MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (27/03/1996)

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] PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

President of Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis will meet in Washington today with the United States Department of Transportation Secretary Federico Pena with whom he will discuss the objectives, as well as the consequences, of the recent U.S.- issued travel advisory for the Athens airport "Hellenikon".

Mr. Kaklamanis met yesterday with greek travel agents who aired their concerns over the advisory and reassured them that the problem will soon be resolved.

Today in Washington, the Parliament President will have a series of contacts with Clinton Administration officials, as well as US Congress representatives.

In the evening, Mr. Kaklamanis will attend a gala given in his honor by the Greek Ambassador to the U.S. Lukas Tsilas.

[02] BILL CLINTON SIGNS PROCLAMATION FOR GREEK NATIONAL HOLIDAY

"Democracy remains the most precious gift to our world from the Greeks of ancient times," stated the United States President Bill Clinton in his proclamation honoring the greek national holiday of March 25, which this year marks the 175th anniversary since the greek revolution against Ottoman rule in 1821.

"This manner of government, placing authority directly into the hands of the people, has long fulfilled the needs and aspirations of freedom-loving nations throughout the world," Mr. Clinton stated in the proclamation.

In the document, Clinton refers to the common struggles between the greek and american people, stating that "standing shoulder to shoulder, Americans and Greeks fought for these principles on the battlefields of World War II and through the dark days of the Cold War." He also noted that there are nations around the world which are still enduring oppression and are denied economic, social or political freedom.

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."

Concluding his proclamation, the U.S. President proclaims March 25 as a National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.

[03] GREEKS, ARMENIANS AND KURDS TO PROTEST DEMIREL'S WHITE HOUSE VISIT

Wahsington's American Hellenic Institute is organizing a protest rally in front of the White House, on Friday at noon, coinciding with Turk President Suleiman Demirel's arrival for a visit with the United States President Bill Clinton.

The rally, jointly organized by the Greek, Armenian and Kurdish communities as well as college organizations, will protest Turkey's threats on greek sovereignty in the Aegea Sea over Imia, the illegal, continuous occupation of North Cyprus, the restriction of religious freedom at the Ecumenical Patriarchate and illegal closing of the Halki School of Theology, the illegal blockade of Armenia, the use of U.S. weapons against its Kurdish citizens and the proposed U.S. sale of the 10 "Super Cobra" helicopters to Turkey.

During his stay at the U.S., The Turk President wil be appointed Professor Emeritus at Washington's Georgetown University and will be given the School's "Presidential Award", the University's highest honor. Greek, Armenian and Kurdish associations have inundated university officials with letters opposing this granting of titles to the turkish leader.

[04] DEMIREL SHOULD APPOINT A HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER, SAYS HELSINKI WATCH

The New-York based human rights organization Helsinki Watch, has asked United States President Bill Clinton to urge Turkish President Suleiman Demirel to appoint a human rights minister who will tackle the widespread abuse in Turkey.

In its letter to the US President, the Human Rights Watch/Helsinki appeals that the Turk President be called upon to repeal "laws that punish free expression... allowing greater cultural rights for Turkey's Kurdish population."

It also called on President Clinton, who will host Demirel on Friday at the White House, to ask the Turk leader to appoint a "State Minister Responsible for Human Rights."

Helsinki Watch stated that it hoped the Turk Prime Minister Melsut Yilmaz's new government "would fulfil its promise to 'protect and improve rights, freedom and the individual' by instituting some of the reforms cited above."

Explaining its appeal to Clinton, the international organization pointed out that "the intimate relationship between the U.S. and Turkey also means that the U.S. has special responsibilities, including on (the area of) human rights."

[05] ITALIAN REPRESENTATIVE ARRIVES IN CYPRUS TODAY

The European Union Italian Presidency's co-ordinator for Cyprus Federico di Roberto will arrive in Cyprus today, where he will conduct a new round of negotiations with the cypriot government and the turk-cypriot side.

Mr. di Roberto's visit to Cyprus is a follow-up of the report he presented Monday at the EU Foreign Ministers Council.

The italian official, who is due to visit both Athens and Ankara during the next two months, as well as the United Nations headquarters in New York, will submit a report at the Ministers Council following Cyprus' parliamentary elections to be held in May. Both the cypriot and the greek government view Mr. di Roberto's approach to the Cypriot issue positively.

Briefing the EU Foreign Ministers, Mr. di Roberto has characterized as "realistic" the prerequisites set by the cypriot government for the finding of a common ground, prior to embarking on inter-communal talks.