From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Mon, 28 Nov 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, November 28, 1994 ---------------------------------------------- * Gov't awaits Tirana move on minority EU to send Berisha tough message * EU foreign ministers set to send clear message to Berisha on human rights * Political Spring tells Gov't to stand fast * Niotis continues tour of former Soviet bloc states * Defence Ministry denies press reports of secret agreement on Aegean * Venizelos on Evert * Czech foreign minister in Athens on official visit * Venizelos, Cassoulides agree on need for Panhellenic conference on Cyprus Gov't awaits Tirana move on minority EU to send Berisha tough message --------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/11/1994 (ANA): The government said Saturday that its stance towards Albania was dependent on Tirana's attitude and that the neighbouring republic needed to put an end to the hardships of the ethnic Greek minority. "The bill voted by the Albanian government does not satisfy our demand for an end to the hardships (of the ethnic Greek minority)," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. Mr. Venizelos was referring to a partial amnesty being prepared by Tirana. The five ethnic Greek members of the political organisation Omonia, convicted of espionage and arms possession in August, are expected to have their sentences of between five and seven years reduced under the bill. Mr. Venizelos said the amnesty move by Tirana was, however, a "small step" towards ending the hardship of the minority. An ANA dispatch from Brussels, meanwhile, reported that the European Union Council of Foreign Ministers was set to send Tirana a tough message calling on it to fully safeguard the rights of the Greek minority and to secure the release of the five ethnic Greeks jailed on charges of espionage. The statement is seen as an essential precondition for Greece to approve a first instalment of EU macroeconomic aid of 15 million ECU to Albania, a "goodwill gesture" the government of Albanian President Sali Berisha is hoped to reciprocate. Athens has repeatedly called on Tirana to release five ethnic Greeks whose conviction set off a chain of events that strained the already tense relations between Athens and Tirana, leading to Athens blocking a European Union loan of 35 million ECU to Tirana. Athens branded the trial "a parody of justice", saying it was part of Tirana's effort to intimidate the ethnic Greek minority, estimated at 300,000 by Athens and at 60,000 by Tirana. It has repeatedly called on Tirana to "right wrongs" and alleviate the suffering of the minority in an attempt to normalise relations. The Albanian parliament approved an amnesty decree late Thursday releasing 250 of 1,210 prisoners and reducing by as much as a third the terms of imprisonment of a further 450, including the five ethnic Greeks. "We believe that the Albanian government has received some messages, messages from the international community," Mr. Venizelos said. "On the basis of this spirit and this criterion (of putting an end to the hardship of the ethnic Greeks), we will move on the issue of the macroeconomic aid which will be discussed (today) at the (EU) Council of Foreign Ministers. "We are interested in something that has great significance: the rallying and the proof of European solidarity and European pressure on the Albanian government," he said. EU foreign ministers set to send clear message to Berisha on human rights ----------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 28/11/1994 (ANA/G. Daratos): The European Union Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to make a tough statement to the Albanian government when it convenes in Brussels today, calling on it to fully safeguard the education and religious rights of the Greek minority in Albania. The statement is also expected to call for the release of the five ethnic Greeks jailed on charges of espionage, further democratisation of the Albanian regime, an improvement in the human rights record and amendments to the country's penal system. The statement constitutes an essential precondition for Greece to approve a first instalment of EU macroeconomic aid of 15 million ECU to Albania. According to the statement, the second instalment of 20 million ECU will be released through a unanimous decision by member-states and provided "substantive progress" is achieved. Greece requested and achieved the issuing of the statement, which substantively defines the framework in which EU policy towards Albania will be exercised, a framework which takes into full consideration and safeguards all Greek positions concerning relations between Albania and the EU. Athens' agreement to release the first instalment is considered to be a gesture of goodwill to the Albanian people and, simultaneously, a clear message to Albanian President Sali Berisha to respond in kind. Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis was due to meet with German Foreign Minister and President of the EU Council of Ministers Klaus Kinkel last night, at Mr. Kinkel's request. Mr. Kranidiotis will meet the Belgian, Cyprus and Portuguese foreign ministers today. Political Spring tells Gov't to stand fast ------------------------------------------ Athens, 28/11/1994 (ANA): The Political Spring party Saturday called on the government not to "retreat" from its position and wait for the release of the imprisoned five ethnic Greeks before allowing EU aid to Albania. "The Greek government should not retreat from the steadfast Greek position that the release of the five is the condition for dialogue with Albania," spokesman Akis Gerontopoulos said. Referring to the issue of the lifting of Greek reservations concerning the 4th Financial Protocol and the EU customs union with Turkey, Mr. Gerontopoulos said that "at a moment when Turkey makes blackmail attempts anew, by threatening to