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Macedonian Press Agency - March 9, 1999

Main Opposition Leader To Meet With US Secretary Of State

Washington, March 9 (MPA)

The leader of Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis, is to be received by the Us Secretary of state Madeleine Albright today in Washington.

Mr. Karamanlis, is presently on an official visit to the United States where he will remain until March 16, will hold talks with vice-president Al Gore on Thursday, and UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and Archbishop Spyridon on Friday.

He met with US Senator Edward Kennedy with whom he discussed Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.

"IT is obvious that the intransigent side is Turkey which does not allow for progress towards a fair and viable solution to the Cyprus issue, "Mr. Karamanlis stated following his talks with Sen. Kennedy.

"I should reiterate and underline that we both agreed that Cyprus's accession course (to the EU) should be promoted without this being a leverage point for the political solution," he added.

The ND leader will also visit the universities of Tufts and Harvard, the Wall Street Journal and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in addition to giving a speech to the Greater New York Federation of Greek Societies.

Mr. Karamanlis is accompanied by New Democracy MPs Petros Molyviatis, Vassilis Magginas and Fani Palli-Petralia.

[ Macedonian Press Agency - www.mpa.gr - March 9, 1999 ]