Italian group opens Cultural Capital foreign participations
NEWS IN DETAIL
Prime Minister Costas Simitis left Hippocrateion hospital in Athens, in
apparently high spirits at about 13:00 hours today, after undergoing a
successful gallbladder removal operation yesterday.
"It was a very comfortable operation, a relax session, I might say, in very
friendly surroundings," he told reporters, adding he would be back in his
office on Thursday.
Foreign Undersecretary Christos Rozakis' resignation on Thursday will not
change or affect Greece's policy on the Cyprus problem, and he will
continue offering his services in any capacity, PASOK Eurodeputy Yiannos
Kranidiotis said in an interview with the Cypriot "Fileleftheros" newspaper
today.
A new strategy, proposed by the two men who held the same post at different
times, aims at the assumption of initiatives by Athens and Nicosia that
would promote an active rather than passive attitude towards developments
and foreign initiatives, Kranidiotis said.
The completion of deliberations for the new strategy is expected later this
month, after a crucial meeting in Athens on Thursday, and a session with
Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides on January 17, he added.
Kranidiotis considers Cyprus' course towards European Union membership as a
catalyst that has began bearing fruit, and as a pressure lever on Turkey.
Regarding Turkey's special relationship with the EU, the former foreign
undersecretary favours a carrot and stick policy that would act as an
incentive for that country to change its unacceptable stand on the Cyprus
issue and Greek - Turkish relations.
The "Sbandieratori di Cammerino" group of flag-bearers, dancers, and
swordmen from Italy today opened the series of official state participations
in the Cultural Capital 1997 events in Thessaloniki.
The group paraded at 10:30 in the White Tower area of the city, dressed in
traditional costumes, and revived scenes from the social life, customs and
political events in the Cammerino district, between 1300 and 1600. There
was also a show of archery and fencing skills, as well as of medieval
dances and games of the aristocracy of that era.
The events, to be repeated at Triandria at 6 pm today, and at Kordelio, and
Stavroupolis tomorrow morning, are organised with the assistance of the
Italian foreign ministry, and the Consulate General and the Italian
Institute in the city.
WEATHER (SUNDAY)
Fair weather over most of the country.
Winds light variable. Temperatures: 9-16C in Athens, 3-11 in Thessaloniki,
10-18 on the Aegean islands.
(M.S.)
