MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (19/04/1996)

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 19, 1996

TITLES

[01] NAMES OF THOSE KILLED IN CAIRO MASSACRE RELEASED, BODIES BROUGHT TO GREECE

The horrible task of sorting through the bodies of those killed in yesterday's massacre in Cairo where three gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists outside a hotel, has began today in greek morgues where relatives of the innocent victims await to identify their beloved.

Deceased are: Paraskevi Aggelou, Vassilis Vasiliades, Despina Velikoudi, Stavroula Yiakoumeli, Olga Kamenidou, Georgia Karayiorga, Georgia Kizlaridou, Lytra, Kleoniki Matsinou, Maria Pateli, Nikos Patelis, Nikos Petrou, Fani Polykoniari, Vassilis Tzevelekides, Antonia Tzevelekidou, Nikoleta Tsekoura, Maria Takou and Maria Flamiatou.

Injured are: Emmanuel Damaskinos, Gesthemane Beloka, Parthena Heliopoulou, Zafiro Ilianidou,Eleni Kamenidou, Eleni Kostaki, Antonia Labrounidaki, John Manolakakis, Eleni Stapi and Elefteria Margariti. They are hospitalized at the Greek Red Cross and Asklepio Hospital in Athens.

Hospitalized in Cairo's military hospital with a gunshot wound in the head is Philomila Apostolaki, while critically injured are Apostolos Aravatzis, Koula Keraklidou and Stylianos Drakoulis who is thought to be the most seriously wounded.

Arriving shortly after midnight at Thessaloniki's Macedonia airport and Athens' Ellinikon were the first greek tourists who witnessed the bloody massacre.

The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the Foreign Minister have sent condolences to their greek counterparts and the attack was also condemned by United States President Bill Clinton. Mr.Mubarak will visit today the five greek tourists who are hospitalized in Cairo.

A delegation of greek police officials has departed for Cairo in order to assist in the investigation that will lead to the arrest of the gunmen.

[02] INITIAL SHOCK SUBSIDES, NOW IS TIME TO MOURN

Five of the persons injured in yesterday's massacre have remained in Cairo, following the assessment of egyptian treating physicians and the Greek Ministry of Health, while the remaining ten of those wounded have been brought to Athens via a greek military aircraft C-130. Another aircraft has flown to Cairo to bring back the bodies of those killed.

The patient-transfer process was supervised in Cairo's airport by the UnderMinister of Health F. Papadelllis, the General Consul in Cairo Petros Avgerinos, and the Ambassador in Cairo Dimitrios Vidouris.

Representing the egyptian governemnt, present at the airport were the egyptian Minister of Health, the Giza Governor (the area where the attack took place), as well as an array of egyptian physicians and medical staff, after an order was issued by egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The egyptian Minister of Health, who gave out gifts to the injured greek tourists, stated that terrorism leads to nowhere, and added that the relations between the two countries remain friendly. He stated that the egyptian people condemn this attack.

It should be noted that Egyptian volunteers have rushed to donate blood to the wounded greek tourists who are hospitalized in Cairo.

[03] ANONYMOUS CALLER TELLS GREEK RADIO THAT ISLAMISTS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE

An anonymous caller claiming he represents the islamic organization "Kama Al Islamiya" phoned the greek radio station SKY this morning shortly after 10 am and said that the organization has no involvement or responsibility in yesterday's attack that killed 18 greek tourists and injured 17 others.

According to the radio station, the anonymous caller, who spoke english with a heavy accent, stated that the organization has no involvement in the attack and accused the Israeli authorities of provocation.

The man said that his organizaiton will provide additional information later.

[04] ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS EXPRESSES HIS SORROW OVER CAIRO MASSACRE

His deep sorrow and grief for the victims of Cairo's massacre expressed the Archbishop of North and South America Iakovos who noted that the victims were a group of worshipers who had stopped through Cairo during their travel to the Holy Land, a fact that makes the terrorist attack even more abhorrent.

The Archbishop called on all governments to undertake the necessary measures against terrorism and stated that yesterday he performed a memorial service for the victims at the Holy Archbishopric Chapel.

[05] FYROM INTRANSIGENCE ON NAME ISSUE CONTINUES

"The skopjan side presented its positions, that it will not accept any changes to the name while the greek side presented its arguments on why it cannot accept Skopje having the name 'Macedonia'," stated the skopjan representative Ivan Tosevski in a telehone interview he granted to the semi-formal skopjan newspaper "Nova Macedonia."

Mr. Tosevski, referring to yesterday's talks held between Greece and FYROM in New York under the United Nations auspices, also stated that the meeting was held in a positive climate and pointed out the continuous progress noted in the relations between the two neighboring countries.

The skopjan representative underlined that mediator Cyrus Vance, the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, did not present an issue of a composite name during the meeting, while, regarding Mr.Vance's mandate to the UN Secretary General, he unequivocally stated that "there is no issue of the mandate's submission (to the UN) on behalf of Mr.Vance."

When asked to comment on various reports by the greek and foreign press which present Greece as accepting a composite name for FYROM, and if this could be accepted by the greek government, Mr. Tosevski replied that perhaps the greek government "is not ready to admit that it is ready to accept it."

[06] GREEK ALTERNATE FOREIGN MINISTER SPEAKS TO CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos, who since yesterday is on a three-day visit to Cyprus, met with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and held a discussion scoping the cypriot issue.

Mr. Romeos briefed the Cypriot President on the Greek Premier Kostas Simitis' s recent meetings with the United States President Bill Clinton in Washington and United Nations Secretary-General Butros Butros Ghali in New York.

The Minister stated that he discussed with Mr. Clerides many aspects of the cypriot issue and reffered to the forthcoming May visit to Athens, Nicosia and Ankara by the new US Assistant Secretary of State John Cornbloom.

"We have some days ahead of us to discuss the new american initiative, for which we have very limited information," the Minister said, adding that "we will have to be ready for all possibilities ahead of us."

When asked if he considers the appointment of the former Foreign Minister of South Korea Han Sung Ju (replacing Joe Clark) as a Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the cypriot issue to be a negative development, Mr. Romeos responded that "the individual holding the position has a role, but not the most significant one. More important are his intentions."

Tomorrow Mr. Romeos will meet with the Cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Mihaelides.

[07] AGREEMENT ON TRADE SIGNED BETWEEN FYROM-TURKEY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

An Agreement of Trade and Economic Cooperation has been signed between the Skopje and Constantinople Chambers of Commerce yesterday, during a three-day visit by a delegation of turkish entrepreneurs to FYROM.

The Agreement aims to stimulate economic relations and cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting held between the presidents of the respective chambers of FYROM and Turkey, it was pointed out that the volume of export trade between the two countries has reached $72 million since 1995, whereas targets have now been set to reach $500 million per year in the future.

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