MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (26/03/1996)

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

Macedonian Press Agency Brief News in English Directory

CONTENTS

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

[01] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS COUNCIL FALLS THROUGH, TURKEY'S ASSOCIATION POSTPONED

The European Union's Foreign Ministers Council came to a dead end late last night leading to the postponement of today's EU- Turkey Association Council meeting.

The postponement was incumbent since the turkish goverment refused to accept the planned document suggested by the 15, whose text included the greek positions that call for Turkey to commit itself on the issue of Greece's territorial integrity, to state that it will not resort to violence or the threat thereof against Greece and to observe the international accords.

Concurrently, the document made a clear reference to the fact that any dispute between the two countries would be resolved by the International Court of Justice at The Hague, while it was specifically stated that Turkey must respect and observe the good neighboring rules.

The document's text brought about a "marathon" of negotiations, as the Italian Foreign Minister Suzanna Agnelli communicated numerous times with her turkish counterpart. Late last night, Germany, France and Italy retracted their original positions and tried to adopt another, clearly changed text. However, Greece reacted and the result was the postponement of the EU-Turkey Association Council.

Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos spoke to reporters and stated that "the postonement took place because we refused any text that does not express the principles, which, on one hand are Community principles and on the other constitute general principles of the United Nations constitutional map and the Helsinki Final Act, which Turkey has also signed."

Mr. Pangalos continued that the greek position is crystal clear, does not permit questioning and emphasized that "no one can convince us to abandon our position." He aslso pointed out that the italian presidency has been subjected to various pressures, some stemming from factors found outside the Community.

Meanwhile, the Italian Foreign Minister, who currently holds the rotating EU Presidency, avoided to attribute responsibility to anyone regarding the Association Council's cancellation and merely stated that the meeting has been psotponed to a future date. However, the EU Foreign Ministers have authorized Italy to undertake the necessary steps that will lead to the Association Council meeting being held soon, certainly by June.

[02] GREECE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN NATO'S "DISTANT THUNDER 96" EXERCISE

Greece is not participating in NATO's annual aeronautical exercise "Distant Thunder 96", currently taking place in the Aegean Sea, due to the known problems in the region, announced the General Staff of National Defense.

The Aegean Sea portion of the exercise will continue throughout today and tomorrow, with the participation of Turkey and small forces of other allies. Greek military patrol boats and fighter planes are currently present in the region, in order to avert any potential turkish provocations.

The aeronautical exercise will be carried out until April 5 and will take place in inland Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean.

[03] U.S. FIRST LADY IN ANKARA TODAY, TO VISIT ATHENS ON THURSDAY

United States First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Ankara last evening, her previous to last stop of her nine-day, five-country goodwill mission.

On Thursday, Mrs. Clinton, who is accompanied by her 16-year- old daughter Chelsea, will arrive in Athens, where she will meet with representatives of women's groups and will participate in the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame that will burn at the July Atlanta Summer Games.

[04] US PRESIDENT SIGNS PROCLAMATION FOR GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY

United States President Bill Clinton has signed a proclamation announcing the Greek Independence Day of March 25 to be "a national day of celebration of Greek and American Democracy."

In the proclamation, released last Friday by the White House, the American President states that "it is one of history's great ironies that Greece, the birthplace of democracy, was subject for centuries to foreign domination, culminating in almost four hundred years of political suppression by the Ottoman Empire."

Commemorating the one hundred and seventy-fifth anniversary of the Greek Revolution, the american President calls upon all Americans "to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities and programs."

[05] CYPRUS SIGNS TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION ACCORD WITH RUSSIA

Defense Minister of Cyrpus Kostas Heliades signed a technical co-operation accord on defense issues with the russian government in Moscow.

Referring to the contents of the accord, the Cypriot Defense Minister clarified that it is an accord-framework based on which others may follow in the future.

Commending on turkish reactions to the agreement, Mr. Heliades stated that "the Cypriot Republic is an independent state and has the right to sign international accords with any (state) including the Russian Federation."

During his stay in Russia, the Cypriot Defense Minister also visited industrial armament plants.

[06] US OPENS EMBASSY IN SKOPJE, UN AMBASSADOR ON VISIT

On the occassion of the United States Embassy opening in Skopje, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright embarked on a diplomatic mission to FYROM on March 23.

Ms. Albright met with FYROM President Kiro Gligorov, as well as with the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs. The UN ambassador also met with american troops based in the Petrovac Army Camp near the Skopje Airport.

At the inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, Ms. Albright read a letter from U.S. President Bill Clinton calling the opening of the diplomatic mission a "clear demonstration of U.S. support and a strong symbol of our closeness."

The U.S. recognized FYROM in February 1994 but delayed opening an embassy in Skopje until Greece and FYROM signed an interim accord.