The meeting between the foreign ministers of Greece and FYROM due in New York today was cancelled as the United Nnations Secretary General' spokesman mr Fred Ekhart stated in the international organization's headquarters.
Earlier it was announced that the direct talks due at 10:00 local time would delay for two hours after which the new statement was made, asking all concerned to wait till a new statement on the issue be made.
The Foreign Ministers of Greece and FYROM mr Carolos Papoulias and mr Stevo Crvenkovski would meet today in New York in the presence of international mediator mr Cyrus Vance to discuss the "small package" of the negotiations which contained an agreement on changes in the flag and the constitution of FYROM and lifting of the greek measures against Scopje, valid since February, 16, 1994.
Diplomatic circles in New York attributed the cancellation to a petition by the FYROM side for a greek statement of lifting of the measures before the start of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, former greek President mr. Christos Sardjetakis expressed reservations regarding the eventuality of an agreement between Athens and Skopje which according to mr Sardjetakis with this agreement Skopje will not be committed to anything but on the contrary Greece will lose the only means of pressure and defense it has, namely, the embargo.
The US State Department spokesman mr Nikolas Burns had expressed the belief that today's meeting in New York between the Foreign Ministers Papoulias and Crvenkovski will result in an agreement that will solve the political and the rest of the differencies between the two sides.
Responding to questions made by reporters on whether the agreement is under US guarantee the US State Department spokesman stated "I don't know. As you know the guarantee has sometimes secondary importance in diplomacy. The US support is total. I am not sure how we could guarantee it. But of course we can back it. And the two governments know it".
The US State Department spokesman added that "Richard Holbrooke met with greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and with FYROM President mr Kiro Gligorov and conveyed the firm position that the United States will support any agreement reached. We are facilitating the process in parallel with the United Nations that played a leading role. We are very satisfied for the meeting in which Secretary of State mr. Christopher will be represented by ambassador Mathew Nimetz".
In Greece main opposition party of New Democracy expressed their support to the common communique of the political leaders session of 1992 which excluded the possibility of the use of the term "Macedonia" in the name of FYROM.
The President of the minor opposition party of Political Spring mr Antonis Samaras expressed his disbelief for the result of the negotiations stressing that if FYROM gets the lift of the measures then they will not discuss the issue of the name.
The Secretary General of the Communist Party ms Aleka Papariga did not exclude the use of the term "Macedonia" or a derivative of the word in the name of FYROM but in a strictly geographical concept.
UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali in his annual report to the UN General Assembly on all the issues concerning the international organization mentions that there is deadlock in the process of the negotiations on Cyprus.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, mr.Ghali records all that happened during the last 12 months and expresses regret because despite the presence in the negotiations of all the ingredients for a just and lasting settlement the negotiating process appears to have hit a snag.
Among others, mr.Ghali mentions that during the contacts he had with Cypriot President Cleridis and with the turkish-cypriot leader Denktash last November and December he had pointed out to them that showing mutual good will the facts studied in the informal talks of last October could offer the possibility for an important step both on the essense of the problem and on the confidence building-measures.
Mr.Ghali also adds in his annual report that he instructed his representatives to go ahead with contacts with the interested parties aiming at creating the basis for further discussions.
The second round of international seminars on the peaceful co-existence in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Central Asia organized by the Hellenic
Foundation for Foreign and Defense Policy opened on Sunday in the city of Halkida and will run through October 15th. The seminars are organized in cooperation with the Washington based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Foundation.
In a message by Minister of Defense Gerasimos Arsenis, read by his special advisor Gerasimos Potamianos, was underlined the necessity for the creation of a bilateral cooperation network with the countries of the region in the sectors of economy and security.
Cyprus Airlines occupies the 8th place in the world in the sector of services offered to travellers.
The company's international success was announced today by President of Cyprus Airlines Board of Directors Vasilis Rologis invoking the results of a research conducted by the british newspaper "The Observer".
According to a statement issued by Cyprus Airlines, the company by occupying the 8th place is ahead of many other large European airlines. In the same statement is also mentioned that Cyprus Airlines recently was included among the safest airlines in the world.
