Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-09-25

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, September 25, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] A SENIOR US STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL WILL MEET SEPARATELY WITH PANGALOS AND CEM

US Assistant Secretary of State Mark Grosman will have separate meetings in New York today with Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem. In the following days the US official will visit Athens and Ankara.

Mr.Pangalos attributed the failure of yesterday’s meetings with his Turkish counterpart to the fact that Turkey insists in its positions making impossible any progress.

The Greek Foreign Minister stated that a part of the Turkish establishment promotes a plan based on which the borders in the Aegean are being disputed and gave the assurance that this will not be accepted as an international practice.

US State Department spokesman James Rubin avoided to directly blame the Turkish side but he reiterated the US position for the need to solve the issue of the Imia islets through the International Court of Justice in The Hague or another international legal body.

[02] THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF GREECE AND FYROM MET IN NEW YORK

Foreign Minister of Greece Theodoros Pangalos and his counterpart from FYROM Blagoi Handjinski met for half an hour in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. In statements to journalists mr.Pangalos said that he and his counterpart discussed issues of bilateral interest as well as, FYROM president Gligorov’s and mr.Handjinski’s participation in the meeting of Crete.

Regarding the prospects for the solution of the pending issue of the name that will be used by FYROM, mr.Pangalos stated that they are many. He said that trade relations are developing quickly, while about half a million people from FYROM have visited Greece for a number of reasons.

[03] THE U2 WILL ROCK THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

The Irish group U2 arrived in the island of Crete yesterday and tomorrow will be in Thessaloniki for the concert that will be held at the city’s sea-front.

The mobilization among the young fans of the group is unprecedented. The 50.000 tickets issued for the concert have been sold out a long time ago, while all the city hotels are fully booked.

It will be a mammoth concert with huge stages and impressive visual effects, while thousands of meters of cables will be used as well as, gigantic billboards.

[04] PANGALOS SUSPICIOUS OVER TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY

The Turkish strategy in the bilateral relations was deeply criticized today by both the Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos who said that Turkish policy appears to have changing positions which are characterized by confusion, difficult and unpleasant differences and all this leads to the suspicion that there is something hidden behind.

The Greek minister added that the doubt on border which is exercised by Turkey will not prevail as an international practice.

[05] GRECOALBANIAN MILITARY CO-OPERATION

A military co-operation accord was signed today in Athens by the Greek and Albanian defence ministers, Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Sabit Brokaj. The two ministers signed a protocol under which the Greek defence industry would cover Albania's needs, and approved another agreement on training, arms and restructuring the

The ministers also settled issues regarding the presence of a Greek military unit in Albania to help with army restructuring. Tsohatzopoulos and Brokaj agreed upon reinforcing Greek-Albanian military contacts at all levels in order to expeditiously apply the accords which will be examined Friday in Athens by military chiefs from both countries.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[06] SECURITY ISSUES WILL BE DISCUSSED TOMORROW BY CLERIDES AND DENKTASH

Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will discuss security issues in their meeting scheduled to take place in Nicosia tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the United States believe that there is a window of opportunity open at this time for the solution of the Cyprus problem and call on all interested parties to use their influence in the efforts to find a solution and avoid the actions that increase tensions.

The above were stated by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to her counterparts from Greece, Cyprus and Turkey in the meetings she had with them in the UN headquarters in New York, according to a statement by US State Department spokesman James Roubin.

After the meeting with ms.Albright, Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulides stated that the Cyprus problem, the Aegean issue and the security issues that concern the Turks are separate but the one affects the other, stressing that the procedures for their solution should not be mixed.

[07] THE US SUPPORT CYPRUS’ ACCESSION INTO THE EU

US mediator Richard Halbrooke appeared satisfied with the positive stance adopted by the Greek government, when dealing with the issue of the Aegean.

After the meeting he had with Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, mr.Halbrooke underlined that the United States support Cyprus’ accession into the European Union as well as, the efforts for the easing of the tensions in the Aegean.

On the Cyprus issue, he said that he is neither optimistic nor pessimistic.

[08] MILOSEVIC - PLAVSIC MEETING

An agreement for the end of the political crisis was signed by President of the Serb Republic of Bosnia ms.Biljana Plavsic and the member of the collective presidency of Bosnia Momcilo Kraisnic.

The agreement was signed in Belgrade during Plavsic’s meeting with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

[09] THE ROMANIAN PRESIDENT WILL WELCOME THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH IN THE PORT OF CONSTANZA

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and all those who participate in the ecology conference for the protection of the sea which is being held on board a ship visiting Black Sea ports, will be welcomed in the port of Constanza today by Romanian President Emil Constantinescu.

According to the Romanian newspapers, the opening of today’s conference meeting, that will be held in the Romanian port sixth stop in the Ecumenical Patriarch’s tour, will be declared by the Romanian President and Patriarch of Romania Theoktistos.

The conference is held on board the ship “Eleftherios Venizelos” and its conclusions will be announced in Thessaloniki, where the Ecumenical Patriarch is expected to arrive on Sunday, September 28.

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