From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 3 Sep 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 3, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Greece to continue blocking aid to Albania * Berisha's letter "belated" * Pangalos, Evert * Greece denounces Turkish Cypriot decision to abandon Cyprus federal settlement * Defining territorial waters Greece's own right, Venizelos replies Demirel * Greece welcomes Russian withdrawal * Kranidiotis hosts Eurodeputies, to attend Berlin meet * Greece willing to lift retortion if FYROM meets demands * New EU Commission president in Athens Sept. 15 * C'ttee members to urge former PM, others stand trial * Air Force jet fighter crashes, pilots safe * All round increase in tourism-related activity * August state revenue GrD 502.4 billion., 34% up Greece to continue blocking aid to Albania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday it would continue to block European Union aid to Albania until the neighbouring state improved its human rights record, and a verdict was reached for the five ethnic Greeks being tried in Tirana for "espionage and illegal arms possession". Meanwhile, US Ambassador Thomas Niles yesterday handed US President Bill Clinton reply to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, in which Mr. Clinton refers to US special concern on the proceedings of the trial, and respect for the human rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania. "Greece will not accept the release of macro-economic aid to Albania, until it sees the result of the trial and the general behaviour of the Albanian government on issues of democracy and human rights of the ethnic Greek minority," Foreign Under-Secretary for European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis said. He said Greece's decision to block the aid was prompted by EU refusal to postpone granting aid until after the trial ends. Greece had initially said it would not block an initial lot of 15 million ECU out of a total 35 million ECU. But it changed its stance after the trial of the five ethnic Greek members of the political organisation, Omonia, opened last month in Tirana, triggering mounting tension between the two neighbours. "We hope that even at the 11th hour, Albania will show wisdom and allow the five defendants to go home," Mr. Kranidiotis told reporters. He said the trial was a "fabrication," adding that Albania should be more concerned with improving rather than "further straining" its relations with Greece. "Greece is willing... to contribute to the improvement of Greek-Albanian relations. But such relations hinge on respect for the human rights of the Greek minority in Albania," Mr. Kranidiotis said. The issue of European Union's macro-economic aid to Albanian will be discussed at EU Permanent Representative level on September 8, 9 and at the European Union Foreign Ministers informal meeting in Uzeldom, Germany on September 10, 11. Berisha's letter "belated" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): In a related development, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos termed "belated and not cool-headed", a letter by Albanian President Sali Berisha to world leaders, calling for a halt to alleged mass deportation by Greek authorities of thousands of illegal Albanians. In recent days Greek police have rounded up and deported thousands of illegal Albanian immigrants, and tightened control at sea and land boundaries with Albania. Mr. Venizelos' reiterated that the measures were not intended as a counter-offensive to Tirana's recent provocations, but that "Greece's borders are being guarded within the framework of its national sovereignty and efforts to combat crime." "Greece is acting in similar manner toward other European countries" he told a news conference. An estimated 350,000 Albanians work in Greece, sending a large part of their earnings to their families back home. Mr. Venizelos also described as "ridiculous" Albanian allegations on the existence of three minorities in Greece. Pangalos, Evert ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Meanwhile Transport and Communications Minister Theodoros Pangalos said yesterday that "Turkey has turned Albania into its outpost on our northern borders." Mr. Pangalos was speaking in Corfu, where he is participating at a seminar on a solution to the Bosnian crisis and security problems in the Balkans. The seminar is sponsored by the Panteios University Institute for International Relations. The Minister said Greece should revise its foreign policy and restructure its financial and military forces based on the new facts. Main Opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert, also participating at the seminar, said "Greece will not accept Albania's irredentism... even if we have to risk everything as a nation." Mr. Evert said Greece should deal in a decisive manner with Tirana's provocations and efforts to suppress the Greek element in Northern Epirus (southern Albania). The ND leader said a verdict of guilt against the ethnic Greeks would further strain relations between the two countries. Referring to Greece's foreign policy, Mr. Evert said that a national strategy needed to be elaborated to govern Greece's relations with the European Union. He said Greece's foreign policy should also strive towards a future accession - subject to certain conditions - of Albania, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to the European Union. Greece denounces Turkish Cypriot decision to abandon