The National Herald a b www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 9, ISSUE 468 A WEEKLY GREEK AMERICAN PUBLICATION SEPTEMBER 30, 2006 $1.00 - GREECE: 1.75 Euro Turkish Parliament Votes Bakoyanni In Favor of Minority Discusses Schools, but not for Halki The Greek By Benjamin Harvey in Turkish) near Constantinople And Selcan Hacaoglu (present-day Istanbul). Associated Press The head of Turkey's parlia- Perspective mentary commission on education, ANKARA (AP) – The Turkish Tayyar Altikulac, said the wording Parliament passed a European of the adopted bill meant the semi- Interview with the Union-backed reform bill broad- nary would remain closed unless Greek Foreign Minister ening opportunities for minority the government decided to amend schools this past Tuesday, Septem- the constitution to reopen it. By Demetris Tsakas ber 26, but removed a key passage "This bill has nothing to do with Special to The National Herald which would have allowed foreign the theological seminary. The students to attend, a move likely to opening of the theological semi- NEW YORK – “The Greek be seen as another setback in nary is a constitutional matter," he American community constitutes Turkey's progress toward E.U. said. a stable channel of communication membership. The adopted bill defines minor- with American society and its po- The deletion ended a heated ity schools as "pre-schools, ele- litical system,” Greek Foreign debate – for the moment – about mentary and secondary schools Minister Dora Bakoyanni told the whether allowing foreign students founded by Greek, Armenian and National Herald. to attend minority schools in Jewish minorities" and specifies “You are a spirited and reliable Turkey could lead to the reopen- that they must be attended by "stu- advocate of Hellenic interests and ing of a Greek Orthodox theologi- dents originating from the Turkish Hellenism,” she added. cal school which was shut down 35 Republic." Mrs. Bakoyanni gave an exclu- years ago. The deleted wording had in- sive interview to the Herald after The E.U. and the United States cluded "foreign students who be- AP/CHARLES DHARAPAK the successful Greek initiative to have repeatedly called on Turkey long to these minorities." Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni, left, meets with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the State De- hold an unscheduled meeting of to open up the religious seminary partment in Washington this past Wednesday, September 27. The two women also spoke regularly during the the United Nations Security on the island of Halki (Heybeliada Continued on Page 11 U.N. General Assembly last week, and have established what appears to be good rapport with one another. Council at the level of Foreign Ministers in order to discuss the Arab-Israeli conflict last Thursday afternoon, September 21 (Greece’s two-year term as a non- permanent member of the Council Six Greek Americans on Forbes 400 expires at the end of this year). She said she was “totally satis- By Evan C. Lambrou worth, $2.5 billion; industry, “Petro Princes.” In terms of net fied” with the results of that meet- Special to The National Herald petroleum; company, Mitchell En- worth, Mr. Mitchell is behind 15 of ing. ergy & Development; location, them. “The Greek initiative was ac- NEW YORK – Six Greek The Woodlands, Texas; age 87; CALAMOS knowledged and praised by every- Americans made it on this year’s married, ten children. Son of John Calamos & family (#160); one – by the countries of the Arab Forbes “400 Richest Americans” Greek immigrants; studied $2 billion; mutual funds; Calamos world; by Israel and the Palestini- list: George Phydias Mitchell, petroleum engineering at Texas Asset Management; Naperville, ans; by the United States; and by John Calamos, Peter Nicholas, A&M; founded Mitchell Energy in Illinois; age 66; divorced, remar- all the countries of the European George Lyon Argyros, Michael Ja- 1946; wildcatter who struck it big ried, two children. Son of Greek Union, which supported our effort haris and Alex Spanos. The list in north Texas gas fields; sold to immigrant; swept floors at family’s from the first moment,” she was posted on the Forbes website Devon Energy 2001 for $3.5 bil- Chicago grocery store; developed added. (www.forbes.com) on September lion; Proceeds invested in real es- passion for stocks in his teens after She also said that, during her 21. tate: owns Bald Head Island in investing his parents’ $5,000 nest meeting with Turkish Foreign This year, for the first time, ev- North Carolina, hotels in Galve- egg; earned MBA from Illinois In- Minister Abdullah Gul, she re- eryone on the list has at least $1 ston. Nature enthusiast donated stitute of Technology in 1965, then minded him that the European billion. The collective net worth of $35 million to alma mater this United States Air Force; served