From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 29 Nov 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, November 29, 1994 ---------------------------------------------- * EU warns Tirana of human rights obligations as it releases first part of aid * Karamanlis sends message to Berisha on Albanian national liberation day * Czech foreign minister arrives for official visit * Greece still has reservations on EU customs union with Turkey * Kranidiotis, Michaelides co-ordinate efforts on Cyprus bid to EU * Coalition leader to meet Milosevic tomorrow * OA bill submitted to parliament * PASOK executive to meet today * Christophersen optimistic on course of Greek road networks * Gov't to call for tenders for central Macedonia works * Evrytania Textiles new proprietors of Piraiki-Patraiki EU warns Tirana of human rights obligations as it releases first part of aid ----------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 29/11/1994 (ANA/G. Daratos): Greece lifted its veto on approval of the first instalment of aid to Albania yesterday when the EU Council of Foreign Ministers gave Tirana a clear warning that it must safeguard the rights of the ethnic Greek minority. In a statement last night, Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis said the approval of the aid for Albania was a goodwill gesture to the Albanian people, adding that the message of the 12 to Albania was "tough". Greece's stance was received positively by European Union ministers. German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel described the lifting of the veto as "very positive," while French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Greece's change of stance showed "open mindedness." "With its statement today, the European Union reminds Albania that it should respect the protection of democracy and the human rights," Mr. Juppe said, expressing the hope that the development "will allow Europe to proceed further". Dutch Commissioner for external affairs Hans van den Broek told reporters that "it is important that efforts are made to develop Union and Greek relations with Albania." "Greece is a very important country in the region and we are very happy to see it make a positive move," Mr. van den Broek said, adding that he hoped that Albania would respond accordingly. "The European Union attributes great significance to the process of political and financial reforms in Albania," the statement by the 12 ministers said. It said the European Union closely followed developments in Albania especially in regard to human rights. "The European Union has repeatedly called on the Albanian government to respect the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) agreements and to ensure respect of the basic rights of the Greek minority including religious and education freedoms," it said. The statement said the European Union was convinced that Albanian leniency to the five convicted members of Omonia would contribute to the improvement of Greek-Albanian relations. It added that the EU was ready to help the Albanian government speed up procedures for the necessary reform of the country's legal system so as to offer guarantees for the protection of the rights of the Greek minority. The announcement also makes a special reference to the second 20 million ECU instalment of the Community's macroeconomic assistance to Albania, saying that the decision "must be taken unanimously by the ministers, in this way securing Greece's right to veto, and also taking into consideration a Commission's report on progress made on these issues." Mr. Kranidiotis said the Greek stance was a goodwill gesture for the Albanian people and a warning for the Tirana government that it should not expect further Community assistance unless it conforms with EU positions on the issue. "The foreign ministers' statement constitutes a framework for the exercise of European Union policy on Albania," he said late yesterday. He added that the statement was binding for the whole Community and "therefore satisfactory for Greece." The main opposition New Democracy party yesterday, however, expressed reservations over the government's decision to lift objections on Community funds to Albania. The announcement said that if these moves resulted in the release of the five ethnic Greeks then it was wise for the government to lift the veto. "If, however, it is just a demonstration of goodwill, then it was an unwise move," it said. Political Spring party spokesman Akis Gerontopoulos criticised the government for "giving in". "The government's consent to the granting of financial assistance to Albania," Mr. Gerontopoulos said, "confirms the intransigence of the Berisha regime at a time when the Northern Epirots remain imprisoned, violation of human and minority rights still exists, and Archbishop Anastasios is persecuted." Mr. Gerontopoulos said the statement by the 12 was of "doubtful effectiveness" noting that it did not satisfy the Greek positions and damaged national prestige in the Balkans and in Europe. Coalition of the Left and Progress party leader Nikos Constantopoulos yesterday said he was in favour of the government's initiative to lift the veto, adding that the Greek-Albanian dispute could be resolved on the basis of dialogue in line with decisions and positions of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. Karamanlis sends message to Berisha on Albanian national liberation day ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis yesterday sent a message of congratulations to Albanian President Sali Berisha on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the neighbouring state's liberation from Nazi troops. "On the occasion of your country's national holiday... I wish to extend wishes of progress and prosperity for the Albanian people," Mr. Karamanlis said. Czech foreign minister arrives for official