Signifying an important step toward improvement of bilateral relations, meetings of the joint Greek-Albanian Committee began yesterday in Athens. Foreign Ministry Secretary General Constantine Georgiou represented Greece in the committee meetings, while Albania is represented by Foreign Under-secretary Arian Starova. The committee was established during Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias's recent visit to Tirana.
A "friendship co-operation and good neighbour accord" is expected to be signed during the meeting, which in its first day yesterday proceeded with discussions on pending issues in relations between the two countries.
These include the safeguarding of Greek minority rights in Albania, facilitation of Greek investment to Albania and the granting of legal status to tens of thousands of Albanian illegal workers to Greece.
The meeting also discussed the issue of border markers, trans-border co-operation in the framework of the Phare and Interreg Community programmes and the establishment of subcommittees to deal with issues and submit proposals to the committee. Diplomatic sources said yesterday the Greek side submitted to the Albanian delegation a "friendship and co-operation accord" draft for further discussion today. In addition, Mr. Papoulias is expected to meet today with Mr. Starova.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday the embargo against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) would be lifted when the neighbouring country responded positively and provided tangible evidence of its declining intransigence.
Mr. Venizelos clarified that he meant Skopje (FYROM) retreating on the issues of the flag and constitution, which caused the imposition of the measures.
Greece opposes Skopje's use of an ancient Hellenic symbol on its flag, irredentist designs expressed in the preamble of its constitution and the use of the northern Greek province of Macedonia's name as its own.
Armenia's Ambassador in Greece, Arman Karakosian, said yesterday that a visit to Athens by Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossian was being planned, during which a bilateral friendship accord would be signed.
Mr. Karakosian was speaking at a press conference on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the 1915 genocide, one-and-a-half million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. He said the Armenian question had begun to concern the international community as far back as 1878, when a view was expressed at the Berlin Conference that Armenia should be independent.
The first massacres took place in 1894, with some 300,000 Armenians dying in the next two years, Mr. Karakosian said, adding that the slaughter began again on 24 April, 1915, claiming a further one-and-a-half million victims. The massacres and deportations of Armenians led to the birth of the Armenian Diaspora, which is comprises about half of all Armenians in the world.
Since 1915 Armenians around the world have made strenuous efforts to have the holocaust recognized, with only little success to date. Historical facts and figures were followed by a detailed description of contemporary foreign, internal and economic issues of the Republic of Armenia.
Referring to the establishment of diplomatic ties with Greece four years ago and the opening of a Greek embassy in Yerevan last year, Mr. Karakosian said the two countries had already signed political, trade and economic agreements.
Greece and Bulgaria signed an economic co-operation protocol yesterday following two days of discussions by a joint committee of experts. The protocol refers to issues such as growing trade between the two countries, a proposed pipeline which will transport Russian crude oil to Greece via Bulgaria, increased co-operation in the field of joint ventures and the resolving of outstanding issue s concerning transport and telecommunications links.
The agreement provides for co-operation to make the best possible use of European Union funds provided within the framework of the Phare and Interreg Programmes. The protocol also focuses on co-operation in the fields of industry, energy, social security, tourism and banking.
The committee met shortly after the visit of Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias to Sofia, during which an "excellent climate" in relations between the two countries was ascertained, a National Economy Ministry announcement stated.
The protocol was signed by National Economy Under-secretary Ioannis Anthopoulos and Bulgarian Under-secretary for Trade and Foreign Economic Co-operation, Ivan Kolev.
The government yesterday described so-called "presidential elections" in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus as "a procedure devoid of any legal basis." Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos made the statement when asked to comment on "presidential elections" in the self-styled Turkish republic of northern Cyprus, recognized only by Ankara.
Replying to other questions, Mr. Venizelos said that the Republic of Cyprus could return to talks aimed at finding a settlement of the Cyprus problem "under the conditions set by (President) Glafcos Clerides," namely that efforts be made on the basis of UN resolutions.
