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MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (17/05/1996)From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>Macedonian Press Agency News in English DirectoryMACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISHThessaloniki May 17, 1996[A] NATIONAL NEWS[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS[C] SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTTITLES[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[C] SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
NEWS IN DETAIL[A] NATIONAL NEWS[01] DEFENSE MINISTER MET IN PENTAGON WITH FOREIGN JOURNALISTS INVITED BY GREEK GOVERNMENTGreek Minister of Defense Gerasimos Arsenis met this morning in Pentagon with the group of foreign journalists invited by the greek government to visit eastern Aegean.Mr.Arsenis briefed them on issues of greek national interest and on Greece's defense policy. The foreign journalists were especially briefed on the issue of the Imia islets which was created after Turkey's attempt to dispute the greek sovereignty over them. [02] UNDERMINISTER OF DEFENSE MEETS WITH US COUNTERPART IN WASHINGTONGreece's role in the Balkans and issues of bilateral defense cooperation were among the topics of a discussion held in Washington yesterday between Greek under-Minister of Defense Nikos Kouris and his United States counterpart Ian Lowdohl.In statements made following the meeting, a State Department official termed the discussion as successful and stated that it was held in a friendly atmosphere. Commenting on the results of these bilateral meetings, the advisor of US under-Minister of Defense stated that Mr. Lowdohl was given the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the greek positions in the Aegean Sea, especially following the recent Imia islets crisis that erupted between Greece and Turkey, and was also thoroughly informed of Greece's positions regarding the establishment of stability in the greater Balkan region. Concurrently with the meeting held between the two under-Ministers of Defense, numerous discussions have been held during the last two-day period between lower-level Greek and American officals, within the framework of work group operations. It is noted that, based on the bilateral defense agreement signed in 1990 between Greece-US, besides the annual high-level meeting, a joint committee comprising of officials from the Greek Defense Ministry and the US State Department, holds four quarterly meetings in Athens per year. These contacts aim at examining a wide scope of issues, such as the provision of defense assistance, arms sales, procedural issues and, in general, defense cooperation topics. [03] GREECE'S PARLIAMENT HONORS GREEKS KILLED IN CONCENTRATION CAMPSAn honorary laurel wreath has been laid in memory of the 300 Greeks who were killed at the nazi concentration camp in Noiengham, near Hamburg by representatives of Greece's Parliament.An interparty parliamentary delegation, headed by PASOK deputy Magakis, has traveled to Hamburg in order to attend the commemmoration ceremony held at the site where the concentration camp used to be. Also attending the ceremony were German state officials. Mr. Magakis, addressing the hundreds of Greek and German citizens who attended the ceremony, stated that the German occupation and the atrocities that marked those years have left deep wounds in the memories of the Greek people. "Yet," Mr.Magakis said, "among the countries which were subjected to german occupation, Greece was the first to extend an arm of friendship to Germany, just a few years after the end of World War II. "This gesture expressed our will to construct a common future with the German Republic and the rest of the european countries, a future marked with peace and freedom," he stated. The PASOK deputy referred to Greece's current position and underlined that "we are nearer the potential ignition areas than all the other European Union countries, and for this reason Greece is more interested than the rest in seeing stability and peace established in the region. "Our country does not want to relive the torment of war and is fighting for the protection of human rights and for securing the inviolability of borders throughout the region, as a basic premise of maintaining peace." [04] GENOCIDE OF GREEKS FROM PONTUS COMMEMMORATED IN THESSALONIKIThe anniversary of the May 19, 1919 genocide of Greeks from Pontus by the hords of Kemal in Caucasus, will be commemmorated in three-day ceremonies, held in Thessaloniki today through Sunday.Under the initiative of the Panhellenic Federation of Pontus Unions and with the cooperation of the Prefectural Self-Government, the events will be marked by various speeches and activities held throughout the city. Participating in tomorrow's and Sunday's events, will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs Theodoros Pangalos, Transports and Communications Haris Kastanides and Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos. [05] AGREEMENT