From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 22 Sep 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 22, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Greece will accept French-German initiative if in line with EU solidarity * Party reactions * Albania closes borders * Papoulias begins FYROM talks with Vance * White House asks Berisha to pardon convicted ethnics * G. Papandreou, State official confer on ethnic minority in Albania * Greek vessels senior crew to carry arms for passenger protection * Arsenis calls on Turkey to endorse four basic lines on Balkans * Arsenis to address NATO meeting in Seville * Kranidiotis at EU ASEAN ministers' meeting * President, PM to meet on home, foreign issues * G. Papandreou requests OECD help in education Greece will accept French-German initiative if in line with EU solidarity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday said it would accept a Franco-German initiative to help remove tension with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Albania, "provided such effort was part of a European Union solidarity scheme." Foreign Undesecretary in charge of European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis told Parliament last night that Greece "accepts talks with Germany and France on the Yugoslav and Albanian issues, as well as on relations with Turkey on condition that it will be a matter of EU troika deliberations and Community solidarity will prevail." Speaking to reporters earlier, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that the only thing which the Greek government was aware of, was German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel's Tuesday statement, after attending the regular Franco-German meeting in Paris. Mr. Kinkel had said that he and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe had written Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias requesting his return to the negotiations table for a new round of talks with FYROM after October elections in the neighbouring state. "We will examine the contents of the letter," Mr. Venizelos said, adding "should they be in line with the framework of Community solidarity, and of interest which should be displayed by EU member-states, especially the current and the next presidency, on matters concerning another member-state such as Greece, then such initiative raises absolutely no problem. It might even be regarded as welcome." "We would recall, of course, that especially as regards the Skopje issue, UN-sponsored talks under Cyrus Vance remain open and we are taking part in them, looking forward to their being again reactivated after elections in Skopje," Mr. Venizelos concluded. He made the statement after German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and his French counterpart Alain Juppe sent a letter to Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias proposing to assist Athens in resolving strained relations with Skopje and Tirana. Mr. Kranidiotis also told Parliament that a written reply would be given to Mr. Kinkel and Mr. Juppe's letter. Mr. Venizelos reiterated Greece's positions on improving soured relations with Albania, saying Tirana had to stop persecuting the 300,000-strong ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania. "Greece's stance toward Albanian hinges on whether or not ... harassment of the ethnic Greek minority will end," he said. "Greece's positions on the issues of Skopje and Albania are not defined by the stance of third states, but by international law and order, including the need to secure and safeguard peace and stability in the region," Mr. Venizelos said. Relations between Greece and Albania have been strained following the recent conviction and imprisonment of six ethnic Greeks in Tirana on charges of military espionage and illegal possession of weapons. Five of the arrests took place after a fatal incident at a border conscript inside Albania led to growing tension between the two neighbours. Albania accused Greece of the attack in which two Albanian conscripts were killed. Greece flatly denied the charge. Athens said the Tirana trials were meant to intimidate its ethnic minority estimated at 300,000, and retaliated by blocking European Union funds to Albania. Greece called on the international community to exert pressure on Tirana to release the six ethnic Greeks, and asked the European Union to show solidarity with Greece and put its common foreign policy to test. The Franco-German proposal, included in a letter by Mr. Kinkel and Mr. Juppe, was presented to Mr. Kranidiotis by German and French envoys, at a meeting yesterday. "Greece's disputes with Albania and the Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia are European issues concerning the troika," German Ambassador Leopold Von Berdow said. The troika is the European Union's foreign policy steering committee consisting of the current, past and next holders of the EU rotating presidency, currently Germany, Greece and France. "The European Union is a unified area and the problem of each member state is a problem for all of them," Mr. Van Berdow told reporters after the meeting. Both envoys declined to comment on whether or not troika representatives would visit Skopje and Tirana in a bid to iron out pending differences with Athens. Greece is at odds with both of its northern neighbours, and is applying trade sanctions against the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Athens demands the neighbouring Balkan state drop claims to the name "Macedonia" and change its flag bearing an historic Greek symbol as its emblem. It says Skopje's refusal to drop its name and flag reflect the state's territorial designs against the northern Greek province of Macedonia. Party reactions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994: Political Spring (Pol. An) party yesterday said it rejected the Franco-German initiative. "The proposal of the German and French Foreign Ministers overlooks the firm Greek positions on the Skopje name issue, and (therefore) we reject it," Pol.An spokesman Akis Gerontopoulos said yesterday. "As regards Albania," he added, "we reiterate our steadfast position, that in order to enter dialogue (with Albania) the six ethnic Greek Omonia members should first be released." Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) yesterday said the government should take advantage of the Kinkel-Juppe initiative. A party spokesman said that the Skopje issue should be settled within 1994 to the interest of both sides, while initiatives aimed at de-escalating tension in Greek-Albania relations and safeguarding the rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Southern Albania should be exploited. Albania closes borders ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994 (ANA): In another development yesterday, Albania closed its border to Greek passport holders without visas from the Albanian Embassy in Athens, following a decree issued Saturday by President Sali Berisha introducing visas for Greek nationals. Political observers said that, by this move, Tirana authorities were applying a new policy on Greeks entering Albanian territory, altering a law under which citizens of European Union member states were allowed free entry without visas. Albania has not required Greek nationals to obtain entry visas since June 1990. The observers added it was as yet unknown whether or not the visa requirement would also apply to citizens of other EU countries. Officials at the Kakavia border post marking Albania's frontier with Greece, said entry had also been refused to Greek-owned TIR (international transport) trucks and tankers. OSE (Hellenic Railways) buses on an Athens-Tirana itinerary under a Greek-Albanian agreement lay stranded at Kakavia. The observers said that the Albanian regime's new measures would affect the interests of businessmen, mainly Greek, who have invested in a variety of enterprises in the neighbouring country. Papoulias begins FYROM talks with Vance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Nations, 22/9/1994 (ANA-M. Georgiadou): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias last night started talks with UN special envoy on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Cyrus Vance. UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's spokesman Joe Sills told a regular press briefing Mr. Ghali was due to meet with Cyrus Vance at 1.30 a.m. Greek time (after the meeting between Mr. Papoulias and Mr. Vance). Earlier, Mr. Papoulias met with hi s Belarussian counterpart Mr. V. Sianko for talks on further developing relations between the two countries. The establishment of diplomatic missions in the capitals of the two countries was also discussed. White House asks Berisha to pardon convicted ethnics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Washington, 22/9/1994 (ANA-D. Dimas): US President Bill Clinton's National Security Council adviser on eastern European affairs Richard Shifter yesterday told Greek-American members of the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC) and Andy Athens that the White House has requested Albanian President Sali Berisha to exercise his right to pardon five convicted ethnic Greeks in Albania. "However, Mr. Berisha has not yet replied to the American request," Mr. Shifter said. Mr. Shifter said Washington had expressed concern to Mr. Berisha on the application of justice and "we are expecting adherence to the Helsinki Convention from Albania." According to reports, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Massachussetts) has made a similar remark to Mr. Berisha and, reportedly, addressed a letter also stressing concern over the issue of the five ethnic Greeks, adding that he will "closely watch" the appeal. The Greek-American officials were also briefed by US Vice President Al Gore who stressed his conviction that Greece is "strategically positioned" to "bring stability and prosperity to the troubled Balkan region." "It is self-evident that we believe that the Greek tradition of democracy and private initiative will constitute an example for new democracies neighbouring Greece which may lead to defusing tensions," Mr. Gore said, adding that "this is precisely our message to the Greek government." "I hope that Greece will be in a position to resolve its problems with its neighbours," Mr. Gore said, adding that "if these problems remain unresolved, they will be extremely dangerous and will not only threaten the interests of Greece but also stability in the region." G. Papandreou, State official confer on ethnic minority in Albania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Washington, 22/9/1994 (ANA-D. Dimas): Education and Religious Affairs Minister George Papandreou had a meeting yesterday with Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Mr. Shatouk (phonetic spelling) focusing on issues concerning the ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania. "We had an in-depth discussion on issues concerning the ethnic Greek minority in Albania," Mr. Papandreou said, adding that the meeting discussed in particular educational issues concerning the minority. "Naturally the rights to education fall under a broader context of human rights," he said. Mr. Papandreou said Mr. Shatouk assured him that the US Administration would do everything in its power to improve Greek-Albanian relations, and that efforts were already underway concerning the ethnic Greek minority in Albania. "I also had the opportunity to refer to the trial and sentence of the (five ethnic) Greeks in Albania," the Greek Minister said. "This (the trial) has created a huge problem which will in the long run undermine relations between Greece and Albania," he added. Terming his meeting with Mr. Shatouk as "positive", Mr. Papandreou said that "one can hope for and rely on the actions of the US government in the efforts for normalisation of relations between the two countries." Greek vessels senior crew to carry arms for passenger protection ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994 (ANA): Senior crew members of Greek-flag passenger and cargo ships will be allowed to carry firearms, the Merchant Marine Ministry announced yesterday. The decision, signed by Minister George Katsifaras, said that "certain members of the crews of Greek-flag passenger and cargo vessels entering not only Greek but also foreign ports will be armed". The