[01] EGNATIA ROAD IS SPONSORED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION, REMINDS ATHENS

[02] THE GREEK PRESIDENT ADDRESSED THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[03] CONSULTATIONS ON FYROM'S NAME TO OPEN IN NEW YORK

[04] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER ON A 24HOUR VISIT TO BULGARIA

[05] THESSALONIKI:60 THOUSAND TONS OF CRUDE OIL FOR FYROM UNLOADED

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[01] EGNATIA ROAD IS SPONSORED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION, REMINDS ATHENS

Political desires and resolutions are not enough for the construction of a road axis like the one Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria and Turkey agreed to construct said today Greek Transport and Communications Minister mr Evangelos Venizelos who stressed that such axes need money and sponsors.

The Egnatia road which is under construction belongs to the 14 European road networks sponsored by the European Union said mr Venizelos who added that all discussion concerning the road which will connect the Adriatic coast of Albania to the Black Sea is indefinite, general and premature.

It is obvious said mr Venizelos that between two parallel roads which are close to each other, the one under construction has priority to the one which is discussed in diplomatic level.

Mr Venizelos reminded that tomorrow the extension of the Elsinki - Plovdiv road till the greek port of Alexandroupolis in the Aegean Sea is signed in Brussels while he also said that the trilateral grecobulgaroromanian cooperation in the road transport section is very close and that the choice for the place where the new Danube bridge will be constucted concerns a European Union member state as well as two countries who are in a structured dialogue so that they enter the Community.

[02] THE GREEK PRESIDENT ADDRESSED THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

"Cyprus is a characteristic example of the UN's inability to condemn with consistency and firmness an aggressive act which was accompanied by use of military force" stressed President of the Hellenic Republic mr Constantinos Stephanopoulos in his address in the United nations General Assembly in the framework of the celebrations for the international organization's 50th anniversary.

Mr. Stephanopoulos said that the use of military force and the threat to use it must be condemned with firmness as lately there are many such cases and in an obvious reference to Turkey he mentioned specifically the threat of war expressed against Greece in case it applies the Law of the Sea Convention.

He also said that through the United Nations the human rights are better protected but still a lot needs to be done in this area. The greek President stated that the UN efforts for the economic development and cooperation among nations were effective and in some cases successful.

He said that local wars continue to erupt in many parts of the world stressing that the UN had been deprived of the power to impose its resolutions every time the major powers did not agree to them and did not provide the necessary means for peace.

The greek President completed his address by saying that the strengthening of the UN's effective action will be to the interest of International Community in general and especially to the interest of the smaller member-states that can feel safer when they act in the framework of an international system ruled by laws and principles that are being respected.

[03] CONSULTATIONS ON FYROM'S NAME TO OPEN IN NEW YORK

The issue of FYROM's name will be on the negotiating table starting tomorrow, while according to estimates from greek circles, the whole issue will be settled by the end of the year.

Both the greek and the skopjan side stress that they want the good climate in the bilateral relations to continue in order to settle this pending issue that can threaten stability both in FYROM and in the wider region of the Balkans. The same circles mentioned to MPA that the signing of a memorandum in Athens last Friday over the opening of liaison offices in Athens and Skopje shows that there is will from both sides to settle the issue of the name as soon as possible.

In an event held to the honour of Archbishop of North and South America, Iakovos in the presence of the Presidents of Greece and Cyprus mr.Kostis Stephanopoulos and mr.Glafkos Kliridis, the special adviser of the US President George Stephanopoulos especially mentioned the issue of the greek-skopjan relations. After expressing optimism that the issue of FYROM's name will be resolved, he stressed the importance of the signing of the interim agreement, the lifting of the embargo and the change of the skopjan flag, for the security of the Balkans.

Tomorrow, the permanent representative of Greece in the UN ambassador, Christos Zaharakis will meet in New York with UN mediator Cyrus Vance in order to discuss the issue of FYROM's name, while by the end of the week there will be a meeting between mr.Zaharakis and skopjan representative mr.Denko Malefski who first will meet with mr.Vance.

Mr.Vance will continue the consultations with representatives of the two countries and later there will be contacts at Foreign Ministers' level. According to information, the greek government intends to bring the issue of FYROM's name to Parliament in order to be discussed at the level of political party leaders and to reach a decision on this issue of national interest.

[04] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER ON A 24HOUR VISIT TO BULGARIA

Greek Foreign Minister mr Carolos Papoulias will pay a 24hour visit to Sofia tomorrow.

Mr. Papoulias will discuss with his bulgarian counterpart mr.Pirinski issues of security and cooperation concerning the two countries while they will also discuss greek-bulgarian bilateral relations in general.

According to the greek government spokesman, in the agenda of the discussions is not included the issue of the Bourgas - Alexandroupolis oil pipe-line project.

[05] THESSALONIKI:60 THOUSAND TONS OF CRUDE OIL FOR FYROM UNLOADED

A russian tanker that has already left Thessaloniki unloaded 60 thousand tons of crude oil destined for FYROM. The crude oil was unloaded on Friday night in the oil depots of the oil company "MAMIDAKIS" located in the port of Thessaloniki.

According to information, another tanker with 60 thousand tons of crude oil for FYROM is expected to arrive in the port of Thessaloniki in 10 days.

Meanwhile, today is expected to be completed the unloading of 6 thousand tons of zinc that arrived in the port of Thessaloniki from the port of Andwerp on the cargo ship "ATALANDI".