From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca
Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 6 Nov 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa).

	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): Greece said yesterday that the
continuation of UN-sponsored talks on the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia hinged on a change of stance by the Skopje
government. "The Greek government cannot accept the continuation
of the Skopje-led operation to malign our country", Foreign
Minister Karolos Papoulias said in a letter to UN chief Boutros
Boutros Ghali. "The Greek government is not willing to permit
the Skopje government to continue deceiving international public
opinion while as it has proven, it does not have the slightest
intention of co-operating for a peaceful resolution of the
dispute. "Consequently, I consider it my obligation to reiterate
in the most categorical manner that the Greek people and the
Greek government will not recognise a state bearing the name
'Macedonia' or any of its derivatives, because (these terms) are
the source of all elements that disrupt peaceful relations and
destabilise the region", he added. In his three-page letter
pointing out the new Greek government's stand on its dispute
with the neighbouring state, Mr. Papoulias made extensive
reference to Skopje's obstinate stance saying it consisted of
unyielding provocations and hostile propaganda against Greece.
He said controversial articles in the Skopje constitution
hinting at the annexation of neighbouring territories and the
official distribution of maps depicting a "greater Macedonia"
region, were concrete examples of the state's territorial
designs on Greece's northern province of Macedonia. "And, to top
it all off, the Gligorov government, with parliament's
agreement, adopted a flag bearing symbols belonging to Greece's
historic heritage", Mr. Papoulias said. He was referring to the
Vergina star, an ancient Greek symbol found on the golden casket
of Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. 

	"Furthermore, we followed with particular attention the way in
which the Skopjan government exploited the UN Secretary general
and the co-chairmen of the Conference on Yugoslavia's good
offices mission, not to contribute to the solution of the
problem but to render inactive and without result the Security
Council's mandate", the letter said. Mr. Papoulias said the
Skopje government had to realise the serious problems generating
from its "negative" stance and called on it to display "tangible
gestures of its willingness to contribute constructively" to the
continuation of UN-sponsored talks. The Greek foreign minister
requested Mr. Boutros Ghali and the Security Council "exert
their influence in this direction" as he pledged that Greece
would continue to participate in the talks provided Skopje
ceased its hostile propaganda, abandoned claims to national
Greek emblems and dropped demands to use the name "Macedonia".
"Greece wants and can continue to contribute to the achievement
of a final solution, provided the above conditions apply", Mr.
Papoulias said.  

	Main opposition New Democracy party yesterday issued an
announcement criticising the government for not briefing the
parties on the letter sent to UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali
before making it public. "Reasons of national sensitivity and
democratic ethos should have led the government to brief the
Greek parties before it informed the foreigners and world public
opinion", the statement said. "Based on national interests, New
Democracy will further consider the letter tomorrow (today)
before stating an opinion", the announcement added. 


	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): US Ambassador to Athens Thomas Niles
yesterday presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Karolos
Papoulias at a one-hour meeting during which the US envoy was
briefed on the situation in the Balkans. Mr. Niles wished Mr.
Papoulias every success in his tour of Balkan capitals,
beginning Sunday. Mr. Papoulias will visit most Balkan capitals
in his tour, with the exception of Skopje. Replying to press
questions later, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said
that the aim of Mr. Papoulias' tour was the convening of an
inter-Balkan conference. He said that the visits to the Balkan
capitals would provide the opportunity for Mr. Papoulias to
"make acquaintances", be fully briefed and set out the positions
of the Greek government. 


	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): The Foreign Minister's Office
yesterday announced that Constantine Bikas has been appointed
Foreign Ministry spokesman. 


	Istanbul, 6/11/1993 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas): A previously unknown
Islamic organisation has claimed responsibility for an attack
against a Greek orthodox church in Istanbul. The "Islami Dogu
Akincilar Cepmesi" (The Islamic Raiders of Great Anatolia Front)
claimed responsibility for exploding a small device the size of
a firecracker in the courtyard of the Our Lady of heaven Church
Thursday evening. There was no damage or casualties but police
who arrived on the scene immediately after the attack reportedly
said that if the explosive device had been more powerful "it
would have destroyed everything". The Ecumenical Patriarchate
has recently come under fire from the Islamic-nationalist press,
which accuse it of trying to imitate the Vatican and undermine
Turkey. 


