Macedonian Press Agency: News In Brief (96-10-24)

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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 24, 1996

TITLES

[01] BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE IVAN MARAZOV WARNS OF INSTABILITY BROUGHT ON BY CONSERVATIVE OPPOSITION

[02] PRIME MINISTER TO ATTEND MOSCOW CONFERENCE OF BLACK SEA COUNTRIES

[03] STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN CLARIFIES YESTERDAY'S STATEMENT

[04] A.H.E.P.A. PRESIDENT ENCOURAGED AND DISAPPOINTED BY CLINTON AND DOLE

[05] GREEK PROPOSAL ON MEDITERRANEAN PROTECTION DEEMED A SUCCESS

[06] EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 5 ON RICHTER SCALE ROCKS PYLOS AGAIN

[07] INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S EVALUATORS ARRIVE IN GREECE

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE IVAN MARAZOV WARNS OF INSTABILITY BROUGHT ON BY CONSERVATIVE OPPOSITION

Sofia, October 24 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Marazov, a nominee of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, (BSP) directly and openly blasts his opponent Peter Stoyanov and his conservative, right-wing United Democratic Forces (UDF) tandem, as leading the country towards economic chaos and instability for the sake of small-party interests.

Professor Marazov has been Bulgaria's Minister of Culture since 1994 when the socialists won the elections, and, as director of the Fine Arts Department at the Institute of the Theory of Art with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, has extensively dealt with greek culture.

He emphasized that if he becomes president of the country, he would work towards strengthening relations between Greece and Bulgaria, as well as his country's relations with the other Balkan countries.

"For me personally," stated the 54-year-old nominee, "Greece has always been a strong attraction, because, as a scientist I have studied your country's history, dating back to four thousand years ago."

Mr. Marazov also stated that the trade between the two countries must be intensified, especially now when Bulgaria's public sector is undergoing a privatization trend.

Stating that there is vast room for Greek-Bulgarian business relations, Mr. Marazov stated that bilateral trade must be further promoted, "something that can be achieved when the bulgarian economy will work as it ought to."

Referring to the elections, Mr. Marazov stated that "we will be the sure winners in the second round, along with all the coalition candidates, except Stoyanov, who come from the center- left and who, of course, will not want to contribute to the election of a president of the right wing, which, with its 'shock' policy, drove Bulgaria into today's economic crisis."

[02] PRIME MINISTER TO ATTEND MOSCOW CONFERENCE OF BLACK SEA COUNTRIES

Athens, October 24 (M.P.A.)

The Premier will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and a delegation of officials from the Foreign and National Economy ministries.

In Moscow, Mr. Simitis will meet with his Russian counterpart Victor Cernomyrdin and the two men will discuss the Burgas- Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the natural gas line currently constructed in Greece.

Present at this summit meeting will be the presidents or premiers of BSEC's 11 countries-members which are Russia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, the Ukraine, Georgia, Moldavia, Armenia, Albania and Azerbaijan.

The "11" are expected to sign a manifesto which will confirm their intent to deepen cooperation among them, especially in the economic sector.

The two basic issues of concern to BSEC are, first, to what degree must priority be given to cooperation among the countries- members and, second, if and when must SEC be established into an international organization.

Greece supports that the strengthening and intensification of the already-existing economic cooperation within BSEC must be given priority status. Moreover, both for BSEC's expansion and its transformation into an international organization, the greek side proposed that a task group be formed in order to study the relevant consequences prior to undertaking any decision.

Siding with the greek proposals are Bulgaria, the Ukraine and Armenia, which have submitted, along with Greece, a relevant proposal to be discussed in Moscow. Also, Greece would be willing to consent to BSEC's expansion if Cyprus was included among other countries, a proposal which has met Turkey's opposition. Currently, Cyprus has observer status in the BSEC.

Two other issues are expected to be tabled in Moscow from the greek side. First, the Bank of Commerce and Development of the Black Sea, based in Thessaloniki, whose first President would be Mr. Volkan, Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller's advisor, and second, the International Center of Studies of the Black Sea which will be permanently established in Athens.

[03] STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN CLARIFIES YESTERDAY'S STATEMENT

Washington, October 24 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Burns stated that he wanted to be very clear and consistent on the matter, adding that any misunderstanding was due to confusion.

"The United States takes no position on the dispute between Greee and Turkey over the disputed islet", Mr. Burns said, referring to Imia.

The State Department official added that the U.S. believes that Turkey and Greece should resolve this dispute together.

"We have suggested several ways by which that could happen. In the past we've talked about the possibility that Turkey and Greece might want to resort to the International Court of Justice," Mr. Burns stated, adding that "there are other consensual bodies that could represent an avenue forward for Greece and Turkey to resolve the problem."

Responding to a relevant question, Mr. Burns also stated that the U.S. respect the territorial integrity of the countries and concluded that he was sorry there was confusion over his statement made yesterday because "there ought not to be any confusion."

Commenting on Mr. Burns' clarifications, Greek Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Konstantinos Bikas stated that they are taken as the State Department's firm position.

"We hold on to the statements made by U.S. President Clinton who spoke of resorting to the International Justice Court at The Hague for the issue of the Imia islets," Mr. Bikas stated, reminding that it is Turkey who claims Greek territory and can resort, if it wishes, to the International Court.

[04] A.H.E.P.A. PRESIDENT ENCOURAGED AND DISAPPOINTED BY CLINTON AND DOLE

Washington, October 24 (M.P.A.)

Mr. Spyros Makris added that in a year marked by provocations and crises in the Aegean Sea, terror and tragedy in Cyprus and a rising anti-West stance noted in Turkey's foreign policy, the Greek-Americans are rightfully upset by the U.S.' unwillingness to condemn the turkish agression.

Yet, Mr. Makris commended Mr.Dole's appeal to protect the Ecumenical Patriarchate and re-operation of the Chalke Theological School.

[05] GREEK PROPOSAL ON MEDITERRANEAN PROTECTION DEEMED A SUCCESS

Montreal, October 24 (M.P.A.)

According to the submitted resolution, the convention decided to work on legislation concerning the protection of Mediterranean beaches and the assessment of conditions for the continuous use of the natural coastal resources.

Moreover, the convention decided on combining coastal-area management with city and regional development programs, as well as the further fine-tuning of legislation to control environmental development in accordance with each area's characteristics.

[06] EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 5 ON RICHTER SCALE ROCKS PYLOS AGAIN

Thessaloniki, October 24 (M.P.A.)

According to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki seismologist Vasilis Papazachos, today's tremor bore unusual characteristics.

"It featured no time and size distribution and it would be good if the locals abandoned the cracked and old buildings," Professor Papazachos stated.

"The size of today's earthquake, a mere 15 days after the last one of October 9, does not betray a normal development in the region's seismic activity," the earthquake expert added.

[07] INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S EVALUATORS ARRIVE IN GREECE

Athens, October 24 (M.P.A.)

The Commission members will be received by the President of the "Athens 2004" Candidacy Commitee Gianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki and will meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis later this afternoon.

Athens is the sixth city-candidate visited by the Evaluation Commission, after St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Lille, Seville, Rome and Instabul. The next stops for the Commission will be San Juan, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Cape Town.

Of these 11 candidates, four or five will be shortlisted in March and the final selection is scheduled for September 1997.

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/

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