Athens offers to coordinate EU states' aid to countries affected by Kosovo crisis

LUXEMBOURG 27/04/1999
Greece is willing to undertake overall coordination of European Union member-states' humanitarian aid to countries affected by the Kosovo crisis, Foreign Deputy Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis said yesterday.  "Greece is contributing with all its forces to the provision of humanitarian aid and could undertake the overall coordination of European Union aid to the countries hit by the Kosovo crisis," he was quoted as telling the Union's foreign ministers' council yesterday.
The "15" focused their attention on enhancing economic sanctions against Serbia, exchanged views on the German EU presidency's Stability Pact for SE Europe, while clarifying their intention to provide economic assistance to the countries neighbouring Ko sovo.
Mr. Kranidiotis reiterated that Greece wishes to see a political solution to the conflict as soon as possible, and stressed its agreement with the German Stability Pact, to which Greek proposals have a supplementary character.
Referring to repercussions against Greece from the economic sanctions adopted by the council against Serbia, he stressed that they do not create serious problems, but this did not mean they would not affect certain sectors of the Greek economy. Concerning the oil embargo, he noted there were certain legal vacuums in relation to the compliance of non-EU members.
Speaking to Greek reporters later, Mr. Kranidiotis said the council's decisions reflected the spirit not the conclusions of the NATO summit, adding that following a Greek request, the communique contained certain references to the role of the UN in the Kosovo crisis. The council also agreed, he said, on a report on the economic effects of the crisis.   Finally, he reminded that Greece will soon be hosting a Balkan conference, as well as one on dealing with the humanitarian dimension of the crisis. To that end, he later met with EU Commissioner Emma Bonino.