A.N.A. Bulletin, 14/10/95

From: "Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada" <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 715), October 14, 1995

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Greece, FYROM come to decision on technical aspects of interim accord

Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia last night signed a memorandum settling practical issues related to the interim accord signed in New York on September 13.

The signing of the memorandum came after four days of talks in the FYROM capital on technical details of the implementation of the accord, including the free movement of goods and people and the establishment of liaison offices.

"The signing of the memorandum constitutes a positive step in relations between the two countries and will contribute to consolidating stability in the entire region," the head of the Greek delegation, Dimitris Kypraios said at the end of the two-day talks in Skopje.

His FYROM counterpart, Assistant Foreign Minister Ljupco Arsovski, said the signing of the memorandum was "a historic step in the consolidation of good relations between the two countries".

The talks, preceded by two-days of talks in Athens last week, will be followed by further talks on establishment of the liaison offices in Athens next week.

Meetings between ministry experts and agencies from the two countries will also be held next week.

Reports said consultations were stalled earlier in the day when the Skopje delegation put forward new demands. Talks resumed in the evening after the head of the US Liaison Office in Skopje, Victor Comras, intervened.

The FYROM delegation brought up new demands after the conclusion of the talks and as the two delegations were preparing to approve the text of what has been agreed.

In Athens earlier yesterday, government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris said that until the name issue was settled, the neighboring country would be known as FYROM.

The signing of the agreement was condemned by Political Spring party spokesman Notis Martakis.

"Today the humiliation of Hellenism and the trampling of our national conscience received the official stamp," he said.

Those who supported, contributed, accepted and signed in the service of foreign strategic and economic interests are accountable to history and the people, he said.

[2] Vance expected to mediate preliminary name talks end month

Diplomatic circles foresee that UN mediator Cyrus Vance's first meetings concerning the dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the name will take place on or after October 26.

The circles believe that the two first meetings between the two sides will not be direct, namely that Mr. Vance intends to meet each side separately.

Moreover, they believe that after a one-week interval due to Mr. Vance's scheduled visit to China on November 5, ensuing direct talks will continue until the end of the year.

[3] Trade embargo lifted

The government in the evening announced the lifting of all restrictions regarding the movement of goods to and from FYROM as of midnight last night, in application of the interim accord between the two countries.

A government statement said that the movement of goods will be effected according to the terms of the practical measures agreed yesterday. "The Greek Government, finally, reiterates that the retorsion measures imposed on February 16 1994 against FYROM were perfectly legal as regards both international and community law," the statement added.

[4] Tsohatzopoulos says a new 'Marshall Plan' needed to ensure a peaceful former Yugoslavia

Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said a new "Marshall Plan" was necessary to support international guarantees for a permanent peace in the former Yugoslavia.

The Greek minister made the statements yesterday during a European Socialist Party meeting focusing on developments in the former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said estimates call for the allocation of $4 billion over the next three years to ensure peace, development and employment in the region. He added such assistance was not a humanitarian obligation but a political choice and strategic prospect for the European Union itself, "since a peaceful and positive future for the EU is unthinkable if a solution to the former Yugoslavia's problem is not found."

The Vienna conference is examining peace prospects in the former Yugoslavia and creation of a democratic society and liberal strategy for the region. Two other meetings are planned for the beginning of 1996.

One of the two meetings will take place in Thessaloniki at PASOK's initiative during the first quarter next year and will deal with prospects for economic, social and developmental co-operation between Balkan countries within a liberal framework.

The second meeting will be organized by Italy's Democratic Left Party and is scheduled for Venice.

[5] Greek economy's 'impressive performance' recognized, Papantoniou says

National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou cited a "definite recognition of the Greek economy's positive course" as the first conclusion of his meeting in Washington and New York over the past few days.

Mr. Papantoniou said both the US Under-secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers and Michel Camdessus, the IMF general director, told him during their official talks that the state of the Greek economy has been impressively transformed and that "Greece is now in position to be called to play a more active role in the world economy."

Athens' top economic official said Greece was in a position to "dynamically enter the arena of new international realignments after noteworthy progress achieved with regards to inflation, interest rates, the drachma's stability and growing investments."

"This significant progress is visible to the world economic community, which I believe will positively affect investment and capital flows as well as confidence in our currency and the general stance of international economic agents in relation to our domestic economic developments," he said.

