From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 23 Sep 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 23, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Papoulias declines Ghali mediator offer, no dialogue unless ethnics released * Meeting with Cyrus Vance * Minister protests Istanbul church used as beauty contest site * Turkish PM claims Greek Gov't "uses Turk-phobia" * Venizelos: No EU pressure on FYROM, Albania * Papoulias statement * Stephanopoulos highlights Clinton's keen interest in Greek problems * Greece: Full backing to Black Sea Co-operation * Greek Eurodeputies on Cyprus visit * Russia-Greece oil pipeline to be decided year-end * State reaches agreement with metro builders * Neorion shipyard sold to Amber Co Papoulias declines Ghali mediator offer, no dialogue unless ethnics released ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Nations, 23/9/1994 (ANA-M. Georgiadou): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias reiterated yesterday that Greek-Albanian dialogue could only start if the six ethnic Greeks convicted earlier this month by a Tirana court were set free. He declined a mediation offer by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to solve differences between the two neighbouring states. Mr. Papoulias, who was addressing the press after a 45-minute meeting with Mr. Ghali, said: "We have only one problem. It is hardship felt by those people (the six imprisoned ethnic Greeks). That is the position of the Greek government. Should that hardship come to an end a Greek-Albanian dialogue will start and, indeed, it will be rich in content, in the sense that we have many issues of mutual benefit to discuss." Commenting on a reporter's remark that "therefore, we do not accept mediation by the Secretary-General", Mr. Papoulias said: "No, we do not accept it. We want those wishing to offer good offices, especially the Secretary-General - a personality of international stature - to do so along the lines I have told you." Referring to the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Mr. Papoulias said: "My briefing was a sequel to the meeting I had with Mr. Vance yesterday (Wednesday). Of course, the Secretary-General shares the view that there is not much that could be done before October 16 (the date on which general elections will be held in FYROM ). However, one can pave the way for October 17." Turning to Cyprus, Mr. Papoulias said a common assessment was made on where the issue stands, adding that "there is some scepticism following latest developments ." Meanwhile, Joe Sills, Mr. Ghali's spokesman, told a regular press briefing that Mr. Ghali and Mr. Papoulias "discussed relations between Greece and Albania, Greece's relations with FYROM and the situation in Cyprus." Asked whether or not Mr. Ghali would continue to offer his good services to resolve the Greek-Albanian conflict, Mr. Sills said: "Yes, his offer still holds." Mr. Papoulias will visit the Archdiocese today for talks with Archbishop of North and South America Iacovos. Mr. Papoulias will also meet with a delegation of American Jews who will call on him at his hotel. Meeting with Cyrus Vance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Nations, 23/9/1994 (ANA): Speaking to reporters after an hour-long meeting with Mr. Vance on Wednesday night, Mr. Papoulias said: "I had a very interesting discussion with Mr. Vance. We covered the entire period which we did not see each other. Of course, there is not much mobility. I think that more important discussions will be held after October 16, after elections in Skopje (FYROM). I must say, the discussion I had with Mr. Vance was both interesting and substantive." Asked by the press whether or not signs of progress had appeared at his meeting with Mr. Vance, Mr. Papoulias said: "I think that contained optimism on my part, was confirmed at the meeting with Mr. Vance today, in the sense that - as I have already said - at the beginning of next year there should be a breakthrough in the deadlock." Minister protests Istanbul church used as beauty contest site ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 23/9/1994 (ANA): Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos in a letter to the Director General of UNESCO Federico Mayor requested his intervention to prevent use of the Greek Orthodox church of Saint Irene in Istanbul as a beauty contest site. In his letter to Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mikroutsikos underlined that: "... a beauty contest is an event which does not agree with the character of the monument, especially in our era which has instilled a sense of awareness and imposed respect for works of art and monuments." "I would like you to know that in Greece we respect and protect our monuments from abuse," the letter concluded. In a joint statement Mr. Mikroutsikos and Ministry of Culture Under-Secretary Nikolaos Sifounakis said that "it is unacceptable that the Saint Irene church of Constantinople be given for the use of a beauty contest." "It is an insult towards Hellenism and the Orthodox religion to transform a church filled with the memories of an entire culture into a stage for a beauty contest," they added. Turkish PM claims Greek Gov't "uses Turk-phobia" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Istanbul, 23/9/1994 (ANA): Turkish Prime Minister Tancu Ciller said in an interview with the Turkish newspaper "Sabah" that the Greek government was using "Turk-phobia for domestic consumption, owing to the fact that the Greek economy was in a difficult position." "We could also use the Aegean issue for election consumption," Ms. Ciller told Sabah editors. "But we don't," she added, "because we are a big country. We are very powerful in this region. We are in a position to finish this case in 48 hours." She was quoted as saying that "if Greece extends its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean, then 71% of the Aegean will be under Greek ownership." Ms. Ciller said, however, that "there is no official decision or evidence that Greece will extend its territorial waters to 12 miles." "Of course, the army follows developments closely," she added. Venizelos: No EU pressure on FYROM, Albania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 23/9/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday denied reports that it was being pressured by European Union states to resolve pending disputes with the Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Albania. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos made the statement a day after France and Germany launched a diplomatic bid to improve Greece's strained relations with its northern neighbours. In a letter to Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, French Foreign minister Alain Juppe and his German counterpart Klaus Kinkel called on the Greek government to join in efforts to examine means of resolving the disputes. Mr. Venizelos said the letter did not contain a specific initiative, adding that Greece could see no "significant character" to the initiative. He noted that consultations would take place in the framework of the EU troika, adding that the letter could include other regional issues such as Cyprus-European Union relations. The spokesman declined comment on Mr. Kinkel's speech in the German Parliament, saying he was not aware of all its contents. Commenting on US Vice President Al Gore's statements Wednesday, the spokesman said Greece was fully aware of American interest as expressed in President Clinton's letters. He added that Athens was under the impression that Washington did not place positions of Greece and Albania at the same level. Speaking at a meeting with Greek-American members of the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC), Vice President Al Gore had said Greece was "strategically positioned" to "bring stability and prosperity to the troubled Balkan region." Meanwhile in Paris, Foreign Ministry spokesman Richard Duque stressed the spirit of "friendship and co-operation" prevailing in the Kinkel-Juppe initiative, according to an ANA dispatch. Elaborating on the contents of the letter, Mr. Duque said it concerned European Union relations with Albania, FYROM and Turkey. "The letter has been sent to Mr. Papoulias in the framework of the excellent co-operation spirit which has been developed between the three Troika countries of the European Union," Mr. Duque said. He said the letter contained a proposal for a meeting in the framework of Troika consultations in the middle of November, adding that the proposal was addressed to both Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Mr. Papoulias. "We know that a number of problems exist," Mr. Duque said. "But our initiative," he added, "shows precisely our interest for settling them." The spokesman said the economic and political stability in the Balkan region should be strengthened and further tension avoided. He said the proposal for a meeting with the Greek leadership to try and resolve Greece's differences with its neighbours, and to further European Union ties with the three countries, was held "in a spirit of European solidarity and friendship toward an important European Union partner." Papoulias statement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Washington, 23/9/1994 (ANA): In Washington, Mr. Papoulias said he had not received the Kinkel-Juppe letter. "I will receive it today or tomorrow, read it and then reply," the Foreign Minister said. But said he had a distinct feeling about the contents of the letter. Mr. Papoulias said the German EU presidency had shown keen interest in the issues raised in the letter during the Usedom talks. Asked whether or not he agreed on reverting the Skopje issue to the European Union, Mr. Papoulias said there was no such interest. In reply to a press question on whether or not he regarded the Kinkel-Juppe initiative as pressure, Mr. Papoulias said: "I regard it as interest by the European Union in issues which are pending in our region. "I think that this is a sign that the European Union, especially the German presidency still cares. "I would remind you of Mr. Kinkel's initiative to meet with (FYROM President Kiro) Gligorov." Stephanopoulos highlights Clinton's keen interest in Greek problems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Washington, 23/9/1994 (ANA-D. Dimas): US President Bill Clinton's keen interest in Greece's problems was underscored yesterday by top adviser George Stephanopoulos. Addressing the Greek-American Leadership Conference, organised by the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC) Mr. Stephanopoulos said that President Clinton held "Greece's problems in his heart," either those concerning the Skopje issue or the illegal Turkish occupation of one third of the Cyprus territory. He said President Clinton had raised "the issue of human rights in Turkey ... the issue of illegal occupation of Cyprus," in meetings with the Turkish leadership very early in his presidency. He also "firmly condemned the harassment of the Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarchate." In a reference to recent convictions on espionage and illegal possession of weapons and subsequent imprisonment of six ethnic Greeks by a Tirana Court, Mr. Stephanopoulos said: "President Clinton has sent Ambassador Richard Shifter twice to the region to examine the issue," which "causes the President deep concern . He has sent letters to the Prime Ministers of both countries in the hope that we might soon be able to reach a good and fair solution to this trial and to this tragedy." Relations between Greece and Albania have been strained following the recent conviction and imprisonment of six ethnic Greeks in Tirana on charges of military espionage and illegal possession of weapons. Five of the arrests took place after a fatal incident at a border conscript inside Albania led to growing tension between the two neighbours. Albania accused Greece of the attack in which two Albanian conscripts were killed, but Athens strongly denied the charge. Athens said the Tirana trials were meant to terrorise its ethnic minority in southern Albania estimated at 300,000, and retaliated by blocking European Union funds to Albania. Greece called on the international community to exert pressure on Tirana to release the six ethnic Greeks, and asked the European Union to show solidarity with Greece and put its common foreign policy to the test. Greece: Full backing to Black Sea Co-operation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 23/9/1994 (ANA): Members of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSCE) group concluded a two-day meeting in Athens yesterday. Greek Foreign Ministry Secretary General in charge of European Affairs Mr. Thodorakis told the press Greece was determined to contribute with all means at its disposal to the achievement of BSCE goals. Greece currently holds the rotating presidency of BSCE. The meeting focused on ways to implement