From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca
Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 25 Nov 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa).

	Athens, 25/11/93(ANA)--Greece yesterday expressed its
wholehearted support for the Middle-East peace process and the
Israeli-Palestinian accord, in talks Palestine Liberation
Organisation Chairman Yasser Arafat had with Prime Minister
Andreas Papandreou yesterday. "Despite the considerable
difficulties which must be overcome, the peace process under way
in the region holds out great prospects", Mr Papandreou said in
statements after his 45-minute meeting with Mr Arafat. Mr
Arafat, the premier said, was a "historic figure". Foreign
Minister Karolos Papoulias and Palestinian Ambassador to Athens
Abdullah Abdullah also attended the talks. Mr Arafat arrived in
Athens yesterday morning for a one-day official visit which
included meeting with President Constantine Karamanlis,
opposition party leaders and the Archbishop of Athens. He was
met by Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou at the airport.
His visit came a day after talks the government had with Israeli
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. Despite two previous visit to
Greece, yesterday's 30 minute-meeting with Mr Karamanlis was Mr
Arafat's first with a Greek head of state. Mr Karamanlis praised
the PLO leader's courage for signing the historic agreement with
Israel, adding that it could serve as an example for other
disputes. Mr Arafat replied that "despite the difficulties, we
are continuing to move forward". Later Mr Arafat told the press
his talks with Mr Karamanlis and Mr Papandreou had focused on
"the serious issues and difficulties" which had arisen in the
implementation of the peace accord with Israel. He said that he
had listened attentively to the "recommendations and advice" of
Mr Karamanlis and Mr Papandreou. 

	Replying to questions on the nature of the difficulties, Mr
Arafat said that while the accord provided for the complete
withdrawal of Israelis from Gaza and Jericho, "up to now there
have been no clear proposals on this issue". What is necessary,
he said, is for the agreement to be kept and implemented to the
letter. Mr Arafat said that peace in the region was not only a
demand of the Palestinians and Israelis, but a universal demand.
He also said he hoped for a comprehensive Middle East peace very
soon that would include Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. "There are
ongoing efforts and talks with our brothers in Syria, Jordan and
Lebanon and we hope and expect an agreement to be reached very
soon because we believe that peace must be comprehensive and
throughout the Middle East", he said. He said that he placed
great emphasis on the role which Greece could play in bringing
peace to the region, particularly in view of its assumption of
the EC presidency in January. Asked if he would be meeting with
Mr Peres, who is on a two-day visit to Greece, Mr Arafat said
that he had been in telephone contact with Mr Peres on Monday
and had sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on
the issue of Jerusalem. Mr Arafat expressed his "total
gratitude" for Greece's positions and support for the
Palestinian struggle. After his meeting with Mr Papandreou, Mr
Arafat had a telephone conversation with Mr Peres shortly before
the Israeli foreign minister was due to depart from Athens. 

	Mr Arafat also attended an official luncheon hosted in his
honour by Mr Papandreou. In his address to Mr Arafat, Mr
Papandreou underlined that "PASOK has always stood by the
Palestinians". "Today, after the gap with the Israelis has been
bridged, the (Greek) government feels 'greatly justified' and
hopes that the road to peace will proceed unhindered", Mr
Papandreou said. "Greece will stand by the Palestinians during
the peace process and will particularly help their struggle
during Greece's assumption of the presidency in the EC", the
prime minister added. Addressing Mr Papandreou, Mr Arafat said
the international community should support the consolidation of
the agreement with the Israelis. "I do not conceal from you the
fact the international community, especially all countries which
are friendly with the EC, politically, financially, monetarily
and morally, should support this agreement in order to achieve
its consolidation and its success', Mr Arafat said. Shortly
after his arrival, Mr Arafat had talks with Archbishop Serapheim
of Athens and All Greece who reaffirmed the solidarity of the
Greek people and Church with the Palestinian people. The
Patriarch said the rights of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in
Jerusalem should be assured and reminded Mr Arafat of the human
aid missions which the Church organised in the past to relieve
the suffering residents of Lebanon. 


