Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said yesterday that pressure put on Greece over Turkey's relations with the EU and the Skopje issue during the two-day EU summit here had been an "orchestrated campaign" and part of a wider strategy to "reduce the importance of national governments at the altar of great power interests".
"The balances have changed in Europe following the departure of (former French president) Francois Mitterrand", the premier told the press in a round-up of the summit. "Europe will be democratic in name, but decisions will be taken by the triumvirate of major powers."
His strong remarks came after French President Jacques Chirac, presiding over his first EU summit, proposed inviting Turkey to the next EU summit in Madrid, a proposal backed by the next EU president, Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.
Mr. Papandreou rejected the proposal outright, telling EU leaders that such an act was tantamount to rewarding a country for ignoring basic human rights, invading and occupying Cyprus and its more recent incursion into Iraq, and continually threatening Greece.
Mr. Chirac also asked Greece to unilaterally lift trade sanctions on the neighbouring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, citing the dangers of destabilisation, despite a recommendation by a senior European Court adviser that the sanctions did not violate EU law.
Rejecting the demand, Mr. Papandreou said French President Jacques Chirac's position on the FYROM issue was a "provocation for Greece and myself personally." "So much for united Europe's solidarity to its members," he said sarcastically. "You cannot exert pressures on Greece over its national issues. You must exert them where necessary, namely on Skopje (FYROM)".
Mr. Papandreou linked the mooting of the FYROM issue at noon to Monday night's initiative to invite Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller to the Madrid EU summit, in what he said was a meeting dominated by the methods and options of what he characterised as a "directorate." "Fortunately the (power to) veto still exists," he said, stressing the view that ratification of customs union with Turkey would be very difficult to pass through the European Parliament.
Mr. Papandreou clarified, however, there was no question of Greece quitting the European Union. "I do not propose quitting. There is no other course to staying in the European Union, but we will have to do battle," he said. He said his response to the proposals was "angry" and the prevailing climate "very unpleasant." "I was also very tough, but on the part of Greece I felt very alien in this climate," he added.
In light of the new situation prevailing in the EU and of battles Greece will be obliged to give, Mr. Papandreou said the Greek people should be informed and the creation of the National Foreign Policy Council should be speeded up. "You are well aware of disagreements existing with (main opposition leader Miltiades) Evert and (his party) New Democracy. However, his positions on the problems I mentioned would not differ," Mr. Papandreou said, expressing the view this was also the case with other opposition parties.
Mr. Papandreou said he did not believe the country should change policy. "Are we ready to say yes to Skopje? Are we ready to pay the price? If we do these things we will find smiles and caresses. We have set a limit in our foreign policy," Mr. Papandreou said.
Referring to the positions of other leaders, Mr. Papandreou said he saw allies but that they spoke "with a low voice". "In the corridors, many (leaders) told me they agreed with my positions, but officially they did not have the possibility of exercising criticism," he revealed.
Mr. Papandreou conceded he was surprised by the role played by Mr. Gonzalez, a fellow European Socialist Party cadre, and blasted his "unprecedented insistence on meeting Ms Ciller." "I honour him for his capabilities and intellect but he has been identified with the neo-liberal position, regardless of his party's name. We are also obliged to follow a conservative treatment at home, but at least we know what we want. I very much regret that Felipe always takes a clear position against Greece," he said.
Asked whether tension between Greece and its partners had entered a new phase, Mr. Papandreou said "margins exist for battles and some victories", stressing the importance of backstage consultations, but at the same time saying he did not want to create conflict. However, Mr. Papandreou said, the summit produced certain positive aspects, both on general European issues and specific issues of major national concern.
Mr. Papandreou underlined the acceptance of the Greek request that the summit's conclusions should include the decision taken on March 6 by which "Cyprus' accession negotiations will start on the basis of Commission proposals six months after the intergovernmental conference in 1996 and after its results are taken into consideration."
