A.N.A. Bulletin, 04/04/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 854), April 4, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Athens wants change in tense relations with Turkey, Reppas says

"The government believes that the climate of tension and friction in relations between Greece and Turkey must change and be replaced by one of calm and the strengthening of ties and friendship and co-operation," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday.

The spokesman added however that this could not be achieved through "verbal courtesies," particularly when they were accompanied by actions that contradicted them.

"Greece has shown in practice that it respects the rules which must constitute the basis for a normalization of relations between the two countries and has called on Turkey to do the same," he said.

Mr. Reppas called on Turkey to sign the European Union text on common positions concerning progress in the implementation of the EU-Turkey customs union and to contribute to efforts and initiatives which have or are to be undertaken for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem.

He also urged Turkey to retract its threat that the extension by Greece of its territorial waters in the Aegean from six to twelve miles under an international convention would be a cause for war for Ankara as well as to cease its violations of Greek air space and infringements of the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR).

Lastly, he called on Turkey to clearly state that it harbored no territorial designs against Greece, as evidenced by its stance in the recent Imia crisis and statements by Turkish officials concerning the Dodecanese.

He said that in a verbal note to be submitted to Turkey, Greece will reject Ankara's recent demarche concerning Imia as "groundless".

Asked whether Greece considered the possibility of signing an agreement with Turkey for the referral of the Imia issue to the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Mr. Reppas reiterated that "the party which believes it has a problem should take the initiative to refer the issue to the International Court".

"Let Turkey take this initiative and we shall then consider our position," the spokesman said.

Replying to questions on statements by Turkey's Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay to the Turkish parliament concerning Ankara's respect for international law, Mr. Reppas said that "if Mr. Gonensay believes this, Turkey should have no problem in signing the text of the 15 EU member states concerning progress in the implementation of the EU-Turkey customs union."

Commenting meanwhile on Turkish criticism of statements by National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis and Under-secretary Nikos Kouris, Mr. Reppas said the Turkish accusations were "unjustified and groundless."

A Turkish foreign ministry statement claimed Mr. Arsenis had spoken of "the creation of anti-Turkish coalitions in the region" and had forecast the fall of "Kemalism".

"Turkey has every reason to try and create the impression that Greek government officials make statements and act in a manner which is inconsistent with the mutual interests of the two countries," Mr. Reppas said.

There was no "differentiation" between Mr. Arsenis and government policy, he said.

Mr. Arsenis said Tuesday that Turkish expansionism could not be confronted with a lukewarm response, adding that what was needed was the creation of a strong deterrent force within the framework of the armed forces. Mr. Reppas said Mr. Arsenis was merely reiterating what was self-evident, "namely, that a strong deterrent force must exist in order to confront the threat from the other side. Mr. Arsenis' statements are not provocative and do not create any problem. They are simply a reply to the reality shaped by Turkey's expansionist policy."

The spokesman added that Mr. Arsenis' statements, made at the presentation of a book by deputy Nikos Sifounakis on the islands of Imvros and Tenedos, referred to the period 1960-62 when Greek governments dealt in "a lukewarm manner" to the uprooting of Hellenism from Imvros and Tenedos.

Asked whether the government was following developments on the two islands, Mr. Reppas said that "the government is both interested and sensitive and takes steps to prevent the further shrinking of Hellenism."

[2] Bankers urge need to modernize Greek banking system

The general meeting of the Union of Greek Banks (EET) convened yesterday to discuss ways of improving the efficiency and competitiveness of Greek banks while at the same time securing the stability of the domestic banking system.

EET President and National Bank Governor Theodoros Karatzas urged the immediate taking of initiatives by both the state and the banks themselves in the direction of modernization.

He called on the government to upgrade the present institutional framework in the credit sector in order to bring it more in line with the rest of the European Union, to create a national payments system and introduce reforms with regard to issues such as the taxation of securities.

Mr. Karatzas also underlined the need for clear definition of the framework for the exercise of monetary policy and the abolition of the high levels of reserves which banks must maintain in relation to deposits.

With respect to the banks themselves, Mr. Karatzas said they must improve their financial indicators in order to more accurately reflect their book position.

He also urged banks to streamline their portfolios and manage risks more effectively in order to avoid the assumption of high risks, mainly loans, which entail the threat of banks becoming "problematic."

Mr. Karatzas said the above recommendations concerned all banks, but especially the large state-controlled banks.

The EET president stressed the importance of sticking to the government's economic convergence program and said interest rate cuts should be made "carefully and gradually."

The EET general meeting was attended by National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and Finance Under-secretary George Anomeritis.

