Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-03-24

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] PATRIARCH IRENAEUS DENIES RESIGNATION RUMORS

[02] THE US PRIVATE PLANE LEFT THE GREEK AIRSPACE

[03] STUDENT PARADE IN ATHENS

[04] INTERCEPTION OVER ARGOSARONIKOS

[05] ILLICIT ACTIVITY BY TURKEY IN THE AEGEAN

[06] MEETING IN A CLIMATE OF EXCELLENT RELATIONS

[01] PATRIARCH IRENAEUS DENIES RESIGNATION RUMORS

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem categorically denied that he has signed the transfer of Patriarchate real estate to Israeli investors in a press conference he gave.

Patriarch Irenaeus read a short message in Arabic and announced that he has received an invitation by King Abdallah to visit Amman, adding that he is ready to accept any investigation on the Patriarchate's transactions.

Responding to a relevant question, Patriarch Irenaeus stated that he never thought of resigning.

Meanwhile, the meeting of the Patriarchate's Holy Synod to examine the latest developments has been completed.

[02] THE US PRIVATE PLANE LEFT THE GREEK AIRSPACE

The small US private plane that entered the Greek airspace from Italy earlier today after its pilot altered its flight plan and did not respond to the calls of the control towers has left the Greek airspace.

The American pilot cited a failure in the communication system that did not allow him to respond to the recommendations of the Greek air traffic controllers.

According to the flight plan, the plane was to fly over Tripoli, Milos and Rhodes before landing in Paphos, Cyprus, but instead it changed its route and turned toward Athens and the Cyclades Islands in central Aegean.

Two Greek Air Force Mirage 2000 jets approached the private plane that finally left the Greek airspace.

[03] STUDENT PARADE IN ATHENS

The student parade on the occasion of the national holiday of March 25 was held in Athens in the presence of Minister of Education and Religion Marietta Giannakou.

In the parade on the occasion of the anniversary of the March 25, 1821 uprising that led to the liberation of the Greeks from the Turkish Yoke, participated Athens school students representing a total of 36 primary and secondary education schools.

The distinguished-in-class foreign students, regardless of nationality, will continue to have the right to be Greek flag bearers in student parades, stated Mrs. Giannakou.

[04] INTERCEPTION OVER ARGOSARONIKOS

According to information by private television stations in Greece, 2 Greek Air Force fighter jets have taken off to intercept an Italian small private plane that entered the Greek airspace en route to the island of Crete in south Aegean based on the flight plan submitted but while flying over Corinth changed its route and turned toward Athens.

Its pilot has not responded to the calls by the Civil Aviation Agency demanding identification. The whole operation is under the supervision of the Greek National Defense General Staff Chief.

[05] ILLICIT ACTIVITY BY TURKEY IN THE AEGEAN

The Greek National Defense General Staff spokesman characterized as illicit Turkey's activity in the Aegean in a statement he made yesterday on the occasion of the Turkish National Defense General Staff statement on the alleged harassment of 2 Turkish RF-4 aircraft by 2 Greek Air Force F-16 jets southeast of the Aegean island of Rhodes on March 21.

Meanwhile, the Turkish violations continue in the Aegean as on a daily basis over 30 Turkish fighter jets violate air traffic regulations and the Greek airspace.

Greek National Defense General Staff spokesman lieutenant general Loukopoulos stated that the truth is that the Turkish illicit activity in the Aegean continues. He said that the Greek fighter jets identified the civil aviation Turkish aircraft because they had entered the Athens FIR without a flight plan and in violation of the air traffic regulations.

Commenting on the Turkish allegations that all state aircraft, including the military, are free to use the international airspace without requesting a relevant permission, stressed that this is not true and that the fact that the Turkish side does not comply with the air traffic regulations creates problems in the safety of flights.

[06] MEETING IN A CLIMATE OF EXCELLENT RELATIONS

Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis meets in Washington today with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss bilateral relations, developments in the Balkans and Kosovo, the Greek-Turkish relations, Turkey's European prospect, the Cyprus issue and the likelihood to reopen negotiations for a solution within the UN framework.

The Greek-US relations are excellent stated a US State Department spokesman reiterating the US support to a solution in Cyprus based on the Annan Plan and to a solution to the FYROM name issue within the framework of the UN

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