He said this reiteration "confirms and seals decisions taken in Corfu and Essen." He further underscored the importance of promoting energy and telecommunications networks with western European transport networks and the role Greece could play "as an energy centre in the wider region."
The shaping of Community policy supporting small and medium-size enterprises proposed by Greece was also accepted, he added. Mr. Papandreou said the EU was briefed on general aspects of an employment programme the Greek government would announce soon and on the "successful promotion of the Greek convergence programme, progress in the Greek economy and positive prospects for our country's development course."
In Athens late last night, main opposition leader Miltiades Evert said, in a written response to Mr. Papandreou's comments in Cannes, that the government had been taken by surprise and that governments taken by surprise were dangerous for the country.
Greece yesterday strongly condemned the assassination attempt on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Ethiopia on Monday. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the government had expressed grief over the attack and its satisfaction that it was unsuccessful. He said these sentiments were conveyed to the Egyptian government and to Mr. Mubarak personally.
Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez's suggestion at Monday night's informal dinner that Turkey be invited to the next European Union summit in Madrid was made on the pretext that it would be "a show of support by Europe", backing Mr. Chirac's logic that democracy in Turkey was threatened by "Islamic fundamentalism". "We must support Turkey and (Turkish Prime Minister Tansu) Ciller at all costs," Mr. Chirac said.
Mr. Papandreou rejected Mr. Gonzalez's proposal outright and strongly criticised support for Turkey. Calling Greece's lifting of its veto on a customs union between Turkey and the European Union "a courageous action, a contribution to peace", Mr. Papandreou told the leaders: "I will not accept reaching the point of hearing here of an invitation to Turkey and Ms Ciller. Why? Maybe because it respects human rights? Maybe because it has been occupying the northern part of Cyprus for 20 years? Maybe because it is threatening Greece every day? Listen carefully: I will not allow this. Greece says no. And it will do all in its power to avert such support from Europe. "I am amazed at the cynical manner and the insensitive words heard here. What I say and what European peoples say go without a reply."
In a statement to reporters after a luncheon given for leaders attending the summit yesterday, Press Under-Secretary Telemachos Hytiris said Mr. Chirac replied: "We must be realistic. We know what human rights mean, but we must have a strategy for Turkey 's stability which must not pass into other hands."
Mr. Gonzalez, who succeeds Mr. Chirac as European Council President as of July 1, backed Mr. Chirac's call to build closer links with Turkey and said he would invite Ms Ciller on a bilateral basis to Madrid, probably at the same time as the next summit. "Since we as the European Council cannot invite Ms Ciller due to Mr. Papandreou's reaction, I will receive her as Council President for a bilateral contact," Mr. Gonzalez said.
The evidently concerted initiative by Mr. Chirac and Mr. Gonzalez was supported, according to Mr. Hytiris, by German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. However, he did not play a leading role in the discussion.
Replying to questioners, Mr. Hytiris conceded pressure was being exerted on Greece, but disagreed that Greece had been isolated in the EU. He insisted that Greece had been correct lifting its veto on Turkey's customs union with the EU.
Explaining Mr. Gonzalez's stance, Mr. Hytiris attributed it to "Spanish interests in Turkey." Mr. Chirac also raised the Skopje issue during an official lunch, yesterday, asking Greece to lift trade sanctions against Skopje, saying that Europe should protect the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from destabilisation.
Mr. Chirac termed FYROM President Kiro Gligorov "a personal friend", called for FYROM to be assisted in its development and to play a positive role in the region. According to sources, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel supported Mr. Chirac's proposal.
Rejecting the proposal, Mr. Papandreou told Mr. Chirac that a ruling was pending on the issue at the European Court, adding that the Advocate General of the European Court Francis Jacob had said that the Greek sanctions were not illegal.
"Regarding the essence of the Greek-Skopje difference," Mr. Papandreou said "the UN-brokered dialogue is continuing but no progress has been made due to the intransigence of (Skopje President Kiro) Gligorov.
