From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 29 Oct 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Bulletin --------, 29/10/1993 ( ) A.N.A. Brussels, 29/10/1993 (ANA - S. Liarelis): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou yesterday reiterated that Greece would not recognise any state called ``Macedonia`` in comments to reporters on the eve of the European Community summit here. ``Greece will not recognise a state on its northern borders under the name Macedonia or containing any of its derivatives``, the premier told a press conference. ``Our position will depend on (Skopje's) stance``, he said, adding that it ``had not yet shown any desire to withdraw from irredentist positions``. Mr. Papandreou, who spoke after meeting his Belgian counterpart Jean-Luc Dehaene and Foreign Minister Willy Claes, said Greece had every intention of friendly cooperation with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) ``but that everything depends on (FYROM President Kiro) Gligorov``. Mr. Papandreou said he had found understanding from his interlocutors, adding that Belgium's recognition of the state as FYROM has been characterised the ``last action of the 12`` because all other Community members, including Greece, had recognised the state of FYROM. ``This was the case from the moment it (FYROM) was admitted to the UN and there was thus recognition of this political formation's political existence and sovereignty``, Mr. Papandreou said. Mr. Papandreou said recognition of Skopje as FYROM was made by the previous government, adding that the question of EC humanitarian aid was a matter of ``what we will do will depend on what they do``. Mr. Papandreou briefed Mr. Dehaene on the undertaking of a peacekeeping initiative in the Balkans with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias touring Balkan capitals. He said he did not know of any objection by the US and expressed the hope the initiative would also be welcomed by the Serbs. Speaking to reporters en route to Brussels Wednesday, Mr. papandreou said the Athens initiative was one of dialogue, in the framework of Mr. Papoulias's visit to Balkan capitals in early November. Its aim, he had said, is ``to return to the climate prevailing prior to the collapse of the Berlin wall``, when an inter-Balkan conference had been convened twice. Mr. Papandreou said such an initiative would not include Turkey and FYROM, adding that the overall Yugoslav crisis was on the summit agenda. However, he did not rule out the possibility of the issue being discussed in the framework of political cooperation. On the question of European unification, Mr. Papandreou said unless unemployment and recession were effectively handled, European Community institutions will come under a cloud of doubt. ``How many countries want a cooperative Europe``, he asked. Mr. Papandreou said it was possible that Greece could join Europe's first speed provided it had an appropriate strategy and suitably utilised Delors II package funds, Cohesion funds and Structural funds. Commenting on talks with Mr. Dehaene, Mr. Papandreou said they took place in a ``very warm atmosphere``, adding that a considerable convergence of views was ascertained. He said today's summit was very important because the implementation of the Maastricht treaty was due to be discussed and EC Commissioner Jacques Delors would set out his proposal on development and employment. Athens, 29/10/1993 (ANA): President Constantine Karamanlis and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou stressed Greece's need to feel secure and remain vigilant in all sectors of national life while seeking cooperation and peace with all peoples, in message marking the 53rd anniversary of Greece's refusal to submit to Mussolini's ultimatum. ``It is necessary for our country to feel secure, be vigilant, and enhance its potential in all sectors, especially defence and the economy, which are directly connected with the future of this country``, the president's message said. Mr. Karamanlis added that the world was undergoing revolutionary changes, which would go through many phases and take a long time, before assuming their final form. The president cautioned that changes in the Balkans and the revival of obsolete nationalist trends, in some cases carrying veiled territorial designs, aassumed dangerous dimensions. The Prime Minister's message said: ``We desire peace and cooperation with all peoples. However, we will never accept any distortion of history or recession of Hellenism. ``The anniversary of October 28 serves as an eternal symbol associating our people's struggle with freedom and national independence. It also reflects a spirit of national unity and the Greek people's resolve not to give in or submit, but fight to the end, even if outnumbered by its foes. ``At a time of special problems in our region, and the threat from the East remaining a prime hazard, the Greek people are determined to preserve peace and safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation``. --- Special church services, parades, and other celebrations marking the 53rd anniversary of the Greek rejection of the fascist ultimatum in World War II were held throughout Greece yesterday. The main events were a special service at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral and a military parade in Thessaloniki. Athens, 29/10/1993 (ANA): Thomas Niles, the United State's new ambassador to Athens, will arrives to take up his post today, according to a US embassy announcement released Wednesday. Mr. Niles, who is ambassador-designate until he presents his credentials to President Constantine Karamanlis, has been a career Foreign Service officer since joining the service in 1962. He has served as ambassador to Canada and the European Community, becoming Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs in 1991. President Clinton nominated Mr. Niles as ambassador to Greece on September 7. He was confirmed by the Senate on October 7 and sworn in on October 12. Brussels, 29/10/1993 (ANA - G. Daratos / P. Pantelis): Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos has deparate meetings with EC Commissioner for external relations Hans van den Broek and Commissioner for economic affairs Henning Christophersen in Brussels yesterday. Mr. Pangalos discussed EC-Turkey relations, the Cyprus question and appointment of a Community observer to the Cypriot intercommunal talks with Mr. van den Broek. Greece's initiative in the Balkans in light of Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias' forthcoming tour of Balkan capitals