MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (96-10-09)

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, October 9, 1996

TITLES

[01] HOPES TO DISCOVER CO-PILOT OF FALLEN TURKISH F-16 JET DIMINISH

[02] PRESIDENT OF GREECE WELCOMED BY FINLAND'S PRESIDENT AT FORMAL DINNER

[03] U.S. SECURITY ADVISOR: "CYPRIOT ISSUE IS ONE OF WORLD'S BIGGEST SHAMES"

[04] TWO TURKISH SOLDIERS AND ONE CIVILIAN ASK GREECE FOR ASYLUM

[05] CYPRIOT OFFICIALS THANK GREECE FOR ITS INPUT IN "NIKIFOROS" EXERCISE

[06] SEMINAR ON POLAND'S MARKET TO BE ORGANIZED IN THESSALONIKI

[07] CYPRUS-FRY TO SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN BELGRADE TODAY

[08] FLORIDA CELEBRATES "CYPRIOT WEEK" ORGANIZED BY STUDENTS OF TAMPA UNIV.

[09] BOSTON'S GREEK COLLEGE TO HOLD CONFERENCE ON HELLENISM, ORTHODOXY

[10] BULGARIA: ZELEV BLASTS GOVERNMENT DURING MEETING WITH FOREIGN OFFICIALS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] HOPES TO DISCOVER CO-PILOT OF FALLEN TURKISH F-16 JET DIMINISH

Athens, October 9 (M.P.A.)

Three greek Navy helicopters and two ships located one of the two turkish pilots yesterday and transported him to a hospital in Chios. He is expected to be flown to a military base in Turkey today.

The Greek Government has expressed its condolences, while Minister of National Defense Akis Tsohatzopoulos has indirectly called on the international community to exert pressures upon Ankara to end the provocative violations of Athens' and Nicosia's FIR.

Yesterday evening, Turkey's alternate deputy Foreign Minister Inal Batu communicated by telephone with the Greek Ambassador in Ankara Demitrios Nezeritis and thanked him for the turkish pilot's rescue. Mr. Batu also stated that the unfortunate incident was an accident.

Meanwhile, Washington appears relucant to adopt a stance regarding the numerous violations of Greece's FIR, claiming that it has not received a formal announcement on the matter.

U.S. White House spokesman Nicholas Burns, refering to the jet's fall, stated that he is glad to see that there wasn't further tension created and pointed out that the turkish pilot's rescue by greek forces proves that the two countries can cooperate.

[02] PRESIDENT OF GREECE WELCOMED BY FINLAND'S PRESIDENT AT FORMAL DINNER

Helsinki, October 9 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Stephanopoulos is the first Greek President to visit Finland.

In his address, President Stephanopoulos outlined Greece's foreign policy concerning Europe and the Balkans and referred to the country's relations with its neighbors, making specific mention of FYROM and Turkey.

In turn, President Ahtisari emphasized the need to resolve the Cyprus problem and alligned himself in favor of embarking on negotiations for Cyprus's accession to the European Union six months after the Intergovernmental Conference.

Mr. Ahtisari stated that Cyprus' division has lasted for too many years and, as such, negotiations for Cyprus's accession constitute an additional reason to reach a solution to the problem.

Mr. Stephanopoulos referred to the developments in the EU and emphasized that the Europe envisioned must be a Europe of the citizens, development and democracy, a Europe of fairness, open to the world and able to uphold the security of its people and the independence of the member states.

The Greek President added that the issue of european security and stability must be addressed in an indivisible and spherical manner, in order to grant its members the guarrantees of International Law, The United Nations Map, the Helsinki Final Act, and other relevant international accords.

"Greece wishes not only for cooperation, which afterall is bound due to the proximity, but also for true friendship with all of its neighboring countries," Mr. Stephanopoulos stated, adding that Greece has managed, after the political turbulance in the Balkans, to establish relations with Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and FYROM. He did point out that the name issue is pending between Greece and FYROM, yet, the President emphasized, Greece firmly supports the existence of this state.

