Subject: A.N.A. Bulletin 25/9/93
From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca

        Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 25, 1993
        ===============================================

	United Nations, 25/9/1993 (ANA - M. Georgiadou / Reuters):
Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
have shown a desire to resolve their differences by agreeing to
hold direct negotiations in New York beginning next week,
Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali said yesterday. Mr.
Boutros Ghali, in an as-yet unreleased written report to the
Security Council dated September 22, underlined that the Greek
general elections due to take place on October 10 would not,
according to a statement by Greek authorities, affect direct
talks due to take place at the end of September as scheduled.
	Mr. Boutros Ghali said in his report: "While it has not proved
possible to resolve the differences between the two parties
before the commencement of the 48th session of the General
Assembly, as called for in Resolution 845 (1993), their direct
meeting in the presence of (former US Secretary of State and
mediator Cyrus) Vance and their agreement to enter into ongoing,
direct discussions under his auspices demonstrate the desire on
both sides to come to a resolution of the differences between
them. Normalisation of relations between the two states would
contribute to peace and stability in the region".
	The secretary general added he and Mr. Vance remained ready to
assist the parties and, in the meantime, he strongly urged both
sides "to continue their own efforts towards building mutual
confidence and to refrain from any action which might contribute
to tension between them". The report's second chapter refers to
negotiations held "which led to Mr. Vance's direct presence, at
a meeting on August 23, conducted in a friendly climate and
atmosphere of co-operation. The two sides welcomed the new phase
of the effort to resolve their remaining differences, a phase
they hope will lead to a new era in their relations". The joint
statement by the delegations of Greece and FYROM on direct
negotiations between the two sides dated September 23 was
attached to the report.


	Athens, 25/9/1993 (ANA): The aims of the autocephalous Orthodox
Church of Albania were reviewed by Archbishop of Albania
Anastasios at an international congress on Orthodoxy which
opened in Halkidiki yesterday. "Our prime aim is to help all
people who live in Albania, regardless of religious creed or
nationality", Anastasios said. It was necessary to find ways of
convening a conference of the Church of Albania, to draw up new
statutes, erect new churches and establish a self-governing
theological school, he said. The Archbishop said he was
optimistic about the future course of Orthodoxy in Albania, but
also pointed to the dangers posed by the prevalence of
fundamentalist trends in Islamic circles.


	New York, 25/9/1993 (ANA): Archbishop Iakovos of North and
South America was allowed to leave the Boston hospital where he
was being treated and returned to New York yesterday. According
to a hospital announcement, the Archbishop was treated for an
infection but still requires a few days' rest.


	Athens, 25/9/1993 (ANA): Coalition of the Left and Progress
Eurodeputy Michalis Papayiannakis has broached the issue of the
banning of Greek schools in the regions of Gyrokastr, Saranda
and Delvine in Albania with the European Political Co-operation,
which is expected to discuss the issue at a plenary session in
Strasbourg October 25-29. He has officially invited Albania's
Democratic Union of the Greek National Minority "Omonia"
chairman Sotiris Kyriazatis to attend the Strasbourg session
together with two other Greek minority deputies.
	In previous approaches to the body by Mr. Papayiannakis, the
body had replied that "the Community and its member states are
always closely watching the development of the situation
concerning human rights in Albania. In this context, they have
made repeated appeals to the CSCE, adding that member states are
aware of the fact that implementation of CSCE principles will
require a great effort, including legislation. The Greek
minority should be allowed to enjoy fundamental rights to
develop its own national, cultural, religious and language
identity to facilitate the teaching of the mother tongue and the
creation of unions and societies aimed at defending its
interests and identity.


	Athens, 25/9/1993 (ANA): Foreign Minister Michalis
Papaconstantinou inaugurated the ministry's new press centre
yesterday. Under-secretary Vyron Polydoras and senior officials
were also present at the ceremony. Mr. Papaconstantinou spoke of
developments relating to national issues, the situation in
Balkans, and the course of the government's foreign policy in
the past three and a half years. The foreign minister stressed
that Greece's role had been enhanced both in Europe and
internationally. Greek foreign policy, he said, had focused on
ensuring peace and stability in the region. Turning to Cyprus'
bid for entry to the EC, Mr. Papaconstantinou said that after
securing a positive opinion (avis) from the European Commission,
Greece would try to obtain a similar result at the forthcoming
Community foreign ministers meeting at Luxembourg. He added that
when Greece assumes the EC rotating presidency in January, it
will try to enhance relations with Balkan countries.


	Athens, 25/9/1993 (ANA): The North Aegean Petroleum Company
(NAPC) will begin seismographic research in the gulf of Kavala,
west of the island of Thasos with the help of the specially
equipped vessel Western Reliance. The fieldwork will take about
10 days and processing the data approximately four months. NAPC
will begin drilling for oil early next year.


	Athens, 25/9/1993 (ANA): Turkish and US aircraft infringed air
traffic rules in the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR)
south of Chios yesterday, according to press reports. The allied
aircraft were recognised and intercepted by Greek fighter jets.
The Turkish and US combat aircraft are participating in the NATO
exercise code-named "Dynamic Guard".
	According to other press reports, a considerable number of
Bosnian wounded will start arriving in Greece for treatment at
both military and civilian hospitals early next week. They will
arrive under the supervision of the National Defence and Health
ministries respectively.


	Athens, 25/9/1993 (ANA): Greece must manage its water reserves
better and improve its existing infrastructure to deal with its
chronic water shortage problem, Environment Commissioner Ioannis
Paleokrassas said in Brussels yesterday. Mr. Paleokrassas was
speaking at the opening of a key two-day conference on EC water
standards. "Water shortage problems often lead us to focus
attention on such cases as Africa and China, regions where the
problem appears all the more acute and threatening. But we
should not overlook the fact that the EC itself faces similar
problems", he said.
	Mr. Paleokrassas stressed that priority should be given to all
possible ways of increasing water supplies without causing harm
to the environment. Distribution networks should be so built as
to minimise loss through seepage, he said. He also said that the
public should be willing to pay part of the cost for cleaner
tap-water in the EC. "While I am certain we all agree that the
polluter should pay, I have no doubt that additional costs will
also have to be borne by the consumer", he said.
	The Commission is under pressure from the chemical industry and
the British government to ease EC purity laws which oblige
member states to rid their water supplies of all but the tiniest
traces of pesticides and other pollutants. "On of the major
challenges we face will be to convince the public of the value
of a safe and healthy supply of water", he said. Mr.
Paleokrassas said the Commission was keeping an open mind on
whether to amend the EC laws and would only decide its stance
after the conference. 


	Melbourne, 25/9/1993 (ANA - S. Hatzimanolis): Victorian Premier
Jeff Kennett has expressed his appreciation at the decision of
the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies to honour him
with a special award for his work in support of Greek positions
on the issue. "I feel particularly happy at this distinction
which does not only constitute a recognition of my views on the
Macedonian issue, but also a recognition of my close relations
with Hellenism", Mr. Kennett said. He said Australian Greeks
were particularly sensitive to the Macedonian issue. "I would
like to congratulate", he said, "the Institute for the manner in
which it is approaching the whole matter: with research, logic
and scientifically".