Black Sea Economic Co-operation pact foreign ministers ended their consultations at the seaside suburb of Vouliagmeni yesterday, saying that the grouping had achieved much since the decision to found it.
"In its three years of existence, the BSEC is evolving into a dynamic model of regional co-operation," Greece's Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias told the foreign ministers. He said that Greece would continue its efforts to be the link between the European Union and BSEC countries to secure necessary development funds.
Senior officials from BSEC states opened two-day consultations in the seaside suburb of Vouliagmeni on Wednesday leading up to the foreign ministers' meeting yesterday, which is chaired by Mr. Papoulias.
Greece, the only BSEC member also belonging to the European Union, currently holds the rotating BSEC presidency. Highlights of the fifth session included the decision by five Black Sea states, including Greece, to press for the lifting of sanctions against Belgrade in an attempt to curtail their economic losses.
The BSEC pact, signed in 1992, groups together Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, and observer-status countries Egypt, Israel, Poland, Slovenia and Tunisia. Austria and Italy were granted observer status during the Athens session.
Mr. Papoulias said that in the time since the last BSEC foreign ministers' meeting in Tbilisi there had been "a constantly increasing interest" among the member-countries to contribute to the development of multi-dimensional co-operation "in a practical way".
The signing of the agreement for the establishment of a Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, headquartered in Thessaloniki, reflected that interest, Mr. Papoulias said. He expressed hope that in the near future there would be more specific results and a greater yield for the BSEC. In that context, he added, and in order to improve the co-ordination for finding solutions, Greece had proposed the introduction of a 'troika' system in the BSEC along the lines of the EU and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The proposal was accepted.
"The BSEC is continually gaining greater attention from the world community and international organisations as well as the public opinion," Mr. Papoulias said, adding that prospects were opening up for greater contact with other international organisations such as the UN, UNIDO, UNESCO, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the European Union which will allocate funds to the pact's bank from the PHARE and TACIS programmes.
He said that during the Greece's presidency of the BSEC, numerous positive developments had taken place, noting that 15 meetings of working groups had been held at which specific programmes for multilateral economic co-operation were drafted. "But intensification of the member-countries' multilateral efforts will be required, in a spirit of friendship, peace, stability, solidarity, mutual confidence and sincere co-operation, to achieve the economic development and improvement of the standard of living of the peoples of the region," Mr. Papoulias added.
Describing the meeting as "especially successful" Mr. Papoulias said an international Black Sea Centre would be established to promote co-operation between academics in the region, and further the BSEC objectives in the fields of economy, industry and technology.
The meeting endorsed a Romanian initiative for a BSEC leaders summit in Bucharest in June, to be preceded by a Business Summit.
Mr. Papoulias said the meeting also adopted papers drafted by working groups for co-operation among members on a number of issues such as energy, communication, tourism, environmental protection, promotion and protection of investment, commercial and industrial co-operation, agricultural co-operation and transport. Moldova will take over the rotating presidency of the BSEC on May 1.
Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu yesterday described the Greek presidency of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC) group as "very successful" and said that the organisation had come a long way since its establishment in 1992.
Addressing the meeting of BSEC foreign ministers, Mr. Inonu also expressed satisfaction at the recent applications of Italy and Austria to be granted observer status. "This could be seen as growing interest in the increasing trend towards different forms of co-operation in our important geographical region", Mr. Inonu said.
With the establishment of the International Permanent Secretariat in Istanbul, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank in Thessaloniki and the BSEC co-ordination centre for the exchange of statistical and economic data, Mr. Inonu continued, the BSEC has created the necessary institutional bodies for its efficient operation and the attainment of its objectives as laid down in the 1992 summit declaration.
Greece, Russia and Bulgaria yesterday said they would forge ahead with the construction of a trans-Balkan oil pipeline.
"The three governments have agreed to step up efforts to construct the pipeline," Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said. He was speaking after talks with his Russian and Bulgarian counterparts on the sidelines of a Black Sea Economic Co-operation conference in Athens. Mr. Papoulias said experts from the three countries would soon meet in Moscow to sign a protocol for the 700 million dollar project.
