From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 21 Oct 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency bulletin, October 21, 1993 Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - Greece yesterday reiterated that respect of the human rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania was a prerequisite to "smooth" bilateral relations. "Respect for the human and minority rights of its ethnic Greek minority is an international obligation of the Albanian government and a prerequisite for the smooth development of Greek-Albanian relations", government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. "Provocations and pressures, particularly on issues concerning educational and religious freedoms violate international law and undermine every effort aimed at improving relations between the two countries" he said, when asked to comment on Albania's decision to close the minority's school in Gjirokastr. "The Greek government will immediately deploy all available and necessary diplomatic measures" regarding the decision, Mr Venizelos added. Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - Greece will not recognise a state on its northern border whose name includes the word "Macedonia" or its derivatives, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said Tuesday at a meeting organised by the Union of European Journalists at the end of its Athens conference. He said this was the Greek government's position on the Skopje issue which will be specified when its policy statement is read out in parliament on Saturday. "The Greek government's position is based on the need to safeguard stability and peace in the region", Mr Venizelos said. Referring in general to matters concerning the mass media, Mr Venizelos said "freedom of the press, speech and expression are one of the basic ingredients of European constitutional culture, the European states' common constitutional traditions and is an explicit clause of the Maastricht treaty". Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - The government's foreign policy will be detailed during the confidence debate scheduled to begin in parliament on Saturday, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. "The government will detail its positions on all Greece's national issues, including Skopje and Cyprus, in the policy statement to be presented (to parliament) by Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou", Mr Venizelos said when asked to comment on a recent interview by the former Yugoslav republic's president. "(Skopjan President Kiro) Gligorov's statements appeared in the international press and contradict statements on behalf of various state or political officials", in Skopje, he said. Mr Venizelos added that the government's position on the Skopje issue was well-known and would be elaborated upon during the policy debate. Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias will embark on a tour of Balkan capitals early next month in support of Greece's foreign policy objectives, government sources said yesterday. The sources said the trip was discussed at a meeting between Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Mr Papoulias to review developments in foreign affairs, including the Skopje issue. The foreign minister's Balkan tour is most likely to take place around November 10, the sources added. Mr Papandreou is scheduled to present his government's foreign policy to parliament on Saturday. Last week the premier announced that Greece would launch new peace and economic initiatives in the Balkans. Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - The leader of Cyprus' socialist party expressed support yesterday for a "pan-national" conference on the Cyprus issue and the despatch of a Greek military division to Cyprus. "(A Greek division) will be a means of pressure on Turkey. It will be symbolic but will incorporate Cyprus into Greece's broader defence planning," EDEK leader Vassos Lyssarides told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. "Under no circumstances, however, should such a division be deployed along the Green Line", he added. The Republic of Cyprus has been divided by a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone or Green Line, since Turkey's 1974 invasion and occupation of the northern third of the country. Mr Lyssarides also expressed support for the Cyprus government's proposal for a "pan-national" conference to co-ordinate strategy on the Cyprus issue but said such a meeting was unlikely to occur in the near future " because of the objections of some political parties". Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - Premier Andreas Papandreou yesterday received congratulatory messages from Norwegian Premier Gro Harlem Brundtgland, the Prime Minister of Finland Esko Aho, the leader of Britain's Labour Party John Smith and former leader of the Opposition, Neil Kinnock. Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - Government Spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday declared the question of electing a president of the republic was premature. Raising such an issue, while the President was exercising his duties was an inelegant act, Mr Venizelos added. Athens, 21/10/93 (ANA) - Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras yesterday warned the newly formed socialist government against deviating from its stated policy of not recognising an independent state with the name "Macedonia". "I expect Andreas Papandreou will keep his pledge on the (issue of the) name. I sincerely hope so. I will be tough because the whole question is tough", Mr Samaras said at his first news conference since the October 10 elections. He also called for the Skopje issue to be brought back into the European Community framework, adding that the treaty on European political and economic union provides for signatories to raise issues of their national security within the Community. Kutaisi, Georgia, 21/10/93 (AFP) - Russian troops arrived in the key town of Kutaisi yesterday as Moscow ordered its forces to defend a strategic east-west railway and Georgian forces drove rebels from three western towns. Three columns of Russian armoured cars arrived on the outskirts of the western city of Kutaisi, Dzhaba Iosseliani, the man Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze put in charge of the emergency preparations, told AFP. "I am in contact with the command of these units", said Iosseliani, "but I have not yet seen them and I do not know how many soldiers they comprise". He added that the units seemed to act independently of the Georgian forces. In Moscow, the Russian foreign ministry said Russian troops would be deployed in a "peace-keeping" capacity along with units from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan to protect the Poti-Baku railway that serves the capitals of all three countries, Itar-Tass reported.