G.PAPANDREOU: Well, I will speak in English. Is that better? OK. I thought it would be useful if we have a discussion on the recent events and what Greece is doing, and how we see the whole question. I will say a few things but I think it would be more useful if we have an exchange, question and answer.

First of all, I did want to tell you about our humanitarian efforts. We have particularly been trying to play a leading role in helping with the humanitarian efforts. In doing so, we have made decisions to gather a large sum of money, you know, but what that is, possibly at some point they will be needed, more sums will be needed.

Working with U.N.H.C.R., with E.U. and NATO on this humanitarian effort and of course with a large number of Non – Governmental Organizations, Greek or international, such as the Red Cross, the Medicins sans Frontieres, and others.

We are working in Albania with the Albanian Government, of course, and of course, in the Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia, with the Government there. We have asked to – now that NATO has made a decision, I don’t know if you are aware of this – there was a decision by NATO to take on a more immediate role in the humanitarian effort to develop not only the security, but also much of the logistics for the humanitarian effort, as there is a huge number of refugees that are coming now into both F.Y.R.O.M. and into Albania.

So, we have said that we want to play a role there, but have asked NATO also to develop some large camps in both Albania and F.Y.R.O.M. to help organize the refugee problem and contain – if you could say – the sort of an anarchic flow of refugees in the Balkans.

This is being done now. In F.Y.R.O.M., the military camps that existed are now being evacuated by NATO forces and the refugees will be put into them and they will be creating new camps, the NATO will be making new camps, and they also create new camps for the refugees.

In Albania also they will be helpful and we have already told the Albanian Government we are ready to create camps there, too. We have an inter-ministerial Committee which meets two or three times a week in this Ministry which is responsible for all humanitarian aid outside of Greece, inter-ministerial looks at the general crisis but also at the internal situation, too, because we are going to be accepting a number of refugees.

We have set up here in the Ministry a crisis group for the humanitarian issue which works on a 24hour basis, if necessary, and you have more specific details of the humanitarian effort we are making here in this region, what specific we have done.

I think the U.N.H.C.R. has come up with a report with specific details of what we are doing, so that this is all corroborated by the U.N.H.C.R. also.

Now, we also are working in the Balkans on a multi-lateral basis. We have set up a group under the Rumanian presidency of our Balkan Regional Cooperation, which meets and is trying to coordinate efforts.

In this effort we are working with the Bulgarian Government. They are going to be taking a number of refugees also, so we will be helping them in any efforts they have, but also, with the Turkish government. I have quite often communication with Minister Cem – I just talked to him yesterday about the refugee question.

Turkey will be taking – as I understand - approximately 20,000 refugees, but do not let me speak, I do not want to speak for Turkey. But they have asked now to help some refugees come through Greece to go to Instabul and we will be helpful on that. They will go on trains, much like their buses through Northern Greece. So, there is close cooperation.

They have also asked a number of times for overflights with planes. We have given permission every time they have asked to go to Albania with supplies of medicine, food and other, machinery, sawing machines and things like that.

So, there is this cooperation. Turkey will also be asking for some burden sharing in NATO and we said we could accept, we could support their proposal in NATO also. Some burden sharing. Burden sharing means that other NATO countries accept refugees also.

The “burden sharing” is a term usually used for taking in refugees from crisis areas. There has been much discussion in the European Union about E.U. burden sharing. NATO does not have such a policy of burden sharing but Turkey will be asking other NATO countries to also accept a number and we will support their proposal.

We are discussing with U.N.H.C.R. to create a camp in Greece under the auspices of the U.N.H.C.R. and they have asked us to do so and we will accept – I do not know if we have yet talked to them, but we are accepting their proposal to put it under their auspices. Of course, we will help but it will be basically a cooperation between the Greek Government and U.N.H.C.R.

Now, there are two political problems, important political problems, and well, a number of political problems with the question of refugees. One is of course, the very fragile political situation in the Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia.

There is a balance, an ethnic balance you could say, between the Albanian and the Slavic Macedonians and this balance, of course, it could be tipped and that would create a number of problems.

