Greece yesterday warned ex-King Constantine and his family not to step foot in the country unless they complied with a list of government demands.
"The government will not allow any member of the former royal family to enter Greece unless they are willing to abide by the provisions of the relevant law," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said.
Greece's parliament passed legislation in 1994 seizing the property of the former king and stripping his family of its Greek citizenship. The government says Constantine and his family can obtain new passports only if he recognises a 1974 referendum abolishing the monarchy, by renouncing his title and registering as an ordinary citizen. Mr. Venizelos' stern warning came a day after Constantine's son, Pavlos, hinted that he may honeymoon in Greece next month.
Invitations to Pavlos' wedding in London have split the conservative opposition New Democracy (ND) party over whether its members should attend. Some 40 party cadres, considered monarchist sympathisers, have received invitations to the July 1 wedding of Pavlos and Marie-Chantal Miller, daughter of a US billionaire. Several have accepted, defying the wrath of senior conservative party leaders.
Mr. Venizelos called on ND chief Miltiades Evert to "define his party's position" on the issue. Constantine, godfather to Britain's Prince William, has lived in England since fleeing in December 1967, after a failed bid to overthrow a military dictatorship that took power earlier that year.
He paid a surprise visit to Greece with his family two years ago, causing an outcry and embarrassing the conservative government of the time. The socialists, then in opposition, said the visit was an attempt to sound out public opinion for a possible restoration of the monarchy. Prior to the surprise trip in August 1993, Constantine had visited Greece only once since fleeing, flying in for a few hours in 1981 to attend his mother's funeral.
Education Minister George Papandreou disputed press reports alleging that he had received an invitation to Pavlos' wedding. "I have not received any invitation, written or in any other form, and I am not interested in receiving one," Mr. Papandreou said.
"Greece intends to exercise its right to extend its territorial waters up to 12 miles, in accordance with international law, when this is considered appropriate," Greece's permanent representative at the UN Christos Zacharakis has stressed in a letter to UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
The letter was circulated yesterday as an official UN document "referring to the resolution adopted yesterday, 8 June 1995, by the Turkish National Assembly through which it transfers to the Turkish Government its competences, including those that will be deemed necessary, from a military point of view, for the maintenance and the defence of the vital interests of Turkey if Greece implements the Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the Greek Parliament ratified last week."
Mr. Zacharakis denounced the resolution, saying that beyond any doubt it "constitutes a direct violation of article 2, paragraph 4, of the Charter of the United Nations, which stipulates that 'all Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State'."
"What Turkey is in fact attempting to do is to intimidate Greece into forfeiting a right acknowledged to all signatory parties, by article 3 of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea, and already exercised by a large number of States," he added.
Mr. Zacharakis underlined that it was not the first time Turkey had violated international law, adding that "the Greek government attaches a particular importance to the Turkish threat, all the more so since the latter emanates from a neighbouring and allied country and is not, obviously, intended to prevent the commitment of an illegal act, but, on the contrary, to prevent the implementation of rules and rights deriving from international law."
Citing extracts from the Treaty of Lausanne and the Montreaux Convention, Mr. Zacharakis refuted Turkish allegations that Greece intended to obstruct freedom of navigation in the Aegean Sea, recalling at the same time that contrary to the provisions of the Montreaux Convention on the status of the Bosporus straits, Turkey "adopted domestic legislation, imposing serious restrictions on the freedom of navigation through the straits."
The letter underlined that the Turkish National Assembly's decision "confirms very clearly the well-known Turkish claims against the Greek islands of the Aegean and the sovereign rights of Greece regarding its national territorial waters and airspace."
"It should be underlined that the said resolution of the Turkish National Assembly is only one of a series of recent Turkish provocative acts that lead to the conclusion that Turkey is seeking the deterioration of Greek-Turkish relations, thus creating dangerous implications for peace and stability in the region," it added.
