Greece accepted the suggestions made in the framework of the american initiative and next week negotiations between Greece and FYROM will start in New York as the director of the Diplomatic Bureau of the Greek Prime Minister ambassador Karaitidis announced today in Athens.
The same announcement was made simoultaneously at Scopje where US Undersecretary of State mr Richard Hawlbrooke went after Athens and Washington.
In a statement the charge d'affaires of the United States embassy in Athens made, it is stressed that the meeting at ministerial level next week will finalize an agreement which will be th first important step towards the creation of a base for friendly relations between the two countries.
The US statement hailed the development characterizing the stage it is achieved as crucial and elegant for the seeking of peace in the Balkans and attributed it to the attempts of the United Nations mediator mr Cyrus Vance nad the US presidential envoyee mr Mathiew Nimetz.
Earlier mr Hawlbrooke had met the greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou at the presense of the Foreign Minister mr. Karolos Papoulias.
The US diplomat had underlined the value of secret diplomacy and Greece's important role to the developments in the Balkans and especially in Bosnia. Mr.Papandreou and Holbrooke had made no comments after their meeting as their talks were characterized as confidential.
Greek Foreign Minister had stated after the meeting with mr.Hawlbrooke that "the progress of the talks was satisfactory. We are very close to an agreement and we hope that it will be reached because it will contribute to peace in the Balkans".
Mr.Papoulias also rejected the scenarios that surfaced in the last few days on the lifting of the greek measures against Skopje saying that Greece is ready to participate in negotiations in New York if President Gligorov of FYROM decides to participate without setting any preconditions.
The greek Foreign Minister said that mr.Holbrooke has no specific plan on the issue of Skopje and pointed out that this problem is included in the overall US initiative for the solution of the problem in former Yugoslavia.
Mr.Papoulias stated that there are difficulties in the peace process and expressed the hope that the meeting in Geneva will take place on Friday and that a peace agreement will be signed.
Greek Press and Media Minister mr. Evangelos Venizelos had stated that the proposals expressed on the settlement of the Athens-Scopje problems both by international mediator Cyrus Vance and by US special envoy Richard Holbrooke are already known to the greek government just as the greek positions are known. Nevertheless, he reiterated that Athens is ready to go ahead with the lifting of the embargo against Skopje if the neighbouring country changes its positions concerning the issues of its flag and Constitution.
Mr.Venizelos characterized as a positive fact the release of the 5 EU observers held by the bosnian serbs that was achieved through the mediation of greek Foreign Minister
Leader of the main greek opposition party New Democracy, Miltiadis Evert met today in Paris with french President Chiraque.
The discussions focused on the latest developments in the Balkans and on the greek positions on the issues concerning Skopje and Turkey.
In statements after the meeting mr.Evert said that the french positions regarding the Cyprus problem are satisfactory adding that President Chirac believes that the talks for Cyprus' accession into the European Union can lead to the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Mr.Evert characterized the talks as interesting adding that they were contacted in a friendly climate. This afternoon the leader of New Democracy is scheduled to meet with the french Foreign Minister.
The earthquake measuring 4,1 on the Richter scale that shook at 7:09'am today the regions of Kozani and Grevena in north-western Greece is an aftershock of the devastating earthquake that hit the region on May 13th and measured 6,6 on the Ricter scale, according to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Geophysics Laboratory seismologist, Manolis Skordilis.Meanwhile, an earthquake measuring 4,8 on the Richter scale shook at 1:02'am this morning the southeastern Aegean island of Karpathos. Its epicenter was located under the sea and according to seismologists the tremor was in the framework of the usual earthquake activity in eastern Aegean.
Also, a third earthquake measuring 4,1 on the Richter scale was recorded at 11:30'am this morning in the region of the southern city of Patras. The quake's epicenter was located south-east of Patras in the village of Demestiha.
Turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash is furious over the stance adopted by the chairman of the US House of Representatives External Affairs Committee Ben Gilman during his visit to Cyprus. Denktash stated that mr.Gilman is supporting the greek-cypriots and is voicing their positions.
In his statement the turkish-cypriot leader said that mr.Gilman rejected the turkish positions on the political equality of the turkish-cypriot community and that he did not want to understand the turkish-cypriot struggle.
"We must make sure that no symbol or name belonging to the true Macedons will be used by Skopje for the falsification of History and cultural heritage" said to M.P.A. australian Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Premier in Multicultural & Ethnic Affairs and Trade Development, Julian F. Stefani.
Mr.Stefani, who is of italian origin, stated that this is and this will be the position of the state government of South Australia while the state of Victoria will demonstrate a similar position. He also stated that the use of the name "Macedons" by the skopjans constitutes the biggest insult and falsification of history.
Mr.Stefani said that the truth lies in the findings discovered in Vergina and in other historical sites adding that they constitute proof that Macedonia is greek.
Former Soviet leader Michail Gorbachev did not rule out the possibility to be a candidate for the Russian Presidency in the future adding that he will reach a decision when the time comes. The statement was made by mr.Gorbachev as President of the International Institute of Economic, Political and Social Studies and as President of the International Ecological Organization "Green Cross" during a press conference in Athens where he arrived to participate in the "Meeting of Athens" that opened today and will last until September 6th. The meeting is organized by the Athens Polytechnic under the auspices of the President of the European Parliament.
Mr.Gorbachev was clearly against the NATO air- strikes on the bosnian serbs in the region of Pale saying that it is an ethical question. He said that for the situation in the region responsible are the europeans, the americans, the Balkan states and the United Nations because Foreign Ministers were quick to recognize the independence of Slovenia and Croatia leaving the rest republics of former Yugoslavia with unsolved problems.
Mr.Gorbachev said that the solution to the crisis is a political one and that the plan proposed by the United States is not the ideal solution and certain of its points must change but nevertheless, it constitutes a basis for the solution of the problem. Regarding the future developments in the Balkans he said that he does not believe that the war will spread in the Balkans stressing that "times have changed".
On the french nuclear tests in South Pacific, mr.Gorbachev said that he is not pleased with President Chirac's policy on the issue of nuclear tests saying characteristically that mr.Chirac is a serious politician and does not need to resort to such actions in order to strengthen his image. He also said that he stands by the french people and the =80ustralians who are against the nuclear tests and that he supports the activities of "GREENPEACE".