|
|
|
Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-07-24
BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY
Thessaloniki, July 24 1998
TITLES
[01] BIG FOREST FIRES IN MOUNT OLYMPUS AND KASSANDRA, CHALKIDIKI
[02] THE GOVERNMENT COUNCIL OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE MET TODAY
[03] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT BLAMES THE US AND BONN FOR THE PROVOCATIVE
STANCE OF ANKARA
[04] PROVOCATIVE STATEMENTS BY DEMIREL
[05] GREECE PROMOTES INTERNATIONAL LAW
[06] COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREECE AND IRAQ IN THE SECTOR OF
EDUCATION
[07] EU INITIATIVE ON KOSOVO
[08] THE METROPOLIS OF XANTHI WANTS BULGARIA TO RETURN THE
MANUSCRIPTS OF THE MONASTERIES OF ARCHANGELIOTISSA AND KALAMOUS
NEWS IN DETAILS
[01] BIG FOREST FIRES IN MOUNT OLYMPUS AND KASSANDRA, CHALKIDIKI
Thessaloniki 24 July (MPA)
Big forest fires are in progress in Mount Olympus and Kassandra, Chalkidiki in northern Greece. In
the region of ?Agia Kori? in Olympus the fire rages out of control near the national park and due to
the fact that this is an inaccessible region the land fire-fighting forces can not approach. In the
region blow strong winds.
The fire in Kassandra, Chalkidiki was rekindled and is in full progress burning in two fronts in the
region of Nea Skioni and in Pefkochori. Last night, the fire passed through the small village of the
Agia Paraskevi mineral water springs.
[02] THE GOVERNMENT COUNCIL OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE MET TODAY
Athens 24 July (MPA)
The government council of foreign affairs and defense met today presided over by prime minister
Kostas Simitis and with the participation of minister of foreign affairs Theodoros Pangalos and
minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos.
In the meeting was discussed the armaments program of the Greek armed forces as well as, the
Cyprus problem in the light of the new threats launched by Turkey.
According to the statements of minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, the government?s
goal is to install an anti-aircraft ?umbrella? in the Aegean in the following 12month period. For this
purpose, Greece will go ahead with the purchase of anti-aircraft missile systems as well as, medium
and short range missiles.
Also, the Navy will be reinforced with 4 gunboats and 3 missile-carriers, while the existing
submarines will be modernized.
[03] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT BLAMES THE US AND BONN FOR THE PROVOCATIVE
STANCE OF ANKARA
Athens 24 July (MPA)
The Greek government blames the United States and Germany for the provocative stance
adopted by Ankara.
Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos pointed out that Turkey wants to possess nuclear
weapons through the purchase of a specific nuclear reactor and accused the United States and
Germany of encouraging Turkey to undertake unilateral actions.
Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos maintained that the United States have intentionally
blown out of proportion the issue of the S-300 missiles and have launched a campaign in favor of
the perpetrator in Cyprus, while he also accused US president Bill Clinton of lying about Cyprus
during his pre-election campaign.
[04] PROVOCATIVE STATEMENTS BY DEMIREL
Ankara 24 July (MPA)
Turkish president Suleiman Demirel made new provocative statements. He maintained that
?Cyprus will not become a new Crete? alleging that Crete was Turkish but due to the events taking
place at the time, both internationally and in the Balkan region in particular, it was given to Greece
as a gift, adding that this can not be done in the case of Cyprus. In an interview with the Turkish
newspaper ?Milliyet? he also maintained that ?the Turks of Cyprus?, as he calls the Turkish
Cypriots, ?were saved from ethnic cleansing?.
Mr. Demirel threatened that Turkey will teach a lesson to anyone who will touch Rauf
Denktash?s Turkish Cypriot regime, while he said that from now on the occupied territories in
northern Cyprus will be a province of Turkey from an economic point of view.
On the occasion of his visit tomorrow to the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Mr.
Demirel stated that northern Cyprus is one entity, one state which has not been recognized by
anyone except Turkey but still there is a de facto situation. Mr. Demirel also added that Turkey has
requested a political solution to the issue of Cyprus, stressing that under no circumstance there can
be a return to the situation as it was before the 1974 invasion.
[05] GREECE PROMOTES INTERNATIONAL LAW
Athens 24 July (MPA)
Greek deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, speaking in the World Parliamentary
Union of Hellenism meeting emphasized Greece?s efforts to promote international law and the
peaceful solution of disputes.
Mr. Papandreou pointed out that the European Union has set as a prerequisite for each new
member to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in The Hague as the means
for the solution of disputes between states and added that it is not just Greece and Turkey which
have problems, giving as an example the territorial disputes between Hungary and Slovakia which
have been brought before the court. Mr. Papndreou said that Hungary and Romania had also
problems as well as certain Baltic states with Russia.
Therefore, said Mr. Papandreou, it is a prerequisite to accept the authority of the International Court
of Justice in The Hague in order to be able to create an international climate characterized by
respect toward certain basic common principles.
[06] COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREECE AND IRAQ IN THE SECTOR OF
EDUCATION
Baghdad 24 July (MPA)
A cooperation agreement in the sector of science and culture was signed yesterday by Greece
and Iraq where the head of the Greek foreign ministry cultural affairs department Apostolos Aninos
is currently on a visit.
The agreement provides for cooperation among universities, teaching staff exchanges,
participation of researchers in scientific conferences, mutual recognition of university diplomas and
scholarships.
[07] EU INITIATIVE ON KOSOVO
Belgrade 24 July (MPA)
Efforts are being made by the European Union to end the armed clashes in Kosovo. The Austrian
EU presidency announced that it will send a high level delegation of European officials to the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to persuade president Slobodan Milosevic to play a constructive
role in the peace efforts.
Western European Union representatives, who have just returned from Kosovo, warn that the
possibilities to settle the crisis are minute.
[08] THE METROPOLIS OF XANTHI WANTS BULGARIA TO RETURN THE
MANUSCRIPTS OF THE MONASTERIES OF ARCHANGELIOTISSA AND KALAMOUS
Xanthi 24 July (MPA)
Forty four valuable manuscripts, stolen back in 1913 from the historical monasteries of
Panagia Archangelitissa and Panagia Kalamous in Xanthi, north-eastern Greece, the oldest of which
dates back to the 11th century AD, are kept for years now in the Central Ecclesiastical Historical
Archaeological Museum of Sofia.
The demand by Metropolite Panteleimon of Xanthi to Patriarch Maximos of Bulgaria for the
return of the relics, which are of great value for the monasteries from where they were stolen, was
not met. The Metropolite said to MPA that the response was negative and the argument used by the
Bulgarians was that the manuscripts could not be returned as the 50year period during which such a
claim could be made has passed, based on international treaties.
Metropolite Panteleimon wondered if the treaties are in effect and in the case of stolen relics
as in this case and added that the efforts for the return of the manuscripts have not been abandoned
and the claim will continue through the Ecumenical Patriarchate and UNESCO.
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/
|
