From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 5 May 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Talks on Skopje name on set Greek stance, only when dialogue matures, FM ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): When dialogue is mature, we may discuss the issue of the name with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias stated yesterday, adding that discussion on the name would take place with set Greek positions, as already detailed by Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and himself. Commenting on whether or not Greek retortion measures against FYROM have proved effective, Mr Papoulias said this will become clear in the next few days, when there will be a new meeting with UN special mediator Cyrus Vance. The dialogue is in motion, he concluded. Pangalos to stay on, "Republica" statement reflects own view ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): The government said yesterday there is no question of Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos being removed from his post for statements he made to an Italian newspaper on the Skopje, but that his views as reported did not reflect those of the government. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos told reporters the government considered explanations given by Mr. Pangalos Tuesday satisfactory "in the sense that he wished to indicate that he does not disagree with the government's policy on the Skopje issue." In a Tuesday interview with a radio station, Mr. Pangalos said he had referred in statements to "La Republica" to mutual "demands" regarding the name of the neighbouring state, not "rights" as was erroneously translated by a Greek newspaper report of the interview. No discussion with Constantine, Venizelos reaffirms --------------------------------------------------- Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): Commenting on the second part of an interview with ex-King Constantine published in an Athens daily yesterday, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the government does not wish to enter into a discussion with the deposed monarch, adding his statements corroborates the soundness of the government initiative for a legislative settlement of the issue concerning the so-called royal estate and the nationality of Constantine and his family. Mr. Venizelos said the ex-king had reached a degree of superlative impudence in declaring he recognised the present form of government "de facto." Papoulias reiterates need for Albania to make first step -------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): Greece has called on Albania to make the "first good will step" in efforts to defuse recent tension between the neighbouring Balkan states. Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said yesterday he made the appeal at a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Alfred Sereqi in Zurich earlier this week. The meeting was prompted by a recent fatal attack on an Albanian army camp near the border between the two countries. The April 10 incident, which Tirana blamed on Greek terrorists, caused a diplomatic crisis with a nasty exchange of words and expelling of diplomats. Papoulias said the Zurich meeting was necessary to ease tension between the two states. He termed the two-hour talks as positive but said their true success depends on tangible efforts by both sides to normalise relations. Defence Minister at Luxembourg WEU meeting May 9 ------------------------------------------------- Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis will leave for Luxembourg on May 9 to attend a meeting of West European Union (WEU) ministers. Mr. Arsenis will also represent Greece at the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels where the issue of progress in work for revising the administrative structure of the alliance's southern flank will also be discussed. The National Defence Minister will leave for Chalkida on Saturday to attend celebrations commemorating Saint George, the Army's patron saint, at the Infantry Academy. Papantoniou succeeds Yennimatas as National Economy Minister ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA/Reuters): The government announced the appointment yesterday of Yiannos Papantoniou as National Economy Minister to replace the late George Yennimatas, who died of cancer on April 25. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the 45-year-old economist, hitherto deputy national economy minister, will be sworn in tomorrow in the presence of President Constantine Karamanlis and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. The spokesman added that National Economy Under-secretary George Romaios will take over Mr. Papantoniou's duties, while Mr. Romaios' position will remain vacant. Mr. Papantoniou, who has a Ph.D. in Economics from Cambridge University, has been at the helm of the Economy Ministry since Mr. Yennimatas sought cancer treatment some months ago. He has served as deputy national economy and trade minister from 1981-1989 and was elected to the European Parliament in 1981. Opposition leader on "tragic" stalemates of the economy ------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): Main Opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert yesterday referred to the "tragic" stalemates of the Greek economy and the government's economic policy, following his meeting with Bank of Greece Governor John Boutos. Mr Evert reminded reporters that during discussion on the Budget early in the present government's term, New Democracy had drawn attention to the danger that the economic policy then proposed would lead to a need for its revision. "This is at hand now", he said, "and what is needed is not only a revision of the Budget, but of the whole economic government planning". He forecast a further serious deterioration of the situation soon, adding that public debt had exceeded 35% of GNP and that borrowing had reached "nightmarish" proportions in the last six months. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos, replying, said Mr Evert ought to face the evolution of Greece's macro-economic indices as a leader of the opposition and not with petty party political disposition. Papoulias: accord, a historic landmark ------------------------------ Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday termed the signing of a peace accord between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Cairo "a historic landmark and an important agreement." Mr. Papoulias said he attended the ceremony at which the agreement was signed by Israel and the PLO for self-determination in the Gaza Strip and Jericho. Demirel Thrace "Turkish" minority statement diversion ploy, Venizelos ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday that Turkish President Suleyman Demirel's statements claiming the existence of a "Turkish minority" in Thrace were aimed at diverting public opinion in Turkey from certain domestic problems. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said Mr. Demirel's statements were within the framework of efforts to maintain "the climate of artificial tension" in relations between the two countries. The Greek government, Mr. Venizelos went on, was concerned that "tension is being maintained at the highest level." Athens, he said, would not follow Turkey's example, nor would it contribute to a further exacerbation of Greek-Turkish relations. On Mr. Demirel's claims of a "Turkish" minority, Mr. Venizelos referred the Turkish president to the Treaty of Lausanne "where he will ascertain that there is no Turkish minority, but only a Moslem minority in Thrace, the rights of which are respected in accordance with both international and Greek law." The spokesman said he wished the rights of the Greek minority in Istanbul had been equally respected. Europarliament asked to protest to Ankara over See -------------------------------------------------- Strasbourg, 5/5/1994 (ANA/Mary Savva): Greek Eurodeputies have reintroduced a motion in the plenum of the European Parliament, calling on President Mr Egon Klepsch to make representations with the Turkish authorities for the protection of the Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul which has repeatedly come under threats by Islamic militants recently. The motion cites inflammatory statements by the recently elected Islamic mayor of Istanbul, threatening to enter the Patriarchate through a gate closed for 173 years, since the hanging there of Patriarch Gregory V on Easter Sunday 1821, and draws attention to the dangers of widespread unrest in the region. Such statements constitute "an international affront against Orthodoxy and Orthodox Christians", says the motion. Greece joins NATO exercise --------------------------- Athens, 5/5/1994 (ANA): Greece is participating with six ships in the NATO exercise code-named "Dynamic Impact" which started in the central and western Mediterranean yesterday. The vessels are the frigate "Elli", the submarine "Okeanos", the troop carriers "Oinousa" and "Rodos" and the mine-sweepers "Kisa" and "Ploias." Greece's participation also includes 280 marines and 20 frogmen. A beach landing will take place on Sardinia on May 9.