The 300 kilometre pipeline is expected to flush an estimated 600,000 barrels of Russian oil a day or 40 million tonnes annually. Russia has offered to open a tanker route from its Novorisiik port to the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas from where the pipeline will carry the oil to Alexandroupolis, Northeast Greece.
Greece and Bulgaria in September signed an agreement for the construction of the pipeline intended to bypass the narrow and busy Bosporus Straits, where Turkey has imposed restrictions.
A similar agreement was signed between Athens and Moscow the same month as part of a co-operation protocol agreed between Mr. Papoulias and Russian president Boris Yeltsin. Greek economic officials say the deal will boost the Greek shipping industry and assist the Bulgarian economy.
The multi-million dollar project will include marine facilities 20 kilometres south of Burgas and a 3.8 million barrel capacity tank farm. Officials say Trans-Balkan Pipeline -- an international company registered in Luxembourg -- has offered to design, construct and operate the pipeline.
Companies comprising Trans-Balkan Pipeline include Russian oil an gas supplier Gazprom, Greece's Latsis group, Kopelouzos and Prometheus Gas S.A. The Greek and Bulgarian governments will be minority shareholders through state-owned oil companies DEP and Chiminport respectively, economic officials said.
President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos yesterday urged BSEC member-countries not to leave the margins for co-operation among themselves un-exploited.
"The development of co-operation among the BSEC countries will facilitate the solution of the existing problems in the region," Mr. Stephanopoulos told BSEC foreign ministers at the opening of their fifth conference.
Mr. Stephanopoulos praised former Turkish president Turgut Ozal's initiative for closer co-operation among the states of the region, and stressed that the multidimensional co-operation that exists today among those countries comprised a "historical confirmation of the old relations between them".
He called on the BSEC member-countries to face the challenges of the times and take advantage of the opportunities for specific co-operation among neighbouring countries "so that, together, they may meet the international competition in the economic sect or in a more effective manner".
He said Greece felt the need for mutual co-operation with its neighbours, believing that the necessary conditions for consolidating a closer mutual understanding and joint influence already existed. Greece, Mr. Stephanopoulos added, was the natural bridge between the EU and the BSEC.
Seven countries meeting to discuss how crippling UN sanctions on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had affected them said yesterday the embargo had cost them a total of 15 billion dollars and that they would seek compensation. Sources said senior representatives from Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Greece would state their claims in a letter to UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Russia was invited to attend the sanctions meeting, but Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev did not turn up.
Greek Foreign Ministry sources attributed Mr. Kozyrev's absence to Russia's key role in the five-nation Contact Group working to end the war in Bosnia. Although Russia is keen to end sanctions quickly, Western powers say they still need the embargo as a weapon to push Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to exert pressure on the man felt to be blocking a peace deal, Bosnian-Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.
The UN imposed sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro three years ago for fuelling the war in Bosnia.
The full text of a joint communiqui released by the foreign ministers of Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine -- not signed by Albania or Armenia -- late last night is as follows:
"The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and its serious repercussions are a cause of grave concern.
"By virtue of the geographical situation of our countries, the sanctions against FRY / Serbia and Montenegro/ have caused significant direct and indirect losses to our economies. The burden of the sanctions exceeds the reasonable point of economic and social tolerance.
"The affected countries have agreed to undertake a collective demarche to the Secretary General of the United Nations and to the UN Security Council addressing the issue of the special economic problems as a result of the sanctions against FRY /Serbia and Montenegro/. This initiative is open to other countries which may wish to join it.
"Even more, the implementation of the sanctions could have a considerable long-term negative impact on the overall political, economic, security and social situation in the affected third countries and the region as a whole.
"The affected countries express their support to the efforts of the international community and especially of the Contact Group for achieving a peaceful, just and lasting political solution to the crisis in parallel with the suspension and lifting of the sanctions."