Cyprus federal settlement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday denounced a recent decision by the self-declared "Turkish republic of northern Cyprus", recognised only by Ankara, to move closer to Turkey, and away from a federal settlement for the divided island-republic. "The recent decision of the pseudo-parliament of the Turkish Cypriots, uncovers the camouflaged and dishonest policy of the Turkish side, which does not accept a federation, but aims at promoting its firm secessionist positions," Foreign Under-Secretary in charge of European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis said. He also cautioned a Turkish Cypriot refusal to participate in the next round of peace contacts would "virtually torpedo" the United Nation Secretary General's new efforts. "Such a move would cause the collapse of the basis of inter-communal talks," Mr. Kranidiotis said. He added the Greek side was compelled to "denounce the move which enjoys Ankara's full support, and undermines the UN Secretary's new efforts in furthering a settlement of the Cyprus problem in accordance with provisions of UN Security Council resolution 939." The pseudo-parliament in north Cyprus on Monday voted 30 to 16 to annul earlier resolutions providing for a federal solution as the only solution to the Cyprus problem. The pseudo-parliament also agreed to draw up foreign policy, defence and security agreements with Turkey. Defining territorial waters Greece's own right, Venizelos replies Demirel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday it reserved the right to define its territorial waters as part of its national sovereignty. "The definition of the extent of territorial waters is an element of national sovereignty, and exercising this right is at the absolute discretion of the Greek government," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. He was responding to a statement by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel who told his Parliament Thursday that a possible extension of Greece's territorial waters from six to 12 nautical miles "will create very serious and unacceptable consequences for Turkey." Mr. Venizelos said there was no change in Greece's firm position on the issue, apart from an intention of the United States to ratify a new international maritime law that goes into effect in November. Greece welcomes Russian withdrawal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis yesterday made the following statement to reporters: "We welcome the withdrawal of Russian forces from the three Baltic republics and Germany - and I hope we will soon see similar moves in Cyprus, too - as well as the end of hostilities and violence in Northern Ireland, which may constitute the beginning of a stable and just peace in Ireland". Kranidiotis hosts Eurodeputies, to attend Berlin meet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis hosted a working lunch for Greek Eurodeputies yesterday at which views were exchanged on current and general affairs relating to the European Union. Mr. Kranidiotis is to meet with Greek ambassadors accredited to EU countries next week, and others to the four new member states, for an exchange of views on matters pertaining to their duties. On Monday, he will attend a ministerial conference in Berlin between EU countries and southern African states (11 countries). Mr. Kranidiotis will hold a round of meetings with the 11 southern African states and his EU counterparts. He will also attend an informal Council of Foreign Ministers in Germany between September 10-11. Talks will focus, among other things, on relations, between EU and central and eastern European countries, developments in the Bosnia and Middle East issues, co-operation among Community partners in sectors relating to the Interior and Justice ministries, the CSCE's future in light of the Copenhagen meeting and the issues of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Albania. Lastly, a meeting will be held between EU and ASEAN (south-eastern Asia) countries in Karlsruhe, Germany, between September 22-24. Mr. Kranidiotis will attend. Greece willing to lift retortion if FYROM meets demands ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday it was willing to lift the trade sanctions imposed as retortion measures against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), provided Skopje showed positive and tangible signs which were lacking so far. Foreign Under-Secretary in charge of European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis told the press this was contained in a letter which Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias wrote his German counterpart and current European Union Council President Klaus Kinkel. But he dismissed as inaccurate, press reports alleging that Mr. Papoulias said in his letter the government would lift the sanctions, if FYROM made a verbal statement that it intended to change its constitution containing irredentist designs against Greece, and eliminate the ancient Greek symbols from its flag. Mr. Kranidiotis said Greece would never agree to a verbal statement, but demanded instead a more binding statement, one of substance. