MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (25/04/1996)

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 25, 1996

NEWS IN BRIEF

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE

Greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis received the United States Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum in Athens today and briefed him on a wide range of issues regarding the Balkan- region developments and the Eastern Mediterranean.

In his statements, Mr. Arsenis pointed out that he informed the US official on Greece's positions and said that "I believe that he departs better informed on the greek government's positions."

Mr. Kornblum stated that he gives special significance to this region and added that he considers the relations beteen the US and Greece to be especially close.

"I am leaving having a better understanding of the nature of the problems and the expectations of the greek side," Mr. Kornblum stated, adding that he wishes to return to Greece in order to continue his cooperation with the greek government.

Present at the meeting between Mr. Arsenis and Mr. Kornblum were the under-Minister of National Defense Nikos Kouris and the US Ambassador in Athens Thomas Niles.

[02] US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE TO VISIT CYPRUS THIS EVENING

United States Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum will visit Nicosia this evening where he will meet with cypriot President Glafkos Clerides.

The cypriot government is not commenting on Mr. Kornblum's imminent visit prior to his briefing Nicosia officials on his contacts with Ankara's military and political leaders.

[03] MALTA IS A SIGNIFICANT TRADE ALLY TO GREECE

Despite its small size, Malta is developing into a significant trade ally to Greece noted for the uniqueness of its products, according to data provided by the Institute of Exporting Studies of the Northern Greece Exporters' Association.

The value of greek exports to Malta reached ECU 103.3 million, marking an increase of 34.52% in camparison to 1993 and constituting Malta as the 17th largest market for greek products.

In contrast, a significant decrease in contrast to 1993 was noted in 1994 when imports of Malta-products to Greece, whose value reached a mere ECU 9.5 million.

Greece's main export to Malta is petroleum, exporting a total of 681,514 tons in 1994, valued at ECU 72 million, constituting 30% of Malta's petroleum imports.

[04] CILLER DENOUNCES PARLIAMENT INVESTIGATION, SAYS IT'S A FRAME UP

Turkey's former Prime Minister Tansu Ciller has denounced the recent decision taken by the parliament to conduct investigations into contracts she signed on behalf of her then-government, as a product of polotical scheming.

Ms. Ciller avoided giving direct answers to the journalists when they asked her if Turkey's governmental coalition is endangered, stating that the whole issue s a political frame up and that the decision for the colaliton will be drawn by the appropriate committees.

The True Path Party leader also added she is the only former premier against whom an investigation procedure has been launched without her even knowing the content of the investigation.

Based on the coalition government agreement between the two parties in Turkey, Ms. Ciller will undertake the premiership in the first months of 1997, although, judging from the latest developments, this outcome is now unlikely.

Meanwhile, today's scheduled meeting of the Turkey's ministerial council has been cancelled. The meeting was going to be held under the presidency of Premier Mesut Yilmaz and its cancellation is considered to be the first of the series of repercussions stemming from the decision to investigate the claims against Ms. Ciller.

[05] EU COMMISSIONER VAN DEN BROEK: TURKEY'S CUSTOMS UNION IS ON

"Turkey's Customs Union with the European Union is working," stated the EU Commissioner Hans Van Den Broek and characterized as "temporary" the obstacles that have arisen.

Mr. Van Den Broek arrived last evening in Ankara for a two- day working visit. During his stay in Turkey he will meet with various governmental officials.

[06] LEAK DISCOVERED IN CHERNOBYL

A radioenergy leak occured last night at the Chernobyl's nuclear plant, in four places of the engine room where the reactor that had caused the Chernobyl nuclear accident ten years ago is located.

According to reports by Reuters, the plant's spokesperson Oleg Golokoskov stated that an emergency alarm was activated at the nuclear plant when the leak was discovered by Chernobyl's employees when they changed the filters used to pump the air from reactor "4". This reactor had exploded on April 26 1986 and 32 persons were killed.

According to Golokoskov, "the leak was detected timely and was cleaned during the night. The plant's employees were not subjected to radiation that exceeded the allowable levels, but there is a possibility that people were subject to radiation."

The incident was ranked at the first level of the seven-level scale of nuclear accidents.

[07] GREEK NUCLEAR PHYSICISTS: NO NEED TO WORRY OVER ACCIDENT

The radioenergy leak that occured last night at Chernobyl is categorized as an "in-house" incident that should be no cause of worry, according to nuclear physicists at the "Dimokritos" University's Environmental Radioenergy Lab.

Nuclear physicist Panayiotis Kretides stated that such incidents are frequent and there is no radioenergy leak noted.

Similiar assessments were made by the environmental protection organization Greenpeace, although the ecologists stated that the leak itself is not as important as the fact that it occured in part of the reactor that had exploded ten years ago.

[08] FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos met with the United States Assistant Secretary of State today in Athens.

Following the meeting, Mr. Pangalos stated that the relations between the US and Greece are "excellent", albeit noting that there is room for further improvement. In turn, Mr. Kornblum stated that there is a readiness for solving functional problems in Athens and Ankara. Moreover, he noted that positive steps are being taken in greek-turkish relations and said that he expects positive outcomes to stem from the forthcoming meeting between Mr. Pangalos and his Turk counterpart Emre Gunensay, scheduled to take place next Saturday in Bucharest.

"Our role is to see what exactly are the steps that need to be taken for the smoothing out of greek-turkish relations and to point them out to both sides," Mr. Kornblum stated. Mr. Pangalos and Mr. Kornmblum also discussed bilateral issues on an economic and trade level, as well as issues concerning the Balkans and Greece's role in the region.

[09] CYPRUS ASKS DEMIREL TO EASE DENKTASH'S INTRANSIGENCE

The cypriot government has asked Turk President Suleiman Demirel to ensure that the Turk-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will not press on with his intransigence, in order to proceed to a constructive dialogue for the solution to the cypriot issue, stated the cypriot government spokesperson Yinnakis Kasoulides.

Mr. Kasoulides, commending on statements made by the Turk President that the greek-cypriot side is avoiding talks, asked "Is Mr. Suleiman Demirel ready to undertake the responsibility when we arrive at the talks for the turkish intransigence?

Will we approach the discussion table so that Mr. Denktash can reiterate his (known) positions every time?"

The government spokesperson stated that on the day that Mr. Demirel can assure the cypriot government that it will not be a repeat of Mr. Denktash's known positions, then he, too, can look forward to a productive meeting, and if he is ready to undertake the responsibility of its failure, something he has not done in the past, than we will look into it. These are the prerequisites, which guarrantee a productive dialogue, that have to be met in order for the cypriot side to hold a direct dialogue with the turkish side.

[10] ECUMENICAL AND MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE TO RESTORE RELATIONS

The relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Moscow's Patriarchate are expected to soon be restored, according information given by ecclesiastical sources today. The issue of Esthonia, one that has sparked a crisis between the two Patriarchate, is being discussed today in the Holy Synod, according to the same sources.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has avoided giving dramatic proportions to the issue created over Esthonia and which interruputed communication with the Moscow Patriarchate, while it commemorated Patriarch Alexios in the diptych, despite the decision by the Russian hierarchy to stop commemorating Patriarch Vartholomeos. According ot the Phanar, the Ecumenical Patriarchate did not have the rights to ignore the claims made by Esthonians for the re-establishment of their Church and it had a historical and moral obligation to hear them.

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/