FOR THE OPENING OF CONSULATES IN THESSALONIKI AND KORITSA WAS SIGNED BY FOREIGN MINISTERS PANGALOS AND SEREKIAgreement for the opening of Consulates in Koritsa and Thessaloniki and also an agreement concerning the albanian seasonal workers in Greece were signed by the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Albania.As it was stressed by Greek Foreign Minister mr.Theodoros Pangalos and his albanian counterpart mr.Alfred Sereki, the signing of those agreements marks a new era for the greek-albanian relations, in a climate of progress and cooperation for the two peoples. The greek Foreign Minister stated that the revival of Greece's presence in that region of the Balkans is very important, while he expressed the hope that with the development of economic activity centers a period of progress will begin. Albanian Foreign Minister mr.Sereki stated that this is a new era for the greek-albanian relations, stressing that the development of friendly relations between the two countries was delayed inspite of the friendly attitude displayed by both peoples. Also, he expressed the certainty that more agreements will follow and thanked the greek people for its contribution to Albania's membership in the Council of Europe, the trade and cooperation agreement between Albania and the European Union and the decision for the opening of the negotiations for Albania's EU membership. [06] THESSALONIKI METROPOLITE TO BE GIVEN HIGHEST DISTINCTION BY SERBIA PATRIARCHATEMetropolite of Thessaloniki Panteleimon B' will be honoured with the highest distinction awarded by the Patriarchate of Serbia on Sunday, May 19th for his support to the people and the clergy of Serbia.The distinction will be awarded by Metropolite of Zahoumio and Herzegovina, Athanasios on behalf of Patriarch of Serbia, Pavlos in the St.Dimitrios church in Thessaloniki. In the ceremony that will be held during mass will be present and Archbishop of Montenegro, Athanasios. [07] THESSALONIKI ASKS EUROPARLIAMENT TO CLOSE KOZLODUI NUCLEAR PLANTIn a resolution tabled at the European Parliament, Thessaloniki City Council asks europarliamentarians to concentrate their efforts in closing the bulgarian nuclear plant at Kozlodui.The resolution asks that the European MPs "exert pressure to see that the specific nuclear plant be closed immediately so that we do not suffer another Chernobyl." Moreover, through this resolution, the City of Thessaloniki expresses the hope that "our european neighbors do not consider human life, in a corner of the Balkans, to be of less value than elsewhere in Europe." Meanwhile, preparatory work in the Kozlodui nuclear plant began last night for the shuting down of its No1 nuclear reactor due to insufficient safety measures, as it was announced by Bulgaria's State Electricity Company. The 440 megawatt nuclear reactor, built in 1974 on soviet construction plans, is going to be closed in two days for a number of checks agreed by the bulgarian government and the European Union in order to be established if it will be in operation again some time in the future. Kozlodui's No 1 nuclear reactor is one of its four oldest ones. Safety checks in the nuclear reactor will begin in the following weeks by experts of the US company Westinghouse, the german Siemens and the russian Kortsakov Institute. The European Union covers not only the expenses of the safety checks but the energy production loss as well. Kozlodui has a total of 6 nuclear reactors and covers about 40% of Bulgaria's energy needs. [08] THESSALONIKI-BOSTON TO SIGN AGREEMENT OF FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATIONAmidst fanfare and ceremonious formality, the cities of Boston and Thessaloniki will sign an agreement on friendship and cooperation on Monday.The Mayors of Thessaloniki and Boston, Konstantinos Kosmopoulos and Thomas Menino respectively, will sign the agreement in a ceremony to be held in Thessaloniki. Mr.Menino will arrive in Thessaloniki on May 20 in order to attend the 20th General Assembly of the European Municipalities and Regions Council. Present at the ceremony will also be the Mayors of Thessaloniki's other sister-cities, which are Cologne and Lemessos. [09] CITY OF THESSALONIKI TO GRANT THE GOLD MEDAL TO HUNGARIAN PRESIDENTThe town's gold medal will be granted to the Hungarian President Arpad Gench by Thessaloniki officials, during his visit to Greece, where he also will visit Athens.Hungarian Ambassador Yianos Herman met with the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Kosmopoulos today and expressed his country's interest in participating at the Thessaloniki Cultural Capital of Europe 1997 events. Moreover, the Hungarian Ambassaddor added that Hungary's interest in Thessaloniki is especially pronounced, due to the city's strategic position in Greece, as well as in the wider region of Southeastern Europe. [10] NOMIFICATION OF SHARES REGULATIONS TO CHANGEChanges in the regulations regarding the nomifications of shares in corporations were