And this is one of the reasons why the Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia wants help and we have reiterated that we want to help them in any way we can. We have a number of NGOs there, Greek NGOs that are working in coordinated amongst themselves through a network and we have seven, we are working in seven towns of F.Y.R.O.M. and from what we understand, there is quite, there has been... quite well.

These are some of the press releases in F.Y.R.O.M. I can let this go round and you can see, there is a little English translation about what it says, approximately that you can just look at it and see what it says.

So, there is quite an important political problem there. In Albania, of course, a huge number of Albanians, of Kossovo Albanians in Albania, could create internal political problems. It does not have the same ethnic problem because they have the same ethnicity.

However, we do have a special question of the Greek minority in the south, particularly the properties of the Greek minority, as a large number of the Greek minority are now in Greece working, and sometimes, there are a number of empty houses we would not want to have squatters coming in.

Eventhough it is a humanitarian problem, we would want this to be done in an orderly fashion so that we do not have, we do not create a new ethnic problem, where there is no one. We have been able to solve this issue I think quite well with Albania.

Our relations have been much better over the last few years and this is why we discussed this with President Meidani and Prime Minister Maiko, and they are very much in accordance with what we are thinking to create important camps in Albania in the center and in the north, as much possible, which is in any case closer to Kossovo and closer to their return to Kossovo, which is what every one is hoping for.

So, much on the humanitarian points. We will be discussing these the day after tomorrow. The Ministers of Interior of the European Union and Mr. Otto Schilli has invited the Minister of Interior for discussing this, and on Thursday, Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be discussing this.

And there we will a lot, I think more specifically, what is the burden for each country in the European Union, so that we can give you more details once we discuss this issue.

Now, some of our general points. I had a meeting today with Alternate Minister Undersecretary Talbot. We had – I think – a good discussion. I know Strobe Talbott for a number of years.

It was – I would say – both good and sincere discussion. We did express our views on the issue. I did express the Greek position. I also expressed the feeling of the Greek people concerning the bombings and the feeling that the Greek people have for a quick swift end of the war.

I also expressed our views on our participation. We are full member of NATO and we are working within this context and we are living up to whatever responsibilities we have. We are not, however, involved in the actual military operations. We would be involved at the point of a - and will be involved at the point of an agreement from both sides. Once that assigned, I already said, we will be helpful to work with the Implementation Force.

We also, as I said earlier, are working with NATO and the humanitarian effort that is being developed in the region. We have been very clear that we are friend of all peoples in the Balkans, friend of the Serbs, friends of the Albanians, friends of the Kossovars and that since we also have very much condemned repeatedly the ethnic cleansing that is going on in Kossovo.

We also said that a final solution should be a solution that would not change borders in the Balkans. This is our position. We feel that this is a very important element of stability.

A final solution, of course, I think we are very much agreed upon the fact that it means a large element of autonomy of Kossovo, an implementation force, human rights, minority rights but within the boundaries of Yugoslavia.

We also mentioned that this special position which we have, being a country in a unique position, being both NATO and E.U. but basically a neighbour to the crisis in the Balkans, is a special position and we should see this. This gives us, this makes us, gives us a specific political position, which we have on the issue, but it also gives us – I think - an important role to play in helping whenever negotiations may come about it at some point. And helping through also humanitarian efforts and thirdly, in helping in the development of the region which we feel should be an important issue for the international community.

I am very pleased to say that the recent statements that have come out on the Balkan region are very important on Southeastern Europe as I see for the first time a will to move beyond the idea that the Balkans is just dealing with crisis but it is a more positive approach of how we develop this region, how we integrate this region into Europe, how we create security in this region in a more integrated way, a more – how we say - global way.

Based on what actually Joschaka Fischer said a few days ago, three pillars which would be on one hand, security in the region, not changing of borders and territorial integrity and so on. Secondly, democracy which would be human rights, minority rights, institution – developing of democratic institutions and, thirdly, economic development which could be put as a term, a “mini - Marshal plan” for this region.

