From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 1 Oct 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 1, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Papoulias sums up results of UN meetings * SYN leader sums up Tirana visit: "should contribute to change of climate" * EU FM Council to discuss Greek veto in Luxembourg * Kinkel, Juppi on Athens, Tirana, Skopje tour after Oct. 16 * President meets with Opposition leader * Samaras in Istanbul * Karatzaferis: 3-month suspension from ND party bodies * President, PM independence messages to President Clerides * North Atlantic Committee meeting in Sofia * OTE partial privatisation bill in Parliament next week Papoulias sums up results of UN meetings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Nations, 1/10/94 (ANA/M.Georgiadou): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias briefed Greek reporters yesterday on his round of meetings in the past two weeks, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "I had the opportunity to discuss our national issues and have contacts with a number of foreign ministers. Also, in the context of the European Union, as a troika, Greece with Germany and France, had a series of meetings of direct interest to national issues. At these meetings, I had the opportunity to detail our position on the Skopje issue. I want to stress that I had important meetings with Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Mr Vance, and Mr Nimetz", said Mr Papoulias. "Mr Vance will pose the problem decisively to the Skopje leadership. The polls say that Mr Gligorov will be president again (after the October 16th elections), Mr. Papoulias said, adding that negotiations with FYROM might start at the end of October, and things were entering a decisive period. Mr Papoulias also reiterated the Greek position regarding the normalisation of relations with Albania, that resumption of dialogue with Tirana depended on Albania's willingness to rectify justice by releasing the five ethnic Greeks recently convicted on charges of espionage and firearms possession. He reported that he had also discussed the Cyprus issue with US Secretary of State Warren Christopher, UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and Cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Michailides. "We hope that the issue will be raised again, always with reference to resolution 939", he said. His contacts with Balkan counterparts included the Bulgarian foreign minister, with whom he recorded progress in pending issues, namely the waters of the Nestos River and construction of an oil pipeline. SYN leader sums up Tirana visit: "should contribute to change of climate" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos concluded a two-day visit to Albania yesterday, focusing on talks with the Albanian leadership and the leaders of the Omonia ethnic Greek political organisation. Mr. Constantopoulos continued his round of talks yesterday by conferring with Albanian party officials. Mr. Constantopoulos last night told a press conference his visit should and could contribute to a change of climate in Greek-Albanian relations. Greece does not want to change its existing borders with Albania, adding that his party was against deportation of illegal Albanian immigrants and Greece's veto of European Union financial assistance to Albania. Greek-Albanian relations plunged to an all time low after a Tirana court convicted and handed down jail sentences on five ethnic Greeks, on charges of spying for Greece and illegal arms possession. Another trial convicted a sixth Omonia leader on a charge of illegal possession of weapons. Greece said the trial was intended to intimidate its ethnic Greek minority in Albania, estimated at 300.000, and retaliated by blocking European Union funds to Albania. The Greek government also called on the international community to exert pressure on Tirana to release the ethnic Greek Omonia leaders, and requested the European Union to show solidarity and put its common foreign policy to the test. Mr. Constantopoulos is scheduled to have a meeting with President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis. Meanwhile, in Washington, the Minnesota Bar Association circulated yesterday its report on the trial and conviction of the six ethnic Greeks. The report criticises court procedure and the substance of the indictment, stressing that "the five defendants should be given the chance of a new, just and quick trial, which will respect the international and Albanian laws." In another development yesterday, the main opposition New Democracy party announced that a group of ND deputies would go to Albania on Monday to observe the appeal trial of the ethnic Greeks. EU FM Council to discuss Greek veto in Luxembourg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brussels, (ANA-V.Demiris): The members of the European Union Foreign Ministers Council will come together on Tuesday in Luxembourg, to discuss Greece's veto of European Union funds to Albania. Foreign Under-Secretary in charge European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis will represent Greece at the meeting, which will focus on whether or not there are developments in Greece's reservations in light of current difficulties between the two countries. Greece blocked the first part of the Union's macroeconomic assistance to Albania, estimated at 35 million ECU, to retaliate the conviction and jail sentences handed on five ethnic Greeks by a Tirana Court on charges of spying for Greece and illegal arms possession. Greece said the trial was meant to terrorise the ethnic Greek minority in Albania. Meanwhile, a representative of the German EU presidency noted yesterday in view of the Tuesday meeting, that "the situation in Greek-Albanian relations remained unaltered." The German presidency, according to the agenda, predicts that the issue will be put to the vote again to show that Greece is the only country blocking the funds. The Council will also discuss relations between the Union and the Central and Eastern European countries, in light of their future accession to the European Union. It will also review the situation in Bosnia in the presence of EU mediator Lord Owen, and consider relations between the European Union with Slovenia and Ukraine. Kinkel, Juppi on Athens, Tirana, Skopje tour after Oct. 16 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Nations (ANA/M.Georgiadou): German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel stated yesterday he is planning to visit Athens, Tirana and Skopje after October 16, together with French counterpart Alain Juppi, in the context of a joint initiative aiming at the normalisation of relations between Greece and its two neighbours. Mr Kinkel told reporters he had discussed with UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali the issues of Greek-Albanian relations and of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Asked whether or not he and Mr Juppi would undertake a mediation role and support their partner, Greece, he replied that they had visited Dr Ghali and conferred with him, as well as Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Sereqi, in their capacity as representatives of the European Union. "We agreed with the UN Secretary General", said Mr Kinkel, "that dialogue between Athens and Skopje - under his auspices, through his representative Cyrus Vance should continue". He expressed the hope that, after the elections in FYROM, there would be progress in