BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN (08/09/1995)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@uranus.eng.auth.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, September 8 1995

  • [01] GREEK PRIME MINISTER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE "FIGHT OF THE NAME"

  • [02] THE BOMBARDMENTS DO NOT BENEFIT ANYONE SAYS GREEK GOVERNMENT

  • [03] THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

  • [04] GREEK PRIME MINISTER IN THE 60th INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF THESSALONIKI

  • [05] GREECE CONDEMNED THE FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTS IN SOUTH PACIFIC.

  • [06] GREECE'S POSITION TOWARDS TURKEY HAS NOT CHANGED SAYS ATHENS

  • [07] THESSALONIKI WILL TAKE PART IN WORLDVIDEO 40 DEGREE PROJECT

    [01] GREEK PRIME MINISTER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE "FIGHT OF THE NAME"

    Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou appeared today optimistic that Greece will win the fight of the name in the negotiations with FYROM which will take place on September 12-13 in New York. Mr Papandreou said that the issue of the official name of the FYROM will not be discussed and added that these negotiations will focus on the issues of the flag and the constitution of the neighbouring country."We will win the name but we need time, and instistance and not nagging" said mr Papandreou. President of the main opposition party of New Democracy mr Miltiades Evert from Thessaloniki said that he is concerned after the exclusion of the name of FYROM from the negotiations in New York while the President of the minor opposition party of Political Spring mr Antonios Samaras is expected to ask for a meeting of the political party leaders to discuss the issue. Mr Samaras had his petition for an extraordinary session of the Greek parliament rejected by the Speaker who claimed that the issue is within the constitutional responsibilities of the President of the Republic. Earlier greek press and media minister government mr Evangelos Venizelos stated from Thessaloniki that Greek position is that it can not recognize FYROM under the name "Macedonia" or any of its derivatives and stressed that this is the position Greece will enter the dialogue which is to be held in the presence of United Nations mediator mr Cyrus Vance. He also said that the government's policy on the relations with FYROM is the one that has been announced repeatedly by the greek Prime Minister to the Parliament and the greek people. Mr.Venizelos stated that Greece participates in the New York talks, that will be held on Monday, September 11th, to discuss only the issues concerning the lifting of the greek economic countermeasures against Skopje and the complete and tangible settlement of the issues of the symbols and the Constitution of the neighbouring country. Mr.Venizelos reiterated that on Monday there will be no discussion or dialogue on the issue of the name. Responding to a question by a reporter on the measures imposed on Skopje by Greece mr. Venizelos stressed that it was a political decision of the government and all those who were opposed to it now reassess their views and they will have to admit they were wrong. The minister stated that the issue still pending in the European Court of Justice is that of the legality of the measures in the framework of the european community law while whether it violates or not the community law is a secondary issue. Mr.Venizelos added characteristically that Greece is interested in the problem of its relations with Skopje and of course in the mediation that is taking place on a UN level in accordance with the UN Security Council mandate. Foreign Ministry spokesman ambassador Konstantinos Bikas stated referring to the position that will be adopted by Foreign Minister mr. Carolos Papoulias in the New York talks with his FYROM counterpart Stevo Chervenkofski, that the greek government will not sell out the name "Macedonia", which is a component of the dispute with Skopje, for the sake of party politics. Mr.Bikas commenting on the pre-conditions presented by mr.Chervenkofski in the FYROM Parliament for the normalization of the relations with Greece added that the greek government will not sell out sovereign rights in the New York talks. The spokesman stated that he is not aware if the agreement that will be reached in New York will be presented to Parliament for ratification. On the statements made by german Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, according to which he will raise the issue of the economic assistance for Skopje in the informal summit of the European Union Foreign Ministers to be held this weekend in Spain, mr.Bikas said that the greek position is being formed in the continuous meetings held by Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs mr.Mangakis. Mr.Papoulias will leave for New York on Saturday and the talks with his skopjan counterpart will begin on September 12th or 13th in the presence of United Nations Security Council mediator mr. Cyrus Vance.

