Newsgroups: bit.listserv.hellas
Date:         Mon, 16 Nov 1992 13:14:50 EST
Reply-To:     Leandros Arvanitakis <ST403092@BROWNVM.BITNET>
From:         Leandros Arvanitakis <ST403092@BROWNVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Gramma sto national Geographic
Comments: To: Macedonia@husc.harvard.edu

Sas stelvw to gramma pou egraya stous 9rasutatous tou N.G. Opoios 9elei mporei
va to avtigrayei kai va to steilei, afou afairesei to snmeio (i) pou avaferetai
stnv prongoumevn allnlografia mou. Mporeite episns va steilete to pio geviko
pou 9a steilei snmera (elpizw epitelous) o axrnstos o sugkatoikos mou (0avasns
Prwtopapas) pou olo leei apo tnv Paraskeun "twra to grafw" kai oso to eidate
eseis to eida ki egw. Telos pavtwv, idou (egw to taxudromnsa snmera to prwi):


                                                        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 othe
rwise e
publication to voice my concern and confusion over your irresponsible and biased
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 recogniti
formal state in your articles and maps.  This insistence comes as a great shock
the rest of the Hellenic community in view of the fact that both the European Co
(EC) and the US State Department have decreed that any reference to or use of th
"Macedonia" by the Skopjan Republic is illegal.  I strongly urge you to become b
informed on the EC Lisbon Summit (June 27, 1992), and on official statements mad
the US State Department, the President of the US George Bush, the President-elec
US Bill Clinton, the United Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Gali and other key
in world politics who have unambiguously supported the Hellenic stand against th
malevolent Skopjan distortion of 4,000 years of historical evidence and conseque
to Balkan stability.

        Being of Hellenic nationality, I find it particularly malicious and insu
lting t
blindly portray the Sun of Vergina, symbol of the Royal Court of King Philip the
of Macedonia as the "Macedonian" nation's flag.  Since it appears that your staf
uninformed on this issue as well, allow me to point out that this golden sun is
archeological finding at the site of Vergina, outside Salonica, and is only one
majority of findings on Greek soil which undoubtedly proves the falsehood of the
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
sorry to say still remains unanswered on his behalf,

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

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

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




                                                        With disappointment and
concern,





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






cc. Mr. John F. Shupe
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