From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 8 Oct 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 8, 1994 -------------------------------------------- * Greece welcomes easing of sanctions on Yugoslavia, calls on * Bosnian Serbs to be more constructive * Athens: Tension with Tirana has not led to impasse in relations * Le Monde analyses Berisha tactics * Venizelos denies Stamatis claims on FYROM name * Turkish aircraft infringe Athens FIR * Turkish military chief: 'We are no threat to anybody' * Mitsotakis: Greece, Turkey must solve problems * Kranidiotis meets with Abou on Cyprus * Arsenis meets Russian minister on arms, defence co-operation * Military to receive Greek arms in an effort to bolster state industry * Italian tanker to pay 150 million dr. before being allowed to leave port * Drachma continues its downward slide * ELTA to introduce electronic mail service * Greek-Bulgarian economic conference begins * Inflation rate marks slight increase over previous month Greece welcomes easing of sanctions on Yugoslavia, calls on Bosnian Serbs to be more constructive ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday called on Bosnian Serbs to adopt a more constructive attitude, so that the peace process based on the Contact Group proposals could be implemented. A Greek Foreign Ministry statement welcoming the easing of sanctions on rump Yugoslavia - comprising Serbia and Montenegro - as of last Wednesday, said: "The Greek government welcomes the beginning of the implementation of Security Council decision 943/94 temporarily suspending part of international sanctions imposed on Belgrade. "This significant development acknowledges positive steps taken lately by the Yugoslav government in seeking a peaceful way out of the Bosnian crisis. "The Greek government calls upon the Serbs of Bosnia to now show a constructive disposition, so that the peace process based on the Contact Group proposals can move forward. "The Greek government draws attention to the need to avoid provocations regardless of origin, at this critical stage," the statement concluded. Athens: Tension with Tirana has not led to impasse in relations --------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Athens said yesterday that Greek-Albanian relations had not reached an impasse despite Tirana sowing and maintaining tension between the two states. "There is tension, cultivated systematically by Albania, but Greek-Albanian relations have not reached an impasse," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos told reporters a day after a Tirana appeals court decided to reduce the prison terms of five ethnic Greeks convicted of espionage. Greece had called on the Albanian authorities to overturn the convictions. The five, members of the ethnic Greek political organisation Omonia, had their sentences reduced at the end of their appeal hearing for reasons of clemency. They had been tried by a lower court in August on charges of military espionage and illegal possession of arms, causing Greek-Albanian relations to plunge to an all-time low. In a recent trial by a Tirana lower court, a sixth ethnic Greek, also a member of Omonia, was convicted and imprisoned on charges of illegal possession of arms. Athens denounced the trials, calling them a "political farce" and a "parody" of justice, and called on the international community to pressure Albania to release the ethnic Greeks. "There is still time for efforts by the international community to persuade Albania to alter its stance on the issue of the five members of Omonia and improve its human and minority rights record," Mr. Venizelos said. He reiterated that by refusing to release the five on Thursday, the Tirana appeals court "seemed to be mocking the international community," while the Albanian government "missed the opportunity to de-escalate tension." Mr. Venizelos said Greece was always in favour of dialogue with Albania, but the beginning of dialogue between the two countries hinged on Albania's decision to end the harassment of the Omonia members. The Greek government has repeatedly called on Albania to release the five in order to enter talks with the neighbouring state and also lift a veto on European Union financial assistance to Albania. Greece retaliated by blocking the first part of a European Union macroeconomic assistance to Albania, in the form of a total loan worth 35 million ECU. Mr. Venizelos said the measures endorsed by Greece in a bid to pressure Albania to curb its stance on the issue continued to be enforced, but repeated government positions that closing the Greek-Albanian border was not a "counter measure" but "a measure taken in the framework of national sovereignty." Mr. Venizelos said a declaration by a so-called "Northern Epirus Liberation Front" organisation taking responsibility for the attack waged against a border conscript centre in Albania in April was "obviously another provocation (by Tirana)." Le Monde analyses Berisha tactics --------------------------------- Paris, 8/10/1994 (MPA/ANA-G.Zitouniatis): A 'Le Monde' dispatch from Tirana published yesterday says that in the event of further deterioration of relations with Greece, tension between the two states over the treatment of the Greek minority could have a devastating effect on Albania. "Already, the expulsion of tens of thousands of Albanian illegal immigrants (from Greece) in reprisal for the sentencing of five ethnic Greeks by a Tirana court has dealt an especially