An amendment cutting US economic aid to Turkey won an overwhelming 247-155 bipartisan vote in the US House of Representatives yesterday.
The amendment, introduced by Congressman John Porter (R-Il), called for the cut based on Turkey's continuing military occupation of Cyprus' northern part, human rights violations against its own citizens, restrictions on religious freedom and its blockade of humanitarian aid to Armenia. The House vote cuts economic support funds (ESF) to Turkey by over half, from 46 million dollars to 21 million dollars for 1996. The amendment will take effect when it is passed by both the House of Representatives and the US Senate.
Charles Georgeson, supreme president of the Washington-based American Hellenic Progressive Association (AHEPA), said "this is a victory of American values and interests, and a victory for AHEPA and all Greek Americans."
According to an AHEPA press release, Mr. Georgeson said "an unprecedented number of Congressional representatives spoke in support of our amendment and throughout the debate they echoed AHEPA's arguing points for the demilitarisation of Cyprus and protection of the Ecumenical Patriarchate," based in Istanbul. The House also upheld the 7:10 ratio of military aid to Greece and Turkey in the foreign aid appropriations bill.
The President of the Greek Parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, has refuted claims by his Turkish counterpart that Greece supports terrorism.
"My country, and of course the Greek Parliament, condemn any form of violence from any side and support political means in tackling any problem, any difference, either within countries or in relations between them," Mr. Kaklamanis said in a letter sent to the president of the European Parliament, presidents of European Union member-state parliaments, NATO member-states and the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly.
The letter was prompted by Turkish National Assembly President Husametin Cidoruk's claim that the Greek Parliament supported terrorism on the occasion of a meeting between five Greek deputies and leader of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.
The private visit by the five deputies, including Greek Parliament Deputy Speaker Panayiotis Sgouridis, was falsely reported by Mr. Cidoruk as being "an official visit by a (Greek) Parliamentary Committee". "Violence in any form and name, either state or not, will not solve the Kurdish problem and Turkey's other domestic problems," the letter said.
Mr. Kaklamanis said Mr. Cidoruk's unsubstantiated claims were "reminiscent of convictions of past and not contemporary times on the role and way a democratic parliament operates which, as we all know, is expressed with specific decisions and following dialogue held in public for its decisions to be subject to the scrutiny of the people and the mass media."
Mr. Kaklamanis said "other parliamentary principles prevail" in Turkey, referring to a vulgar attack against three female European Parliament deputies by Turkey's Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Mr. Giogdemir, who called them "prostitutes" because they "dared to show interest in the flagrant violation of human rights they ascertained there."
Mr. Kaklamanis said it was typical that the Turkish Parliament and its president do not protect parliamentary rule against such affronts and illegalities but on the contrary tolerate or even participate in them.
Mr. Kaklamanis also reminded the recipients of his letter that, violating rules of international law and more specifically the UN charter, Mr. Cidoruk and the Turkish National Assembly authorised the Turkish government to apply military measures against Greece if, exercising a legal right, it extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles.
The president of the Kurdish parliament-in-exile, Yassar Kaya, said yesterday that Turkey's refusal to recognise the national identity of the Kurds and its use of the military against them were a bankrupt policy and called on Ankara for a "bilateral cease fire" in order to discuss the solution of an equal federation.
He told a press conference here that he recognised the territories of Turkey and called on Ankara to recognise the national and democratic rights of the Kurds and to begin dialogue for a solution of the Kurdish problem.
Mr. Kaya said the target of the parliament-in-exile, at the initial stage, was to brief foreign governments and at a second stage to formally stipulate its request for recognition. He implied that there would be movement on this matter in the coming months.
Mr. Kaya made no reference to the rebel fighters in south-eastern Turkey, and kept a clear distance from the warnings addressed by Kurdish fighters to foreign tourists to stay away from Turkey, saying he did not know who the people making the warnings were. He said the Kurdish issue was the number one problem for Turkey, adding that there could be no democratisation of the country without a solution of this issue. In the next few days, he added, a delegation of the parliament-in-exile would visit Libya, Iran and Egypt.
