From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 27 Oct 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 27, 1994 --------------------------------------------- * Jordan, Israel sign historic peace pact, Papoulias hails agreement * Soysal 'zealous' statements an 'irritation', Venizelos says * Soysal: erring on the side of caution * Turkish military ready to flex muscles * Samaras in Australia: extension of territorial waters Greece's right * Greece: improved relations between Athens, Tirana dependent on Berisha * Kremastinos begins Cyprus visit * French embassy to host media premiere * Greece prepares to celebrate 54th Ohi Day * Italian president to meet with Karamanlis, premier * Flooded village receives emergency aid * Vartholomeos wraps up Dodecanese tour * Patriarchate at EU * Parliament approves first article of OTE bill * Coalition against OTE bill * Papademos sworn in as central bank governor Jordan, Israel sign historic peace pact, Papoulias hails agreement ---------------------------------------------------------------- Amman, 27/10/1994 (ANA/G. Zarkadis): The historic agreement between Israel and Jordan, putting an end to the 46-year-old state of war between the two countries, was signed yesterday at the border checkpoint of Arava. The agreement was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Jordanian counterpart Abdul-Salam al-Majali, and President Bill Clinton as a witness. Greece was represented by Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, who will also attend ceremonies in Aqaba at the invitation of the organisers. "Let us hope that Syria will also follow the example," said Mr. Papoulias, adding that Cyprus was the only other remaining "open wound" in the area. "I hope that with the help of the European Union, a solution to the Cyprus problem will be found soon." Referring to Greece's role in the Middle East, he said that "it has played, is playing, and will play a role". He stressed Greece's outstanding contribution to peace through the offer of help to the Palestinians during the Lebanon crisis in 1982. Finally, he described PLO leader Yasser Arafat's absence from yesterday's ceremony as an irony and contradiction of history. Soysal 'zealous' statements an 'irritation', Venizelos says ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday dismissed Turkish Foreign Minister Mumtaz Soysal's recent statements on Greece as "a curious artificial irritation". Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos was referring to statements by Mr. Soysal threatening Greece with war if it exercised its right to extend its territorial waters from six to twelve miles. Speaking in Thessaloniki, Mr. Venizelos accused Mr. Soysal of "excessive zeal" and making "unjustified statements" in continuously bringing up the issue of territorial waters. In an interview with the TV programme "32nd Day", Mr. Soysal said he thought "something can happen on November 16", the day an international convention on sea rights permitting countries to extend their territorial waters from six to twelve miles comes into effect. "We don't want a reckoning. We know who will win if there is one. We can whip Greece," Mr. Soysal said. Mr. Venizelos underlined that the international convention simply codified hitherto common law, "so in effect nothing changes". The spokesman said that Greece's position on the issue was "known and steadfast", as was the practice adopted by Athens. "This irritation on the part of Mr. Soysal and other (Turkish) officials may be due to domestic reasons, but the international community and Greece cannot accept such a climate of tension," Mr. Venizelos said. He accused Mr. Soysal of displaying "excessive zeal" on issues which "have run their historic course and have been repeatedly dealt with and to some extent have been stabilized." The spokesman reiterated that Greek-Turkish differences in the sense alluded to by Mr. Soysal did not exist. "There are only unilateral Turkish demands which Greece never regarded as bilateral differences. The only legal dispute is the delineation of the Aegean continental shelf and Greece's unchanging position is that this issue should be referred to the Inte rnational Court of Justice at The Hague," Mr. Venizelos said. The spokesman said that Greece was willing to participate in efforts to create a climate free of tension, "particularly artificial tension". "Greece," he added, "does not make statements, nor take action which could fuel the climate of tension and we ask the same of the other side. This should also be the stance of the Turkish foreign minister personally." Soysal: erring on the side of caution ------------------------------------- Amman, 27/10/1994 (ANA/G. Zarkadis): In further developments, Mr. Soysal told Greek reporters yesterday Turkey had no indication that Greece intended to extend its territorial waters but that "we are proceeding to make relevant statements to be on the safe side." Mr. Soysal, who is in Jordan to attend the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, said Turkey's policy on Greece's territorial waters has remained unchanged. "We have had the same policy since the '60s," Mr. Soysal said, adding that his country wants peaceful relations with all neighbouring countries, including Greece. Mr. Soysal has made repeated statements that the extension of Greece's territorial waters to 12 miles will be a cause of war (casus belli) for Turkey. Turkish military ready to flex muscles -------------------------------------- Istanbul, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Meanwhile, the Turkish armed forces are preparing a display of military might on November 16, the day the international convention on sea rights comes into effect. According to press reports, the Turkish armed forces will begin what the press has called a "massive" exercise with