US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke has handed Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou a letter from President Bill Clinton praising Greece for its role in contributing towards stability in the region. Mr. Holbrooke handed over the letter during a meeting with Mr. Papandreou Saturday night on the first of a two-day visit to Greece. Earlier, he had talks with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias.
Press and Mass Media Under-Secretary Telemahos Hytiris said late Saturday that the letter contains the views of the US on all the issues of the region and "speaks warmly" of Greece's role in maintaining stability. Mr. Hytiris said there was a special reference in the letter to recent improvement in Greek-Albanian relations, which President Clinton described as a positive development. Mr. Papandreou will reply to the letter during the coming week.
Replying to questions on the meeting, Mr. Hytiris said that the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) had been discussed but replied in the negative when asked if Mr. Holbrooke had undertaken a commitment to exert pressure on FYROM President Kiro Gligorov.
Asked whether pressure was being exerted on Athens for the normalisation of Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Hytiris said that at the present time Ankara was facing many problems in the greater region, adding that Greece remained firm in its positions.
In previous statements, Mr. Holbrooke voiced strong concern over a crumbling Bosnian truce as fighting between Serb and government forces has spread from the north of the country to UN-declared safe areas in Bihac and Sarajevo. "The situation in Bosnia is very grim. There has been a deterioration in the situation on the grounds and the level of violence is growing steadily. We are very, very concerned," said Mr. Holbrooke. "We are concerned that we are slipping back over the abyss again," he told reporters after talks with Mr. Papoulias.
The US official said he had not discussed the Bosnian crisis with Mr. Papoulias but would do so with other Greek officials later in the day. "Had I discussed the issue with Mr. Papoulias, I would have told him that the situation looks extremely bleak in Bosnia. In Croatia we were successful ... and the danger of war in Croatia has been avoided. That would have been a big war that would have spread rapidly through the Balkans and created instability throughout the region. But in Bosnia the situation is still very grim," Mr. Holbrooke said.
"As we speak today, (yesterday)" he continued, "we are looking towards a dangerous resumption of the violence and we do not see the way to prevent it. But with our colleagues in the Contact Group and other concerned countries, including Greece, we are engaged in active intense efforts to find a way to prevent the war from resuming at an even higher level in violence."
Although the violence never stopped in Bihac, Mr. Holbrooke said, in other parts of the region the level of violence was "a tiny fraction of what it used to be and we are concerned that we are slipping back over the abyss again".
A five-nation Contact Group, consisting of US, Russian, British, French and German envoys, is due to visit Belgrade next week in a new attempt to persuade Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic into backing their plan to end the Bosnia war. Reports say the Contact Group will offer a new variant of a proposal to ease UN sanctions on Serbia -- imposed for its role in fomenting the war in ex-Yugoslavia -- if Belgrade recognises Bosnia and Croatia.
Replying to questions on the Turkish military drive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, Mr. Holbrooke said that he did not know how effective the operation had been. "It's one of the things I hope to learn more about in Ankara when I get there in two days. We do not have an exact response from the Turkish government as to when the operation will end. As the Turkish government has said publicly that the operation will be limited in scope and duration, and we consider that an extremely important statement and we take the Turkish government at its word on that," Mr. Holbrooke said.
Mr. Papoulias said the two men had discussed "all the issues" of the region including Greek-Albanian relations, the Skopje issue and Greek-Turkish relations. He said he had thanked Mr. Holbrooke for his assistance in the normalisation of Greek-Albanian relations. The US official expressed admiration to Mr. Papoulias "for the way you have led the improvement in relations between Greece and Albania".
On the Skopje issue, Mr. Papoulias said he had reiterated Greece's positions and "underlined the intransigence of (Skopje President Kiro) Gligorov and his hesitation in coming to the negotiating table". "We also discussed Greek-Turkish relations and of course it is a common ascertainment that the Cyprus problem poisons these relations. The attainment of a lasting and just solution to the problem would alleviate Greek-Turkish relations and (enable them) to be in a different climate," Mr. Papoulias said. There were no problems in Greek-American relations, he added, noting the high level of co-operation between the two countries.
