From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 8 Dec 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, December 8, 1994 --------------------------------------------- * Papandreou says Greece will veto Turkish customs union with EU, troika to meet on Friday morning * Clerides confident Corfu decision will be reaffirmed * Eurosocialists focus on EU unemployment * Venizelos interview on mass media * Arsenis: Greece needs development policy for Balkans, Mideast * Papoulias visits Greek village of Beloyiannis in Hungary * Greek MPs meet with Portuguese counterparts * Ippolyto arrives in Greece to take Volonte home * Greece, Lithuania to co-operate on tourism matters * Capital market c'tee approves operating rules Papandreou says Greece will veto Turkish customs union with EU, troika to meet on Friday morning ----------------------------------------------------------- Essen, 08/12/1994 (ANA/P. Stangos): Prime Minster Andreas Papandreou yesterday said that Greece would veto Turkey's customs union with the European Union at the Turkey-EU Association Council on December 19, saying that it was impossible for Greece to discuss the issue without Turkish commitments to resolve the Cyprus issue. He ruled out resolving the customs union issue during the Essen summit this weekend. "At this stage, it's impossible," he said after a European Socialist Group dinner in Essen last night. "Only if Turkey takes measures which could convince (us) that the Cyprus problem is heading towards a just solution, then gladly... this, of course, presupposes the consent of the Cyprus government, so it is not possible to resolve the issue here in Essen. "We, of course, will exercise our veto," he said. Tomorrow morning's meeting of the troika of European Union foreign ministers -- Germany's Klaus Kinklel, France's Alain Juppe and Greece's Karolos Papoulias -- is expected to centre on the issue of Turkey's customs union with the EU. Greece has recently expressed general reservations on the customs union for political and technical reasons. Press Under-Secretary Telemahos Hytiris said earlier yesterday that Greece had asked that the summit, in its final resolutions, "emphasise that these two countries have priority regarding their entry to the EU over other countries". Greece will also ask the summit to set a date after the 1996 intergovernmental conference for the start of entry talks for Cyprus to the EU. Diplomatic sources said that the setting of a deadline is expected to result from the relevant discussions and the 'trimming' of the final statement. The German EU presidency has drawn up a draft alternative resolution statement which has "milder options" to satisfy Greek and Portuguese objections to Turkey's customs union. The Portuguese have reservations on the union, due to the effect it will have on their textile industry. The Germans are expected to press hard for the disengagement of the Greek consent from further references to Cypriot entry, as it considers the Corfu statement that the two candidate countries will be included in the next round of enlargement as adequate. According to reliable sources, it is "very likely" that there will also be a tripartite meeting between Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and French President Francois Mitterrand, in the framework of the official dinner tomorrow night. Concerning the other Greek national policy issues that will be the subject of the Kinkel- Juppe-Papoulias meeting, Mr. Hytiris said that "there are positive indications" that Albanian President Sali Berisha will respond to Greece's recent goodwill gesture to lift the veto on the first instalment of 15 million ECU of EU macroeconomic aid to his country. Greek diplomatic sources, however, remained sceptical whether the release of the five ethnic Greeks imprisoned in Albania on charges of espionage and illegal firearms possession could be expected before Christmas. Mr. Berisha was reported as saying that the five would be released "very soon". With regard to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) issue, Mr. Hytiris said that FYROM President Kiro Gligorov appears "more irreconcilable than ever", and expressed the view that "it has become understood by our partners that pressure must be exercised on FYROM...". Clerides confident Corfu decision will be reaffirmed ---------------------------------------------------- Nicosia, 08/12/1994 (ANA/G. Leonidas): Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides yesterday expressed his confidence that the Essen European Union summit will reaffirm the Corfu decision that Cyprus and Malta will be included in the next round of enlargement. Speaking after his return from Budapest, where he took part in the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe meeting, Mr. Clerides said he did not think that a specific date for a start to negotiations with any country would be set, but there was a prospect for a discussion of the Cyprus problem because certain countries were pushing for the conclusion of Turkey's customs union with the EU, and this could not happen without Greek consent. Cyprus applied for entry in 1990. Eurosocialists focus on EU unemployment --------------------------------------- Essen, 08/12/1994 (ANA/S. Liarellis): Employment, White Paper appraisal and preparing the 1996 intergovernmental conference were the main items on the agenda of the conference of the European Socialist Party Working Group. Greek PASOK Eurodeputy Christos Papoutsis said socialist countries considered unemployment in the EU a major issue, as it was connected to the rise of xenophobia and racism. Socialist countries stood for expanding the EU by admitting central and eastern European countries, on the understanding that such admission should be counterbalanced by a corresponding number of Mediterranean countries, and a reminder of Corfu summit documents on the need to begin talks for admitting Cyprus and Malta to the EU. Meanwhile, the European Peoples' Party -- comprising EU Christian democratic parties -- will begin its summit in Brussels today, ahead of the Essen summit. New Democracy president Miltiades Evert will attend the meeting. Venizelos interview on mass media --------------------------------- Prague, 08/12/1994 (ANA): The state of mass media and the need for plurality of opinion and expression were the main topics discussed yesterday in an interview Mass Media Minister and government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos gave to the Czech daily Hospodarske Noving in Prague, where he is taking part in a conference on mass media. "The conference has many serious topics to discuss: mass media, plurality of opinion, safeguarding the press as a profession, private press conglomerations and numerous other kindred subjects which relate both to the Council of Europe and the European Union," Mr. Venizelos said. Mass media plurality exists on a large scale in Greece, he noted, together with an