Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-07-30
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, July 30, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BALKAN STABILITY CONFERENCE IN SARAJEVO
[02] GREEK-TURKISH TALKS ROUND OFF
[03] IN THESSALONIKI THE INTERBALKAN PRESS MEETING
[04] NO REFERENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL TREATIES TO A RIGHT
OF MINORITIES TO DEFINE THEIR OWN IDENTITY
[05] GREECE RECOGNIZES ONLY A MUSLIM MINORITY ON ITS
TERRITORY
[06] THE INTER-BALKAN PRESS MEETING CONTINUES IN
THESSALONIKI
[07] THE SUMMER EXODUS IS UNDERWAY
[08] SIMITIS WILL BE IN TIRANA ON AUGUST 24
[09] THE SECOND PHASE OF THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE WAS
COMPLETED TODAY
[10] THE MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE ON THE FOREIGN
MINISTER'S STATEMENTS
[11] THE LEADERSHIP OF SAE VISITED THE GREEKS IN ALBANIA
[12] JOURNALISTS SHOULD BE ACCREDITED TO ALL THE BALKAN
PARLIAMENTS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] THE SUMMIT MEETING IS UNDERWAY IN SARAJEVO
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BALKAN STABILITY CONFERENCE IN SARAJEVO
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is in Sarajevo,
accompanied by Foreign Minister and deputy Foreign Minister,
Giorgos Papandreou and Giannos Kranidiotis, in order to take
part in the summit for the stability in the Balkans.
The Greek side will seek that certain phrases will be
included in the final text that will contribute to solving
the problems that have emerged in the region. More that 30
world leaders will take part in the summit, including US
President, Bill Clinton. Yugoslav President, Slobodan
Milosevic has been excluded from the conference.
[02] GREEK-TURKISH TALKS ROUND OFF
The second phase of the Greek-turkish talks rounds off
today in Athens, at a specialists' level. Foreign Minister,
Giorgos Papandreou will meet in Sarajevo, in the sidelines
of the balkan stability conference with his Turkish
counterpart Ismael Cem, in order to evaluate the results of
the Greek-turkish talks. Tomorrow the two delegations will
meet with the Greek Foreign Minister.
[03] IN THESSALONIKI THE INTERBALKAN PRESS MEETING
The interbalkan meeting of the Association of the
Correspondents of the Greek Press began this morning in
Thessaloniki, aiming at developing and strengthening the
relationships between owners and directors greek-speaking
media, and exchanging views and experiences on the balkan
region and the media. During the meeting, deputy Ministers
of Foreign Affairs, Grigoris Niotis, Economy, Hristos Pahtas
and the General Secretary of Greeks leaving abroad, Stauros
Lambrianidis will address their speeches.
[04] NO REFERENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL TREATIES TO A RIGHT
OF MINORITIES TO DEFINE THEIR OWN IDENTITY
There is no reference in international treaties to the
right of the minorities to define their own identity, stated
Greek parliament vice-president Panagiotis Sgouridis in the
1st Inter-Balkan meeting of the Greek Press that is being
held in Thessaloniki.
Referring indirectly to the recent statements made by
foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou concerning the minority
in Thrace, Mr. Sgouridis stated that there is no
international text that refers to the issue of a right by
the minorities to define their own identity, adding that
neither the founding declaration of the UN nor the Helsinki
Final Act refers to such an issue. He also said that this
issue is not mentioned neither in the additions that are
made from time to time to the Treaty of Helsinki.
Mr. Sgouridis also said that it should be noted that
there are two decisions by the Council of Europe Committee
on Human Rights that refer to the issue of the right of the
individual to define his or her identity but there is no
such reference at a collective level.
Mr. Sgouridis stated that all those who want to dispute
what is already in effect concerning international treaties
and accords, such as the Treaty of Lauzanne, will open the
way for more Turkish claims.
