|  The Hellenic Page Announces New Service. This weekly news update is a new feature of The Hellenic Page. Soon, it will be a daily feature. Tell me what you think of it. More changes are happening behind the scenes, but finishing my degree comes first and I hope you understand. (11/7/96) Greek Funds Returned by DNC. AP, Washington Post, among others report that the Democratic National Committee was returning two donations totaling $50,000 from Psaltis Corp., a U.S. company owned by a Greek national, George Psaltis, because they discovered the company did not have income from U.S. operations when the donations were made in June and July. (11/1/96) Monks on Mount Athos deny reports of refuge. A senior monk of Mount Athos' supreme administrative body denied reports alleging that former Bosnian leader Radovan Karadzic and military chief Ratko Mladic seek or have been welcomed to reside at the Serbian monastery of Hiliandari. (10/30/96) Mount Olympus Gets Taller. Geologists report that Mount Olympus is even taller than before. The increased height is due to satellite-based imaging, which found that Mystikas, the highest summit was 71 inches taller than previously thought, making it 9,576 feet tall. This story was first reported by Apoghevmatini, an Athenian afternoon daily. (10/27/96) Greece Threatens to Never Host an Olympics. The president of Greece, still angered over the selection of Atlanta for the Centennial Olympic Games, threatened the International Olympic Committee that Greece may never bid for another Olympics. He was quoted by the AP as saying "No other city awaits with such impatience the IOC's decision than Athens. However, I express my bitterness over losing 'the Golden Olympics'." An IOC official, Thomas Bach, stated that the President's remark would have no effect on the IOCÕs decision. Athens is widely believed to have the lost the 1996 Games due to poor infrastructure. Other cities competing for the 2004 Games are San Juan, Puerto Rico, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rio Janeiro, Brazil, and Cape Town, South Africa. The host city will be announced on Sept. 5, 1997.
(10/25/96) Greece Plans Construction of Pipeline. The Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone, an organization comprising Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Albania met in Moscow. Russian Primer Minister Chernomyrdin held a one-on-one meeting with Greek Premier Constantinos Simitis, in which the state-run Russian news agency Itar- Tass said Simitis had promised to speed up construction of a terminal for the running through Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece. The three nations hope to create a pipeline which bypasses Turkey, which has traditionally been viewed as an economic, political, and military competitor. (10/22/96) Egyptians Stop Alexander Dig. The Egyptian Gov't has suspended excavations at the proposed tomb of Alexander the Great. Liana Soulvatzi, a Greek Citizen, had claimed that Alexander was buried in Siwa (750 km NW of Cairo) and not Alexandira as most historians now accept. She claims to have discovered 3 Ancient Greek tablets which describe the transport of AlexanderÕs body to Siwa, although these tablets have not been publicy shown. No reason for halting the excavation was given by the Egyptian Govt.
(10/13/96) Turkish Cypriot Guards Shoot Greek Collecting Snails. Petros Kakoulli, 50, was shot near the British Army of Dhekelia in southeastern Cyprus. Kakoulli and his son-in-law where collecting snails near the buffer zone when two Turkish soldiers where seen by British and Greek observers to fire successive shots, killing him instantly. Previous killings of Greek Cypriots in August led to a suspension of all EU aid to Turkey pending movement toward a settlement of the Cyprus issue and the observation of human rights treaties to which Turkey is a signatory.
(10/02/96) State Department Denounces Bombing Of Ecumenical Patriarchate. US State Dept. Briefing. "In unison, the United States denounced today the bombing that occured at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople on September 29, as the State Department and the US Congress have publicly condemned the event. White House spokesperson Nicholas Burns stated that the Clinton Administration intensely denounces this violent act and is in close contact with both the Patriarchate and the Turkish government. The U.S. Congress has asked for the due punishment of the perpetrators and has requested that increased security be provided to the Patriarchate, which it characterizes as Orthodoxy's center for over 300 million faithful around the world, among whom three million are in the United States.The organization Great Eastern Islamic Raiders Front (IBDA-C) has claimed responsibility for Sunday night's explosion that was caused by a hand grenade thrown in from the street. There were no victims in the attack." |
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