[3] Simitis to discuss national issues with Greek-Americans

The leading members of the Greek-American community will host a dinner in honor of Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis when he arrives in the United States for talks with US President Bill Clinton.

The dinner will take place on April 8, a day prior to Mr. Simitis' visit to the White House, and is an opportunity for a discussion of developments in Greece's national issues.

Mr. Simitis will be escorted by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, Press Minister Dimitris Reppas and possibly Education Minister, George Papandreou.

[4] Ciller defends handling of Imia crisis in light of 'Milliyet' revelations

Former Turkish prime minister Tansu Ciller yesterday rejected reports by the Turkish press that senior officials in her government had withheld documents proving that Turkey considered the Imia islets Greek.

"Turkey eased the Kardak (Imia) crisis successfully and with dignity," Ms Ciller told deputies of her True Path Party. She denied a report by the Milliyet newspaper last week that certain bureaucrats had withheld certain documents, thus leading the government to take the wrong decisions. "The foreign ministry and the military have examined the documents and took mutual decisions," she said, adding that she would take the same decisions today.

"From the beginning we said that if there were documents proving that this island belongs to Greece they should present them right away and we are willing to solve this problem through dialogue. This is the policy of my government and of the present government of (Prime Minister Mesut) Yilmaz," she said.

[5] Arsenis, Pangalos in full agreement on issues, sources say

National defense ministry sources yesterday said the decision for Greece not to participate in the recent conference in Tirana was taken following consultations and agreement between National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos.

The country's possible participation in the conference would legitimize the Balkans' division into north and south, the sources said, rejecting the view of participation even at low-level representation, stressing that this would degrade the target of creating a security subsystem in the Balkans being promoted by Greece.

Tirana hosted a meeting of Balkans defense ministers this week, to which the US was also invited; Greece refused to attend, saying that it could not do so as Serbia and Romania - key Balkans players - had not been invited.

The sources invoked an article in the prestigious Bulgarian newspaper "24 hours", which said that the Bulgarian defense minister should have stayed in Sofia instead of participating in the Tirana conference.

A conference of defense ministers from all Balkan countries and including Greece and Russia might take place in Sofia in September, while the participation of the US would also be sought, the sources said.

On the question of Greek-Turkish relations, the sources said there was no question of differentiation between the defense and foreign ministries since both ministers said on Tuesday there should be no dialogue with Turkey.

Referring to Turkey's reaction on Tuesday to a recent statement by the national defense minister in Thessaloniki, the sources said it was another expression of Turkey's expansionist policy.

The sources said there was absolutely no conflict between the two ministers.

[6] No issue of using Syrian airports

The national defense ministry yesterday denied reports alleging that Greece had an agreement to use Syrian airports.

The announcement said that Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis had told reporters some months ago that there was no such agreement or issue.

[7] Bulgarian foreign in Athens for talks stresses significance of recent resolution of bilateral problems

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski said the fact Greece and Bulgaria had resolved long-standing bilateral problems, combined with the European dimension of their bilateral relations, was "particularly important" for the Balkan region.

Mr. Pirinski was due in Athens yesterday on an official two-day visit to Greece, at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos. He will meet President Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Mr. Pangalos today.

In an interview with the Athens News Agency (ANA), he referred to all aspects of Greek-Bulgarian co-operation, principles which must govern relations between Balkan nations and the initiative by the Videnov administration to convene a meeting for all Balkan nation foreign ministers in Sofia in the first half of 1996.

Mr. Pirinski said that in resolving bilateral issues Greece and Bulgaria followed the same approach based on the common principles of good neighborliness, mutual respect and seeking mutually beneficial solutions, adding that "the real and continuous re solution of any problem in modern conditions is not possible with the use of force."

He attributes great importance to the European dimension of bilateral relations in the prospect of Bulgaria's integration with the European Union and stressed that the border between Greece and Bulgaria was also Bulgaria's border with the EU, as well as the fact that on the part of the EU a cross-border co-operation policy was being applied with neighboring countries.

Mr. Pirinski rejected accusations attributed to the Videnov administration by the opposition and President Zhelyu Zhelev that it was violating the policy of equal distances between Athens and Ankara, implemented so far in favor of Greece.

"The Bulgarian government's policy is a policy based on unified principles which we apply in our relations with neighbors. It concerns equal handling on the basis of respect for national sovereignty, the principles of good neighborliness and smooth international relations," he added.

Mr. Pirinski said that at the meeting of Balkan nation foreign ministers in Sofia proposed by the Videnov government "multipartite co-operation will be sought in issues in which countries have common interests".

[8] Papariga to visit Turkish city today

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Papariga announced yesterday from the east Aegean island of Hios that she will visit the Turkish city of Tsesme today.