Before the press conference got underway, a member of the Greek solidarity committee said that despite strong pressure from Turkey for cancellation of the visit and non-issue of the relevant visas, the Greek Foreign Ministry had issued visas to the Kurdish delegation, rendering their visit to Greece possible.
Pope John Paul II and Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, yesterday received enthusiastic and prolonged applause as they entered St. Peter's Basilica, a rare occasion in Christian history since the Great Schism of 1054.
The event ended a three-day visit to the Vatican by the Patriarch, during which the thorny subject of unity between the two Churches, centring mainly on the issue of Papal primacy, was discussed. In an encyclical last month, the Pope indicated he would be willing to seek an accommodation with other Christian Churches on the issue.
In his address to the congregation, in Italian, Vartholomeos said the time had come to close the chapter on "many afflictions and just as many humiliations". "Today we have reached the maturity to seek a primacy not among people, but among the ministries of service," he said. "We are learning anew that the first and foremost among Christian virtues, the only one capable of giving wisdom and saving the world, is humility and repentance". After the end of mass, the two primates blessed the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter's.
A dispatch from Reuters later referred to a joint statement signed by the two leaders, saying improved relations between the two churches would help the cause of peace, containing an appeal to save the environment, and calling for east European countries to be allowed to join the European Union.
"We believe that more concerted and active co-operation will also facilitate the influence of the Church on peace and justice in the areas of political and ethnic conflict," it said in apparent reference to the former Yugoslavia.
It urged "everybody, with the greatest of care, to address the currently critical ecological problem to avoid the grave danger... of the perverse use of resources that are gifts of God". It added: "We also pray for the full realisation, without delay, of the European Union, hoping that its borders will be enlarged towards the East."
Greece considers a dangerous oversimplification the "rationale of unconditional (EU) support" to Turkey to avoid the prevalence of Islamic fundamentalism in that country.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Constantine Bikas said Greece did not agree with the analysis put forward by French President Jacques Chirac at the EU summit in Cannes, that "there is the Turkey of 60 million (inhabitants) and another 360 million Turkish speaking people in the republics of the former Soviet Union and consequently (Turkish premier) Ms Ciller should be supported in her battle against Islamic fundamentalism."
"Our country does not agree with this analysis, and considers as oversimplifying and dangerous the rationale of unconditional support of Ms. Ciller in order that (Islamic) fundamentalism will not prevail in her country," Mr. Bikas said. "A similar error of oversimplification occurred in the decade of the 1930s when Nazism was tolerated so that bolshevism would not prevail, an action that humanity paid dearly for," he added. He said Mr. Chirac's analysis of Turkey was "revealing".
Mr. Bikas also reiterated that Greece considered as "cynical" the references made at the summit on human rights which were "outside the European spirit" and the fundamental principles of the Union.
Citing the latest figures contained in the Cuco Report, Mr. Bikas said that in 1994, under Ms Ciller's government, 300 summary executions were carried out. According to the UN special investigator on torture Nigel Rodley in his February 1995 report, Mr. Bikas continued, electroshock, sexual abuse, food deprivation and threat of death were widely used methods of torture in Turkey.
In addition, a February 1995 report by Amnesty International referred to cases of torture, "disappearan-ces", and executions without trial. In 1993 there were 26 disappearances, in 1994 they rose to 50, while this year the number is climbing, Mr. Bikas said. At the same time, he recalled that former French President Francois Mitterrand, at the previous EU summit, had noted that more than 2,000 Kurdish villages had been levelled by the Turkish army.
"When the green light and carte blanche is given to Ms Ciller, it is like giving the green light to the 'known unknown' killers to continue this practice and to have more families grieving for their members murdered by the 'unknown', while our country is suffering Turkish aggressiveness in Cyprus and the Aegean," Mr. Bikas said.
Greece, he explained, wanted a "democratic and pluralistic Turkey that respects human rights," and believed that Europe, "if it so desires, has the ability and definitely the obligation and responsibility to push Turkey in that direction." "But this will not occur by giving an unconditional green light to the present-day Turkey," he added.