live ammunition in the Aegean on November 14. The exercise, codenamed "Sea Wolf 94/2", initially planned to take place in the Black Sea, has been transferred to the Aegean, the reports said, adding that the exercise anticipates repulsing attacks launched from the Greek islands and aims at studying measures to be taken to intercept Exocet missiles which have been deployed on the Greek islands. Press reports added that naval forces in the region, as well as land forces stationed on the coast of Asia Minor, are continuously receiving reinforcements while a marine battalion has been transferred from Alexandretta to Fokaia, according to a report in yesterday's edition of 'Hurriyet.' Samaras in Australia: extension of territorial waters Greece's right ----------------------------------------------------------------- Melbourne, 27/10/1994 (ANA/S. Hatzimanolis): Greece has the inalienable right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles whenever it considers fit, Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras said yesterday in an interview with an Australian-Greek community radio station. Mr. Samaras arrived in Melbourne yesterday on a visit he described as one of "respect, recognition and a tribute to expatriate Greeks for their struggles for our just positions on national issues." Referring to the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Mr. Samaras congratulated the Greek community on its actions, which resulted in both the federal Australian government and the Victorian state government adopting positions fav ourable for Greece. During his stay in Melbourne, Mr. Samaras will meet State Premier Jeff Kennett and other members of the ruling Liberal Party, Labour Party Deputy President Dimitris Dollis and other Labour MPs of Greek origin. He will also visit the Consulate and Archdiocese and meet Greek community representatives. Mr. Samaras will also visit Sydney. Greece: improved relations between Athens, Tirana dependent on Berisha --------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday that Albanian President Sali Berisha had been "exposed" in the eyes of the international community and that any improvement in relations between the two countries depended entirely on him. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos made the statement to reporters when asked whether international efforts for the release of five members of the ethnic Greek political organisation 'Omonia' would bear fruit. "Albania has domestic political problems in which we have no right and no desire to intervene and in effect the country is in a pre-election period because of the referendum on the draft constitution," Mr. Venizelos said. The spokesman added, however, that Tirana had no right "to export" its domestic problems "and it would be a fatal mistake if those problems were allowed to affect relations between Greece and Albania." Kremastinos begins Cyprus visit ------------------------------- Nicosia, 27/10/1994 (ANA/G. Leonidas/CNA): Health, Welfare and Social Security Minister Dimitrios Kremastinos arrives today to begin a four-day official visit, at the invitation of Cypriot Health Minister Manolis Christofidis. The two will hold talks to prepare a draft protocol for co-operation between the two countries in the health sector. Mr. Kremastinos will also be received by President Glafcos Clerides, Archbishop Chrysostomos, Labour and Social Security Minister Andreas Mousiouttas and Parliamentary President Alexis Galanos. French embassy to host media premiere ------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): On the occasion of a visit to Athens by Patrick Imhaus, chairman of French satellite television station TV5, the Press and Communication services of the French Embassy will host a reception on October 27 at the Music Vision Media '94 exhibition at Piraeus' Peace and Friendship Stadium. During the reception, previews will be shown of TV5's series "Reference", and specifically, the programmes on Press and Mass Media Minister Evangelos Venizelos and film directors Jules Dassin and Theodoros Angelopoulos. Greece prepares to celebrate 54th Ohi Day ----------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Ohi (No) Day celebrations will be held throughout Greece today and tomorrow. October 28 commemorates the day that Greece was dragged into World War II when it refused Mussolini's ultimatum that it surrender or be invaded. In Athens, wreaths will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by Education Minister George Papandreou and Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos. In Thessaloniki, celebrations began a day earlier with a special service at St. Dimitrios Cathedral to mark the 82nd anniversary of the city's liberation from Ottoman rule in the first Balkan war in 1912. A special ceremony was held at Aristotle University in the evening. National Defence Minister Gerassimos Arsenis represented Premier Andreas Papandreou and the government was represented by Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis, Press and Mass Media Minister Evangelos Venizelos, and Macedonia and Thrace Minister Dinos Triaridis. Italian president to meet with Karamanlis, premier -------------------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro will visit Greece on November 4-5 at the invitation of President Constantine Karamanlis. During his stay, Mr. Scalfaro will have talks with Mr. Karamanlis, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis. Flooded village receives emergency aid -------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): The inhabitants of the village of Metamorfosi, which "disappeared" in flooding after heavy rains pounded the Karditsa region over the weekend, will receive immediate emergency financial and housing aid, it was announced yesterday. The entire prefecture of Karditsa