Greece imposed trade sanctions as retortion measures against Skopje to force it change its name, remove ancient Greek symbols from its flag, and amend the preamble of its constitution expressing expansionist designs against Greece's province of Macedonia.
In Athens, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos, commenting on the summit, said "this was a manifestation of the well-known stance of Greece's EU partners towards Turkey, many of which support Ankara for its defence against the threat of Islamic fundamentalism".
But, Mr. Venizelos added, "no pretext justifies (Turkey's) occupation of part of Cyprus, violation of human rights and international law, and the formal and blatant threat of war against Greece". "All these serve to keep Turkey at arm's length from Europe," he said. He described as "pending" Turkey's customs union with Europe because "apart from the European Council and Council of Ministers, there are also the peoples of Europe, the European Parliament and the parliaments of the (EU) member countries".
On the other hand, Mr. Venizelos added, implementation of the decisions for Cyprus' EU membership "have already been set in motion", while Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides had been invited to, and attended, the Cannes summit.
Mr. Venizelos said the issue of EU-Turkey relations is raised at almost all summits but what was important "is the way the issue is raised."
Mr. Venizelos also criticised main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert for his statements Monday on the prime minister's handling of Greece's national issues at Cannes. On his return to Athens Monday from Cannes where he had attended the summit of the European Peoples Party, Mr. Evert called again on the prime minister to raise Greece's national issues at the summit, and accused Mr. Papandreou of "negligence."
Mr. Venizelos criticised Mr. Evert for "exercising petty opposition", describing as "inadmissible, unacceptable and reprehensible" the opposition's stance, "at a time when the prime minister is fighting a battle in Cannes (to defend) our national interests."
"Even if the government's handlings were wrong," the spokesman added, "Mr. Evert should have waited for the return of the prime minister before expressing criticism." "We," he added, "are fighting the battle (to protect) our national interests, but unfortunately, we fight this battle without the support of the opposition."
In another development, European Commissioner Hans van den Broek was quoted by Turkish newspaper Milliyet as saying that the development of EU-Turkish relations would help Turkey reinforce its stabilising role and serve as a model of a democratic and secular country for the newly-established democracies of central Asia.
Mr. van den Broek was also quoted as saying that the development of Turkish-EU relations would contribute to the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations and the settlement of the Cyprus problem.
"It is inconceivable for the government to say it was taken by surprise. It should have been prepared, everyone knew something like this would happen, and I warned of it myself about fifteen days ago," New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said in Athens yesterday. Greece now must not budge at all, he added.
ND party spokesman Vassilis Manginas said "unsuspecting and unprepared, the prime minister... was taken by surprise and reacted after the event, the result being that issues crucial for the country were dealt with in Greece's absence".
He went on to say that doubt was being cast on Greece's inalienable rights due to the government's incompetence, and that "Turkey's relations with the European Union, instead of being inexorably tied to progress on the Cyprus issue and respect for human rights, as our European partners had the obligation to do, are being promoted thanks to Mr. Papandreou's unacceptably ineffective handling. It was proved once again that Greece has neither a prime minister nor a government".
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Politburo member Orestis Kolozov said that the country's interests are not identified with those of EU powers, and asked the prime minister to reintroduce the veto on Turkey's customs union with the Union. He called on the government to ignore any such pressures whenever they arose.
In Brussels, Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras strongly criticised the intention of the Spanish EU leadership to invite Ms Ciller to the next European Union summit in December and supported the prime minister's reaction. "I hope the invitation of Turkey's prime minister will be averted. Otherwise, the European Union will no longer be the protector of human rights, but the protector of those violating them, like Turkey," he said.
Mr. Samaras, in Brussels for a series of talks with Community officials, raised the issue of human rights violations by Turkey to the leaders of the political groups of the European Parliament. "Political groups, which represent the European citizen, should remain firm and steadfast in their defence of human rights and constantly protest in all directions, countries, like Turkey, which although violating human rights have the audacity to (express desire) for accession to the European Union," he told his interlocutors.
