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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-07-01
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] GREEK AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN NEW YORK
[02] TURKISH REACTIONS OVER UN RESOLUTIONS ON CYPRUS
[03] INTERVIEW OF THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT
[04] GREEK PRESIDENT VISITS LATVIA
[05] ARCHBISHOP CHRSTODOULOS CANCELS PLANNED VISIT TO KOSOVO
[06] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS EMPLOYEES ON STRIKE
[07] DONATION FOR ATHENS PARK
[08] ND DEPUTY REFERRED TO DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
[09] FINLAND ASSUMES EU PRESIDENCY
[10] PLANS ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BALKANS
[01] GREEK AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN NEW YORK
During a meeting in New York yesterday, the Greek Foreign minister
George Papandreou and his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem exchanged
views on the promotion of their countries' bilateral relations in
various sectors. The two ministers agreed that a Greek-Turkish
committee should be created in order to enlarge the two countries'
cooperation in the sectors of trade, tourism, environment, cultural
exchange, dealing with organised crime, drugs and terrorism. Mr.
Papandreou stated that he discussed with Mr. Cem about a multilateral
cooperation for the reconstruction of the Balkans after the war in
Yugoslavia and the development of the region of the Black Sea. As
regards the important political issues and the substantial differences
like the Aegean and the Cyprus issue, they had a general discussion
without however dealing with them in depth. Mr. Papandreou underlined
that the Greek public opinion was in favour of the improvement of Greek
Turkish relations and that discussions would proceed on realistic
goals, on this basis. For his part, Mr. Cem stated that he had a
constructive discussion with his Greek counterpart and that steps were
made towards the right direction.
[02] TURKISH REACTIONS OVER UN RESOLUTIONS ON CYPRUS
Turkey has reacted strongly to the two resolutions on Cyprus issued
recently by the United Nations, providing for the renewal of the
mandate of the blue-berets in Cyprus and through which, all countries
are called to show respect for the sovereignty, independence and
territorial integrity of the Cyprus Republic. In the meantime, Ankara
has protested over the issue, stating that the Security Council is
wrong in using the term "the Cypriot Government". In the Turkish
occupied northern part of Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot representative
Rauf Denktash rejected the United Nations' resolutions, which he
described as scratchy and poor.
[03] INTERVIEW OF THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT
In an interview with a Turkish Cypriot opposition newspaper, the
Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides has stated that he believes that the
Cyprus issue will be resolved within the next six or seven months. In
addition, president Clerides described the initiative of the Group of
Seven most developed countries in the world and Russia, together with
the recent UN Security Council resolutions, as the most important step
ever taken until now for the Cyprus issue. Mr. Clerides also believes
that despite Mr. Denktash's reactions, Turkey will finally participate
in the discussions the United Nations Secretary General is planning to
hold next autumn.
[04] GREEK PRESIDENT VISITS LATVIA
The Greek president Konstantinos Stephanopoulos is in Latvia since
yesterday, within the framework of his three-day official visit there.
Mr. Stephanopoulos is accompanied by the foreign undersecretary
Grigoris Niotis and a group of Greek businessmen who wish to become
active in the region.
[05] ARCHBISHOP CHRSTODOULOS CANCELS PLANNED VISIT TO KOSOVO
Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece announced officially
yesterday that he would not visit Kosovo.
[06] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS EMPLOYEES ON STRIKE
Olympic Airways passengers will face problems today due to the 24 hour
strike of its employees who are reacting to the government's decision
to hand over Olympic Airways' management to "Speed Wing". The Olympic
Airways employees will also hold a rally outside the national economy
ministry. Olympic airways warns for delays and cancellation of flights,
while the national air carrier has announced that only 18 flights will
be effected. In the meantime, transport minister Tasos Mantelis has
reiterated that the government's goal is to help Olympic Airways become
stronger as a company.
[07] DONATION FOR ATHENS PARK
The Alexandros Onasis Foundation and the Association Friends of Music
join their forces to create a new green space in the center of Athens.
The chairman of the Onasis Foundation yesterday announced that the
foundation donated one billion drachmas to the Athens Concert Hall to
renew the Park Eleftherias - otherwise the Park of Freedom, once known
as Royal Gardens - in Athens.
[08] ND DEPUTY REFERRED TO DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
Manos Manolakos, member of the New Democracy central committee will
appear before the party's disciplinary council for having attended the
funeral of the former dictator George Papadopoulos.
[09] FINLAND ASSUMES EU PRESIDENCY
Finland today assumes the EU presidency for the second half of 1999 and
its priorities are the EU enlargement to the east, stability in the
Balkans, the effective operation of EU organs, as well as to create a
common strategy on employment. An urgent issue that the Finnish EU
presidency will deal with is to secure aid to the Kosovo refugees and
in general, stability in southeastern Europe, where Finland plans to
promote procedures for a rapprochement between the states of the region
and the EU.
[10] PLANS ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BALKANS
The reconstruction of the Balkans is the main subject of the 4th
economic summit meeting of central and eastern European countries. The
three day sessions began in Saltsbourg, Austria, last night.
Participating in the summit will be 16 state leaders, 50 ministers and
dozens of economic officials of the countries of the region.
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