MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (17/04/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency Brief News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki April 17, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] GREECE-FYROM TALKS BEGIN IN NEW YORK TODAY

Greek Ambassador to the UN Christos Zacharakis and his Skopjan counterpart Ivan Toshevski will hold separate meetings with the UN mediator Cyrus Vance, in sessions that are expected to last all day.

Diplomatic sources at the UN point out that a hard-line position has been adopted by Skopje lately, where any changes in the name are not being accepted. Even in Mr. Vance's circles, it became known that FYROM's President Kiro Gligorov has notified the UN mediator that he does not intend to accept a compound name and insists on the "constitutional name" of his country. This Skopjan stance appears to have been intensified since the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia recognized FYROM as "Republic of Macedonia."

The same sources state that, in case of an impasse, something that appears as a likely outcome, Mr. Vance will ask for further directions from the Security Council on the issue.

However, the mediator is also willing to exercise the mandate he has received and submit his proposal for the neighboring state's name, "Nova Macedonia."

Meanwhile in FYROM, little attention has been granted by the media to today's negotiations. The state-owned radio station in Skopje referred to the talks and noted that it will be the fourth time that Athens and Skopje will sit at the negotiations table, following the New York-signed interim agreement of September 1995.

[02] MODERN GREEK STUDIES DEPARTMENT CREATED AT RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY

The Ministry of Culture's Secretary-General George Thomas met yesterday with Lomonosof professors Borus Fonkits and Dimitri Afinoyenof and proposed the inclusion of the specific department's students to the Ministry's program of greek studies, organized every summer in Thessaloniki in cooperation with the Institute of Studies of the Balkan Peninsula. Moreover, professorial cooperation among the two countries was discussed and Mmr. Fonkits and Afinoyenof requested that the Ministry of Culture send to Russia greek books that are difficult to find.

Lomonosof University's department of byzantine and modern greek studies is expected to become one of the most renowed schools of foreign literature.

The meeting was held in a friendly climate, and the two professors were given a valuable book on the Mount Athos treasures and have been invited by the Ministry to visit Greece for ten days.

[03] MESUT YILMAZ CONSIDERS UNACCEPTABLE SOME OF GREEK TERMS FOR DIALOGUE

According to the turkish daily "Cumhurryet", the Turk Premier stated that in case Greece insists on the above-stated condition, the other conditions will be rendered meaningless.

"Therefore, I do not see an appropriate climate at this time (that would allow us) to assess the greek statements," he stated and added "I hope that within the following days the greek government will reassess the issue and once it re-examines the statements that we have made in the past, a new approach will be adopted, which will give us the opportunity to conduct a true dialogue."

[04] SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS CYPRIOT ISSUE IN NEW YORK TONIGHT

United Nations Representative Sylvana Foa stated that the meeting will be held under the Presidency of the United States and added that neither the UN Secretary-General will be participating, nor his assistant.

Instead, representing the Secretary-General will be his alternate special representative in Cyprus Gustav Feishel, who yesterday held separate meetings with representatives of the Security Council's permanent members.

Participating in the meeting will be the Cypriot issue Co-ordinator of the U.S. State Department Jim Williams, the British Foreign Ministry's official Warren Gass and the Russian Foreign Ministry's official Piotr Doproserdov. Also present will be the Nicosia-based diplomatic representatives of the US and Britain.

[05] CYPRIOT MP DENOUNCES TURKISH OCCUPATION

Mr. Omirou stated that the presence of the participants in the Conference offers the opportunity to denounce any foreign foray committed by countries under the pretense of protecting minorities in other countries, often in the form of invasion and occupation of territories.

The cypriot parliamentarian also empasized that the presence of minorities does not justify blatant violations of International Law or the disrespect of the majority's legal rights, especially when the minority enjoys the same rights as the rest of the population.

[06] CYPRIOT MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH DEMIREL

When the cypriot parliament member responded that Turkey must help towards this direction by withdrawing the occupation troops, President Demirel reacted by reiterating his position that the issue is between the two communities.

During yesterday's session of the Conference, the cypriot delegation presented the international aspects of the issue as a problem of invasion and occupation.

At the meeting, the turk-cypriot delegation presented the known positions adopted by its President Rauf Denktash. Tomorrow, the greek-cypriot delegation will be received by Patriarch Vartholomeos to whom Mr. Anastasiades will convey a message by President Glafkos Clerides.

[07] TURKISH VIEW ON INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

Participating at the 95th Conference of the Inter-parliamentary Union, held since yesterday in Constantinople, the leader of the turkish delegation and assistant to the President of the True Path Party Ismael Karakuyiu, stated that the greek and greek- cypriot positions will not have an impact in the final declaration and characterized these positions as "empty words", adding that the turkish positions will be developed analytically during the course of the meeting.

The Turk Premier Mesut Yilmaz's stance was genial, as during his speech he stated that Turkey breeds good will sentiments towards all people, and especially towards its neighbors. Mr. Yilmaz called upon all the participating parliamentarians to develop a spirit of cooperation and understanding.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/