From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 17 Jun 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Parliament votes former PM to stand trial ----------------------------------------- Athens, 17/6/1994 (ANA): Parliament yesterday voted former New Democracy Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis should stand trial before a special court for involvement in a phone-tapping scandal. Following a marathon debate in the 300-seat parliament, lawmakers held five secret votes on as many charges brought against the former Premier. Of 175 deputies present, 163 voted that Mr. Mitsotakis face trial for morally instigating a scheme to tap the phones of his political rivals between 1988 and 1991. Six opposed and another six abstained. A total of 164 deputies voted that Mr. Mitsotakis be charged with using information obtained by unlawful means. Six voted against the motion and five abstained. On a charge of breach of faith, 160 lawmakers voted in favour, ten against and five abstained. For crime concealment, 153 deputies voted in favour, 14 against and eight abstained. A total of 156 deputies voted in favour of Mr. Mitsotakis' indictment for violation of privacy. Eleven deputies voted against and eight abstained. After the voting, Mr. Mitsotakis said: "I inform Mr. (Prime Minister Andreas) Papandreou that I will not settle for a suspension of prosecution. This case will reach its end and humiliate PASOK and its President." "The PASOK parliamentary group duly carried out Mr. Papandreou's orders," Mr. Mitsotakis said. "At last the miserable mudslinging period is ended and now justice will take over. Truth will shine," he added. The vote came six months after a senior prosecutor sent a report to Parliament saying there was incriminating evidence against Mr. Mitsotakis for involvement in a scheme of tapping phones of political rivals between 1988 and 1991. During that period, the report said there had been "repeated violations of telephone calls, discussions, use of information and tapes obtained in illegal ways." The scandal broke out in the open when a former employee of the state-run phone company (OTE) said he systematically tapped the phones of Mr. Mitsotakis' political foes. The employee, Christos Mavrikis, said he had tapped lines under orders from Mr. Mitsotakis' security chief advisor, Army General (Ret.) Nikos Gryllakis. Mr. Mitsotakis has repeatedly denied the charges saying the case are part of political vendetta launched against him by Prime Minister and long-time political rival Andreas Papandreou. Mr. Mitsotakis may soon face a similar indictment when Parliament votes in an upcoming session on whether or not to refer him before a special high court for allegedly receiving millions of dollars in kickbacks from the sale of state-owned AGET cement company. Addressing the House shortly before the ballot started, Mr. Mitsotakis accused ruling PASOK deputies of concocting evidence and being obsessed with revenge. "Your party is trapped into a compulsive thirst for revenge," Mr. Mitsotakis said. "Your only witness is a paid blackmailer and now you are proceeding to the last phase of your slanderous mission. But the truth will come out in the end and your mudslinging campaign will fail," he added. Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said there was no evidence or even indication that Mr. Mitsotakis had knowledge of phone-tapping. Mr. Evert said the case would fall under the statute of limitations since the offences allegedly took place before 1990, and also because a law passed this year in effect prescribed all offences committed up to 1993. The 111 conservative New Democracy deputies walked out of the debate shortly after Mr. Mitsotakis delivered his speech leaving the secret ballot to the 170 PASOK deputies and 19 Greek Communist Party (KKE) and Political Spring (Pol An) deputies. A string of PASOK deputies denounced Mr. Mitsotakis during the debate, accusing him of joining in a web of illegal phone tapping. "There is evidence unlawful wiretapping took place," said PASOK deputy Vassilis Bakatsioulias, in introducing the case against the former prime minister at the opening of the debate. "There was certainly a gang which carried out the wiretaps and its objective was political intelligence. Mr. Mitsotakis knew of the activities of that gang," he said. Political Spring rapporteur Anastasios Nikolopoulos said that the phone-tapping affair should be investigated judicially, adding that a former premier should be referred to trial by a special court only "when there is sufficient evidence, not mere supposition or imagination." KKE deputy Yiannis Katsaros asserted that there was sufficient evidence to bring Mr. Mitsotakis to trial. State Department spokesman statement "inopportune meddling", Greece says ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 17/6/1994 (ANA): The Greek government yesterday described a statement by a US State Department spokesman on airspace in the Aegean as "inopportune meddling." Foreign Ministry spokesman Costas Bikas said Greek Ambassador to Washington Lucas Tsilas had been instructed to lodge a demarche over a statement by State Department spokesman Mike McCurry, while Foreign Ministry General Secretary Christos Zaharakis conferred with US Ambassador Thomas Niles on the issue. Mr. McCurry told the press Wednesday control of airspace in the Aegean was a "complicated issue..., one of several issues involving boundaries in the Aegean which are at the heart of the dispute between Greece and Turkey." Mr. McCurry added that Greece claimed "a 10-mile airspace around its Aegean islands," while "most countries, including the US, do not recognise a 10-mile airspace." According to Mr. McCurry, the "general rule" accepted by most countries is that airspace should be equated with territorial waters. "Greece," he continued, "claims a six-mile