From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 25 May 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Greek-Bulgarian friendly relations a 'must' for Balkan peace, stability ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 25/5/1994 (ANA): Visiting Bulgarian Foreign Minister Stanislav Daskalov yesterday had separate talks with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias on bilateral economic relations and the situation in the Balkans. The importance of the friendly relations between the two countries for peace and stability in the Balkans was stressed during the talks, as was also the need to preserve the territorial integrity of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Mr. Papoulias told his Bulgarian counterpart that Greece was prepared to discuss ways of resolving the FYROM issue with the Skopje government, provided Skopje first abandoned its intransigent attitude and showed it understood Greece's views. The talks also centred on economic relations between Greece and Bulgaria, particularly on creating road axes to facilitate transport. It was later announced that Bulgarian Prime Minister Lyuben Berov would soon visit Athens and Mr. Papoulias would go to Sofia for talks. "At this unsettled period in the Balkans," Mr. Papoulias told reporters, " close relations between Greece and Bulgaria constitute a solid base on which all efforts for inter-Balkan co-operation can be built. The peoples of the Balkans should prepare as of now for the moment when conditions of peaceful co-existence in Balkan countries will prevail." Both sides noted there was identity of views on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and stressed the need for an immediate cease-fire and negotiations. Mr. Daskalov said that Greek-Bulgarian economic relations had been '"at a very high level" in recent years, Greece being Bulgaria's second biggest trading partner among the countries of the European Union and Greek investments in Bulgaria ranked first. He also expressed satisfaction at Greece's support for Bulgaria's association with the European Union. The two foreign ministers also discussed developments in Albania and the situation of the ethnic Greek minority in the neighbouring country. Mr. Papoulias said that Greece continued to insist that the issue of respect by Tirana for the rights of the Greek minority was the "cornerstone" for developing Greek-Albanian relations. "Tirana must understand that they can only benefit from progress in relations with Greece, and that Albania's image will be tarnished internationally if the Greek minority is not respected," Mr. Papoulias said. Both sides expressed hope that the crisis in relations between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia would be resolved. Mr. Papoulias also expressed hope that the meeting he will be having next month in New York with the UN mediator for the FYROM issue Cyrus Vance, would bring positive results. Greece's unchanging position and desire, he added, is that FYROM should exist as a state "and Athens seeks normalisation in relations provided, of course, that Skopje also understands this necessity and abandons its extremist positions." Good relations between Greece and Skopje, Mr. Papoulias said, will contribute to stability and peace in the Balkans. "(FYROM President) Kiro Gligorov should also realise this," he added. Referring to FYROM, Mr. Daskalov said that it was also in Bulgaria's interest to have an independent and stable neighbour, since this would be "to the benefit of stability in the region". "We are certain," he continued, "that all problems can and will be resolved through dialogue. The course of democratisation in FYROM is progressing and it is to everyone's benefit." The Bosnian crisis was also discussed during the talks, and both sides agreed on the necessity of an immediate cease-fire between the warring factions and the resumption of peace talks. NATO accepts Greek position on Larissa HQ ----------------------------------------- Brussels, 25/5/1994 (ANA-K.Verros/M. Savva): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, yesterday said that Greece's NATO allies have accepted the Greek position that a political decision taken in December 1992 on reconstructing the Alliance's military structure should be implemented. Consequently, he added, the Organisation's General Secretariat should assume responsibility for speeding up procedures to activate the land forces headquarters and an air force auxiliary command in Larissa. Speaking at the end of a NATO Defence Planning Committee meeting in Brussels, Mr. Arsenis stressed "we are entering a new phase as of today, in the course towards implementing the political decision taken in December '92." He added that the activation of the headquarters "will neither be automatic nor easy" while negotiations about to start "will be laborious". Reconstructing Nato's military structure had been decided in December 1992 including restructuring its southern flank through land forces headquarters in Larissa having operational responsibility all over Greece and an air force auxiliary command whose operational limits had not been set. Mr. Arsenis said Greece had accepted the decision taken by the alliance in 1992 that the airforce auxiliary command should not have operational limits which would enable the Supreme Allied Command in Southern Europe, stationed in Naples, Italy, to assign operational responsibility for the Aegean to any headquarters it may select. This position of Athens allowed Turkey to raise objections and exercise the right of veto on the creation and, in particular, on activation of the headquarters and auxiliary command in Larissa. Mr. Arsenis had notified NATO Secretary-General Manfred Woerner last December of the importance Greece attaches to the headquarters' activation and to negative repercussions which could result both for Greece and the Alliance if the December 1992 political decision were not implemented. "We want activation of headquarters and the auxiliary command, but we are not prepared to accept activation in a manner harming our national interests," Mr. Arsenis said. He stressed two main aspects at yesterday's Defence Planning Committee: Failure to activate the headquarters creates a credibility problem for NATO, since the alliance will appear incapable of carrying out its decisions. Failure to activate the headquarters and auxiliary command in Larissa will oblige Athens to block infrastructure financing for other headquarters in the Southern Flank as well, creating negative repercussions for the whole alliance. Mr. Arsenis made it clear Greece insists that "before the airforce auxiliary command is activated we should secure operational control." Following yesterday's meeting, Nato's General Secretariat assumes the responsibility of speeding up processes to activate the Headquarters and the auxiliary command in Larissa. According to diplomatic sources, Turkey is in a "difficult position", and indicative of this is that the Turkish National Defence Minister made no comment on the issue which was