Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-05-25

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

Last Update: 19:32 GMT+2

SECTIONS

[A] GREECE

[B] BALKANS

NEWS HEADLINES

[A] GREECE

[B] BALKANS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] GREECE

[01] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: TURKEY MUST RESPECT INTERNATIONAL ACCORDS

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Thessaloniki, May 25 (MPA)

The Minister, addressing events commemorating the 74th anniverary since the Turkish genocide of Greeks from Pontus, said that the international agreements and accords constitute the only guarantee for the establishment of peace, cooperation and stability in the region.

Moreover, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos referred to the experts committee formed by Greece to address Greek-Turkish issues and stated that it is a process that was decided upon with in the framework of the European Union, and it must move forward in order ro ascertain who is right.

"Who really wishes for the recognition of international law, stability and the prevalence of international accords which, in my view, constitute the only guarantee for the establishment of peace, cooperation and stability in the region," he further said.

A.F.

[02] EVENTS COMMEMORARING GENOCIDE OF GREEKS FROM PONTUS HELD TODAY

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Thessaloniki, May 25 (MPA)

In Thessaloniki, memorial services were held in church, and commemorative wreaths were laid at monuments for the Greeks from Pontus. A series of dignitaries and local govenrment officials were present at the events.

Greece's Minster of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, present at the ceremony, stated that today is "a memorial for the hundreds of thousands of Greeks from Pontus who were massacred. Concurrently, it is a day of national memory so that Greeks will have the ability to draw the right conclusions, for the younger become aware of who is responsible for this catastrophe and to seek, from Turkey, the official recognition of the genocide of the Greeks from Pontus, as well as of the Armenians' genocide."

A.F.

[03] THESSALONIKI HOSTS CONGRESS ON TV AND POLITICS INTERACTION

Web Posted: 19:32 GMT+2

Thessaloniki, May 25 (MPA)

The three-day congress, titled "Interaction between Television, Society and Politics", features an array of world-known journalists, analysts and news anchors, among them CNN's Peter Arnett, as well as well-known figures from the political world, such as George Stephanopoulos, US President Bill Clinton's close former associate and current professor of Political Science at Columbia University.

The event is to attempt a great venture, according to Mega: to record the problems of today's television and, at the same time, search for the best solution for the television of the fuiture.

Aside from Greek journalists, the congress's first day was also addressed by Greece's Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

Among tomorrow's keynote speakers is the former spokesperson and current deputy of the main opposition party New Democracy Prokopis Pavlopoulos, a constitutional law expert.

A.F.

[B] BALKANS

[04] TURKEY'S FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY ONUR OYMEN ARRIVES IN ATHENS

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Athens, May 25 (MPA)

Upon his arrival, Mr. Oymen stated that he came to Greece with friendly sentiments and, after noting that the problems between the two countries are known, he added that "wherever there are problems there are solutions too."

Referring to the committees of experts formed by each of the two neighbors, Mr. Oymen said that it is a positive step, but he did leave open the issue of the Turkish claims on Greek islets.

Mr. Oymen will have talks with Greece's alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

Meanwhile, the memorandum prepared by the Greek committee of experts on Greek-Turkish relations will be forwarded through the EU's Dutch-held Presidency to the Turkish committee of experts.

A.F.

[05] TURKISH PRESIDENT: CYPRUS MUST NOT ENTER EU BEFORE TURKEY DOES

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Ankara, May 25 (MPA)

Mr. Demirel warned that if this should happen, then the problem of Cyprus will go on forever.

Moreover, he stated that the only thing that Turkey wishes for in Cyprus is the security of the Turkish-Cypriots and said that his country does not have the intent to overtake the island since, if it wanted to do so, it could have done it 23 years ago.

A.F.

[06] TURKEY'S COALITION GOVERNMENT IS ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Ankara, May 25 (MPA)

As such, interesting developments are awaited to be seen this week, possibly leading to the collapse of the Necmettin Erbakan and Tansu Ciller coaliton, while the possibility of declaring early elections in not ruled out.

A.F.

[07] ALBANIA: VLORE'S COMMITTEE DEMANDS ITALIAN AMBASSADOR'S REMOVAL

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Gjirocaster, May 25 (MPA)

The committee accuses Foresti of having supported Albanian President Sali Berisha, thereby compromising democracy and the Albanian people.

Persistent press reports surfaced in Albania last week, according to which Foresti interfered in the country's domestic affairs, some even referring to him as President Sali Berisha's "crutch" and as a "brake" in the international community's efforts to resolve the Albanian crisis.

An Albanian daily published telephone conversations that were held between Foresti and Albania's Foreign Minister Tritan Sehu since the beginning of March. That was the time period when the special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Franz Vranitski and Albanian political party leaders were trying to reach an agreement on the country's early elections.

According to the report, the agreement was a done deal, way before the ink had a chance to dry.

Specifically, according to the report, the Italian Ambassador is said to have told Mr. Sehu:

"Berisha must be careful when he publicly lashes out against the committtees with which we meet, since this will bring about a negative impact on the international community, where there are many governments that want his (Berisha's) removal.

The Vlore committee," Mr. Foresti is said to have added, "is very significant since others follow behind it. You must explain this to Berisha so that he won't stop you."

Also, the paper writes that Mr. Foresti stressed upon Mr. Sehu "Vranitski is preparing an overall package regarding the points of the trilateral agreement. Of course, you will not sign. Or will you?"

Mr. Foresti has denied these reports and has forwarded a telegraph to the papers. However, one of these dailies claims to have recorded tapes of these conversations.

A.F.

[08] FYROM: MASSIVE RALLY IN GOSTIVAR FOR TURKISH, ALBANIAN FLAGS

Web Posted: 19:05 GMT+2

Skopje, May 25 (MPA)

Rufi Osmani, the Mayor of Gostivar, a city in FYROM, has issued warnings against his country's Constitutional Court, and said that "no ruling rises above the people's will and if the government tries to lower the Albanian flag through violent means, then blood will be shed."

Osmani is a member of the radical party of Democratic Prosperity-Albanian (PDP-A). Representatives of the Turkish Democratic Party and the Party of Democratic Prosperity did not participate in the rally.

The issue is a sore point between the government of FYROM and these two communities.

On May 5, FYROM's Ministry of the Interior had filed suits against the mayors of Tetovo and Gostivar because they, without prior approval, had raised the aforementioned flags in schools, courts and other public buildings in their regions.

However, according to FYROM's legislation whenever an area's minority population surpasses the 20% mark of the overall population the local admistrative bodies can raise that minority's flag.

A.F.

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