Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou held a meeting yesterday with UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in Athens to receive an Onassis Foundation Award. The meeting was held in the presence of Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias. Before his meeting with the premier, Mr. Boutros-Ghali and Mr. Papoulias held separate talks. Earlier in the day the UN chief held talks with President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos before attending a round-table discussion on the subject of "The United Nations toward the Year 2000."
Mr. Papoulias said Mr. Boutros-Ghali's talks with Mr. Papandreou and himself focused on Greece's relations with the United Nations, the Bosnian crisis, the Skopje problem, the Cyprus problem and Greek-Turkish relations. Commenting on the talks, Mr. Papoulias said: "there was a useful and fruitful exchange of views and ideas." Mr. Papoulias thanked Mr. Boutros-Ghali for his contribution to efforts aimed at resolving Greece's national problems.
Government Spokesman Evangelos Venizelos told reporters that all issues of Greek interest and Turkish provocations against Greece would be raised during discussions. Mr. Venizelos said Mr. Boutros-Ghali's talks with President Stephanopoulos, Premier Papandreou and Foreign Minister Papoulias would focus on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the Cyprus problem and the Turkish provocations. With regard to Turkish provocations, he said official letters had been sent to the UN Security Council.
Commenting on statements Sunday by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, Mr. Venizelos said he had reiterated "the known Turkish positions, albeit in a more moderate tone." Turkey has repeatedly warned Greece not to implement the international Law of the Sea convention which gives Athens the right to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean from six to 12 nautical miles. Turkish officials have also claimed that Greece provides support to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters, an allegation Athens has vigorously rejected.
Replying to reporters' questions on recent developments in Bosnia, Mr. Boutros-Ghali said "according to a UN mandate, we are ready if necessary to use air power with the co-operation of NATO." He said this has been decided at a Geneva meeting Saturday attended by Yasushi Akashi, the UN's special envoy in the region, and UN peacekeeping commanders Gen. Bertrand Janvier and Lt. Gen. Rupert Smith. Also present were UN mediator Thorvald Stoltenberg and High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata. "The mandate we received is to protect the various enclaves," Mr. Boutros-Ghali said.
The UN chief expressed optimism about the possibility of a settlement on the FYROM issue. "Negotiations between the UN and Athens and between the UN and Skopje are continuing. I believe that we're near to finding a solution and I hope in the interests of peace in the region that we'll be able to find a solution to this problem," Mr. Boutros-Ghali said.
On the Cyprus problem, the UN chief assured the Greek side that the UN's intention is to continue efforts for a peaceful settlement of the issue. Replying to questions on the latest incursion by Turkish troops into northern Iraq, Mr. Boutros-Ghali said "the problem is of a humanitarian nature, and for us what is important is to be able to offer necessary assistance, mainly in Iraq where we have a mandate to offer this assistance."
Mr. Boutros-Ghali thanked Greece for financial assistance it has given the UN and said relations between Athens and the international body are excellent. "I am grateful for the assistance which the UN has received from Greece and for the excellent relations existing between Greece and the UN, not only on the political level but also on the financial level. There is a common objective between Greece and the UN. Both want to solve various disputes peacefully and we believe that through dialogue and negotiations we will be able to find a peaceful solution in the different regions and that peace will prevail not only in the Balkans but also all over the world," he said.
Meanwhile, Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos was expected to present Mr. Boutros-Ghali with a golden medal of the city of Athens at a special ceremony last night. After the ceremony, Mr. Boutros-Ghali is due to attend a dinner given in his honour by t he Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation at a central Athens hotel. Today he'll be presented with the award - announced earlier this year - at a special ceremony on Pnyx Hill near the Acropolis. Mr. Boutros-Ghali will conclude his visit to Athens tomorrow and fly on to Cairo, Egypt.
Romanian President Ion Iliescu called for a political solution to the Bosnian crisis, saying he opposed formulas that were favourable to one side of the conflict at the expense of the other.
In an exclusive interview with Athens News Agency (ANA) Editor-in-Chief Gerasimos Zarkadis released yesterday, Mr. Iliescu said a solution to the Bosnian crisis could not come from the outside, but only through direct talks between the three communities "We appreciate the efforts of the international community and more recently the five-nation Contact Group in resolving the problem, but there should also be dialogue with the Bosnian Serbs, because they have more ideas for finding a solution to the problem."
Mr. Iliescu said he was opposed to "solutions of violence," which cannot contribute to resolving the problem, adding that Romania stood firm in its reservations over the efficacy of embargoes, "which is also a violent measure." He said the Yugoslav example proved "how much military conflicts complicate things." "It is easy to start a war, but it becomes increasingly difficult to stop it once you've started it," Mr. Iliescu said. Embargoes, he added, "are a source of tribulations for nations and cannot bring about a solution to a problem.
