[01] NEW YORK MAYOR DECLARES JULY 29 "ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS DAY"

[02] NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTER SEES COURSE OF RECOVERY

[03] US-CANADA AHEPA HOLDS 74TH CONGRESS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

[04] PROPOSAL OF CYPRUS-TURKEY MILITARY DIALOGUE IS AT A DEADLOCK

[05] GREEK MUSEUM TO BE CREATED IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] NEW YORK MAYOR DECLARES JULY 29 "ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS DAY"

New York mayor Rudolph Gulliani proclaimed July 29 the "Day of Archbishop Iakovos for the State of New York" during last night's farewell dinner honoring the departing Archbishop of North and South America Iakovos, given at New York's famous Gracie Mansion, commonly known since 1788 as the "White House" of the Mayors.

Mr. Iakovos ended his 37-year-old stay in the Greek Orthodox Chruch, by formally submitting his resignation this week. His successor is the Metropolitan of Italy, Spiridon.

Responding to a reporter's question as to whether he is satisfied by the election of Metropolitan Spyridon as his successor, Mr. Iakovos stated that it cannot be doubted that the Mother Church, having taken into consideration many other issues and problems, made the right choice according to her opinion.

When asked to reminisce which of his actions or acts have made him feel proud during his 37-year stay in the pastorate, Mr. Iakovos stated "I have said this and I will repeat it. God helped me and all of you helped me, as well as the people and the communities, to maintain the Archbishopry unitied. An effort which was at times in danger, since there were many reactions both from outside and from within.

"The fact that I am leaving behind a well-organized church makes me want to thank you and God, whom I serve," the departing Archbishop added.

Moreover, Mr. Iakovos was asked if there is something that he had wanted to do but did not. He responded "that which I had wanted to do and did not have time or was not able to accomplish, was to give the people an impetus that will always stay with them, to grant them self knowledge and a more thorough knowledge of our history."

[02] NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTER SEES COURSE OF RECOVERY

Greece's budget for the 1996 fiscal year is expected to be executed as planned, the inflation rate has taken a downward trend and, overall, the country has entered a course of recovery, according to the Minister of National Economy Yiannos Papantoniou.

Mr. Papantoniou met yesterday evening with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and discussed the issue of European Union funds absorption from Delors II Package which will be presented to the Governmental Committee today.

Accompanied by Finance Minister Alekos Papadopoulos and Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, Mr. Papantoniou pointed out to the Premier that reducing the inflation rate to the coveted 5% mark may be an impossible task to accomplish as it is not ruled out that inflation may rise above 7.5% by the end of the year.

[03] US-CANADA AHEPA HOLDS 74TH CONGRESS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

Paving its way into the next millenium, the United States-Canada AHEPA is holding its 74th congress in Houston, Texas with more than 700 delegates participating and with an impressive presence of young people who are concurrently holding their own congress.

The primary aim of the Greek-American and Greek- Canadian AHEPA chapters is to carve its progress for the following years in order to remain one of the strongest and largest lobbying organizations of Greeks abroad.

Three key decisions are expected to be drawn during the congress, in regards to Greek national issues. More specifically, the decisions will deal with the efforts to cutback US aid to Turkey and to freeze the sale of US military arms to Ankara. Also, the AHEPA will aim at achieving more frequent and productive cooperation with Greece.

[04] PROPOSAL OF CYPRUS-TURKEY MILITARY DIALOGUE IS AT A DEADLOCK

The issue of holding a military dialogue between the chief of Cyprus' National Guard and the leader of the turkish occupation forces has reached an impasse, diminishing the chances for easing the crisis at the "dead zone" in the near future.

The United Nations' deputy special envoy for the Cyprus problem Gustav Feishel stated that there are still problems faced in the efforts to hold a dialogue between the two officers.

According to Mr. Feishel, the UN believe that a military dialogue will constitute a good way to overcome the military and technical issues of disengagement and the ban on the use of firearms.

The UN diplomat is expected to meet today with the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides.

[05] GREEK MUSEUM TO BE CREATED IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

The Greek government has accepted -in principle- the proposal presented by the state of Victoria in Australia m to create a Greek museum in Melbourne.

Australian state Premier Jeff Kennet's advisor Nikos Kotsiras recently held meeting in Greece with alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos and Culture Minister Stavros Benos with whom he discussed the museum proposal.

Mr. Kotsiras stated that Mr. Romeos has accepted the proposal and has promised that Greece will support, in every possible way, the creation of the Greek museum. The proposed museum would be housed in the impressive neoclassical building "Old Customs House" located in the center of Melbourne. According to crrent plans, on its first floor the museum will feature an exhibit of ancient greek artifacts, some of which will be authentic, and on the other floor there will be various exhibits from Greece.

When the plan becomes reality, the first exhibit to be held in the museum will be a history of the Greek Parliament.

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