Subject: A.N.A. Bulletin 20/3/95 Topic: ana ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN Ellnviko Grafeio Tupou kai Plnroforiwv, Ottawa, Canada E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca) CONTENTS ======== [1] Renewed prospects in Skopje issue, Papoulias may travel to New York [2] Government spokesman [3] Reactions [4] EU troika "demarche" aimed at Turkey [5] Albanian army to take part in Greek exercises [6] Albanian foreign minister optimistic about Greek-Albanian relations [7] Papathemelis returns from official trip to Syria, Iran [8] Albania to grant Anastasios a travel visa [1] Renewed prospects in Skopje issue, Papoulias may travel to New York ----------------------------------------------------------- Carcassonne, 20/033/1995 (ANA - G. Zitouniati): UN-sponsored talks on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) issue show renewed prospects, Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said Saturday adding that he didn't exclude going himself to New York at some point. "The Skopje issue entered a new path with meetings in New York and the direct talks (between Athens and Skopje) due to start soon on all issues in the presence of (UN mediator) Cyrus Vance," he said at a recess of an informal European Union foreign ministers meeting in Carcassonne, France. Speaking to reporters before leaving for the EU meeting, Mr. Papoulias said he believed there would be developments in early April regarding direct talks in New York. "Greece has won a first battle regarding the prospects of the problem with Skopje," he said in Carcassonne. He explained that "whereas previously (FYROM) President Kiro Gligorov rejected dialogue on matters of substance, he is now prepared to discuss all issues, even without a previous lifting of (Greece's) embargo." Greece imposed a trade embargo on FYROM as retortion measures to curb Skopje intransigence. Mr. Papoulias said discussions would touch on all issues, including the name, for which talks, however, could be separate or concurrent. Mr. Papoulias said it was not yet clear whether discussions would take place at a permanent representatives level or whether he would attend himself, but added that at some point he may travel to New York if necessary. [2] Government spokesman ------------------------ Athens, 20/03/1995 (ANA): Meanwhile, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday that Greece was committed to United Nations efforts to help resolve pending differences between Greece and FYROM. "There is no secret deal or issue of direct talks with Skopje... Greece participates in the mediation efforts of the United Nations," Mr. Venizelos told reporters in Thessaloniki. He reiterated that Athens stood by its conditions to lift sanctions against the former Yugoslav republic for its refusal to comply with Greek demands to change its name, flag and constitution. "Greece is willing to lift the measures taken against Skopje, provided it shows tangible and specific action regarding the issues of the flag, constitution and hostile propaganda," Mr. Venizelos said. The former Yugoslav republic has irked Greece by including ancient Greek symbols on its flag and insisting on using the name of the neighbouring northern Greek province. Athens argues the move harbours territorial claims on the Greek region. On Saturday, Mr. Venizelos said recent signs of willingness by Skopje to reconcile differences with Athens reflected the "effectiveness" of the policy which the government adopted on the issue. [3] Reactions ------------- Athens, 20/03/1995 (ANA): A Political Spring party statement yesterday called on the government to clarify its position regarding the FYROM issue, saying it was "inconceivable that Mr. Papoulias would support the possibility of direct talks with Skopje, even referring to a date, when stating that the government's position on the issue remained unchanged." Spokesman Notis Martakis reminded the foreign minister of the prime minister's statement on August 29, 1992, that direct dialogue would entail a de facto recognition of Skopje. Communist Party Secretary-General Aleka Papariga on Saturday reiterated her party's position for a direct dialogue with Skopje without mediators. Coalition of the Left leader Nikos Constantopoulos also described developments as positive. [4] EU troika "demarche" aimed at Turkey ---------------------------------------- Carcassonne, 20/03/1995 (ANA - G. Zitouniati): The European Union troika will make a "demarche" with Ankara concerning Turkish threats of annexing the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, during its upcoming visit to Ankara, Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said yesterday at the end of the informal Council of European Union Foreign Ministers in this provincial French town. Mr. Papoulias also expressed satisfaction on the results of the meeting, where he raised the issue of recent provocative statements by Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and Foreign Minister Murat Karayalcin. The Council opened in Carcassonne, France, on Saturday afternoon, and focused primarily on the Yugoslav crisis. Mr. Papoulias called on the EU troika (Germany, France and Spain) to press for Turkey's retraction of the statements during the troika foreign ministers' forthcoming visit to Ankara. He said he was also satisfied with the response he received after briefing EU members on developments in relations with Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Mr. Papoulias said discussion on issues that concern Greece were "very constructive," while he received assurances from his counterparts that Greece's request concerning Turkish statements was acceptable. In response to a question