From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 27 Sep 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 27, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * New Democracy expels former FM Papaconstantinou, will sit as independent member * Reactions * Venizelos: Turkey, Denktash join in violating UN decisions * Papoulias confers with Clinton aid * Church sending aid to Albania * Turkish FM acknowledges failure over Aegean waters limit * Greek delegate protests use of "economic blockade" at UN * Anti-terrorist squad gets 6-billion state boost * Blast kills soldier, injures another on Kos * Libya to allow seized vessel to leave * Mission on Black Sea countries tour * Hydrocarbon mission on Romania visit New Democracy expels former FM Papaconstantinou, will sit as independent member ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): Former New Democracy Foreign Minister and deputy Michalis Papaconstantinou was yesterday expelled from ND on grounds of conduct violating party statutes. A few hours later, Mr. Papaconstantinou informed the President of the Parliament that he intended to retain his parliamentary seat as independent deputy. He later told the press his expulsion from the party had been "ordered", "prearranged" and "unacceptable." The New Democracy party disciplinary council voted 4 to 1 for Mr. Papaconstantinou's expulsion. "I am not abandoning the New Democracy party, which I honour, but I don't intent to violate the spirit of the Constitution regarding the judgement of deputies according to their conscience," Mr. Papaconstantinou said in a letter to Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis. Stressing that he would not accept "policing or censorship of free expression of views", especially on Greece's foreign policy issues, he said "I am therefore obliged to withdraw from the parliamentary group currently headed by Miltiades Evert." Earlier in the week, Mr. Papaconstantinou told the press he had decided to become an independent member if the party-disciplinary council insisted on what he termed a "foregone decision" to expel him from the party. Relations between Mr. Papaconstantinou and the ND leadership have been strained over disagreement concerning the adoption and application of the embargo against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Mr. Papaconstantinou insisted that "a unilateral embargo is de facto ineffective," and accused his party of being "drawn into an agreement with the government," also noting that "by our policy we are pushing FYROM into the lap of others and turning international public opinion against us." Greece decided to impose trade sanctions as retortion measures against FYROM last February to curb the neighbouring state's intransigence. Greece insists that FYROM should change its name, remove ancient Greek symbols from its flag, and amend its constitution which carries expansionist designs against Greece's northern province of the same name. Leaving Mr. Kaklamanis' office, Mr. Papaconstantinou told reporters he would return to ND "when Mr. Evert is gone" and described his removal as "ordered", "prearranged" and "unacceptable." Announcing the party-disciplinary council's decision, a few hours earlier, former Prime Minister and Honorary ND President Constantine Mitsotakis told the press he had suggested that Mr. Papaconstantinou be "sharply reprimanded". Party leader Miltiades Evert declined comment, saying "party organ decisions cannot be subject to comment by anyone." Mr. Papaconstantinou's new independent deputy status is expected to be announced in Parliament next Monday. Mr. Papaconstantinou served as Agriculture Minister and Foreign Minister in Mr. Mitsotakis' ND government from 1990 to 1993. In another development, the weekly newspaper "To Vima" on Sunday revealed that ND deputy George Karatzaferis had sent a letter to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou in June stating his intention to vote for the Premier in presidential elections next spring. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday confirmed that Mr. Karatzaferis had sent the letter to Mr. Papandreou. In an interview published in "Apogevmatini" yesterday, Mr. Evert accused the government of "plotting dirty games behind the scenes," aiming at "the disorientation of public opinion." Mr. Evert said that Mr. Karatzaferis, currently in London, would be summoned by the party to offer explanations regarding the letter. The party will summon another two deputies, former minister Sotiris Kouvelas and Petros Tatoulis for explanations on recent statements on the spring 1995 presidential elections. In an interview published in Sunday's edition of the "Avgi tis Kyriakis" newspaper, Mr. Kouvelas was quoted as saying that "parliament will be in a position to elect (the new) President of the Republic." Mr. Tatoulis made a similar statement to a private radio station yesterday. He also criticised Mr. Papaconstantinou's referral to the disciplinary council. Earlier this month, Mr. Evert removed former Minister Andreas Andrianopoulos from the party's Political Council and referred Mr. Papaconstantinou to the Disciplinary Council on the grounds of conduct violating party statutes. Reactions ~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): Commenting on developments in New Democracy, Political Spring (Pol. An) party leader Antonis Samaras attacked the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and New Democracy, renewing accusations of secret dealings between the government and the main opposition party. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in an announcement yesterday said "such (party) conflicts have nothing to do with defending the interests of the workers." Venizelos: Turkey, Denktash join in violating UN decisions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday accused Turkey of not respecting UN decisions which it violates in common with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. He was referring to an "Economic Protocol" signed between the self-proclaimed Turkish Cypriot regime and Turkey. The supposed object of the "protocol" is to counteract the repercussions of a decision by the Court of Justice of the European Communities banning agricultural exports from the occupied North to European Union (EU) member states, unless they are accompanied with certificates issued by the Republic of Cyprus. Papoulias confers with Clinton aid ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Nations, 27/9/1994 (ANA-M. Georgiadou): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias held 45-minute talks yesterday with US President Bill Clinton's national security adviser Richard Shifter on Greek-Albanian relations and the continuing plight of five ethnic Greeks jailed in Albania. "I think we are continuing our good co-operation with Mr. Shifter. It was an opportunity to meet here again and examine the situation as it stands now. I must say that Mr. Shifter expresses himself with, I should say, optimism that there will be an end to this story soon, in the sense that the inconvenience experienced by the five or six will come to a better end," Mr. Papoulias said. Asked by the press whether or not Mr. Shifter had conveyed any specific and clear message from President Clinton to Albanian President Sali Berisha, Mr. Papoulias said: "Mr. Shifter has conveyed a message by the American government and the President. I must say he is a man who understands the problem very well and shows great interest in its resolution." Mr. Papoulias said Mr. Shifter did not call on Greece to engage in dialogue with Albania again, regardless of the outcome of the issue of the jailed six ethnic Greeks in Albania. "No, we did not speak of dialogue at a time when the Greek position is known that there can be no dialogue since hardship suffered by these people has not yet come to an end," he said. Asked what Greece expects from the US initiative, Mr. Papoulias reiterated: "As we have said, we are waiting for one thing, that those people be allowed to go home." Mr. Papoulias will meet with his Turkish counterpart Mumtaz Soysal today and US Secretary of State Warren Christopher Thursday. Church sending aid to Albania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): Five hundred packages will be sent to Albanian children in light of the Christmas holidays by the Parish Fund for the Poor of the Athens Archdiocese, following a decision by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Serapheim. Meanwhile, the Church of Greece announced that 1.5 ton of olive oil, three tons of pasta and three ton of sugar will be sent to the Church of Albania. The cost will be paid for by the General Fund for the Poor. Turkish FM acknowledges failure over Aegean waters limit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Istanbul, 27/9/1994 (ANA/A.Kourkoulas): Turkish Foreign Minister Mumtaz Soysal has declared that Ankara has not succeeded in having its views on the extent of territorial waters in the Aegean accepted by the international community. He added Greece and Turkey should enter into dialogue on the subject. He also reiterated that any extension of Greek territorial waters would constitute a 'casus belli'. Speaking on a television programme last night, Mr. Soysal said that Turkey had failed to have included the special nature of the Aegean, which is dotted with so many islands, in the special paragraphs of the Law of the Sea Convention, which comes into force on November16. He claimed "the door is still open, in the context of the Convention, for settling such cases through a special agreement between countries concerned". "We want to sit down and discuss it with Greece. But Greece does not want to discuss anything about the Aegean, beyond the issue of territorial waters. It accepts, of course, the issue of the continental shelf, but says that it must not be solved through negotiations, only through the international court at the Hague". Mr Soysal says he does not believe that Greece will extend its territorial waters. "At least I hope so. Because our neighbours cannot be that crazy", he said. Meanwhile, Turkish Air Force chief Halis Bourhan has told the Turkish press that the development of the Turkish Air Force aims at discouraging Greece from exercising rights stemming from the Law of the Sea Convention. The newspaper 'Hurriyet' claims that Mr Soysal, who will meet with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias in New York this week, will propose a "plan for peace". Greek delegate protests use of "economic blockade" at UN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): In a letter to UN Secretary - General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, dated September 21, Greece's permanent representative at the Organisation Christos Zaharakis draws attention to the inappropriate nature of the expression "economic blockade imposed by Greece", with reference to the measures adopted by Greece against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) last February. The letter points out that "the decision was taken only as a countermeasure in retaliation to a long series of provocations" by FYROM, and it "has had an adverse and painful effect on the Greek economy itself, at a time when it is already suffering from the continuation of economic sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia." Anti-terrorist squad gets 6-billion state boost ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday increased anti-terrorist police spending by 6 billion drachmas in a bid to crush terrorist activities which have been plaguing the country for 20 years. The increase came a week after a 500 million-drachma reward was posted for the capture of terrorist groups which blew up a police bus killing one policeman and injuring 10 persons. The attack was carried out by the extreme-left Revolutionary Popular Struggle (ELA) group which accused police of being stooges of the US Central Intelligence Agency and vowed to "strike in the future." The modernisation of security forces was also decided yesterday at a meeting between Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis and Public Order Under-Secretary Sifis Valyrakis as part of concerted efforts to fight guerrilla groups in Greece. Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Telemahos Hytiris read a personal statement by Mr. Papandreou to the press afterwards, announcing the following measures: Six billion dr. will be provided for material and technical infrastructure, two thousand policemen will be hired, the police will be manned with scientific personnel, an effort which has already started, all police forces will be coordinated. Commenting on this, Mr. Hytiris said the Public Order Minister will be making clarifications in the next few days. Greece's urban guerrillas, among Europe's most deadly, have eluded police for two decades. November 17, another leftist group which has killed 20 Greeks and foreign nationals since 1975, has used rockets and bombs against police, foreign diplomats and businesses. Blast kills soldier, injures another on Kos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): A soldier was killed and another seriously wounded yesterday when an unidentified explosive device exploded in an army camp on Kos island. The accident occurred at 15.30 under hitherto unspecified conditions, an Army spokesman said. The dead soldier is Ioannis Douros, 20, from Athens. His wounded colleague George Kakaounakis, 20, also from Athens, sustained head and chest injuries and underwent surgery at local state general hospital. The blast occurred as soldiers were examining an unidentified explosive device. An inquiry has been ordered into the causes of the accident, the spokesman said. Libya to allow seized vessel to leave ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): Libyan authorities have informed the Merchant Marine Ministry of their intention to free the 80 crew of the cruise ship 'Vergina', owned by Piraeus-based Stability Line Inc. The vessel was forbidden to sail from Tripoli on September 11 on the grounds it has been classified by Arab countries as "undesirable", because it was built in 1964 for Israeli interests. The captain, Christos Gidopoulos, was due to appear in court today. According to authoritative sources, if he is acquitted, he will return to the ship, and be repatriated with all crew. The Ministry has said the ship belonged to Saudi Arabian interests and operated under the Saudi flag, before passing into Greek ownership. Mission on Black Sea countries tour ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): A delegation headed by National Economy Under-Secretary Ioannis Anthopoulos is leaving on a week-long tour of Black Sea countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) tomorrow. The tour is in the context of promoting Greece's economic and trade relations with those countries. The delegation is scheduled to discuss: - In Uzbekistan, the prospects for stimulation of trade activity, through the European TACCIS programme, in the sectors of agriculture and manufacturing. - In Azerbaijan, co-operation possibilities in the energy sector, through the creation of the Black Sea energy centre. - In Kazakhstan, the utilisation of the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline under construction. Hydrocarbon mission on Romania visit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 27/9/1994 (ANA): A three-member delegation of Hydrocarbons Exploration and Exploitation S.A. (DEP-EKY) headed by Managing Director Teresa Fokianou yesterday began an official seven day visit to Romania, at the invitation of Rompetrol, a Romanian state oil company. During the visit, the delegation will tour oil installations, and discuss co-operation prospects between the two state companies. The visit is held within the framework of a DEP-EKY decision to participate in co-operatives on research and use of hydrocarbons in the Balkans. A similar visit will be paid to Bulgaria.