Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 99-04-05

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Athens reiterates its intent to alleviate Kosovo refugee problems

[02] Tsohatzopoulos criticism of Yugoslav leadership of Kosovo strategy

[03] Top US diplomat Talbott arrives for talks

[04] Canadian FM Axworthy's visit postponed

[05] Constantopoulos in Belgrade today

[06] Plans for more decentralisation cited by V. Papandreou

[07] Athens reportedly sets condition for accepting Kosovar refugees

[08] Athens march,other protests against NATO bombing

[09] Messolonghi exodus commemorated as statements point to Yugoslavia crisis

[10] Protests against NATO bombings continue across N. Greece

[01] Athens reiterates its intent to alleviate Kosovo refugee problems

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

"We shall be present, in the best and most efficient way, to contribute to the tackling of problems that have been created due to the crisis in Kosovo. We shall be present so that, simultaneously with our responsible options and best handling of the sit uation, we may guard our national interests," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said after a meeting of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) yesterday.

Sources said the Greek government was examining, at an initial stage, the prospect of reinforcing the Greek contingent in Albania within the framework of a broader NATO operation to provide humanitarian aid to the Kosovar refugees fleeing to that country.

The same sources said the Greek military contingent in Albania has been praised by all sides involved for its contribution in providing humanitarian assistance for the refugees, while Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) have also been prai-sed for similar work.

As a result of the Greek assistance, the same sources added, the accommodation of 20,000 refugees had been made possible in FYROM.

KYSEA convened yesterday for three hours, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Costas Simitis, to discuss ways in which Greece could contribute to the problem of refugees abandoning Yugoslavia due to the ongoing crisis.

Greece's contribution was in in the framework of consultations and discussions taking place at an EU level, Mr. Reppas said, adding that the refugee problem should be tackled in accordance with each country's abilities.

"Greece will not tackle the problem alone. In that framework, the government is examining the prospect of Greece taking in a few thousand refugees," the spokesman said.

Other sources said any possible refugees allowed into Greece could possibly be hosted in central and southern Greece.

On his part, Mr. Reppas said Greece would also be present in efforts to ease the refugees problem, and also in the creation of conditions for a political solution to the crisis, so as to safeguard its national interests.

Athens News Agency

[02] Tsohatzopoulos criticism of Yugoslav leadership of Kosovo strategy

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) capital of Skopje, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos further char-ged that the policy of ethnic clean-sing began before the NATO bombings started, saying that it now seemed that Mr. Milosevic did not wish to accept a solution, because he possibly had a different future form of Yugoslavia in mind.

Asked about the NATO air strikes against downtown Belgrade on Saturday P the first since the Nazis bombed the Yugoslav capital in April 1941 P he responded: "It doesn't matter what I believe, but that NATO has decided on the operations with an aim of putting an end to the humanitarian catastrophe in Kosovo and a return to the negotiating table."

He also stressed that Greece was "entitled" to make such charges, citing the mass persecution and "ethnic cleansing" practised by the Turks against ethnic Greeks in the Black Sea region and Asia Minor in 1922 and on Cyprus in 1974.

Then too, he continued, the objective was to change existing borders.

"The Yugoslav leadership must take a position about how to bring an end to this situation. The Balkan peoples will not be held hostage to the plans promoted by Yugoslavia," he added.

He repeated this position several times, accusing Belgrade of wanting "to make all countries part of the Kosovo problem," but stressing that "we are not willing to accept it and for this reason we shall react".

The Greek minister also spoke of those "continuing the disastrous policy they began with the dissolution of Yugoslavia," in apparent reference to the Yugoslav president.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos stressed the urgent need for humanitarian aid to be sent to refugees leaving Kosovo and commented ironically on the fact that European Union services were closed yesterday because of the Easter holiday in Catholic and Protestant countries.

"The bombing couldn't stop for Easter, but they have a public holiday when it comes to humanitarian aid," he said.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos reiterated his opposition to any use of NATO ground forces in Kosovo.

"Not one NATO soldier will go to Kosovo. Only through diplomatic and political means can a solution be found. NATO operations are the means to stop the uprooting of Kosovars and to bring everyone back to the negotiating table," he argued.

Opposition reaction : The defence minister's remarks in Skopje were strongly criticised by several Greek opposition parties.

"The despicable statements by the defence minister, with which he attributes responsibility to the leadership of New Yugoslavia for the war, absolves NATO and the EU, the real culprits, of their responsibility for the crime being committed," the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said in a statement.

KKE said Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' statements "confirm that Greece has an extremely dangerous government, which is participating in the slaughter of the neighbouring people while at the same time hypocritically and cravenly maintaining the opposite."

The Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) in a statement, expressed its deep concern "that we are at the beginning of a new period in the Balkans, in which the problem of borders may arise at any moment and the problem of minorities may worsen."

Addressing Synaspismos' central committee, party leader Nikos Constantopoulos charged that the Greek government bore heavy responsibility for the situation "because it added its signature at all the stages so far of the NATO operations.

Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas described Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' references to "ethnic cleansing" as "unacceptable" and "abject".

"Contrary to what the government and Prime Minister Costas Simitis were hypocritically declaring in public until just yesterday, (the minister's statements) in effect provide complete justification for the inhumane NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and our friends, the Serb people, which completely violates all rules of international law," Mr. Tsovolas said.

Athens News Agency

[03] Top US diplomat Talbott arrives for talks

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Mr. Talbott, who arrived in Athens yesterday afternoon, is on a Balkan tour and will be going on to Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Bulgaria and Romania. Diplomatic sources said he is enunciating Washington's official positions regarding all aspects of the Kosovo conflict. The US official has also asked to meet with PM Costas Simitis.