move is aimed at "ensuring the safety of passengers and crews". According to the decision, each vessel will be allocated with up to four revolvers or pistols, with 30 cartridges per firearm. Ship captains will be issued special licences for possessing firearms and cartridges by local harbour authorities. Such licences will be valid for three years, and officers will be issued permits to carry weapons, which will be valid for one year. Arsenis calls on Turkey to endorse four basic lines on Balkans ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Istanbul, 22/9/1994 (ANA-A. Kourkoulas): Greek National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said Greece was the key to the solution to tensions in the Balkans and asked Turkey to endorse the four basic policy lines in the Balkans, in an interview with "Turkish Daily News" published yesterday. Mr. Arsenis previously referred to the four basic policy lines in the Balkan region in an address, on Monday, at Georgetown University's Centre of German and European Studies in the United States. "Existing borders should not be changed, solutions should be found through political negotiations instead of military force, they should be acceptable to the countries concerned and, finally, there should be strict adherence to democratic rules and human rights, and leaders choosing to govern differently should be ruled out as partners," Mr. Arsenis said in his address. "I call upon Turkey to respect the four basic policy lines which I have listed," Mr. Arsenis said in the interview. Stressing that tensions in the Balkans were prompted by "outside causes," the Minister said that the policy of "zones of influence" exerted on the Balkan countries by outside forces had strained relations in the region. "The situation would have been different if the Balkan peoples were left alone to deal with their problems in the region," he said. "Opportunities do not appear frequently nor do they remain for a long time," Mr. Arsenis was quoted as saying in the interview. "That is why," he added, "we must take advantage of this opportunity for peace and development in the Balkans through economic initiatives and multi-faceted institutions." "Greece," he said, "is not part of the problem in the Balkans, but the key to its solution." Meanwhile, in an interview with the "Washington Times" Mr. Arsenis discussed "a plan for the establishment of a new NATO intervention task force covering the Balkans and east Mediterranean, in the framework of the alliance's new role in the post-cold war era." According to the newspaper, the idea for the establishment of a flexible multi-national force was discussed at a meeting between Mr. Arsenis and his American counterpart William Perry, and would be considered in greater detail during a NATO Ministers' conference. Once established, the force will comprise troops from Greece, Turkey, Italy and the United States, have its headquarters in Thessaloniki, and begin to operate initially under the command of a Greek general. Arsenis to address NATO meeting in Seville ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994 (ANA): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis will address the informal NATO Defence Minister talks in Seville next week. Mr. Arsenis will refer to Nato's "Partnership for peace" programme to be implemented in south-eastern Europe. German Defence Minister Yohan Raou and US Defence Secretary William Perry will address the talks on the issues of NATO activities in Central Europe and Nato's prospects and future structure respectively. Kranidiotis at EU ASEAN ministers' meeting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994 (ANA): Foreign Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis leaves today for the German city of Karlsruhe to represent Greece at the September 22-24 meeting of European Union and ASEAN foreign ministers. This will be the 11th annual conference of EU and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- comprising Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Filippines and Brunei -- to take place under the EU-ASEAN co-operation agreement signed in 1980. The conference agenda covers discussions of bilateral relations between the two groupings as well as world and regional political and economic matters, including developments in the ASEAN member countries, the future course of EU-ASEAN relations, international trade, environmental issues, the fight against drugs, human rights issues, the situation in former Yugoslavia and the conditions in southeast Asia. President, PM to meet on home, foreign issues ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 22/9/1994 (ANA): President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will have a meeting tomorrow on developments in domestic issues and foreign affairs, Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. G. Papandreou requests OECD help in education ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Paris, 22/9/1994 (ANA-O. Tsipira): Education Minister George Papandreou yesterday requested in Paris an evaluation of the Greek education system by a special Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) committee. "It is a process requested by many countries," Mr. Papandreou said, adding that "it is considered particularly useful, because it will be carried out by an organisation having experience and experts capable of determining where our system is failing, and which are the strong and weak points, as well as changes which are necessary." Mr. Papandreou believes that Greece's educational system needs "major changes which will have to be brought about in a cool, serious and systematic manner. Consequently, it is very important for an assessment to be made by a third party capable of examining our system with objectivity." Mr. Papandreou would like to have the OECD study endorsed and implemented as soon as possible "to incorporate results in reforms and also be taken into consideration in a public dialogue." Mr. Papandreou interrupted his return trip from the US to attend yesterday's informal meeting of OECD education ministers in Paris. The ministers primarily discussed the role of vocational training in combating unemployment.