[01] PREMIER HAILS THESSALONIKI'S TRADE FAIR AS ECONOMY'S VALUABLE BAROMETER

[02] PASOK LOCAL CHAPTER STORES MAGNIFICENT WELCOME FOR PREMIER'S ARRIVAL

[03] MISSION IN NORTHERN IRAQ ACCOMPLISHED, SAYS US PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

[04] DEFENSE MINISTER: EU MUST DRAW COMMON DECISION ON SOUTHERN IRAQ

[05] EARLY ELECTIONS ARE THE FINAL BLOW TO LOCAL TOURISM, SAYS INDUSTRY

[06] BLACK SEA TRADE-DEVELOPMENT BANK TO MAP OUT LONG- TERM BUSINESS PLAN

[07] TURKISH-CYPRIOT PARTY LEADER EXPRESSES SORROW FOR GREEK-CYPRIOTS' DEATH

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] PREMIER HAILS THESSALONIKI'S TRADE FAIR AS ECONOMY'S VALUABLE BAROMETER

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will hail Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair as the country's valuable economic barometer, during his salutation at the Trade's 61st anniversary on Saturday.

"The Fair was prosperous and successful at a time when Greece was opening new horizons towards development and welfare," writes the Prime Minister and PASOK President in his salutation, adding that "yet, during the country's difficult times the Fair's parameters narrowed and limited its ability to attract dynamic achievements of international and national production.

"However, the Fair is not limited to playing the role of a mirror," according to the Premier, "as it further gives the country the ability to display Greek products and to emphasize the important role Thessaloniki can play as a trade and industry network within the European Union and the Balkan region."

In turn, Mr. Simitis points to the path the country should follow in order to enter a new and long-term trajectory.

"The structural problems faced by the economy must be handled decisively and the country must adjust to the needs and demands created by the globalization of the economy," the Premier emphasizes, adding that the government's aim is not only to strenghten the economy but, concurrently, to secure a qualitative expansion of development and to promote social cohesion."

[02] PASOK LOCAL CHAPTER STORES MAGNIFICENT WELCOME FOR PREMIER'S ARRIVAL

The local chapter of the ruling PASOK party is preparing a magnificent welcome for the arrival of Prime Minister and PASOK President Kostas Simitis when he reaches Thessaloniki for the formal inauguration of the 61st International Trade Fair on Friday evening at 8 p.m.

The Premier is scheduled to arrive at the "Macedonia" airport on Friday, 6:45 p.m. where he will be formally received by local dignitaries.

The International Trade Fair's gates will open to the public on Saturday at 10 a.m. while in the evening the Premier will customarily present his government's economic outlook, a speech awaited with heightened interest given the country's upcoming elections of September 22.

On Sunday morning, Mr. Simitis will meet with the administrators of HELEXPO, the organization in charge of the Fair, and will give a press conference at 1 p.m.

[03] MISSION IN NORTHERN IRAQ ACCOMPLISHED, SAYS US PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

United States President Bill Clinton announced today that the cruise-missile strikes against northern Iraq have been completed, emphasizing that the Iraqi forces have withdrawn from the Kurdish areas.

However, President Clinton clarified that further attacks may be deployed if it is deemed necessary.

According to the Iraqi News Agency, President Saddam Hussein visited the Iraqi military headquarters and is said to have issued new directions for the defense of his country's air space and land territory.

The Iraqi President condemned the U.S. and stated that they launched a strike against the center of Baghdad last night, a report which Mr. Clinton has denied. However, according to reports, a US aircraft, opened fire against an Iraqi radar in order to avoid the risk of being downed.

[04] DEFENSE MINISTER: EU MUST DRAW COMMON DECISION ON SOUTHERN IRAQ

Greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis stated today the European Union must draw a common decision regarding the crisis in southern Iraq.

In other matters, Mr. Arsenis responded to reporters' questions regarding the various problems noted during the formation of PASOK's candidates lists and stated that problems will always exist, but in the end "we all put our hands in."

The Defense Minister stated that "only PASOK can rally together the production forces."

[05] EARLY ELECTIONS ARE THE FINAL BLOW TO LOCAL TOURISM, SAYS INDUSTRY

On top of the humdrum plaguing Greek tourism, the snap elections of September 22 come to bring the final blow to the industry, according to the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (HATTA).

According to HATTA, the upcoming elections have created a so-called "black hole" in local tourism since all vacations still due to public-sector employees have been postponed and, generally speaking, Greeks are reluctant to travel during an election period.

"We believe that the huge problem created by the elections must not result in comflict among tourism agents, hoteliers and other tourism-related businessmen and any given differences must be resolved based on good faith and understanding," according to an announcement issued by HATTA.

As such, the Association holds that in those cases where the travel agent has covered his client's expenses to other parties, i.e. hotels, transit, etc, and a refund is unattainable, the incurred expenses will burden the person who cancelled the services.

[06] BLACK SEA TRADE-DEVELOPMENT BANK TO MAP OUT LONG- TERM BUSINESS PLAN

The Thessaloniki-based Black Sea Trade and Development Bank will convene the third session of its Interim Committee today wherein representatives of all participating countries will map out the bank's business plan.

Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos will inaugurate the opening of the session which will also be attended by the Bank's President Mr. Volcan. The BSTD Bank is scheduled to open in January 1997.

[07] TURKISH-CYPRIOT PARTY LEADER EXPRESSES SORROW FOR GREEK-CYPRIOTS' DEATH

The President of the Turkish-Cypriot party Community Freedom, Mustafa Akkingi, expressed his sorrow for the recent episodes in Deryneia where two unarmed Greek- Cypriots were brutally killed by Turkish military forces.

In an interview to a Cypriot newspaper, Mr. Akkingi stated that "our geography and history force us to live together and, as such, we must find a way to do so."

Mr. Akkingi visited the village of Pyla yesterday and spoke with the local Turkish-Cypriots regarding the current situation.

In Pyla both Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots are making efforts to restore the climate of trust that existed prior to the incidents.

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/