heavy blow to thousands of families that lived exclusively on the assistance of the expatriates," Le Monde correspondent Josi-Alain Fralon writes. "The recent crisis with Greece indicated that President Berisha - a charismatic as well as impulsive individual - may attempt a demagogic escapade, using the defence of national unity and territorial integrity as a pretext," the article continues. "The lonely manner in which Berisha acted on the crisis with Greece constitutes one of the indications for this possible escapade." Diplomatic circles in Paris interpret the critical article as a means of exercising pressure on Albania, and designed to support the latest Kinkel-Juppi initiative for a settlement of problems in the region. Press sources are also talking about a discreet turn of the French press in relation to Albania, which hitherto enjoyed the favour of France and the West in general. Venizelos denies Stamatis claims on FYROM name ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday refuted claims by Political Spring's Thessaloniki prefectural candidate Dimitris Stamatis that the government has already tacitly approved a formula for a triple name for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). "The government's positions in regard to the Skopje issue are known, have been voiced publicly and are clearly understood by all. Regarding the issue of the name, in particular, I repeat: Greece will not recognise Skopje under the name of 'Macedonia' or any of its derivatives," he said. Mr. Venizelos accused Mr. Stamatis of attempting to promote his pre-electoral presence through his statements. "Since what is said on foreign policy issues is not only, or mainly, for internal use, a little more care would not do any harm," he added. Turkish aircraft infringe Athens FIR ------------------------------------ Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Turkish aircraft infringed Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) rules in the northern Aegean on 10 occasions yesterday, press reports said. Greek combat aircraft intercepted the Turkish aircraft in all cases, the reports added. Turkish military chief: 'We are no threat to anybody' ----------------------------------------------------- Istanbul, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Turkey is not a threat to any country, Turkey's military chief said yesterday. "Greece does not hesitate to maintain, even within NATO, the view that the threat comes from the east," Chief of the Turkish National Defence General Staff Ismael Haki Karantayi told the Fifth Security and Co-operation Conference in Atalya. The official said Turkey did not expect Greece, "an ally" to hold such a view, adding that "co-operation and sincere friendship between the two states has countless benefits for universal peace as well as the happiness of the coming generations." Mitsotakis: Greece, Turkey must solve problems ---------------------------------------------- Istanbul, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Former premier Constantine Mitsotakis told Turkish reporters yesterday that Greece and Turkey "must find a solution to the problems", on his arrival here on a private visit. "We all have an obligation to solve our problems. I believe that this process is beneficial for both countries," Mr. Mitsotakis added. Kranidiotis meets with Abou on Cyprus ------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Foreign Under-Secretary for European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis and the European Union's observer on the Cyprus problem Serge Abou held a meeting yesterday in Athens to discuss developments in the Cyprus issue. Mr. Kranidiotis and Mr. Abou also discussed Cyprus' EU accession. The European Union is due to review the island republic's application for accession to the EU next January. Mr. Abou's visit to Athens is in preparation of his report to the EU Council of Ministers on the confidence-building measures in Cyprus. According to sources, Mr. Kranidiotis asked Mr. Abou to submit his report by the end of the year. He told Mr. About it was important that the report made clear which party was responsible for the impasse in the Cyprus problem. The Greek Under-Secretary reiterated to the EU observer that relations between Turkey and the European Union hinged on progress in the Cyprus problem and on an improvement in Turkey's human rights record. The sources said the Greek government will ask the Union to provide, on January 1995, a specific time schedule for a Cyprus EU accession. Arsenis meets Russian minister on arms, defence co-operation ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis yesterday held talks with Russian War Industry Minister Viktor Gluchich on issues concerning co-operation between Greece and Russia in the armaments and defence industry sectors. The meeting was attended by delegations set up by the two countries to examine prospects of specific co-operation between the two countries. It is the second such meeting in three months. Mr. Gluchich is in Greece to visit the "Defendory '94" international exhibition. Military to receive Greek arms in an effort to bolster state industry ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Greece's Armed Forces will increase supplies of Greek-made weapons to boost the state arms industry (EBO) and curb the flow of foreign exchange abroad, a senior government official said yesterday. "A programme is currently in effect whereby 100 billion drachmas