announced today by the Minister of National Economy Yiannos Papantoniou.Mr. Papantoniou presented the government's legislative regulation, according to which the nomification does not apply to the foreign companies that hold shares in those greek corporations that undertake public works, neither the banks and mutual funds. [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS[11] THE SPRING SESSION OF THE NORTH-ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY CONTINUES IN ATHENSThe Spring Session of the North-Atlantic Assembly continued today for a second day in Athens with speeches by Defense, Security and Social Affairs Committee members. The North-Atlantic Assembly Spring Session opened on May 16th and will end on the 20th.Rafael Estreja's speech, of the Defense and Security Committee, focused on NATO's restructure course and on the issue of security in Europe while he pointed out that the conflict in Bosnia proved the lack of a european policy. Also, he referred to NATO's involvement in former Yugoslavia expressing scepticism over the US troops withdrawal and also over the fact that IFOR's term in former Yugoslavia ends this year. Javier Ruperez, of the Social Affairs Committee stressed the need to support Bosnia's institutional and economic reconstruction and backed the dialogue among the serbs, croats and muslims in Bosnia. He said that is very important to monitor the elections in Bosnia, adding that NATO must contribute to their organization. Finally, called the North-Atlantic Assembly members to contribute to the fund collection efforts for the economic support of the peace process. Former administrator in the city of Mostar, Hans Kosnik stated that there are problems in the course of peace and reconstruction in Bosnia, while referring to the elections, scheduled to take place in the country at the end of Summer, expressed fears that they will not be held. He said that the warring parties usually accept the treaties only if they are to their advantage, as the climate of mistrust continues. He also added that still is not possible for all the bosnians to return to their homes, while IFOR is not giving them support when they ask for it. Mostar's former administrator also called NATO and the European Union to lay down conditions for the involved parties aiming at promoting the reconstruction of Bosnia. [12] TURK MINISTER OF JUSTICE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR TORTURESTurk Minister of Justice Mehet Agar is being held responsible for prison tortures, according to a report of the danish news agency RB, which brought to light various United Naitons documents and data provided by the Center for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (CRTV).According to the report, which was published in the danish newspapers "Information" and "Berlingke Tidende", the Turk Justice Minister is held responsible for these tortures that took place during his term as chief of police in Ankara and Constantinople. While he held that post, the UN Committee Against Tortures (CAT) and the Committee for the Prevention of Tortures (CPT) visited the turkish jails and police headquarters and found that the practice of torture was widely and systematically used. Committee representatives spoke with the prisoners and, after medical examinations, ascertained that the prisoners were often subjected to severe tortures, while CPT also discovered torture facilities in the jails. According to Inge Genefke, director of CRVT in Copenhagen, "Mehmet Agar cannot claim that he was not aware (of the tortures) since that would mean that he was an unable chief, who didn't know what was going on in the police stations for which he was responsible." Meanwhile, the doctors and directors of Turkey's CRTV may be obliged to turn over to local authorities the names of those who were treated at the Center for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, in light of a trial currently being held in Ankara. The case involves a lawyer and a doctor who, invoking confidentiality laws, have refused to reveal the names of those they counseled and treated. "It makes me wonder," Genefke said, "the fact that there is a timely coincidence between the appointment of chief torturer Mehmet Agar to the post of Minister of Justice and to the recent demand that the most basic principle of the medical profession be done away with, that is, the medical confidentiallity." [13] KASOULIDIS: POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT RUSSIA'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEMThe cypriot government characterized as positive development for the solution of the Cyprus problem, Russia's involvement in the efforts as permanent member of the UN Security Council.Nevertheless, Cypriot government spokesman Yiannakis Kasoulidis clarified that he was not briefed yet by the russian side on the content of the Russian Foreign Minister letter to the UN Secretary-General. [14] CYPRUS 21ST INTERNATIONAL FAIR OPENS ON MAY 22, GREECE PARTICIPATESMirroring