From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 2 Dec 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, December 2, 1994 --------------------------------------------- * Greece, Israel plan joint exercises in Mediterranean after signing first-ever military co-operation agreement * Greece satisfied with NATO, US conclusion that Bosnia crisis cannot be solved militarily * Lefkada hit by two strong quakes, islanders fear further tremors * Mirage jet bursts into flames on landing * Papoulias confirms troika foreign ministers meeting December 9 * Aegean waters * Gov't to consider US request to send oil to Skopje * Ethnic Greeks at risk if Shevardnadze falls, Georgian officials says * Niotis discusses Greek minority issues with Russian ministers * Civil servants dissatisfied with Papantoniou's wage, pension increases of six per cent * Opposition * Hyatt group to build Thessaloniki casino, hotel Greece, Israel plan joint exercises in Mediterranean after signing first-ever military co-operation agreement ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tel Aviv, 02/12/1994 (ANA/G. Zarkadis): Greece and Israel will hold joint exercises in the eastern Mediterranean in the framework of a draft military co-operation agreement between the two countries, signed yesterday in Tel Aviv by Greek National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis and Israeli Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yitzhak Rabin. "The Mediterranean does not separate us but unites us," Mr. Arsenis said after signing the agreements. Mr. Arsenis is on a four-day official visit to Israel, the first ever by a Greek defence minister. Greece only recognised Israel in 1990. Mr. Rabin said the first visit by a Greek defence minister to his country opened "a new chapter in relations between the two countries". The agreement provides for joint exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, reciprocal training of officers and co-operation in the military industry sector. It was also agreed that regular and mutual briefings at both political and military level on assessing military developments in the eastern Mediterranean would be held, in the framework of promoting the Greek initiative concerning collective security agencies, which Israel has reportedly accepted. Mr. Arsenis has proposed -- most recently in meetings with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak -- creating a nuclear and chemical weapon free zone and the establishment of a mechanism for the control of armaments in the greater eastern Mediterranean region. Reciprocal visits by military committees in the coming months will shape the final form of the agreement. At their meeting, Mr. Arsenis and Mr. Rabin also discussed the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalism, adding that the fear of this form of religious extremism was shared by many Moslem countries. At a luncheon in his honour later, Mr. Arsenis hailed the "irreversible peace process" in the Middle East, saying it was worthy of imitation in the Balkans. He referred to a new era in relations between the two countries, stressing their common experiences and three "asymmetries" uniting the two in relation to their neighbours: Both are small countries with a small defensive depth in regions characterised by instability and uncertainty; they need flexible and effective armed forces; and have small economies requiring competitiveness in the international market. After stressing the contribution of the Greek and Jewish peoples to world civilisation, Mr. Rabin said "the time has come not only to resolve our problems with the Arabs but also to rebuild our relations with the peoples who have offered so much to civilisation and are nearly our neighbours." Referring to the peace process in the Middle East, Mr. Rabin said it was "slow and painful" but expressed optimism that it will come to fruition. "We are on the right path," Mr. Rabin said. Mr. Arsenis, who also visited military installations yesterday, conveyed greetings to Mr. Rabin from Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and an invitation from him to visit Greece. Mr. Arsenis' visit to Israel comes after his visit to Egypt and before his scheduled visit to Syria. In the future, he plans to visit the autonomous Palestinian region in the Gaza Strip for talks with the Palestinian leadership. In October, Mr. Arsenis said Greece would be willing to contribute to a multinational observer force on the Golan Heights if Israel withdrew from the strategic plateau, which it captured from Syria in 1967. He also said Athens was willing to mediate between Israel and Syria. The visits are aimed at promoting bilateral and primarily defence relations and collective security in the wider region. Greece satisfied with NATO, US conclusion that Bosnia crisis cannot be solved militarily ----------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 02/12/1994 (ANA/M. Savva): Greece said yesterday that it was satisfied with the United States' position on Bosnia after recent statements by US officials which rejected (Continued on page 3) (Continued from front page) a military solution to the conflict. The US position was significant in bringing the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels yesterday to unanimously agree that military solutions to the Bosnian crisis were not viable. Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias called the developments a vindication of Greek positions, "which up to now had been in the minority". He said Washington's concept of a federation between Serbia and the Bosnian Serbs was "an abandonment of the Americans' initial positions" and meant "considerable progress on a substantive part of the overall tragedy", adding that other aspects also required agreement. "The Greek government had (previously) formulated positions which are adopted by our partners now. Had they been adopted earlier, many problems would have been avoided," he said. Greece always believed that Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic "is an indispensable partner in the peace effort ... and should be considered trustworthy," he said. He said the Serbian president should be supported "because if he leaves the political stage, things will become more difficult". Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday's meeting, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel also stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the Bosnian problem. After the meeting, NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes said all the allies now shared a common goal to bring peace to former Yugoslavia, but agreed there could be "no military solution". "The crisis in Bosnia is a crisis in Bosnia, not a crisis in NATO," US Secretary of State Warren Christopher told a press conference after the meeting. Mr. Christopher brought with him plans to try to revive the Bosnian peace talks which go a long way to answering European insistence that only a diplomatic solution, not a military one, can deal with the present crisis. Earlier, Mr. Papoulias had warned that failure to attain peace in Bosnia would have adverse consequences for the whole of Europe. "Efforts must be made for peace in Bosnia, otherwise the consequences will be adverse not only for the Balkans but for all Europe," Mr. Papoulias said shortly before departing for Brussels to attend the NATO meeting. After Brussels, Mr. Papoulias will fly to Budapest to attend a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe meeting. Lefkada hit by two strong quakes, islanders fear further tremors ---------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): Inhabitants of the Ionian island of Lefkada were preparing to sleep outdoors in chilly weather last night after the island suffered two strong earthquakes yesterday, the first measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale and the second 4.9. No casualties were recorded but dozens of houses were damaged, police said. The worst hit area was the village of Kalamitsi where several houses collapsed and others were rendered uninhabitable. The village, which has twice been hit by tremors in the past 48 hours, has a population of about 350, mainly elderly people. The Athens Observatory said the first serious quake was recorded at 9:17 am, with its epicentre 290 kilometres west-northwest of Athens in the sea region west of Lefkada. The tremors have caused panic on the island, with many inhabitants spending the night outdoors. The Athens Observatory later said the second serious quake, registering 4.9, was recorded at 5:47 PM. Seismologists said they recorded scores of aftershocks after the strong morning quake. Seismologist Dimitris Papanikolaou said precautionary measures were being taken by local authorities because of the region's quake-prone history. Speaking to the ANA, seismology professor Vassilis Papazachos of the Geodynamic Institute of Thessaloniki warned that other quakes could follow and advised islanders not to enter buildings which have already been damaged. Mirage jet bursts into flames on landing ---------------------------------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): A Greek Air Force Mirage jet fighter ran off the runway and burst into flames yesterday shortly after landing at Iraklion airport in Crete. The pilot managed to escape with only slight injuries by using the escape parachute. The Mirage suffered minor damage due to the prompt action of firemen at the runway. Papoulias confirms troika foreign ministers meeting December 9 -------------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 02/12/1994 (ANA/F. Stangos): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday held bilateral meetings with his German, US and Italian counterparts on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers meeting. According to his statement at the end of the session, Mr. Papoulias confirmed that the meeting of the Community 'troika' of foreign ministers will take place on December 9, on the sidelines of the Essen European summit. The three, he said, will discuss the issues posed in the context of the Kinkel-Juppe initiative, concerning the normalisation of Greek relations with Ankara, Tirana and Skopje. In the meantime, he added, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel will meet with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) President Kiro Gligorov, who will in turn meet with UN envoy Cyrus Vance. He said there was a specific procedure for the solution of the problem which was nearing its end, but added that "we may have to include January in the waiting time". Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Martino assured Mr. Papoulias that his government was trying to smooth out Greek-Albanian differences. "We are awaiting for Tirana's response to the Greek move to release the first instalment of European Union macroeconomic aid to Albania and we are asking that the Albanian government puts an end to the hardships of the Omonia Five. Our information shows that something of the kind is afoot," Mr. Papoulias said. Referring to relations with Turkey, Mr. Papoulias said t hat "Ankara's positions are not clear", and that "recent developments are rather due to the internal crisis in Turkey". He dismissed the possibility that a smoothing out of Greek-Turkish differences could be expected from a change in Greek positions. "The Turkish government ought to put into practice what it says, but does not seem to believe," he said. Concerning the government's push for setting of a date for a start to negotiations for Cyprus' entry to the EU, Mr. Papoulias said it was "perhaps the last chance" to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. "If the process of accession of Cyprus leads to a withdrawal of Turkish occupation troops and the establishment of the rule of law in the whole of the island, then the government's aims on the issue will have been attained," he said. Aegean waters ------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said it was Greece's right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles in the Aegean, but that application of this right lay at the discretion of the government, after the NATO meeting yesterday. "This is the government's position and I believe it would be the position of any Greek government," Mr. Papoulias said, adding that he considers the case closed. "The US has understood Greece's position and does not doubt it," he added. NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes said in a press reply that "I gather Athens has made clear that it does not intend, at the moment, to take such a decision (to extend its territorial waters), and I believe that we should respect as well as use this (decision) to promote co-operation and trust between the two members of the alliance." Gov't to consider US request to send oil to Skopje -------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): The government said yesterday that it was examining a US request for permission to forward 24,000 tonnes of heating oil to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that an American company had made the request through the US embassy in Athens. The Greek government has imposed trade sanctions against FYROM in response to Skopje's continued use of the ancient Greek name of 'Macedonia' and ancient Greek symbols, as well as the inclusion of sections in the neighbouring state's constitution indicating irredentist designs against Greece. Humanitarian aid is excluded from the sanctions. Mr. Venizelos said that the oil was to be used for the heating of hospitals and schools, adding that the US request would be examined on the basis of the Greek positions on trade embargo. Ethnic Greeks at risk if Shevardnadze falls, Georgian officials says ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze's press adviser warned yesterday that the fate of the ethnic Greeks in the former Soviet republic depended on Mr. Shevardnadze remaining in power. Speaking in Thessaloniki, Vadim Anastasiadis said that if Mr. Shevardnadze was toppled "nothing could save the ethnic Greeks of Georgia. This is why the support of the Greek government should be more effective." Mr. Anastasiadis said that Mr. Shevardnadze was not satisfied with the level of Greek-Georgian relations, adding that in Tbilisi, which has a large ethnic Greek population, Greece did not have an embassy or consulate. In contrast, he added, Turkey is diplomatically represented in Georgia, joint Turkish-Georgian companies are already operating and Ankara provides economic aid to Georgia. The Georgian civil war in 1993 prompted the Greek government to undertake a rescue operation of ethnic Greeks, dubbed "Golden Fleece" in the Abkhazia region. More than a thousand ethnic Greeks were airlifted to safety and resettled in Greece, out of an estimated total of 8,000 to 10,000 ethnic Greek Pontians then living in the region. Niotis discusses Greek minority issues with Russian ministers ------------------------------------------------------------- Moscow, 02/12/1994 (ANA/D. Constantakopoulos): Foreign Under-Secretary for overseas Greeks Grigoris Niotis met yesterday with Russian Alternate Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Krylov and Under-Secretary for Ethnic Minorities Mr. Michailov, within the framework of his tour of ethnic Greek communities in southern Russia. Mr. Niotis is accompanied by a delegation. His discussion with the two Russian officials focused on the general issues of bilateral relations and problems concerning the Greek communities. He requested that the Russian government protect the properties of refugees and being repatriated ethnic Greeks. Mr. Niotis also requested a solution to the problem of