From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Mon, 1 Aug 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, ------------------------------ * Serb, Croat presidents may meet in Athens 'soon' - Papoulias * Congress C'ttee slates arms aid to Greece, Turkey, 7 to 10 ratio retained * PM on Crete vacation, pledges "serious consideration" to island proposals * Ethnic Greek minority safeguard touchstone in Greece-Albania relations * Law of the Sea treaty signed at UN Serb, Croat presidents may meet in Athens 'soon' - Papoulias -------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 01/08/94 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said yesterday that a meeting between Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman might be held in Athens "soon". "There could soon be a meeting between (President Slobodan) Milosevic and (President Franjo) Tudjman in Athens," he told reporters at Heraklion airport, Crete, on the day following his return from Geneva, where he attended a meeting of foreign ministers of the so-called "contact group" on Bosnia -- the US, Russia, Britain, France and Germany. The contact group agreed on Saturday to tighten existing sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro, and ask the United Nations Security Council to extend its trade embargo on the rump Yugoslav republics. They also decided to beef up protection of UN safe areas in Bosnia, and request military chiefs to draw up plans for new exclusion zones in Bosnia to be enforced by NATO air power. At the same time, they took great care in a two-page communiqui not to shut the door on the Serbs' eventual acceptance of a plan they have already rejected twice, holding out the carrot of suspending the UN embargo. Mr. Papoulias, who met Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou in Crete, said that during the Geneva talks "direct NATO intervention was avoided, and there are hopes for peace in Bosnia". He also reiterated that Greece "continues its mediation role for a settlement of the crisis in former Yugoslavia." On Saturday night, on his return from Geneva, Mr. Papoulias said that the door for negotiations between the big powers and the Bosnian Serbs hopefully remained open. "We went to Geneva with agonies and fears, but we return with the hope that the door to negotiations for a peaceful solution remains open," he told reporters on arrival at Athens airport. "Therefore, we still have time to try and make an effort to achieve a viable and peaceful settlement," he added. Mr. Papoulias said his "optimism" stemmed from the fact that "the negotiations bridge was not cut off and that is very significant." "In such situations one is never optimistic, but definitely looks to the possibilities being created like the one in Geneva today (Saturday)," he said. Greece, he went on, "is very interested in a settlement of the crisis." He said his trip last Thursday and Friday to Belgrade and Pale was a "positive contribution to the efforts made by 'some' of Greece's other European Union partners in finding a peaceful settlement." "Greece will always be ready to offer its good offices and make interventions whenever necessary," he added. When asked whether or not pressure had been exerted on him by his five other partners for Greece to terminate its trade embargo on Skopje, in the belief Skopje might, in turn, apply a tighter embargo on new Yugoslavia, Mr. Papoulias replied: "No pressures are applied on Greece." "The problem should be confronted as it does not apply to Skopje only, but also affects neighbouring countries with weak economies such as Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Greece, which have suffered losses amounting to billions of dollars from the embargo against Serbia," Mr. Papoulias said. Congress C'ttee slates arms aid to Greece, Turkey, 7 to 10 ratio retained ------------------------------------------------------------- Washington, 01/08/94 (ANA/D.Dimas): The Congress Arbitration Committee Friday approved House of Representatives and Senate proposals granting military aid to Greece and Turkey in 1995, while maintaining the 7 to 10 ratio on surplus defence equipment supplied to the two countries. Greece and Turkey are to receive 255.15 million dollars and 364.5 million dollars in military credits respectively. Nevertheless, the Arbitration Committee, comprising Representatives and Senators of the Appropriations Committees, has decided to 'retain' 10% of credits allocated to the two countries until certain conditions, differing for each country, are met. Thus, the approved bill states that "10% of the main sum loaned to Turkey will be retained until the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Defence Secretary, submits a report to the Appropriations Committees concerning ... allegations of ill-treatment of citizens by the Turkish armed forces, and the situation in Cyprus...". The bill also states that "10% of the main sum loaned to Greece will be retained, until the Secretary of State submits a report to the Appropriations Committees concerning allegations of Greek violations of United Nations sanctions against Serbia and the United Nations Charter...". Arbitration Committee members told ANA the Appropriations Committee would evaluate State Department reports, and decide on whether or not to 'relinquish' retained sums for the two countries. Mr Andy Manatos, executive member of the Washington-based United Hellenic-American Congress (UHAC) anticipates that "on the basis of recent evidence submitted by American officials on Capitol Hill, data of the European Union, which monitors all claims of violation of sanctions against Serbia... it is expected that the Secretary of State will confirm in his report Greece's compliance, and the 10% will be released". The Arbitration Committee has also earmarked 15 million dollars of economic aid to Cyprus. PM on Crete vacation, pledges "serious consideration" to island proposals ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 01/08/94 (ANA): Premier Andreas Papandreou said in Heraklion Saturday, delays in announcing candidates for the October municipal elections were "reasonable". "We are waiting for proposals from Cretans, and will take them into serious consideration," he noted. Mr. Papandreou will spend his holiday at the Elounda resort until the middle of the month. ANA Ethnic Greek minority safeguard touchstone in Greece-Albania relations ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 01/08/94 (ANA): Government top priority in Albania is protection of ethnic Greeks living there, Foreign Ministry Costas Bikas told a questioner commenting on an Athens Sunday newspaper "Typos Tis Kyriakis" report. "Greek government basic priority is to ensure ethnic Greeks in Albania remain in their traditional homeland, complete safeguard of their human, minority and religious rights, social and economic progress in security, and equality before the law and of civil rights in accordance with international law," Mr. Bikas said. Complete respect of such rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania constitutes the touchstone for any progress in Greek-Albanian relations, he noted. Mr. Bikas said the Greek government wanted ethnic Greeks in Albania to gain the position they were entitled to within the Albanian society, actively participating in and claiming their rights in all Albanian institutions, as was the case before dictator Enver Hoxha's regime. "The fact that over 600 ethnic Greeks are studying at Albanian universities is proof of the Greek minority's impetus," he added. Law of the Sea treaty signed at UN -------------------------------------- New York, 01/08/94 (ANA/M.Georgiadou): The Treaty on Chapter XI of the Law of the Sea, concerning exploitation of the sea bed, was signed at the United Nations seat on Friday. The agreement was signed by 41 countries, including all European Union member states, the US, Japan, Australia, and the representative of the European Commission. Diplomatic circles pointed out that the signing of Chapter XI, contested until recently by many wealthy countries, especially the US, paves the way for ratification of the Law of the Sea, signed in 1982. The New York Times wrote a month ago that "Pentagon officials are looking forward to the ratification of the Treaty on the Law of the Sea, given that its provisions guarantee navigation through straits and, in particular, envisage that various countries have full sovereignty over the sea area within 12 miles off shore". The circles also pointed out that countries such as Turkey, among the very small minority of 7 countries which abstained from voting at the plenary session of the General Assembly for adoption of Chapter XI, will, sooner or later, be forced to accept all the terms and provisions of the Treaty of the Law of the Sea.