During his stay, Mr. Holbrooke had a meeting with main opposition New Democracy party vice president Ioannis Varvitsiotis. The two men met over lunch at the house of US Ambassador to Athens Thomas Niles. The lunch was attended by other government and opposition officials. Mr. Holbrooke was due to leave for Ankara yesterday.
Meanwhile, Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras referred to President Clinton's letter saying that: "It is my view that the Americans, before exerting pressure on us, should first put pressure on the Turks over what is called the Cyprus (case), over what is called the Patriarchate, over the case called Aegean and of course the case called Kurds, which has moved the international community, and I don't see why it does not move... President Clinton."
A Panhellenic conference to discuss the Cyprus problem may be held in Athens at the same time as a visit by Cyprus' National Council. Asked whether the conference would be held in Athens soon, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that "there is planning" for a visit of Cyprus' National Council to Athens, adding that "we hope it will take place in the spring". The National Council is the island republic's top advisory body on the handling of the Cyprus problem.
Mr. Venizelos underlined however that the visit of the National Council "and all similar activities" were not events which concerned only Greece and Cyprus "but a diplomatic event with a broader effect". "This is why we must always link it with international developments and the conjunctions relating to the Cyprus problem," the spokesman added.
Mr. Venizelos said that Greece and Cyprus "feel that they have a common security problem in the eastern Mediterranean and are jointly confronting the problem posed by the Turkish threat".
Greece Saturday welcomed the tone of statements by Albanian President Sali Berisha and expressed satisfaction at the manner in which he was now approaching issues. Mr. Berisha spoke of the recent improvement in Greek-Albanian relations in an exclusive interview with the ANA, released Friday.
"The climate of the statements by Mr. Berisha is indeed particularly positive and I believe that this is the climate of Greek-Albanian relations in this new phase which we have entered following Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias' visit to Tirana," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. "The Greek government also wishes to express its satisfaction at the way in which the Albanian president is now approaching things," the spokesman added.
Mr. Venizelos said that Greece's main objective was to do everything possible within the framework of bilateral contacts and international organisations to promote stability, peace and security in the greater region and particularly in the southern Balkans.
Bulgarian army chief Lieutenant-General Iliev Zakarin will pay an official visit to Greece from April 11-13 for talks with his Greek counterpart, Lieutenant-General Constantine Voulgaris, on issues of mutual interest.
During his stay, General Zakarin will also meet with the political leadership of the National Defence Ministry and the Chief of the National Defence General Staff, Admiral Christos Lymberis. The visit comes within the framework of a bilateral defence co-operation agreement signed by the defence ministers of the two countries.
Former Cyprus President Spyros Kyprianou yesterday issued a fresh appeal to the European Union and the United States to exert pressure on Turkey for a settlement of the Cyprus problem. Mr. Kyprianou is visiting Thessaloniki at the invitation of the Armenian National Committee to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of the 1915 Armenian genocide.
Asked by reporters if he foresaw a change in Turkey's stance, following reports that pressure was being put on Ankara to work towards a solution, Mr. Kyprianou replied: "I cannot say I'm optimistic about a change in the Turkish stance. Foreign diplomats and the UN believe that at some point in the near future there will be a change. I have my doubts. The Turks are never in a hurry. They have their positions and objectives. They may manoeuvre and create impressions but they do not seek to change their stance. What is needed is strong pressure (on Ankara) from the international community, and when I say international community I mean Europe and the United States."
Mr. Kyprianou described as "very important" the decision concerning the commencement of negotiations on Cyprus' accession to the European Union, stressing that it created a "favourable climate" for developments in the Cyprus problem. "I believe that everything will go smoothly," he continued. "Of course, there will be reactions from the Turkish side but it is Europe's responsibility to deal with the Turkish threats".