Meanwhile, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday that some of Greece's European partners showed "reduced sensitivity" during the EU summit in Cannes regarding the respect and protection of human rights and violations of international law by Turkey.
Asked whether the 15 EU members had agreed to pressure the European Parliament over ratifying a customs union with Turkey, Mr. Venizelos said they had agreed on the contents of the summit's conclusions and nothing more.
Mr. Venizelos reiterated that the customs union agreement was still pending and that its ratification involved other European bodies such as the European Parliament. He added that MEPs represent the peoples of their country and not the government.
Asked to comment on European Commission President Jacques Santer's statement Wednesday that the "customs union with Turkey depends on the development of political rights, human rights (in Turkey) and the problem of Cyprus," Mr. Venizelos said Mr. Santer 's statement had been expressed in line with the positions of the Commission which is a supporter of the EU-Turkey customs union.
Asked to comment on the Skopje issue and the way it was treated in Cannes, Mr. Venizelos said the government did not consider the European Union to be "the most suitable forum to deal with the issue."
President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will meet on Monday to discuss domestic and foreign policy issues as well as the conclusions of the Cannes summit.
According to Mr. Venizelos, the government will brief the parties of the opposition on the Cannes summit, "on political leaders level or any other level." "If political leaders request a briefing from the prime minister they shall have it," Mr. Venizelos said, adding that in any case the parties would be briefed by the government.
Asked whether a political leaders' meeting under the chairmanship of Mr. Stephanopoulos would take place, Mr. Venizelos said he was in no position to say whether this should take place in present time. "I cannot say that we are now faced with issues necessitating the convening of the political leaders council," he added.
Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Manginas called on the prime minister again yesterday to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Greek Parliament. Mr. Manginas criticised Mr. Papandreou for "vanishing from the scene", saying the prime minister knew in advance of the Cannes developments and yet did not express disagreement nor caution.
Political Spring party spokesman Notis Martakis also criticised Mr. Papandreou accusing him of accepting the final text of the Cannes communiqui despite his unyielding public statements. In Paris, French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette commented on the Greek reaction to French President Jacques Chirac's statements in Cannes by telling Greek reporters that "firstly, we have to realise that Turkey is called on to become our true partner and, secondly, regarding relations with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and the difficulties of your country (to find a solution), the problem must be solved and we are prepared to contribute to the finding of a positive settlement for both sides."
Commenting on Mr. Papandreou's reference to a "new directorate in Europe," Mr. de Charette said: "It is only natural that member-states could address a partner in a friendly and straightforward way, saying that there are problems in need of a solution." "I remind that we are willing to help finding a solution," he added.
The European Parliament will insist on its decision regarding customs union between the European Union and Turkey if the Turkish government does not bring about real changes in defending human rights, the constitution and laws. The message was sent by the head of Germany's SPD party Eurodeputies in the European Parliament Willy Gorlacht and the president of the European Parliament's Joint Committee on EU-Cyprus association Mathilde Rothe.
Ms Rothe said Turkey should also show changes in its relations with Cyprus. It was stressed that if by October, when the issue of Turkey is brought before the European Parliament again, the necessary changes are not made, then the decision taken will be the same as in February, meaning it will be negative for Turkey.
Statements by Greek Eurodeputies Irini Lambraki and Yiannis Roumbatis were in the same mood. The socialist Eurodeputies from the 15 EU member-states are members of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee who arrived in Ioannina, northern Greece, yesterday to hold a three-day conference starting today and visit mountainous regions for a briefing on problems faced by farmers and stockbreeders in Epirus.
Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras yesterday met with European Parliament president Klaus Hensch and NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes and discussed European Union relations with Turkey, the problem of the activation of NATO regional headquarters in Greece and Greek-Turkish relations.
In his meeting with Mr. Hensch, Mr. Samaras stressed that the European Parliament could play an important role in the problem of violation of human rights in Turkey. His contacts yesterday also included a meeting with Socialist Group president Pauline Green, with whom he discussed Turkey's customs union with the EU.