Mr. Papantoniou stressed that in today's open world economy international factors could directly affect countries' domestic economic developments, either in a positive or negative manner. He added that Greek public opinion should realize that we are "forced, whether we like it or not, to seriously consider world economic factors, because they are able to greatly affect our own decisions and developments."

Following his arrival in New York, the minister spoke yesterday at a luncheon in his honor, organized by the US-Greek Business Council.

Mr. Papantoniou was scheduled to speak at a gathering of several greater New York-area Hellenic organizations yesterday evening.

During his stay in Washington, Mr. Papantoniou also held discussions with US Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Maryland) and Clinton administration aide George Stephanopoulos, in addition to giving an interview to the CNN cable television network and meeting with t he Washington Post's editorial board.

[6] Arsenis says Greece ready to consider request for peace troops

National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis told parliament yesterday that Greece was ready to examine a request for its participa-tion in peacekeeping forces to be deployed in Bosnia after a peaceful resolution to the problem.

Replying to a question tabled by a Communist Party of Greece (KKE) deputy concerning Greece's involvement in the Bosnian war, Mr. Arsenis said that "conditions today are very different" to those in 1993, when Greek political party leaders decided that Greece should not take part at all in the Bosnian civil strife, a decision Mr. Arsenis described as "the right one."

"Today (yesterday), following the signing of a cease-fire agreement, there is a completely different climate, since all sides must agree to request the presence of a peacekeeping force in order to consolidate peace," Mr. Arsenis said in reply to the question tabled by KKE MP Orestis Kolozof.

Mr. Kolozof accused the government of violating the political party leaders' agreement and offering facilities to NATO warplanes to carry out air raids on Bosnia.

[7] First claims for damages from Germany set to be heard this week

A first set of 1,300 lawsuits seeking war reparations from Germany will be tried this week in Kavala. The hearings begin on Sunday.

Verification procedures for suits submitted to the Serres Prefecture were handled by the local government's legal counselors and 25 local attorneys.

The main opposition New Democracy party will pay for initial legal fees, while translations and attorneys fees will be paid by each litigant.

[8] Police arrest four Albanian drug smugglers

Police suspect they have broken up a drug-smuggling ring with the arrest of four Albanians yesterday in and near Ioannina in northwestern Greece.

According to reports, two of the suspects were apprehended in a wooded area near the Vlahatanou community carrying 4.5 kgs of hashish smuggled from Albania.

Two accomplices waiting to receive the contraband were subsequently arrested near the General Hospital in Ioannina. All four suspects were taken before the Ioannina district attorney's office and later jailed.

Charged in connection with the incident were Ibraim Norisim, 27, Stavros Yiovanis, 38, and Christo Miselimni, 32, along with Yiovanis' cousin, Fotios.

Meanwhile, authorities announced that 280 Albanians were detained in Epirus throughout the day yesterday for attempting to illegally cross the border.

They will be transferred to the Kakavia border post for deportation.

[9] Arsenis determined to promote party unity

Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis said yesterday that, as a member of the Political Secretariat of PASOK's new Executive Bureau, he intended to undertake certain initiatives "in all directions" to promote unity in the party.

In an interview with MEGA television channel, Mr. Arsenis admitted the ruling party was undergoing an internal crisis, and that it was the responsibility of the new Executive Bureau to put things right. Concerning the succession issue, he said it had be en raised on the wrong footing, in an untimely fashion, and not in political terms. It had to be preceded by an agreement on a code of conduct and relevant procedures, he added.

Mr. Arsenis described as "wrong" views expressed by the group of four dissenting former ministers, Paraskevas Avgerinos, Vasso Papandreou, Theodoros Pangalos and Costas Simitis that the prime minister's application to his duties was inadequate, and added that their policy led nowhere, and harmed themselves, the party and the government.

Finally, he said the government had achieved a significant amount of work, which had not been adequately projected.

[10] Former FMs Papaconstantinou, Cetin among Ipekci award winners

The former foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey, Mihalis Papaconstantinou and Hikmet Cetin, former Greek caretaker prime minister Ioannis Grivas, former Turkish deputy president Erdal Inonu and veteran Greek leftist Leonidas Kyrkos are this year's winners of the bi-annual Abdi Ipekci awards for the promotion of Greek-Turkish friendship.

