[01] FARMERS INSIST ON MOBILIZATIONS

[02] SYRIA IS LYING, BRUNNER IS ALIVE IN DAMASCUS, SAYS LOCAL JEWISH LEADER

[03] THESSALONIKI: INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF CULTURE POLICY

[04] UNITED STATES PROPOSE THESSALONIKI AS CULTURAL NUCLEUS OF BALKANS

[05] GREEK EUROMEP TO LEAD ARMENIA, GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN COMMITTEE

[06] BULGARIA: LEV SUFFERS A FURTHER DONWARD PLUNGE OF 25%

[07] UN REPRESENTATIVE MEETS CLERIDES AND DENKTASH TOMORROW

[08] THE CHURCH OF ST. ANASTASIA WILL BE RENTED OUT BY DENKTAS REGIME

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] FARMERS INSIST ON MOBILIZATIONS

Farmers in central Greece's cities of Larisa and Trikala came out to the streets and rallied today, while in Thessaloniki farmers gathered outside the facilities of HELEXPO's exhibit "Agrotica "97", where Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas attended the event's inauguration ceremonies.

Referring to the protesting farmers' mobilizations, government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas said that the state will seriously address any cases where the law is violated.

Also, Justice Minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos warned that local law enforcement agencies have been instructed to arrest on the spot all those who attempt to block national roads.

The farmers appear undaunted and warn that blocking the entrance of Thessaloniki's International Fair (HELEXPO) is only the tip of the iceberg, as they plan to mount their protests if the government does not meet at least some of their demands by February 4.

"The government is not interested in our problems," stated the president of a confederation of agricultural unions (SYDASE), Yiannis Pitas to the Macedonian Press Agency, adding that "it (the state) better not try and turn a social group against the farmers and flaunt strong police forces, because it doesn't help in solving our problems."

Mr. Pitas clarified that farmers are not opposed to dialogue, as long as it's done for the sake of reaching solutions, not uttering words. A.F.

[02] SYRIA IS LYING, BRUNNER IS ALIVE IN DAMASCUS, SAYS LOCAL JEWISH LEADER

The President of Thessaloniki's Jewish Community, Andreas Sefiha, today refuted the Syrian Embassy's denial that the wanted war criminal Alois Brunner is alive and well in Syria.

"The Syrian authorities are lying," Mr. Sefiha said.

"Brunner is in Damascus, there is no doubt about that and the Syrian government is covering him."

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Sefiha said he knows that both the German and the Israeli government information bureaus have files containing proof of Brunner's existence in Syria. He added that the Syrian authorities have covered, and continue to do so, Brunner in exchange for his aid in setting up the Syrian secret services. Mr. Sefiha also said that he is to meet with the German ambassador in Athens from whom he will request that the German government's efforts to locate Brunner be intensified. A.F.

[03] THESSALONIKI: INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF CULTURE POLICY

Beginning tomorrow, Thessaloniki will be transformed into an international center of culture policy.

Also, tomorrow marks the day when the city officially becomes Europe's cultural capital for 1997. The event will be formally inaugurated on Saturday by the President of Greece, Kostis Stephanopoulos, and the ceremony will be followed by a dinner to be hosted by Premier Kostas Simitis in honor of the attending foreign and national dignitaries. A.F.

[04] UNITED STATES PROPOSE THESSALONIKI AS CULTURAL NUCLEUS OF BALKANS

The United States have undertaken an initiative wherein it is proposed that Thessaloniki become the cultural center of the Balkan region.

The Clinton Administration's plans, according to a Greek daily, were first unveiled by the Greek-American former senator John Brademas to the members of the General Confederation of Greek Laborers (GSEE), during their recent meeting in Washington.

Mr. Brademas, as the president of the U.S. Academy of Democracy, has also been appointed as president of a committee that has been formed by the U.S. Administration to solely address this initiative. A.F.

[05] GREEK EUROMEP TO LEAD ARMENIA, GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN COMMITTEE

The Inter-parliamentary Committee of the European Parliament and the Republics of Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan) unanimously appointed as its president the Greek europarliamentarian Alekos Alavanos, during its session today.

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Alavanos stated that "the area of Caucasus bears great significance for the European Union's foreign policy, given its oil production as well as the tensions noted between Armenia and Azerbaijan and in Georgia's domestic affairs. It also greatly affects Greece, since the oil pipeline will bring crude oil to Greece from Caucasus through the Black Sea and will also pass through Burgas and Alexandroupolis."

Mr. Alavanos is scheduled to visit Caucasus in early April when he will meet with the presidents of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. A.F.

[06] BULGARIA: LEV SUFFERS A FURTHER DONWARD PLUNGE OF 25%

Bulgaria's national currency, the lev, suffered a further downward plunge of 25%, thus giving a worsening turn to the country's inflation rate and already asphyxiating economic crisis.

Meanwhile, the country's labor unions embarked on a general strike today, demanding early elections and salvation from the formidable economic crisis. A.F.

[07] UN REPRESENTATIVE MEETS CLERIDES AND DENKTASH TOMORROW

The official representative of the United Nations General Secretary Han Sung Jou, will meet tomorrow with the President of Cyprus, Glafkos Clerides. After that, he will meet with the Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash.

On February 5th, Mr. Jou will meet at the house of the alternate official representative of the General Secretary in Cyprus, Goustav Feisel, with the leaders of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot political parties. That same afternoon, he will meet with ambassadors of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, at the residence of the Chinese ambassador in Nicosia.

During his stay in Cyprus, Mr. Jou will attend a dinner with the Russian Ambassador, Mr. Georgi Mouratov, and with the special envoy of the Russian Foreign Minister, Vladimir Chisov.

[08] THE CHURCH OF ST. ANASTASIA WILL BE RENTED OUT BY DENKTAS REGIME

The Denktash regime is once again destroying Greek cultural inheritence in the occupied territory of Cyprus.

According to the Turkish-Cypriot media, the historical church, St. Anastasia, in the occupied territory of Lapitho, and the area around it,which is 7,722 square meters, will be rented out, by auction, for 30 years.

The "individual" or the "legal entity" that will rent the church and the surrounding area, will be required, by contract, to build a hotel.

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