From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 20 Oct 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 20, 1994 --------------------------------------------- * Greece dismisses Albanian call to compare minority rights records * Albanian presidency * Five killed in bus accident in central Athens * Kranidiotis meets with Juppe, Lamassoure * Greece, Albania discuss Interreg/Phare crossborder co-operation * Premier to make official visit to Syria next week * Brittan urges FYROM minister to resolve problem with Athens * Mitsotakis submits memorandum to special court * Vartholomeos appeals for 'friendship' co-operation between Greece, Turkey * Coalition throws weight behind PASOK candidates in local elections * Decision expected on Spata tenders soon * OTE to join satellite mobile phone system, president says * Drachma parities Greece dismisses Albanian call to compare minority rights records ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday termed as "totally beyond the realms of reality" an announcement by the Albanian government calling for a comparison of the Greek and Albanian constitutions, supposedly to ascertain which best respects minority rights. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the announcement illustrated the Albanian government's "helplessness and need to react to an issue which is occupying the international community and occupied CSCE High Commissioner for Ethnic Minorities Max van der Stoel during his recent visit to Albania". Mr. Venizelos reiterated that Greece was "following the procedure for the drawing up of the new Albanian Constitution with the same interest shown by the international community for human rights and the principles of international law". The spokesman added that Greece did not interfere in the domestic political matters of the neighbouring country. Asked to comment on Albania's draft constitution as regards the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, the spokesman said Greece showed "a special interest to the extent that the autocephalous church of Albania serves also the needs of the Orthodox Greek minority." According to the fourth paragraph of article 7 of the draft constitution, the head of any religious community in Albania should be an Albanian citizen, have been born in Albania, and have resided there for the past 20 years. The paragraph on freedom of religious communities prompted stern reaction by the church of Albania and Archbishop Anastasios, who sent a memorandum to the Albanian leadership as well as to Mr. van der Stoel criticising it for causing "great disturbance to the church." Voicing concern, the Greek government last week said that both the issue of the election and office of the head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania exclusively concerned the Church. Albania's draft constitution has also come under attack by the country's main opposition Socialist Party which called on its supporters yesterday to vote against it in the referendum on 6 November, according to a DPA (German agency) dispatch from Tirana. In a press conference in Tirana, the vice-chairman of the party, Servet Pellumbi, charged that both the content and the procedure for the approval of the new constitution endangered democracy in Albania. Five Albanian parliamentary parties and 11 other non-parliamentary parties have joined forces in opposing the new constitution. Albanian President Sali Berisha called the popular referendum early this month after it became clear that he could not get the two-thirds majority vote in the parliament for the approval of the new constitution. Albanian presidency ------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): In another development in Tirana, CSCE Minorities Commissioner Max van der Stoel was quoted by an Albanian Presidency announcement yesterday as saying that the Albanian leadership fully complied with its obligations to the country's ethnic Greek minority according to CSCE principles. The announcement said Mr. van der Stoel was speaking during a meeting with Mr. Berisha. It said the commissioner's conclusions were based on "evidence which the CSCE Commissioner gathered during his visits (to the country) and (also based) on the results of the examination of the situation by many experts." "Mr. van der Stoel said he particularly appreciated the decision of the Albanian government, on 22 August 1994 to reinforce the educational potential of the Greek minority," the announcement added. The Albanian president expressed his satisfaction over efforts by the CSCE Commissioner to ease tensions in the region, stressing that Albania always remained open to unconditional dialogue with Greece. According to the announcement, President Berisha said the "CSCE's interest in the state of the slavo-Macedonian, Turkish and Albanian minorities in Greece, in a bid to have their rights respected and recognised, will constitute a positive contribution towards the implementation of CSCE principles and stability in the region." Meanwhile, in Brussels, European Union Commissioner Hans van den Broek yesterday said a CSCE report showed that there were no serious violations of the rights of the five ethnic Greek Albanians convicted and jailed by a Tirana court on charges of espionage and illegal arms possession. The trial by a lower court and a later appeals trial prompted stern reactions by the Greek government which denounced them as a "farce", and aimed at intimidating the ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania, estimated at 300,000 people. Greece reacted to the trials by blocking European financial assistance to Albania on the grounds of the country's failure to improve its human rights record. In a reply to Greek Euro MP Yiannis Roubatis, the commissioner said that Mr. van der Stoel, who visited the ethnic Greeks in