Commenting on recent statements on Cyprus-European Union relations by Turkish Premier Tansu Ciller, the spokesman underlined that the process for the island republic's accession to the EU and Nicosia's relations with the EU were independent of the Commu nity's relations with Turkey.
Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos will fly to London next month to attend the celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the termination of World War II. Government sources said Mr. Stephanopoulos would also fly to Paris and Moscow to attend similar V-Day events.
The Chief of National Defence General Staff, Admiral Christos Lyberis, will represent Greece at the spring meeting of the Western European Union (WEU) in Lisbon tomorrow. According to a National Defence Ministry announcement, one of the issues on the agenda is security in the Mediterranean.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou chaired a meeting yesterday focusing on the organisation of events marking the 1,900th anniversary of St. John's Revelations of the Apocalypse on the Dodecanese island of Patmos.
The events, to be held in September, fall under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and will take place with the participation of world renowned personalities.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will personally review the problem of illegal and substandard retirement homes after revelations were made on Monday by Health, Welfare and Social Security Under-secretary Manolis Skoulakis.
Mr. Skoulakis said during an investigation of retirement homes, that some 40 were found to be unlicensed, while many revealed serious maltreatments of the elderly. The investigation discovered cases of naked pensioners, strapped to their beds or locked in their rooms. The minister handed Antonis Livanis, the Under-secretary to the Prime Minister's Office, a complete file on the case that will be forwarded to the premier.
Mr. Skoulakis also reiterated his decision that a new draft bill will be submitted to parliament after the Easter holidays for the closure of all retirement homes without a license as well as heavy fines for operators who do not conform with the new regulations.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said a bill regulating the electronic mass media would be tabled in Parliament after Easter. Mr. Venizelos made the announcement after meeting with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou at the official Maximos Mansion yesterday.
He said the bill would be given to opposition parties for consideration before being tabled, but denied reports it had already been handed to the opposition before being discussed by the ruling party.
Mr. Venizelos said the ruling PASOK party's executive bureau discussed the bill's basic political options Monday, adding that one of the legislation's main provisions concerned the origin of capital used to fund television and radio networks by employin g "sources of income" criteria for both networks and their shareholders.
The Greek public holding company for the exploration of oil, gas and refining, DEP-EKY, will participate in a joint venture with the Mobil Group and the Van Dyke company on exploration of a North Sea natural gas tract off the Dutch coast, an announcement stated yesterday.
According to surveys, the natural gas deposit holds approximately 42 billion cubic metres of the fossil fuel and is located 37 miles off The Netherlands -- 54 miles west of Amsterdam. Drilling is scheduled to begin around mid September.
The agreement, which gives DEO-EKY 2.5 percent of the shares with an investment of $1.5 million, will be signed next week. Gene Van Dyke, president of the Van Dyke company is expected to arrive in Athens for the agreement's signing. Net profits are projected to reach $692,000 in 1998 and $2,663,000 in 1999.
Some 28 per cent of the Athens Metro project has been completed and will be functioning by October 1998, said Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Under-secretary Constantine Geitonas during the annual meeting held by the shareholders of Attiko-Met ro AE.
Mr. Geitonas said that despite delays caused by machinery breakdowns, the project's progress is satisfactory since the timeframe and cost of construction has met projections. The minister also announced the extension of the Kerameikos -- Agios Savvas underground line to Elaiona and on to Aigalaio, some 3.5 kilometres. Four new stations will also be constructed. The cost is estimated at 80 billion drachmas.
The Hellenic Vehicles Industry (ELBO) will deliver 20 buses built for the Urban Transport Organisation of Bucharest on April 29, according to an announcement yesterday by ELBO's President of the Board Argyris Hatzipetrou.
The 20 remaining buses will be delivered to the Romanian capital by the end of June, completing the order worth 1.6 billion drachmas. This is the first such deal undertaken by ELBO.
Mr. Hatzipetrou made the announcement at an official delivery of five buses out of a 40-bus order by the Urban Transport Organisation of Thessaloniki (OASTH). The 40 buses ordered by OASTH will cost 1.5 billion drachmas.