So, we feel that Greece can play an important role in this, working of course, with neighbouring countries on these issues.

So, let’s hope that this crisis can become an opportunity at some point for the region. I would be very sad if we did not use this crisis in that way and we did not use these important statements that are coming out of a number of leaders from around the world. I think Xavier Solana also mentioned this and I understand that this is how also Strobe Talbott feels quite strongly too.

So, this is basically what I wanted to talk to you about and I will be glad to get your questions, anything, or some special things.

T.TSAFOS: Tsafos from the German News Agency. I have three questions and if you would like, I will pose them one by one because maybe you will forget it.

One is, there have been some demonstrations yesterday which created a lot of problems for many Embassies of European Countries and also, there have been some problems – I understand – for Mr. Talbot coming out of your Ministry today. He has been booed, let say...

G.PAPANDREOU: Really? I did not realize that.

T.TSAFOS: While he was coming out, according to what ANTENNA was saying.

G.PAPANDREOU: I did not hear that, I did not see that.

T.TSAFOS: There is a radio statement from the Government Spokesman but I would like to hear also what do you think about these demonstrations and how, if the Greek Government is planning to do something so that Embassies are not attacked.

G.PAPANDREOU: OK. First of all, demonstrations are absolutely legal in our country, so, we are not going to stop any demonstrations, this is something which is in their rights, a democratic right.

We have discussed the question of security just in the recent – just an hour ago in an Inter-ministerial Committee which is discussing the whole crisis and I did put this to the Minister of Public Order and he took note of this and I think he will step up security around Embassies.

I would on behalf – I will not say on behalf of the demonstrators but I am sure that, what the acts of violence against Embassies does not express the huge majority even the demonstrators and usually, the demonstrators themselves are very unhappy about what usually blackens their demonstration, which is very often a very peaceful one, and you get a very small minority of a few people that throw paint or whatever or break down a door or a window or throw rocks and this creates a problem.

So, we will be stepping up the security and I hope this is ... in any case, does not continue.

T.TSAFOS: And the second is, if Mr. Talbot asked for more loyalty and solidarity from Greece.

G.PAPANDREOU: I think Mr. Talbot was very understanding of the specific position we, Greece is in, and I explained the specific position and I think that what we will try to do is use this special role Greece has in a constructive way. So, I would like to see it not as a difficult position but as an opportunity to be constructive.

D.KIRIAKIDOU: Dina Kiriakidou from Reuters News Agency. Has Greece asked NATO to stop the bombing for Orthodox Easter?

G.PAPANDREOU: Yes, we have.

D.KIRIAKIDOU: And what was their response to that?

G.PAPANDREOU: They took note of that. We have said that – this is something which, I mean we said that this it would be used for Catholic Easter also. During these holidays, use it as a possibility for possible political dialogue, diplomatic moves.

In any case, we felt that it would be useful for a period of time. I do not know how long that would be. This is quite strong symbolism in the Orthodox Easter and that this would be... this would respect the sensitivities of the Serbian people, so that we would have mentioned this as a proposal. Of course, we are not the ones to decide but we do think it would be useful.

A.KONTELIS: Arianne Konteli, Die Presse. Could you be more specific on the constructive way Greece might be using?

G.PAPANDREOU: Well, I can only be specific up to a point because it really depends on the different sides and how they feel Greece can be of use.

We have been, we have said that we could help in whatever diplomatic... Go-betweens are necessary and we do keep contacts with Belgrade also, and of course, I would say we have unofficial contacts with Kossovars too, but...

So, that we would be willing to help in anyway for a political solution. If it does come up, that Greece can be helpful, that is fine. If it does not, and still there can be a solution, that is fine with us also. We are simply hoping that we do find a solution as soon as possible. It is important for the region.

PERBERAKIS: Which member and when made the suggestion about the “Pasja” (Easter)?

G.PAPANDREOU: I today talked to Mr. Talbot about the idea.