In statements yesterday, she said both peoples (Greeks and Turks) must "embrace," adding that only friendship and co-operation between peoples are not enough. She added that a common struggle and peace movement are necessary in order for "divisive plans" to fail, and so chauvinism and nationalism do not take root.

[9] Romeos thanks Iakovos for his contribution

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos conveyed the gratitude of the Greek government to Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America "for the important work he has done over the years."

Mr. Romeos also held meetings with representatives of Greek-American community organizations.

In a speech to Greek-Americans and the media in Boston, prior to his visit to New York, Mr. Romeos elaborated on Greece's national issues and the country's position in the new international order.

[10] Pangalos stresses aim of foreign policy to avert conflict

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos warned yesterday that "we must be chary before the blood of Greek youth is spilled", adding that "we must do everything to avoid bloodshed and war."

"Politicians are re-elected, journalists are re-hired, prestige may be restored, ideas revised, but the dead do not come back to life," Mr. Pangalos told reporters during the presentation of a book entitled "German Policy in the Yugoslav Region (1991-19 95)" by German-based journalist Tassos Telloglou.

"Foreign policy," the minister added, "should be a means, not for causing war but for creating conditions in which wars can be averted by peaceful means."

Mr. Pangalos said that not all peaceful solutions to the war in former Yugoslavia have been exhausted, although he expressed his belief that the Dayton peace agreement holds promise despite the problems it is currently encountering. He stressed that peace in former Yugoslavia "is a necessary condition for the restructuring of the emerging states."

The launch of Mr. Telloglou's book was also attended by former foreign minister Mihalis Papaconstantinou and Coalition of the Left and Progress Eurodeputy Alekos Alavanos.

Calling the book "enthralling", Mr. Papaconstantinou said Greece was not in a position to intervene positively in 1991 when the crisis broke in Yugoslavia, due to repeated elections.

The former foreign minister also spoke on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, saying that the result of the embargo implemented against FYROM was alienation from international public opinion for Greece, while "third parties took advantage of the situation at our expense."

Comparing the Yugoslav crisis to a ravaging fire, Mr. Alavanos accused the international community of fanning the flames by recognizing the first states to have arisen out of the ashes of former Yugoslavia.

[11] Evert slams Gov't economic record

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert expressed disappointment over the state of the economy and skepticism over current developments in the market.

"We are experiencing a period of trials for the consumer. It is the week of trials for the Greek consumer regarding both high prices and the quality of foodstuffs and commodities," Mr. Evert said after a meeting with economists and party cadres yesterday.

Mr. Evert expressed concern over the course of inflation and did not rule out the possibility of inflation reaching 9.5 per cent in April, saying that this trend was triggered by increases in fuel prices and Public Power Corporation (DEH) rates.

He accused the government of lacking coordination, saying that government agencies convened wi-thout taking decisions.

Mr. Evert said that in the sector of incomes policy, each ministry had started to take its own decisions and as a result the unified salary scale had been "blown sky-high", adding that public sector expenditures were out of control.

He said the climate prevailing in the market could lead to the dissolution of the stockbreeding sector because ministers "did not want to shoulder their responsibilities".

Mr. Evert said the deficit in the balance of payments reached three billion dollars in 1995 compared to 127 million dollars in 1994.

"The government appears to be paralyzed," he said.

[12] Reppas responds

The government has taken and is taking all necessary measures to ensure the smooth operation of the market in light of the Easter holidays.

"The government has taken and is taking all (necessary) measures to ensure that market operation is smooth in light of Easter. A conjectural increase in inflation should not constitute an element of criticism ... ignoring the fact that for the first time in many years inflation is moving at a single-digit level," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.

He said the government's policy was steadfast, adding that it aimed at de-escalating inflation and that this would be achieved.

Mr. Reppas said criticism by the New Democracy party was not aimed at pinpointing problems with a view to tackling them but at creating impressions.

[13] Greek beef absolutely safe, experts say

Representatives from a geotechnical chamber of commerce yesterday claimed that Greek consumers have not been exposed to "mad cow disease."

In a press conference yesterday in Thessaloniki to brief the public over Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), the scientific name for mad cow disease, a professor of veterinary pathology stated that Greek beef products provide the safest alternative , adding that no instances of BSE have been detected in Greece. Professor Sotiris Leontidis added that, besides Britain, few instances had been discovered in other countries, and usually in cattle imported from Britain.

The European Union in 1994 banned the export of British non-prime beef cuts (brains, spleens, intestines etc.), while cattle meat exports were recently prohibited as well.

Officials yesterday said 0.5 per cent of Greek meat imports were from Britain.

