Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-05-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] SECOND TETE-A-TETE

[02] TENSION IN JERUSALEM BEFORE THE SYNOD

[03] THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER VISITED BULGARIA

[04] NEW TURKISH PROVOCATION

[05] PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS' INTERVIEW WITH "ETHNIKOS KIRIX"

[06] PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS MEETS WITH THE US PRESIDENT

[07] MEMBERS OF THE US CONGRESS DELEGATION DROP OUT OF THE VISIT TO THE

[01] SECOND TETE-A-TETE

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, who is on a visit to the United States on the occasion of becoming honorary professor in Tufts University, from which he has graduated, will have a second meeting during the past year with US President George Bush in the White House.

The US administration is convinced about the important role Greece can play in the wider region as the only EU and NATO member state and as a strong and reliable factor of peace and security, states in an interview with the New York Greek-American daily Ethnikos Kirix Prime Minister Karamanlis.

Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, who is accompanying the Prime Minister, has stated that the meeting in which the issues of Cyprus, the FYROM name and the course of the Greek-Turkish relations will be discussed will reconfirm the notable improvement of bilateral relations expressed through the form of a strategic cooperation assumed by the Greek-US relations, while an effort will be made to strengthen cooperation at economic level as well.

[02] TENSION IN JERUSALEM BEFORE THE SYNOD

Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem launched an attack on the hierarchs who renounced him in a three-page statement issued 24 hours before his arrival in the Fener, Istanbul to attend the Pan-Orthodox Synod called by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to examine developments in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Patriarch Irenaeus underlines that behind all that happened lately is an organized plan drawn up by dark centers and secret services.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece meets today to decide on the participation of the Archbishop in the Pan-Orthodox Synod and the names of the two hierarchs who will accompany him.

[03] THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER VISITED BULGARIA

The responsible Ministers of Greece and Bulgaria decided to strengthen cooperation between the police forces of the two countries to be more effective in the battle against drug trafficking, illegal immigration, counterfeit banknotes, human trade and organized crime through the exchange of experience and the training of police officials.

Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis in the meeting he had in Bulgaria with his counterpart Minister of Interior Georgi Petkanov discussed issues of bilateral cooperation.

In a joint statement they referred to the very good cooperation between the two countries and announced their decision to hold a bilateral conference in Athens aimed at adopting common measures to deal effectively with different kinds of illegal trafficking. They also decided on a biannual meeting of police officers from the two countries and the harmonization of the institutional framework of the future bilateral police cooperation with the EU standards.

Mr. Voulgarakis briefed Mr. Petkanov on Greece's initiative to establish an Inter-Balkan and Mediterranean Center of Security Studies and Training with the participation of Bulgaria.

The Greek Minister of Public Order also stated that Greece wishes to donate to the Bulgarian police 8 police vehicles fully equipped with telecommunications technology to deal with inter-border crime more effectively.

[04] NEW TURKISH PROVOCATION

New Turkish provocation took place today while the naval exercise NAC/MC Sea Day was in progress in the Naval Station of Souda in the island of Crete, south Aegean.

About 50 Turkish fighter jets made 15 violations of the Greek national airspace provoking dogfights with Greek Air Force aircraft.

[05] PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS' INTERVIEW WITH "ETHNIKOS KIRIX"

The new meeting with US President George Bush highlights the common will shared by the two governments to further improve and deepen the Greek-US relations, underlined Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in an interview with the New York Greek-American daily Ethnikos Kirix.

Referring to the meeting with the US President, Mr. Karamanlis pointed out the excellent level of bilateral relations having as a bridge the Greek-American community, which he praised for its contribution to the promotion of the Greek national interests.

Mr. Karamanlis also stated that he has a vision for an even closer cooperation with the US administration, stressing that their common goal is the promotion of democracy and the consolidation of peace and stability in SE Europe.

The Prime Minister also referred to the confidence relations Greece has cultivated with Israel and the Arab world, which if jointly exploited with the United States can contribute to the promotion of the democratization procedure in the wider region.

Among the issues to be discussed in the meeting with the US President will be the battle against international terrorism, developments in the Balkans and Kosovo, the Cyprus issue and the future of the Annan Plan, the issue of the FYROM name and Mr. Nimetz's package of ideas which Greece has already accepted as a basis for negotiations, Turkey's relations with the EU and its relations with Greece.

Referring to Greece's strong position today, Mr. Karamanlis pointed out its participation in the UN Security Council, the fact that it will hold the UN Security Council rotating presidency in July and the assumption of the Inter-Balkan Cooperation Presidency in June.

Mr. Karamanlis called on the Greek-Americans to exploit the new potential created and invest in Greece clarifying that the biggest problem faced by Greece today is the bad state of the national economy. He also characterized the arrival of direct foreign investments as a new big challenge for the government.

[06] PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS MEETS WITH THE US PRESIDENT

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will meet later this evening (Greek time) with US President George Bush at the White House.

It will be their second meeting in a period of one year and according to all indications the meeting will be held in a warm atmosphere. Mr. Karamanlis characterized as excellent the level of the Greek-US relations in an interview with the New York Greek-American daily Ethnikos Kirix and US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher stated that Greece is a partner and an ally of the United States.

The Greek Prime Minister arrived in Washington yesterday evening accompanied by Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis and Minister of State Thodoris Rousopoulos.

In the meeting with the US President will be discussed the Cyprus issue, the Greek-Turkish relations, Turkey's European course, the FYROM name issue, and developments in Kosovo and the Middle East.

After the talks in the White House, Mr. Karamanlis will visit Boston and will be received by the Governor of Massachusetts. The Prime Minister will be the main speaker in the graduation ceremony in Tufts University where he will be declared honorary professor of Law. Mr. Karamanlis graduated from Tufts in the 1980s with a doctorate in diplomatic history.

[07] MEMBERS OF THE US CONGRESS DELEGATION DROP OUT OF THE VISIT TO THE TURKISH OCCUPIED NORTHERN CYPRUS

Members of the US Congress delegation planning to visit the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus reconsidered their decision after pressures exerted by their colleagues and the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH) leadership, who had a number of meetings with government officials in Washington.

Many members of the delegation who support our views will not travel, stated the CEH leaders Philip Christopher, Panicos Papanicolaou and Andy Manatos who attended the meetings. Special thanks are expressed to Representatives Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) who played an important role in these efforts.

The organizer of the visit and certain members of the delegation who intend to travel and had refused a meeting with the Greek Cypriots in the past concerning the trip, have agreed to hear our views in a number of meetings that took place. We hope that they will follow our advice. Such a trip constitutes international law violation and will create negative impression to the national Hellenic community, mentions a CEH statement.

We are concerned that this trip may be the tip of the iceberg of American plans to undo dozens of Cypriot protections and Turkish occupation disincentives that CEH worked hard for decades to help put into place. It is now becoming obvious that such policies, like the tremendous U.S. push for Cyprus' early EU membership, were not spontaneous. The recent escalation�toward legitimizing international air travel to the occupied area, which followed�the departure of Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman, is a comment on his ability to prevent such actions, mentions the statement.

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