REPORTER: Yes, Mr. Minister, have you been asked for a logistics support as well and have you discussed this with Mr. Talbot today? Is Greece for the time being giving logistics support?

G.PAPANDREOU: We do provide logistics support for NATO. We are providing. There is a large number of troops that have come through Thessaloniki and they are of course, the extraction – the so-called Extraction Forces – extraction was for the K.V.M., the Kossovo Verification Mission. Now they have been extracted so that is not what their purpose would be. Or the Implementation Force.

But these forces are, specifically either for implementation or extraction and now there is an additional task, the humanitarian tasks. So, with these three tasks we have been helpful.

REPORTER: Have it been asked to step up as provision of logistical support by Talbot today?

G.PAPANDREOU: Nothing more other than the humanitarian efforts. There will be some extra forces needed for humanitarian efforts, tractors, bulldozers, things like that, they will be needed in order to create camps and so, and so. But we will be very – this is something which we have been very much in support of, so... And Skopje also has been supportive, so we will be working with NATO closely on this, and NATO and Skopje also with him.

REPORTER: What I did not understand is that Greece gave its agreement this last day for the passing to the third Phase of the attack. So, I would like to check if it is true or not, and then I would like, what kind of scenario are you thinking to go out of the crisis? Stop of the bombing for the first thing, then stop of the ethnic cleansing and then negotiation or stop of the ethnic cleansing first and then stop of the bombing? Because it is not very clear, I mean your position with the bombing.

G.PAPANDREOU: Well, I think our position is quite clear. I think that first of all on the Phase 3, there has not been a decision in NATO on Phase 3.

REPORTER: There was not a decision on the NATO level?

G.PAPANDREOU: There was not a decision for Phase 3. There was a decision for specific targets within the...- selected targets as it was called – within Phase 2 and Phase 1.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 include the total of basically Yugoslavia but there is not a movement to Phase 3. There may be a decision for this but it has not yet been taken. There was only –as I said- for selected targets.

REPORTER: No, I mean, are you asking for the stop of the bombing, first of all and then we see?

G.PAPANDREOU: We are not making any – I would say we are asking for possible political solutions. We are not... we are trying to be helpful and that is it.

So, we are not saying “you must do this”, “you must do that”. We are saying, “let us facilitate whatever must be done to find a political solution”. I think that is a more clear position.

But obviously, we would like to see the termination of the war as soon as possible, we would like to see the ethnic cleansing stop as soon as possible, if possible yesterday, the day before yesterday! And so, in that sense, we are – I would say - more in a facilitative role in this whole idea.

REPORTER: Mr. Minister, is there any contact between you and the O.I.C., the Organization of Islamic Conference, regarding a political solution? And second question is, how many refugees are you willing to accept for Kossovo?

G.PAPANDREOU: Well, the Iranian Foreign Minister called me a few days ago to ask for, to basically be informed about what the Greek point of view was on the whole question.

He informed me that they were sending, that they had been sending aid, that is humanitarian aid to the Kossovar refugees and I also mentioned what we are doing about the Kossovar refugees also.

He did mention that there was going to be a meeting of the Muslim...

REPORTER: The O.I.C.

G.PAPANDREOU: Yes, the O.I.C. in Geneva I think tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow.

REPORTER: On Wednesday.

G.PAPANDREOU: On Wednesday. And then, he would mostly keep informing me of what their decisions were. I said I would be very happy to hear the decisions and any good ideas are welcomed.

REPORTER: And about the refugees. How many refugees are you willing to accept?

G.PAPANDREOU: Well, we have not stated numbers and we would be bringing in certainly - the next few days we have already made a decision in the Inter-ministerial Committee to set up camps.

There will be specific places, I do not know the exact places, that is the Ministry of Public Order and Interior, they will be making these decisions.

We have – I think we will be providing of close to at the initial state 5,000, but this will go up depending on the quota that will be decided in the European Union. This is for the first few days.

REPORTER: Are you still in contact with the government of Belgrade and with the Russians – I mean with Mr. Yovanovic and Mr. Ibanov these last days?

