From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 16 Dec 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency bulletin, Dec. 16, 1993 Athens, 16/12/93(ANA)--Greece yesterday strongly deplored the declared intention of Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark to establish diplomatic relations with Skopje today. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said Greek ambassadors abroad had been instructed to lodge verbal demarches and non-papers setting out Greece's attitude on the issue. Mr Venizelos declined to clarify what measures Greece might take in response to such a decision by its Community partners. The Press Under-secretary said decisions by Greece's Community partners were made known to Greek officials in Athens and abroad yesterday. He described such an outcome as "a blow to Community solidarity". "Those countries should take Greece's positions seriously, rather than encourage provocativeness and intransigence by Skopje "he added". It would be a "major mistake", however, for Skopje "to misinterpret the decision, since it should come to realise its economic viability depends to a decisive extend on Greece", Mr Venizelos cautioned. "It is a Greek demand - which should be a matter of prime concern to the (EC) partners taking an initiative to establish diplomatic relations (with Skopje) - that such a step should not serve to encourage Skopje's provocativeness and intransigence", Mr Venizelos said. "Today's adverse and unpleasant development is, to large extent, an outcome of Skopje's entrance to the United Nations which occurred with Greece's vote and endorsement". Stressing this was no time to indulge in hindsight, it was nevertheless self-evident the government had inherited the Skopje issue in its present state. The spokesman criticised the previous Conservative government for its policy on the issue. "The government has elaborated a comprehensive and deterring diplomatic strategy capable of filling the immense gap created by ambiguity, yielding ground, lack of prompt reaction, and backwards and forward tactics of the past two years", he said. But none of those elements can serve as an alibi for countries wishing to formulate a policy of security and stability in the Balkans and the broader region, he went on. Mr Venizelos said any progress on the Skopje issue could only come about if Skopje turned away from its uncompromising stance, and took "goodwill steps" on matters such as its use of Greek symbols and the preamble and article 49 of its Constitution. Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras later called for an urgent meeting of party leaders under President Constantine Karamanlis, in light of the announced intention by the five EC countries to establish diplomatic relations with Skopje. Mr Samaras described the decision of the five European Union members as "a dramatic development", which "deals a direct blow to Community solidarity, "and makes my proposal for an immediate meeting of political party leaders even more urgent". Bonn, 16/12/93 (ANA - P. Stangos) - Greek Charge d' Affairs Th. Sotiropoulos lodged a verbal demarche and a non-paper setting out Greece's positions on the announced intention of its 11 Community partners to conclude diplomatic relations with Skopje in Bonn, yesterday. In another development, Belgian Foreign Minister Willy Claes noted Greece "should not dramatise a decision of the five Community countries to establish diplomatic relations with a country - the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - under a name which has been de facto recognised by the United Nations", ANA dispatches from Brussels said yesterday. Speaking to reporters, Mr Claes said "I appreciate Greece's reaction", but such "reaction should not be overwhelming". "I am well briefed on the situation, and I know the five countries do not acknowledge that state under the name of Macedonia nor do they recognise its symbols (the national flag and the star of Vergina)", Mr Claes added. Meanwhile in Paris, Foreign Ministry spokesman Catherine Colonna yesterday avoided to confirm France was to officially recognise Skopje as FYROM today. "I am not in a position to confirm that tomorrow (today) (France) will exchange letters with Skopje granting official recognition to the state under the name "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" , Ms Colonna said. Athens, 16/12/93 (ANA) - Synaspismos (Coalition of the Left and Progress party) has pinned blame on both the government and the opposition, for current developments in the Skopje issue. "Both New Democracy and PASOK governments are to blame for the deterioration in the Skopje case", Dimitris Papadimoulis, political secretariat member, said yesterday. "The Skopje issue should go back to the UN, any talk of closing borders is demagogic nonsense", he added. Skopje, 16/12/93 (ANA - M. Vichou) - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Foreign Ministry and Skopje TV network correspondent in Washington, yesterday quoted FYROM Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski, as denying reports that he had either met or planned to meet with Greek Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou in the U.S. Brussels, 16/12/93 (ANA - P. Pantelis) - Community foreign ministers have ratified the GATT negotiations agreement with decisions agreeing with Greek positions to a great degree, according to Foreign Ministry Secretary General Yiannos Kranidiotis who supported Greek positions at yesterday's special and crucial Foreign Ministers Council. Mr Kranidiotis said the decision concerning merchant shipping was very satisfactory, adding that adoption by the Commission and the Council of Ministers of the Greek position that maintaining the existing situation in the shipping sector was not enough, and total liberalisation of shipping transport should take place gradually. The Greek position is now a Community position, and will be supported at further negotiations due to start in the spring of 1994. If absolute liberalisation of shipping transport is not agreed by 1996, the Community will consider excluding shipping from the GATT deal. Agriculture Minister George Moraitis supported Greek positions on Mediterranean farm products, while the Council of Ministers will be taken to prevent a decrease in farmers' incomes and maintain Community preference for farm products which have not been included in the revised common agricultural policy such as is the case with Greek products. Commission President Jacques Delors agreed the GATT agreement harms Mediterranean farm products. However, he said, details of the agreement should be examined for an appropriate reply. A commission statement was included in the council minutes, on the initiative of Greece and Ireland, confirming the decision on remunerating Portugal does not harm commitments on