explosive development in private television and radio, providing special interest on such matters which form the basis of problems in a modern democracy, since mass media may also serve as a safeguard for democracy and the rule of law. On the other hand, media could sometimes be a constitutional hazard, if exercised without restraint, he cautioned. Turning to relations between the Czech republic and Greece, Mr. Venizelos said the two countries had comparable dimensions and historical experiences which had led to a mutual friendly disposition. Mr. Venizelos also emphasised the significance of Greece's being the only Balkan country enjoying a dual status as NATO and EU member in addressing issues encompassing central Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. This created an open field for developing bilateral relations at all levels, including co-operation in various bodies which served in determining the future of Europe, Mr. Venizelos stressed. Arsenis: Greece needs development policy for Balkans, Mideast ------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 08/12/1994 (ANA): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis yesterday said Greece needed a wide-ranging development policy in the Balkans and the Mideast. Speaking to over 200 northern Greek businessmen at the American Hellenic Chamber of Commerce in Thessaloniki, Mr. Arsenis said Greece could become the headquarters for a massive new regional market. "Greece can become the most potent European centre of a broader regional market including the Balkans, Black Sea countries, Eastern Europe and North Africa," he said. He advocated the need for a development policy spanning a vast horizon including Balkan and Middle East countries, with a view to projecting common geopolitical and social and financial interests and the establishment of a potent regional market by enhancing commercial and investment relations within it. He stressed the connection between foreign, defence and economic policy, and basic characteristics which should be taken into account in elaborating national and business policy. Papoulias visits Greek village of Beloyiannis in Hungary -------------------------------------------------------- Budapest, 08/12/1994 (ANA/D. Dimitrakoudis): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias visited the Greek village of Beloyiannis, 60 kilometres south west of Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday, the first Greek minister to do so. The village was founded in 1949 by political refugees fleeing Greece at the end of the civil war. The minister was given a warm welcome by the villagers, the majority of whom are of Greek origin and mayor Zisis Vlachopoulos told Mr. Papoulias of the efforts to preserve the Greek language and traditions. Mr. Papoulias arrived in Hungary on Sunday to take part in the two-day Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe summit which ended Tuesday. Greek MPs meet with Portuguese counterparts ------------------------------------------- Lisbon, 08/12/1994 (ANA): An all-party parliamentary delegation flew to Lisbon yesterday for talks with Portuguese deputies on Greek national issues. The delegation, accompanied by Greek Ambassador A. Papageorgiou, met with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Portuguese Parliament, shortly after its arrival in the capital. The Portuguese deputies renewed their support on matters relating to respect of human rights and the ethnic Greek minority in Albania, the issue of combating Skopje's adoption of Hellenic symbols and names, the need to respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and efforts to bring pressure to bear on Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to implement UN Security Council decisions on the Cyprus question. Identity of views was established on issues relating to the European Union. Ippolyto arrives in Greece to take Volonte home ----------------------------------------------- Athens, 08/12/1994 (ANA): Italian actress Angelika Ippolyto arrived in Thessaloniki yesterday to escort her husband Gian Maria Volonte back to Italy for burial. Travelling with her daughter, Ms Ippolyto immediately left for the northwest city of Florina where Volonte died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack. Volonte, 61, was found dead in his hotel after arriving Monday to participate in the filming of Greek director Theodoros Angelopoulos' new film "The Gaze of Ulysses". Dozens of fans gathered at the chapel of Florina's State General Hospital to pay tribute to the Milan-born actor who won international fame in films by Elio Petri, Francesco Rosi and for his bad guy roles in Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood. Vartholomeos meets US bishops ----------------------------- Istanbul, 08/12/1994 (ANA): Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos yesterday received Bishop Nicolaos of Amissos, the head of the US Carpathian Russian Orthodox sect, and Bishop Pangratios of Skopelos, head of the US Ukraine Orthodox Sect, at the Orthodox Holy See in the Fanar. Earlier, the Carpathian Russian mission had a working meeting with officials of the Holy Synod. Patriarch Vartholomeos also received the German Consul General in Istanbul, Christiane Geissler-Kuss. Greece, Lithuania to co-operate on tourism matters ------------------------------------------------ Athens, 08/12/1994 (ANA): Greece and Lithuania yesterday signed an agreement aimed at facilitating tourism between the two countries and encouraging co-operation between Greek and Lithuanian travel agencies and tour operators. The agreement, signed in Athens by Tourism Minister Dionysios Livanos, National Tourism Organisation of Greece (EOT) president Ioannis Stefanidis and his Lithuanian counterpart Salious Endriouska, also provides for the exchange of information and advertising material, participation in tourism exhibitions and the exchange of know-how and experience in the planning and financing of tourism projects. Under the agreement, the two countries will also work towards establishing joint enterprises and carrying out investment programmes. A joint committee will be set up to monitor implementation of the agreement. During his stay in Athens, Mr. Endriouska met with representatives of professional tourism organisations in the private sector. Capital market c'tee approves operating rules --------------------------------------------- Athens, 08/12/1994 (ANA): The Capital Market committee's board convened on Tuesday and approved proposals on the committee's internal organisation, operation and administration to be submitted for approval to the National Economy Minister in the form of a draft law. The board also decided to file a complaint against the Kriti Air S.A. company with the public prosecutor for violating legislation on conditions for accumulating public deposits. The company was also fined 10 million drachmas for violating capital market legislation.