October 28, marks the anniversary of one of the most important days in the history of the world, yet few people remember it’s significance. But the Greeks do, and they celebrate OXI day, every year. The day was October 28, 1940. At dawn that morning (4:00am), after a party in the German embassy in Athens, Mussolini (through Emanuele Grazzi, the Italian ambassador in Greece) issued an ultimatum to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas to surrender, or face open war with Italy. Metaxas, a career military officer and more importantly a proud Greek, was not inclined to acquiesce to Mussolini’s demands (surprise!), thus touching off the beginning of the Greco-Italian War and a series of unbelievable events that would eventually neutralize Italy, cripple Germany, and cost 1,000,000 Greek lives. The Consequences of Resistance - Greece was eventually forced to confront four different armies: Albania, Bulgaria, Germany, and Italy. Greece resisted the Axis powers for over 185 days from Oct 28, 1940 – April 31, 1941. The Greek victory over the initial Italian offensive of October 1940 was the first Allied land victory of the Second World War, and helped raise morale in occupied Europe. The Greek resistance influenced the course of the entire war by forcing Germany to postpone the invasion of the Soviet Union in order to assist Italy. By one estimate 311,000 people, or 4.3% of the Greek population, were killed. Among them 140,000 died from starvation during occupation. Other estimates put the death toll much higher. For example claims that “over 300,000 civilians died from starvation, thousands more through reprisals”. The Greek Resistance, one of the most effective resistance movements in Occupied Europe, was formed. These resistance groups launched guerrilla attacks against the occupying powers and set up large espionage networks. Hundreds of villages were systematically torched and almost one million Greeks left homeless. Quotes About the Greeks in World War II - “For the sake of historical truth i must verify that only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death.” - Adolph Hitler (From speech he delieverd to Reichstagon May 4th 1941); “I am sorry because I am getting old and I shall not live long to thank the Greek people whose resistance decided WW2.” – Joseph Stalin (From speech broadcast over radio after victory of Stalingrad January 31 1943); You fought unarmed and won, small against big. We owe you gratitude because you gave us time to defend ourselves. As Russians and as people we thank you. - Joseph Stalin; “The war with Greece proved that nothing is firm in the military and that surprises always await us.” - Benito Mussolini 10/5/1941; “Until now we used to say that Greeks fight like heroes. Now we shall say heroes fight like Greeks.” -Winston Churchill 1941.
Cypriot Foreign Affairs Minister Markos Kyprianou warned today (29 October) that Ankara would negatively affect its EU accession bid if did not begin complying with its obligations to normalise relations with Nicosia in December this year. Kyprianou, who was speaking at the European Policy centre think-tank in Brussels, recalled that Turkey had committed under the 2004 Ankara Protocol to opening its ports and airports to Cyprus. These obligations were later incorporated into Turkey's negotiating framework for EU accession, the foreign minister stressed, making them an integral part of Ankara's EU bid. "The fact is that Turkey has failed to comply with these obligations – all of them," said Kyprianou, who left his position as EU health commissioner last year to return to national politics. Such "failed obligations" include the normalisation of relations with Cyprus, good neighbourly relations, the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the contribution to the peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem, Kyprianou said. Several chapters of Turkey's EU accession talks are currently blocked - five by France, three by Austria and Germany, and eight by the decision of the Council - due to Turkey's non-compliance with the Ankara Protocol. Recently, Turkish chief negotiator Egemen Bagiş told EurActiv that he hoped those negotiating chapters could be "unblocked". Regarding the reunification negotiations, which take place under UN watch, Kyprianou said that Turkey is not just an observer to these talks, but a "major player", and lamented that Ankara had "not been constructive" in this respect either. "Unfortunately, that is how far it goes," Kyprianou said. He insisted that there had not been any positive steps as regards the outcome of reunification negotiations, with Ankara insisting that they should result in "a new partnership of two states". He said this view runs contrary to UN Security Council resolutions and the positions of the EU and the entire international community, adding that Nicosia is seeking a solution in the form of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. As for Turkey's own EU negotiation process, he insisted that Istanbul had not been treated more strictly than other candidate countries, citing as an example the fact that it had been allowed to begin accession negotiations while occupying the territory of another member state. The view that Cyprus is blocking Turkey's EU accession negotiations is "a myth", the foreign minister said, adding that other countries in a similar situation would probably not agree to open negotiations with Turkey in the way Cyprus had done. He said Cyprus wanted "a European Turkey" and a clear EU membership perspective for Ankara, which he said is a powerful incentive to resolve the Cyprus problem. "Turkey will always be there, and will always be as big, and Cyprus will always be there, just as small. So it is in our interest to have a European Turkey. Not just Turkey in Europe – we want a Turkey that thinks, feels, acts and behaves as a member state of the European Union, not as a guest having a free ride," Cyprus' premier diplomat elaborated.