Only one country remains, the President stated, and that is Turkey, a country with which Greece wishes to have honest friendship and alliance.

With this in mind, Mr. Stephanopoulos added, Greece believes in upholding International Law and is in favor of resorting to the International Court of Justice at The Hague to address issues that burden the relations between the two countries.

Today the Greek President met with Finland's Prime Minister Paavo Liponen and will visit Helsinki's City Hall.

This evening Mr. Stephanopoulos is expected to address the FYROM issue during his speech at the Paasikivi Club.

The President will remind his audience that FYROM insists on presenting itself as an heir of ancient Macedonia by taking its name, and until recently its symbols, although almost all of ancient Macedonia is located within the borders of the modern greek state.

[03] U.S. SECURITY ADVISOR: "CYPRIOT ISSUE IS ONE OF WORLD'S BIGGEST SHAMES"

Washington, October 9 (M.P.A.)

Speaking at Washington's Georgetown University, Mr. Lake characterized the cypriot issue as being "one of the world's biggest shames" and expressed his regret that such an important issue has yet to be resolved, although it is one of President Clinton's priorities.

Mr. Lake emphasized that Greece's domestic affairs, as well as Turkey's, did not provide a ripe opportunity for both sides to address the cypriot issue. He emphasized President Clinton's commitment to achieve progress on the matter "and he will do so if he is re- elected."

[04] TWO TURKISH SOLDIERS AND ONE CIVILIAN ASK GREECE FOR ASYLUM

Alexandroupolis, October 9 (M.P.A.)

The three men said that they did not want to return to Turkey and serve in the army and appealed to the greek magistrate court to grant them asylum. Their request was denied and they were returned to the Alexandroupolis police.

[05] CYPRIOT OFFICIALS THANK GREECE FOR ITS INPUT IN "NIKIFOROS" EXERCISE

Nicosia, October 9 (M.P.A.)

In unisom, Cyprus' political parties also expressed their satisfaction over the participation of Greek aircraft in the drill.

[06] SEMINAR ON POLAND'S MARKET TO BE ORGANIZED IN THESSALONIKI

Thessaloniki, October 9 (M.P.A.)

The seminar will address the process of economic reform, foreign trade and Poland's exports policy.

Participating at the seminar will be officials from Poland's Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, the polish Organization for Foreign Investments and Poland's Chamber of Commerce.

[07] CYPRUS-FRY TO SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN BELGRADE TODAY

Belgrade, October 9 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Michaelides is on a three-day official visit to Belgrade. He will meet with FRY's Premier Radoyie Kodic and is expected to be received by Serb President Slobodan Milosevic.

[08] FLORIDA CELEBRATES "CYPRIOT WEEK" ORGANIZED BY STUDENTS OF TAMPA UNIV.

Florida, October 9 (M.P.A.)

The event will be held until October 12 and will feature speeches on Cyprus' illegal ocupation by Turkey. The Cypriot Ambassador to New York will speak on "The Byzantine Art of Cyprus" and "The Political Developments in Cyprus."

Florida's Pan-Cypriot Association is also participating in the events.

[09] BOSTON'S GREEK COLLEGE TO HOLD CONFERENCE ON HELLENISM, ORTHODOXY

Boston, October 9 (M.P.A.)

A number of university professors and researchers from the United States and Greece will present their points of view on the cohesion between these two concepts, with references to history, culture, education and religion.

The conference is being held within the framework of the College's continuous rapport with the Greek community living abroad as well as the american public.

[10] BULGARIA: ZELEV BLASTS GOVERNMENT DURING MEETING WITH FOREIGN OFFICIALS

Sofia, October 9 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Zelev addressed the foreign dignitaries, who represent the European Union member-states, the United States, Russia, Sweden and Turkey, and appealed to them not to abandon Bulgaria during these difficult times. He is convinced, he added, that the recent assassination of Bulgaria's former Premier Andrei Lukanov will not directly influence the political situation in his country.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article