From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 23 Jun 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Eurosocialists oust Italians at Corfu meeting, neo-fascist collaborator charge --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): European Parliament Socialists began a socialist summit in Corfu yesterday by expelling Italian social democrats for collaborating with neo-fascists. A European Socialist Party statement called on the leader of the Italian Socialist Democratic Party Enrico Ferri to clarify his stand after collaborating with the neo-fascist National Alliance party in Sicily in recent elections. Commenting on a party decision to suspend Italian Social Democrats, Eurodeputy Christos Papoutsis, a member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) Executive Bureau, said: "This is a serious moral issue and a matter of political propriety since socialists cannot accept any form of co-operation with neo-fascists." Mr. Papoutsis added competent bodies of the Socialist International, of which the Italian Social Democratic party is member, "are considering this most serious political case." Italian Social Democrats were suspended because of associating with neo-fascists in the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi that came to power last month, and of working with the neo-fascist National Alliance party in recent elections in Sicily. The proposal to suspend the party was made by British Labour Party shadow foreign minister Jack Cunningham, unanimously backed by delegates of the 16 EU socialist parties attending the meeting. Italian Social Democrats did not attend talks on Corfu, but two other Italian socialist parties were taking part, said a spokesman for the meeting. "They are a very small party but it's a matter of principle," said spokesman Tony Robinson. He added the move might also prompt action against Italian Social Democrats by the world-wide Socialist International. The two-day meeting of European Socialists is held in advance of a European Union summit beginning tomorrow. It will focus on results of recent European Parliament elections, positions which European Socialists will support at the EU summit and European Commission President Jacques Delors' successor. Recent elections have given European socialists control with 200 seats in the European parliament. Informed sources say the socialists will review the work of the Greek European Union presidency and support Greek proposals to boost development and employment in Europe. Socialists might support the candidacy of Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene to the presidency of the European Commission, sources said. Greece is also expected to receive strong backing on efforts to facilitate Cyprus accession to EU. Austrian head of state in Athens for talks with President Karamanlis ----------------------------------------------------------------- Vienna, 23/6/1994 (ANA/D.Dimitrakoudis): President Thomas Klestil of Austria is due in Athens today, for talks with President Constantine Karamanlis. Discussion will focus on Greek-Austrian relations, the international political situation, and Austria's upcoming admission to the European Union next year, which EU members will finalise at a signing ceremony at the EU summit opening in Corfu tomorrow. Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Mock, who accompanies President Klestil, will also attend the Corfu summit. Delors succession: PM optimistic, not sure ------------------------------------------ Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou last night expressed optimism but not certainty regarding the likelihood of an agreement being reached on who will succeed European Commission President Jacques Delors at the Corfu summit. Referring to the European Socialist Party conference, he described it as important -- "there may be important changes," he said -- adding yesterday's session would be devoted to discussion of issues relating to the distribution of posts in the socialist group in the European Parliament. Today's session, he said, would deal with matters relating to the summit and the problems of unemployment in Europe. We want a Europe of peoples, not a Europe of capital, he added. Greece to seek EU consensus on Delors successor ----------------------------------------------- Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday it would try to convince European leaders to agree on electing a common candidate to succeed European Commission president Jacques Delors at the two-day EU summit opening on Corfu tomorrow. "The Greek Presidency of the European Union will spare no effort to secure consensus on the person to succeed European Commission President Jacques Delors," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. Top candidates competing for the post include Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers and EU Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan. EU leaders are reportedly divided on who should get the job, leading to speculation a decision might not be reached at the Summit. Mr. Venizelos said the Greek presidency had not made its position known on the issue, in a bid to avoid what he called further difficulties in negotiations for Mr. Delors' successor. Mr. Delors steps down January, after heading the Commission for 10 years. Selection of Mr. Delor's successor ranks high on the summit agenda, together with an offer of closer links to Russia and formal treaties of accession to Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Austrian voters have already agreed to EU membership. The other three countries will hold referendums later this year. Meanwhile in Brussels, outgoing European Parliament President