the cypriot economy and the island's overall progress, the 21st annual International Fair of Cyprus will open on May 22 in Nicosia and will be held until June 2.Nineteen countries throughout the world will be participating at the Fair, with more than 600 stands, among which are Brazil, Britain, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Japan and Syria. Also participating will be Hong Kong's Development Council, while the European Union will post its own information stand. More than 1,600 companies will be representing Cyprus. [15] COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CYPRIOT BANK OF DEVELOPMENT AND THE PALESTINIAN DEVELOPMENT FUNDAgreement of strategic importance for cooperation in the palestinian territories was signed by the cypriot Bank of Development and the Palestinian Development Fund which was recently created after the merging of three credit organizations.According to the cypriot Bank of Development, the agreement promotes services to local and foreign investors and also to credit organizations. The Palestinian Development Fund aims at playing a leading role in the region's economic development. [16] MEETING OF GOVERNORS OF THE CENTRAL BANKS IN THE COUNTRIES OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA IS LIKELY TO BE POSTPONEDThe meeting of the Governors of the Central Banks in the countries of former Yugoslavia, which was going to take place in FYROM on May 25th, is likely to be postponed.Skopje's Central Bank Governor, Borko Stanoevski stated that after the removal of yugoslav Central Bank Governor mr.Dragoslav Avramovic, the rest Central Bank Governors did not confirm their participation in the meeting. The main topic for discussion in the meeting was going to be the distribution of Former Yugoslavia's gold reserves to the countries that were created after it broke up. [17] PREMIER OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA TO VISIT SKOPJE NEXT WEEKPrime Minister of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Radoje Kontic will visit FYROM next week for the signing of bilateral agreements, according to skopjan state television.Meanwhile, the skopjan Parliament has already formed a committee to determine the borders between Skopje and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The committee is made up of experts from the Foreign, Interior and Defense Ministries and also by Topography Agency officials. The establishment of a joint committee of experts by the two countries that will determine the borders between FYROM and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will be delayed, according to the skopjan television, because the yugoslav Parliament has not ratified yet the mutual recognition agreement. [18] A POSSIBLE NEW PRICE INCREASING FOR ENERGY AND FUEL IN ROMANIA"It is very possible the prices for fuels and energy to be increased in June, as the governmental programme foreeses," Romanian Premier Nicolae Vacaroiu during a visit he made in the county of Arges on May 14. He also said the tax on profit might go up in case the cigarettes prices would not be lowered by domestic producers. The cigarettes prices increased considerably after the stamp tax was legally imposed, earlier this year. [19] HIGH NATO OFFICIAL VISITED BUCHAREST"The integration into NATO process in which Romania is taking part must be viewed through each country's steps towards this direction,because entering NATO depends on the image the respective country manage to compel NATO's recognition," said Chris Donnelly, NATO secretary general advisor for Central and East Europe, after his meeting in Bucharest on May 15 with Romanian Defense Minister Gheorghe Tinca. According to Rador, Mr. Donnelly pointed out that the conclusion of the Romanian-Hungarian treaty was not a prerequisite for NATO integration, but still would have a positive impact on regional stability. [20] EBRD WILL FINANCE MOTORWAYS AND COMMUNICATIONS IN ROMANIAA European Bank for Reconstruction and Development delegation, headed by the director for Romania, Croatia and Moldova Joshue Tanaka met yesterday in Bucharest with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Vacaroiu, Romanian press- agencies reported.The issue considered at the meeting focused on financing of communication projects and on the documents for the bidding of up-grading works at the Bucharest- Pitesti motorway, a section considered as profitable and helpful for a such project. Works continue at the Bucharest-Giurgiu and Bucharest-Constanta sections, as they ensure a direct connection between Romanian capital and the southerN part of country and the Constantsa harbour and free trade zone. The two sides were searching for a technical formula for making operational the $40 million post-privatisation fund created by EBRD and European Union. The investments made by the EBRD in Romania amount to $750 million. [21] ROMANIAN NATIONALIST LEADER STRIKES AGAINAs he has promised, Romania's political showman Corneliu Vadim Tudor, leader of the extremist