O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans A WEEKLY GREEK AMERICAN PUBLICATION c v www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 11, ISSUE 529 December 1, 2007 $1.00 GREECE: 1.75 EURO Gianna To Convicted Greek American Spy to Complete his Parole in Greece Accept L100 After 14 Years of Federal Prison and House Award At Arrest, Steven Lalas Reunites with his Family By Evan C. Lambrou telligence officers whenever he Special to The National Herald traveled to northern Greece to see Conference his family in Kavala. He continued NEW YORK – Steven J. Lalas, a for- to disseminate information after be- mer United States embassy employ- ing transferred to the U.S. Embassy Behrakis Invites Greek ee turned Greek spy, returned to in Athens in 1990. Greece last Sunday, November 25, Mr. Lalas, a native of New Schools To Apply For to serve the remainder of his parole Hampshire, came under suspicion after spending almost 12 years in following a conversation between Leadership 100 Grants federal prison, ending a spectacular someone from the Greek Embassy espionage affair between the two in Washington and a State Depart- By Theodore Kalmoukos countries. ment official in February 1993. Special to the National Herald The issue is now referred to High-ranking Greek diplomats ap- Greek judicial authorities, which parently boasted of being well in- BOSTON, Mass. – The Archbishop will determine the terms of the ad- formed of U.S. plans for the Balkans Iakovos Leadership 100 Endow- justment to Mr. Lalas’ sentence un- at the time, inciting FBI experts to ment Fund will honor Gianna An- der Greek law. investigate the matter more closely. gelopoulos-Daskalaki, chairperson His return to Greece was facili- Mr. Lalas was caught red-hand- of the Athens 2004 Organizing tated by an agreement between ed on hidden cameras, which ob- Committee, during its annual con- Washington and Athens. “Justice served him taking documents in- ference in Palm Desert, California Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis has pro- tended for destruction. Three this February. vided written assurances to the months later, he was invited to FBI In an interview with the Nation- competent U.S. authorities, that the headquarters in Virginia, where he al Herald, L100 100 Chairman Greek Government will fulfill any was arrested at the end of April George D. Behrakis said, “We al- court decision regarding Mr. Lalas’ 1993. ways honor someone who supports parole,” a statement said. According to U.S. authorities, Hellenism. I believe very strongly The Greek Government will as- Mr. Lalas originally claimed Greek that the American and internation- sume the implementation of what- military officials had recruited him al media did a disservice to Greece ever judicial ruling concerning the in 1991, and that he feared for the in regards to the Olympics, and al- supervision of Mr. Lalas’ condition- welfare of relatives living in Greece most every one was afraid to go. al release, as is determined by the if he had not cooperated. Authori- Mrs. Angelopoulos did a spectacu- “Arrangement for Transfer with Su- ties later discovered that he had lar job in bringing Greece to the pervised Release” which was signed started spying for the Greek Gov- forefront, and I thought that it was by representatives of the U.S. De- ernment as early as 1977, while time to honor this individual.” partment of Justice and Mr. Lalas serving the U.S. Army. Mr. Behrakis also credits Gianna EUROKINISSI himself. During his years as an active spy, for being a focal point in bringing Steven Lalas arrives at the Athens International Airport in Greece to complete the remainder of his parole Mr. Lalas, 54, was convicted of tourists back to Greece. after being convicted of espionage in 1993 for transmitting sensitive U.S. defense information to Greece. spying in 1993, and was placed on Continued on page 3 “I think she is a credit to Hel- parole following his release from lenism,” he said. “She is a credit to prison in January 2005, about two Greece. I’m just looking at Greece and a half years shy of his original today, and I look at the number of 14-year sentence. The case had put tourists, and it’s more than Greece’s a strain on diplomatic relations be- population. Around 15-16 million Fox Films President Honored at Festival tween the two countries in the Armenian people will have visited Greece this 1990’s. year by then end of December, and ATHENS – James Gianopoulos, the better and better every year, it’s a very limited audience. Mr. Lalas, an American citizen of Genocide Is that’s due to what people all over Chairman of the Board and Presi- very well put together and its influ- “This is reality, it’s