Mr. Zacharakis further denounced Turkey since its target "seems to be the deterioration of the political climate in the Balkans, while Greece is undertaking serious and difficult initiatives in an effort to restore peace in the same area."
Demarches on the same issue were also lodged with permanent members of the Security Council. In addition, Greece's Ambassador to Washington Lucas Tsilas briefed senior State Department, Pentagon and National Security Council officials and Congress members on Turkey's actions on Tuesday.
The New Democracy party's Ethics Committee yesterday adopted a compromise decision on the issue of a personal attack made by former minister Achilleas Karamanlis against former premier Constantine Mitsotakis during the recent meeting of the party's parliamentary group.
The Committee, by six votes to one, decided that Mr. Karamanlis did not violate the party's code of ethics, but pointed out that "ironical comments, insults and phrases of negative import on the personality of colleagues are forbidden and violate the rules of ethics".
ND party deputy Costas Pylarinos, who had asked for the convening of the committee, said that although he respected the decision, he could not help drawing the conclusion that if Mr. Karamanlis' comments did not raise an ethical or political problem, then "his same phrases in question could be extended by someone else to his person or anyone else above him in the party". He added that "whether the decision restored the truth and strengthened (party) unity, will be judged by the large internal party opinion".
Mr. Achilleas Karamanlis is brother of former president and founder of the party, Constantine Karamanlis.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Trade and Industry Minister Costas Simitis yesterday met for an hour at the premier's home in Ekali.
The minister told reporters afterwards that discussion had included "issues relating to the functioning and effectiveness of the government," but refused to comment on speculation concerning a possible reshuffle, saying, "it is in the prime minister's competence". He said he briefed the premier on issues within his sphere of responsibility, including the power generating plant in eastern Macedonia, Skaramanga Shipyards, and the new alumina plant.
Referring to the issue of privatisations, he said, "I explained the difficulties to the prime minister. There must be consensus on some issues for us to proceed, because solutions that meet with reactions cannot, in the end, take hold".
Concerning the privatisation of Skaramanga Shipyards, Mr. Simitis said decisions would be finalised as soon as possible, after dialogue with staff, as the European Union has set June 30 as a deadline.
President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos received the credentials of new ambassadors to Athens yesterday in four separate meetings. The new ambassadors are: Singapore, Michael Cheok; Mauritius, Pariwiz Cassim Hossen; Qatar, Bader Oman Al-Dara; and New Zealand, Judith Catherine Trotter.
European Socialist Party (ESP) Vice-President and PASOK Secretary Akis Tsohatzopoulos yesterday discussed possible ESP initiatives in relation to developments in the Balkans, and especially in the former Yugoslavia, with Austrian Parliament president and ESP Vice-President Heinz Fischer. The two men will submit proposals for discussion to the ESP presidium meeting in Valpeto, France, on June 24 and 25, on the eve of the Cannes summit.
The proposals aims at promoting a conference in the framework of the ESP, with the participation of certain important personalities who are related to the issue. Through a process of permanent dialogue sought thereby, it will hopefully be possible to re -evaluate the present situation, and assess the possibilities for opening up new prospects for an end to the war.
Such initiatives are envisaged for the second half of the year. Yesterday's discussion also included the positions and relevant initiatives of PASOK and the Austrian Social Democratic Party with regard to the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Black Sea region.
President Kostis Stephanopoulos will receive Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou at 1:30 today to be briefed on current domestic and foreign affairs. It is understood that the prime minister will brief the president on developments in Bosnia following the latest mediation by National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis and Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias in Pale and Belgrade, as well as on talks he had in Paris at a working dinner hosted by French President Jacques Chirac.
Political observers believe the forthcoming wedding in London of the former king's son will also be included in talks, given government positions on the issue and the president's explicit statement last Sunday that "those holding public office should respect and support the democratic form of government." According to other assessments, today's meeting might possibly be linked to persistent (but denied) rumours of a government reshuffle.
