From: Theodore Zarros Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 24 Sep 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, September 24, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Greece accepts French-German proposal if within EU troika framework * Government spokesman * Papandreou-Karamanlis meeting * Clarification on Papoulias UN statement * Clinton envoy thinks FYROM settlement possible * Papoulias calls on Archbishop Iacovos * Samaras calls for party leaders' meeting * SYN favours following up French German initiative * Venizelos throws ball back at Ciller * New Yugoslavia renews accusations against Albania * January to August drowning toll falls * Road toll slight improvement in 1993 * Libya still holding Greek ferry, captain on trial * Former FM goes "independent" * ETBA to relieve Greek hotels of 25 bil. dr. outstanding debt burdens Greece accepts French-German proposal if within EU troika framework ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Karlsruhe, 24/9/1994 (ANA-P. Stangos): Greece yesterday said it accepted a Franco-German proposal for three-party consultations, mid November, on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greek-Albanian relations and relations between the EU an d Turkey, on the condition that such consultations were held within the framework of the European Union troika. Foreign Under-Secretary for European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis conveyed the government's response to German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel on Thursday. Mr. Kranidiotis stressed to Mr. Kinkel that Greece understood that consultations on relations with Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and EU-Turkey relations would be held within the European Union framework, sources said. The sources noted Mr. Kranidiotis also pointed out that it would be "unthinkable" to discuss European Union relations with Turkey without concurrently discussing the Cyprus bid for EU accession in the same context. 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 Greece's differences with Albania and FYROM. Mr. Kranidiotis told Mr. Kinkel, the Greek government would release its written response after Mr. Papoulias returned to Greece, sources said. Mr. Papoulias is currently in New York to participate in the United States annual General Assembly meeting. Meanwhile, Mr. Kinkel yesterday termed the Franco-German proposal "an offer of good offices, not an effort to impose views on Greece," stressing the letter did not contain either action plans or new ideas. Both Mr. Kinkel and Mr. Juppe rejected the "notion of intervention" or "pressure" in relation to their proposal. Mr. Juppe told the press the proposal was an "expression of interest." Yesterday, Mr. Kranidiotis conferred with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. He also met with Portuguese Foreign Minister Durao Barozo, Italian Under-Secretary Livio Caputo and Dutch Under-Secretary Ole Londsman Boolsen. Speaking to reporters after the meetings, Mr. Kranidiotis said they had focused on creating a climate in which discussions on Greek positions would concentrate on their content. "We can win at the negotiations by explaining our positions and interests," he told reporters. Mr. Kranidiotis added that the prevailing climate was favourable on the issue of protection to ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania, the Cyprus bid for EU accession, and relations between Turkey and the European Union. The Greek Under-Secretary drew special attention to the position of the Portuguese Minister who stated his "full understanding" on the issue of the (ethnic) Greek minority in Albania, and his support for Cyprus EU accession, "regardless of the phase of its political solution." Mr. Barozo, however, took a different stand on the Skopje issue. In the meantime, a senior diplomat at the German Foreign Ministry said the Franco-German initiative "is not pointed against Greece, but aims at a joint effort to promote stability measures in the region." Another German diplomat told the ANA yesterday that "the intention and the contents (of the letter) may have been prompted by concern over destabilisation dangers in the region, but were in no way turned against Greece which, as a member of the troika, was requested to join in common efforts to solve the problems, which are also problems of the European Union." The diplomat recalled German efforts to exert pressure on FYROM President Kiro Gligorov in August, and on the Albanian government to release five ethnic Greeks convicted and imprisoned on charges of military espionage and illegal weapons possession. Government spokesman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday Greece was in favour of direct talks with Albania, provided that Tirana ended its persecution of the ethnic Greek minority. He added that the Greek government always welcomed the good offices of UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Asked whether or not Greece had rejected Mr. Ghali's offer to help resolve differences between the two countries, Mr. Venizelos said "the government has not rejected Mr. Ghali's offer", but clarified that the UN Secretary General was not undertaking any mediation initiative. "A prerequisite for the reopening of dialogue between Greece and Albania is that an end be put to the hardships of the ethnic Greek minority'," he said. Papandreou-Karamanlis meeting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou met yesterday with President Constantine Karamanlis to brief him on foreign policy issues and the Franco-German initiative. "Greece hopes that the interest displayed by third countries will support Greek efforts in securing stability and security in the region," said a statement issued by the President's office after the meeting. Before the talks Mr. Karamanlis said Athens was faced with several foreign policy issues that had to be confronted with "courage and realism". Clarification on Papoulias UN statement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Referring to the headline "Papoulias declines Ghali mediator offer, no dialogue unless ethnics released" and the news item under it on page one of our Friday, September 23, issue, we should like to draw our readers' attention to the fact, that the Foreign Minister's statement actually meant acceptance of Mr. Ghali's offer, as shown by Mr. Papoulias reply to a newsman's query. To the newsman's remark drawing the Foreign Minister's attention that his (the newsman's) interpretation of Mr Papoulias' statement was "It follows that we do not accept the Secretary General's mediation", Mr. Papoulias said: "Not we don't accept. (What I mean is that) for the sake of all those, especially the Secretary-General, a leading figure of international stature, who wishes to offer his good offices, we should like to see them offered along the lines which I have told you." Clinton envoy thinks FYROM settlement possible ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New York, 24/9/1994 (ANA/M. Georgiadou): Following a meeting with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday, President Clinton's special envoy on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Matthew Nimetz stated that October would be crucial for the solution to the problem. He added his belief that this was a problem which could well be solved through negotiations in the course of the next few months, and to the benefit of both countries. He also confirmed that his government was in touch with European leaders over the issue, and that he had held