Greater Romania Party (PRM), struck again. Romanian and international media reported that a new illegal phone- tapping scandal broke out in Romania after a PRM press conference held in Bucharest on May 13.During this bad-omen day a captain in the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), Constantin Bucur, played 10 illegally-recorded phone-calls of PRM members, oppositions politicians and journalists, which he alleged were made at the order of the SRI director Virgil Magureanu. Both captain Bucur from the SRI special transmission unity and the SRI director Magureanu were interviewed by tbe Parliamentary commission monitoring the SRI activity On May 15. Mr. Magureanu said he will resign in case the SRI involvement in so-called phone-tapping scandal would be proved by the Military prosecutor's office investigation. He pointed out that he is the only person able to decide the surveillance of a telephone line, but denied he ever gave a related order for none of the cases presented on Monday. Mr. Magureanu neither confirmed the validity of the tapes, nor stated where they come from, but he said he understand perfectly how grave the situation is. He also stressed that by his gesture, captain Bucur put himself outside the laws and the institution he worked for. On the other hand, one day earlier, SRI spokesman Nicolae Ulieru said the tapping had been legal. A PRM deputy and member of the Commission, Toader Constantinescu, stated on May 13 that he decided to reveal the recordings, as one more proof of the unconstitutional activities of the SRI, because in the Parliament he would have been prevented to speak and the commission he makes part of delays all the investigation which could be harmful for Mr. Magureanu. For some time now the PRM leader, Corneliu Vadim Tudor, has been accusing the director of the SRI of such practices. On April 22, Romanian Senate voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of Vadim Tudor in order to allow him to face the criminal charges for his attacks on President Ion Iliescu and SRI director Virgil Magureanu. Then, Tudor showed eight audio cassetes containing private telephone conversations, but refused to turn them over, saying that the Commision is nothing more that a smoke-screen organization for manipulating the public and shielding the SRI. He said he himself will make the tapes public at a press conference in early June. [22] PHONE CONVERSATIONS IN ROMANIA CAN BE TAPPEDRomania's Chamber of Deputies approved on May 14 a new draft law on communication which allows eavesdropping on telephone calls under warrant from the Prosecutor- General's Office, or by the prosecutor of the Court of Appeal. The draft sets the legal base for restructuring national telecommunication system through the deregulation of some services and through providing a competitional system. The law guarantees free circulation of information and confidentiality of communication. According to Rador, the final vote is scheduled for next week.[23] YUGOSLAV BANK GOVERNOR DISMISSEDThe Yugoslav Parliament removed on May 15 Dragoslav Avramovic from National Bank Governor position, local and international med!a reported. The rift between Avramovic and Yugoslav authorities came to an edge after his warnings against government policy which in his opinion would have resulted in renewed inflation. In 1994 Governor Avramovic succeeded to halt the country's hyperinflation by introducing the so-called "super-dinar" valued at an exchange rate of 1:1 with the German mark.Yugoslav Premier Radoje Kontic told Parliament that there is no standing conflict between Yugoslav Government and Yugoslav National Bank on the platform for talks with international financial institutions, but an individual one, with Governor Dragoslav Avramovic. Mr. Kontici also accused the United States for "political decision" in regulating relations between FR Yugoslavia and International Monetary Fund. According to press-correspondents, Mr. Avramovic left the legislature "teary-eyed" following the decision. [24] FRANCE SUPPORTS AUTONOMY FOR KOSOVOAlbanian and French Defense Ministers, Charles Millon and Safet Zhulali, signed on May 14 in Paris a military agreement which foresees training Albanian soldiers in France, exchange programs, joint manoeuvres and French equipment supplies to Albania.According to Albanian media, Mr. Millon praised Albania for its careful policy towards the Yugoslav war and the Kosovo crisis, adding that France supports autonomy for Kosovo. [25] ROMANIAN RULING PARTY INTENDS TO SUSPEND THE COALITION WITH ITS LAST PARTNERAs the race for the local elections in Romania seems to be fierce, the ruling Party of Social Democracy (PDSR) decided on May 16 to start the procedure for breaking the alliance with its last coalition partner, the Party of Romanian National Unity (PUNR), Romanian and international media reported .According to internal and international observers, by current intention and by breaking off the alliance with Romanian extremist Party