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Archbishop Demetrios Meets with Dondoleezza Rice at White House


From Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>
Date Tue, 16 Nov 2004 17:00:24 -0800

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0215
Web: http://www.goarch.org
Email: communications@goarch.org

For Immediate Release
November 16, 2004

Contact:  Nikki Stephanopoulos

Archbishop Demetrios Meets With National Security Advisor
Condoleezza Rice At the White House

New York, NY -	His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios concluded his meetings in
Washington, DC yesterday and, after meeting with Secretary of State Colin
Powell and Undersecretary of  State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman, at
the State Department, met early in the afternoon at the White House with
National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, who today was nominated by
President George W. Bush to assume the position of Secretary of State.

This meeting, which was cordial and frank, gave the opportunity to
Archbishop Demetrios to express the pain and the disappointment of the
Greek Orthodox Community for the unfair decision regarding the issue of the
name Macedonia for F.Y.R.O.M.  He also asked that the American government
use all its influence toward F.Y.R.O.M. so that the inflexible position,
that they show in the issue of the name, will change.

National Security Advisor Rice assured Archbishop Demetrios that the United
States will fully support the existing process of the dialogue between
Greece and F.Y.R.O.M., under the aegis of the United Nations, to find a
name for F.Y.R.O.M. which is acceptable to both countries.

During his visit to the White House, Archbishop Demetrios also had the
opportunity to meet with Karl Rove, Senior Advisor to the President;
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Deputy National
Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism Fran Townsend; National Security
Council Senior Director for European Affairs Dan Fried; National Security
Council Director for Southern European Affairs Bert Braun; and National
Security Council Director for Aegean Affairs Matt Bryza.   Archbishop
Demetrios also met at the White House the Majority Leader of the United
States Senate, Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), and the Speaker of the U.S. House
of Representatives, Congressman Dennis Hastert (R-IL).	With all of the
above Archbishop Demetrios had brief discussions in which he explained the
purpose of his visit.

Later in the afternoon, Archbishop Demetrios and representatives from
several Greek American organizations who were with him met with Greek
American Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), in his office, for further detailed
discussions on this same issue as well as on the appropriate action of the
Greek American Community.  Additionally, during lunch there was an
exchanging of views among Archbishop Demetrios, the representatives of the
Greek American organizations and Ambassador of Greece to the United States
George Savvaides, who was present at the luncheon.

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