Subject: A.N.A. Bulletin 30/9/93
From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca

        Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 30/09/1993
        =================================================

	Athens, 30/9/1993 (ANA):   More than 400 politicians, academics
and NATO officials began their meeting in Athens yesterday to
discuss the Alliance's future role in Europe. The 39th General
Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association is sponsored by the
Greek Union for Atlantic and European Co-operation and will end
on October 2.

	``In the present phase of major changes and transformations in
the field of international relations, the Atlantic Alliance has
to face new and complex issues to which adequate solutions have
to be found``, the speaker of the Italian Senate Giovanni
Spadolini said. He told delegates that the 16-member alliance
could play a leading role in crisis management situations, but
said wider co-operation with other international bodies was
required to share responsibilities and tasks.

	Bulgarian Defence Minister Valentin Alexandrov said Bulgaria,
an official NATO observer, wanted full membership, noting his
country's readiness to take on responsibilities that would
contribute to the region's stability. ``Membership does not
merely mean guarantees for national security. Of fundamental
importance is our readiness and practical capability to share
the responsibilities for the security of our region``, Mr.
Alexandrov said. ``We are convinced that a strengthening of a
homogeneous security area in the south-eastern part of Europe
will meet the basic interests of NATO``, he added. On the
Yugoslav crisis, Alexandrov urged NATO allies to try and contain
the conflict, warning that its possible expansion entailed
unpredictable consequences for European stability. ``The war in
the former Yugoslavia is Europe's number one security problem.
Fortunately, this conflict has been internally Yugoslav and it
is of fundamental importance to contain it, to resolve it and to
bring it to a halt``, he said.  ```Balkanisation` of the
conflict would mean its drive Southeast``, Mr. Alexandrov said,
adding this would cause unpredictable consequences for the
stability of that part of Europe. Officials said the assembly
was not expected to adopt or issue a joint communiqui.

        Athens, 30/9/1993 (ANA):   Greece yesterday hailed the
South African parliament's ``historic decision`` to set up a
transitional executive council giving blacks their first
official say in government. ``Greece, with particular
satisfaction, welcomes the historic decision of the South
African parliament to create a transitional executive council as
well as an independent committee on the mass media``, a foreign
ministry announcement said. The South African parliament voted
last week to establish the transitional council to prepare for
the first democratically elected government after elections on
April 27. 

	``Along with its partners in the European Community, Greece
unreservedly supports this decisive step towards obliterating
the consequences of apartheid on the political life of South
Africa``, the statement added. The European Commission earlier
yesterday agreed to ask European Community foreign ministers to
lift remaining sanctions against South Africa and gradually
establish normal relations in support of moves towards full
democracy. African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela is
due to visit Brussels next week to seek EC support for the South
African reforms.

	Washington, 30/9/1993 (ANA - D. Dimas):   President Clinton's
nominee for ambassador to Athens, Thomas Niles, yesterday spoke
of ``the long-standing and traditional friendship between Greece
and the United States`` based on ``common moral and cultural
values`` and supported by ``common political, economic and
defence interests`` before a Senate Foreign Relations
confirmation hearing yesterday.

	Mr. Niles placed particular emphasis on the need for
co-operation between the two countries on serious political and
economic issues, specially during the first half of 1994 when
Greece holds the Community presidency. Stressing the need for a
solution to the Cyprus issue, Mr. Niles also referred to an
increase in trade co-operation between the two countries.

	Mr. Niles declined any forecast on the Greek election result
when asked by committee chairman Joseph Biden. ``... I would
prefer to avoid making forecasts on the election result and on
the policy of the government which will result from the
elections``, Mr. Niles said, adding that the US looked forward
to a ``close and lasting co-operative relationship with Greece``.

	Athens, 30/9/1993 (ANA):   Some 160 ethnic Greeks evacuated
from Georgia's Abkhazia province arrived in Thessaloniki
yesterday in what was the third phase of Greece's Operation
Golden Fleece. The ethnic Greeks were evacuated from Sukhumi,
which was captured by Abkhaz rebels on Monday, and will be
housed temporarily at a reception centre in Naoussa run by the
National Centre for the Reception and Resettlement of
Repatriated Greeks (EIYAPOE). In August, the Greek government
mounted a mission to evacuate more than 1,000 ethnic Greek by
sea from Sukhumi to escape the civil strife there. A second
group of 152 ethnic Greeks were evacuated by air earlier this
month under the second phase of Operation Golden Fleece.