Subject: BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN 12/6/1995 Topic: mpa From: Macedonian Press Agency BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY Thessaloniki, June 12 1995 THESSALONIKI:EX-US PRESIDENT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WORLD I am optimistic about Europe and the whole world said the former US President Mr George Bush speaking in Thessaloniki, Greece at the opening of a central branch of Eurobank, the finance part of the Latchis group. Mr Bush did not at all mention the Yugoslav crisis which started during his presidency although he referred to ethnic conflicts which occured after the fall of the Soviet Union. Former President expressed his concern about the "inward tendencies" which appeared in some political circles in the US, tendencies which, as he said, remind of the 1930s. As far ar it concerns Europe, Mr Bush said that the reunification of Germany taking part in NATO is a factor for optimism for the whole world and explained that he did not celebrate the fall of the Berlin wall because he did not want to create reactions by the former Soviet Union political and military leadership. Speaking about the "gulf war", Mr Bush said that the US had to lead the coalition against Saddam Hussein for whom he noted that he had misunderstood the freedom of speech in the west world. The President who was in office in the White House in the period 1990-91 said the coalition would have been dissolved if they procceded towards Bagdad to overthow the Iraqui leader since some countries, European and Arab would have withdrawn from it. Mr Bush also referred to the Grecoturkish conflict including in his failures the fact that he did not manage to bring the two countries closer although he had tried alongside ex-Greek Prime Minister Mr Constantinos Mitsotakis and late Turkish President Turgut Ozal to reach a solution to the problem of Cyprus. As far as it concerns the Balkan area, the ex-President noted that Greece is trying to help Albania develop while he stressed that both Albania nad Romania are on the way towards market economy and political democracy, praising the Rpmanian president Mr Ion Iliescu and reminding of his visit in Albania and the talks with the Albanian president about property. Mr Bush attributed a big part of his failures to the fact he could not communicate his message well to the American people and the different political majority the congress had. Since Eisenhaouer, there has been no republican president to have a friendly majority in the congrees, said Mr Bush who predicted that the next US President due to be elected in 1996 will be a republican. During his speech, Mr Bush underscored that the Greek american relations are excellent and praised the role Greece can play in the development of the wider area. DR LACHIS ON THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS PIPELINE President of the group Mr Spiros Lachis said that the group believe in the role Thessaloniki and Northern Greece may play towards the development of the area and characterised Thessaloniki as the gateway to the future of Greece. Mr Lachis characterised the pipeline whichb will bring Russian oil from the Bulgarian port of Burgash in the Black Sea to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis in the Aegean Sea as one of restricted potentiality which lets space for many antagonstic attempts. The pipeline will bring 600000 barrels a day and this as Dr Lachis said will lift a burden for the tanker traffic in the Bosporus straits and will make oil circulation safer. According to Mr Lachis there has been a full political agreement reached by Russia, Bulgaria and Greece for the project which will be executed by the Lachis group, the Copelouzos group the Promitheas co. and the GasProm co., alongside state enterprises of the three countries. Mr Lachis said that Eurobank has aleready received about 60 projects for finance in Bulgaria, about one third of which are being examined. After Bulgaria, Eurobank intends to invest to the other countries of the area, said Mr Lachis who predicted that soon there will be in the European Union, a hard core consisting of eight or nine countries leaving the rest orbit around it. MINISTER FOR MACEDONIA THRACE MEETS EX-US PRESIDENT The Minister of Macedonian-Thrace Mr Constantinos Triaridis met and welcomed Mr Bush who expressed interest in the Greek projects in the Balkans and stressed the role Greece can play in the development of a close financial and cilivization cooperation in the Balkan peninsula. As Mr Triaridis stated to the Macedonian Press Agency Mr Bush asked to be briefed on the process of normalization of the relations between Greece and FYROM and about the minister's proposal that FYROM be called "Slavalbanian Repoublic of Macedonia". Mr Triaridis told Mr Bush that Greece is ready to lift its measures against FYROM provided Scopje stop being intollerant. Mr Bush asked Mr Triaridis about the results of the governmental work, aknowledging that the indicators show a satisfactory pace. THE OPENING OF EUROBANK A great number of ministers and MPs ateended the opening of Eurobank.Among the ministers were Mr Giorgos Kachifaras, minister of Merchant Marine and Mr Constantinos Triaridis minister for Macedonia and Thrace. EX-US PRESIDENT ON VACATION IN GREECE After Thessaloniki, Mr Bush started a ten-day cruise in the Greek islands accompanied, on Mr Yannis Lachis's yacht, by his wife Barbara and a number of his grandchildren.It is the second successive year Mr Bush has his summer vacation in Greece. DISPUTE ON EX-KING'S SON WEDDING President of the main opposition party of New Democracy disapproved of the Prime Minister's statement that all MPs making statements for the monarchy which was rejected ny the Greek people in 1974 should be deprived of the MP status. Two New Democracy MPs who were invited among 42 of their colleagues in the wedding of the son of the ex-king of Greece made statements saying that although they respect the Presidential republic, they would prefer monarchy. Mr Evert accused Mr Papandreou of expanding a non-existing issue, although the Vice President of the party had said that the issue should be dealt with by the Aythority Council of the party. PROTESTS AFTER EX-DRUG ADDICTS SENTENCED TO PRISON Greek public opinion observes with great concern the cases of two ex-drug addicts who were sentences to prison for crimes they had committed during the period they were addicts. The two had been on a detoxication programme which they finished successfully and now they were back to normal life. The New Generation Secretary General expressed his support for all those who try after drugs to return back to life and underscored that the legal framework for ex-addicts should be changed. Tomorrow drug addicts on detoxication will make rally in Athens so that they protest for the heavy sentences on their comrades. -------------------------MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY--------------------------- The Macedonian Press Agency is a non-governmental press organization which aims: - To transfer and make use of news and information about the situation in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean countries mostly upon matters which are of vital interest for the Greek business, scientific and cultural activities. - To become a "bridge" between the Greeks who live abroad and their home countryby contributing to a more essential connection and above all to inform them about the investment opportunities as well as the intellectual and artistic movements in Greece, the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. - To show the achievements and the abilities of the business, scientific and intellectual world of Greece all over the world. The service provides daily news in English. --------------------------------------------------------------------------