From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 12 Jul 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Vance opens round of meeting on Skopje issue, Greece awaits FYROM reply ----------------------------------------------------------------- United Nations, 12/7/1994 (ANA/M. Georgiadou): UN special co-ordinator on the issue of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Cyrus Vance began yesterday a new round of parallel talks with Greek and FYROM representatives at foreign minister level. Mr. Vance, who was due to have a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias late last night, met earlier with FYROM Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovsky. After the meeting, Mr. Crvenkovsky did not answer questions from the press or make any statement. Mr. Papoulias expressed "reservations" on the outcome of this new round, saying Greece expected FYROM's reply on Greek views already set out. Meanwhile, it was not clear whether or not Mr. Nimetz, President Clinton's special co-ordinator on the issue, had been present at the meeting between Mr. Vance and Mr. Crvenkovsky. According to diplomatic sources, Mr. Nimetz would participate in separate talks between Mr. Papoulias and Mr. Vance later in the evening. Speaking to reporters on arrival at Kennedy airport at midnight Sunday, Mr. Papoulias expressed reserve on the outcome of talks. Mr. Papoulias denied he had expressed pessimism before leaving Athens. "No, I am not pessimistic. I am reserved over progress and the outcome. Tomorrow (yesterday) night we will have more to say", Mr. Papoulias said. Referring to the duration of the present round of talks, Mr. Papoulias said he could not determine how long they would last, adding he had no commitments these days to attend European Union or other meetings. On FYROM's name, Mr. Papoulias said he did "not think it was mature as yet to discuss the name issue. We should first discuss and decide on a way to approach the problem". He denied that specific issues would be discussed at this stage. "No. We are waiting for Skopje's (FYROM) reply. We have set out our views. That is most important". Asked whether or not he foresaw UN Security Council intervention on the issue, Mr. Papoulias said: "No. I don't think so, at present". Athens argues that use of 'Macedonia' by Skopje conceals irredentist designs against Greece's northern province of that name. Athens also demands removal of an ancient Greek symbol from the FYROM flag, and an amendment to the preamble of the neighbouring republic's constitution. Greece imposed a trade embargo on the former Yugoslav republic as retortion measures, in a bid to make the neighbouring republic abandon its intransigence. Government spokesman -------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): In Athens, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday denied reports Mr. Vance had made it known that he did not intend to participate in yet another round of talks, if no progress were made in the ongoing round. Mr. Venizelos said Greece took part in the talks sponsored by the UN Security Council, in a spirit of "flexibility and good faith". The spokesman reiterated Greece would not recognise Skopje if the name of the neighbouring state carried 'Macedonia' or any derivative. "The terms under which Greece is willing to contribute to the development and prosperity of the neighbouring country are already known", Mr. Venizelos said. Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Costantopoulos called on the government yesterday "to undertake bold dialogue initiatives with Skopje" by taking advantage of the resumption of talks in New York. Mr. Costantopoulos added that "as time goes fait accomplis unfavourable to Greece are being consolidated". PM to attend EU Brussels summit Friday -------------------------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou leaves for Brussels Thursday, to attend a special European Union summit called by the German rotating presidency. Germany took over the EU presidency from Greece July 1, for the second half of the current year. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday the Premier had decided to attend the summit in person as agreeing on a successor to European Commission President Jacques Delors was not be the only issue that would be raised at the meeting. Mr. Venizelos added the summit would also focus on the conclusions of the G7 three-day meeting in Naples, issues related to a common EU foreign policy and implementing the Bosnia peace plan. Meanwhile, according to a Reuter dispatch, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl yesterday formally invited his EU counterparts to the special summit. In a letter to EU heads of state and government, Mr. Kohl said he wanted the summit to begin on Friday at 4.30 p.m. and end after a short dinner at 8.30 p.m. The summit was called to find a replacement for Jacques Delors as head of the Commission after Britain cast a lone veto against Belgian Prime Minister Jean Luc Dehaene at the EU summit in Corfu last month. There had been some speculation since Corfu that a summit would not actually take place, being unnecessary if an acceptable candidate were found and undesirable if one were not. Mr. Kohl said in his letter he also wanted the special summit to discuss Bosnia and to get a briefing on last weekend's Group of Seven meeting from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Council of Ministers meeting tomorrow The Council of Ministers will meet tomorrow instead of Thursday, due to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou's departure for Brussels, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos told reporters yesterday. Gov't awaits Tirana embassy report on ethnics's arrest ------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): The government said yesterday that it would await an official briefing from the Greek embassy in Tirana before deciding on whether or not to lodge a protest with Albania over the arrest of two adolescents and a teacher. