MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (11/04/1996)

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

Macedonian Press Agency Brief News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki 11 April 1996,

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] BULGARIAN PRESIDENT VETOES THE NESTOS RIVER AGREEMENT WITH GREECE

In an unprecedented move, Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev vetoed yesterday the recently-signed Greek-Bulgarian agreement regarding the Nestos River waters.

Mr. Zhelev asked the Bulgarian Parliament to reconsider the agreement which allocated to Greece 29% of the river's annual water capacity for a time period of 35 years.

Although the agreement had already been ratified by the Bulgarian Parliament in March, Mr. Zhelev vetoed the agreement by noting that "the problem with the Nestos River waters is thirty- years-old and even the communist governments did not dare to show irresponsibility on this issue. Even in January of 1990, the Parliament had decided that Bulgaria must make use of at least 75% of Nestos' annual water quantity."

An agreement regarding the opening of three border crossings and highways linking the two countries, tabled to the Bulgarian Parliament along with the Nestos River waters agreement, has been approved by the Bulgarian President.

If the agreement receives majority votes again by the Parliament, the presidential veto will be nullified.

[02] GREEK PREMIER TO MEET WITH ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS IN NEW YORK TODAY

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is scheduled to meet today with Archbishop of North and South America Iakovos.

Following the meeting with Mr. Iakovos, Mr. Simitis will depart for New Haven Connecticut where he will speak at Yale University on "Challenges and Prospects for Greece in the Year 2000".

Tomorrow, the Premier will visit the United Nations headquarters and will meet with UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali.

Mr. Simitis will celebrate Easter in New York and will return to Greece next week.

[03] PREMIER'S MEETING WITH WARREN CHRISTOPHER WAS "EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD"

Greek Premier Kostas Simitis characterized yesterday's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher as "exceptionally good" and stated that steps were made which will help in the progress of the further cooperation with the United States.

According to Mr. Simitis, he and Mr. Christopher discussed Greece's role in the Balkans and in Europe, the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem.

Yesterday evening, the Premier discussed Greece's economic policy at an event hosted by the Joint Hellenic-American Business Council, where he stressed Greece's emergence as a dynamic economy, one that is ready to address the development challenges in Southeastern Europe, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.

[04] GREEK OPPOSITION PARTIES COMMENT ON SIMITIS VISIT TO US

Greece's main opposition party New Democracy has not issued a statement concerning Premier Kostas Simitis' visit to the United States, although the party's honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis has characterized the meeting between Mr. Simitis and U.S. President Bill Clinmton as "beneficial."

The President of the Political Spring Party (Politiki Anixi) Antonis Samaras stated that Greece is drawn into an all-issues dialogue with Turkey, "when meanwhile we have abandoned the FYROM name issue."

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stated that the United States have been delegated as referees in the greek-turkish relations, while the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) characterized the meeting between the leaders as one that is "lacking in essential results."

[05] THESSALONIKI TO GET A NEW ROYAL THEATER, ONE OF A KIND IN EUROPE

Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Kosmopoulos announced yesterday that a new Royal Theater is planned to be built at the site of the city's former Royal Theater-Melina Mercouri Stage.

The Theater is a 5.280 billion drachma project which will take up 11,200 square meters. It will feature an Italian stage and will have a housing capacity of 825 seats.

According to the president of the General Construction Company, which has undertaken the project on behalf of the Organization for the Cultural Capital (OPPE), the theater will be one of a kind in Europe, while only two others of comparable standards are found in the United States.

[06] UNDERMINISTER FOR SPORTS TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON VIOLENCE IN SPORTS HELD IN AMSTERDAM

Under-Minister for Sports Andreas Fouras is currently in Amsterdam participating in an international meeting on "Tolerance and Fair Play in Sports".

With representatives from 25 countries attending, the meeting foresees the signing of an international action plan that will promote tolerance and fair play in sports, while putting forward efforts to eliminate violence and racism at an international and national level.

The meeting is taking place as a result of last May's 8th meeting of European Sports Ministers, held in Lisbon.

[07] OLYMPIC GAMES FLAME ARRIVES IN STOCKHOLM

Continuing its course towards Atlanta, the Olympic Flame, lit in Olympia on March 30, arrived in Stockholm yesterday, as part of a tour that includes all the cities that have hosted the Olympic Games.

Swedish gold medalist Ulrike Knappe, who won the diving competition during the Munich-held games in 1972, received the flame. Stockholm had organized the Olympic Games of 1912.

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