From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 2 Feb 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Washington, 2/2/1994 (ANA - D. Dimas): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias on Monday called on Bosnia's warring factions to cease hostilities and to realize that the continuation of the war is "harmful to all". Speaking at a press conference with European Union foreign Political Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek, after marathon meetings in Washington with Secretary of State Warren Christopher and other senior US officials, Mr. Papoulias said: "Regarding the Balkans, a region of particular interest for the Greek presidency, we believe that resolution of the Yugoslav crisis and consolidation of political and economic reforms will contribute to stability and growth in countries in the region". Mr. Papoulias said the need for prompt pacification and finding a solution had been jointly (by the EU and the US) ascertained. "We have stressed the need that the US should support the Union's joint plan of action and efforts by mediators. It is imperative that the parties involved in the Bosnian crisis should realize that the continuation of the war will be harmful to all", he added. "We examined the situation which emerged in the Middle East after the recent meeting between Mr. Arafat and Mr. Peres in Davos and new prospects ahead", he said, adding that "on the question of Russia and east European countries, we underlined the Union's decision to assist the effort to consolidate democratic institutions and economic reforms". Replying to a question on the Bosnian issue, Mr. Papoulias said "we had a long discussion with Mr. Christopher on the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina and parties concerned, the European Union plan which is going through a state of inertia and reviving the European Union's plan with support from the US, of course. The European Union view is that equal pressure should be exerted on all parties concerned for finding a final solution". Referring to Mr. Christopher's reply to the European position, Mr. Papoulias said "I think it is an assessment by both Mr. Van den Broek and myself that the US is particularly interested in the issue of the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We had the impression that it is elaborating certain ideas which, however, were not expressed at our meetings". Mr. Papoulias went on to say that the Us "expressed a wish that co-operation between the European Union and the US be close in finding a final solution to the Bosnian crisis". Departing from the State Department, Mr. Papoulias said earlier he had talks with Foreign Affairs Committee President Lee Hamilton on the issues of Cyprus and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). "Both issues were discussed and, in fact, in depth. I explained Greece's known positions on those two issues which are, of course, of European concern, since, generally speaking, FYROM belongs to the region of the Balkan crisis, while Cyprus is an issue of Mediterranean security and European union interest has been displayed", Mr. Papoulias said. Mr. Papoulias yesterday met with adviser to President Clinton George Stephanopoulos at the Greek embassy in Washington. No statement was issued after the meeting. Mr. Papoulias also met with Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Athens, 2/2/1994 (ANA): Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos said yesterday the possibility of the conflict in former Yugoslavia spreading southwards was "now not so likely". Addressing Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Pangalos said a prerequisite for a spread of the conflict was Albania's involvement "but we have reason to believe that Tirana will display moderation and self-restraint on the problem of Kosovo". Mr. Pangalos added some of the demands of the Albanians in Kosovo were reasonable. Certain ideas being examined by the European Union for an end to the conflict in former Yugoslavia, he said, citing the withdrawal of UN forces from Bosnia, were not viewed in a positive light by the Greek presidency. Mr. Pangalos said the international community's view of the Serbs had changed and was no longer "totally damning". On the issue of European Union enlargement, Mr. Pangalos said Greece viewed the whole issue "positively" adding, however, there were certain problems which created between Norway and Spain on fishing. Turning to the recent tripartite meeting in Ankara between Britain, Germany and Turkey, Mr. Pangalos said "Greece does not find the explanations given satisfactory". He said the meeting had led to a serious issue which the Greek presidency intended to raise at one of the forthcoming EU councils. Athens, 22/1994 (ANA): French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is due in Athens today, on a 24-hour visit for talks with the government. Mr. Juppe, who arrives tonight, is scheduled