From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 3 May 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Papoulias, Albanian FM to meet in Zurich as tension eases --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/5/1994 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and his Albanian counterpart Alfred Sereqi meet in Zurich today to discuss relations between the two neighbouring countries after tension eased following Albania's removal of restrictions on celebrations of Orthodox Easter in churches of the Greek ethnic minority. "Mr. Papoulias leaves today for Zurich, where he will meet at noon with his Albanian counterpart Alfred Sereqi", an official statement said. Restrictions were called off and tension eased, following personal intervention by Albanian President Sali Berisha to allow Resurrection mass celebrations, in the wake of a fresh round of tension in Greek-Albanian relations - the third in succession - since the Episkopi border incident on April 10, when Albania blamed Greece for the killing of two Albanian recruits. Greece has flatly rejected such a claim. Greece cancelled the scheduled Zurich meeting on Saturday, after Tirana banned the Good Friday service in churches of the 400,000-strong Greek minority in Albania. "We persistently wish Greek-Albanian relations to improve. This, however, implies respect for international law. We cannot have improvement without it, and there would be no sense in having a foreign ministers' meeting", government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos declared Saturday. The Albanian President's intervention followed in the form of a verbal authorisation to Orthodox Archbishop of Albania Anastasios Good Friday night, to hold Resurrection celebrations. Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou accordingly stated Easter Sunday that the foreign ministers' meeting was now likely to take place. "We will state our views on bilateral relations, the recent attack on the conscript camp, the problem of embassy staff, that of Albanian refugees in Greece and other subjects", Albanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Fatmir Cela declared shortly before the Albanian delegation left for Zurich. Between 200,000 and 300,000 Albanians have entered Greece illegally over the last 3 years seeking work. A Foreign Ministry announcement said that, after the meeting, Mr Papoulias will fly to Cairo in his capacity as president of the European Union Council of Ministers, to attend the signing of an agreement on Palestinian self-rule tomorrow morning . He will return to Athens in the afternoon. President, PM Easter statements ------------------------------- Athens, 3/5/1994 (ANA): President Constantine Karamanlis celebrated Easter with the Presidential Guard. Asked to make a statement, he said "the only befitting statement is that Christ Is Risen, because it symbolises Peace, Love and Hope". Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, who visited the Dekeleia Air Force base on Easter Sunday, said it was an important day for Hellenism and Orthodoxy, a day of Regeneration and Resurrection, especially today, when such values acquire particular weight, significance and priority. The Prime Minister also expressed hope that peace would prevail in the world, adding that the Government attached paramount importance to the existence of strong Greek armed forces, as the only guarantee for peace in our region. PM returns from US, "we found favourable response" -------------------------------------------------- New York, 3/5/1994 (ANA-M. Georgiadou): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, who returned from New York last Friday, told reporters at the airport late Thursday night he was satisfied with the visit's results. "The trip had specific goals and these goals, up to a point, have been accomplished," said Mr. Papandreou. "I can't say that the flow of history has changed. We managed to make our positions understood, and we found favourable response." Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, who returned with Mr. Papandreou, characterised a rumour that he had met with FYROM foreign minister as "utterly groundless." Mr. Papoulias added that he is "ready to return to New York, if discussions (on FYROM) made it necessary." Papoulias defers Moscow visit, may meet Russian FM in Cairo ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/5/1994 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias' scheduled visit to Moscow and his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev have been postponed, owing to the signing of the Agreement on the Middle East in Cairo. Mr. Papoulias and Mr. Kozyrev will probably meet in the Egyptian capital. The New York Times blames President Clinton over FYROM ------------------------------------------------------- New York, 3/5/1994 (ANA-M.Georgiadou): The American newspaper "The New York Times" criticised US President Bill Clinton in an editorial last Saturday, for not voicing opposition to Greece's stance against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia during his meeting with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou last week. The newspaper accused Mr. Clinton of "bowing" to the powerful Greek-American lobby, and reneging on his opposition to "Athens' perverse policy." Greece's embargo against FYROM has "strangled" the country's economy, and could lead to increased strife among its people, endangering the lives of 500 American peacekeepers in FYROM, according to the editorial. The New York Times characterised FYROM as the area "where Belgrade's ambitions to incorporate the republic into Greater Serbia run smack into competing territorial claims" among Albania, Bulgaria and Greek nationalists. "The Greek government fears that the intense rivalries could endanger Greece's hold on its own part of Macedonia," according to the editorial. "But Athens is letting its hysteria over history rob it of sound judgement." The editorial further criticised Greece's "playing to impassioned nationalists" through its objections to FYROM's use of the name "Macedonia." When the European Union granted recognition to the former Yugoslav republic under that name, Greece imposed an embargo which made it more dependent on trade with Serbia and destabilised it economically and socially, the newspaper wrote.