[05] GREECE RECOGNIZES ONLY A MUSLIM MINORITY ON ITS
TERRITORY
The clear position of the Greek government that Greece
recognizes only a Muslim religious minority on its territory
based on the Treaty of Lauzanne, was reiterated by acting
government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis. He said that Greece
does not recognize any ethnic minority and there is no issue
of a recognition of an ethnic minority, for example Turkish,
Gypsy, Pomac or any other.
Mr. Athanasakis characterized the Treaty of Lauzanne as
the corner-stone of the Greek foreign policy and added that
the Muslim minority in Greece is made up of people of
Turkish origin, Pomacs and Gypsies, while at the time of its
signing one could even refer to islamized Greeks or Greeks
of Arab origin.
The Muslim minority in Greece exercises all its rights
freely, but unfortunately the same does not happen regarding
the obligations of Turkey stemming from the Treaty of
Lauzanne, stated Mr. Athanasakis.
Referring to the right of an individual to define his
or her own identity, he said that this right, which is
included in the texts of Copenhagen, Paris and elsewhere, is
an individual right and as such Greece recognizes it. Mr.
Athanasakis added that Greece does not recognize it as a
collective right and added that this is and was the position
of the Greek government and this position is followed by the
foreign minister.
[06] THE INTER-BALKAN PRESS MEETING CONTINUES IN
THESSALONIKI
The meeting of the Association of the Greek Press
Abroad Correspondents continues in Thessaloniki.
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannis Magriotis opening
the conference proceedings stressed that the Greek-speaking
press with the power it has it can influence in a positive
way the decision-making centers and offer the necessary
knowledge to the people in order to be in the position to
intervene and make their own choices.
Coalition of the Left party leader Nikos
Konstantopoulos speaking in the Inter-Balkan conference
stated that it is a meeting of joint speculation because
everything that happens around us concern all of us.
[07] THE SUMMER EXODUS IS UNDERWAY
The biggest exodus of the year began today and will be
completed in the weekend. Thousands of holiday-makers are
expected to leave the big cities for their summer vacations.
Emergency measures have been implemented while many
parts of the Athens-Thessaloniki national road network are
being patrolled by traffic police. Large numbers of people
who have chosen to travel by boat are at the ports of
Thessaloniki and Piraeus. Due to the large number of
travelers the ferry-boats will make 53 runs by tonight with
destination the Aegean islands, Crete, Dodecanese and
Cyclades.
[08] SIMITIS WILL BE IN TIRANA ON AUGUST 24
Based on reliable information from a governmental
source prime minister Kostas Simitis will visit Tirana on
August 24.
The visit will be held within the framework of a series
of visits the Greek prime minister will make to Balkan
capitals in the next few months.
[09] THE SECOND PHASE OF THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE WAS
COMPLETED TODAY
The second phase of the Greek-Turkish dialogue that was
held at a specialists' level was completed in Athens today.
Meanwhile, Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou
met with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem in Sarajevo
today on the sidelines of the summit meeting on the Balkan
Stability Pact to assess the results of the Greek-Turkish
dialogue.
Tomorrow, the two delegations will meet with the Greek
foreign minister.
[10] THE MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE ON THE FOREIGN
MINISTER'S STATEMENTS
Based on the statements made by foreign minister
Giorgos Papandreou the Treaty of Lauzanne is not only in
effect but it is more timely than ever before, stated
minister of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannis Magriotis in statements
he made on the sidelines of the Inter-Balkan conference of
the Association of Greek Press Abroad Correspondents which
is being held in Thessaloniki .
He said that Greece has only one minority, the
religious minority of the Muslims in Thrace and no other,
adding that this is the basic line of the foreign policy
followed by Greece in its relations with the Balkan states
and the international organizations.
Mr. Magriotis said that every discussion has its own
interest but under no circumstances should overturn the
basic treaties and agreements that are being respected by
all and form the framework of international relations.
