will bring detrimental consequences to the Association's further cultural activities."

According to Mr. Karypides, "this is the first time at a European level that the legal community supports Greece's rights, before a case is tried. This fact proves irrefutably that the Greek protestations in Sweden are now taken seriously and objectively, something that one year ago was inconceivable."

[02] GREECE PARTICIPATES IN THE NEW YORK TALKS ON SKOPJE'S NAME WITH ITS KNOWN POSITIONS

Mr.Bikas said that there is nothing more on the issue on which there was a closed doors discussion yesterday in the responsible Parliamentary Committee.

[03] MR.PANGALOS' INTERVIEW TO A TURKISH TV STATION MADE KNOWN THE GREEK POSITIONS, ACCORDING TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN

Mr.Bikas said that Greece's firm position is the de- escalation of armaments adding that it is worth mentioning that the turkish journalist Ali Birad admits that the greek arguments are convincing while the turkish are not. Mr.Bikas said that the greek Foreign Minister made a statement that showed the aggressive character of the 4th Turkish Army Corps and aimed at easing off the tensions in the region.

Greece maintains and develops excellent relations with all its neighbours and the only reason for the need of increased defense readiness is the turkish provocativeness, stated the greek Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Meanwhile, greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis commenting on mr.Pangalos' interview said that the firm greek position is known and unshakeable and Greece's defense is non negotiable.

Mr.Arsenis also added that he does not want to comment on the statements made by mr.Pangalos because possibly they may have been misinterpreted.

[04] TURKEY'S NEW FOREIGN MINISTER WANTS FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH GREECE

Prime Minister Yilmaz referring to the foreign policy said that the last crisis in the Aegean showed once again the dangers hidden behind the unsettled differences between the two countries.

Mr.Yilmaz stated that the basic road toward a solution is direct dialogue and talks. Referring to the Cyprus problem said that Turkey supports the timetable of the UN talks for the solution of the problem through direct talks between the two communities securing a two-zone and two-community federation.

[05] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS ISSUE OF MISSING CYPRIOTS

It is almost certain that the political Groups in the European Parliament will table resolutions within the framework of urgent and timely issues that will be discussed next Thursday underlining Turkey's responsibilities and demanding a fully substantiated, official and binding response by the turkish side.

Also, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission will be called to take a stand on the issue responding to questions that will be made by Euro-Deputies.

[07] AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION OF CYPRIOT COMMUNITIES CALLS FOR DENKTASH TO BE TRIED BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

In the letters that have been sent in the United Nations and in other international organizations is mentioned that the cynical revelations by Denktash concerning the execution of those missing in Cyprus constitutes an insult to the international community.

Mr.Howard before winning the elections in Australia had promised that his government will back the greek positions on the Cyprus problem and will show interest in the issue of those still missing since the turkish invasion of Cyprus.

[08] STATEMENTS BY GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT CONCERNING HUMAN RIGHTS

The greek government spokesman added that the report places Greece on a high position among other EU countries regarding the operation of institutions, citizens' freedom of expression, freedom of the press, etc.

[09] THE SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY

The Swedish Foreign Minister will meet tomorrow with her greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos and later she will give a press conference.

[10] GREEK PREMIER IN DODEKANESE TO HONOR THE INCLUSION ANNIVERSARY

According to Mr. Simitis, Greece's rights are supported by international law and added that international accords constitute the country's strongest weapon against the threat of turkish expansionism.

"The government," the Premier stated, "aims at creating a strong Greece that will play an important role in the international arena and also aims at the creation of a strong defense, so that anyone who schemes on greek sovereign rights will regret any such attempts."

Also, the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos is currently in Rhodes, honoring the Dodekanese inclusion festivities.

[11] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER'S INTERVIEW TO TURKISH TELEVISION

In the interview, which has not yet been broadcast, Mr. Pangalos reiterated that the Imia issue should be brought before the International Justice Court at The Hague, if the relations between the two Aegean Sea neighbors should have a hope of stabilizing again.

