The meeting was opened by the President of BPU and the participants welcomed the new member, Prof. George Papadopoulos (President HPS). Present were all members of the Council except for Prof. N. Erduran, who unfortunately lost his father and the Council asked the President to convey to him the Council’s condolences and sympathy. The President of the local HPS Chapter, Prof. D. Kyriakos, was present and the Council expressed appreciation for co-sponsoring with 2.500 US$ of BPU-4 and of the Bodrum School. The Council expressed also its appreciation to all its active BPU Institutes and the President presented a brief outline of the PBU activities during 1997-2000. These activities and a CD ROM were given to the members. Details can be found at the web site: bpu.auth.gr. The summary of activities is attached in these minutes.
The President presented the activities of the friends of BPU, helping the Balkaniad for the Environment (1998) and other awards and scholarships. The President described various activities in the Balkans and the Council expressed its appreciation to the humanitarians who have helped in the Balkans both the Turkish and the Yugoslav people during the earthquake and the Kosovo crisis. The Council decided to award Mr. Christos Alevras for his generous humanitarian activity during the earthquakes and the Kosovo crisis.
· The Council decided after long discussion not to ask to become EPS Corporate member. It was however discussed the need to circulate among all Council members the EPS constitution and Professors Calboreanu and Bek Uzarov to write a proposal on the future relation between BPU and EPS.
· It was decided to send a summary of BPU-4 to Europhysics News and to other international journals. Professor Mateev accepted to write the summary of the meeting.
· Professors Calboreanu, Minhozi and Arik were asked by the Council to write to the Organizers of the December 2000 Berlin Conference of Physical Societies (“Role of Physical Society in Europe in the New Millenium”) to ask them to officially invite representatives of BPU to the Berlin Conference.
· The President of BPU was asked to send to the National Physical Societies of BPU a request to nominate representatives for the election of officers of BPU (with copy to the present Council members). The election was decided to be 23 August, 2000 Valiko Turnovo. On the 25th is foreseen the official banquet of BPU-4 and an open event will take place on 26/27 in Rosen at Rodope Mt.
· The number of participants at BPU-4 is expected to exceed 500.
· Publication of the Proceedings will be done at the Balkan Physics Letters (selected papers in the regular issue and a proceedings supplement). Professor Arik informed the Council that B.U. Press (BOGAZICI University Press) offers to publish BPU Physics Letters. Linking (BPU) with (B.U. Press) will be resolved by Professor Arik who also announced that the activities of the former Center for Turkish-Balkan Physics Research and Applications at B.U. will henceforth continue through B.U. Physics Department. The Council expressed its appreciation to the colleagues involved with the publications of BPU.
· Professor Mateev announced the cost for accommodation (47 German Marks DM, per day) and 12 DM for one copy of the Proceedings.
· A provisional proposal was put by Professor Bek Uzarov to host BPU-5 in 2003 at VRNJACKA BANJA, SW of Belgrade. Professor Bek Uzarov proposed also to have the next Executive Committee Meeting in Nice, hosted by the Yugoslav Physical Society.
· The Council accepted with appreciation the proposal of Professor Arik to have a joint Turkish-Greek meeting of the Physical Societies in the summer of 2001, 2 days in KOS and 2 days in Bodrum. It was suggested to write letters to the Foreign Ministries of both countries and apply to NATO for an Advanced Study Institute. Other BPU Societies should be invited accordingly.
· The Council accepted with appreciation the proposal of the HPS to have a 2nd Balkaniad for the Environment. National decisions should be ready before January 2001 and the event to take place in Olympia or Athens in April 2001. The topics should include medical physics in relation to environment.
· The Council discussed in length the proposal of Professor Calboreanu on the need for the Thessaloniki Appeal. The manifesto drafted by Professor Calboreanu was unanimously accepted by the Council and all members have signed it. A press release is expected from each country to publicize the appeal. The Council expressed its appreciation to Professor Calboreanu.
· Member of the council expressed their appreciation for the work done by the President of BPU.
· The meeting was adjourned at noon, May 28, 2000.