Education and Religious Affairs Minister George Papandreou, in a brief welcome to the participants, said the awards were a "needed voice of peace" and proposed student exchanges between Greece and Turkey.

Mr. Inonu did not attend the ceremony, which was held in the coastal suburb of Lagonissi yesterday.

An Ipekci award also went to Greek athlete Yannis Melissanidis, who donated his gold medal in the 1994 World Gymnastics Championship to the family of Turkish athlete Murat Kampas, who was killed in a car accident in Prague four days before the champions hip.

The Ipekci awards were founded in February 1979, in honor of the memory of the philhellene and pacifist journalist Abdi Ipekci, who was murdered shortly after returning from a trip to Greece.

[11] Mitsotakis 'small obstacle of Cyprus' comment causes stir

Former New Democracy prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis caused a stir yesterday by terming the Cyprus issue "a small obstacle" in relations between Greece and Turkey.

Mr. Mitsotakis later clarified his statement, explaining that the issue was "a small obstacle for Turkey."

Addressing a ceremony for the Ipekci awards yesterday, Mr. Mitsotakis said efforts to restore relations between Greece and Turkey should continue. For Greece and Turkey to find themselves together in the European Union "the small obstacle of Cyprus must be removed", he said, adding that all had reached the conclusion that it must be resolved.

A solution had been approached many times, he said, and the sooner it was resolved the better. Clarifying his statement afterwards, Mr. Mitsotakis said that "addressing the friendly Turks, I said that for them the Cyprus issue is a small issue." He said it did not harm their interests. Its solution benefited Turkey. A bizonal federation on the island, where the two communities would live in peace, served Turkey's interests, he added.

[12] Greece asks Ankara for dialogue on technical issues

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said yesterday that Greece's Ambassador Dimitris Nezeritis had conveyed a proposal to Ankara on Thursday for a start to dialogue between the two countries on technical issues.

In a meeting with Alternate Foreign Under-secretary Inal Batu on Thursday, Mr. Nezeritis proposed a start to a dialogue, according to an announcement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

The announcement reiterated that Turkey "always wants dialogue and co-operation with Greece. Turkey's efforts are always to find solutions through negotiations to the problems".

It referred to the recent meeting between foreign ministers in New York where the "Turkish side has stressed that all problems between the two countries should be brought to the negotiation table in a constructive and sincere manner".

Outlining her new government's policy statement last Tuesday, Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller said Ankara wanted "a dialogue to resolve all differences."

"Dialogue is also necessary to determine how these problems will be resolved," Ms Ciller said, adding that "we will be pleased if Greece also shares our desire."

Meanwhile, Mr. Batu conveyed Ankara's concern to Mr. Nezeritis on the "pressures being exerted on the 'Turkish' minority in Western Thrace."

[13] Scholar Jacqueline De Romilly becomes honorary Greek citizen

During a special ceremony at the Greek embassy here yesterday, Alternate Transport and Communications Minister Kimon Koulouris made an honorary award of the Greek citizenship to scholar Jacqueline De Romilly for her contribution to the spreading of classical Greek studies in France.

Mr. Koulouris described the award as "a debt of honor of the Greek state" to "an outstanding child of the Greek spirit... our country's intellectual ambassador to France".

"With her work and teaching, with all her activity, Jacqueline De Romilly has indeed contributed and continues to contribute, as few have, to the projection of the Greek spirit and the Greek idea, of Greece, in modern Europe and the world," Mr. Koulouris said in addressing the ceremony.

Speaking in Greek, Mme De Romilly said: "I would like to thank you, the government, and Greece. I have already been a Greek in heart and spirit. Thanks to you, I am now a compatriot to those I admire, like Thucidides".

"Greece," she added, "has a wide spectrum of values and ideals, and I am happy, like Ulysses, to return to Greece which I consider my country".

During the same ceremony, Greek ambassador Dimitris Makris awarded the medal of the Commander of Phoenix to composer Iannis Xenakis, film director Costa Gavras, and two French academics.

[14] President to lead Thessaloniki liberation celebrations

President Kostis Stephanopoulos will be in Thessaloniki on October 25 to attend events marking the 83rd anniversary of the city's liberation from Turkish occupation.