The Coalition of the Left and Progress said in a statement released in Athens that the course of EU-Turkish relations must remain steadily tied to progress in the Cyprus dispute, the Kurdish problem, and Turkey's democratisation. The issue, it added, w as not appropriate for petty political consumption, and the government ought to undertake initiatives in the framework of the European Union.
In Brussels, Coalition Eurodeputy Alekos Alavanos said that President Chirac's initiatives concerning Turkey "trampled upon" and were "an insult to the positions of the European Parliament".
After the end of the summit, President Chirac expressed his satisfaction for the fact that "the fifteen heads of state and government, including our Greek counterpart, have committed ourselves to undertaking a campaign among Eurodeputies so that they may vote in favour of Turkey's customs union with the EU in September-October".
Diplomatic sources said later that the Greek side acquiesced and could not have expressed its official opposition to Mr. Chirac's appeal, given that Greece has signed the customs union. They said, however, that a campaign aiming to influence Eurodeputies is not a realistic prospect.
Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, asked to comment on the proposal to invite Ms Ciller to the next European Union summit in Madrid, said it had been made clear that the invitation would not be of an official character to the Turkish leadership, but there would, naturally, be a bilateral contact with Turkey. "It is very important," he said. The Spanish prime minister expressed surprise concerning Mr. Papandreou's comments about him, attributing them to a misunderstanding.
In Cannes, Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides said Mr. Papandreou's reaction to the Franco-Spanish initiative to invite Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller to the next European Union summit in Madrid was "correct and appropriate."
"Support cannot and should not be given to Turkey since it has given no indications of a change in policy on issues such as human rights, the Cyprus issue and the Kurdish issue," Mr. Clerides said.
In an interview in Cannes yesterday before a joint meeting between the 15 EU member-state leaders and the eleven invited leaders of candidate countries, Mr. Clerides expressed the view the initiative to invite Ms Ciller did not affect the prospect of Cyprus' accession course to the EU.
"The main issue preoccupying the European Union is supporting Ms Ciller inside her own country since she is not certain Turkey will join the European Union, while Cyprus is," he said. Mr. Clerides said he felt certain Cyprus would become a member of the EU before the year 2000.
Greece beat Germany 83-79 in the European basketball championship in Athens last night and secured third place in Group A to qualify for Friday's quarter-finals in which it will face the second-placed team of Group B.
Greece, which led Germany 45-43 at half-time, has scored four wins in the six-game qualifying round, losing to Yugoslavia and Lithuania. Spain last night pulled off the greatest surprise of the tournament, beating Russia 94-78 in Group B.
Yesterday's other results: Slovenia 93 - Turkey 74, Croatia 92 - Finland 77, Yugoslavia 72 - Israel 59 and Lithuania 96 - Sweden 73. Today's games are Finland - Slovenia, Italy - Sweden, Yugoslavia - Germany, Turkey - Russia, Lithuania - Israel and France - Croatia.
Lithuania is counting on Greece's support in order to become a full member of the European Union, the country's Prime Minister Adolfas Slezevicuius said in a press conference in Athens yesterday, after completing a round of contacts with President Kostis Stephanopoulos and government ministers.
Mr. Slezevicuius said his country desired a strengthening of ties with Greece at political, economic, and cultural level, in the process of becoming integrated into European organisations, including those of defence. Earlier, Greece and Lithuania signed a string of agreements expected to boost closer co-operation between the two countries while Mr. Slezevicuius and President of the Greek Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis discussed the furthering of relations between the two countries.
Mr. Slezevicuius, who headed a large Lithuanian delegation, signed a series of co-operation agreements with Greece on Monday, concerning road transport, trade and police co-operation. He expressed particular satisfaction at the state of relations between the two countries and made special mention of Lithuania's political and economic stability which can become a pole of attraction for Greek investment. He handed President Stephanopoulos an invitation by his Lithuanian counterpart Algirdas Brazauskas to visit Vilnius.
