Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-11-03

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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, November 3, 1997

TITLES

[01] GREEK PREMIER OPENS BALKAN LEADERS SUMMIT CONFERENCE IN CRETE

[02] TURKEY’S MILITARY EXERCISE “TAURUS” BEGINS AT CYPRUS’ OCCUPIED PART

[03] ATTACKS ON THE DRACHMA EVAPORATE BUT CRITICAL WEEK STILL AHEAD

[04] “RED ROSE” PROTEST HELD IN FRONT OF GREEK CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL

[05] TURKISH PRESS ON INTERBALKAN STATE LEADERS SUMMIT CONFERENCE

[06] ALBANIAN PRESS REPORTS ON CRETE’S BALKAN SUMMIT

[07] FYROM’S PRESS REPORTS ON INTER-BALKAN SUMMIT CONFERENCE

[08] GREEK-CYPRIOTS READY TO EXCHANGE DATA ON THE MISSING

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] GREEK PREMIER OPENS BALKAN LEADERS SUMMIT CONFERENCE IN CRETE

Heraklion, November 3 (MPA)

Mr. Simitis also stressed that the leaders of the Balkan states should strive for closer contact so that they may exchange views on various matters and discover common ground and solutions to the problems or hurdles that may arise.

Moreover, the Greek Premier stated that common principles should be adopted, such as international laws and accords in order to bypass conflict among the countries, while he also stated that stability, peace and security in the Balkans should constitute a platform upon which Balkan political and economic cooperation will be built.

Mr. Simitis said that the present Summit Conference marks the beginning of a new era and “turns a new page”. He also stressed that this summit is superior to any whatsoever bilateral contacts that have already taken place or will occur in the future.

Within this framework, Mr. Simitis stressed Greece’s leading role, being the only Balkan country that is also a member of the European Union, the Western European Union and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. In his effort to stress his hopes for cooperation in the Balkans, the Greek leader also referred to Greece’s historic figure Regas Fereos who was the first to envision cooperation among the Balkan peoples.

The Greek Premier also referred to the region’s multicultural character and stated that “this is precisely the reason why there’s been juxtaposition in the region.” He also referred to the area’s various religions and stressed that these differences among the area’s peoples provided the impetus to promote regional unity.

Lastly, Mr. Simitis said that modern day needs necessitate the grounding of democracy.

“The Balkans are a region where all of its countries need to learn to operate by protecting their individuality peacefully and through the rules of international law,” the Prime Minister said. A.F.

[02] TURKEY’S MILITARY EXERCISE “TAURUS” BEGINS AT CYPRUS’ OCCUPIED PART

Nicosia, November 3 (MPA)

The Turkish exercises are being observed by a Greek Navy squadron. Yesterday. Turkish fighter jets invaded Greece’s FIR and were intercepted by Greek Mirage jets.

Meanwhile, the United States Presidential envoy for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke, speaking to the Turkish press, stated that “in reality there is no crisis between Greece and Turkey” and stressed that the current situation will not develop into armed conflict. A.F.

[03] ATTACKS ON THE DRACHMA EVAPORATE BUT CRITICAL WEEK STILL AHEAD

Athens, November 3 (MPA)

The Greek government characterizes the following days as critical both for the course of the country’s currency, as well as the overall side-effects on the economy, but it does remain confident that it will be able to close the gap through cuts in state expenses and not through increasing taxation.

Meanwhile, the Asian markets are on a recovery course. Floor trading on Hong Kong’s stock exchange closed today with an increase of 5.43%, while similar boosts were noted in the markets of Singapore, S. Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. A.F.

[04] “RED ROSE” PROTEST HELD IN FRONT OF GREEK CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL

Istanbul, November 3 (MPA)

The protesters held Turkish flags and the flag of the Turkish- Cypriot pseudo-state, shouting “Turkey is greater”.

According to Turkish press reports, the protesters continued their rally in front of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar. Ahmet Celik, who organized the rally, told the Turkish daily “Milliyet” that the protesters are not affiliated with any political party and that they are protesting the incident in Thessaloniki as well as “the border violation in Cyprus.” A.F.

[05] TURKISH PRESS ON INTERBALKAN STATE LEADERS SUMMIT CONFERENCE

Ankara, November 3 (MPA)

“The Greek premier takes a giant leap in conquesting the Balkans,” is one among the many related headlines of Turkish dailies, which also point out that the Crete-held Summit is to remind Turkey once more that the order of things is shifting in the Balkans and Greece is distinguished as a factor capable of great influence in the region.

The press is also reporting on the negative sentiment emanating from certain political circles in Ankara which are peeved over the Greek initiative to hold this Summit since it overshadows Turkey’s aspirations to also play a leading role in the Balkans.

According to the BBC’s radio program, certain diplomats are skeptical of the possibility that Greek Premier Kostas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz will issue a common statement which is expected to recognize the principles favored by Greece in regards to addressing Greek-Turkish differences. The same diplomatic circles also assess that the Turkish delegation will not accept such statement.

According to the Turkish daily “Hurriyet”, these diplomats believe that if Ankara were to accept the drafted statement then it would indirectly accept Greece’s right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles, while it would also accept the present-day borders which, according to the European Union, certify that the Imia islets fall within Greek territory. A.F.

[06] ALBANIAN PRESS REPORTS ON CRETE’S BALKAN SUMMIT

Tirana, November 3 (MPA)

Tirana daily “Koja Jon”, writes that the Summit’s participants are declaring their contained optimism for the Summit’s results, while, referring to the statements of Albanian Foreign Minister Paschal Milo, it writers that “everything will be discussed on the basis of principle.” A.F.

[07] FYROM’S PRESS REPORTS ON INTER-BALKAN SUMMIT CONFERENCE

Skopje, November 3 (MPA)

Today‘s issue of “Nova Macedonia” features the title “encouraging steps in the development of inter-state relations” and reports from Crete that “regardless of the reservations that are voiced in regards to the outcome of the Summit, the fact that for the first time the leaders of Balkan states are sitting at the same table to discuss the issues that concern them with the presence of third parties, constitutes a success.

According to another daily “Dnevik”, the three meetings awaited with interest are today’s between the Greek and Turkish Premiers, Kostas Simitis and Mesut Yilmaz respectively, and the ones between F.R.Y’s President Slobodan Milosevic and Albania’s Premier Fatos Nano, and Simitis with the President of FYROM Kiro Gligorov. A.F.

[08] GREEK-CYPRIOTS READY TO EXCHANGE DATA ON THE MISSING

Nicosia, November 3 (MPA)

The UN secretary-general‘s alternate special envoy Gustav Feishel, who met today with President Clerides, also stated that the Turkish side has also displayed its willingness to provide the information, albeit it was running late in completing the files.

In regards to his meeting with the Cypriot President, Mr. Feishel stated that they discussed the UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan’s letter through which he proposes that his special advisor Diego Cordobez pay a visit to Cyprus. A.F.

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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