personal talks with European representatives, whom, however, he did not wish to name. Mr Papoulias stated that the Greek position remained unchanged. Papoulias calls on Archbishop Iacovos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New York, 24/9/1994 (ANA/M. Georgiadou): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday met with Greek Orthodox Archbishop of North and South America Iacovos. Replying to questions on the Albanian issue, the Archbishop said he had spoken to the American leadership and also sent a two- page letter to the State Department. He expressed his deep conviction that the Omonia Five would be freed. Samaras calls for party leaders' meeting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Political Spring (Pol. An) Party leader Antonis Samaras called for a party leaders' meeting immediately, in a statement yesterday, stating it is the "only national decision rendered imperative by current national issues ." Mr. Samaras added that "at the recent meeting between the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, the issue was overlooked for reasons of their own." At the same time Mr. Samaras underlined that "concern grows, in light of the official announcement which considers the Kinkel-Juppe proposal as being favourable to Greece, although it is biased in favour of Gligorov and Berisha." SYN favours following up French German initiative ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party leader Nikos Constantopoulos said the Franco-German initiative should be followed up, despite the fact it had been manifested in a negative manner for Greece. He blamed the government for allowing freedom of movement to others through tactics of inertia. Mr. Constantopoulos said he would pay an official visit to Albania September 29 through 30, adding that he has requested a meeting with the President of the Republic. Referring to economic issues, Mr. Constantopoulos said duplicity among members of the government reveals lack of co-ordination and credibility. Venizelos throws ball back at Ciller ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Greece, reacting to a statement by Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller, yesterday renewed its accusations that Ankara was attempting to create artificial tension. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos was reacting to a statement by Ms. Ciller in a recent interview with the Turkish newspaper "Sabah", that the Athens government was using "Turk-phobia for domestic consumption, owing to the fact that the Greek economy is in a difficult position". She also said that Turkey "could also use the Aegean issue for election consumption, but we don't ... We are in a position to finish this case in 48 hours". Voicing reservations over the accuracy of the statement attributed to Ms. Ciller, Mr. Venizelos said that it was "part of (Turkey's) the well-known scenario of creating artificial tension" to turn attention away from Turkey's internal problems. Mr. Venizelos said that if Ms. Ciller's statement had been accurately and fully attributed, "it carries a veiled threat". New Yugoslavia renews accusations against Albania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Belgrade, 24/9/1994 (ANA/Takis Mouratidis): New Yugoslavia yesterday again accused Albania of continuing its hostile policy against its neighbours, especially against Belgrade. A Yugoslav government statement said such hostility was clear in Albanian President Sali Berisha's recent letter to the European Union and the countries of the Security Council, on the deterioration of Greek-Albanian relations. The statement also points out that Albania continues to support secessionist forces in Kossovo, which are in favour of the province's annexation to Albania. January to August drowning toll falls ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): A total of 187 persons - 148 men - died of drowning in the eight-month period from January through August, Merchant Marine Ministry sources said Friday. The toll for 1993 was 255, the sources added. Road toll slight improvement in 1993 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): One hundred and seven people died and 2,753 were wounded in 2,080 road accidents throughout Greece in September 1993, according to National Statistics Service figures. Corresponding figures for 1992 were 2,042 accidents, 154 fatalities and 2,784 injured. The toll for the nine-month period from January to September 1993 was 1,359 killed , a 2.44% decrease from 1,393 in 1992. Libya still holding Greek ferry, captain on trial ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Libya has been holding a Greek-owned passenger ferry for nearly two weeks, and its captain was due to go on trial yesterday for breaking an Arab black-list ban, a Merchant Marine Ministry statement said. A ministry announcement said that the 5,000-ton "VERGINA", owned by Piraeus-based Stability Line Inc., is held at the Libyan port of Tripoli since September 11. The vessel's 80-member crew - 78 Greeks and two aliens - are all well. Captain Christos Githopoulos will appear in court today (yesterday)," the statement added. Libyan authorities say the vessel had been classified by Arab countries as "undesirable because it was built in 1964 for Israeli interests". Since then, the Ministry said, the vessel was sold to Saudi Arabian interests and operated under the Saudi flag, before passing into Greek ownership. The Ministry said it had notified the Libyan Ambassador in Athens to mediate with the Libyan authorities to resolve the problem that has arisen. A spokesman for the company said that the Libyan authorities banned the ship's entry because it had in the past broken the Arab boycott regulations against Israel. Former FM goes "independent" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): Member of Parliament and former New Democracy Foreign Minister Michalis Papaconstantinou yesterday told a press conference he had decided to become an independent member as of Monday, if the party disciplinary council insists on what he termed a "foregone decision" to expel him from the party. Mr Papaconstantinou accused the present leadership of the party of stifling all "free expression of ideas and views" within the party, noting he was one of the few who had spoken up the truth on the nation's international relations. "Today there is no government or opposition," he said, "and only the oblivious show no concern for the nation's course". The former foreign minister referred to his disagreement with the adoption and application of the embargo against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), saying that "a unilateral embargo is de facto ineffective", that "the party was drawn in to an agreement with the government", and that "with our policy we are pushing FYROM into the laps of others and provoking international public opinion against us". ETBA to relieve Greek hotels of 25 bil. dr. outstanding debt burdens ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 24/9/1994 (ANA): The Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETBA) said yesterday it had agreed to settle outstanding debts of hotels totalling 25 billion drachmas in a bid to boost investment in that sector. "The decision will assist more than 700 hotel enterprises ," ETBA governor Theodore Gamaletsos said. The decision applied to all businesses with outstanding debts and loans, either in drachmas or foreign currency, he added. All hotel enterprises throughout Greece will benefit from the decision except those in Macedonia and Thrace, he added.