President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos is due to leave today for Bucharest to attend a two-day summit of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC). Mr. Stephanopoulos will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias.
The summit which is taking place three years after the first summit in Istanbul, is expected to boost co-operation among the members of the Co-operation, especially in the economics sector. The BSEC comprises 11 countries: Greece, Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Russia and Turkey.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday that rewarding Turkish intransigence would have a direct effect on finding a quick solution to the Cyprus problem. "Those who encourage the intransigence of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots push back a solution to the Cyprus problem," Mr. Venizelos told reporters, commenting on US President Bill Clinton's bi-monthly report on the Cyprus issue to the US Congress.
Mr. Venizelos said the report was "typical." He reiterated that Greece's positions and policy on the issue were firm, adding that in order to find a viable solution to the Cyprus problem the solution "must show respect to the core of the Resolutions of the General Assembly of the UN Security Council."
In an interview with Albanian daily Gazeta Shquiptare, on the eve of his July 3 trip to Albania for talks with government officials and military leadership, Greek National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said his visit would focus on boosting co-operation in the defence sector.
"This visit is aimed at further development of Greek-Albanian relations in the defence sector," Mr. Arsenis was quoted as telling the paper. "I will discuss, with my Albanian counterpart, the possibilities for better co-operation in the defence sector," he said.
Mr. Arsenis said his talks in Tirana would cover bilateral issues, Greek-Albanian relations in the framework of a peace co-operation, Albania-NATO relations and the country's relations with European defence organisations. He said his visit would also focus on security problems in the region as well as military co-operation. "The armies of our countries must co-operate with the armies in the West," he was quoted as saying.
At least seven main opposition New Democracy deputies will attend next week's wedding of former king Constantine's son, despite strong calls of opposition by the party leadership, New Democracy sources said yesterday. Some 44 ND deputies have been invited to the July 1 wedding in London of Pavlos and Marie-Chantal Miller, daughter of a US billionaire.
Included on the guest list are former minister Alexandros Papadongonas and Athanassios Davakis, MP for Lakonia, one of Greece's most fiercely royal regions. Both were due to leave for the British capital yesterday, defying the wrath of senior party leaders. "No one can prohibit me. It is the underlying essence of democracy for which we fought," Mr. Papadongonas told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of New Democracy parliamentarians.
Mr. Davakis has said that he and his electorate have always favoured a constitutional monarchy. Invitations to the wedding have split New Democracy over whether its members should attend. New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert has appealed to his cadres to turn down the invitations in a bid to avert the ruling PASOK government from exploiting the inter-party row.
Constantine, godfather to Britain's Prince William, has lived in England since fleeing Greece in December 1967 after failing to overthrow a military junta 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 ND government of the time.
The then-opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) said the visit was an attempt to sound out public opinion for a possible restoration of the monarchy which was abolished by referendum in 1974.
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. Pavlos and his 26-year-old bride-to-be hinted during a recent interview that they may honeymoon in Greece. The government reacted strongly, warning ex-king Constantine and his family not to step foot unless he renounced his title.
A leading US investment firm has bought a five per cent stake in the Commercial Bank, Athens bourse sources said yesterday. They said Merrill Lynch Capital Markets purchased 1.2 million shares at 9,500 drachmas per share. Bourse sources said the deal was clinched between the US firm and Commercial Capital, the bank's subsidiary.
Under the agreement the block of shares will be repurchased by the Commercial Bank in September 1998, which will then be distributed amongst its staff. The decision to sell the stocks came after a request by the Bank of Greece, bank sources said.
The Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA) yesterday announced an ambitious modernisation programme for urban transport through the initiation of telematics in the presence of Transport and Communications Minister Thanassis Tsouras.
The new telematics system will cost six billion drachmas and will be completed by June 1997. Screens will be installed at bus stops and in vehicles providing information on arrival and departure times, direction and location at all times. A computer will regulate the number of vehicles in circulation during rush hours. Mr. Tsouras said the first pilot machines will be installed in trolley buses in November.
Referring to a possible increase in bus tickets, Mr. Tsouras said "my political assessment is that there will be no increases in 1995."