The foreign ministers of Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania, Karolos Papoulias, Georgui Pirinski and Teodor Melescanu, conferred in the northern city of Ioannina Saturday on issues of mutual interest and the situation in the former Yugoslavia.
In the joint communiqui issued after the end of the talks, which Mr. Papoulias described as "especially productive", the three ministers stressed that the full integration of Greece's Balkan neighbors in the European Union would strengthen peace and stability in the Balkans, the Black Sea region, and Europe in general. The Bulgarian and Romanian foreign ministers expressed their deep appreciation of the Greek stand and support towards this end.
The three interlocutors agreed that the situation in the former Yugoslavia has reached an especially critical stage and expressed their anxiety concerning the prospects for the prevalence of the military option, as well as their support for all on-going initiatives to promote a political solution to the crisis in Bosnia.
They reiterated that progress towards such a solution should run parallel with a lifting of UN-imposed sanctions against Serbia, saying they were harming the economies of neighboring states as well.
Regarding co-operation, the communiqui stressed the importance of promoting the development of regional infrastructure, particularly the construction of a new bridge over the river Danube, connecting Greece's two neighbors, which will provide a vital part in the development of inter-European road networks.
Bulgaria and Romania have failed to agree for some time on the exact location of the proposed bridge, but following the discussions, hopes appeared brighter that an deal would soon be reached. "We hope to be able to reach a solution to this problem in September," Mr. Melscanu said.
The bridge will open up new routes for the export of Greek goods to the north and connect eastern and western Europe with Turkey and the Middle East. Greece expressed its willingness to push for European Union financing of the project. "We agreed on the urgency of constructing the bridge," Mr. Papoulias told the press conference.
The three sides also agreed to promote joint studies for the development of new land, river, and sea transportation routes connecting the eastern Mediterranean with central and eastern Europe. The construction of two major road axes, as part of inter-European networks, the one linking Thessaloniki- Sofia-Bucharest-Berlin, and the other linking Plovdiv-Bucharest-Kiev-St. Petersburg-Helsinki, have attracted the interest of banks, Greek business men, and heads of state corporations, who had separate meetings with the three ministers on the sidelines of the conference. The conference adopted a Greek proposal for an extension of the second project to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis.
Prospects for co-operation in the energy and telecommunications sectors, as well as co-operation in the framework of the PHARE and INTERREG European Union programmes, also received attention.
The three ministers also agreed on the need to eliminate technical and bureaucratic obstacles to trade and entrepreneurial relations between the three countries, and stressed the significance of private initiative in joint ventures, investment plans, industrial co-operation, and privatization programmes.
During a separate meeting on Friday, the Greek and Bulgarian foreign ministers discussed ratification of an agreement for the distribution of the waters of the Nestos river, expected before the year's end.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou dismissed calls for early elections and said that his government looked forward to the remaining two years of its mandate. "We have two years of creativity and growth in front of us," he said in yesterday's edition of "Sunday Eleftherotypia".
The premier said he was satisfied with the government's work so far and was optimistic about the course ahead. "We already have two years of action, with visible results. Our few weaknesses will be overcome... Don't forget that we are already in another new era, not at all easy for the countries of Europe, but for others, too. I would call it the era of truth and realism for all. We shall forge ahead with optimism, responsibility and correct planning. We are going well, and we shall go even better," he said.
US presidential adviser George Stephanopoulos is scheduled to have talks with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis when he arrives in Athens today on the third and final leg of his fact-finding tour of the region.
Mr. Stephanopoulos will also confer with the leader of the main opposition party, Miltiades Evert, and meet with Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America. Tonight, he will speak at the Athens College and answer questions from the floor.
His tour of the region - taking in Ankara, Nicosia and Athens - is expected to give Mr. Stephanopoulos a complete picture of the Cyprus issue and Greek-Turkish relations, which will be relayed to President Clinton when his adviser makes out his report. Mr. Stephanopoulos has repeatedly said that he carries no message or proposal from the US president for the resolution of problems in the region.
US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke is expected to visit Athens towards the end of the week for talks with the Greek government on the Yugoslav crisis and dispute with FYROM.
Speaking in Washington, Mr. Holbrooke was reported to have said that he hoped to meet with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, adding that he was certain to meet with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias.
A two-day seminar entitled "The new Balkan economic space", attended by ministers, representatives of political parties and businessmen from both Greece and the Balkans, began in Florina on Saturday morning.
Part of the "Prespes '95" events, the seminar was addressed by Press Minister Evangelos Venizelos, PASOK Secretary Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Labor Minister Ioannis Skoularikis, Macedonia-Thrace Minister Constantine Triarides, Mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos and representatives from the Albanian Economy Ministry and the Bulgarian Culture Ministry.
In his address, Mr. Venizelos stressed the desire of the Greek government, which, he said, coincided with that of the Balkan governments, to lift the sanctions on former Yugoslavia.
Former New Democracy prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis yesterday combined a scathing attack on the government with a hint at the possibility of his return to power. "It is true that I was not able to visit you as prime minister. But I hope to return. Time takes many turns," he said at a local party gathering in his native Crete.
The former premier called for a new start in the country's efforts, saying that the wasteful and dishonest public sector was not in a position to meet the needs of the people. "I don't know how far (the premier's wife Dimitra) Liani-Papandreou is responsible, or the prime minister himself, who is sick, weak, and becoming daily more ineffectual, being unable to react. I attribute the responsibility to those who support this non-existent, rotten government," he said.
Big financial and press interests were among the government's main supporters, he added. "They are quarreling for distribution of the Second Delors Package, leading the country to the precipice without a sense of responsibility," he said.
He defended his government's record of privatizations, saying it was the only way out, and called on all political parties to demand elections as soon as possible.
Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos dismissed the former prime minister's hint of a possible return to power as only of relevance to the power struggle inside his party. "Mr. Mitsotakis' statements effectively concern (main opposition leader) Mr. Evert and New Democracy's internal power game," he said. "The other points of his statements were simply the wrapper," he added.
A possible return to a Mitsotakis regime in the main opposition party was met with a variety of responses from leading cadres yesterday.
The New Democracy party made no official comment and present leader Miltiades Evert also refused to comment but deputy Vassilis Bekiris said "Mr. Mitsotakis left the leadership of the party of his volition and Mr. Evert is established (as leader). New Democracy will win the coming elections with Miltiades Evert as prime minister".
"As long as we live, we hope," said deputy Dimitris Kostopoulos. "Mr. Mitsotakis' comments assist (ruling party) PASOK from the difficult position it finds itself in".
Manolis Kefaloyiannis, a member of the ND executive and close colleague of the former premier, said "New Democracy has a leader. Mr. Mitsotakis is a valuable national 'reserve' and should be treated as such on the nation's political stage."
President Kostis Stephanopoulos said Saturday that Turkey's successful integration with the European Union and the achievement of the customs union would necessitate its compliance with international rules and abandoning its bellicose attitudes.
Speaking on the island of Hios, during his tour of the eastern Aegean, Mr. Stephanopoulos said he would welcome such an eventuality.
In complementary statements in Mytilini yesterday, the president referred extensively to Greece's right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles whenever it so wished, stressing that this should not be considered as a casus belli by Turkey. He called on the neighboring country to abandon its verbal attacks against Greece, saying that all disputes between the two countries could be resolved on the basis of international law.
"I hope for a settlement of the differences between us with the only possible avenue open to us, the implementation of international law. We must continue to tell (Ankara) this so that all may understand that there is no other way to resolve differences ," he said in Hios later on Saturday.
Mr. Stephanopoulos met with Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America during his stay in Hios.