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos also dismissed such press reports saying they were "inaccurate." He said Greece would lift the measures imposed against FYROM on February 16, only if the ancient Greek symbols were eliminated from its flag and the articles containing irredentist designs against Greece removed from its constitution. "Such are the elements which constitute FYROM's hostile propaganda against our country," Mr. Venizelos said, adding that FYROM could eliminate "both at the same time." Mr. Kranidiotis said an initiative by Mr. Kinkel hinged on FYROM President Kiro Gligorov's intransigence at their meeting in Hamburg last month. He said Mr. Kinkel would brief his partners on his meeting with Mr. Gligorov, at the European Union Foreign Ministers' informal conference this month. He added Greece intended to continue talks with its neighbour as part of the framework of a UN-brokered round of contacts mediated by special UN Skopje negotiator Cyrus Vance, and urged the European Union to exert influence on Mr. Gligorov for a resumption of talks. New EU Commission president in Athens Sept. 15 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Premier and European Commission president when Jacques Delors retires end December, is to visit Athens September 15. Mr. Santer will hold talks with Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis on matters relating to the European Union and the new Greek EU Commissioner. New EU Council of Ministers Secretary-General Jurgen Trumf, who took over yesterday, will visit Athens September 25. C'ttee members to urge former PM, others stand trial ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): PASOK members of the special parliamentary investigating committee into allegations of corruption arising from the sale of the state-owned "AGET-Iraklis" cement company to the Italian Calcestruzzi conglomerate, decided Thursday to propose to the plenum of the House that former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis and former ministers Ioannis Palaiokrasas and Andreas Andrianopoulos stand trial before a special court. The ruling party deputies decided that Mr Mitsotakis should be tried on charges of instigating breach of faith, accepting bribes, dereliction of duty, and violation of the law on the accountability of ministers. They also decided that Mr. Palaiokrasas and Mr. Andrianopoulos should be charged with criminal breach of faith, dereliction of duty, and violation of the law on the accountability of ministers. It was decided that businessman Iraklis Mathiopoulos and former "AGET" Vice-President Nikos Georgiadis should also stand trial on charges of complicity in bribing the former Prime Minister. New Democracy party members of the committee did not take part in the vote, announcing they would submit their own findings, recommending that charges be dropped. Meanwhile, an Appeals court prosecutor yesterday requested the Athens Appeals Council to approve probing Greek bank accounts of the former premier. Political Spring party spokesman Akis Gerontopoulos stated his party is in favour of referring Mr Mitsotakis, but not the two former ministers, on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The former premier, commenting on the decision yesterday, said that as far as he was concerned the AGET case was non-existent. "The period of mud-slinging is coming to an end. The hour of truth is approaching and PASOK must make its own decisions. I have promised that this affair will make a fool of Mr Andreas Papandreou and PASOK, and I see it coming with certainty". Air Force jet fighter crashes, pilots safe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): A F-4E jet fighter crashed yesterday, but its pilots succeeded in bailing out in time, a spokesman for Air Force General Staff said yesterday. The aircraft was on training flight before crashing some 25 miles south of Anafi island, the spokesman added. A team of Air Force experts is investigating the cause of the accident, the spokesman concluded. He gave no further details. All round increase in tourism-related activity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): Overnight stays at hotels in various tourist regions increased 17 per cent in July compared to the corresponding month in 1993. A total of 2,702,320 overnight stays were recorded at Greek hotels last July as against 2,307,803 in July 1993. According to data provided by the Statistics Service of Greece, the average ratio of hotel occupancy in July reached 100.7 per cent compared to 86 per cent in July 1993. A total of 8,160,807 overnights were recorded over the four-month period between April and July 1994, compared to 6,983,419 in the corresponding period last year, or an increase of 1,177,388 or 16.8 per cent. Average hotel occupancy ratio was 79.4 per cent, against 67.9 per cent in the corresponding period in 1993. The Service further revealed charter arrivals at main airports rose by 70 per cent in July 1994 over the corresponding month last year. About 791,000 arrivals were recorded, while this year they exceeded 905,000. According to Bank of Greece data, tourist exchange amounted to 180 million US dollars in April 1994 compared to 180.4 million in the corresponding month in 1993, or a 0.2 per cent decrease. Tourism-related foreign exchange earnings increased 2.8 per cent from January to April inclusive, to 538 million dollars from 523 million in the corresponding period in 1993. August state revenue GrD 502.4 billion., 34% up ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 3/9/1994 (ANA): State revenue in August rose 34.28 per cent to 502.4 billion drachmas from 374.1 billion. dr. in the same month last year, a Finance Ministry statement said yesterday. The state collected 3.63 billion drachmas from January to August inclusive, compared to a corresponding 3.16 billion. dr. in 1993.