standards and commitments, the nation’s wealthiest climbed year. one year in Vietnam; became a which Turkey has agreed to up- $120 billion, to $1.25 trillion. In or- In its October 9 issue (Vol. 178, stockbroker; discovered niche in hold in its efforts to join the Euro- der of rank, the six Greek Ameri- No. 7), Forbes places Mr. Mitchell convertible securities; founded his pean Union, are “non-nego- cans listed on the Forbes 400 are in its “Petro Princes” category: firm in 1977; went public in 2004; tiable.” as follows: “Soaring oil and gas prices contin- has $44 billion under management With respect to the current MITCHELL ue to drive the fortunes of these today; stock on a wild ride, shares diplomatic standoff between the AP/GERALD HERBERT George Phydias Mitchell wildcatters,” the article states. United States and Iran, Mrs. President Bush, left, shakes hands with gubernatorial candidate, (ranked #117); estimated net There are 31 people listed as Continued on Page 4 Bakoyanni said, “We are on a dan- Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist at a “Charlie Crist for Gover- gerous curve,” but said that she be- nor” reception in Orlando, Florida late last week. lieves the current package being offered to Iran “is beneficial to the people of Iran.” President Helps the Charlie She also described Greece’s ba- sic foreign policy approach, and Crist Campaign Raise $2M described its three main points, Continued on Page 9 By Mary Ellen Klas Morgan, who endorsed Democrat And Darran Simon Rod Smith in the primary, didn't The Miami Herald attend the event, but headed to Gainesville instead, where singer ORLANDO – Conjuring up Tom Petty was performing at his Dora Meets images of tax-obsessed Democrats alma mater, the University of and emphasizing the need to stay Florida. Community at the course in America's ''great ide- After recognizing Crist and ological struggle'' against terror- urging the crowd to support Con- Harvard Club ism, President Bush urged Repub- gresswoman Katherine Harris' run lican Party faithful in Florida to for the United States Senate, Bush By Demetris Tsakas defeat Democrats in November unleashed a torrent of warnings Special to The National Herald and put Florida State Attorney about tax-loving Democrats and General Charlie Crist in the Sun- the failed policies he said they will NEW YORK – During a spe- shine State's governor's office. attempt to pursue if they regain cial luncheon at the Harvard Club The President took his blue- control of Congress. in Manhattan this past Monday af- state pitch to a Tampa fundraiser ''One of the issues that is im- AP/MATT SAYLES ternoon, Greek Foreign Minister for GOP congressional candidate portant for our nation and our California Democratic gubernatorial candidate, State Treasurer Phil Angelides, right, and U.S. Senator Dora Bakoyanni expressed opti- Gus Bilirakis and later to a high- state is taxes. I think you're taxed John Kerry of Massachusetts greet supporters at a recent political rally for Angelides in West Holly- mism about the progress of an end fundraiser for Crist and the too much. So does Charlie. I aim wood, California. “evolving Greece that strives for a Republican Party of Florida in Or- to make taxes a key issue across better future,” and she urged the lando last Thursday, September this country,'' the President said. Greek American community to 21. Bush said Crist would take the support that effort with its contin- At Orlando's Ritz-Carlton, a same approach. Angelides Has Tough Uphill Climb ued presence and devotion. throng of lobbyists, business lead- ''If you get him in office, he's While she expressed her con- ers and community activists from going to cut your property taxes, By Michael R. Blood tactful step to the political center; ernmental Studies at the Universi- viction that “the Greek American around the state agreed to pay and you can take that to the bank,'' AP Political Writer and keeping his famously flappy ty of California in Berkeley. "It's community is going to manifest its $25,000 apiece just to get in the Bush said, referring to Crist's plan lips mostly zipped, Schwarzeneg- hard to say Arnold is consistent, presence in this endeavor,” and door. to double the homestead property LOS ANGELES (AP) – Cali- ger has established himself as the but it's worked for him." that “everybody is going to work ''This is an extraordinarily suc- tax exemption from $25,000 to fornia Governor Arnold favorite against Democratic State Schwarzenegger's political re- collectively for a competitive and cessful event, and I thank you,'' $50,000. Schwarzenegger likes to end his Treasurer Phil Angelides in the bound has been aided by an em- dynamic Greece, which has a star- the President told the cheering The President's tax-cut theme speeches with a dramatic flourish November 7 election. ployment boomlet, and an econo- ring role,” Mrs.