financing by the Regional Structural Funds as defined in target 1 (listing underdeveloped regions such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal). Athens, 16/12/93 (ANA) - The Inner Cabinet yesterday ratified the revised regional development plan for the period between 1994-1999 following a proposal by National Economy Under-secretary George Romaios. The revised plan calls for expenditure amounting to 6,994 billion dr. for transport, communications, environment, health, welfare, energy, industry and tourism as against 6,564 billion dr. anticipated by the initial plan tabled for ratification at the European Commission. The regional development plan ratified yesterday has an additional 905 billion dr., to be absorbed between 1994-1999 by the Cohesion Fund. A total of 535 billion dr. will be invested in transport projects and 369 billion dr. for environmental protection. The amount of 6,994 billion dr. will be allocated as follows (in billion dr.): Transport 1,936, communications 25, environment 1,018, health and welfare 297, culture and sport 180, human resources and modernised public administration 1,361, first state sector 815, energy and industry 896, research and technology 120, tourism 125, technical aid 20 and reservers 150. The revised regional development plan provides for doubling credits for industry anticipated in the initial plan, and will be officially- handed by National Economy Under-secretary George Romaios to commissioner Mr Milan tomorrow. Athens, 16/12/93 (ANA) - Greece yesterday adopted a "wait and see" stance on U.N. reports Skopje was willing to remove the Star of Vergina from its national flag. "To begin with, I should wait and see if reports reflect reality", Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos told the press. "We have emphasised the flag, as well as the main and substantive question of challenging borders, are issues which should be immediately settled on Skopje's initiative. We have made it known that should this happen, it would have a positive impact", Mr Pangalos said. According to U.N. reports, the Skopjan decision was conveyed Tuesday to Cyrus Vance by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski. Commenting on the intention of five Community countries to establish diplomatic relations with Skopje, Mr Pangalos said the move would not help security and stability in the region. Mr Pangalos was speaking after the unveiling of an eleven-foot mural depicting the "Abduction of Europa" by world-famous Greek artist Alekos Fasianos, also attended by EC ambassadors. --- Skopje has made known its intention to eliminate the Vergina Sun, a purely Macedonian emblem, from its national flag according to an ANA dispatch from New York yesterday. An announcement to that effect, is expected in Skopje in a few days. The Gligorov government decision was conveyed by Skopjan Foreign Minister Stevo Cervenkovski to U.S special negotiator Cyrus Vance yesterday. UN diplomatic circles believe this sudden gesture by the Gligorov government, was prompted by Mr Crvenkovski's failure to be received by leading U.S. Department of State officials. The circles opined Mr Gligorov resorted to a sudden U-turn by instructing his foreign minister to go to New York immediately, fearing his uncompromising attitude might lead to an overall boomerang in Skopje's dispute with Greece. Athens, 16/12/93 (ANA) - Police have broken up an international counterfeiting ring allegedly headed by Greek-born sister-in-law of the assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, it was announced yesterday. According to police, the alleged ringleader, Maria Sadat, has already been convicted in absentia for a number o crimes and sentenced to a total of 30 years' imprisonment and fines amounting to 20 million drachmas. Maria Sadat, a businesswoman, is believed by police to be abroad. Police said that they arrested alleged gang members Charalambos Vaxevanis, 45, a musician, and Maria Sadat's secretary, Christina Chrysopoulou, 27. They were found in possession of counterfeit Greek money totalling 40 million drachmas, 170,000 counterfeit hundred-dollar notes, 16 gold sovereigns, 100,000 Belgian francs, 50,000 Italian lire, 5,000 French francs, including forged notes of Yugoslavia, Albania and Cyprus. Police also found 19 Greek false passports and an invaluable ancient Greek amphora. The gang members were arrested Tuesday as Chrysopoulou paid for an 80,000 drachma telephone bill with counterfeit Greek notes. A telephone company employee realised the notes were forged and notified the police who found a further 132 counterfeit 5,000 drachma notes tucked in her underskirt. A subsequent search at two houses kept by Sadat in Athens led to the discovery of more counterfeit money and the fake passports. Athens, 16/12/93 (ANA) - Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday charged the government of displaying indolence and lack of ability in addressing developments on national issue. "The PASOK government is not only watching developments on national issues with indolence, it is also incapable of handling them", Mr Evert said yesterday, after conferring with President Constantine Karamanlis on the issue of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Referring to the upcoming establishment of diplomatic relations between EC member states and FYROM, Mr Evert said they occurred with the Constitution and the Vergina sun remaining unaltered, adding it was the outcome of a series of "tragic errors" by the PASOK government. Mr Evert said the government's first mistake was discontinuing a dialogue within the framework of the UN, without ensuring any other form of negotiation to handle the problem. He said the time chosen by the government to discontinue the dialogue at the UN was also wrong. In Mr Evert's view, this should have happened after Greece assumed European Union presidency and, in particular, February or March. Another error, he added, was the unfortunate reaction of Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou's inability to raise the issue at the Community summit in Brussels. Mr Evert said the outcome of such "tragic errors" saw that Greece had been led to face fait accomplis, and, consequently, such action as closing borders would produce to result now. He said "last minute" cancellation of the national conference on Cyprus on Athens' initiative was "an example of government's lack of ability". Commenting on a meeting between party leaders under President Karamanlis, Mr. Evert said it would be meaningful only if it had taken place before present developments. He said a plenary debate in Parliament was imperative, to enable the Greek people to gain knowledge on developments relating to major national issue, adding he had made a proposal in a letter to the Prime Minister, the president of Parliament and political parties.