to meet tomorrow with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, and Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos. His visit also includes a joint press conference with Mr. Papoulias and a tour of the Acropolis and the National gallery, before returning to Paris tomorrow night. Athens, 2/2/1994 (ANA): Commenting on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and on whether or not efforts by mediator Cyrus Vance have led to any breakthrough on the issue, UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali yesterday said "we are doing the best we can to find a solution to this problem". Mr. Ghali's full statement is as follows: "Concerning the talks, I had a meeting last week with Mr. Cyrus Vance, concerning the talks between Macedonia and Greece, and we have an exchange of letters, we hope to have a meeting between the two experts soon, and we are continuing, we are carrying on our mission. I believe that we are doing the best to find a solution to this problem. A few months ago, we were on the point to reach a solution, so there is no reason why we must not continue and I hope we will be able to find a solution, which will take into consideration, both the point of view of the Former Republic of Yugoslavia of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece". Vienna, 2/2/1994 (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis): Switzerland will establish full diplomatic relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), according to a Foreign Ministry announcement in Bern last night. Ambassador Franz von Daeniken had visited FYROM as a special Swiss government envoy for the purpose. Switzerland had recognized FYROM as a state entity on May 12, 1993. Stockholm, 2/2/1994 (ANA): Greek Agriculture Minister and President of the European Union's Council of Agriculture Ministers George Moraitis concluded a formal visit to Stockholm yesterday. He headed a delegation for a briefing on Swedish positions on agriculture in view of negotiations on Sweden's accession to the EU, at the invitation of his Swedish counterpart Karl Erik Olsson. Mr. Moraitis told a press conference talks in Sweden mainly focused on matters of agricultural policy and regional aid to Sweden's northern regions. Referring to the Greek proposal on Sweden's accession to the EU, Mr. Moraitis said the European Commission's views have been tabled, adding that the General Affairs Council will convene at the end of February. Mr. Moraitis said the Greek presidency's political will is to do everything possible to promote negotiations. Athens, 2/2/1994 (ANA): Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America, currently in Athens at the invitation of the government, had a meeting yesterday with Archbishop Serapheim of Athens and All Greece. The meeting was held at the residence of Mgr Serapheim. Mgr Iakovos said they discussed promotion of religious life and the Church would assume the role of peacemaker. Mgr Iakovos told questioners Orthodoxy was slowly but steadily moving towards a better future. Athens, 2/2/1994 (ANA): Justice Minister George Kouvelakis said yesterday he would take over an on-going investigation into the sale of AGET-Heracles, Greece's largest cement factory, to Calcestruzzi, a subsidiary of the debt ridden Feruzzi group. His decision was prompted by accusations that supreme court assistant prosecutor Constantine Volonasis was internationally delaying the probe. "A Minister of Justice cannot remain indifferent to the course of the ongoing investigation", Mr. Kouvelakis said, adding he had ordered Mr. Volonassis to hand over the probe file. The investigation concerns allegations that Greek politicians received kick-backs to expedite the sale of AGET Heracles to Italian cement distributor Calcestruzzi in 1992. Judicial sources said the move could lead to the prosecution of a number of politicians. Michalis Vranopoulos, a former director of Greece's largest commercial bank was killed by the notorious November 17 terrorist group last week over his role in the sell-off of the state company. Under his direction, the National Bank of Greece took part in a surprise joint bid for AGET-Heracles, teaming up with Calcestruzzi. November 17 said in a proclamation Vranopoulos, conservative former Prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis and his National Economy Minister Stefanos Manos shared kick-backs amounting to three billions drachmas from the deal. Athens, 2/2/1994 (ANA): A former independent Moslem deputy was sentenced to 16 month's imprisonment on charges of forgery and fraud, judicial sources in Thessaloniki said yesterday. Ahmet Sadiq was accused of forging the signatures of Moslem Greeks on petitions claiming human rights violations against Moslems in Thrace. Sadiq was appealing a lower court decision in 1989, that found him guilty on the same charges and sentenced him to 30 months. Police said the former deputy was released on bail.