was also raised. Mr. van den Broek declined comment on the visit, referring questioners to Mr. Pangalos instead. However, he cautioned, Greece's role in the region would not be easy, adding Greece would also encounter a difficult situation when it assumed the EC rotating presidency. Mr. van den Broek pledged the Commission would do all it could to help Greece's efforts. Referring to Skopje, Mr. van den Broek that Greece faced a tremendous problem on that question, and the Commission would cooperate with Greece to help settle it. Mr. Pangalos said the economic situation both in the Community and Greece was discussed, including the future of Greece's relations with the EC. There was need for convergence regarding the Greek economy, Mr. Pangalos said, adding that this was not dictated from outside, namely the Community, but as a real necessity. The Greek government would, of course, take a series of measures for the economy and the convergence programme should be set into a new orbit, he stressed. It was necessary for Greek convergence criteria to be reconsidered, and redeployed timewise, he said, But the basic solution was to make the right decisions. Athens, 29/10/1993 (ANA): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis served a stern warning on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Wednesday, saying that Greece would not be lax in defending its interests in the face of irredentist threats. Speaking at the traditional dinner held in honour of the political leadership by the Commander of the Third Army Corps at the Officers' Club in Thessaloniki, Mr. Arsenis reiterated the government's resolve not to recognise a state that bore the name Macedonia or any of its derivatives, usurped Greek national symbols, or nurtured irredentist designs against Greece. Mr. Arsenis recalled Premier Andreas Papandreou's statement in parliament stressing that the nation's defence policy was based on a concept of deterrence encompassing an integrated space of Hellenism comprising Cyprus, the Aegean, Thrace, Macedonia, and Epirus. The strategic orientation of such a concept was based on the fact the main threat came from the East, he added. On the other hand, instability prevailing in the Balkans and civil war raging in former Yugoslavia made it imperative to anticipate a redeployment of forces, if necessary, Mr. Arsenis went on. He emphasised that, although Greece remained dedicated to peace and used all diplomatic means to settle differences, it would continue to maintain modern, combat-ready and fully trained armed forces that would safeguard the security of the Greek people, should the need arise. Strasbourg, 29/10/1993 (ANA): A European Parliament plenary session yesterday ratified a draft resolution by Coalition of the Left and progress Eurodeputy Alekos Alavanos calling on the Albanian government to avoid perpetrating further acts of violence creating an atmosphere of insecurity for the Greek minority and which are intensified by reports of a planned transport of moslem Albanians from the north for settlement in the Sarande, Gyrokastr and Delvine regions. It further calls on the Albanian government to withdraw its decision to close Greek community schools and reaffirm its commitment to the Greek minority's absolute cultural and religious autonomy. Moreover, with an amendment by New Democracy Eurodeputy Efstathios Lagakos which it ratified, the European Parliament unreservedly condemned the Albanian police's acts of violence agains tthe Greek minority, acts violating acknowledged principles of international justice both concerning minority protection and respect for human rights. Addressing the plenary session during the discussion on the issue, Mr. Lagakos said the European Parliament had appealed to the Albanian government to cease the harrassment of the minorities' religious freedoms many times in the past but without being heeded. On the contrary, he said, it started persecuting education and closed schools while the basic principles of the UN are respect for freedom of language and cultural freedom of language and cultural freedom for minorities. Strasbourg, 29/10/1993 (ANA): The European Parliament yesterday unanimously passed a motion calling on the EC Council of Ministers to despatch a Community observer to the intercommunal talks on the Cyprus question. The call is founded on th epremise that an agreed reassessment of Cyprus' application for accession to the Community in January 1995 would be greatly facilitated, if the Community had its own observer at the UN-sponsored talks. The Community's Council of Ministers adopted October 4 the avis (opinion) of the European Commission on Cyprus' application, filed in July 1990. The avis considers Cyprus eligible to join the 12, but noted its wish to see progress in the UN peace talks aimed at an agreement on the political problem on the island. Strasbourg, 29/10/1993 (ANA): A European parliament plenary session reaffirmed that European Community credits, and more specifically the Fourth Financial Protocol for Turkey, will remain ``frozen`` for as long as ``Turkey maintains occupation troops in Cyprus and continues to flagrantly violate human rights``. The statement was made by New Democracy Eurodeputy and member of the European parliament Budget Commission, George Zavvos, after the ratification of the EC's 1994 budget in a plenary session. The plenary session also endorsed amendments by Mr. Zavvos to freeze special aid for Turkey amounting to five million ECU and funds concerning cooperation with Turkey totalling 2.5 million ECUs. Another amendment by mr. Zavvos necessitates the granting of funds to safeguard the speedy conclusion of projects planned to restore and maintain Mount Athos monasteries and the Acropolis. Athens, 29/10/1993 (ANA): Former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis met Wednesday with the US charges d' affaires James Williams for an exchange of views on matters of mututal interest and primarily Greek-US relations, the situation in the Balkans and the Cyprus question. Referring to the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Mr. Mitsotakis said that he foresaw ``a tragic development in the next few weeks`` and called on Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou to probe the views of Community partners as to whether at present the Community can back Greek foreign policy on the FYROM issue. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos accused Mr. Mitsotakis of duplicity and of following a submissive policy, the consequences of which the PASOK government is currently obliged to handle.