G.PAPANDREOU: I had a contact with Mr. Ibanov maybe two days ago. He mentioned some of the new diplomatic ideas they have had. G8 was this one which they have decided to take and I understand that also other countries and G8 have been thinking about a G8 conference and discussion on Kossovo.

And he also said that he wanted to be in contact with us, to keep contact with us on whatever diplomatic efforts we would develop.

I have not had any personal contact with Yovanovic recently but our Embassy does have contact, continuous contact. We are one of the few Embassies still open in Belgrade – I think it is us, Italy and Sweden, I think are the three E.U. members that are open at this point.

REPORTER: From the Spanish News Agency. Can you actually stop the flow of refugees coming down to Greece? I mean, you know, like F.Y.R.O.M., they want the number and they have the double or three times more and Albania the same. Now, because we know the Greek borders are not so close as –you know- Greece would like it to be...

G.PAPANDREOU: They are not watertight. Or refugee tight.

REPORTER: I mean, this is a problem. So, Greece would say five or ten thousand. What are you going to do if they are more? What measures have been taken? Real measures.

G.PAPANDREOU: Well, this is the reason why we want an organized flow. This is why we talk about organized camps in F.Y.R.O.M. and in Albania. Because we have said we could not accept them sort of at huge numbers knocking at our borders.

It would be much easier for us to take in refugees, our burden, whatever our burden will be, it will be shared, but through organized camps. And this is why we hope we can make this work.

Now, what happens if that does not happen? Well, we will have a more, we will have to see how we crisis – manage this in a different way, which we are discussing, but we hope that we do not get to that point, where we have people on our borders.

We have had that in the past, it is not something which we do not have experience with. I remember in a crisis up in –particularly near Yannena- up in Epiros region of Greece, near Albania, where we had hundreds of thousands of refugees come in, in previous crisis from Albania. Many of them stayed.

It was quite difficult, but now I think we are better organized and there are camps ready and so on, if that does happen. However, we are not encouraging that because we feel that and neither is the Albanian government encouraging that as they feel we should keep the Kossovars as close to their homes as possible.

REPORTER: Two questions. Early in this crisis some humanitarian aid for Yugoslavia by the Greek State was mentioned as well. I would like to know at which stage is this and which are the obstacles or problems if any?

G.PAPANDREOU: Yes, I did not mention this. We do have humanitarian aid for Yugoslavia and also Serbia and Montenegro. We will be working close; we already have NGOs, Greek NGOs in Montenegro, working on with humanitarian aid.

I can give you – it would be useful to give you some statistics on this also. And part of the aid will be going to Serbia also. We are in contact through our Embassy to see what needs are. I think the needs will grow as time goes by, unlikely.

And that is because, I think, we do not have a huge refugee situation in Serbia, but we will have a situation soon with food, maybe possibly water, things like that, maybe and probably pharmaceuticals and so on.

One thing which we have been in close cooperation with a number of NGOs in Greece that are amassing aid through public announcements and so on, such as the Greek Church but other groups, Local Government and so on, are very much active in bringing in food stuffs and we will be working with them to transporting them.

REPORTER: When do you expect this aid to start going?

G.PAPANDREOU: This week will start and as a matter of fact, we have made it a point to do this during the Holy Week, particularly to start doing the Holy Week. So, within the next day or two, we should start quite fast.

REPORTER: The second question regarding NATO troops going through Greek territory. As far as I understood, as long as the NATO troops keep coming in the framework of the three goals, as you define them, they can keep coming regardless of number. Is that correct?

G.PAPANDREOU: Yes, that is right. These are the three goals that we have working with.

REPORTER: So, the goals are defined of the number of troops that would come.

G.PAPANDREOU: Not the number but of course – we have not defined the number but there has not been any huge request for a large number at this point, other than some additional for humanitarian assistance.

REPORTER: Excuse me, on this one because there is a NATO statement saying that there is going to be a few thousand troops crossing through the port of Thessaloniki towards Macedonia. Are they there to support the air strikes? Am I correct?