Egon Klepsch said yesterday a new Commission President should be appointed at the EU Summit, in order to initiate further procedures for the President and member-states to name the remaining Commission members. "Save South Africa" Tutu appeal to EU, world community ------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): Nobel prize winner and Archbishop of South Africa Desmond Tutu yesterday appealed to the European Union and the international community to help his country by investing there. "Apartheid has left in its wake homeless, famine, and a deep crisis in education. If the people are not provided with clean water, electricity, and jobs then the dream that emerged from the recent elections in South Africa will become a nightmare," Arch bishop Tutu said. "The European Union helped South Africa when it imposed sanctions to force out apartheid, and should help the country now by investing, promoting its products and favouring its economy," the Archbishop added. He was speaking at a meeting of the Association of West European Parliamentarians against Apartheid (AWEPA). The 2,500 member, Amsterdam-based organisation meets every six months in the capital of the country holding the rotating European Union presidency. The meeting will continue today with a speech by George Bizos, legal adviser to South African President Nelson Mandela. Archbishop Tutu arrived in Athens Tuesday. He is scheduled to meet with Church of Greece officials today. Meanwhile, he conferred with Education and Religious Affairs Minister Dimitris Fatouros educational co-operation, particularly assumption of certain initiatives by Greece regarding educational programmes and further training to and exchanges of teachers . Van der Stoel Albania human rights report early July ---------------------------------------------------- Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): CSCE Human Rights High Commissioner Max Van der Stoel yesterday said "I will have my report on human rights in Albania ready early July." He was speaking in Dervitsani, southern Albania, as part of a tour of Gyrokastr, Sarande and Delvine after holding talks in Tirana. Mr. Van der Stoel met in Dervitsani with relatives of Costas Kyriakou, a member of the Omonia ethnic minority organisation detained in Tirana, and representatives of Omonia from the Gyrokastr region. Mr. Van der Stoel declined comment saying he was holding talks with all sides to gather any information that might prove useful in drawing up his report. He will visit regions in Sarande and Delvine today, before returning to Tirana. Greece wants tension with Turkey defused, but dialogue on shelf only ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): Greece reiterated yesterday it desired defusing tension in relations with Turkey, but clarified the sole topic of dialogue with the neighbouring country should relate to delineating the Aegean continental shelf. "Any kind of dialogue should have specific subject-matter, which would not be so-called 'disputes'. The only 'dispute' between Greece and Turkey concerns the legal issue of delineating the Aegean continental shelf," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said in Corfu. The problem in the Aegean, Mr. Venizelos added, is one of violation of international law and infringement of flight regulations and the Athens FIR by Turkey. "Any initiative for avoiding tension should lie with the party creating tension," Mr. Venizelos said. He told questioners Cyprus application for accession to the European Union should no longer hinge on Turkish occupation of the island. "It is common knowledge that Cyprus' pace of integration with the European Union should no longer be 'captive' to Turkish occupation." Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides will promote the island republic's application for accession to the EU during talks at the EU summit on Corfu. Mr. Clerides is scheduled to meet this evening in Corfu with Greek Premier Andreas Papandreou and EU Commission President Jacques Delors. Responding to other questions, Mr. Venizelos said the issue of the Moslem minority in Thrace could not be discussed "in any form" with Turkey, since the question had been completely settled by the Treaty of Lausanne. Greece, he said, fully respects the rights of the Moslem minority in Thrace. Meanwhile Main Opposition New Democracy Vice President Yiannis Varvitsiotis yesterday called on Premier Andreas Papandreou to raise the issue of Turkish provocations against Greece at the European Union summit. "Turkey uses a series of provocative acts to escalate the crisis in the Aegean," Mr. Varvitsiotis told reporters, adding it was time Mr. Papandreou raised the issue at the summit. "Mr. Papandreou should realise Greece's borders are also Europe's borders," he said, adding "this is our last chance, and he should not miss it." Turkey renews Greece-PKK link claim ----------------------------------- Istanbul, 23/6/1994 (ANA/Alkis Kourkoulas): The Turkish government has renewed its allegations concerning links between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Greece, despite recent agreement on avoiding "statements which might inflame public opinion". "Greece is using PKK as a proxy in order to obstruct the turnaround in tourism towards Turkey", Interior Minister Nahit Mendese told the Turkish press, while similar statements, referring to some neighbouring country with an eye on Turkish tourism, were also made by Prime Minister Tansu Ciller. Mr Mendese was commenting on PKK bomb attacks in large cities on Turkey's western coast and accused PKK of resorting to them "because it cannot cope with the war in south-eastern Anatolia". The Turkish Foreign Ministry claimed last month