According to the Greek Foreign Minister, Turkey should either disavow its territorial claims on the rock islet, or drive itself directly to The Hague.

Regarding the continental shelf issue, Mr. Pangalos said that both countries can jointly resort to The Hague, and clarified that there is no longer a link between the Turkey-EU Customs Union and Cyprus' accession to the Community, since when the Customs Union Accord had been drawn, the Imia issue had not yet occured.

[12] OPPOSITION PARLIAMENTARIAN GIGIKOSTAS SPEAKS IN THESSALONIKI

Mr. Gigikostas referred to the opportunities for economic cooperation between Greece and other Balkan-region countries, and emphasized that the existing obstacles can be overcome if Northern Greece becomes the gate to the Balkans.

[13] AUSTRALIA'S GREEKS PRESSURE JOHN HOWARD TO CONDEMN DENKTASH

The letters, also forwarded to the United Nations and other international humanitarian organizations, note that Denktash's cynical confession, that all the missing in Cyprus since the turkish invasion of 1974 have been killed in cold blood, constitutes an insult to the international community.

Mr. Howard, prior to winning the elections, had promised that his government will support the Greek positions on the Cypriot issue and will also look into the missing persons issue.

[14] PASOK PARLIAMENTARIAN ROKOFYLLOS IN WASHINGTON, NEW YORK

During his two-day stay in New York, Mr. Rokofyllos will attend festivities held in Astoria by fellow Greeks and will meet with the Archbishop Iakovos.

[15] CANADIAN PROTEST FOR PRO-TURKISH FESTIVITY

The Consul-General Mr. Ioannou has forwarded a letter to the University's Rector and Department Dean through which he questions the validity of the lecture's topic.

In his letter, Mr. Ioannou expressed his surprise that the title of the lecture series presents Turkey as a country with such vast history, since this nation, as mentioned in the letter, was established much later in the region and the majority of the findings belong to the Greek cultural heritage.

Mr. Ioannou requests that the University of Montreal officials change the topic of the discussion, before reactions erupt, as he characteristically stated, in Canada's Greek community.

[16] PASOK LEADER'S RECUPERATION DEVELOPING NORMALLY

According to Mr. Papandreou's treating phycisians, the tracheostomy that still remains in tact retards the improvement of the patient's respiratory function. As such, it is premature to foresee an exit timeline, as was done in the previous week.

Otherwise, the medical report states that Mr. Papandreou continues to undergo physiotherapy and kinesiotherapy while his physicians are encouraging him to walk throughout the hospital's corridors in order to exercise his muscles.

[17] INFORMAL MEETING OF THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS IN PALERMO, ITALY

The announcement was made by Foreign Ministry spokesman Kostas Bikas who added that the issues for discussion will be the Inter-Governmental Conference, the Euro-Meditteranean Conference, the EU relations with Russia, the situation in former Yugoslavia and the developments in the Middle East.

[18] PROTOCOL OF COOPERATION SIGNED BY TIRANA, IOANNINA UNIVERSITIES

The protocol provides among others for the strengthening of the Balkan Languages Departments, the appointment of an albanian language professor in the University of Ioannina and the cooperation of the Universities in the translation of university theses.

[19] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE REPORT

CURRENCY          FIXING      BUY         SELL
ECU              303.0760   302.1670    303.9850
U.S. Dollar      242.4600   241.7330    243.1870
Deutsche Mark    163.3500   162.8600    163.8400
UK Sterling      370.0100   368.9000    371.1200
French Franc      47.7390    47.5960     -----
Swedish Crown     35.5910    35.4840     35.6980
Danish Kroner     42.3210    42.1940     42.4480
Norwegian Crown   37.5500    37.4370     37.6630
Italian Lira      15.5445    15.4980     15.5910
Swiss Franc      201.2440   200.6400    201.8480
Spanish Peseta     1.9396     1.9338      1.9454
Finnish Mark      52.6320    52.4740     52.7900
Yen              229.8150   229.1260    230.5040