Earlier, a top-ranking Ukrainian official said Ukraine alone had suffered four billion dollars in losses as a result of the embargo.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski criticised a Big Power proposal that Serbia recognise Bosnia's independence in exchange for some relief from the sanctions.
"We have to remember that the sanctions were imposed in a bid to stop the fighting among the parties of the Bosnian conflict and to get them negotiating," Mr. Pirinski said. "Now, the sanctions are linked to a final solution (Serbia's recognition of Bosnia)," he told the ANA.
Envoys of the five-nation Contact Group met with Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic this week in a bid to entice him with offers for partial suspension of the stiff trade embargo in return for recognition of an independent Bosnian state. But Mr. Pirinski said "no substantial discussion and results" were achieved as far as adopting a common position on the need to lift UN sanctions.
Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi said his government openly disagreed with the move. "We agree on the issue of compensation but we have a different opinion on the sanctions," he told the ANA.
Albania maintains that a solution to the war in former Yugoslavia should include a solution for Kosovo, home to some 2 million Albanians who account for almost 85 per cent of the province's population.
Turkey did not sign the letter, saying "the Bosnian issue is a serious problem... which has been handled unilaterally by the five countries which signed the joint declaration."
Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias exchanged ideas with his Albanian counterpart Alfred Serreqi on a wide spectrum of issues on the sidelines of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation foreign ministers meeting.
Mr. Papoulias said that both sides confirmed a political will for a multifaceted development of relations between Greece and Albania. He also referred to Sunday's visit to Athens by Albanian Foreign Under-Secretary Arien Starova as proof of the strengthening and supporting progress agreed during his latest visit to Tirana.
The Albanian delegation will hold talks with the Greek side on issues whose examination had recently started in Tirana.
Mr. Papoulias will meet today with his Russian counterpart Andrei Kozyrev to discuss bilateral issues. The meeting will be held at the Foreign Ministry.
Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu said last night Ankara's military operation in northern Iraq was effective in its bid to wipe out Kurdish-led terrorism but gave no date on when the incursion would end.
"There has been progress in the operation and it will soon come to an end. Our aim is not to stay there forever but to put an end to terrorism," Mr. Inonu said at a press conference at the end of the BSEC foreign ministers meeting.
Earlier, Mr. Inonu deplored a joint declaration by five nations of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation group that criticised the effects of stifling UN sanctions on rump Yugoslavia. Mr. Inonu said providing a political solution to end the Bosnian conflict was more pressing than economic compensation for neighbouring countries. "The real suffering is in the crisis area. The first thing to do is to act for the people affected in that specific area and then start considering the people living around that region," he said.
Referring to Greek-Turkish relations, he said serious talks were necessary for an improvement in relations between the two countries. He denied that his predecessor Murat Karayalcin ever stated that Turkey would annex northern Cyprus in case the island republic became a full member of the European Union. He declined to specify what countermeasures it would take in such an event.
Asked whether Cyprus' admission to the EU would facilitate a solution of the Cyprus problem, he said intercommunal negotiations were in progress under the auspices of the United Nations, and that nothing else would facilitate a solution. There was no connection between the two, he added.
Finally, he called for a lifting of Greece's trade embargo against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, because this was in the interest of the peoples and peace in the region.
Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday described as "provocative" claims by Turkish officials that Greece was providing support to terrorist groups in Turkey.
"Greece has suffered from terrorism and is particularly sensitive on the issue," Mr. Papoulias said. He was replying to questions put by a Turkish television channel reporter on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation pact in Athens.
Commenting on the Kurdish issue, Mr. Papoulias said that it was "Turkey's problem which has now become a problem for the European Union".
PASOK's Central Committee and Parliamentary Group yesterday unanimously approved Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou's proposals concerning the Organisational Conference scheduled for early June. The Executive Bureau's proposals were also endorsed, with one blank vote.
The Central Committee's Secretary Akis Tsohatzopoulos referred to a political counterattack by PASOK, and said the endorsed proposals provided a framework for dialogue and the opportunity for political processes to return to the fore. He added the party 's political function had to be strengthened so as to meet modern conditions.