Greater Romania, following the President Ion Iliescu visit in Washington, PDSR seems to promote a diferit policy. This intention has been announced since March,but nothing was concretely done to implement it though the clashes between the two parties were increasing.The coalition accord between the PSDR and the PUNR stipulates several steps before the alliance can be dissolved. PUNR vice-chairman Ioan Gavra stated that during discussions he had with PDSR leader Adrian Nastase, the latter agreed that the protocol of cooperation should not be suspended ahead the general elections. Also on 16 May,Premier Nicolae Vacaroiu, officially a non-party affiliated technocrat, joined the PSDR and was immediately elected vice chairman of the party, Romanian and international media reported. [26] MOLDOVAN - RUSSIAN TALKS ON TRANSDNIESTER ISSUEOn the eve of the CIS summit in Moscow, Moldovan President Mircea Snegur and the Russian President Boris Yeltsin agreed the existing problems in Moldova's breakaway Transdniester region should be settled in the spirit of the Moldovan-Russian-Ukrainian joint declaration on the Dniester issue, Romanian and international media reported. They also discussed better economic cooperation within the CIS.The Dniester leadership continues to insist on a full division of powers between Chisinau and Tiraspol, which practically means a call for independence. Last meeting in Tiraspol on May 14 between Moldovan and leaders of the self-proclaimed Dniester republic failed to achieve a consensus on the Interim Memorandum on Dniester conflict settlement principles. [27] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE REPORTCURRENCY FIXING BUY SELL ECU 298.2480 297.3530 299.1430 U.S. Dollar 242.6400 241.9120 243.3680 Deutsche Mark 158.6300 158.1540 159.1060 UK Sterling 367.2600 366.1580 368.3620 French Franc 46.8150 46.6750 46.9550 Swedish Crown 36.0000 35.8920 36.1080 Danish Kroner 41.0920 40.9690 41.2150 Norwegian Crown 36.9520 36.8410 37.0630 Italian Lira 15.6385 15.5920 15.6850 Swiss Franc 193.3980 192.8180 193.9780 Spanish Peseta 1.8974 1.8917 1.9031 Finnish Mark 51.5450 51.3900 51.7000 Yen 227.8500 227.1660 228.5340 [C] SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT[28] HISTORY OF HELLENISM IN PONTUSAfter the fall of the Byzantine Empire, one of Hellenism's most significant sectors was preserved north of Minor Asia, at Pontus. Of course, the conquest of Trapezond by the Ottoman Turks in 1461 marked not only the loss of independence for the Pontus hellenism, but the crippling of its national conscience as well.During the Ottoman Empire, the Pontiacs constituted the most remote part of Hellenism, living in poor areas, without giving much interest to the local rule. Moreover, they were a minority amidst a crowd of other nationalities, such as the Kurds and Armenians. In spite of all this, the Greeks from Pontus were able to maintain their language and religion, to gain a powerful economic base in their region's cities, to develop a noteworthy academic life and to extend their populace into the areas of Caucasus and Crimea. This economic sprouting is primarily attributed to the development of the Argyropole metals and, in turn, to the opening of a trade artery between Trapezond and Tavris. The commerce industry increased tenfold by the development of sea trade via the Black Sea's ports, mainy those of Crimea. The economic recovery was coupled with a population increase. In 1865, the Greeks from Pontus amounted to 265,000 and in 1880 the number rose to 330,000 persons, most of whom lived in the cities. At the start of the 20th century, approximately 600,000 Greeks from Pontus lived under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, while, at the same period, 150,000 Pontus-Greeks inhabited Caucasus. A natural outcome of the economic development and the population rise, was the appearance and development of schooling. In 1860, there were 100 Greek schools in the Pontus area, while, after the fall of the Ottoman rule, in 1919, greeks schools were estimated at numbering 1,401 with 86,000 students, the most famous of all being the Frontistirion of Trapezond. Naturally, besides schools, the Greeks from Pontus were equipped with printshops, newspapers, clubs and theaters, through which they displayed their gifted culture and national identity. This cultural renaissance apparently led to a national rebirth as well, when in 1919, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Greeks from Pontus asked for their national reinstatement. At first, they asked to be united with Greece but, upon realizing that this was not feasible, they turned towards creating a federation with the Armenians. Sadly, this noble plan was short lived, as awaiting in the wings was the destruction of Minor Asia, where people were turned into refugees who sought a new motherland in Greece and the Soviet Republics of Georgia and Armenia. 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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