[01] GREECE'S ROLE IN TUDJMAN-MILOSEVIC MEETING RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY

[02] PROJECT TO TRANSMIT ERT PROGRAMS TO US ENTERS ITS FINAL STAGES

[03] GREEK TELEVISION TO SOON BE TRANSMITTED IN NORTH AMERICA

[04] US, UN CONCERNED OVER CONVOY OF BIKERS' WISH TO DEFY CYPRUS' DIVIDE

[05] TURKEY TORTURES AND EXECUTES DEFENSE LAWYERS OF KURDISH LABORISTS

[06] GREEK-AUSTRALIAN AWARDED FOR HIS BRAVERY IN SAVING ONE'S LIFE

[07] GREEK PROFESSOR TO LECTURE AT UNIVERSITIES IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA NEWS IN DETAIL

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] GREECE'S ROLE IN TUDJMAN-MILOSEVIC MEETING RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY

Greece has played a crucial coordinating role in the Balkans, following the restoration of relations agreement signed yesterday between Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in a meeting initiated by Greek Premier Kostas Simitis.

International news agencies and television networks have given emphasis on Greece's positive input in the efforts to establish peace and stability in the Balkans. According to the foreign press reports, Greece has seized the opportunity to act as Balkan peacemaker as Presidents Milosevic and Tudjman have also settled their differences over economic and humanitarian issues.

Following yesterday's meeting, held in Athens' seaside resort of Vouliagmeni, Mr. Simitis stated that Greece will continue to undertake such initiatives and added that the government plans to hold a Foreign Ministers level Balkan meeting next year in Athens.

[02] PROJECT TO TRANSMIT ERT PROGRAMS TO US ENTERS ITS FINAL STAGES

The Third Program of the Radio Station of Macedonia of ERT 3, highly popular radio program heard by Greeks throughout the world was celebrated last night in Thessaloniki, for the third year in a row, under the auspices of Macedonia-Thrace Minister Philippos Petsalnikos.

According to Mr. Petsalnikos, Greeks living abroad are "the best ambassadors for Greece" and as such, the country and the ministry of Macedonia-Thrace will offer its utmost support in the struggle to maintain the greek national identity abroad.

The event's organizers have stated that there are listeners from throughout the world who scheduled their summer vacations accordingly in order to be able to attend last night's events.

[03] GREEK TELEVISION TO SOON BE TRANSMITTED IN NORTH AMERICA

Final arrangements that will allow for transmission of the Greek Television signal to North America were combed through recently during an Athens-held meeting held among Press Minister Dimitris Reppas, ERT President Panagiotis Panagiotou and the President of the World Council of Hellenism (SAE) of North and South America Region Chris Tomaras.

Along with ERT's program, the project also includes transmitting a few hours of Cypriot Television programming. A SAE proposal has been accepted that will allow a two-fold distribution of the signal, namely through cable and small-size satellite dish. The monthly fee for the Greek program will be up to $10 for each subscriber.

Also, following a SAE proposal that was accepted by the Greek government, a sizable segment of the program will carry subtitles. Greek-American media will also be able to carry certain segments of ERT's signal during specific periods.

[04] US, UN CONCERNED OVER CONVOY OF BIKERS' WISH TO DEFY CYPRUS' DIVIDE

The United Nations and the United States have expressed their concern over the "live free, drive free" bikers convoy, composed of motorcyclists from several European coutnries, that plans to ride across Cyrpus' demarcation line on Sunday.

US Ambassador to Nicosia Kenneth Brill met with Cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Michaelides and discussed the situation as it is so far.

According to reports, the occupying regime has issued orders to open fire at any motorcyclists who will attempt to cross into the turkish-occupied areas. Moreover, turkish troops are deployed in the buffer-zone area.

Turk-cypriot press reported that on Sunday, the day of the convoy, a ban will be issued for all high-power motorcycles in occupied Nicosia, Famagusta and Morfou.

[05] TURKEY TORTURES AND EXECUTES DEFENSE LAWYERS OF KURDISH LABORISTS

Lawyers who dare to defend members of the Kurdish Labor Party, are subjected to arrests, beatings, abductions, tortures and, ultimately, executions by the turkish government.

The International Judicial Committee, which is reporting these data, has also stated that human rights are systematically violated in Turkey and the local authorities display utter disrespect towards international law regulations.

The International Federation for Human Rights has also published reports on the arrest and imprisonment of 460 journalists in Turkey and has attached over 300 publications from the turkish authorities.

[06] GREEK-AUSTRALIAN AWARDED FOR HIS BRAVERY IN SAVING ONE'S LIFE

A 27-year-old Greek-Australian will be granted an award for his bravery by the Australian government, in recognition of his courage in saving another man's life.

In February of 1995, Michalis Kessisoglou, from Perth, saved a driver from a gang of drunks who were beating him and threatening to kill him.

"If I stopped for a minute and thought of what I was doing, maybe I wouldn't have gotten in the middle of thirty drunks," Kessisoglou said.

[07] GREEK PROFESSOR TO LECTURE AT UNIVERSITIES IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Following an invitation issued by the Modern Greek Studies Department of Melbourne's RMIT University, greek associate professor of Philosophy at the Ioannina University Grigoris Karaphyllis will provide them with a series of lectures.

Part of an exchange program between the two universities, Professor Karaphyllis will also have a series of contacts with Greek-Australian educators and will be updated on the teaching of the greek language to Greek-Australian students.

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/