issuing residence permits for the approximately 25,000 Greeks which have come to Russia from Georgia and Central Asia. The Greek delegation yesterday left for Kiev. Civil servants dissatisfied with Papantoniou's wage, pension increases of six per cent ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): Civil servants said yesterday they would suffer further losses in income after National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou announced public sector wage and pension increases of six per cent for 1995. Mr. Papantoniou said that the increase would be given in two stages, three per cent on January 1 and a further three per cent on June 30. At the end of 1995, he said, and if inflation has exceeded the government's target of seven per cent, there would be a compensatory increase. Mr. Papantoniou said that state spending for salaries and pensions in 1995 would be 11.2 per cent higher than for 1994. In a first reaction, the civil servants' federation, the Civil Servants' Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY), said that the government's incomes policy "for the sixth consecutive year, condemned workers in the public sector to a new reduction in income". "The government will be responsible for the social tension which will be created," an ADEDY statement said. Meanwhile, General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) Secretary-General Christos Protopapas yesterday came out with harsh criticism of the 1995 budget, tabled by Finance Minister Alexandros Papadopoulos in Parliament Wednesday. "The budget leads to provisions which will be painful for working people... it poses serious questions for the future of employment and social policy in Greece," he said, adding that it was in conflict with the union's basic positions on three points. The budget, he said, provided for a low growth rate in public investment, creating problems to the development of the economy and holding the danger of increasing unemployment. Its incomes policy, providing for two six-monthly three per cent increases in wages, is considered "unacceptable" by the unions. Mr. Protopapas said it will lead to new "losses in working people's real incomes", and the issue of low pensions is not tackled, as promised. The budget, he continued, leads to further cutbacks in social expenditure, with the possible exception of the health and education sectors. GSEE's counterproposals for dealing with the economic crisis centre on development policy and bolder tax reform. It has issued a general strike call in support of its positions for December 14, expected to be approved by the General Council of the confederation in its meeting tomorrow. Mr. Protopapas emphasised that unrealistic insistence on a seven per cent inflation rate forecast for next year will create serious problems for the private sector, undermining the two year agreement signed by GSEE and the Federation of Greek Industries. It is asking for a forecast in line with the real situation in the economy. Opposition ---------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): Responding to Mr. Papantoniou's announcement yesterday, main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert criticised the government for not honouring its pre-election promises, saying the "the people were suffering". "The government is untrustworthy as is the budget it tabled," Mr. Evert said. The Coalition of the Left and Progress said the decision was a "crude provocation" and would lead to a further reduction of civil servant's already "compressed incomes" and to the disorganisation of public administration. "The conscientious underestimation of anticipated inflation at 7 per cent will also undermine incomes in the private sector," it added. Referring to the budget, the Coalition, the announcement said, believes that the government's refusal to go ahead with just tax reforms and provide the economy with a developmental impetus will lead to an "intensification of one-sided austerity." Hyatt group to build Thessaloniki casino, hotel ----------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/12/1994 (ANA): Tourism Minister Dionysis Livanos yesterday announced the signing of a contract with the US consortium Hyatt International Corporation for the construction of a casino, five-star hotel and conference centre in Greece's northern capital, Thessaloniki. At a press conference attended by US Ambassador Thomas Niles and representatives of the US hotel chain, Mr. Livanos said that the contract represented an investment of 130 million dollars and provided for a 12-year operating licence for the casino and one of indefinite duration for the hotel. The hotel, which is expected to be completed during 1997 when Thessaloniki is Europe's Cultural Capital, will have a 1000-seat capacity conference hall, two swimming pools and dozens of luxury suites. Mr. Livanos said that casino and hotel project would create about 1,000 jobs in Greece's northern capital. A spokesman for Hyatt said that the casino could cater to 4,000 people daily, adding that the Greek state would collect 1.2 billion drachmas annually. Mr. Livanos said that Hyatt had deposited an advance sum of 7.8 billion drachmas to the state for the granting of the casino's operating licence.