afterwards, British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd said the dialogue with Cyprus would continue despite Turkish threats of annexing the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus. Mr. Hurd said this issue will also preoccupy the troika during its visit to Ankara. "Greek news was the only good news," Council President French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said, referring to developments with FYROM and Albania, and Mr. Papoulias' contacts in Belgrade. Mr. Papoulias held talks on Friday with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade. Mr. Papoulias also conveyed a message by Mr. Milosevic to the EU meeting. "Greece's position is that sanctions should be lifted both to support Milosevic, who constitutes a decisive factor in settling the crisis, and because Greece is also harmed by sanctions against Serbia," he said. The Carcassonne Council ended with a discussion on the economic and technical parameters of Mediterranean policy, a French Presidency priority, and preparation for the Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona, Spain, in autumn. [5] Albanian army to take part in Greek exercises ------------------------------------------------- Tirana, 20/03/1995 (Reuter/ANA): Albania says one of its army units will take part in a military exercise organised in Greece in a further sign of rapprochement between the two Balkan neighbours. "The good road that we have started in Albanian-Greek relations must be developed on a military level as well," Defence Minister Safet Zhulali told a news conference yesterday. He said Greece had invited Albania to take part in the exercise and Tirana would send a small unit. Details had yet to be planned. After months of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, a trial of ethnic Greek leaders in Tirana and mass deportations of illegal Albanian workers from Greece, both countries now say they want to set differences aside and focus on co-operation. During a visit to Tirana last week by Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, both governments expressed the will to patch up relations to avoid further trouble in the Balkans. Last February Albania signed Nato's Partnership for Peace deal, which promises closer links with the Western alliance but stops short of full membership. [6] Albanian foreign minister optimistic about Greek-Albanian relations -------------------------------------------------------------- Tirana, 20/03/1995 (ANA/ATA): Speaking at a press conference in Tirana on Albanian foreign policy over the past three years, Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi said the visit of Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias to Albania and its results was evidence that Greek-Albanian relations were not only of mutual interest but also in the interest of the Balkan region. "We hope to achieve a progressive improvement of the Albanian-Greek relations after Papoulias' visit," Mr. Serreqi said. [7] Papathemelis returns from official trip to Syria, Iran ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/03/1995 (ANA): Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis returned to Athens from Damascus yesterday after an official three-day visit at the invitation of his Syrian counterpart during which he held talks with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. "It was an extremely constructive discussion in an atmosphere of cordiality which confirms the excellent level of relations between the two countries. I conveyed a message from Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and we exchanged views on international policy issues and of regional concern for the two countries. We also discussed special political issues concerning bilateral relations," Mr. Papathemelis said, commenting on his discussions with President Assad. "My contacts, both in Syria and Iran, lead me to believe in a qualitative political upgrading in relations between these two countries and Greece during a period of intense and serious fluctuations in the regional environments of Greece and these countries," he added. In Tehran, Mr. Papathemelis met the parliament president, the deputy prime minister and his Iranian counterpart, with whom he signed a police co-operation agreement between the Greek Public Order Ministry and the Interior Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The agreement deals with combating terrorism, drug trafficking and the smuggling of arms and antiquities. In Damascus, Mr. Papathemelis and Interior Minister Mohamad Harba also agreed to sign a police co-operation agreement between the two countries. Mr. Papathemelis referred to a rekindling of Greece's Middle East peace initiative in talks with the Syrian prime minister, the parliament president and other senior officials. According to Syria's official news agency SANA, Mr. Papathemelis' visit was devoted to bilateral co-operation in cracking down on drug trafficking and organised crime. The two sides examined the possibility of technical co-operation and ways of exchanging information concerning crime, SANA reported. Mr. Papathemelis was also received by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch Ignatios Hazim on Friday. [8] Albania to grant Anastasios a travel visa --------------------------------------------- Tirana, 20/03/1995 (ANA): Albania has agreed to grant a travel visa to Archbishop of Albania Anastasios to travel to Greece for treatment of a serious eye problem. Anastasios has suffered from high temperatures and dizziness during the past 10 days, symptoms of a serious infection. According to a diagnosis by a pair of Greek ophthalmology professors who visited him in Tirana, it is essential that Anastasios undergo tests at an organised ophthalmological