Albania while they were in police custody, did not come up with any evidence proving that they had been maltreated by the authorities. "But the Commission has knowledge of other reports showing certain violations," Mr. van den Broek said. "The Commission follows the situation closely in relation to respect of human rights, democracy and the development of civil society in the countries of central and eastern Europe, including Albania," he said in his reply to Mr. Roubatis who had asked the European Union to intervene for the protection of the minority and to link financial assistance to Albania with the country's improvement of human rights record. Mr. van den Broek said that macroeconomic assistance to Albania would be granted following assessment of its human rights record while the treatment of the convicted ethnic Greeks will be the subject of "a close watch" and "all opportunities to remind t he Albanian authorities of their obligations to human rights issues will be exploited." Five killed in bus accident in central Athens --------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): Five people were killed and over 15 injured when a bus crashed into a crowded bus stop in central Athens yesterday, police said. The bus, which had only the driver on board, jumped onto the pavement, flattened a bus stop and plunged down a low embankment before coming to a halt. The midday crash happened while scores of people waited at the busy central bus station on the corner of Acadimias and Sina streets. Police said six people were seriously injured and were being kept in hospital. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos expressed the government's deep grief over the accident and said that a full inquiry would be launched by the authorities. Police are questioning the driver of the bus, Theodoros Politis, 54. Kranidiotis meets with Juppe, Lamassoure --------------------------------------- Paris, 20/10/1994 (ANA/J. Zitouniati): Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis yesterday had comprehensive discussions on Greek national issues and the prospects facing the European Union with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Minister for European Affairs Alain Lamassoure. On the issue of Cyprus' entry to the European Union, the French ministers avoided being committed to a timetable, giving priority to the resolution of internal EU problems, at least until the intergovernmental conference of 1996. Mr. Lamassoure, nevertheless, provided the assurance that Cyprus will be included in the next enlargement, but without tying entry to the prospects for enlargement with Central and Eastern European countries. Mr. Kranidiotis stressed that actions on the entry of Cyprus and Malta should be on a par with those for Central and Eastern European countries, and proposed a re-examination of the matter during the term of the French EU presidency starting January 1995, and the adoption of a statement at the Essen summit in December, inviting the Commission to submit proposals for a programme of entry. He added that Spain and Italy were in favour of the Greek proposal, but France had reservations. Cyprus applied officially for EU entry in 1990. Mr. Kranidiotis told reporters afterwards that he had conveyed the message that if progress was not recorded in the Cyprus issue, Greece could not lift its reservations on EU-Turkey relations. On the issue of relations with Albania, Mr. Kranidiotis said he impressed upon his interlocutors that Greece was willing to enter into dialogue with Tirana and unblock the provision of EU macroeconomic aid to that country if the five ethnic Greek Albanians recently sentenced to several years' imprisonment on charges of espionage and illegal arms possession were released. "I asked for our partners' help on this point," he said, "stressing that our reservation is not one of substance, but a policy conveying a message to Albania. The money that Albania receives from Greece through the remittances of illegal immigrants (about $200 million) is more than the first instalment of EU aid." On the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the Greek minister expressed the hope that FYROM's president Kiro Gligorov will be in a position to negotiate after the second round of national elections on Sunday. The French side estimates that the FYROM problem is easier to solve than differences with Albania, and Mr. Lamassoure said he hoped the relevant Franco-German initiative would help in this direction, describing it as "an offer for co-operation in the context of the European Union." "We are not asking anyone for anything," he said. Regarding progress in European unification, Mr. Kranidiotis said the Greek and French approaches differed in that the latter favoured a multi-speed Europe, while the former emphasised the equitable participation of all member states. Greece, Albania discuss Interreg/Phare crossborder co-operation -------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 20/10/1994 (ANA/F. Stangos): Greek National Economy Secretary General Georgios Kandalepas and Albanian Finance Under-Secretary Mr. Gerzi held talks here yesterday with European Commission officials to discuss co-operation between Greece and Albania in the framework of the Community-funded Interreg/Phare crossborder programme. By the year's end, Albania will have received a total of 20 million ECU (5.9 billion Dr) in EU funds in the framework of the programme aimed at promoting crossborder co-operation in the economic, social and technical sectors among countries of Central and Eastern Europe bordering EU states. Albania will use the funds -- which are not included in the Community's financial assistance to Tirana blocked by Greece in a bid to force Albania to improve its human and minority rights record -- to upgrade tourism and road