"We must always find political solutions and help conflicting sides discuss directly and openly. The international community can help advance dialogue by suggesting solutions acceptable to all, but it is not possible that we should impose solutions favourable to one side and unfavourable to the other." Mr. Iliescu said Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's policy was "very open." Noting that Mr. Milosevic has endorsed the five-nation Contact Group's Bosnian peace plan, Mr. Iliescu stressed: "The international community could have done more to increase Belgrade's political weight by altering its stance on the embargo."
Expressing his own respect for efforts of the international community and more recently those of the contact Group for a Bosnian solution, he said: "There is a solution in the context of preserving the integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in this instance, discussion should take place with all the sides - the Serbian, the Croatians and the Moslems - in order to see how such a dialogue can be organised, because it must be accepted by all," Mr. Iliescu said.
He said the constitution of the then Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina was founded on consensus among the three communities "and when this consensus was disregarded, war broke out. "We must return to this, or if that is no longer possible, we must discuss with the Serbs and examine whether we can find another solution," Mr. Iliescu said, adding: "There is an idea of establishing a federation of Moslem-Croats who will have some type of union with Croatia, and this would enable the Serbs to do the same with (the Federal Republic of) Yugoslavia. I honestly don't know. We cannot judge the three sides themselves. No one from the outside can propose the best solutions."
Commenting on the "Rapid Reaction Force" in Bosnia, Mr. Iliescu pointed out that "the dispatch of auxiliary military forces is necessary, but we do not positively assess the idea of lifting the embargo on arms, something which would aggravate the situation since an increase in armaments cannot but deteriorate the military situation. "On the other hand," he added, "it is not wise to withdraw the UN forces because this would facilitate a spreading of the hostilities."
Turning to Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC), Mr. Iliescu said the recent BSEC summit gave "a new impetus to the idea of economic co-operation of countries in the region," with positive development toward a common perception on the structure of such co-operation, following an initial three years of "adjustment." He said the summit was also the Black Sea community's response to the idea of a European Union opening toward eastern Europe.
Mr. Iliescu reiterated his country's desire to join NATO, because "after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact there was an imbalance and uncertainty among the central European countries." However, he stressed his country's opposition to the "selective treatment of the countries of the region with a priority given to the Visegrad (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) countries," saying this was "dangerous and could cause tension and suspicions in the wider region." This was why Romania welcomed a US initiative to put forward the Partnership for Peace programme as a common solution for all the countries of the region, he said. Romania was one of the first countries to accept that formula.
Asked to comment on Russia's opposition to NATO expansion in the east, Mr. Iliescu said: "We must face in a realistic manner the psychological shock of the Russians, which resulted from the loss of their status of 'superpower' after the break-up of the Soviet Union."
Mr. Iliescu expressed appreciation for Greece's support of Romania and especially in Bucharest's bid to join such international organisations as NATO, the Council of Europe and the European Union. He described Greek-Romanian relations as "wonderful," with "immense prospects for further development in the economic sector." Mr. Iliescu noted that the two countries have never had differences with each other in the past, and on the contrary, bilateral relations have always been pervaded by "friendship, solidarity and co-operation." At the same time, there was "close co-operation at political, economic and cultural level, and we have the ability to develop these relations particularly in the economic sector and to advance the idea of incorporating our region into the general develop mental process of eastern Europe."
Asked on the role played by religion in politics, Mr. Iliescu said the Romanian Orthodox Church has been instrumental in preserving the country's national identity and in its quest for independence. He said the church has also played an important role in its contacts with other Orthodox Churches and in t he dialogue among churches. However, he added, there was a "negative side to the issue of religion, that of fundamentalism, which I believe aggravates the tensions and conflicts in various parts of the world." "The churches can play a key role in reducing the negative influence of fundamentalism, wherever it originates from," Mr. Iliescu said.
Commenting on Romanian relations with Russia, Mr. Iliescu said he desired good relations with Moscow "despite the historical fact of the seizure of territories by Russia," and referred to the "independent Romanian state, the Republic of Moldova, in which the majority of inhabitants are Romanian. "In politics, we must be realists," he said, adding that Romania "accepts the reality of the borders." Mr. Iliescu called, however, for respect of the rights of the Romanians of Moldova and described as "positive and necessary for the confirmation of Moldova's sovereignty" the withdrawal of the Russian troops. "Of course, this is a matter that directly concerns Russia and Moldova, but we care about the respect of the rights of an independent state," Mr. Iliescu said.
Asked whether following a recent joint military exercise of Romanian, Bulgarian, Albanian and Greek forces in the southern Peloponnese, Romania would be willing to participate in an upgrading of Balkan defence at a meeting of defence ministers of those countries, Mr. Iliescu said: "There are many proposals for military defence co-operation and we have tabled in Parliament a proposal for joint exercises on Romanian territory and in the Black Sea in the context of the Partnership for Peace, with the participation of various countries of the region or NATO member states." He added that military forces from Romania would take part in exercises in the United States, Germany and other countries.
Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert put forth his party's positions yesterday on a draft bill introduced by the government concerning the establishment of national inter-party committees. Mr. Evert underlined what he said was a "lack of long-term foreign policy and strategy," and also criticised the government on its handling of foreign policy issues, the Turkey-EU customs union and Turkish threats among others.
"New Democracy is particularly worried about the government's ineffective handling of foreign policy issues, from a lack of consistency and continuity in its application; from a lack of any long-term planning and a lack of a national vision," he added. Mr. Evert stressed the need for establishing a National Foreign Policy Council (ESEP) as well as the appointment of a permanent foreign Under-Secretary.
According to Mr. Evert, ESEP's responsibilities will include the study of issues assigned by a political leaders' council, recommendations regarding formulation of a broadly accepted national foreign policy, co-ordination of jointly decided action by the parties on foreign policy issues and assignment of relevant issues to special research centres and university departments.
Industry and commerce representatives reached a "gentlemen's agreement" yesterday in an effort to combat phenomena such as food adulteration, profiteering, unfair competition and misleading advertising.
At a joint press conference, representatives stressed that the agreement was the result of often conflicting interests between them, which is one reason the agreement is considered more effective and long-lasting than any government intervention. They also left the door open for inviting representatives of consumer groups at a future meeting.
Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry President I. Papathanasiou added: "We established certain rules, certain limits within which businesses have to operate, strengthening fair competition and promoting consumer rights."
A meeting between Israelis and Palestinians held in Rhodes yesterday under Council of Europe auspices focused on the issue of elections in Palestinian self-rule areas. Although the meetings are being held behind closed doors, informed sources said the Palestinian representative, chairman of the Palestinian National Council Salem al Zanoun, proposed elections be held in Palestine by the end of this year at the latest.
According to the same sources, the Israeli side did not appear to disagree on the holding of elections, but the head of the Israeli delegation, Eli Dayan, declined to set a date. Sources said this was the main point of disagreement at the meeting , adding however, it was clear both sides are making efforts to reach some agreement.
CoE President Miguel Angel Martinez pledged full material and technical support to the Palestinians for the holding of elections. Similar offers were made by Cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Michailides, who put forward a package of measures for assistance to the Palestinians, as well as the Greek Parliament and government, represented by Parliament Vice-President Nikitas Venizelos and Alternate Foreign Minister Georgios Alexandros Mangakis respectively.
National Economy Minster Yiannos Papantoniou expressed satisfaction yesterday over wording of a recommendation to Greece by the European Union Economy and Finance Ministers' Council (ECOFIN) concerning public deficits. The Greek minister said the recommendation recognises that up to date Greece has been consistent with commitments undertaken on the basis of the 1995 Convergence Programme. He especially referred to the fact that the Commission has accepted Greek forecasts for the 1994 deficit, which ended at 12.5 per cent of GDP.
He explained that recommendations to 12 member-states - Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg are already within the targets required in the Treaty of Maastricht - were unanimously adopted with exception of reservations expressed for three countries, Greece, Portugal and Spain. The reservation concerns linking of the procedure for excessive public deficits (Article 104C of the Treaty) with Article 6 of the regulation for the Cohesion Fund, which calls for suspension of financing to countries not consistent with criteria for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
On this point Mr. Papantoniou said Germany supported the extreme position, whereby countries with a public deficit greater than 3 per cent of GDP after the end of 1995 will be subject to sanctions. This position, he added, was tantamount to abolishing the Cohesion Fund and is rejected by the great majority of members. On the contrary, Greece, Portugal and Spain claimed the evaluation should be carried out at the end of Convergence Programmes on the basis of "the degree to which the end target of 3 per cent had been achieved."
Finally, the Council adopted the European Commission view that evaluation should be carried out annually on the basis of whether countries fulfil intermediate targets set out in Convergence Programmes. Within this framework, the Commission will carry out its evaluation of whether Greece has met the target of trimming its public deficit from 10.7 per cent of GDP for 1995 in March next year.
"Relations between Greece and Yugoslavia are at a very good level and any evaluation to the contrary is incorrect," Government Spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday.
Mr. Venizelos commented on the aftermath of the European Basketball Championship final in Athens between Yugoslavia and Lithuania, during which several hundred Greek fans jeered and booed the Yugoslav team. The jeering in Athens caused large crowds shouting anti-Greek slogans to gather outside the Greek embassy in Belgrade. Stones and bottles were thrown at the embassy building.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou expressed regret over the fans' jeering, saying the incidents tarnished Greece's image as a host country and did not reflect the true sentiments of the Greek people. Sports Under-Secretary Georgios Lianis said he would fly to Belgrade in an effort to restore traditionally good relations between the two nations.
Replying to questions, Mr. Venizelos said "it is understood" that Mr. Lianis' visit to Belgrade would be in consultation with the foreign ministry. The spokesman reiterated that the actions of a "handful of fanatic fans who are not entitled to call themselves sports fans, do not express the sentiments of the Greek people and most certainly cannot affect the good relations between the two countries ."