From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 20 Oct 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 20, 1993 Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): Greece yesterday reiterated its support for European union and expressed its determination to safeguard the course towards economic convergence as Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and European Commission President Jacques Delors agreed on promoting the implementation of the Maastricht treaty at their meeting in Brussels yesterday. "The Greek government is determined to safeguard the course towards European union, in conjunction always with the national policy", said government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos. The spokesman added that the implementation of the Maastricht treaty on political and economic union would coincide with the Greek presidency of the 12-member European Community. Greece will assume the EC's six-month rotating presidency on January 1. The treaty, first agreed in 1991, comes into force next month after Germany became the last member to ratify it this month. "Economic convergence is not simply a monetary or nominal phenomenon but concerns the real economy. The convergence process concerns the real growth rates of the national economies and the Greek government is determined to secure this course in accordance with the national strategy", Mr. Venizelos said. Brussels, 20/10/1993 (ANA - G. Daratos): Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and European Commission President Jacques Delors agreed on promoting implementation of the Maastricht treaty, and discussed Greece's programme for the rotating EC presidency, at what Mr. Delors described as "a very encouraging" meeting, in Brussels yesterday. Mr. Pangalos also conferred with Greek Commissioner Ioannis Paleokrassas and Belgian Foreign Minister Willy Claes, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the Community. Mr. Pangalos and Mr. Delors decided Greek and Community experts should get together for further discussions on the presidency. They also agreed that they should meet again towards the end of November. Members of the European Commission will hold a meeting with the Greek government in Athens on January 5. Mr. Delors also agreed that the Community should send an observer to the Cyprus talks at the UN. The situation in the Balkans and in former Yugoslavia was also dealt with, but was not included in any statement. Mr. Delors said the meeting had been "very encouraging for the further outcome of developments". He said serious problems had been selected for the Greek presidency to handle early next year, and all would help Greece carry out its mission at a difficult time for the Community. During his meeting with Mr. Claes, Mr. Pangalos discussed the two European summits to be held in Brussels on October 29 and December 11. The two men also reviewed the Greek presidency programme, the Middle East, Cyprus, the situation in the Balkans, and planning for a Community troika (past, present and future presidency holders - Denmark, Belgium and Greece) visit to South Africa next month, in response to an invitation by African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): The government yesterday reiterated its opposition to the recognition of any state with the name "Macedonia" or any of its derivatives. "Greece will not recognise on its northern border any state whose name includes the word 'Macedonia' or any of its derivatives", said government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos. Asked about the government's position on the Skopje issue, the spokesman deferred questions to the prime minister's formal presentation of his government's policies to parliament later this week. "The most effective, deterrent diplomatic tactic is that which is embodied in the government's unequivocal and explicit statement on Skopje", he added. Mr. Venizelos also attributed remarks by the UN secretary general's spokesman concerning the resumption of direct contacts in New York between Greece and the former Yugoslav republic on October 25 to wrong information on the UN spokesman's part. "There is no pending invitation to the United Nations next week for the resumption of the dialogue on the Skopje issue", Mr. Venizelos said. United Nations, 20/10/1993 (ANA - M. Georgiadou): The UN yesterday said no date had been set for a resumption of the Greece-Skopje talks, retracting an earlier statement that talks would resume on October 25. "I should like to make a rectification by stating that no date has been set for a resumption of talks and mentioning the date as October 25 was an error", the UN secretary general's special representative Joe Sills said yesterday. "I was asked yesterday (Monday) whether or not the Secretariat had received a letter from the Greek government concerning talks between Athens and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I am told no such letter has been received by the UN from the Greek government", he added. "A misunderstanding occurred yesterday (Monday), and I should like to make a statement of rectification. No date has been set for resuming the talks under Mr. Vance's sponsorship. It was an inaccurate report which said talks would resume on October 25, and this is due to a misinterpretation on my part yesterday (Monday), not with the press, but in the course of briefing delegations", he added. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): The main opposition New Democracy party yesterday said the government's policy on the Skopje issue "threatens to culminate in a diplomatic disaster and a major defeat". "The signs of satisfaction with which Skopje welcomed statements by Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou that he will not continue talks concerning the name and symbols of this former Yugoslav republic in any framework are already alarming", an announcement by ND said. "The PASOK government's hurried abandonment of Greece's international support - which are the Security Council and the UN secretary general - threatens to culminate in a diplomatic disaster and a major defeat", it added. Replying to the statement, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos accused ND of duplicity and submission in handling the Skopje issue. "With its duplicity and submission, New Democracy as a government dramatically undermined the course of the national issue of Skopje. Today it reaches the point of not only misinterpreting the positions of the Greek government and prime minister, in an irresponsible and harmful way for national interests, but of also adopting (Skopjan President Kiro) Gligorov's statements to exercise unpredictable opposition", Mr. Venizelos said. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): US head of mission James Williams yesterday paid a courtesy call on Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras. In a statement to the press afterwards, Mr. Samaras said the discussion had covered a range of issues and that he had expressed the hope that the traditionally good relations between the two nations would continue. Asked if the Skopje issue had been discussed, Mr. Samaras reiterated that all subjects had been discussed and added that the position of his party on the issue was well-known. Mr. Williams refused to make any statements. Today, Mr. Samaras will give his first post-election press conference at a downtown hotel. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers has sent a message of congratulations to his Greek counterpart Andreas Papandreou on his recent election victory. "I wish you every success in fulfilling the demanding duties emanating from your lofty office and I look forward to renewing our personal contacts and to co-operation with you in the future", the message said. The Syrian ambassador to Athens delivered a similar congratulatory message to Mr. Papandreou from Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, extending his wishes to his government to realise the hopes of the friendly Greek people. "I also wish to express my confidence that the friendship existing between us and between our two countries for many years, as well as our identical views on most regional and international situations, and the situations in the eastern Mediterranean region in particular, will continue to constitute the basis of our co-operation for the mutual benefit of our two peoples and for service on the issue of freedom, justice and peace in the world", President Assad's message read. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): Premier Andreas Papandreou yesterday received policy recommendations from all his ministries in light of the government policy statement which he is scheduled make before parliament, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. The notes were drawn up in accordance with the premier's instructions, Mr. Venizelos added. The new parliament will be convened tomorrow for its inaugural session, at which the deputies will be sworn in. Procedures will also be initiated then for introducing a vote of confidence in the government to be held Monday. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday declined to comment on a Yugoslav proposal for Greek mediation in Bosnia, reiterating Greece's role as a factor of regional peace and stability. "Greece is the basic factor of peace, stability and security in the Balkan region", Mr. Venizelos said when asked to comment on Yugoslav Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic's appeal to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou to intercede with the US for a solution in Bosnia. Declining comment on the Jovanovic proposal, Mr. Venizelos added that Greece, "which offers many comparative advantages, will play its diplomatic role in the Balkans". Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): The government plans to introduce draft legislation to regulate property and other issues concerning Greece's former royal family. "There will be legislative initiatives on the issue of the former king", said government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos when asked whether the government would revoke the former monarch's passport. "Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, during the first cabinet meeting, has already announced among other legislative priorities (a draft bill) on the so-called royal property", he added. Athens, 20/10/1993 (ANA): Elections for a new leader of the conservative New Democracy party will be held on November 3, party leader Constantine Mitsotakis said yesterday. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the candidates for the post, Mr. Mitsotakis said New Democracy would also set up a political council following the election of a new leader. He added that he had accepted a proposal to sit on the council, saying the party's main goal was to maintain its unity. Five senior party members have declared themselves candidates for the post of leader. Mr. Mitsotakis, elected to the party's leadership in 1984, said he would formally resign his post immediately following the parliamentary vote of confidence on the newly-elected Panhellenic Socialist Movement government. New Democracy was defeated in the October 10 elections by PASOK, which polled 46.88 per cent of the vote. - "All I am interested in, is offering a positive contribution to Greece, irrespective of position", former national economy minister Stephanos Manos said yesterday. Mr. Manos was responding to a question on whether or not he would be a candidate for the leadership of the New Democracy party. "It would be wrong to elect a leader by resorting to backstage consultations", he stressed.