[14] Poultry scare

Some 25,000 chickens were destroyed and buried yesterday after an agriculture ministry order. The poultry was located at the bankrupt Voktas unit in Vari, southeast of Athens.

Public concern over domestic poultry production was heightened earlier in the week after television footage showed thousands of dead chickens at the Voktas unit, as well as the living birds feeding off the carcasses.

In addition, veterinary officials in Ioannina confiscated and destroyed 2,482 frozen chickens earmarked for export. Further checks revealed no other Voktas shipments.

In another matter, government veterinarians will have announced a strike tomorrow, despite the ongoing uproar of the safety of meats on the market. Representative met yesterday with Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas. Meanwhile, the Consumers Institute (INKA) has called for a nationwide boycott of the market to take place today.

INKA, with the support of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) and of commercial unions, has urged consumers to boycott the market "in order for them to express their concern over the dietary nightmare, to demand the promotion of an integrated food inspection body, to ask for the creation of an institute of agricultural products and to protest the increase in illegal profiteering," an announcement said. During a seminar on the pork industry yesterday, pig farmers said their meat was "completely safe" for public consumption. Besides pork producers, representatives from the agriculture ministry, Agriculture Bank and academics participated. Among the major problems facing the sector, according to producers, are high interest rates and debts on those businesses.

[15] Panathinaikos stun holders Ajax with late strike

Panathinaikos beat holders Ajax Amsterdam 1-0 with a late goal of rare class in their European Cup semi-final, first-leg clash yesterday.

The Greek champions successfully snuffed out wave after wave of Ajax attacks and stole a precious away win with a goal by Polish striker Krysztof Warzycha four minutes from time.

[16] Theodorakis in the running for UNESCO award

The culture ministry has nominated composer Mikis Theodorakis for this year's UNESCO's music award.

Mr. Theodorakis' candidacy was proposed by Culture Minister Stavros Benos and submitted by the Greek ambassador at UNESCO, Vassilis Vassilikos.

An announcement said Mikis Theodorakis' work "contributes to the enrichment and development of music, serves peace and understanding between peoples, serves international solidarity and human rights in the framework of proclamations contained in the UN' s charter and, consequently, meets all conditions for receiving the honorary distinction."

[17] Xarhakos to conduct National Orchestra at Atlanta Olympics

The two Greek cultural events at this summer's Olympic Games in Atlanta will be a concert by the National Orchestra of Greece three days before the opening of the Games and the exhibition "Spirit and Body," currently on display at Zappeion Hall.

The concert is scheduled to be held at the Atlanta Symphony Hall with singer Agnes Baltsas as the lead vocal and noted composer Stavros Xarhakos directing. Works from Manos Hatzidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, Vassilis Tsitsanis and Xarhakos himself will be performed.

The exhibition departs for the centennial anniversary of the modern Olympics on June 15.

Meanwhile, back in Athens, the culture ministry, in co-operation with the Greek Olympic Committee, will hold a reception today for foreign Olympic committees' delegates, including IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, at the National Gallery.

In a related matter, the Olympic torch will pass through Thessaloniki for the first time in 60 years tomorrow in a large-scale event organized by the municipality. The torch last traveled through Thessaloniki on its way to the 1936 Berlin Games.

Thirteen athletes, including two disabled individuals, will run the torch through the city with a final destination being the White Tower landmark on the waterfront.

[18] IOC head arrives today for weekend celebrations

International Olympics Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch is due in Athens today to participate in events marking the centennial of the revival of the modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.

Mr. Samaranch will meet on Saturday with President Kostis Stephanopoulos following a meeting of the IOC executive committee in ancient Olympia tomorrow.

The members of the IOC executive committee and the presidents of international athletics federations are also scheduled to arrive in Athens today.

[19] Benos holds out hope for return of Thessaloniki Cultural Capital art director

The resignation of the Thessaloniki Cultural Capital Organization's art director was not immediately accepted yesterday by the culture minister, who is expected to try to reverse the director's decision.

In speaking during a press conference yesterday, Culture Minister Stavros Benos said director Yiannis Vakarelis' resignation was "unexpected".

In response to Mr. Vakarelis' resignation letter, Thessaloniki Mayor Costas Kosmopoulos said construction and renovation work may "be delayed a little, but they will be completed."

He said a cultural capital committee, in fact, is already searching for existing sites to locate some of the programmed events.

Mr. Vakarelis charged that serious delays exist in renovating venues, while a decrease in funds for events has been engineered.

The culture ministry will allocate 10 billion drachmas to the organization for the year-long series of events, two billion of which is earmarked for Mount Athos.

End of English language section.