that members of Kurdish terrorist organisations are trained in Greece and then sent to Turkey in order to carry out acts of sabotage on tourist and economic targets, but Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin publicly denounced these allegations just before meeting with Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias on the sidelines of the NATO summit here, early this month. Greece has described such allegations as "bordering on the absurd". Defence Minister back from US, satisfied with talks ---------------------------------------------------- Washington, 23/6/1994 (ANA/D.Dimas): Defence Minister Gerassimos Arsenis yesterday flew back to Athens, at the end of a three-day visit to the United States. Speaking to reporters shortly before boarding his flight, Mr Arsenis said he was satisfied Greek positions had been understood during his talks at the Pentagon and State Department. Meetings had "helped greatly in getting the message on Greek positions across to the American government", he said. The Defence Minister said he had impressed upon partners that "Greece remains firm on its sovereign rights... it can play a decisive role in the Balkans and has definite views on the matter." He added "Greece, in co-operation with the US... especially in the context of the Partnership for Peace (PFP) plan... can proceed towards achieving co-operation in the area, which faces transitional problems but can, at any rate, be incorporated and integrated with European society". "For this reason," he said, "I look forward confidently to Defence Secretary Perry's visit to Greece (July 19)," he said. He added he felt Greek positions on the issue of disarming military aircraft flying over the Aegean "have been understood" at the State Department which "will not be announcing similar (disarmament) proposals to Greece". "No suggestion for dialogue between Greece and Turkey has been made by the Americans", he added. Turkish allegations regarding training of Kurdish terrorists in Greece were raised. "I told them (American interlocutors) such claims were ridiculous, to say the least... there is no government or Greek involvement", he said. Reference was also made to the stalemate in the Cyprus issue, he added. Tuesday evening, Mr Arsenis met with chairman of the House of Representatives External Relations Committee Lee Hamilton and member of the Senate External Relations Committee Paul Sarbanes. Finance Minister asks ministries to slash budgets ------------------------------------------------- Athens, 23/6/1994 (ANA): Finance Minister Alexandros Papadopoulos yesterday released a circular on the 1995 budget calling for drastic cuts in ministries' budgets, anticipating their total expenditure next year will not exceed total payments in 1993. However, such expenditure does not include staff remuneration. Mr. Papadopoulos said the purpose of the change in preparing the budget is not only saving resources but modernising the public sector as well. Ministries, he added, will be able to decide even to abolish services and organisations they may consider obsolete and, at the same time, strengthen other dynamic services. This decision, he said, is included in government aims to achieve fiscal restructuring while being a message to markets that an effort is made to rationalise expenditure. Mr. Papadopoulos said the manner in which expenditure would be allocated was a matter of policy for each ministry. Asked whether or not expenditure cuts meant some organisations might close down, Mr. Papadopoulos said such a possibility did not exist, adding that if a ministry wished to abolish one of its services, there would be no problem for staff as it would be posted elsewhere. The circular calls for drastic cuts in expenditure concerning participation in councils and committees, staff overtime work, staff trips abroad, operational loans and the procurement of equipment. Moreover, it stresses that expenditures regarding the subsidisation of legal entities under common law, foundations and organisations supervised by the ministry should be drastically reduced through the utilisation of their own revenues, the transfer of redundant staff to other services or even the abolition of some of them if this is considered necessary. The circular underlines that the ministries' budget plans should be submitted to the state general accounting office by July 21, while the budget will be tabled in Parliament for ratification by the end of November in accordance with the Constitution. Mr. Papadopoulos also reiterated that taking additional revenue-receiving measures is not necessary. On the question of interest rates for the next series of state securities, he said they will be decided on June 28. Mr. Papadopoulos said an adjustment will be made on Community directives concerning the special consumption tax on gasoline early next year (it will increase to 72 dr. from 59 dr.). He further let it be understood that an increase in objective values of real estate should be ruled out. Referring to staff remuneration expenditure, the Finance Ministry called on all ministries to indicate the following in two separate analytical tables: 1. The number of staff as of 30/6/94 in categories, sectors and salary brackets and corresponding credits according to code number, on the basis of the payroll in effect as of 30/6/94. The credits will include necessary expenditures for regular staff promotion and granting various benefits. 2. The second table will bear the indication "Appointments-Transfers from 1/7/1994 to 31/12/1994" and provide an analysis of the number of staff in categories and sectors to be appointed or transferred from 1/7/1994 to 31/12/1994 as well as corresponding credits.