	Athens, 25/11/93(ANA)--Both Mr Arafat and Foreign Minister
Karolos Papoulias stressed the need for a just and lasting
solution throughout the Middle East region, in talks between the
two later. "Our slogan is that Greece and Palestine should work
for a just and peaceful solution to the Middle East problem", Mr
Arafat said, stressing his satisfaction at the role played by
Greece in the European Community, the Middle East, Europe and
the world over. Mr Papoulias said Greece promised complete
support for peace efforts in the Middle East, which could "heal
an open wound and a threat to the wider region". In regard to
bilateral relations, co-operation was agreed in the sectors of
agriculture, exchange of expertise, scientific co-operation and
shipping. Mr Papoulias expressed the view there would be
positive results in this direction very quickly. Mr Papoulias
said that the Panhellenic Socialist Movement's support of the
Palestinian struggle during its previous governments had now
been vindicated with Yasser Arafat "boldness and prudence" in
shouldering the burden of efforts to find a peaceful solution to
the Middle East issue. Mr Arafat said he had spoken to Mr Peres
by phone while in Athens, adding that "it is not the first time
I have spoken to Simon Peres by phone". 

	The Palestinian leader afterwards met Parliament President
Apostolos Kaklamanis and termed his talks "very successful and
cordial". "In Greece I am among friends. Anyway, your country
and the Greek parliament in particular, constitute the origin of
democracy", Mr Arafat said. Mr Kaklamanis said he conveyed to Mr
Arafat the sentiments of all the Greek people on the Palestinian
people and their struggle. "I pointed out to him our support in
every way for the success of the struggle and the completion of
the vision of the Palestinian people," Mr Kaklamanis said. 

	Mr Arafat had consecutive meetings with party leaders at his
hotel in the afternoon. After talks with Mr Arafat, main
opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said
Greece, which is part of a "sensitive geographical axis" lying
between Yugoslavia and the Middle East, has every reason to want
to contribute to the consolidation of peace, particularly in the
Mediterranean region. Political Spring (Pol.A) party leader
Antonis Samaras stressed Mr Arafat's considerable contribution
to peace efforts in the Middle East, adding that he showed rare
strength and perception and was among the main protagonists in
the issue's successful outcome. "The anxiety of all, and of
Greeks in particular, is for the peace effort to reach its
conclusion", Mr Samaras said. Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
leader Aleka Paparriga said in her statements the signing of the
Arab-Israeli agreement did not provide a solution to the
Palestinian people's permanent claim which is the creation of an
independent Palestinian state. "Solidarity for the Palestinian
people should continue because on Israel's side an effort is
being made even to undermine this agreement", Ms Paparriga said.
Mr Arafat met afterwards with Greek businessmen whom he called
on to contribute to rebuilding Palestine. 


	Athens,25/11/93(ANA)--Palestine Liberation Organisation
Chairman Yasser Arafat will meet with Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin in the coming days in Egypt, diplomatic sources at
the Palestinian Diplomatic Representation in Athens said
yesterday. The sources said the meeting was arranged during Mr
Arafat's telephone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister
Shimon Peres in Athens yesterday. Meanwhile, Mr Arafat's
official visit to Athens ended last night with a dinner held in
his honour by Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos. A short
while before the dinner, Mr Arafat received Arab ambassadors in
Greece at the Foreign Ministry. 


	Athens,25/11/93(ANA)--US President Bill Clinton's priorities
include a lasting settlement of the Cyprus question in line with
UN resolutions, US Ambassador Thomas Niles said in Thessaloniki
yesterday. Mr Niles is currently on a four-day tour of northern
Greece. He said the US endorsed the initiatives of the UN
secretary-general and his delegate Joe Clark, and hoped that a
solution would be found very shortly through a constructive
dialogue. US policy was geared to that end, and the appointment
of former US ambassador to Cyprus Robert Lamb as special State
Department co-ordinator on Cyprus reflected that policy, Mr
Niles added. 


	Athens, 25/11/93(ANA)--Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon
Peres yesterday met main opposition New Democracy party leader
Miltiades Evert for talks on the Israeli-Palestinian peace
process, the Balkan crisis and the issue of the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). The meeting was attended by the
Israeli Ambassador to Athens David Sasson and the President of
ND's Foreign Affairs Department Dimitris Avramopoulos. Mr Peres
also held 30-minute talks with Political Spring (Pol.A) party
leader Antonis Samaras who said it was very important for Greece
that a solution to the Middle East issue be achieved through
peace processes. "Therefore, Greece's role is very important in
helping to end this open wound in the Middle East which would
henceforth help to end other problems in the region and of
course the Cyprus issue", Mr Samaras said after the meeting with
Mr Peres. 


	Athens, 25/11/93(ANA)--Field officers of the National Defence
College of NATO member states will visit Greece from November
27-29 in the context of an educational tour of NATO capitals.
During their visit, the officers will be briefed on the military
situation in Greece, while the college commandant will meet with
the Chief of the National Defence General Staff, General
Dimitris Skarvelis.