MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (31/05/1996)

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 31, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] GREEK BUSINESSES TO DISPLAY THEIR PRODUCTS IN BELGRADE

One hundred of widely known greek businesses will display their products in Yugoslavia for the first time.

The products exhibit, will take place on June 6, under the auspices of Belgrade's "Multiproduct Expo" fair.

In a press conference, the fair's coordinator Dragan Joba stated that the exhibit will promote the establishment and development of economic relations with Greece.

[02] BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES CYPRIOT ISSUE WITH US COUNTERPART

British Foreign Minister Malcolm Rifkind met with United States Secretary of State Warren Christopher yesterday in Washington and discussed the Cypriot issue.

According to a US official, the discussion aimed at coordinating the Cypriot issue-related actions between the United States and the European Union.

Various reports state that the US and Britain agree on general terms regarding the new initiative for the Cyrpus issue, something that causes great concern as to when it will be exercised, in light of the political instability noted in Turkey.

[03] CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER ASKS THE EU TO GIVE MORE INTEREST TO CYPRUS

The European Union's involvement in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue was at the center of discussions held yesterday in Paris between Cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Mihaelides and his French counterpart Herve de Charette.

Mr. Mihaelides emphasized the need for the EU's - and especially France's- active interest in the efforts that are being exerted to solve the cypriot problem.

Mr. de Charette pointed out the need to put forth every effort in finding a solution to the issue soon, and agreed that the EU can and must play a significant role, emphasizing France's willingness to actively and productively participate. Also present at the meeting was the Cypriot government spokesperson Yiannakis Kasoulides.

The Cypriot Foreign Minister is scheduled to meet with Ireland's Foreign Minister Dick Spring next week in order to discuss the same matter.

[04] RUSSIA PROPOSES NEW INITIATIVE FOR CYPRUS ISSUE

A new initiative that has been brought forward by Russia proposes that a meeting be held among the five permanent members of the Security Council, at an experts level, which will aim at reviewing the Cypriot issue prior to the upcoming meeting between United Nations Secretary-General Butros Ghali and Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides, scheduled for June 11 in Geneva.

A relevant announcement has been forwarded by the Russian Foreign Minsitry to the Foreign Ministries of the remaining four permanent members of the Security Council.

Moreover, the Russian government requests that the proposed meeting be held on June 10 in Geneva and that Mr. Ghali be present.

Russia's proposal moves on the same level as the russian initiative to coordinate the Security Council's efforts on the Cypriot issue. Moreover, they ask that Mr. Ghali's intentions be known prior to his meeting with Mr. Clerides and that Mr. Han Sung Ju, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the cypriot issue, be present at the meeting.

[05] "FROM THE VARAGS TO THE GREEKS" IS THEME OF EXHIBIT IN MOSCOW

The Novodevichil Monastery in Moscow is featuring an exhibit titled "The Road from the Varags to the Greeks", illustrating the trade arteries that united the Vikings era with the Byzantium.

The exhibit, which is jointly organized by the Greek embassies in Russia and Sweden along with Moscow's Historical Museum, Lomonosov University and the Russian Ministry of Culture, will display numerous byzantine coins, arabic jewellery, german swords, scandinavian brooches, slavic coins, greek icons and crosses, and other artifacts discovered in St. Petersburg, Novgorad, Smolensk, Kursck, Rizan, Kiev and in other areas where the Varags passed through.

The Varags' journey was first chronicled in Nestor's History during the 12th century. It constituted the most significant trade route that united Scandinavia with the Byzantium, to which the Russians owe the formation of their nation and their christianity.

According to the Russian newspaper "Kommersant Daily", the exhibit is living proof of the close ties that developed between the north, south and western peoples during the course of the early Middle Ages in Europe.

[06] EU ASKS ALBANIA TO REPEAT ELECTIONS IN SOME CONSTITUENCIES

The European Union, through Italian Foreign Minister Laberto Dini, has called on the albanian government to repeat the election process in some of Albania's constituencies, specifically in those regions were various irregularities were noted during last Sunday's elections.

Mr. Dini issued a warning to Albanian President Sali Berisha that there will be negative repercussions in EU- Tirana relations if the election process is not carried out in accordance to international democratic principles and regulations.

The ex-communist Albania held last Sunday its third free parliamentary elections, where the ruling Democratic Party sought to obtain a second consecutive term in office. Albanian opposition parties have declared that they will not participate at the second round of voting to be held on Sunday, while President Berisha, in an effort to soften the negative impressions that have surmounted after the violent episodes that erupted during the voting process, has called upon all parties to participate at the second round.

The Albanian Social-Democratic Party, which pledged to push economic reform with a kinder social face, gave the strongest and most vocal opposition to Berisha by accusing him of tampering with the results.

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/