infrastructure. Premier to make official visit to Syria next week ------------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will make an official visit to Damascus on October 24-26 at the invitation of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, an announcement said yesterday. Mr. Papandreou will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias. Brittan urges FYROM minister to resolve problem with Athens ----------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 20/10/1994 (ANA/M. Savva/F. Stangos): The European Commission is examining the possibility of granting humanitarian aid to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) but economic aid cannot be disbursed until the political deadlock in relations with Greece is resolved, talks here have determined. The conclusion resulted from talks FYROM Development Minister Sofia Todorova held with British Commissioner Leon Brittan yesterday. According to a Commission spokesman, Mr. Brittan expressed the hope that both Greece and FYROM would make every effort to resolve the political problem, adding that the European Commission can do nothing unless a solution is found. The discussion, sources said, was not extended because an initiative by the foreign ministers of Germany and France, Klaus Kinkel and Alain Juppe, is pending in the framework of the EU "troika" of Greece, Germany and France concerning a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias in November. Mitsotakis submits memorandum to special court ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): Former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis yesterday submitted a memorandum to a special court judge investigating phone-tapping charges against him. In statements to reporters afterwards, he said the charges were fabricated and politically motivated. The only prosecution witness, he said, was paid and directed to fabricate the charges on the dictates of his political and financial masters. He accused Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou of instigating the affair. An all-party special investigative committee found Mr. Mitsotakis had a case to answer in May. In June, parliament voted he should stand trial before a special court. The charges include morally instigating a scheme to tap the phones of his political rivals between 1988 and 1991, using information obtained by unlawful means, breach of faith and concealment of a crime. Vartholomeos appeals for 'friendship' co-operation between Greece, Turkey ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, yesterday appealed to Greece and Turkey to enter into dialogue and jointly contribute to peace in the region. Speaking at a luncheon on Leros on the second day of an official ten-day visit to the Dodecannese islands, Vartholomeos expressed his belief "in the necessity for gradually closer relations of friendship and co-operation between the two neighbouring countries". The Patriarch said Greece and Turkey's geographical proximity meant they "ought, must live in a spirit of brotherhood, co-operate, mutually enrich one another and jointly contribute to the consolidation of peace in the region". Vartholomeos said that this necessity was dictated by "the times, the new situation and circumstances world-wide". "The Greek and Turkish peoples, who have so many things in common as well as common traditions, should set a good example to the other peoples of the region who are facing problems," Vartholomeos said. He pointed to the recent rapprochement in Arab-Israeli relations, saying that "when we see hostile peoples extend a hand of friendship and an olive branch to one another and draw world recognition for it and (be awarded) a Nobel peace prize, (we wonder) why shouldn't this happen to us as well, living on both coasts of the Aegean." Vartholomeos was given a state welcome upon arrival in Leros, the second stop in his 10-day visit to the Dodecannese. During his stay on the island, he visited the State Psychiatric Ward and other state institutions and inaugurated the library of the Panayia of the Kastro Church. Today he is expected to arrive on Kalymnos. Vartholomeos started the first leg of his tour with a visit to Patmos and an announcement that a summit of all Orthodox leaders would take place on the Aegean island next year to mark the 1,900 anniversary of St. John's the Divine's vision of the Apocalypse, chronicled in the Book of Revelations. The Patriarch is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou on the island of Kos tomorrow after which the Consular Corps will honour the prelate at a special ceremony hosted by Honorary Italian Consul for the Dodecannese Dr. Giorgio Marcou. Vartholomeos is scheduled to visit ecclesiastical institutions on some of the 12-island grouping in the Aegean known as the Dodecannese. His itinerary after Kos includes Symi, Kastellorizo, Rhodes, Karpathos and Kassos. The 54-year-old prelate will be presented with an honorary doctorate at the Environmental College of the Aegean University on Mytilini on October 27, the day before his departure. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople at Phanar dates from the Orthodox Greek Byzantine Empire. Ethnic Greeks in Turkey, a flourishing community of an estimated 200,000 before World War II, now number less than 5,000. Coalition throws weight behind PASOK candidates in local elections ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): The Coalition of the Left and Progress Central Committee yesterday endorsed president Nikos Constantopoulos' recommendation it back PASOK-supported candidates in the second round of municipal and prefectural elections on Sunday. Speaking at the Coalition's Central Committee meeting yesterday, Mr. Constantopoulos warned that victory of New Democracy party-supported tickets, especially in Athens, would mean unfavourable developments in the functioning of the political system and local government institutions. Secretary of the Political Spring parliamentary party Stephanos Stephanopoulos recommended that party supporters vote according to conscience. He forecast that party leader Antonis Samaras would refuse to meet PASOK-supported Athens candidate Theodoros Pangalos, as the latter has asked. Meanwhile, Mr Pangalos yesterday added fat to the electoral fire, accusing his New Democracy-backed opponent Mr. Avramopoulos of including "mafia" individuals in his ticket. He added that the 40 billion drachmas promised by the prime minister for the Athens municipal authority would be disbursed for projects included in his ticket programme. Mr. Avramopoulos refused to comment on Mr. Pangalos' statements and urged the prime minister to keep his commitment for disbursement of the funds if he is elected mayor. Already elected mayor of Thessaloniki Constantine Kosmopoulos also asked for proportionate funding of the northern city. New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert castigated the prime minister for making the promise for the 40 billion drachmas, just before the crucial second round of the elections, describing it as "unacceptable and an affront to the institutions and people's intelligence". Mr. Papandreou and the government, he said, have lost their self-control, and the only thing left for them to do "is buy out consciences". PASOK Central Committee Secretary Akis Tsohatzopoulos announced that the party's election committee had decided to support, besides its own candidates, also those supported by the Coalition, the Communist party or independents participating in the second round. The complementary first round elections in 38 polling stations in Athens and 9 in Nikaia, which had been postponed due to the absence of judicial officials on Sunday, were conducted yesterday without problems. With 97.2 percent of the votes counted in Athens, Mr. Avramopoulos has received a total of 43.83 per cent, Mr. Pangalos 33.73 per cent, Coalition's Maria Damanaki 11.20 per cent, Communist party-backed Leon Avdis 6.23 per cent, and Political Spring part y candidate Andreas Lentakis 3.81 per cent. Decision expected on Spata tenders soon --------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): The Inner Cabinet is expected to convene in the next few days, possibly today, to select a contractor to build the new Athens international airport at Spata. According to reliable sources, the Major Projects Committee has unanimously accepted a proposal by the National Investment Bank for Industrial Development's Evaluation Committee to select the German Hochtief joint venture's new proposal. According to press reports, Hochtief has proposed to participate in the airport construction and management company with 180 million ECUs, with its participation at 45 per cent. The remaining 55 per cent will belong to the Greek state. In the initial offer, Hochtief had a 60 per cent stake in the company. The new tender has also reduced the period for the airport's exploitation from 50 to 30 years. OTE to join satellite mobile phone system, president says --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): The Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) will be joining the international satellite mobile telephony system, OTE president Stergios Babanassis announced yesterday. He said an OTE board of directors meeting on August 30 had decided the organisation's participation in a new subsidiary of INMARSAT (the International Maritime Satellite organisation). The subsidiary's satellite system will comprise 12 satellites orbiting at a distance of 10,000 metres above the earth, and will enable problem-free, constant communication for mobile phone users. The cost of the system is estimated at 2.6 billion dollars and, in addition to digital telephone services, will also provide facsimile, data transmission, remote paging, and location pinpointing facilities. Mr. Babanassis said OTE would be able to place the system into operation experimentally in 1997, while introduction of the finalised system was expected to begin in 1999 and be completed in the year 2000. OTE, a founding member of INMARSAT, has a 3.13 per cent interest in the international organisation whose membership numbers 75 countries throughout the world through their respective telecommunications organisations. Drachma parities ---------------- Athens, 20/10/1994 (ANA): The "International money and exchange markets, 16-30 September 1994" bulletin issued by the National Economy Ministry's General Economic Policy Department refers to interest rates and their possible increase on an international scale. Trends are interpreted as follows: The drachma parity towards the dollar was maintained substantively stable in the second half of September, the average price being 236 dr., with only slight fluctuations due to uncertainty in the international economy's assessments on developments in basic indicators of the US economy. The drachma maintained similar stability towards the German mark, closing at 152.5 dr. on 30/9/94. In light of the October elections, the economy is again maintaining a wait-and-see policy. As against the yen, the drachma sustained a slight devaluation, closing at 240.0 dr. as at 30/9/94 from 238.0 dr. on 16/5/94 while reaching 240.8 dr. on 29/9. A slight devaluation was also registered against the English pound sterling which from 369.3 dr. on 16/9/94 reached 372.8 dr. on 30/9/94 as a result primarily of the British economy's continuing dynamism and the trend towards increased interest rates. The other main European currencies (French franc and Italian lira) remained stable while the ECU increased slightly, reaching 291.5 dr. at the end of the month from 290.2 dr. on 16/9/94.