ATHENS, Greece, Nov. 21 (UPI) - Greece's foreign minister said President Clinton's apparent apology for U.S. support of a military junta in Athens is likely to help overcome three decades of anti- American resentment that boiled over into violent protests during his visit.
"That turns a page," Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou told United Press International on Saturday. "It was certainly a gesture toward history in terms of our Greek-American relations."
The potential change in attitude was reflected only hours after the speech on Saturday, when a motorcyclist stopped U.S. Ambassador Nick Burns as he walked outside to his car after dinner at a traditional Greek bouzouki restaurant. Less than a day after police had to use thick clouds of tear gas to disperse anti-American rioters, the leather jacket-clad motorcyclist told Burns "thank you" for Clinton's remarks.
Many Greeks carry bitter memories of U.S. support for the 1967-74 ruling junta. In a nod to those feelings, Clinton offered what sounded like an apology to Greek government, business and community leaders in talking about a "painful" aspect of their recent history. "When the junta took over in 1967 here, the United States allowed its interests in prosecuting the cold war to prevail over its obligation to support democracy," Clinton said. "It's important that we acknowledge that."
Although Ambassador Burns has regularly offered similar regrets, Foreign Minister Papandreou noted it was the first time that a U.S. president has made such conciliatory remark "and that give it great importance."
"It will definitely be appreciated by a wide spectrum of the Greek political world and Greek citizens who endured seven years of the junta, some of them even in prison, and had wanted very much to see American at that point help democracy."
Despite the generally cooperative U.S.-Greek diplomatic relationship, many Greeks are still rankled over the close U.S. relationship with the military junta during the cold war battle against communism.
"This is an area which people still feel some question or bewilderment," Papandreou said, with Greeks asking "why was a democratic America supporting a totalitarian regime?"
Anti-American feelings may have been stirred up during the brief Clinton visit because of its closeness to an annual anniversary date marking the struggle against the U.S. backed military junta. Clinton arrived in Greece on Friday only two days after the 17th of November, a date that is significant to Greek resentment against the United States. It marks a 1973 student rebellion against the Greek military junta that was backed by the United States.
"The 17th of November has a special meaning," another Greek official said. "Many people died getting rid of a dictator whose longevity is attributed to the support of the United States-and that cuts deep."
The long-standing anti-American terrorist organization that worried U.S. officials enough to reschedule and cut short Clinton's two-day visit is named the November 17 group.
The long-simmering resentment combined with the immediate spark of overwhelming Greek opposition to the U.S. bombing of their ethnic Christian Orthodox kin in Serbia are seen here as reasons why the anti- American demonstrations erupted.
Clinton found himself spending a great deal of time the day after the violence on Saturday, passionately defending his decision to bomb Serbia to save "thousands of lives" in Kosovo. Still, "almost all of the people of Greece disagree with our policy in Kosovo," Clinton acknowledged.
White House officials insisted after Clinton spoke that the comment about the much-hated junta was not a presidential apology. "This was not intended to be an apology," said chief White House foreign policy spokesman David Leavy. "He was making the point that in his view, the United States should speak out for democracy."
Instead of an apology, Leavy said Clinton's comments were designed as a means to "forward" in the Greek-American relationship.
Clinton has made highly publicized apologies before on subjects that ranged from the pre-Civil War slavery of African-Americans in the United States to the failure of the West to halt the genocide in Rwanda during his term.