From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 28 Dec 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin --------------------------- (Apo to Ellnviko Grafeio Tupou kai Plnroforiwv, Ottaba, Kavadas E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca) * Anastasios: Christmas in Albania brings 'positive climate' * Evert meets Tudjman today in Zagreb * Pottakis to succeed Peponis, takes oath today * Coalition head meets Croatian envoy * Coalition says Tirana move an 'inadequate positive' step * Ancient Greeks discovered America first, scholar says * Papathemelis hails freeing of Air-France hijacking hostages * Kalamaria mayor takes up Karadzic invitation to visit Bosnia Anastasios: Christmas in Albania brings 'positive climate' ---------------------------------------------------------- Tirana, 28/12/1994 (ANA): In an exclusive statement to the Athens News Agency (ANA), Archbishop of Tirana and all Albania Anastasios said the climate in which Christmas was celebrated in Albania this year was "positive." "Compared to problems we faced at Easter, the climate at Christmas was especially positive," he said. Archbishop Anastasios said that in Tirana and other major cities where Christians lived, the Christmas service was carried out unimpeded and with unprecedented attendance. The sole unfavourable element during the Christmas holiday was the inability to conduct services in certain towns due to the Albanian authorities' refusal to grant visas to Greek priests planning to officiate in local churches, he added. He said the shortage was partially offset by an Albanian TV broadcast of the service at Tirana Cathedral. Archbishop Anastasios stressed the importance of visits he received during Christmas by President Sali Berisha, the Socialist Party's two deputy presidents and representatives of other parties, churches and religions. "We hope this positive climate will be maintained and further improved because this contributes both to the smooth restructuring of the Church and Albania in general," he said. Referring to difficulties facing Albania, and especially concerning electric power and power cuts, he voiced the hope and appeal to neighbouring countries to help Albania tackle these problems. Meanwhile a Reuter dispatch from Tirana reported that Albanian human rights activists issued an appeal yesterday urging President Sali Berisha to free jailed opposition Socialist leader Fatos Nano. In a statement made public in Tirana the Albanian Helsinki Committee said freeing Nano would lower political tensions. The appeal followed a prison visit to Nano by delegates of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) earlier this month. The IPU, grouping legislators from parliaments around the world, called last September for Nano's release, citing what it said were irregularities in his case. It has made no public comment on its latest visit. The Helsinki Committee said there were doubts about the justice of Nano's April 1994 conviction for misappropriating state funds while he was prime minister in 1991. Nano's Socialist party is reformist heir to the communist party which ruled Albania for 45 years until March 1992. The Socialists say Berisha's ruling Democratic party perverted justice to eliminate their opponent. Nano's appeal was rejected in July and he is now serving a 12-year sentence in Tepelena prison in southern Albania. The Helsinki committee said an increasing number of Albanians considered his sentence "unfair and unfounded". "Nano's release would be a message that would serve to lower tensions, narrowing the gap which now divides political forces and creating a more relaxed and constructive atmosphere," their special statement said. Evert meets Tudjman today in Zagreb ----------------------------------- Athens, 28/12/1994 (ANA): Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert is meeting Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in Zagreb today, in the context of his mediation initiative to contribute to the resolution of the Yugoslav crisis. Mr. Evert met Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade recently. Pottakis to succeed Peponis, takes oath today --------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/12/1994 (ANA): Panhellenic Socialist Movement deputy Ioannis Pottakis will be sworn in as Minister to the Prime Minister's office today, according to a government announcement yesterday. Mr. Pottakis replaces Anastasios Peponis, who resigned from his post two weeks ago. The 55-year-old deputy was finance minister in 1983, agriculture minister in 1984, and alternate foreign minister in 1989. Coalition head meets Croatian envoy ----------------------------------- Athens, 28/12/1994 (ANA): Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Constantopoulos yesterday met Croatian ambassador Ivica Mastruco, ahead of his plans to visit Zagreb in the new year. According to an announcement, Mr. Constantopoulos said he intended to visit Zagreb as part of his programme of visits to all Balkan countries. The Croatian ambassador expressed support for the development of relations between Greece and Croatia and co-operation between them for peace in the Balkans and the Mediterranean. Coalition says Tirana move an 'inadequate positive' step -------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/12/1994 (ANA): The Coalition of the Left and Progress yesterday termed the move by Albanian President Sali Berisha to release one ethnic Greek minority member a "small and inadequate positive" step towards the democratisation of the neighbouring country and the normalisation of relations between Greece and Albania. "The continuation of this course with the encouragement and constructive contribution of all sides constitutes the sole path towards safeguarding the rights of the Greek minority, the speedy release of the remaining jailed (four) ethnic Greeks and the smooth and mutually beneficial development of relations between Greece and Albania," an announcement by the Coalition said. Ancient Greeks discovered America first, scholar says ----------------------------------------------------- Melbourne, 28/12/1994 (ANA-S. Hatzimanolis): America was first discovered not by Christopher Columbus, but by the Greeks. Physics Professor Enrico Matievic, of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, who is in Australia to promote his book 'Trip to Hades', made the claim after conducting research in archaeological finds in Peru and studying the origins of South American civilisation. He claims that the Greeks arrived in Peru 2,500 years before Columbus after sailing up the Amazon. He will give a lecture on 'Greek Mythology and pre-Hellenic contacts with South America'. Papathemelis hails freeing of Air-France hijacking hostages ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/12/1994 (ANA): Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis yesterday sent his congratulations to French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua on the success operation by French commandos to free the 170 passengers and crew held hostage at the Marseille-Marignane airport in southern France Monday. Kalamaria mayor takes up Karadzic invitation to visit Bosnia ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 28/12/1994 (ANA): Mayor Thrasyvoulos Lazaridis, of the Kalamaria municipality, Thessaloniki, is to start a three-day visit to Sarajevo and Pale in Bosnia on January 13, at the invitation of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic. Mr. Lazaridis will travel through Belgrade, and also have contacts with primates of the Orthodox Church of Serbia.