From: ST403092@BROWNVM.BITNET (Leandros Arvanitakis)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.hellas
Subject: grammma pros Natn. Geog. (dior9wsn)
Date: 17 Nov 92 23:39:28 GMT
Reply-To: Leandros Arvanitakis <ST403092@BROWNVM.BITNET>
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU

Stelvw to gramma pou esteila kai x9es stnv lista gia alln mia fora, ka9ws
elaba arketa proswpika legwvtas mou pws eftase se kako xali (diko mou la9os
sto format).  Eyxaristw gia to evdiaferov, kai eyxwmai va mpeite stov kopo
va to balete se evav fakelo, va xalasete 29c kai va to peta3ete sto pio
kovtivo taxydromeio....


    Mr. Leandros Arvanitakis
    Biomedical Center, Box G-8376
    Brown University
    Providence, RI 02912


    November 15, 1992

Mr. William Graves
Editor
National Geographic Society
Washington, D.C. 20036


Dear Sir,

 It is with deep regret that I am forced to write once again to
your otherwise excellent publication to voice my concern and
confusion over your irresponsible and biased coverage of the Balkan
area in recent issues (ref. July & December 1992 issues).

 More specifically, I am outraged by your inexplicable
persistence to magnanimously grant the Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia official recognition as a formal state in your articles
and maps.  This insistence comes as a great shock to me and the rest
of the Hellenic community in view of the fact that both the European
Community (EC) and the US State Department have decreed that
any reference to or use of the name "Macedonia" by the Skopjan
Republic is illegal.  I strongly urge you to become better informed
on the EC Lisbon Summit (June 27, 1992), and on official
statements made by the US State Department, the President of the
US George Bush, the President-elect of the US Bill Clinton, the
United Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Gali and other key
figures in world politics who have unambiguously supported the
Hellenic stand against the malevolent Skopjan distortion of 4,000
years of historical evidence and consequent threat to Balkan
stability.

 Being of Hellenic nationality, I find it particularly malicious
and insulting that you blindly portray the Sun of Vergina, symbol of
the Royal Court of King Philip the Second of Macedonia as the
"Macedonian" nation's flag.  Since it appears that your staff is
uninformed on this issue as well, allow me to point out that this
golden sun is an archeological finding at the site of Vergina, outside
Salonica, and is only one of the vast majority of findings on Greek
soil which undoubtedly proves the falsehood of the Skopjan
propaganda as to their claimed ethnicity.

 Finally, and in consideration of:

 (i)  my previous correspondence with Mr. John F. Shupe on
these matters from June 16 to July 15 (please see enclosed
photocopies for your convenience) which I am sorry to say still
remains unanswered on his behalf,

 (ii) the letters sent to your publication and "answered" by
your staff in the Forum section of the November 1992 issue, and

 (iii) the avalanche of official decisions of all major parties
involved in International politics, none of whom have accepted the
self-proclaimed "Macedonian" pseudo-identity of the Skopjan
Republic,

I am forced to regretfully acknowledge that you have now reverted
to blatantly disregarding facts and instead prefer to publish fiction.
The only question remaining in my mind is what possible motivation
you could have to pursue this ridiculous policy with such
dedication.



    With disappointment and concern,





    Leandros Arvanitakis, B.Sc., M.Sc.






cc. Mr. John F. Shupe
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