Finance Minister Alecos Papadopoulos was due to leave for the United States yesterday to participate in the 29th Conference of the Panepirotic Federation of the United States, Canada and Australia. The conference, which started yesterday in Washington, will run through Sunday.
During his stay in the US, Mr. Papadopoulos will have a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of Finance Jeffrey Shafer, President Bill Clinton's financial affairs consultant Alice M. Rivlin and the president's political affairs consultant George Stephanopoulos. He will also have a meeting with Deputy Governor of the Federal Reserve Board Dr. Alan Bilnder and US senator Paul Sarbanes, who is of Greek origin.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos disclosed yesterday the government was reconsidering the issue of establishing a casino in the Floisvos area in the Athenian suburb of Paleo Faliro. Mr. Venizelos said the government's decision had come about because residents had objected and environmental issues and certain legal aspects had been put forward against the plan.
On Tuesday night, Finance Under-Secretary Nikos Kyriazidis withdrew the amendment anticipating the creation of a casino at Floisvos. The amendment was signed by Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis and Tourism Minister Dionysis Livanos and specified the use of land in the Faliron Delta region with the creation of a casino, hotel, convention centre and a marina. Mr. Kyriazidis said the amendment would be reshaped and resubmitted.
An amendment was tabled in Parliament yesterday calling for the funding by the Greek state of the mobile and pre-fabricated homes for the homeless in the quake-hit region of Kozani and Grevena. The amendment clarifies that the homes will be set up either on privately-owned lots or lots allocated by the state for the housing needs of the quake-stricken.
On Tuesday, the government announced that some 500 mobile and pre-fabricated homes would be set up in the Kozani and Grevena regions, hit by a powerful earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale last month. The quake left thousands homeless and some 5,000 buildings flattened and 7,000 more structurally damaged.
Farmers' associations from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) will kick off their first inter-Balkan meeting in Thessaloniki tomorrow.
The two-day meeting, organised by the General Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives of Greece (GESASE), will focus on the condition of agriculture in the Balkan countries, prospects for co-operation among the agricultural associations of the Balkan countries, and joint actions and prospects for incorporation in European Union programmes.
Representatives of four Russian prefectures visited the Artisans' Chamber of Thessaloniki (BETH) to examine the possibility of developing co-operation with SMEs based in Thessaloniki yesterday. The visit was held in the framework of the European Union programme Tacis.
Farmers from the northern Greek region of Kilkis yesterday spilled large quantities of milk in Kilkis central square in a protest against dairy companies which, they claim, prefer to import milk from neighbouring Bulgaria.
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos inaugurated the second International Ecological Seminar, titled "Environment and ethics", in Halki yesterday at the Halki Academy of Theology's hall of ceremonies.
The seminar, due to last until the end of the week, is being attended by guests from around the world. Earlier, the Ecumenical Patriarch officiated at the church of Saint Trinity Monastery in Halki in the presence of delegates.
Greenpeace activists yesterday accused a private Greek company of illegally importing chlorine-based chemical compounds that eat away at the earth's protective ozone layer. An announcement issued by the Greenpeace branch office in Athens said a private company had imported over 13 tonnes of CFC-12 (chloroflurocarbons) in November 1994.
The Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) presented a series of proposals yesterday on the issues of unemployment and employment in Greece. SEB's primary position is that a future increase in employment can only be achieved if industry and non-state services are developed at a speedy rate.
It said that the development of non-state services required the alleviation of costs shouldered by enterprises. Measures decreasing unemployment in the short-term but undermining competitiveness, such as decreasing working hours, should be avoided, it said.