	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): Greece will host the European
Conference for Peace, Democracy and Co-operation in the Balkans
November 10-15. The conference, sponsored by the Movement for
Peace, Human Rights and National Independence (KEADEA) and the
Federation of Balkan Non-governmental Organisations for Peace
and Co-operation, will begin in Athens and continue on a cruise
to Thessaloniki, where further sessions will be held before a
return, again by sea, to Piraeus. The organisers have said Prime
Minister Andreas Papandreou will attend the opening session.
Participants will include ministers Eurodeputies, government
officials and academics from many European countries. 


	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): The government will have formulated a
new "effective and just" taxation system by next March, Prime
Minister Andreas Papandreou said yesterday. Speaking to
reporters after chairing a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Papandreou said
that the country was going through one of the most difficult
periods as far as balancing the budget was concerned. But he
expressed certainty that the government could "close the black
hole of the budget" without reneging on election promises made
by the PASOK party prior to wining office. Immediately following
ratification of the 1994 budget by Parliament, Mr. Papandreou
said, the government would hold a "social dialogue" in order to
formulate a "final taxation system" which would be "effective
and just". The new tax bill, he added, would be ready some time
around next March. Replying to press questions, Mr. Papandreou
reiterated that no new taxes would be imposed and that this
commitment by PASOK would be honoured until the new bill was
ready. Turning to other issues discussed at the meeting, Mr.
Papandreou said that work on the country's major infrastructure
projects would be speeded up and that a "final solution" to the
problem of the capital's water supply would be announced next
week. 


	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): The government's first indications of
the economic policy it will follow are positive, the latest
Federation of Greek Industries' bulletin has said, adding that
the overall directions of the policy outlined correspond to the
Greek economy's present requirements. Reaffirmation of the
country's European orientation and the government's declared
wish to stick to the convergence path certainly encouraging for
the business world and contributes to the consolidation of
confidence, it said. The FGI bulletin said efforts should be
stepped up to tackle public deficits, debts and inflation,
adding that they are priorities necessitated in principle by the
state of the Greek economy. Substantive improvement in these
important sectors will constitute the stable basis for
supporting economic development, it said. 


	Brussels, 6/11/1993 (ANA): Culture Minister Melina Mercouri
scored the EC's 1995 Cultural Month for Nicosia at a marathon
meeting of EC culture ministers here. The meeting decided that
Stockholm would be Europe's cultural capital in 1998 and Weimar
in 1999. Ms Mercouri was first to speak at the meeting and
supported Cyprus' candidacy, saying "Cyprus has been punished
long enough". She outlined Nicosia's qualities and emphasised
its cultural heritage and the role Cyprus had assumed in the
Mediterranean. Greece's eleven EC partners also asked Ms.
Mercouri to set new, upgraded criteria for the candidacy of
cultural capitals, in an effort to upgrade the role of this
institution. A meeting scheduled between Ms. Mercouri and
European Commission President Jacques Delors for yesterday was
postponed due to Mr. Delors ill-health. 


	Athens, 6/11/1993 (ANA): Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore
Pangalos will represent Greece at the EC General Affairs Council
meeting in Brussels on Monday, the foreign ministry said
yesterday. It said that the Council would discuss a range of
issues including negotiations for enlargement of the Community,
the EC-Turkey Association Council, former Yugoslavia, Russia and
GATT. Other items on the agenda include South Africa and
relations between the Community and Switzerland, Bulgaria,
Morocco and Tunisia. Mr. Pangalos will continue his visits to EC
member states in the framework of preparations for the Greek
assumption of the EC presidency in January, the ministry said.
Following visits to Luxembourg and Bonn this week, Mr. Pangalos
will visit the Hague on November 9, Paris the following day and
Rome on November 11. END