All cadres without exception could and should contribute to the political dialogue that would begin in view of the conference.
Striking a discordant note, Industry Minister and Executive Bureau member Costas Simitis said new settlements concerning the Executive Bureau's charter did not improve its operation since its problem was not organisatory but exclusively political.
Mr. Simitis said the problem would not be resolved unless the political will prevailed that the Executive Bureau should be a resolute political body, close co-operation should exist between the President and the Executive Bureau and there should be no other powers parallel and superior to the Executive Bureau.
He said the cause of the present "malfunctioning" was also centralisation leading to additional powers for the leadership and the minimisation of the role and participation of those not belonging to the leading group.
PASOK deputy and Central Committee member Lambros Kanellopoulos also expressed doubts whether the present Executive Bureau could spearhead the effort to regroup the democratic socialist side. Mr. Kanellopoulos said the institution of party secretary was being "flagrantly" weakened in the general crisis, adding that the Secretary himself should be the first to realise this.
Corfu deputy George Drys said the big problems faced by both society and the party required a new structure and operation for PASOK as well as new ways of linking it to society and social organisations.
Mr. Drys said the Central Committee should change its structure and operation since its way of operation to date was "old school communist".
Former alternate foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos said opinion polls showed PASOK had lost about half its support since the last elections. He said whether a weakened PASOK was first or second party compared to the main opposition New Democracy party, which was equally deplored and shrinking, was of no great importance.
PASOK, he said, must regain the possibility of influencing the planning, control and co-ordination of the government's work and its political repercussions.
Referring to party unity, Mr. Pangalos said he wanted a big and united PASOK which would tolerate pluralism, the maintenance of minority views and the expression of trends at its conferences, adding that such a party would not be influenced by powerful centres of private interests.
Former EU Commissioner, and a prominent internal dissenter, Vasso Papandreou, said she felt vindicated because following her recent summons to the party's Ethics Committee, many more cadres, even members of the Executive Bureau, had expressed the same view as her. Despite positive facets, the government's image was on the whole negative, and its problem was not mainly organisational, but one of political guidance, she added.
Stevo Crvenkovski, foreign minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), will address a conference on eliminating nuclear armaments on Tuesday and will meet UN mediator on the FYROM issue Cyrus Vance over the weekend, diplomatic sources said.
The sources believe Mr. Crvenkovski's visit before Mr. Vance's departure, who will be absent from New York for a few days, is a mere courtesy call and no prospects were being shaped for any progress in the resumption of negotiations between Greece and FYROM.
They stressed that in his meetings with US and European senior officials, as well as with US Vice-President Al Gore and more recently with German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, FYROM President Kiro Gligorov appeared once again "very consistent in his intransigence and left no margin for backtracking."
The diplomatic circles once again ruled out the possibility of Greece accepting to lift retortion measures against FYROM immediately after a possible resumption of negotiations and before FYROM provided certain tangible exchanges and, more specifically, agreed to a change in its flag.
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos returned to Istanbul yesterday after the first-ever visit by an Ecumenical Patriarch to the Far East to address an international and inter-religions ecological conference in Tokyo.
The Patriarch represented all the Christian churches at the conference, which will reconvene in London on April 29. Vartholomeos also visited the Patriarchate of Korea, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Former Greek Deputy Police Chief Michalis Nistikakis was remanded in custody yesterday on charges of complicity in gun trafficking and terrorism, court sources said.
Mr. Nistikakis was acquitted last week of charges of antiquities smuggling due to insufficient evidence.
An Athens prosecutor ordered his detention after an 18-hour interrogation and cross-examination with former premier Constantine Mitsotakis' adviser on northern Greece issues Achilleas Kenanis and former Greek Intelligence Service (EYP) director for northern Greece, George Bissias.
Mr. Nistikakis was indicted on seven counts of criminal activities including false certification, attempted abuse of authority, direct complicity in gun trafficking and fraud against the State. He denied all charges.