In statements later to the Athens News Agency, Mr. Kyprianou said there was no point in reopening a dialogue between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities on the divided island without an "in principle" agreement on basic issues, such as the issue of sovereignty, political equality, demilitarisation, human rights, the settlers and the guarantees.
Asked to comment on Turkish threats that they would incorporate the island's occupied part to Turkey in the case Cyprus entered the EU before Turkey, Mr. Kyprianou said: "I do not think that these threats should affect our cause, which, in any case, do not turn against the Cyprus Republic, but against the European Union. "Neither do I believe that these threats will be realised. When the time comes for Cyprus' accession, I believe the European Union, and perhaps the United States will not allow Turkey to proceed with anything which would threaten the Cyprus Republic.
Mr. Kyprianou said that following the Brussels agreement for the commencement of Cyprus accession talks six months after the 1996 intergovernmental conference "I would expect Europe to play a part in finding a settlement to the Cyprus problem."
Mr. Kyprianou also referred to the Cyprus-Greece common defence zone saying it was a very "positive" agreement, one that "strengthens Cyprus' defence to a great extent." He said that both agreements "reinforce Cyprus's negotiating positions significantly," adding that "stable handling would help overcome difficulties towards Cyprus's accession to the European Union.
Mr. Kyprianou is due to have separate meetings with Macedonia-Thrace Minister Constantine Triarides and Thessaloniki Mayor Constantine Kosmopoulos. He will return to Cyprus on Thursday.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos commented on Mr. Kyprianou's statement that there was no point in reopening a dialogue between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities on the divided island without an "in principle" agreement on basic issues.
"Dialogue without prior acceptance of basic prerequisites concerning the essence of the solution to the problem is dialogue devoid of content," Mr. Venizelos said. "Each time the Cyprus problem has been raised," the spokesman added, "Cyprus and Greece have declared their absolute dedication to the positions (contained in) the UN charter and their participation in UN processes".
The city of Thessaloniki joined its Armenian community yesterday in commemorating the 1915 genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by the Young Turks. "The genocide of the Armenians in 1915 was one of the worst crimes (recorded) and unfortunately the international community did not do its duty towards the people of Armenia," former Cyprus president Spyros Kyprianou said at a memorial ceremony.
Mr. Kyprianou also condemned "more recent Turkish pursuits and violation of human rights" referring to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and called on the international community to cease being just an "indifferent spectator".
The key-note speaker during the commemoration was Pantion University professor Stelios Perrakis, who spoke of "Armenia in transition from genocide to state". The event was attended Macedonia-Thrace Minister Constantine Triarides, deputies, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Constantine Cosmopoulous and other officials.
Main opposition party leader Miltiades Evert launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and the government yesterday, during a speech to his party's supporters in Florina. Mr. Evert ended a three-day tour of Kozani and Florina provinces last night.
The New Democracy leader referred to what he called Mr. Papandreou's "inability to govern" and said the government had no programme. He said the government's economic policies would lead to recession and more unemployment, that deficits would not be covered and that inflation would not fall to desired levels.
He spoke of farmers abandoning the land, which he said was a national issue, and warned that the phenomenon would lead to social unrest. "The basic condition for Greece to move forward is the support of the farmer," he said.
He said the crisis over the neighbouring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was due entirely to that state's policies, but he added that Greece' foreign policy must realise that too many "open fronts" leads to isolation.
At Ptolemaida, where he stopped before going on to Florina, he referred to the recent protests by farmers and pensioners, saying that the unrest cost the government and stressed that only dialogue was the way to overcome the crisis.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos accused Mr. Evert of trying to use the recent protests to his advantage. "Mr. Evert has tried, if not to instigate, to adopt and take advantage of social manifestations," Mr. Venizelos said. He called on Mr. Evert to stop making the same mistakes but instead, face with the appropriate seriousness the country's acute social and financial problems which have not been created by the existing government.