territorial water limit around its Aegean islands." Mr. Bikas said that Greece had extended its territorial waters to 10 miles by Presidential Decree in 1931 for the purpose of demarcating its airspace. "Since 1974," he said, "Turkey has systematically challenged our airspace by violating it." "It is clear," Mr. Bikas added, "that national airspace is our sovereign right and we do not intend and, indeed, will not sell out." The spokesman expressed the government's "great puzzlement" at the State Department stance. "Inopportune meddling, particularly at a time when efforts are in progress to seek a way to reduce tension between Greece and Turkey does not help toward de-escalating such tension, and only leads to precisely the opposite of what is being sought," Mr. Bikas said. The US and Turkey have not signed the Caracas Convention under which Greece has the right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles. The US has adopted a 12-mile territorial water limit since 1982, and has extended its commercial rights to 200 nautical miles. Speaking to reporters after meeting with President Karamanlis, Premier Andreas Papandreou declared that the position of the US has always been that airspace should correspond to territorial waters. "We have six miles (territorial waters) and the Americans assert that our airspace is also six miles. But historically it has been established that Greece has a ten-mile airspace and a six-mile territorial water limit. It is something which we are not going to alter," Mr. Papandreou said. Meanwhile, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that Greece's sovereign rights are not negotiable, adding he is certain the US will reconsider its stance. Mr. Venizelos did not rule out the possibility that Mr. McCurry's statements may have been "badly worded" or even "off the cuff". Zaharakis-Niles meeting --------------------------- Athens, 17/6/1994 (ANA): Mr. Zaharakis told questioners after the meeting Mr. Niles had conveyed "a firm and steady US attitude" on the issue that airspace should be equal to territorial water limit. Asked to comment on US Secretary of State Warren Christopher's suggestion to Mr. Papoulias on the sidelines of a NATO Council in Istanbul last week that Greek aircraft intercepting Turkish fighter planes violating Greek airspace should be unarmed, Mr. Niles said: "The US, as a friend and an ally to both Greece and Turkey seeks ways to contribute to a reduction of tension." "If such aid is useful, then this is the role which the US can play in the world today," he added. "Naturally," he noted, "this is the role I hope to play as the Ambassador of the US to Athens." Commenting on the meeting with Mr. Zaharakis, Mr. Niles said "we had a constructive discussion." "In order to have a good and close relationship, like the US and Greece, it means that at any moment you may disagree on a certain issue without having to create hostilities or other consequences. Between good friends you cannot always have 100% agreement." Meanwhile, Political Spring party (Pol.An) spokesman Manolis Kalamidas expressed concern yesterday over US State Department "persistence in challenging Greece's 10-mile airspace." "Such positions encourage directly Turkish provocativeness on both the Aegean and the national issue of Cyprus," Mr. Kalamidas added. President, PM meet on "all" issues, domestic and foreign -------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 17/6/1994 (ANA): President Constantine Karamanlis and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou met for an hour yesterday on current issues, domestic and foreign, mainly developments in the Balkans, as well as the European Union Summit in Corfu at the end of next week. Mr Papandreou said discussion also included timing of an anticipated government reshuffle scheduled for early July. The tone of discussion was set by the president, who, welcoming the prime minister, said: "We have had a spate of events lately both internal and external." Good relations with Turkey hinge on Cyprus settlement, no provocation ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 17/6/1994 (ANA): Improvement in Greek-Turkish relations hinges on a settlement of the Cyprus problem and absence of provocation by Ankara, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. Mr. Venizelos noted recent statements by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel had "recycled" the problem of tension in relations between Athens and Ankara. Mr. Demirel on Wednesday "warned" Greece against "presenting Turkey with a fait accompli the consequences of which it (Greece) cannot face". The Turkish President was referring to Greece's right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles in the Aegean. Mr. Venizelos also confirmed that President Constantine Karamanlis had written Mr. Demirel rejecting claims Kurdish rebels had been trained in Greece. Mr. Karamanlis expressed surprise at Mr. Demirel's insistence on such allegations which Greece has categorically denied, well-informed sources said. At the same time, Foreign Ministry spokesman Costas Bikas stressed Greece sought de-escalation of tension in relations with Turkey. Mr. Bikas was commenting on a statement by Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Ferhat Ataman, who said that for "a period of time Turkish warplanes had patrolled the Aegean unarmed" and that "such gesture by Turkey had not encountered reciprocity by Greece as yet". "The government once again wishes to make it clear to Ankara that Greece desires establishment of a climate conducive to normalising bilateral relations," Mr. Bikas said. "The Greek side," he added, "does not desire creation or maintenance of tension with the neighbouring country, and hopes such a stance will meet with positive response." "However," Mr. Bikas said, "such a stance on Greece's part does not mean that we are prepared