interpreted that he lacked arguments in support of Turkish views. The sources hope that through indirect pressure exerted by Greece yesterday, and pressure to be brought to bear on Ankara by other interested countries such as the US, Italy, Britain and France, the Turkish position will finally change and Turkish objections will be lifted. Mr. Arsenis said Athens wants activation of the headquarters and auxiliary command, but such activation should not necessarily be simultaneous. "If," he said, "a solution to the problem of land headquarters were to go ahead, it will be activated." Negotiations on the airforce auxiliary command will continue "for operational limits to be defined before it is activated," he concluded. Greece submits European Court Skopje retortion report, refutes EU Commission charges ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 25/5/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday submitted a 100-page document to the European Court with comments on the European Commission's request for a restraining order on Greek retortion measures against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The document stresses the European Commission has not proved that any damage has been caused, adding that the Greek government move was justified both legally and politically. Greece imposed trade sanctions as retortion measures against FYROM on February 16, to force the neighbouring state to change its flag, name and Constitution. "The Greek government submitted today (yesterday) to the European Court its comments on the European Commission's request for a restraining order on the measures against Skopje, made known to Greece on April 27, 1994," a Greek Foreign Ministry statement said. In the 100-page document, the Greek government rejects European Union charges that the trade sanctions against FYROM run counter to EU legislation. According to the Foreign Ministry statement, the move was justified both legally and politically. "...The Greek government believes that the Commission has not established that there is damage or its extent," the statement said, adding that "the procedure of a restraining order is groundless." Hearings would be held June 14. No Greek tankers with FYROM-destined oil at Albanian port --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 25/5/1994 (ANA): The government yesterday denied that two Greek tankers had arrived in the Albanian port of Durres carrying fuel for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the Ministry of Merchant Marine had not confirmed claims made in the form of a press question put to him Monday. House Sub Committee ratifies 7 to 10 Greece-Turkey military aid --------------------------------------------------------------- Washington, 25/5/1994 (ANA-D.Dimas): A plenary session of the House of Representatives' Funds Appropriation Committee ratified Monday night a package of proposals by its Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, including the principle of the seven-to-ten ratio by which military funds will be granted to Greece and Turkey in the new 1995 fiscal year. Greece stresses need for practical proof of Albania's food intentions ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 25/5/1994 (ANA): Greece reiterated yesterday that any improvement in relations with neighbouring Albania depended on Tirana's respecting the rights of the ethnic Greek minority. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos added that such respect would have to "be demonstrated by the Albanian authorities". "Greece," he continued, "is waiting for interest to be shown by international organisations and CSCE High Commissioner for ethnic minorities (Max Van der Stoel)". Mr. Venizelos made the statement in response to a request to comment on Mr. Van der Stoel's refusal to commit himself on the issue of the six members of the ethnic Greek "Omonia" party, who are facing trial in southern Albania on charges of "anti-constitutional activities". Meanwhile, Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) Eurodeputy Alekos Alavanos has sent a letter to Europarliament President Egon Klepsch requesting that the assembly bring pressure to bear on the Albanian government, to put an end to "the climate of terror and flight which has spread among the Greek minority in Albania". The Athens Bar Association (DSA) also issued a statement yesterday, expressing profound concern at the imprisonment of six high-ranking "Omonia" members by Tirana Authorities. According to the announcement, "such terrorist acts constitute brutal violations of basic human and political rights of members of the ethnic (Greek) community in the neighbouring state and run counter to the rules of international organisations of which Albania is also a member." C'ttee recommends former PM's indictment ----------------------------------------- Athens, 25/5/1994 (ANA): A parliamentary committee set up to investigate possible involvement of former Conservative Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis in phone-tapping charges yesterday submitted a 190-page document to the President of Parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, recommending Mr. Mitsotakis stand trial and acquitting his daughter, former Culture Minister, Dora Bakoyannis. The document carries five charges formed by the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and four by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). The two parties have virtually led the move to prosecute Mr. Mitsotakis and formed the majority of the all-party investigative committee. A senior prosecutor's report to Parliament in December said between the period of 1988 to 1991 there had been "repeated violations of telephone calls, discussions, use of information and tapes obtained in illicit ways." The report was issued after a probe ordered by the former premier last spring when a former employee of the state-run phone company (OTE) said he systematically tapped the phone-lines of Mr. Mitsotakis's political rivals. Ms. Bakoyannis also faced charges of involvement in the scandal, but the committee said they found no incriminating evidence against her. Mr. Mitsotakis has repeatedly denied involvement saying the case was politically motivated by his socialist opponents who control the majority of Greece's 300-seat parliament. Drachma remains steady, pressure easing --------------------------------------- Athens, 25/5/1994 (ANA): The drachma was stable for the second day running yesterday, helped by high interest rates in the domestic money market. Interbank rates, however, kept on a slightly downward trend closing the day at 90%. Money market dealers said that pressures on the drachma had eased substantially after last week's strong speculative attacks, and inflows continued at the Bank of Greece (BoG), reaching 85 million US dollars according to BoG sources. The sharp rise in the cost of money has led to a shortage of liquidity in the domestic market causing serious problems to the financing of businesses with many commercial banks raising credit card interest rates.