The agreements closed yesterday - forging closer ties in the fields of finance, commerce, industry and technology - were signed by National Economy Under-Secretary Ioannis Anthopoulos and Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Albinas Januska. "These agreements reflect Greece's political willingness to develop permanent ties of co-operation with Lithuania," said Mr. Anthopoulos after the signing ceremony.
Meanwhile, Mr. Slezevicuius and Mr. Kaklamanis held a meeting yesterday to discuss closer co-operation between the two countries. Both men agreed that there were great development prospects in bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields. The Lithuanian prime minister briefed Mr. Kaklamanis on the problems facing his country, while the president of the Greek Parliament said the Parliament will be ratifying without delay the agreements which are signed between the two countries.
National Economy Ministry sources said the volume of trade between the two country was limited to 1.7 million dollars during the eight month period of January-August 1994. Greek exports to Lithuania totalled $US 776,000. Imports from the Baltic state reached $US 920,000 during the eight-month period last year. Most of Greece's exports are agricultural, ceramic and furniture products.
Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos yesterday raised the issue of the Uniates, a controversial eastern-rite sect, at the beginning of talks with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, reliable sources said.
The Patriarch was said to have expressed surprise at the fact that in the Pope's Lumen Orientale circular, issued a month ago, the sect, which is mostly found in Ukraine, Transylvania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and adopts Orthodox ceremonies and robes but recognises the supremacy of the Pope, is given equal treatment under a blanket term 'Eastern Churches'.
"We shall never accept this irregular ecclesiastical regime as legal," the Patriarch was quoted as saying by the same sources, adding that "the Church of Rome has not duly appreciated the leniency which the Orthodox have shown with regard to the Uniates".
The Catholics say the sect could serve as a bridge between the two Churches, but the Orthodox claim they have used violence to take back property entrusted to them after World War II by Communist regimes. The Patriarch, in his first visit to the Vatican, is staying in St. John's Tower, where his predecessors Ioannis and Athenagoras also stayed.
A sample survey of family budget expenditures, carried out by the National Statistical Service of Greece (ESYE) between October 1993 and September 1994, shows small, but noteworthy differences in comparison with the corresponding period covering 1987-88.
The survey, released yesterday, shows that Greeks devote 70 per cent of their income on food, transport and communications, housing, water and lighting, clothing and footwear and durable household goods.
The remaining 30 per cent goes to health, education and entertainment. Compared to the 1987-88 period, the survey shows a 2.07 per cent reduction in spending on food, and a 3.71 per cent fall in the clothing and footwear category.
By contrast, there were increases of 3.11 per cent in spending on transport and communications, 1.64 per cent on housing, water, fuel and lighting, 0.59 per cent on health and personal care, and 0.41 percent on education and entertainment and leisure.
During the 1993-94 period, 24.37 per cent of spending on food went to restaurants, and 20.24 per cent on meat, 2.94 per cent less than during 1987-88. The survey also shows that 37 (39) per cent of spending occurred in urban areas, 34 (34) per cent in semi-urban areas and 29 (27) per cent in rural areas.
The state electricity companies of Greece, Romania and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have signed an agreement to expand and improve their power networks in the Balkans. The agreement calls for "assistance between the three national corporations in cases of emergency, commercial exchange in electricity and development of reliable electricity networks in Greece, Yugoslavia and Romania."
Greece's Agricultural Bank and the Yugoslavian Beobanka are expected to sign an agreement soon for the promotion of joint ventures in the sectors of agricultural products and equipment. The issue is currently under consideration in Belgrade, where an Agricultural Bank (ATE) delegation headed by General Manager George Sklavounos is holding a series of talks with politicians and economists from Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Marianovic held talks with the members of the Greek delegation on Monday and described as "very positive" plans for joint co-operation between the two banks. The agreement, expected to be signed as soon as the Greek delegation ends contacts in Serbia, will set the framework and the methods for co-operation. The delegation also held talks with Yugoslavia's Economic Chamber.