The greek Organization for the Promotion of Exports will participate in the 8th International Exhibition of Consumer Products "CONSUMEX '96" which will be held in Moscow on January 15-19.
In the exhibition will be presented products such as clothes, footwear, home appliances and equipment and is regarded as very important because it attracts buyers from all over the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In a press conference on the occassion of Cyprus' 35th participation in Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair the commercial advisor of the Cypriot Embassy mr. Nikolaou presented figures showing that the cypriot economy is in a period of recovery with very good prospects.
According to mr.Nikolaou, unemployment is at 2,3%, the inflation is 3,4%, the state deficit is about 3% of the GNP and the public debt is a little less than 60% of the GNP, while the private business sector is very active.
He also stated that Cyprus has already concluded the first round of talks with the EU in preparation for the pre-accession negotiations which are expected to start soon.
The US State Department spokesman Nikolas Berns expressed the belief that today's meeting in New York between the Foreign Ministers of Greece and FYROM Karolos Papoulias and Stevo Chervenkofski will result in an agreement that will solve the political and the rest differencies between the two sides.
Responding to questions made by reporters on whether the agreement is under US guarantee the US State Department spokesman stated "I don't know. As you know the guarantee has sometimes secondary importance in diplomacy. The US support is total. I am not sure how we could guarantee it. But of course we can back it. And the two governments know it".
The US State Department spokesman added that "Richard Holbrooke met with greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and with Skopjan President Kiro Gligorov and conveyed the firm position that the United States will support any agreement reached. We are facilitating the process in parallel with the United Nations that played a leading role. We are very satisfied for the meeting in which Secretary of State mr.Christopher will be represented by ambassador Mathew Nimetz".
UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali in his annual report to the UN General Assembly on all the issues concerning the international organization mentions that there is deadlock in the process of the negotiations on Cyprus.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, mr.Ghali records all that happened during the last 12 months and expresses regret because despite the presence in the negotiations of all the ingredients for a just and lasting settlement the negotiating process appears to have hit a snag.
Among others, mr.Ghali mentions that during the contacts he had with Cypriot President Kliridis and with the turkish-cypriot leader Denktash last November and December he had pointed out to them that showing mutual good will the facts studied in the informal talks of last October could offer the possibility for an important step both on the essense of the problem and on the confidence building-measures.
Mr.Ghali also adds in his annual report that he instructed his representatives to go ahead with contacts with the interested parties aiming at creating the basis for further discussions.
The second round of international seminars on the peaceful co-existence in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Central Asia organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Foreign and Defense Policy opened on Sunday in the city of Halkida and will run through October 15th. The seminars are organized in cooperation with the Washington based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Foundation.
In a message by Minister of Defense Gerasimos Arsenis, read by his special advisor Gerasimos Potamianos, was underlined the necessity for the creation of a bilateral cooperation network with the countries of the region in the sectors of economy and security.
Cyprus Airlines occupies the 8th place in the world in the sector of services offered to travellers.
The company's international success was announced today by President of Cyprus Airlines Board of Directors Vasilis Rologis invoking the results of a research conducted by the british newspaper "The Observer".
According to a statement issued by Cyprus Airlines, the company by occupying the 8th place is ahead of many other large European airlines. In the same statement is also mentioned that Cyprus Airlines recently was included among the safest airlines in the world.
The greek Organization for the Promotion of Exports will participate in the 8th International Exhibition of Consumer Products "CONSUMEX '96" which will be held in Moscow on January 15-19.
In the exhibition will be presented products such as clothes, footwear, home appliances and equipment and is regarded as very important because it attracts buyers from all over the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In a press conference on the occassion of Cyprus' 35th participation in Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair the commercial advisor of the Cypriot Embassy mr.Nikolaou presented figures showing that the cypriot economy is in a period of recovery with very good prospects.
According to mr.Nikolaou, unemployment is at 2,3%, the inflation is 3,4%, the state deficit is about 3% of the GNP and the public debt is a little less than 60% of the GNP, while the private business sector is very active.
He also stated that Cyprus has already concluded the first round of talks with the EU in preparation for the pre-accession negotiations which are expected to start soon.