visit ------------------------------------------------- Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec arrived in Athens yesterday on a two-day official visit, at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias. Mr. Zieleniec was welcomed at Athens airport by Foreign Ministry Secretary General Costas Georgiou on behalf of Mr. Papoulias who was unwell. Mr. Zieleniec and Mr. Papoulias will meet this morning and delegations of the two countries will hold talks on bilateral and international issues. Earlier, Mr. Zieleniec will meet Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Anastasios Peponis and Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis. Before leaving in the evening, he will meet main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert. Greece still has reservations on EU customs union with Turkey ------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 29/11/1994 (ANA/K. Verros, M. Savva, F. Stangos): Greece continues to have general reservations over the European Union customs union with Turkey, Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis said yesterday at the end of the General Affairs Council. A change in the Greek position by December 19 -- when the EU-Turkey Association Council will convene and the date by which the German presidency of the EU wants the customs union agreement signed-- is considered difficult. Mr. Kranidiotis said the reasons for Greek reservations were primarily political as well as technical and commercial. He detailed the reasons as the policy followed by Turkey, its attitude on the Cyprus issue and human rights issues, its weakness on issues related to democracy, the lack of co-operation on the issue of 83 Greeks reported missing after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the issue of real estate belonging to Greeks in Istanbul, Ankara's threats of war in the Aegean and, generally, its lack of any compliance with established order and principles of international law. "A simple statement by the European Union is not enough. What I am interested in is what Turkey intends to do about them to justify upgrading Europe's relations with this country," Mr. Kranidiotis said. The Greek government, he said, will only seriously consider changing its stance if such claims as withdrawal of Turkish troops from occupied Cyprus territory, the liberation of Famagusta and, primarily, setting a date for an immediate start to negotiations for Cyprus' accession to the EU before the start of the inter-governmental conference are satisfied. Council President German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel told a press conference an "extensive discussion" was held on Greek reservations, adding that he would "pursue with all means at my disposal" the signing of the customs union with Turkey on December 19. Kranidiotis, Michaelides co-ordinate efforts on Cyprus bid to EU --------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 29/11/1994 (ANA/G. Daratos/CNA): Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis met with Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides Sunday night to discuss Cyprus' bid to European Union accession. The two officials met after Mr. Kranidiotis' meeting with German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and Commissioner Hans van den Broek. Mr. Kranidiotis and Mr. Michaelides briefed each other on their recent contacts on the course of Cyprus' bid for EU membership and the co-ordination of their efforts. Their exchange of views focused primarily on efforts being made on drawing up a joint proclamation to be adopted at the Essen summit and its reference to Cyprus' application for EU membership. The Cypriot foreign minister yesterday met his Portuguese counterpart Jofe Manuel Durao Barroso in Brussels. Mr. Barroso said Portugal did not believe that a solution to the Cyprus problem must be linked with the republic's application for accession to the EU. "Portugal would like to see Cyprus become part of the European family," Mr. Barroso said. Mr. Barroso reassured Mr. Michaelides that his country was firmly in favour of an EU enlargement towards the Mediterranean and stood by the Cypriot application. "My country recognises that Cyprus fulfils all the requirements and is ready to become a member of the Union," he said. The EU Commission is due to re-examine Cyprus' July 1990 application early next year. In its opinion (avis) on the Cypriot application, the Commission considered Cyprus "eligible" for entry but noted its desire to see progress towards a Cyprus settlement. The EU Council decided at its Corfu summit in Greece last June, that Cyprus and Malta would be involved in the next phase of EU enlargement. Mr. Michaelides also addressed the opening session of the joint EU-Cyprus Parliamentary Committee which started yesterday. Outlining his position, Mr. Michaelides said "the government expects that the EU Council in Essen will not only reaffirm the Corfu decision but will also give the directives to the Council of Ministers to determine a date for the start of accession negotiations." Today, Mr. Michaelides will see EU commissioners including Sir Leon Brittan and Hans van den Broek as well as the Belgian Foreign Minister Frank Vandenbroucke. Coalition leader to meet Milosevic tomorrow ------------------------------------------- Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): Coalition of the Left and Progress President Nikos Constantopoulos will visit Belgrade tomorrow to meet with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and other Serb government officials. Mr. Constantopoulos will discuss efforts for peace in the area and the prospects of inter-Balkan co-operation and the development of bilateral relations. Mr. Constantopoulos is also scheduled to visit the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) by the end of the