MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (16/05/1996)

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, May 16, 1996

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] UNITED STATES RETRACT TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR HELLENIKON AIRPORT

[02] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS SATISFIED BY VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

[03] GREEK PRESIDENT: IF TURKEY ABIDES BY INTERNATIONAL RULES AND LAWS, WE WILL COOPERATE

[04] TURKEY OBJECTS TO EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS FIELD TRIP THROUGH IMIA

[05] IPSILANTI HOUSE EARMARKED AS AN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY MONUMENT IN KIEV, MONEY NEEDED FOR ITS RESTORATION

[06] THESSALONIKI'S MAYOR MEETS WITH EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[07] EU-CYPRUS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL IS GREECE'S VICTORY, SAYS TURKISH PRESS

[08] CYRPUS' OCCUPATION REGIME CONSIDERS EU-CYPRUS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL OUTCOME TO BE A HOSTILE ACT

[09] RUSSIA'S INTEREST IN CYPRUS APPRECIATED BY CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] UNITED STATES RETRACT TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR HELLENIKON AIRPORT

The United States government has withdrawn the travel advisory it had issued in March for the Athens airport "Hellinikon".

The US State Department announced yesterday that, according to the latest checks, the greek airport's security facilities are currently in top shape and functioning excellently, and, as such, has concluded that the travel advisory is no longer necessary.

[02] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS SATISFIED BY VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos has stated that he is quite satisfied by his nine-day, official state visit to the United States, where he made stopovers in Washington, Atlanta, San Franscisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Chicago.

The alternate Foreign Minister -responsible for issues of Greeks abroad- George Romeos, also expressed his satisfaction at meeting with leaders of the greek-american community in the US and stated that in the first part of June the regional conference of the Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) will be held in Thessaloniki, while in mid-July the second meeting of the SAE Presidium will be held in Thessaloniki, in order to organize its long-term action plan.

Participating at the Presidium's conference will be those members of the greeks-abroad organizations who are not members of SAE.

Both the President and Mr. Romeos emphasized their satisfaction of SAE's efforts which Mr. Stephanopoulos characterized as being "on the right path." He expressed the hope that through SAE the greek government can find solutions to those problems the overseas hellenism is faced with.

[03] GREEK PRESIDENT: IF TURKEY ABIDES BY INTERNATIONAL RULES AND LAWS, WE WILL COOPERATE

If Turkey abides by international rules and laws and abandons its threats or the use of force, we will cooperate with her, stated the Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos in a speech he gave in Chicago.

Mr. Stephanopoulos pointed out that Ankara has embarked on a crazed military arms race, aiming at securing control of half the Aegean Sea.

Meanwhile, the greek government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas left open the possibility of a new meeting taking place on May 30 between the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey, on the occasion of the Bildenburg Association conference that will be held in Toronto, Canada.

[04] TURKEY OBJECTS TO EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS FIELD TRIP THROUGH IMIA

Reactions are mounting in Turkey after a greek government's decision to organize a tour through the Imia islets for 22 european newspapers correspondents on May 18-19.

Turk Underminister of Foreign Affairs inal Batu characterized the sea tour of the foreign journalists as a "provocation" and emphasized that this visit will not change the status quo in the region.

The tour, on a greek nave frigade, will begin on Saturday, embarking from the island of Kos and will continue on to the island of Kalymnos as well as to other islands in the region.

[05] IPSILANTI HOUSE EARMARKED AS AN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY MONUMENT IN KIEV, MONEY NEEDED FOR ITS RESTORATION

The house of the Ipsilanti Family in Kiev, Ukraine, has been proposed to become a monument of architectural history, although funds for its needed restoration must first be secured, according to an already-approved resolution by the Presidium of the Third Panhellenic Congress of National Self-Knowledge and the Veria Association of Greeks from Pontos.

"Since utmost cultural and historical reasons make necessary the complete restoration of this building, which represents the country and the area where the Society of Friends of Greece was founded prior to the 1821 Revolution, we call upon the greek government, especially the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs, to contribute financially to the completion of the project and, through the proper diplomatic handling, to grant the use of the building to the greek government," the resolution states.

The Ipsilanti House, which is a symbolic landmark of friendship between the peoples of Greece and the Ukraine, is being proposed as a center for greek diplomatic services. Also, the historic building will be used as a national, cultural, historical and business trade center at the heart of the Ukraine.

The resolution has already been forwarded to the greek Foreign and Culture Ministries, the President of Greece, the President of Parliament and to the leaders of the various political parties.

[06] THESSALONIKI'S MAYOR MEETS WITH EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

Thessaloniki Mayor Konstantinos Kosmopoulos met with the President of the European Youth Parliament yesterday, at the premises of the city's Cultural Capital Organization.

Mr. Kosmopoulos expressed the Municipality's total support to the institution of the European Youth Parliament, which was founded in 1987 in France's Fontainbleau.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[07] EU-CYPRUS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL IS GREECE'S VICTORY, SAYS TURKISH PRESS

The European Union-Cyprus Association Council, held this week in Brussels, is considered to be a greek victory by the turkish press which extensively covered the topic.

In an article published yesterday, turkish paper "Cumhurriet" pointed out that although no clear outcomes resulted from the Council, "diplomatic circles interpret the holding of the Council as being a victory of the greek government."

Moreover, the article emphasizes that Greece's abstention from voting on the MEDA economic aid program in Europarliament is a new diplomatic manoeuvre, whose aim is to "exclude Turkey from the program's funding."

"Cumhurriet" also supports that Greece has "engaged in intense behind-the scenes activity in order to convey the message to europarliament members, where the socialists exert great influence, that Turkey continues to enforce a hostile policy towards an EU member."

Furthermore, the article states that the other EU member-states "continue to apply pressure on Greece to lift its veto and allow Turkey's funding."

Another turkish daily "Yeni Yuzyil" supposes that Greece abstained from voting on the MEDA program because "it was granted the Associaiton Council meeting in exchange." The article states that when Greece's voted against Turkey's funding, the allies made room for the Association Council to be held, which decided that the Cyprus accession negotiations will begin during the second half on 1997.

The large circulation daily "Hyriyet", in an article titled "Greece adopts milder position", states that, despite the negative statements made by Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos in Brussels, "when he faced pressure by the 14 (EU allies), he was forced not to exercise a veto again."

[08] CYRPUS' OCCUPATION REGIME CONSIDERS EU-CYPRUS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL OUTCOME TO BE A HOSTILE ACT

The Prime Minister of the turk-cypriot pseudo-state, Haki Atun, considers the outcome of the European Union-Cyprus Association Council to be a "hostile act" that will lead to the partition of the island.

"The European Union," Atun said, "follows a mistaken path by ignoring the turk-cypriot side and proves that it is unable to carry out a constructive role in seeking a solution."

Moreover, Atun spoke of countermeasures, which, according to him, must be taken. He reiterated that Cyprus' accession will be possible following the settlement of the cypriot issue and once Turkey's rights and obigations -which stem from the agreements of 1960- are taken into consideration.

[09] RUSSIA'S INTEREST IN CYPRUS APPRECIATED BY CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT

The letter sent by the Russian Foreign Minister Evgeni Primakov to the United Nations Secretary-General Butros Ghali is positive input in the efforts to solve the Cyprus issue, stated the cypriot government's spokesperson Yiannakis Kasoulides.

Mr. Kasoulides emphasized Russia's "particular interest" in solving the cypriot issue, although he did clarify that he is not aware of the letter's content.

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