Subject: A.N.A. Bulletin 17/9/93 From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 17, 1993 =============================================== Strasbourg, 17/9/93 (ANA - P. Stangos) -The European Parliament yesterday condemned the desecration of Orthodox graves at an Istanbul cemetery and Turkey's failure to bring the culprits to justice, in a resolution pointing out that such incidents did little for Turkey's relations with the European Community. Calling on Turkey to take all necessary steps to protect its Greek Orthodox community, the resolution said "the climate of insecurity and blatant violation of basic freedoms of minorities undermines relations between Turkey and European Community". Fourteen tombs at the Greek Orthodox cemetery in Istanbul were found vandalised with sledgehammers on August 25. Relatives of some of those buried at the cemetery said the vandals had smashed marble crosses on the graves and scattered bones were found in the vicinity. The resolution, jointly sponsored by the five groupings in parliament, the Socialists, Christian-Democrats, Liberals, Greens and Left Coalition, called on Turkish authorities to "clear up" the incident - "a result of religious fanaticism, which violates fundamental human rights" - and brings the perpetrators to justice. The resolution also called on the Council of Ministers to intervene with the Turkish government on the matter and requested that the matter be brought to the EC-Turkey Co-operation Council. Greek Eurodeputies G. Zavvos and Efstathios Lagakos (ND) and George Romaios (PASOK) spoke of the oppression faced by the Greek minority. Mr Zavvos pointed out that only 2,000 members of the Greek Orthodox community remained, down from 200,000 in 1955. He stressed it was imperative the Turkish government understand that it would be in its own interests to display a modicum of goodwill by authorising the re-opening of the Halkis Theological School. Mr Lagakos noted that vandalism at the graveyard was not an isolated event, recalling that similar incidents had occurred at nine other cemeteries six years ago. The assembly also condemned the assassinations of Kurdish-based Democracy Party (DEP) MP Mehmet Sincar and local DEP representative Mehmet Ozdemir. Sincar was ostensibly killed by the fundamentalist Hizbollah group but DWEP sources allege that Turkish security forces had a hand in the murder. The resolution called for the lifting of the state of emergency in Kurdish areas and to enforce respect for human rights. The European Commission, the Council and Community member-states were called upon to use all the means at their disposal to pressure Turkey into opening a dialogue with the Kurdish element. Athens, 17/9/93 (ANA) - Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis last night expressed his conviction that the ruling New Democracy party would win the October 10 elections, stressing that the government's austerity programme had been necessary. "New Democracy applied a policy of strict management and austerity. We know that this policy undoubtedly has its cost and we said it clearly: we will apply the policy that best serves the interests of the nation", Mr Mitsotakis said in an interview with Antenna TV's "Profile" programme. "When a government comes into power, when it inherits that which we inherited from (the previous government) PASOK - chaos and a moral, economic and institutional crisis - it is natural that what is needed is "radical surgery" and great efforts", he said. "There was a need for strict management particularly in the economy, because it is certain that PASOK had given more money that it could (afford) to give". Athens, 17/9/93 (ANA) - The Coalition of the Left and Progress aims to emerge as third party in the new parliament, party leader Maria Damanaki told the press in Thessaloniki yesterday. She added the state of the economy was "out of control", and called on all political leaders to put forward concrete proposals to deal with problems. Ms Damanaki reiterated a five-point economic package which she introduced a year ago to lead the economy out of the present state of crisis. She emphasised the need for tax-reform immediately after elections, evenly apportioning the burden of taxation. Deficits should be reduced through development and state agencies functioning on up-to-date patterns, she said. The Coalition also issued a statement stressing that, although parties were now engaged in bitter political confrontation, their common line in the European Community had led the European parliament to condemn Turkish persecution against the Greek minority in Turkey. Athens, 17/9/93 (ANA) - Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis, accompanied by Health Minister Dimitris Sioufas yesterday visited the new Elefsis General Hospital. In a short speech to cheering New Democracy supporters, the premier said the hospital, which will serve the needs of 250,000 people in the western Attica region, would create 1,200 new jobs when it begins operating in December. However, he said, appointments would be made after the October 10 elections, proof of the government's promise not to give pre-electoral "handouts". The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the premier continued, contributed only 1,2 billion drachmas to the construction of the hospital in the eight years it was in power whereas the New Democracy government, in its three-year term, contributed 6.4 billion drachmas. Referring to PASOK health policy, the premier added: "PASOK has empty words, but New Democracy builds hospitals", pointing out that hospitals with a cumulative capacity of 3,400 beds were being built in nine cities.