to sell out our sovereign rights, especially the right of defence." "We believe that the recent meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries Mr (Karolos) Papoulias and Mr (Hikmet) Cetin (on the sidelines of a NATO Foreign Ministers' Council in Istanbul), at which both agreed it was necessary to avoid creation of such tensions, might contribute to that effect," he said. "Whenever Turkey violates Greek airspace," he added, "can in no way be construed as a gesture of goodwill by Ankara, simply because Turkish aircraft committing such violations are not armed with missiles, nor can it be expected of the Greek airforce to perform its defence duties without weaponry deemed necessary for the purpose," he added. Pangalos meets with Major, Hurd ------------------------------ London, 17/6/1994 (ANA-L.Tsirigotakis): Continuing his tour of European Union member-state capitals, Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos met with British Prime Minister John Major here yesterday. Mr. Pangalos, accompanied by Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou, and Mr. Major discussed Greece's proposals on EU issues to be discussed in the EU Corfu summit next week. Greece currently holds the rotating six-month EU presidency. "At the EU Summit, broad consensus will prevail, and there will be no problems in decisions which the Union will take on the serious issues like employment and EU economic development," Mr. Pangalos said after meeting with Mr. Major. Mr. Pangalos added that Mr. Major gave particular attention to employment, especially of youth. Also discussed at the Major-Pangalos meeting was the issue of a successor to European Commission President Jacques Delors when his term expires at the end of the year. Whom Greece would support for the post "will be made public in Corfu," Mr. Pangalos said. Mr. Pangalos also held talks yesterday with British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd. Austrian President in Athens Thursday, talks with President Karamanlis ----------------------------------------------------------------- Vienna, 17/6/1994 (ANA/D.Dimitrakoudis): President Klestil of Austria will have talks with President Constantine Karamanlis in Athens Thursday. The Austrian president will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Alois Mock. After Athens, he will go to Corfu, where the Greek presidency of the European Union will host Russian President Boris Yeltsin to supper on Thursday evening. On Friday morning, President Klestil will attend the initialing of the agreement on the accession of Austria and the three Scandinavian countries to the EU, that will take place in St George's Church. After the ceremony, the Austrian president will make an official statement on behalf of the Republic of Austria. On Saturday morning, President Klestil and Mr. Mock will meet with European Affairs Minister Theodoros Pangalos, who will also have a working dinner with Chancellor Franz Vranitsky Friday evening. French C'ttee defers Greece WEU accession protocol -------------------------------------------------- Paris, 17/6/1994 (ANA): The External Affairs Committee of the French Assembly yesterday voted in favour of postponing ratification of a Protocol on Greek accession to the Western European Union (WEU), due to "its behaviour toward 'Macedonia', " the Assembly press office announced. "The External Affairs Committee considers that ratification is not urgent and the French Assembly ought to await updating of the French Government on an impending ruling by the European Court regarding the Greek embargo against 'Macedonia', the statement added. It is noted, that an Assembly plenum will decide on a postponement proposal at its June 20 session. Greek Foreign Ministry circles yesterday expressed hope the French Assembly will not adopt the External Affairs Committee rationale." Clinton Administration "special interest" in Greek ethnics rights in Albania ----------------------------------------------------------------- Washington, 17/6/1994 (ANA/D.Dimas): According to top officials of the Clinton Administration, the US government is showing "special interest" in conditions prevailing in Albania regarding human rights of the Greek minority there. It is said that "there have been communications at the highest levels" between Washington and Tirana on this issue. State Department Assistant European Affairs Secretary Stephen Oxman recently stated to ANA that the human rights issues raised by the Greek side "need to be examined very carefully". Manos Hadjidakis buried, sympathy messages pour in -------------------------------------------------- Athens, 17/6/1994 (ANA): World renowned composer Manos Hadjidakis, who died Wednesday of acute pulmonary oedema, was buried yesterday after a quiet ceremony at the chapel of St Nectarios in Paiania, outside Athens. Among those present were Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos, New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert, singer and newly elected Eurodeputy Nana Mouskouri, and film directors Nikos Koundouros and Jules Dassin, for whose 1960 film "Never on Sunday" Hadjidakis had composed the music which won him an Oscar award. President Constantine Karamanlis and Premier Andreas Papandreou sent wreaths. Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, in a message, also expressed sympathy over the loss of "the great artist". Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides, in a written statement, said Cypriot Hellenism participated in the Panhellenic mourning for the loss of the great composer who projected Greece's name and art all over the world. A cable of condolences was also received by Cypriot Education and Culture Minister Claire Angelidou, who only last week had received a message from the late composer that he would soon visit the island to organise a specific co-operation programme.