the negotiations. In reply to a question on whether or not he supported the idea of a two-speed Europe, Mr. Kinkel declared that the European Union meant a union of 12 states, which was now very near being enlarged with four new members. He also reported meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister M0mtaz Soysal, on whom he tried to impress the need for Turkey to solve the Kurdish problem through constitutional, not military means, and allow the visit of international observers on a humanitarian mission to areas inhabited by Kurds. However, he added, Mr Soysal, like Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller before him, did not react favourably to the suggestion. President meets with Opposition leader ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis and main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert conferred yesterday on major economic, social and foreign policy issues. After the meeting, Mr. Evert told the press that solutions should be given immediately to foreign policy-related issues, "since the country is isolated from all sides." Mr. Evert said he was pessimistic over the course of the Greek economy, anticipating that "pressure will be exerted on Greece in the immediate future." Sources said recent developments in the New Democracy party were also discussed. Samaras in Istanbul ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): Political Spring (Pol.An) party leader Antonis Samaras will leave Sunday for Istanbul, to attend the memorial service to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of Patriarch Dimitrios. Karatzaferis: 3-month suspension from ND party bodies ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): The disciplinary council of Main Opposition New Democracy party yesterday penalised deputy George Karatzaferis with three month suspension from all party-bodies including the parliamentary group. Mr. Karatzaferis was referred before the disciplinary council after the weekly newspaper "To Vima" on Sunday revealed that he had written Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou stating his intention to vote for him in the presidential election next spring. Announcing the news, former prime minister and honorary party president Constantine Mitsotakis said Mr. Karatzaferis had been penalised on grounds of violating party conduct and causing harm to New Democracy interests. Mr. Karatzaferis, who was in London when news of his letter broke out in the press, accused what he termed "publishers' interests" saying he would "fight against them." The deputy was summoned by the party to offer explanations on the contents of the letter. He said he had written ND leader Miltiades Evert requesting the party disciplinary council meet immediately to clear suspicions concerning him. Later in the week, Mr. Evert announced Mr. Karatzaferis' referral before the disciplinary council, noting that "any party official claiming that Mr. Papandreou's candidacy for President of the Republic can be supported (by ND) will be considered as supporting positions differing from the party's political positions, and will be referred before the appropriate disciplinary body." Mr. Karatzaferis' penalisation yesterday, followed the expulsion earlier in the week from the party of former minister and ND deputy Michalis Papaconstantinou and removal of former minister and deputy Andreas Andrianopoulos from the party's Political Council. Meanwhile, yesterday, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos denied rumours alleging that Mr. Karatzaferis had sent a second letter to Mr. Papandreou containing a list of ND deputies who would vote for the Premier in the presidential election. "The Prime Minister," Mr. Venizelos said, "has not received any letter other than the one which Mr. Karatzaferis himself made public." Mr. Venizelos told a questioner the government was watching closely developments in the New Democracy, but "at a great distance." The spokesman expressed government displeasure "over lack of transparency, mystery and conspiracy (which) tend to become elements of the country's political life" and originate "in New Democracy." Recent developments in the opposition party have caused tension to mount inside strife-torn New Democracy, also leading to strained relations between ND and the government. Earlier in the week, Mr. Evert attributed developments in his party to "a prearranged drive stemming from an impotent and unsuccessful government with the intention of serving Mr. Papandreou's personal designs and disorienting public opinion." The Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) said developments in ND showed that "fragmentation of ND was proceeding speedily." President, PM independence messages to President Clerides ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis in a congratulatory telegram sent to Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides for the anniversary of 34 years of independence today, noted that a solution to the Cyprus problem can only be ensured through respect of international law. Mr. Karamanlis reiterated "I wish to assure you that Cypriot Hellenism can take for granted the complete support and solidarity of the Greek nation to Cyprus' struggle for a just and viable solution to the political problem, which can only be ensured through respect of international law and order on the part of the international community which for the past 20 years has tolerated their violation in Cyprus." Premier Andreas Papandreou also sent a message stressing that "to-day, when the national issue is in a particularly critical phase, it is necessary to show constant and tireless vigilance by all of us to promote efforts for a peaceful, just and permanent solution to the Cyprus problem." "I would also like to assure you, Mr. President, that the Greek people are always on the side of their Cypriot brothers, and a faithful supporter of their just struggles," Mr. Papandreou concluded. North Atlantic Committee meeting in Sofia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): The Committee of the North Atlantic Assembly for Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, will convene Monday in Sofia for a two-day meeting focusing on the "Co-operation for Peace" programme. OTE partial privatisation bill in Parliament next week ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 1/10/94 (ANA): The government will table a bill in Parliament next week, on the sale of 25 percent of the Greek Telecommunications Corporation (OTE), National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said yesterday. "We are in the final lap of the procedure," Mr. Papantoniou told reporters, after a meeting with OTE directors and National Economy Ministry officials. The bill calls for a change in present legislation on privatisation and the establishment of a national telecommunications committee. Mr. Papantoniou said the bill's approval will lead to OTE's partial listing on the Athens Stock Exchange by November. Shares will be made available for public subscription within 1994, while the remaining 75 per cent will be retained by the Greek state. Foreign investors will not participate in the corporation's management, which will be retained by the state. Funds raised by the sale are expected to partially finance an OTE development program, including investments of one trillion drachma over the next five years. The National Bank of Greece together with Schroders and Credit Swiss/ First Boston will act as financial consultants.