From: than...@athena.mit.edu (Thanos Tsekouras) Subject: Greek news for June 4, 1993 Date: 5 Jun 1993 21:53:53 GMT From: Press and Information Office, Embassy of Greece, 2211 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, (202) 332-2727, fax: (202) 265-4931 To: Press and Information Office, Consulate General of Greece, fax: (617) 5427228 ANA [Athens News Agency] Daily News Bulletin 04/06/1993 Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) The government said yesterday that it did not rule out resuming UN-sponsored talks on the Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia. "I foresee negotiations again", Foreign Minister Michalis Papaconstantinou told the press yesterday. Athens last month rejected a UN plan drafted by international envoyes Cyrus Vance and David Owen to settle Greece's dispute with the former Yugoslav republic. The two-year-old feud centres on the name and flag of the fledgling state of two million Slavs and Albanians that was admitted to the United Nations in April under the temporary name "Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia". Athens objects to the breakaway republic's use of the name 'Macedonia', saying it indicates territorial designs on the northern Greek province of the same name. Mr Papaconstantinou said that substantial progress was made on the confidence-building measures during the course of UN negotiations, but that both sides disagreed on the issue of the name. Mr Papaconstantinou also confirmed reports that Greece had suggested the name "Slavomacedonia". "It was an idea put forth by the Greek side during the negotiations. This name corresponds to the historic realities since the republic's inhabitans are Slavs who live in a region historically and geographically described as 'Macedonia', he said. Mr Papaconstantinou described as a "distortion of reality" the way the Greek newspapers interpreted a classified report by the Greek consul in Skopje which was leaked to the press. "It is distortion of the reality to interpret the Greek consul's action as 'agreement' or 'dialogue'", Mr Papaconstantinou said. Belgrade 4/6/93 (ANA -N. Georgiadis) Skopje President Kiro Gligorov has rejected proposals made by Sebian President Slobodan Milosevic at a meeting in Ochris, last Monday, the Belgrade-based daily "Borba" disclosed yesterday, quoting sources close to the Skopje president. According to Borba, Mr Gligorov rejected the Serbian president's opinion that "the presence of American troops (in Skopje) is unnecessary". "It is unnecessary to let others solve our problems when we can solve them ourselves through agreement", Borba quoted Mr Milosevic as stressing to Mr Gligorov. Mr Gligorov also rejected his counterpart's suggestion that a solution to the conflict with Athens would be achieved by accepting "Slavomacedonia" as the republic's official name. According to the newspaper, Mr. Milosevic said that "Serbia intends to cooperate with Skopje, and Athens desires (to do) the same". Brussels, 4/6/93 (ANA-P. Pantelis) The European Commission said yesterday it had decided to give 25 million European Currency Units (ECU) of aid to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The aid will be split into three categories: petrol, electricity-generating equipment, agricultural supplies and telecommunications; reinforcement of customs and statistical monitoring; and general technical assistance. The new money brings to 50 million ECUs the amount of aid the Commission has given to the former Yugoslav republic and fulfills the commitments it made at last December's EC summit in Edinburgh. Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) In an announcement marking the Moslem religious feast of Bairam, independent deputy Ahmet Sadiq yesterday told the Greek Moslem minority in Thrace that "during the last two years a state of equal rights has been established between Christian and Muslims, as well as equality before the law". Mr Sadiq said he hoped a settlement of the issue of the muftis would follow. He added that relations between Greece and Turkey were friendly and understanding of one another and that this would facilitate the finding of a solution for the Moslem minority's problems. Meanwhile, the Turkish Counsul in Komotini, Hassan Okcal, attempted to participate in the election of a 'pseudo-mufti' in Didimotihon but met with little success. He later visited the the pseudo-mufti of Xanthi Mehmet Agha instead of the lawful Mufti Mehmet Emin Sinicoglu. Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) Former prime minister George Rallis is in a satisfactory condition after heart surgery for a ventricular aneurysm a few days ago. According to a statement by Mr Rallis' doctors, Mr Rallis has fully recovered and is in excellent spirits. Premier Constantine Mitsotakis has sent Mr Rallis his best wishes. Health Minister Dimitris Sioufas is in daily touch with Mr Rallis' doctors and was to pay him a visit in hospital yesterday. Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) A total of 18,732 Albanians have been expelled through the Kakavia border crossing for entering Greece illegally, the Epirus police said yesterday. Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) National Defense Undersecretary Spilios Spiliotopoulos yesterday signed a cooperation protocol in the defense industry sector with the Bulgarian Defense Minister Valentin Alexandrov in Sofia yesterday. The agreement covers certain sectors and systems, and the framework and extent of cooperation will be defined by a committee of experts from both countries. Mr Spiliotopoulos visited Sofia at the invitation of his Bulgarian Counterpart Christo Tomov. He flew back to Athens last night. Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) Negotiations on the Cyprus issue "have not gone well, so far", Foreign Minister Michalis Papaconstantinou said yesterday, commenting on the recent round of UN-sponsored Cyprus talks in New York. However, he said, it was "a good thing" that the talks committed Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to replying by June 14 to the proposals that the United Nations be given control of Varosha, that now lies under the Turkish occupation, and be allowed to operate Nicosia international airport under UN supervision. Mr Papaconstantinou said the Turkish Cypriot side is currently pressured and pointed out that the negotiations were discontinued because Mr Denktash requested consultations with his so called "prime minister and parliament". Istanbul 4/6/93 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas) Commenting on the Cyprus issue, Turkish President Suleyman Demirel said it was meaningless "for one to present an image of infransigence to the outside world". "What we are seeking is just, mutual compromise which will not be based on domination but negotiations", Mr Demirel said, noting that "it was said in 1981 and 1985 that Varosha can be handed over to the United Nations... Now, in parallel to handing over Varosha (to the UN) there is word of a partial lifting of the embargo applied on the Turkish Cypriot side". He added that "in this context there is a proposal for the use of Nicosia airport by Turkish aircraft". However, Turkish Cypriot Leader Rauf Denktash underlined that "the hasty signing of an agreement will make Turkey experience a repetion of 1974 in three or four years". Upon returning to Istanbul from New York, Mr Denktash said the subjection of Varosha to UN control in return for the lifting of the embargo by 95 per cent and the opening of Nicosia airport "could be beneficial for the Turks". Whether the settlement proposed will be favorable for the Turkish side "will depend on the stance the UN will observe after taking control", Mr Denktash said. Analysts believe that Mr Denktash is hesitating because he is concerned about "domestic policy games" taking place in Turkey and the occupied part of Cyprus. Commenting on latest developments on the Cyprus issue, journalist Mehmet Ali Birant claimed that the problem was who will give the go-ahead for the signing of an agreement, "namely who will undertake the responsibility". "Mr Denktash ia aware that in the event he signs, Mr Eroglou's group will be first in the entire opposition in Nicosia to rebel and, no matter how good the agreement is, the opposition will find a point to criticise. For this reason he is waiting for the go-ahead from Ankara". Nicosia, 4/6/93 (ANA) The UN secretary general's deputy special representative Gustave Feissel told RIK TV network's correspondent in New York ysterday that the UN is expecting a positive reply from Mr Denktash on June 14 when Cyprus peace talks resume in New York. Mr Feissel said UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali believed the acceptance of the confindence-building measures will have a "dramatic" effect in Cyprus and will facilitate the effort for an overall settlement to the Cyprus issue. Mr Feissel also claimed there was gradual progress in the Security Council's increasing involvement in Cyprus talks. Athens, 4/6/93 (ANA) Greece has the cleanest beaches in the EC, according to figures released by the European Commission in the 10th annual report on the quality of sea water at bathing areas published yesterday. The report says that 97 per cent of the 1,203 Greek beaches tested fully complied with EC regulations concerning bathing waters. The next cleanest was Denmark with 95 per cent, Ireland with 94 per cent, Holand and Spain at 93 per cent. Germany came last with 76 per cent and Britain second last with 79 per cent. The tests on Greek beaches took in 1,203 beaches covering 16,000 kilometers of coastline and 3,000 islands while 107 new beaches have been added to the testing programme. The results from the checks on Greek beaches in 1992 confirm once again the excellent quality of waters and it is noted on the report that Greek legislature applies stricter limits than Community directives. Major works being funded through Community programmes are expected to improve water quality on the more polluted Greek beaches, the report notes. [Copied by Thanos Tsekouras]