Among others, SEB's proposals include the following:
- Reshaping the Organisation for the Employment of Human Resources' (OAED) operational framework to facilitate the improvement of unemployment control and preconditions for subsidisation. Two levels of benefits are also being sought: a higher unemployment benefit (primary benefit) paid for a shorter period of time and a lower social benefit (subsidiary benefit) paid for a longer period of time. The first benefit will be paid by employers' and employees' contributions and the second by the state budget. The operation of private employment bureaus was also conditionally proposed. - The widespread dissemination and acceptance of part-time employment and flexibility in the labour market through institutions such as flexitime, job-sharing and fixed-term contracts. - Facilitating mass dismissals through the abolition of their anticipated approval by the state. - A gradual decrease from 8 per cent to 3 per cent of the percentage of compulsory hirings of handicapped people and people having large families and hiring them after they have received suitable training by OAED. - Abolishing certain employers' contributions (1 per cent for occupational hazards and 1 per cent for conscription). - Abolishing the employer's obligation to pay remuneration to trade unionists during "trade union leave."
The joint Greek-Indian economic committee began three days of talks here yesterday on expanding bilateral trade and industrial co-operation and seeking joint ventures in the wider Balkans region.
The Indian delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Tehendra Khanna, includes leading businessmen from the shipping, industrial, seafood, pharmaceutical and tourism sectors, as well as a representative of the Confederation of Indian Industry. The Greek side is headed by Finance Ministry Secretary General George Kandalepas. The joint committee last met in 1988.
The Indian delegation will also hold talks with the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA) and the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB). The large Indian delegation reflects New Delhi's interest in promoting economic and trade relations with Greece, which could serve as India's gateway to the European Union and the Balkans. "We want to inform our Greek friends of the reforms that have been made in the Indian economy," Mr. Khanna told the ANA.
"The business climate has improved dramatically since liberalisation started, foreign exchange and import controls have been relaxed. Foreign investments are welcome, and Indian entrepreneurs are encouraged to go out and invest abroad," he explained. "Consequently," Mr. Khanna continued, "the stage is set for the development of meaningful bilateral relations through which Indian and Greek businessmen can co-operate and strengthen each other's economic and social development process."
Mr. Khanna said India regarded Greece as a "very important platform for the supply of goods and services" in the wider Balkan area. He said both Greek and Indian officials were optimistic that the current low level of bilateral trade exchanges will so on be on an upward trend.
Trade between the two countries is currently estimated at 50 million dollars. India has an annual import growth of 5-6 billion dollars, and "with that kind of growth, I see no reason why a country like Greece, if it takes interest in the emerging market opportunities, should not be able to expand exports to our country", he said.
"Even half a percent of 5 billion dollars would amount to 25 million dollars, doubling the value of current Greek exports to India," Mr. Khanna added. He noted that items such as beans were freely imported into India without need for any import licence, while there was also no restriction on tonnage. Given that two months ago India permitted the import of all kinds of table oils, Mr. Khanna added, olive oil could now be freely exported to his country.
The Greek and Egyptian state tourism organisations will sign a new bilateral agreement today to improve on and extend ties first established when they signed their first tourism agreement in 1968. Greek National Tourist Organisation (EOT) President Ioannis Stefanidis and his Egyptian counterpart Adel Abdel Aziz will sign the inter-state agreement on tourism today.
Mr. Stefanidis and Mr. Aziz told a press conference yesterday that targets included encouraging co-operation between travel agencies in the two countries to enable them to prepare joint tourist packages and attract tourists from third countries. Co-operation would also be promoted in the education sector and students would be exchanged between Greece's Tourist Profession Academy and the Sinai Higher Tourist Institute.
EOT has asked the Egyptian side to speed up necessary procedures for the twinning of Rhodes and Alexandria, while it was announced that Greek cruises to the Red Sea will be resumed in winter. According to data provided, about 23,000 Greek tourists visited Egypt in 1994 while Greece was visited by about 22,000 Egyptian tourists. The number of Greek tourists visiting Egypt is increasing, since 11,500 Greeks visited the country during the first four months this year.
Mr. Aziz ruled out the possibility of exhibits at the Cairo Museum being transported to Greece since this would entail grave danger for the rare exhibits.
The value of retail sales rose by three per cent in March compared to the same month last year but the retail volume index fell by 6.6 per cent, the National Statistics Service (ESYE) announced yesterday.