Athens News Agency

[04] Canadian FM Axworthy's visit postponed

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Ministry sources said Ottawa requested a postponement of Mr. Axworthy's meeting here today with Greek officials as an unforeseen obligation had arisen for the Canadian FM.

Athens News Agency

[05] Constantopoulos in Belgrade today

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Mr. Constantopoulos, who is beginning tour of the Balkans, will remain in the Yugoslav capital for two days.

Winding up sessions of the his party's central committee, the Synaspismos leader strongly condemned NATO attacks on Yugoslavia, calling on the Greek government to clearly state its disagreement regarding the planned escalation of military operations in the Yugoslav provice. "The war transcends Kosovo, it is a crime against humanity," he stressed.

Athens News Agency

[06] Plans for more decentralisation cited by V. Papandreou

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Speaking to local officials of western Crete in Hania, Interior Minister Vasso Papandreou said the approximately nine trillion drachmas of EU funds recently allocated to Greece for the next seven years would be supplemented with a further six trillion coming from national coffers.

Referring to the tragic developments in Yugoslavia, Ms Papandreou expressed regret that "the European Union, a major hope for the future of Europe and the co-existence of peoples, considers that it has no interest in the fire that has been lighted in its neighbourhood."

"The peoples of Europe have the obligation to put politics on the table again, to again demand of the EU not to remain just a major economic force, but to become a large political force..." she added.

"Greece is not, cannot, and must not become part of the Balkan problem...The bombings worsen the situation and lead to deadlock," she stressed.

Athens News Agency

[07] Athens reportedly sets condition for accepting Kosovar refugees

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

The request was made during a telephone discussion between UNHCR head Santago Ogata with Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who reportedly responded in the negative. According to the same sources, Mr. Papandreou told Ms Ogata and his German counterpart Joschka Fischer, with whom he also spoke, that Greece would accept refugees only within the framework of a decision for allocating them among NATO and European Union countries.

Athens News Agency

[08] Athens march,other protests against NATO bombing

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

The protest march began at Syntagma Square and ended outside the US embassy.

According to reports, a handful of mostly youthful protesters entered the Italian embassy's premises causing minor damages. Vandalism of several banks and automobiles along the protest route was also reported.

Meanwhile, serious incidents were reported outside the Souda naval base, near Hania, Crete, and the NATO regional headquarters at Tyrnavos, central Greece, when protesters attempted to deliver petitions.

More than 3,000 people took part in the Hania protest march, which developed into a pitched battle with police when demonstrators were denied access to the base's gate. Police used tear gas and the crowd responded by throwing stones.

Several police officers and protesters were injured.

In Tyrnavos, protesters broke through a police cordon and painted slogans on the walls of the enclosure.

Earlier, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga charged that the war was being carried out by NATO on the pretext of minority rights, while Greece was part of the Balkan problem with "the criminal attack against the Yugoslav, Serbian, and Albanian people", as she noted.

"No minority has been a cause of war. Any problems with minorities can be solved in the context of the respective countries," she added.

Athens News Agency

[09] Messolonghi exodus commemorated as statements point to Yugoslavia crisis

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Speaking at an event in the western city of Messolonghi to mark the 173rd anniversary of the "Exodus of the Free Besieged" - as the town's heroic inhabitants came to be known during the 1821 War of Independence - the Greek president expressed sadness over the victims of the conflict and the uprooting of thousands of unarmed civilians, adding that "the international community hesitates to be moved."

On Saturday night, speaking at a similar event, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece called for an end to the war in Yugoslavia and for the prevalence of peace, as "no one has the right to kill unarmed civilians and harm or violate territor ial integrity".

The prelate of the Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece said the nation was a "victim of the powerful of the earth", although it is "always in favour of justice, of liberty".

The government was represented at Saturday's event by Development Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

The Sunday commemoration began with a te Deum at the Aghios Spyridon Cathedral, which was followed by a march to the Tomb of Heroes.

On his part, main opposition New Democracy leader Costas karamanlis said the sacrifice of the "Free Besieged" should inspire all Greeks, calling for national unity regarding the Yugoslav crisis.

Athens News Agency

[10] Protests against NATO bombings continue across N. Greece

Athens, 05/04/1999 (ANA)

Initially protesters gathered in Thessaloniki yesterday morning and formed a convoy of cars that wound its way to Evzoni.

Waving Greek and Serbian flags, pennants of the Orthodox Church and holding flowers, protesters lined up along the Greek side of the border for a concert also attended by local mayors, prefects and deputies of various political parties.

Local officials addressed the crowd, calling for peace, and protestors, after observing a minute of silence for the victims of the war in Yugoslavia, threw the flowers up into the air.

The flowers, an organiser said, would remain strewn on the border road along which NATO military vehicles carrying supplies destined for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia would pass.

A makeshift explosive device exploded early Saturday morning outside a branch office of the ruling PASOK party in the Athens suburb of Galatsi, causing some damage to the building but no injuries.

The bomb, which had been placed just outside the entrance of the office, consisted of a small quantity of dynamite, a detonator, two clocks and a battery.

No warning was given prior to the blast and no group has yet claimed responsibility.

Officers of the anti-terrorist squad said, however, they suspected the "November 17" terrorist group was behind the attack. The officers based their suspicions on the way the bomb had been wired.

PASOK's headquarters in downtown Athens were the target of a failed rocket attack on Thursday morning, which also bore the hallmarks of the elusive "November 17" organisation.

Athens News Agency

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