Subject: A.N.A. Bulletin 23/9/93 From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca Athens News Agency bulletin, September 23, 1993 =============================================== Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - Greece said yesterday it was keeping a close watch on dramatic developments in Russia, warning that the political crisis there could profoundly affect the international community. "We are observing the recent dramatic developments in Russia with great concern. The outcome of the crisis will have a great impact on the international community", Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis said. "Seeking the people's mandate, as Russian President Boris Yeltsin did, at this moment seems to be the only way out of the political crisis blocking the reform process" Mr Mitsotakis said during an election rally in Florina, northern Greece. He added that the new elections called by Mr Yeltsin Tuesday night would give the Russian people the opportunity to express their "will and decision for the future". Main opposition socialist PASOK leader Andreas Papandreou said yesterday that developments in Russia were "difficult and dangerous" and said he believed that it would be many years before a stable regime developed. Foreign Under-secretary Virginia Tsouderou yesterday expressed the hope that "logic and the Russian people's democratic spirit" would prevail in current crisis in Russia. Speaking to the press yesterday, Ms Tsouderou said she hoped developments in Russia would be positive for the country's democratic reform. "It is tragic", she said, "that following the destruction of the Berlin wall we should be concerned with a possible reinstatement of a dictatorship in Russia". Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - Greece yesterday said respect for the rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania was a prerequisite for co-operation and good relations between the two Balkan countries. "Greece has supported Albania's democratisation efforts more than any other country not only to show the international community that some countries can coexist peacefully but also to become a model of friendly relations between neighbouring states". Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis told a campaign rally in Kastoria. "Even today, Greek aid to neighbouring Albania is vital for the course of its economy because Greece accepts tens of thousands of Albanian labourers in the region", he added, referring to recent tensions in Greek-Albanian relations. "But I would like to warn the Albanian government that the ethnic Greek minority is entitled to all the rights stipulated under international agreements. We do not ask (for the rights). We demand (respect of) the ethnic Greek minority's human rights and condemn certain recent actions", Mr Mitsotakis said. Earlier this week Greece lodged a strong protest with the Albanian government over its decision to order the closure of schools serving the 400,000-strong ethnic Greek minority. "We wish to live in friendship with our Albanian neighbours. This will occur as soon as they realise that a prerequisite to our co-operation is the respect of the ethnic Greek minority", Mr Mitsotakis said. The premier voiced concern at the situation prevailing in the Balkans, emphasising that "Greece makes claims on nobody, its firm and unalterable aim being stability and peace". He said Greeks were called upon to make a decision on October 10 that would have a decisive bearing on their fate, choosing between New Democracy's responsible foreign policy and main opposition socialist PASOK's "Third World adventurism". Mr Mitsotakis visited Kozani, Amyndaio, Ptolemais, Kastoria, Florina and Yannitsa yesterday on the first leg of a tour of Western Macedonia. Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - Greece and Chile yesterday agreed to sign five accords covering investments, the avoidance of double taxation and co-operation in the areas of technology, shipping, culture and tourism. Foreign Under-secretary Virginia Tsouderou announced the agreement after talks with her Chilean counterpart, Rodrigo Diaza Albonico, who is here on the first official visit between the two countries. Ms Tsouderou announced that Chile would open an embassy in Athens in early November. She added that Chile had always supported Greece on its national issues and that the two countries had long-standing cultural ties. Mr Albonico expressed his gratitude to the Greek government for the assistance provided through the European Community to the countries of Latin America. On the first day of his two-day visit yesterday, Mr Albonico also had talks with National Economy Ministry officials and today will meet with the president of the National Tourism Organisation of Greece. In addition to the accords, Ms Tsouderou and Mr Albonico also discussed the development of bilateral trade relations. Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - Greek elections are an "internal matter", a senior spokesman for the White House told a gathering of Greek-Americans in Washington, yesterday. Greece is the only country within the framework of Balkan developments that will have stability, even after the elections, the spokesman added. Both the spokesman and other members of the Clinton Administration have made it known that the American government will not accept a solution on Skopje that will not satisfy Athens, as Washington is interested in preventing destabilisation in Greece. Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - The government looks forward to Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) chairman Yasser Arafat's visit to Athens as soon as possible and immediately after the October 10 elections, a Foreign Ministry announcement said yesterday. The statement said it looked forward to the visit "despite the fact the Palestinian leader's special commitments did not finally allow him to pay his visit to Athens on the scheduled dates". The government thanked Mr Arafat for his intention to visit Greece and the PLO's diplomatic representation in Athens for its announcement Tuesday, it added. The PLO's announcement said Mr Arafat had expressed the wish that his visit to Greece be the first to an EC member state after the signing of the Palestine-Israel peace agreement. In this way, Mr Arafat wishes "to express the gratitude of both himself and the people of Palestine to the government of Greece and its people for their steadfast support on the Palestine issue", the announcement said. Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - US President Bill Clinton yesterday conveyed his appreciation for Greece's contribution to civilisation to the Greek people and the country's political leaders, in a message to a high-ranking US Democratic Party delegation currently in Athens. The 30-member delegation, made up of chairmen of the party's committees, arrived here earlier this week for celebrations marking 2,500 years since the birth of democracy. "We came also to celebrate President Clinton's victory last year, here in the birthplace of democracy" said James J. Brady, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Association of Democratic Party State Chairs. Delegation Chairman Chris Spirou said that the visit had been planned months ago and "happened to coincide with the (Greek) election period". The delegation met on Monday with Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis and were scheduled to meet with main opposition socialist PASOK party leader Andreas Papandreou yesterday. US charge d'affaires in Athens Michael McLaughlin gave a reception in the delegation's honour Tuesday, attended by Parliament President Athanasios Tsaldaris, parliamentarians from a number of political parties and personalities including singer Nana Mouskouri and composer George Hatzinassios. In the message from Mr Clinton which Mr Spirou read out at the reception, the US president said that it was "appropriate that the Executive Committee is meeting in the nation which have birth to democracy 2,500 years ago, laying the foundation for the form of government that we have enjoyed in America for more than 200 years". "As you meet the political leaders and the people of Greece", Mr Clinton said, "please convey to them my best wishes and appreciation for their nation's contribution to civilisation". Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - National Defence Minister Ioannis Varvitsiotis gave 35 members of the visiting US Democratic Party State Chairs an extensive briefing on the country's defence matters at the Pentagon at noon yesterday, an announcement by the Defence Ministry said. Athens, 23/9/93 (ANA) - The PASOK government guarantees a foreign policy based on peace, security and co-operation, main opposition socialist PASOK leader Andreas Papandreou said in an address to the Executive Committee of the Association of State US Democratic Party Chairs last night. "The new international order should be based on solidarity between peoples and not on the selective implementation of principles of international law", he said. Referring to the Balkans, Mr Papandreou said a PASOK government guaranteed a policy of peace and co-operation with all peoples. "It guarantees initiatives for the attainment and stabilisation of peace, economic and technological co-operation with the Balkan countries and strengthening the European Community's policies providing economic aid for the development of the Balkan states", he said. Bonn, 23/9/93 (ANA - P. Stangos) - Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's intention to invite Istanbul Greeks to return and reclaim their property, after their expulsion by the 1955 pogroms, was nothing but "hot air", it was revealed yesterday. In a press conference in Berlin, on the final day of her official visit to Germany, Ms Ciller said there had been a "misunderstanding" of the "offer" she made before her visit to Germany. "Greeks can return to Istanbul at any time just like any foreigner", she said. Turkish newspaper Miliyet reported last week that Ms Ciller intended to invite Greeks of the once-sizeable Istanbul community - Turkish citizens - to return and claim their property. The Greeks were driven out of Istanbul in pogroms in 1955. Late Turkish president Turgut Ozal had previously made such calls, but with no definite outcome. The next day, however, the Islamic-nationalist press slammed Ms Ciller and her foreign ministry advisers for "pandering to American interests", as the call came ahead of plans for Ms Ciller to visit the United States. Ms Ciller also hinged progress on the Cyprus issue on a possible rapprochement at a local level after the illegal elections in the occupied regions at the end of November. "We will be closer to a solution after the 'elections'" Ms Ciller said. She indirectly but clearly set the condition of recognition of the pseudo-state, referring to the mutual recognition of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation as a precedent. Replying to a question on Turkish occupation forces, Ms Ciller said "they will only be withdrawn when a solution is found because the island has its history and Turkey will not allow it to become another Bosnia".