G.PAPANDREOU: No, you are not correct.

REPORTER: OK. What are these troops part of?

G.PAPANDREOU: Humanitarian effort. They are –as NATO has taken on a role, this was a decision which was made on Saturday morning in NATO to play a more active role in the humanitarian efforts because of the stem of the flow, to at least contain the flow but also, help with the security.

There is a security problem, not so much in F.Y.R.O.M. as there is in Albania. Security problem for moving humanitarian aid in different areas. They have asked people to set up camps, particularly in F.Y.R.O.M. but also in Albania and there will be some troops going in for this reason with specific technical expertise, bulldozers and so on.

I want to be very clear. The forces in Skopje are not intervention forces; they are not equipped to be intervention forces. They could not become intervention forces other than extraction forces which they had been decided on.

REPORTER: They said something about 2,000 American soldiers that are expected to cross through...

G.PAPANDREOU: I do not know the exact number but I think it is around there, 1,500 or something like that.

REPORTER: What is your opinion about the last speeches of Archbishop about all this crisis? Do you think that is some kind of problem for the government?

G.PAPANDREOU: I do not usually comment on what our Archbishop says. It is not just on this crisis but in general. So, we have had our discussions with him and expressed our views and he is free as the Church of Greece to speak his mind.

REPORTER: The Bulgarian government released a statement today saying that two Turkish planes they could not deliver humanitarian aid to Macedonia because they could not get in the Greek air space. Do you deny or not?

G.PAPANDREOU: I think from what I have heard that there is no – we gave them overflight permission to take their planes.

REPORTER: The Bulgarian Government says that it is not the case. Greece has forbidden the Turkish aircrafts to get in the Greek air space.

G.PAPANDREOU: That is not true because I was talking with Minister Cem yesterday. He mentioned no such problem. What I did say is, if to make things quicker, that we needed call numbers and flight plans as any airplane, commercial or not, need to go through any air-space, not just the Greek air-space, and as soon as they give us call numbers and flight plans, they immediately are allowed in.

There was a problem at some point, they had not given us call numbers and flight plans and you know, just for simple safety you cannot let planes fly over a place without a flight plan. So, there is no problem. OK?

REPORTER: Let me come back to your contacts with Belgrade. How frequent and how close are these contacts and do you have any indication that Mr. Milosevic is changing his mind?

G.PAPANDREOU: We have no indications to that sort at this point. Our contacts are regular but I would not say that they are absolutely frequent. We are in normal contact, I mean our Embassy has daily contact with the officials there.

REPORTER: But there is no specific initiative going on at this point.

G.PAPANDREOU: Well, I would say that we are open to all kinds of ideas and I do not want to say specific initiative because that creates a feeling that something is going on and if something comes about we will announce it, if something is fruitful.

REPORTER: You mentioned that you have contacts with Kossovo’s Albanian side as well. Would you be more specific about that?

G.PAPANDREOU: I would not say – I said “unofficial” in that sentence, that is not official, through our government channels but through Non - Governmental Organizations and particularly through a number of Organizations that have worked closely with them over the last few years. I have invited them here; Beto Suroy has been here a number of times to Greece, with a number of seminars and discussing also with the Serbian side here. And these contacts have been maintained.

REPORTER: With Beto Suroy.

G.PAPANDREOU: With Beto Suroy and a number of other people, are going in, and so when they are, they are maintained. And so we have information, through them, through these Non – Governmental Organizations about them, and what their thinking is also.

REPORTER: I just want to ask, I have some information about a couple of hundred of Greek civilians have signed up as volunteers to go fight with the Serbs if the fighting continues. Is the Greek government afraid that all these might drag them further into the war and they might end up having to actually...

G.PAPANDREOU: I have heard of this, I do not know of this. I do not know specifics of it. I have heard it. I have seen it in the papers, I do not know of it.

I do not feel that this is something which is going to drag Greece into the war and at this point, of course, the war is, and we hope it ends at this point. It does not go further. The war is basically one where it is from the air, it is not a man to man type of war.