annex the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, the Greek government appears to negotiate the EU Custom Union with Turkey and the lifting of the Greek veto for the 4th Financial Protocol for Turkey." "The Greek government should not only dismiss this logic and intensify efforts for the beginning of negotiations for the accession of Cyprus in the European Union, but should also make clear to its (EU) partners that it is not willing to bargain away EU principles," Mr. Gerontopoulos added. Meanwhile, Coalition of the Left and Progress President Nikos Constantopoulos told a party meeting Saturday that the Coalition favoured the normalisation of relations with Tirana. Niotis continues tour of former Soviet bloc states -------------------------------------------------- Anapa, Southern Russia 28/11/1994 (ANA/D. Constantakopoulos): Foreign Under-Secretary for overseas Greeks Grigoris Niotis is currently visiting the Kuban region at the head of a large Greek delegation. The delegation includes businessmen and members of local government. The group is interested in both the problems of the half to one million Greeks living in the republics of the former Soviet Union and developing economic and cultural relations in regions populated by ethnic Greeks. Before arriving here, the delegation visited Georgia where Mr. Niotis met President Eduard Shevardnadze, Foreign Minister Alexandre Shikvaidze, Patriarch Ilias II and leaders of the Greek community in Georgia. Mr. Niotis' talks in Tbilisi ascertained the excellent climate prevailing in bilateral relations and Georgia's great expectations for economic co-operation with Greece. They also focused on co-operation in managing Georgian ports and upgrading Black Sea co-operation. The Commercial Bank reached an agreement with a leading Georgian bank on establishing a joint subsidiary of the international bank with a Greek majority and management. Mr. Niotis said a Greek embassy will be established in Tbilisi in the near future, in accordance with the recent co-operation agreements signed in Athens between Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and his Georgian counterpart. Defence Ministry denies press reports of secret agreement on Aegean ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/11/1994 (ANA): The National Defence Ministry Saturday said a press report claiming Greece and Turkey had reached a secret agreement on conditions regarding the carrying out of exercises and the status governing the Aegean was "unfounded." "No agreement exists based on 'indications' or 'recommendations'. Training activities in the central Aegean (TASMO) were conducted according to schedule and there is no disagreement on these issues between the National Defence Ministry's political and military leaderships, as was reported," an announcement said. "For these reasons, the aforesaid report is categorically denied," it added. Venizelos on Evert ------------------ Athens, 28/11/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday dismissed calls by main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert for a meeting of party leaders, chaired by either the prime minister or the president of the republic, on foreign policy issues. "The country's foreign policy is being shaped within the framework of everything that has already been agreed at the (last) meeting of party leaders chaired by the President of the Republic," Mr. Venizelos said. "No new factor has surfaced which overturns these facts to necessitate a new meeting now," he said, adding that "the government has never ruled out a meeting under the chairmanship of the president of the republic, something which has occurred in the past". In an interview with the Sunday newspaper 'To Vima' yesterday, Mr. Evert expressed support for an overall agreement between political parties at a meeting of party leaders chaired by either President Constantine Karamanlis or Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Mr. Venizelos added that the prime minister was always at the disposal of party leaders and was prepared to brief them on all issues raised. Czech foreign minister in Athens on official visit -------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/11/1994 (ANA): Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec arrives in Athens today on a two-day official visit, the first such visit by an official of the Czech Republic since its independence in 1993, the Foreign Ministry announced Saturday. Mr. Zieleniec is scheduled to meet with his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias to discuss bilateral relations and current international developments. He will also meet with Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Anastasios Peponis and president of the main opposition party New Democracy Miltiades Evert. Venizelos, Cassoulides agree on need for Panhellenic conference on Cyprus ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/11/1994 (ANA): The convening of a Panhellenic conference on the Cyprus issue was a steadfast position of both the Greek and Cyprus governments, the government spokesmen of both states said yesterday. Greece's government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos and his Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis Cassoulides were speaking at a joint press conference Saturday, on the occasion of the first seminar for Greek and Cypriot press office directors abroad, which started at the Helexpo convention centre in Thessaloniki on Friday night. Mr. Venizelos said the forthcoming visit to Athens by the Cypriot National Council was "an extremely useful" precedent for the calling of such a conference. The second phase of the seminar will take place in Nicosia from today until Wednesday. Mr. Venizelos said the seminar's primary task was to brief press office directors on the course of national issues and promote Greek and Cypriot positions for international public opinion.