year. OA bill submitted to parliament ------------------------------- Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): The draft bill for the restructuring of Greece's beleaguered national carrier Olympic Airways (OA) was submitted to parliament yesterday. The bill details government action on salvaging the firm which includes writing off bad debts and voluntary retirement for some of the company's 9,900 employees. The bill's first article, apart from writing off the company's debts to the Greek state, the Civil Aviation Authority (YPA) and the Greek Petroleum Company, also envisages the increase of its share capital. The Greek state is to shoulder all debts to credit institutions which had not become due until July 31, 1994, and to guarantee all loans OA will receive until December 31, 1997, up to $378 million, for the purchase of new aircraft. It will also cover the company's share capital increase amounting to 54 billion drachmas in three instalments. The European Commission approved a 545 billion drachma rescue plan submitted by the government for OA in July. The Commission approved with conditions OA's aid package, comprising loan guarantees, debt write-offs and conversions, and a capital injection between 1995 and 1997. PASOK executive to meet today ----------------------------- Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister and PASOK president Andreas Papandreou will inaugurate the sessions of the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement's Central Committee meeting today. The meeting is considered one of the most crucial in the party's history, and is taking place in the shadow of internal party problems that surfaced following the recent private dinner of four prominent party members hosted by former minister Vasso Papandreou, and various statements which ensued. Christophersen optimistic on course of Greek road networks ---------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 29/11/1994 (ANA/K. Verros, F. Stangos): European Commissioner for economic affairs Henning Christophersen said yesterday that raising funds for Greece's Inter-European Network projects would not be difficult. "It will be possible to raise funds without difficulty to finance the Greek motorway programme," Mr. Christophersen said yesterday in his introduction to the Christophersen group report on the networks. He noted that work in drawing up the Greek programme financing study had not started yet but, as funds were available from the Cohesion Fund and the Regional Fund, serious problems should not be encountered. He said there "is still some uncertainty" about the size of available private funds. "The problem is not the sum itself, but what could be done to attract private investors," he said. According to the results contained in the report to be submitted by the European Commission to the European Council in Essen December 9, out of 14 top priority programmes in the transport sector (the FORTUNE programme) financial studies for only three are complete, while two others -- of which one is the Greek programme -- are at an advanced stage. The Greek programme includes a motorway linking Patras and the Greek-Bulgarian border through Athens and Thessaloniki, and the Egnatia Road from Igoumenitsa to Alexandroupoli via Thessaloniki. Apart from transport, Inter-European Networks include the energy sector, of which a cable connection for the supply of electricity between Italy and Greece and a natural gas network in Greece, are listed as priority items. Gov't to call for tenders for central Macedonia works ----------------------------------------------------- Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): The government today has called for tenders for a project that will comprise part of the Egnatia roadway. The call is for a 7.9 kilometre two-way, six-lane motorway, in the Municipality of Ionia, about 12 kilometres from Thessaloniki, at the intersection of the national motorway linking Thessaloniki and Nea Halkidona, stretching up to the site of the Titan factory. Seven billion drachmas has been earmarked for the project under Community Support Plan II. The works should be completed in 23 months. Tenders for seven other major projects in central Macedonia, totalling 48.3 billion drachmas, will be published in the following 10 days. Regional Secretary General Nicos Zambounides said the new motorway would help decongest road traffic in Thessaloniki. Evrytania Textiles new proprietors of Piraiki-Patraiki ------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 29/11/1994 (ANA): The Evrytania Textiles Industry ABEE is the new owner of the former state-owned Piraiki-Patraiki textile mills, with a bid of 6.8 billion drachmas, Industry Minister Costas Simitis and Alternate Industry Minister Christos Rokofyllos announced yesterday. The firm will resume operations soon. Units in Patras and Halkida, storehouses in Varymbombi and Aspropirgos and their reserves will be transferred to the Evrytania Textiles Industry, which includes the participation of the Saudi Arabian Olayan group, the Vernikos group and other investors. The new investors have agreed to hire 1,150 employees, 400 in the first three months from the signing of the final transfer contracts and the rest in 12 months. The new owners will also make investments amounting to four billion drachmas and deposit a relevant letter of guarantee for two billion drachmas on the observance of the contract's terms. In an announcement yesterday, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) termed the government's decision to sell Piraiki-Patraiki a "provoca-tive act against popular feeling." "The KKE's position is that the company should stay under state control so that it can constitute the nucleus for planned intervention in the sector and contribute to the enhancement of the country's production," the announcement said.