[11] THE LEADERSHIP OF SAE VISITED THE GREEKS IN ALBANIA
The need for the creation of a reliable information
network, concerning the conditions under which the Greeks in
Albania live and the problems they face, was underlined by
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania and Greek organization
"OMONIA" president Vaggelis Dule in the meeting they had
with World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, president Andrew
Athens who visited Albania on July 26-28.
They also stressed the lack of security at an
individual and community level in the Greek regions of
southern Albania.
[12] JOURNALISTS SHOULD BE ACCREDITED TO ALL THE BALKAN
PARLIAMENTS
The Greek parliament second vice-president Panagiotis
Sgouridis stated during the Inter-Balkan meeting of Greek
Press that is being held in Thessaloniki today and tomorrow
that he will present to the Greek parliament president
Apostolos Kaklamanis a proposal for the accreditation of
journalists to all the Balkan parliaments.
Mr. Sgouridis underlined the need for the promotion of
the parliamentary work by the mass media which is important
to the course of the states and the prosperity of the
people.
Macedonian Press Agency director Mr. Spyros
Kouzinopoulos stated that the editing and maintenance of a
Greek-speaking publication in the unstable region of the
Balkans needs heroism given the great difficulties existing
in this period of time when the region's countries make
efforts to cut their ties with the past and enter the road
to democracy, pluralism and market economy. The Greek-
speaking mass media play a significant role today and can be
the bridge for cultural, economic and political cooperation
among the peoples and the governments in the region, stated
Mr. Kouzinopoulos.
Savvas Tsorakidis, editor-in-chief of the Greek and
Romanian-speaking magazine "Elpis", which is published in
Bucharest, stated that Romanian philhellene scientists make
a significant work on issues concerning the Greek-speaking
press and the Greek communities by writing relevant books
which due to economic difficulties have not been translated
yet into Greek.
Mr. Tsorakidis pointed out that 80% of the Greeks in
Romania, who are second and third generation Greeks, do not
speak Greek and an effort is being made to teach them the
language of their forefathers. He said that for the past 3
years an effort is being made to win the appointment of a
Greek teacher to be sent to Bucharest and teach the Greek
language.
No Greek-speaking newspaper is published in Bulgaria
today in spite of the fact that the Greeks living in the
country are about 9.000 of which, 5.000 are students in
Bulgarian universities while the businessmen and the Greek
embassy personnel are estimated to be about 800 and the
Greeks, who live in the country for many years or come from
mixed marriages, are about 3.000, stated Efthimios Kanellos
special adviser to the Association of Greek Computer
Companies.
Mr. Kanellos pointed out that there is a great need for
information on Greek issues through the Greek and Bulgarian
press and stated that a publication targeting specific
groups of Greeks would be especially useful.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] THE SUMMIT MEETING IS UNDERWAY IN SARAJEVO
The summit meeting on the Balkan Stability Pact is
underway in Sarajevo with the participation of tens of
presidents and prime ministers from 40 countries and 15
international organizations. Greece is being represented by
prime minister Kostas Simitis, foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou, deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis and
minister of press Dimitris Reppas.
Prime minister Simitis speaking in the meeting stressed
the need for the Balkan reconstruction plan to include all
the countries in the region and underlined Greece's role in
the efforts for the settlement of the crisis in Kosovo,
while he made a special reference to the immigration problem
in the Balkans. He mentioned emphatically the vision of
Rigas Fereos for a peaceful co-existence of the Balkan
peoples and stressed that responsible for the drama of the
Balkans are not only the peoples of the region but the
international community as a whole and for this reason it
should help in the political and economic reconstruction of
south-eastern Europe in its entirety.
The US position in the summit meeting is that peace
must be consolidated in the Balkans within a democratic
framework with disarmament and economic recovery for the
whole south-eastern Europe.
Police has implemented tight security measures in the
part of the city where the summit meeting is being held. It
should be noted that Serbia has been excluded from the
summit meeting due to the fact that Yugoslav president
Slobodan Milosevic is still in power.
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