New Greek Press and Media Minister mr Tilemachos Hitiris, who will also be serving as the governmental spokesman confirmed today press publications according to which the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey will meet in New York on September 26th in the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Responding to questions by reporters he stated that it will be an acquaintance meeting as in the next few days the name of the new turkish Foreign Minister is expected to be announced after the resignation submitted by mr Erdal Inonu last week.
Mr. Hitiris, who said that there will be no agenda in the meeting, stressed that the New York meeting does not mean the resumption of the greek-turkish dialogue.
The Minister reiterated the recent statements by the Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou in Thessaloniki that Greece will not make any concessions on its sovereign rights in the Aegean Sea.
Mr Hitiris did not exclude the eventuality that Greek Foreign Minister mr Carolos Papoulias meet in New York during the works of the United Nations General Assembly United States Undersecretary of State mr Richard Holbrooke.
The firm position of the cypriot and the greek government is that the improvement of the greek-turkish relations passes through the Cypriot problem, stated cypriot government spokesman mr Yiannakis Kasoulidis commenting on the information that in a few days will start a greek-turkish dialogue in New York.
The cypriot government spokesman stressed that his government was not officially informed by Athens that a greek-turkish dialogue is going to to take place in New York.
Mr.Kasoulidis stated that and in the past had been meetings of the two sides that were held on a lower diplomatic level concerning specific issues adding that this could hardly be characterized as dialogue on the essential differencies between Greece and Turkey.
Cyprus will become a European Union member stressed spanish Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Westentorp whose country currently holds the rotating EU Presidency.
The statement by the spanish government official was made in Nicosia before his talks with the cypriot delegation headed by cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Michailidis.
The discussions, which are taking place in the framework of the Cyprus-EU dialogue, will focus on the efforts made by Cyprus toward its accession into the European Union and on its preparations for the 1996 Inter governmental Conference.
The Spanish Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs met this morning with Cypriot President Kliridis while had a separate meeting with cypriot Foreign Minister, Alekos Michailidis.
There is no new United Nations initiative for the solution of the Cyprus problem, stated United Nations Secretary general special envoy in Cyrpus mr Gustav Feysel adding that what is needed is the political will for reaching a solution to the problem.
In statements made this morning after his meeting with Cypriot President Kliridis the UN official also mentioned that there were interesting viewpoints expressed by the greek-cypriot side but he avoided to respond to questions on the lifting of the deadlock between the greek-cypriots and the turkish-cypriots.
Mr. Feysel stated that the United Nations are still looking for ways to aid the process adding that all the elements of a solution are on the negotiating table but what is missing is the political will.
Mr.Feyisel also said that he does not know if the UN Secretary General special envoy Joe Clark will visit Cyprus, while he mentioned that he will have a new meeting with turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
Greek Minister of National Economy mr.Yiannos Papantoniou is expected to meet this afternoon in Brussels with the European Union Commissioner mr Van Mirt who holds the portfolio of public finance.
Mr Papantoniou will present the greek government's decisions on the privatization of the Skaramangas shipyards, according to which 51% of the shipyard's subscribed capital will belong to greek Bank of Industrial development (ETBA) and 49% to the employees of the shipyards while the management will be given to an international house.
Greek trade Unions were forced to accept the proposal since the future of the shipyards industry in Greece does not seem very bright and about 1000 employees will have to be sucked within the next 16 months.
The coordination committe of the mayors of the sixteen prefectures of Macedonia and Thrace expressed today their concern for the recvent developments in the Athens -Scopje relations and will ask to meet Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, Foreign Minister mr Carolos Papoulaiw, opposition party leaders and the international mediator mr Cyrus vance so that they have the chance to expose their positions.
The mayors who met in Thessaloniki decided that they call for a meetoing of all the mayors of Macedonia nad Thrace on Sunday, October 1st.
The Committee reiterated that the national issue concerning the name of FYROM is not negotiable and theri conviction that the articles of the FYROM constitution and the greek symbols in the flag of FYROM should be removed.
The communique, issued after the meeting concludes that the majore issues of Macedonia, Thrace and Epitus remain unsolved and stress that a solutoin to these problems will mean a multiple shield for all Northern Greece, which will make the role it is to play in the Balkans feasible.
The Pan-Macedonian Association of US-Canada expressed reservations and concern over the fact that in the text of the interim agreement between Greece and Skopje there is no explicit commitment concerning FYROM's official name which according to the Association will be a point of friction in the future relations between the two countries.
According to a statement issued by the Pan- Macedonian Association US-Canada, Greece's political leadership and the greek government are called to avert the national danger which can be seen in the future resulting from the Scopje persistence to use a name for their state that does not belong to them and does not represent them.
"With the signing of the agreement the foundations for the development of good relations with the neighbouring country have been laid. We have been recognized by a neighbouring state and this is very important", stated FYROM Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski after his arrival from New York to Skopje's Petrovac Airport.
Responding to the question if a visit to Skopje by greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias is not excluded, mr. Crvenkovski said that is very natural for such visits to take place between neighbouring states adding that he does not know how soon this will happen.
Mr.Crvenkovski stated that with the signing of the interim agreement a change in the situation in the south of the Balkans began to take place, while he thanked President Clinton of the United States and international mediators mr Cyrus Vance of the United nationbs Security Council and mr Mathiew Nimetz, of the mr Clinton's and everyone who contributed to reaching an agreement with Greece.