in EBO supplies will be provided to the country's armed forces," Defence Under-Secretary Manolis Bendeniotis said. Speaking at the "Defendory-94" exhibition on defence systems and equipment, Mr. Bendeniotis said the state would gain 45 billion drachmas in foreign exchange from the move. He said only three per cent of EBO's production had been absorbed by the state under the former conservative government. Italian tanker to pay 150 million dr. before being allowed to leave port ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): The owners of an Italian tanker which caused a 2.5 mile long oil slick at Aspropyrgos earlier in the week has been ordered by Merchant Marine Minister George Katsifaras to submit a letter of credit for 150 million drachmas to the Elefsis port authority before being allowed to leave. "La Guardia" caused the oil slick when it ran into the refuelling dock of a refinery last Monday. The public prosecutor filed charges against the captain of the Italian tanker and a Greek pilot for being instrumental in causing the oil slick off Aspropyrgos, 12 miles west of Athens. Both men rejected the charges maintaining that the accident was due to "poor communication" between the captain and the ship's engineers. Meanwhile, the owner of the Panama-flagged tanker "Aegean Reefer" which caused pollution in the Piraeus port earlier in the week was also ordered to submit a three million drachma letter of credit in order to be allowed to set sail. Drachma continues its downward slide ------------------------------------ Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): The drachma depreciated in September against both baskets of all foreign and European currencies, according to parity indicators prepared by the Exports Research and Studies Centre (KEEM). The parity indicator for all currencies increased 0.56 per cent while the corresponding indicator for European currencies increased 0.69 per cent. The cumulative increase for all foreign currencies amounted to 4.13 per cent over the nine-month period from January to September 1994. The corresponding cumulative increase for European currencies was 5.08 per cent. Developments to date indicate that if the drachma depreciates at the same rate for the rest of the year, the cumulative depreciation of the drachma will be 5.3 per cent for all currencies and 6.4 per cent for European currencies. ELTA to introduce electronic mail service ----------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): The Hellenic Post Offices (ELTA) will introduce electronic mail services as part of their efforts to offer better services to their customers. Postal Electronic Mail (PEM) will transfer and exchange information and documents of all kinds. ELTA is looking into linking up with the European PEM network and to this end is negotiating with UNIPOST-IPC, a co-operative company of the 21 biggest postal services in the world. Greek-Bulgarian economic conference begins ------------------------------------------ Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): The present and future of Greek-Bulgarian economic and political relations were the subject of a conference organised yesterday by the Institute of International Economic Relations of the Association of Societes Anonymes and the Bulgarian Cibal Institute. Data presented by Professor Statev of Sofia University revealed that total Greek investment in Bulgaria in the 1990-94 period amounted to 22.5 million dollars, representing 3.6 per cent of total direct foreign investment, and placing Greece eighth on the list of foreign investors. Germany ranks first, with 40.6 per cent of the total. Data from Greek sources showed that Bulgaria was by far Greece's best customer in Eastern Europe - and sixth overall, after Germany, Italy, France, Britain, and the US - absorbing US301 million dollars of Greek exports in 1993. Greece ranked second as a European Union supplier of Bulgaria in the 1989-93 period, with 19.1 per cent, after Germany (34.8 per cent). This represents an impressive growth (up 340 per cent), at a time when overall EU exports declined by 19 per cent. Bulgarian exports to Greece almost tripled in the same period (up 181 per cent). Greece's trade balance with Bulgaria was US 105 million dollars in the black in 1993, revealing that trade occupied a by far more important place in the two countries economic relations than investment. There was a consensus among speakers that it was in Greece's long term interest to contribute to its neighbour's formation of closer ties with the European Union. Inflation rate marks slight increase over previous month -------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 8/10/1994 (ANA): Annual inflation was running at 11.9 per cent at the end of September as against 11.1 per cent in the previous month and 12.8 in September last year, the National Statistics Service said yesterday. The increase in inflation was the result of prices for clothing, footwear electrical and sporting goods returning to pre-sales levels, and increases in tuition fees for private schools and foreign language preparatory schools, tickets of soccer matches, hotel prices and the Hellenic Radio and TV network (ERT) charge. Foodstuffs - particularly hard cheeses, poultry, pasteurised milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and coffee - increased in price, and durable goods and household goods prices either returned to pre-sales levels or increased as in the case of cleaning materials.