Asked to comment on Mr. Evert's statements that ND would soon be called to take over the administration of the country, Mr. Venizelos said: "A few months ago, Mr. Evert said that ND is a government in waiting. (It seems that) it is a government with a very long wait."
Greece has the largest number of foreign firms in Bulgaria while it is the fifth in investment capital, according to figures released by the Finance Ministry at the Money Show '95 here on Saturday. According to the figures, 573 Greek firms were operating in Bulgaria at the beginning of 1995 at a total investment of 33.1 million dollars.
Germany leads the field in investment capital in Bulgaria with 178.2 million dollars and 152 firms while Cyprus comes 11th with 2.7 million dollars and 73 firms. Turkey invested only 1.4 million dollars but has 304 firms. A total of 3,087 foreign firms are operating in Bulgaria with a total investment capital of 467.2 million dollars.
The conference heard that in regard to bilateral trade between Greece and Bulgaria, figures from Bulgaria show Greece to be its 5th largest trading partner, coming after Russia, Germany, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Italy. But the Greek National Statistics Service (ESYE) shows that Greece is Bulgaria's third largest trading partner, after Russia and Germany.
According to ESYE, Greek exports to Bulgaria reached 304 million dollars in the first six months of 1994 and imports 200 million dollars. The great increase in Bulgarian exports to Skopje (which has risen from 2.7 per cent in 1992 to 9 per cent in 1994) includes the re-export of Greek goods.
Parliamentary President Apostolos Kaklamanis on Saturday received the president and members of a delegation from the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA). Mr. Kaklamanis praised the contribution of the overseas Greek community and particularly the Greek-Americans for their projection of Greek national issues. "The strong bonds with their native land and the flame of Hellenism ... is shown in various ways, in hard, as well as peaceful times," he said.
President of AHEPA Charles Georgeson underlined the national importance of the visit. During the meeting views were exchanged on how to further strengthen ties between Greece and Greeks abroad and there was also a briefing on recent developments on national issues.
A forum of 11 Mediterranean countries meeting here over the weekend urged the European Union to redress its geopolitical balance in their favour. The forum, which comprises Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey, unanimously declared its wish "to see the European Union re-balance its development in a southerly direction."
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, representing the host country, told journalists that the 11 states would discuss concrete means of such a reorientation in an informal meeting in Tunisia in the next few months. The call comes ahead of an important conference which will bring all the Mediterranean nations together with EU member states in Barcelona in November to discuss long-term possibilities of a partnership.
Kenya's former world champion Douglas Wakiihuri won the men's race in the Sixth World Cup Marathon held in Athens yesterday, with a time of 2:12:01, just short of shattering a 26-year-old course record. His time was about a minute away from the present course record of 2:11:04. set by Briton Bill Adcock 26 years ago. Japanese runner Takahiro Sunada came in second with 2:13:16 and Italy's Davide Milesi placed third with 2:14:09.
In the women's race, Romanian women swept the board, coming in hot on the heels of record-breaker Anuta Cantuna. Placed second was her compatriot, Lidia Simon, with a time of 2:31:46, followed by a third Romanian, Cristina Pomacu, with a time of 2:32:09. Catuna will receive a 16,000 dollar prize for breaking the course record with her time of 2:31:10.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou was presented with the International Amateur Athletic Federation's (IAAF) highest award for his outstanding contribution to international athletics on Saturday. IAAF president Primo Nebiolo presented the "Golden Necklace" award to Mr. Papandreou at a ceremony at a central Athens hotel. Mr. Nebiolo was in Athens for yesterday's world marathon cup race.
Accepting the award, Mr. Papandreou said that despite the many changes since the concept of athletics became an institution in Greece in 776 BC, in the form of the Olympic Games, "athletics still inspires young people all over the world and its strength .. to unite people and countries with ties of friendship and peace remains just as great today".