various aspects of a multi-faceted economic co-operation among the participating countries, Russian Ambassador Evgeni Kutovoy who is BSCE' Permanent Secretariat Acting Director told a press conference. It was also agreed to further cultural co-operation among member countries. The meeting took place with the participation of the International Secretariat of the BSCE country-members as well as delegations from Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, and delegation s from countries and organisations participating in the BSCE as observers. Observers to the meeting were Poland, Tunisia, Slovenia, Israel, Egypt, the BSCE Business Council and the Black Sea International Club. Mr. Kutovoy told reporters a meeting would take place in Bulgaria next month to discuss co-operation in the energy field, while a meeting in Armenia in November would promote co-operation in the sectors of science and technology. He said that the issues of double taxation and investments would also be discussed in future meetings. Moldavian Foreign Under-Secretary Alexei Cemirtan thanked the Greek government for its efforts in achieving the goals set by the BSCE, and the BSCE Bank aim to become a basic financier for the development of the Black Sea countries. The Moldavian Under-Secretary signed the BSCE Trade and Development Bank foundation agreement on the sidelines of the meeting. The Bank will be based in Thessaloniki. The agreement has been signed so far by Greece, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia. Greek Eurodeputies on Cyprus visit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brussels, 23/9/1994 (ANA): Twenty five Greek Eurodeputies will pay an official three day visit to Cyprus, from November 10 through 13, at the invitation of Cyprus House of Representatives President Alexis Galanos. Mr. Galanos is currently in Brussels for talks with European Parliament officials. The Eurodeputies will meet with the Cypriot government and political party officials to discuss problems Nicosia facing in its efforts to promote a Cyprus application for accession to the European Union. Sources said the new president of the Mixed Cyprus-EU Parliamentary Committee will be German Eurodeputy of the social-democratic party, Matilde Rothe, with whom Mr. Galanos met yesterday. Mr. Galanos yesterday met with the president of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament, Pauline Green, president of the Green Party Alexander Langer and the president of the European Radical Alliance Katherine Lalimier and others in Brussels. Mr. Galanos informed them of the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and exchanged views on the promotion of the Cypriot application for accession to the EU. Russia-Greece oil pipeline to be decided year-end ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sofia, 23/9/1994 (Reuter-ANA): A decision on building a new crude oil pipeline from Russia to Greece over Bulgarian territory will be taken by the end of the year, Bulgaria's Construction Minister said yesterday. Hristo Totev said on arrival from a Bulgarian-Russian intergovernmental commission session in Moscow technical and economical studies of the plan had to be made before a decision on the project. "Experts from the three countries will prepare a technical and economical analysis by New Year's Day, so that then it will be known whether a pipeline will be constructed," Mr. Totev told reporters. Russia had suggested to Bulgaria in August a tanker route from its Novorosiisk port to the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Bourgas from where a new pipeline would carry the oil to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. Greece and Bulgaria signed an agreement for the pipeline construction on September 16. An estimated 30-40 million tonnes of Russian oil would be transported annually through the new route, which had been expected to cost from $400 million to $800 million, Mr. Totev said. He added that the reconstruction of the ports of Bourgas and Alexandroupolis aimed at reloading big quantities of oil, could spend some 40 percent of the investments. Mr. Totev said the three countries had planned private investment for building the pipeline with the help of Western banks' credits but not state funds. "Other countries, which have an interest in oil transport in this direction could be also attracted," Mr. Totev said. A working group had already started finding the most appropriate route for the proposed pipeline to cross Bulgaria. "For the time being the political will of the three countries is important but before taking a decision for building the pipeline we need to know how much it (the project) would cost and whether it would be effective," Mr. Totev said. The route would bypass the narrow Bosphoros Straits, where Turkey has imposed restrictions. State reaches agreement with metro builders ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 23/9/1994 (ANA): The state has reached an agreement with the joint venture building the Athens Metro on the latter's demands for supplementary works. Alternate Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Geitonas yesterday said an additional agreement would be drawn up immediately and tabled in Parliament soon, probably next week. Mr. Geitonas added differences had narrowed down on the basis of cost assessment of services by the owner of the Attiko Metro project and the Bechtel consultant company, not services by Olympiako Metro construction company. The agreement says the construction company will have to reduce the existing 22-month delay in the project to 11 months. Consequently, the completed project will have to be by the end of 1998 (instead of November 1997 as provided for in the initial agreement). Reports say the supplementary sum agreed on at the talks is approximately 64 billion dr. Neorion shipyard sold to Amber Co ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 23/9/1994 (ANA): An agreement to transfer Neorion shipyard to Amber company - the highest bidder - for 2.15 billion drachmas, was signed yesterday, Alternate Industry Minister Christos Rokofyllos said the aim was to make the yard an important unit in Greece's production machinery, and a permanent source of income for Syros, by providing employment to hundreds of workers. The agreement provides Amber should hire and keep at least 600 workers for six years. Of these, 90 per cent should be former Neorio staff. It also agreed to effect investments totalling 800 million dr.