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that the three ethnic Greeks were arrested by the Albanian authorities in Chimara for writings slogans in favour of human rights on a wall. The two adolescents, Eleonora Kokavessis, 17 and her brother Pericles, 15 were released yesterday morning after being held in custody for 48 hours. Commenting on an incident Sunday in which an Albanian woman was shot in the head after illegal Albanian immigrants driving a car ignored an order to stop and opened fire on police, Mr. Venizelos clarified that the shooting occurred on Greek territory. He said that the incident constituted a violation of Greek border laws. Greece desires good relations with Albania, the spokesman said, adding however that the guarding of the borders was a rudimentary measure for the protection of national sovereignty. Mr. Venizelos reiterated a Greek proposal for a bilateral agreement with Albania on settling the issue of seasonal workers coming to Greece from the neighbouring country. Opposition parties ------------------ Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): Following the arrests, main opposition New Democracy party yesterday accused the Albanian government of "Systematically and provocatively violating" the rights of the Greek ethnic minority. In a statement, the ND called upon the Greek government to advise international organisations and take appropriate action. Political Spring party (POL.A) spokesman Manolis Kalamidas charged that the Foreign Ministry's "lukewarm reactions and indecisiveness not only increase the audacity of the Albanian government, but also contribute to the perpetuation of arbitrary actions against ethnic Greeks in Albania". "It is no coincidence", he added, "that the new incident comes a few days before a mock-trial of members of the Omonia party". Six leading members of the Greek ethnic minority party 'Omonia' were arrested by Albanian authorities and charged, in May, with "espionage, fomenting separatism and possessing weapons without a licence". Meanwhile, a New Democracy party four-member parliamentary delegation will go to Tirana to monitor the trial of the six ethnic Greeks beginning on July 16, following a decision by ND leader Miltiades Evert. President of the Coalition of the Left (SYN) Nikos Costantopoulos, referring to the recent incidents near the Greek-Albanian border, asked for a "responsible policy and that political forces are not drawn into spasmodic reactions that may feed tension". He also stressed the need for the rights of the Greek ethnic minority to be safeguarded, and for initiatives establishing a regime of understanding, co-operation and peace between the two countries. ECOFIN refers Albania aid to General Affairs Council ---------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 12/7/1994 (ANA/F.Stangos-V.Demiris): The Finance and Economy Ministers' Council of the 12 European Union member states (ECOFIN) yesterday referred discussion of the granting of 35 million dollars of free economic assistance to Albania to the next General Affairs Ministers' Council, meeting next Monday and Tuesday. ECOFIN referred consideration of the matter to the Council of the 12 Permanent Representatives (COREPER) which will re-examine it and submit a draft proposal to the General Affairs Council. ECOFIN president, German Finance Minister Theo Waigell said the basis of the draft proposal to be prepared by COREPER will be the German compromise proposal envisaging the 'breaking up' of the aid sum into two instalments. The compromise proposal also envisages the lifting of Greek reservations, which have repeatedly blocked approval in recent months, for an "important part" of the aid, while the fate of the remainder will be decided upon unanimously "in due course", on the basis of a Commission report on the progress recorded on matters of democratisation and respect for human rights in Albania. National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, speaking to reporters after the ECOFIN meeting, said the Council had discussed the granting of aid in principle and decided that the solution being sought "is a European solution not resting on special sensitivities of each country". He said the matter of democratisation and respect for human rights in Albania is a matter of concern to the whole European Union and will, therefore, influence its policy towards it. COREPER, he added, will examine the issue in light of this attitude. Mr. Papantoniou yesterday had a special meeting with Regional Affairs Commissioner Bruce Millan, in view of the signing of the Community Support Framework for Greece in Athens Friday. Pangalos to meet with EU Commissioners -------------------------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): Transport and Communications Minister Theodoros Pangalos will meet today with the European Union's Commissioners for Transport and Communications. Topics for discussion include restoring Olympic Airlines finances and telecommunications topics such as deregulation. Former king denies knowledge approval of supporters' activity ------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): Former king Constantine yesterday denied that activity by royalist supporters or organisations was carried out with his knowledge or approval. In a written statement, the ex-king's spokesman in Greece, Admiral Michalis Stavridis (Ret.), said: "Through articles in the press or letters to private individuals, certain persons and organisations declaring royalist beliefs are engaging in activities - sometimes political - such as forming parties, taking part in elections, or sometimes raising funds, with the aim of canvassing support (for the ex-king). "The ex-king declares that such action, albeit well-intended, is carried out without his knowledge or approval". Special parliamentary debate on the economy ------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): Parliament is to hold special debate on the economy tonight, with the participation of the Prime Minister and party leaders. The debate is held following a request by New Democracy. Former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis may be among the speakers. Rhodes restaurant explosion injures two --------------------------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): Paraskevas Mantanis, 35, a Greek, and Favio Larotenta, 27, an Italian, were injured - the former seriously - when a bomb exploded outside a restaurant on the fashionable island of Rhodes yesterday. The blast occurred in a rubbish bin of Trito restaurant, outside the city of Lindos, wounding Mantanis seriously in the right leg, and Larotenta lightly in the right shoulder. The two men were taken to the Rhodes hospital for surgery, but reports say they may have to be flown to Athens aboard an Olympic Airways flight for special treatment. Meanwhile, Rhodes military command ballistics experts have collected shrapnel for testing, in an effort to help police and the anti-terrorist squad trace the culprits. No group or individual has claimed responsibility so far. Blast at Gotaer Hellas building ------------------------------- Athens, 12/7/1994 (ANA): A powerful explosive device went off at the entrance of the building housing the offices of Gotaer Hellas insurance company, on Michalakopoulou St., yesterday. There was small material damage, and no one has claimed responsibility. Police suspect the device was planted by the People's Revolutionary Struggle terrorist organisation.