MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (25/06/1996)

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, June 25, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] ANDREAS TO BE BURIED TOMORROW WITH STATE LEADER HONORS

The Greek nation united will pay its last respects to the late political leader and PASOK President Andreas Papandreou, who, through his struggles, helped the country and paved forward the path of international peace.

Mr. Papandreou's body will lie in state at the Athens Cathedral until tomorrow 6:00 a.m. Thousands of mourning citizens have been filing outside the church, holding a flower in their hands, offering a last goodbye to their beloved leader.

Andreas Papandreou will be buried tomorrow with state leader's honors at Athens' First Cemetery where his father George Papandreou is also buried.

Greece's Armed Forces will pay tribute to the Greek Socialist leader while fighter jets F-16 and Mirage 2000 will fly in synchronized manoeuvres during the funeral procession.

Mr. Papandreou's casket will be placed on a gun-carriage and will be accompanied by vehicles from all three sectors of the Greek Armed Forces.

[02] COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S PARLIAMENT GIVES LAST GOOD BYE TO ANDREAS

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe paid tribute to the late Andreas Papandreou today, when the Assembly President Leni Fisher stated that he was one of the most outstanding Greek politicians after World War II.

"The Council of Europe Assembly," Ms. Fisher stated, "had its first contacts with Mr. Papandreou in December of 1967. In December of 1969 he participated at a meeting of the Commission on Political Affairs, in Paris, under the capacity of a fighter against the military regime. We are obliged to him since he always actively supported the Council of Europe."

Also, the President of the C of E's Socialist Group Peter Sider, from Austria, expressed his sadness for the loss of Andreas Papandreou, and stated that he was an outstanding figure in the international socialist movement, and contributed greatly to the promotion of the socialist idea and values in his country."

[03] EGYPTIAN PRESS REPORTS ON DEATH OF PAPANDREOU, LAMENTS HIS LOSS

Egypt's newspapers are featuring lengthy obituaries on the death of Andreas Papandreou, with extensive coverage of the Greek leader's personality and political accomplishments.

"Palestinians Have Lost a Great Friend", "A Friend of the Arabs is Gone" are some of the indicative titles in the local papers, which emphasize that the last foreign leader to see Mr. Papandreou during his latest health problems was Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

[04] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL'S NEW SPECIAL ENVOY ARRIVES IN CYPRUS TODAY

North Korea's former Foreign Minister Han Sung Ju, the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the cypriot issue, will arrive in Nicosia today, where he will meet with President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides.

This will be the first time Mr. Ju has visited Cyprus, since he undertook his current post on May 1. He will also meet with Turk-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and will embark on a series of contacts in the various countries that are involved in the problem.

On Saturday, he will give a press conference and will depart for Athens the next day. Accompanied by his alternate Gustav Feishel, Mr. Ju will travel to Ankara, Moscow, London, Brussels and Paris.

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