President Boris Tadić says Belgrade will continue to insist on a resumption of talks on Kosovo and finding a compromising solution. This, the president told state broadcaster RTS late on Wednesday, regardless of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) stand on the issue of the legality of the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo's ethnic Albanians. Tadić also underscored that the policy of peace "immunizes Serbia from attacks coming from international public". According to him, "there is no doubt that things regarding Kosovo and Metohija may change, either as a consequence of the economic crisis or as a result of the changes in relations on the international political scene". "In that sense, it is of major importance that Serbia has two influential states, China and Russia, on its side," he said. "As for the proceedings before the International Court of Justice, we will make a decision when the time comes. We are now analyzing every model, but we hope for a positive solution," said Tadić.
The Iranian president says the West and Iran are now cooperating on the nuclear issue on the international scene. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the West has moved "from confrontation to interaction" with Iran over its controversial uranium enrichment, which he called the nation's "inalienable right." Speaking to a rally on Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad, Ahmadinejad said "ground has been paved for nuclear cooperation" and that Tehran is ready to work on nuclear fuel supplies and technical know-how with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. The speech came as Iran was to respond to a U.N.-drafted plan on shipping the country's low enriched uranium abroad for further enrichment. The plan curtails any covert nucelar arms making abilities by Iran.
US National Security Adviser James Jones stressed the White House's desire for friendly relations with Moscow as he met Russian officials on Thursday for nuclear disarmament talks. Jones, a retired US general, told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that President Barack Obama remained committed to mending ties with Moscow after they were badly strained in recent years. "I would like to... on behalf of President Obama, reassure you and your colleagues that the path that US and Russian relations are on right now is one that's full of promise and potential," Jones said. "We want to do everything we can to bring that good state of an affairs to a conclusion," Jones added, at a meeting that also included the top US and Russian negotiators working on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). Washington and Moscow have been seeking to agree a replacement for START, a landmark 1991 treaty that led to steep cuts in the US and Russian nuclear arsenals, before it expires on December 5. "We believe that only the most intense work will allow us to fulfill the agreement by our presidents to do everything possible to reach a new agreement on strategic arms reductions before the current treaty expires," Lavrov said.
Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested several members of a radical Sunni Islam group in the U.S., killing one of its leaders at a shootout in a Michigan warehouse, the U.S. attorney's office said. Agents were trying to arrest Luqman Ameen Abdullah, 53, at a Dearborn warehouse on charges that included conspiracy to sell stolen goods and illegal possession and sale of firearms. Authorities also conducted raids elsewhere to try to round up 10 followers named in a federal complaint. Abdullah refused to surrender, fired a weapon and was killed by gunfire from agents, FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold said. In the 43-paged complaint unsealed Wednesday, the FBI said Abdullah, also known as Christopher Thomas, was an imam, or prayer leader, of a radical group named Ummah whose primary mission is to establish an Islamic state within the United States. No one was charged with terrorism. But Abdullah was "advocating and encouraging his followers to commit violent acts against the United States," FBI agent Gary Leone said in an affidavit. He told them it was their "duty to oppose the FBI and the government and it does not matter if they die," Leone said. Abdullah regularly preached anti-government rhetoric and was trained, along with his followers, in the use of firearms, martial arts and swords, the agent said. "Abdullah preaches that every Muslim should have a weapon, and should not be scared to use their weapon when needed," Leone wrote. Seven of the 10 people charged with Abdullah were in custody, including a state prison inmate, the U.S. attorney's office said. Three were still at large. Another man not named in the complaint also was arrested. The group believes that a separate Islamic state in the U.S. would be controlled by Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, who is serving a life sentence in a federal prison in Colorado for shooting two police officers in Georgia in 2000, Leone said. "They're not taking their cues from overseas," said Jimmy Jones, a professor of world religions at Manhattanville College and a longtime Muslim prison chaplain. "This group is very much American born and bred."
His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave an audience yesterday Tuesday, Oct. 27, to the Orthodox Primates of the USA, most of whom were present the previous evening for the Ninth Annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community. Present at the audience were Archbishop Demetrios of America (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Philip (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Christopher (Serbian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Nicholas (Carpatho- Russian Diocese); Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Jonah (Orthodox Church in America), Metropolitan Constantine (Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA); Bishop Ilia (Albanian Orthodox Diocese) and Archpriest Alexander Abramov (Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA). Archbishop Demetrios welcomed His All Holiness on behalf of the Primates. Following the remarks of His All Holiness, there was an exchange of gifts, including a presentation by Metropolitan Philip of an “engolpion” (Episcopal medallion) with the icon of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Ecumenical Patriarch presented gifts to all the Members, and departed the meeting. Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch throughout America and who is the Chairman of the already functioning Episcopal Assembly of France (Inter-Episcopal Committee from 1967 and full Episcopal Assembly since 1997), remained to engage in a brief dialogue with the Members. Immediately following the Patriarchal Audience, Archbishop Demetrios hosted a luncheon in honor of His All Holiness for fifty Ecumenical and Interfaith leaders from New York and around America. More information about His All Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the environmental work of the Church and the Apostolic Visit to the United States may be found here and here.