hard for Greek heritage, had worked as a the world saw when the Olympics dent of 20th Century Fox Films, a ence abroad is constantly increas- smaller countries to influence the communications officer on the were held in Athens. People got a second-generation Greek-Ameri- ing.” international film scene like the technical staffs at U.S. consulates About Justice different view of Greece, and I can, born in New York City was When asked whether there is United States do,” Mr. Gianopoulos and embassies in Turkey, Yu- think this is due to Mrs. Angelopou- honored at the 48th International something the organizers could said. “Even if you look at Europe, goslavia and Greece, from where he los, and also to the people of Film Festival of Thessaloniki. Mr. change he said, “I don’t think there you will soon realize that a German forwarded classified documents to By Evan C. Lambrou Greece who, in the past few years, Gianopoulos was impressed with is anything wrong with the festival, movie is not playing for the big the Greek National Intelligence Ser- Special to The National Herald have opened their doors to greet the organization of the festival and it should stay as is.” masses in Italy, same thing for an vice (EYP). The documents were everyone – from Greek Americans he points out that “there is always a When asked about the presence Italian movie in France. American mainly concerning U.S. policy dur- NEW YORK – The Armenian Geno- to Europeans to Asians – and I think spot for good films and filmmak- of the Greek films and filmmakers movies play everywhere.” ing the first phase of the Balkan cri- cide is not about the United States this will continue. I think we’ll see ers.” abroad, Mr. Gianopoulos said, Asked if he believes it is a matter sis. Congress or the Turkish Govern- 20-25 million people visiting In a recent interview with “Eleft- “Greece is facing the very same of economic power, Mr. Gianopou- He began divulging U.S. secrets ment recognizing the massacre of Greece per year.” heros Typos,” an Athens daily problem other bigger markets such los said, “We need to realize why to EYP agents in 1985, when he was more then 1.5 million Armenians in Asked how he felt about Mrs. newspaper, Mr. Gianopoulos as Germany and Italy are facing.” America is so unique. It’s a country stationed at the U.S. Consulate in early 20th Century Asia Minor, says Angelopoulos accepting Leadership praised the film festival and point- According to Mr. Gianopoulos, Constantinople (present-day Istan- one prominent member of the Ar- 100’s invitation, even though she ed out that “the festival is becoming the local products are produced for Continued on page 3 bul). He would meet with Greek in- menian American community. had turned down other offers from It is about justice; justice entails the U.S. and other parts of the that the perpetrators make repara- world, Mr. Behrakis said, “On be- tions to the victims; and repara- half of all the members of Leader- tions mean that the Turks must ulti- ship 100, I’m really excited to have mately return the properties and this caliber of individual come to Dora Attends lands they stole from the Armeni- Palm Desert to spend time with us.” ans they murdered or chased out, The upcoming conference will Peace Summit according to Harut Sassounian, take place on February 14-17, and publisher of the California Courier, Mr. Behrakis said, “We are going to a Los Angeles-based Armenian have two curators, one from the In Annapolis weekly newspaper, and president museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and of the United Armenian Fund, the other from the Getty Museum which has shipped $460 million in California, who will speak about By Evan C. Lambrou worth of humanitarian assistance Greek antiquities and the archaeo- Special to The National Herald to Armenia since 1989. logical sites of Greece. I think it’ll Remembering the Genocide is teach our membership more about NEW YORK – Greek Foreign Minis- also ultimately about keeping the Hellenism. Then the Archbishop ter Dora Bakoyanni addressed the hope and dream alive for succeed- will speak on the history of our international conference on the ing generations of Armenians – that Church. Last year, he gave us an Middle East in Annapolis, Mary- one day, the land will be theirs overview which was very well re- land this past Tuesday, November again, said Mr. Sassounian, who is 27, asserting Greece’s positions on also vice chairman of the Lincy Continued on page 4 how lasting peace can be achieved Foundation, which has funded in the region. She was invited to at- $230 million worth of infrastruc- tend the proceedings by Secretary ture projects in Armenia and Art- of State Condoleezza Rice.