was the focus of a series of measures announced by the inter-ministerial committee set up Monday to evaluate and decide measures to assist flood-stricken regions. The measures, announced in Karditsa yesterday by head of the committee Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis, include the immediate disbursement of 200,000 drachmas to each inhabitant, free housing until a permanent soluti on is found and a grant of two million drachmas for the building of homes for each family. The committee is made up of Health Under-secretary Emmanuel Skoulakis, Agriculture Under-secretary Vasilios Vasilakakis and Interior Under-secretary Kimon Koulouris. Vartholomeos wraps up Dodecanese tour ------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Ecumenical Patriarch Vart holomeos wrapped up an eight-day tour of the Dodecanese yesterday by visiting the island of Kasos. In a farewell message to the people of the Dodecanese, the Patriarch praised the faith and devotion of the people on the Dodeca-nese islands to tradition and Orthodoxy and stressed their determination to go on living in border regions of Greece. The Patriarch assured them that the Mother Church is standing by them and bid them farewell with gratitude for everything they offered to him. Late in the afternoon, the Patriarch and the members of his entourage left for Mytilini, on the island of Lesvos, at the invitation of the University of the Aegean which will award him an honorary doctorate. Patriarchate at EU ------------------ Istanbul, 27/10/1994 (ANA): In a statement yesterday, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Ferhat Ataman said "the Patriarchate is not a legal body. There is no reason for it to create a representation at the European Union." Replying to a questioner, Mr. Ataman said Ankara had no information on the Ecumenical Patriarchate establishing a representation at the European Union. He said the Ecumenical Patriarchate is subject to Turkish laws and is restricted solely to its religious duties. "Apart from this, the Patriarchate has no legal personality. There is no reason for it to establish a representation at the European Union," he added. Asked to comment on the Patriarch's meeting with Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, Mr. Ataman said "being a Turkish citizen, the Patriarch is free to meet with any person." "The Patriarch does not have and cannot have any political treatment," Mr. Ataman said, adding that the Patriarch was not receiving any special treatment. Meanwhile, Turkey's mass-circulation newspaper "Sabah" claimed that the Patriarchate was moving towards "ecumenicalisation" and that its international personality "will be made official in mid-November." The report said such a development would harm Turkey's interests and accused the Turkish foreign ministry of inertia. Islamist intellectuals have often claimed that the Phanar wants to acquire the status enjoyed by the Vatican. Parliament approves first article of OTE bill --------------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): Parliament yesterday ratified the first article of a bill on the sale of 25 per cent of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE). The crucial article defines amendments to the organisation's charter and gives the state the right to float one-fourth of the OTE. Three deputies of the ruling socialist PASOK party -- Messrs. L. Kanellopoulos, D. Piperias and E. Argyris -- were present at the reading but refused to vote in favour of the bill. Earlier, the main opposition conservative New Democracy party had requested a roll-call vote on the specific article. Haris Kastanidis, another PASOK deputy who had expressed opposition to OTE's privatisation on Tuesday night, was absent from the vote. The article was ratified with 93 votes in favour, 34 against and three "present" votes. Coalition against OTE bill -------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): The Coalition of the Left and Progress believes that the bill on OTE's privatisation does not promote the organisation's modernisation and is against the interests of the national economy, Coalition president Nikos Constantopoulos told a press conference yesterday. He called on the government to withdraw the bill and table in its place a joint draft bill prepared by the ruling PASOK party and the Coalition in September 1993 on restoring OTE's public and social nature. Mr. Constantopoulos said the OTE bill focuses on the same revenue logic as the bill advocated by former New Democracy National Economy Minister Stefanos Manos and that it places the entire cost of privatisation on civilians with almost all revenue going to private shareholders. "If the government insists on its deadlocked policy and the bill is ratified in parliament, the Coalition will contribute to the struggles of OTE employees in every way to prevent it from being implemented in practice," Mr. Constantopoulos said. He proposed that the people should be allowed to approve or reject the bill with a referendum and called on deputies from all parties to gather the 120 signatures required for the proposal to be tabled in parliament. Papademos sworn in as central bank governor ------------------------------------------- Athens, 27/10/1994 (ANA): New governor of the Bank of Greece Lucas Papademos was sworn in yesterday in the presence of President Constantine Karamanlis. The president told the new governor that his mission was a difficult one, and he had to have the courage to resist pressures in order to protect the interests of the country. Outgoing governor Ioannis Boutos declined to make any statements, saying he would do so in future whenever he considered it appropriate. - (The Bulletin will not appear tomorrow due to the October 28 national holiday. The next issue of the Bullettin will appear on Saturday October 29.)