During his three-day visit, Mr. Stephanopoulos will open the Greek Language Centre and the new premises of the Thessaloniki History Centre. He will also visit the Pan-Macedonian Struggle Museum.

[15] EU industry potential indicator stagnant, but Greece shows slight increase

The percentage of utilization of the manufacturing industry's potential in European Community member-states did not increase for the first time in the past two years, according to the latest periodical report by European Commission services, released yesterday.

The relevant indicator had reached a peak of 84.1 per cent in April 1995 but rolled back to 83.4 per cent in July 1995.

The progress indicator for economic development in the EU showed only slight changes in all countries, confirming that recent circumstantial economic recovery has reached a point of stagnation.

The Commission's report on Greece stressed that, contrary to most Community countries, the manufacturing industry's percentage is increasing slightly in the third four-month period in 1995 at a rate of 0.4 per cent (second to Germany with an increase of 0.5 per cent).

[16] Greek, Italian industry agree to co-operate on penetration of new markets

The Greek and Italian Industrialists' Associations, SEB and Confindustria, yesterday signed a protocol of co-operation to "seize opportunities" in the emerging markets of the Balkans, the Black Sea region and the Mediterranean.

During a press conference before the signing of the agreement by the presidents of the two respective organizations, Jason Stratos and Luigi Abete, the two sides stressed they were looking forward to the simultaneous utilization of the considerable Greek experience in the region and the superior Italian know-how in the setting up of joint ventures in Balkan markets, which are becoming increasingly attractive following the recent Greek-FYROM accord and the awaited pacification of Bosnia.

Mr. Abete said that despite the often strong competition between Greek and Italian products on international markets, there was always common ground, and the Italian industry could benefit from the experiences of the stronger segment of Greek industry with a strong presence abroad.

Mr. Stratos said that the two countries could complement each other in their exports, while during the official signing ceremony later in the day, he placed special emphasis on the dynamics of the European Union's Mediterranean policy, currently in the process of formulation.

"In the framework of the new prospects thus arising, Greek firms, but Cypriot ones too, can develop relations of co-operation with the Italians, and undertake joint initiatives in the Middle East and North Africa," he said.

He added that the achievement of a Euro-Mediterranean zone of stability and security, as well as the implementation of a Euro-Mediterranean Economic Area and a free trade zone until the year 2010 is of great significance to the Greek industry.

According to data issued by the European Commission and the London Centre for Economic Policy Research, and presented by Mr. Stratos, the further expansion of Greek firms in the Balkans ("not only on account of their own products, but also for other European ones") can result in a significant 10 per cent annual rise in domestic industrial production, while an immediate twoto five-fold increase over 1989 figures is the forecast for Greek exports to central and eastern Europe.

The Italian delegation had contacts with businessmen in the sectors of construction, furniture, foodstuffs, clothing and footwear, the cotton industry and agricultural machinery and prospects for specific co-operation schemes were explored.

[17] Greece to introduce 'green card' for foreign workers

Greece will introduce US-type "green cards" for aliens working in the country, Labor and Social Security Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas announced yesterday in Parliament.

He said that a bill would be tabled in the House soon "that will establish the terms and conditions for the introduction of the 'green card'."

Mr. Tzoumakas was replying to a question tabled by Political Spring deputy Nikitas Venizelos, who said that the situation of alien illegal workers "has exceeded all limits since 24 per cent of the country's labor force comprises foreign workers, creating serious social repercussions, increased unemployment and illicit competition."

Mr. Tzoumakas said the bill would enable green card holders to enjoy the same labor and other rights and privileges as their Greek counterparts.

He further said the admission of an estimated 500,000 foreign workers into the social security system would greatly ease the burden on the country's insurance funds.

[18] News in Brief

-- The University of Crete, in co-operation with the Stavrakakis Gallery, is sponsoring an exhibition, opening in Iraklion on Monday, entitled "Contemporary Serb engravers". University Dean George Grammatikakis will open the exhibition. The organizers said the proceeds from the exhibition will go to "the suffering Serbian people." The exhibition will run through October 31.

-- Twenty-two Pakistanis and one Turkish illegal immigrant were arrested in two separate incidents in the past two days on outlying islands of the Dodecaneese islands in the Aegean. The immigrants were transported by vessels originating in the nearby Turkish coast. Police are investigating.

End of English language section.