    [02] THE BOMBARDMENTS DO NOT BENEFIT ANYONE SAYS GREEK GOVERNMENT

    Greek government reiterated today the position that the bombardments of the Bosnian Serbs positions do not offer good services stressing that despite greek reeservations which are expressed in every official communique of the European Union and the NATO, organizations to which it is a member, the United Nations have never protested on the way NATO applies their resolutions on the Bosnian crisis. Mr Venizelos noted that Greek and Russian policy on the issue of the Bosnian crisis have many common points but many differences as well and characterised the role of Moscow as important since it has the quality of the permanent member of the Security Council.

    [03] THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

    Tomorrow's visit by Russian Foreign Minister mr. Andrei Kozyrev to Thessaloniki is characterized as very important by the greek Foreign Ministry. Mr Kozyrev is expected to arrive in Thessaloniki from Sofia, accompanied by a large deligation at about noon tomorrow and shortly after that he will be received by Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou while immediately after will meet his greek counterpart mr Carolos Papoulias. The two men are expected to sign an agreement tomorrow afterrnon. Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman ambassador Konstantinos Bikas said today that a meeting between greek Foreign Minister mr. Carolos Papoulias and his russian counterpart will be held shortly after noon tomorrow and will focus on the bosnian crisis and on bilateral relations while they will also have talks on the natural gas and oil pipe-line projects. The Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that he does not know if mr.Kozyrev will go to Geneva for tomorrow's talks on the Bosnian crisis which were characterized by the spokesman as very important expressing the hope that they will promote the peace process in the region.

    [04] GREEK PRIME MINISTER IN THE 60th INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF THESSALONIKI

    Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou arrived today in Thessaloniki which he described as the "capital of the Balkans" for the manifestations of the 60th international fair of Thessaloniki which he will open tomorrow. Mr Papandreou expressed his gratitude for the the reception organised for him and announced that he will present his opinion on the work pof his government whiel he will also announce the lines of the policy of his government in 1996. The Greek Premier refused to comment on the resignation ex-Minister mr Theodoros Pangalos submitted from the Central Committee of the governing party where he had been elected first in the congress of 1994. Mr Papandreou is accompanied by a large number of members of the cabinet.

    [05] GREECE CONDEMNED THE FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTS IN SOUTH PACIFIC.

    The greek government condemned the resumption of the french nuclear testing in South Pacific. Greek government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos stated from Thessaloniki that the government expresses its deep sorrow, and its categorical opposition to the resumption of the french nuclear tests which it condemns.

    [06] GREECE'S POSITION TOWARDS TURKEY HAS NOT CHANGED SAYS ATHENS

    There are no greek-turkish disputes but only unilateral turkish claims, unilateral violations by Turkey, stated greek today Press and Media Minister mr Evangelos Venizelos during today's briefing of journalists in Thessaloniki adding that the only legal difference with Turkey is the issue of the continental shelf. Mr.Venizelos pointed out that turkish Prime Minister ms Tansou Ciller continues almost daily to make provocative statements on the issue of the expansion of the greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles creating fabricated tension, while he added that the greek position on the issue is known as it is known that Greece has ratified the International Law of the Sea Convention.

    [07] THESSALONIKI WILL TAKE PART IN WORLDVIDEO 40 DEGREE PROJECT

    The Worldvideo 40 Degree North project is an international, world wide video art project. 50 peoples in 24 places, located on the 40 degree north latitudinal line around the world, will make, each one in his place, a one hour video recording of their landscape on the 9 September 1995 at 12.00 pm Central European Summertime. This project will be held in Thessaloniki at 13.00. Dr. med. Athanassios Papageorgiou, Lambros Makris from Electrical Engineering DPT. of the Aristotle Univeristy of Thessalonik in cooperation with Zafiris Gallis, will make a one hour video with the beauties of our town and shorttime from the beginning of the International Fair. All shots will be joined together in an audio-visual installation. The installation is a simulation of the earth in the solar system and will presented at the international exhibitions and video festivals.
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