A.N.A. Bulletin, 22/04/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 867), April 22, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Main opposition presents new party face

The main opposition party, New Democracy, presented its new radically restructured face on Saturday, aimed, party leader Miltiades Evert said, at readying the party for elections.

A new nine-member political council, including former prime ministers Constantine Mitsotakis, George Rallis and Tzannis Tzannetakis, will assume specific areas of responsibility, assisted by technocrats and academics, who are also to replace deputies currently serving on party secretariats.

Party deputy president Ioannis Varvitsiotis will be in charge of foreign affairs, defense, justice, public order and institutions; Stavros Dimas agriculture, transport and energy; former national economy minister Stephanos Manos industry, trade, tourism , shipping, finance, technology, sport and culture; George Souflias public administration, domestic affairs and education; with Yiannis Kefaloyannis in charge of health, welfare and labor issues.

Mr. Evert retains responsibility for national economy, finance and public works. Prokopis Pavlopoulos is to be party spokesman, while Petros Molyviatis, a former close associate of former president of the republic Constantine Karamanlis, is to assume the post of diplomatic adviser.

Sotiris Kouvelas, Dora Bakoyanni and Costas Karamanlis have not been included in the new council, although the latter two have been appointed alternate parliamentary representatives.

Speaking in Naoussa on Saturday, Mr. Varvitsiotis pronounced the moves positive and a move in the right direction.

Many New Democracy deputies expressed satisfaction with the changes. George Tzitzikostas said the changes put the party "into battle position" for the elections, while Panayiotis Psomiadis expressed agreement with the changes.

However, speaking to reporters in Thessaloniki on Saturday, Mr. Kouvelas hinted that Mr. Evert was not promoting the party's unity.

"As we approach elections we have the need to make those moves that will reinforce party unity," Mr. Kouvelas said. "I don't see how this move (to not include him in the new changes) can be associated with this need," he added.

Mr. Kouvelas said it was not "excuses but the right decisions which promote party unity and yield results."

ND deputy Costas Karamanlis, who has also been removed from the Political Council, refused to comment on the party leader's decision.

On Sunday, Mr. Kouvelas expressed the hope that the changes would be "for the best."

Ms Bakoyianni, in a written statement released yesterday, lashed out against Mr. Evert, stressing that she will continue to express her opinions.

The former culture minister said the issue was not "who got what position but the policy which the party must follow to win elections".

She said this required "more, not less, dialogue; greater, not less, rallying of liberal forces; and the expansion, and not the shrinking, of the party's political expression."

There appeared to be some question as to whether former premier Mitsotakis would participate in the party's Political Council to which he has been appointed.

From Hania, Mr. Mitsotakis said that he did not want to comment on developments and did not clarify whether he would participate in the party's political council.

"I remain an active politician even though I have resigned from the leadership of the party," he told a function organized by associates.

The party spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos called on Mr. Mitsotakis to respond as to whether he would participate in the Political Council, saying he awaited his comments.

[2] Greece marks anniversary of 1967 military coup

Greece marked the 29th anniversary of the 1967 military coup yesterday, in statements emphasizing the importance of safeguarding democratic institutions.

National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis called the seven-year dictatorship one of the darkest periods in Greece's history. However, he added, the future was ahead and it was there that everyone's attention should be turned, without prejudice or pettiness.

The main opposition New Democracy party said the anniversary should be a source of inspiration in defending democratic institutions. Political Spring observed that the Republic of Cyprus was still paying the price of the 1967 coup in Greece.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) called for a "fighting" front against multinational companies, the oligarchy and governments and other political forces which represented or tolerated their interests.

The Coalition for the Left and Progress stressed the divide between expectations and reality, leading to disappointment and at the same time a demand for radical change in political life.

[3] President attends anniversary of Naoussa uprising events

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos yesterday attended events marking the anniversary of the uprising against Turkish rule in 1822 in the northern Greek town of Naoussa.

During the events, Mr. Stephanopoulos spoke of the stance of "the big powers of the world" regarding Greek national issues, and said they "interfere more than they should and they interfere, unfortunately, not with our national issues in mind ."

Without being more specific about "the big powers", Mr. Stephanopoulos said "it is not possible to imagine that they do not know what is happening in this region of the world," and indirectly accused them of not being concerned with international legality and the implementation of international treaties.

Naoussa was marking the 174th anniversary of the town's uprising, when its residents were slaughtered by the Turks. The town's women and children threw themselves into the Arapitsa river in order to evade capture by the Turks.

[4] Greek unionists to meet Gligorov in Skopje today

A representative delegation of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), headed by its president Christos Protopapas, is to meet with FYROM President Kiro Gligorov today. The meeting concludes the visit of Greek unionists to the neighboring country.

Sources said two issues arose during the GSEE delegation's meetings during the visit with FYROM's main unions and the 15 sector federations: the need for the feelings of both countries to be taken into account in the finding of a solution to the name is sue; and the need to smooth out the situation at the border between the two countries, which is causing difficulties both in the movement of tourists and in the carrying out of commercial activities such as trade.

Before meeting Mr. Gligorov, the GSEE delegation is to meet with FYROM's labor minister in order to discuss issues of labor relations, problems and social policies.

[5] Gonensay suggests wide-ranging discussion as first step to resolving differences

Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay has suggested a discussion on all issues as the first step in finding a solution to the differences between Greece and Turkey, in an interview published in Greece's "Sunday Typos" newspaper yesterday.

"If we cannot solve our differences with talks, then we can discuss or agree on a framework through which we will recourse to third parties," the new Turkish foreign minister told the paper.

However, the minister rejects the mediation of the US "because it did not offer a productive role," saying "we could set arbitration committees or we could go to court."

Mr. Gonensay said he does not doubt the sovereignty of Greek islands, but said there is a problem "with the rocky islets and islets which are not specifically named in the agreements."

He said the issue of the extension of territorial waters from six to 12 nautical miles, "is not honest, equal and just," because Greece would end up with 60-70 per cent of the Aegean, while Turkey would have 8-10 per cent.

Mr. Gonensay said such an act "could not be part of a peaceful arrangement," and asked for the demilitarization of the Greek islands, rejecting Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos' proposal for the transfer of the Aegean army.

Mr. Gonensay said he will hold an informal discussion on all issues with Mr. Pangalos in Bucharest. He added that the proposals from Turkish premier Mesut Yilmaz "are not tactical evasions, but arise from the honest will to leave all problems behind."

An ANA dispatch from Istanbul, meanwhile, reported Mr. Gonensay saying over the weekend that Turkey was willing to bring all Greek-Turkish issues to the International Court of Justice at The Hague if Greece was in agreement.

"If Greece wants to bring (to The Hague) all bilateral problems in the Aegean - continental shelf, air space, FIR, etc. - we could agree," the Turkish minister told the Turkish Daily News' diplomatic correspondent. However, he ruled out unilateral recourse by Turkey to the court over the Imia islet issue.

He also expressed the hope that his imminent meeting with Mr. Pangalos in Bucharest would be "the beginning of a comprehensive dialogue on all bilateral issues".

[6] NATO chief ready to offer services

In a related development, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana told the "Sunday Ethnos" paper he was ready to offer his services to help Greece and Turkey find a solution.

Mr. Solana noted that NATO "does not take sides in bilateral disagreements between member-states, and we will not deviate from this principle regarding various disagreements" between Ankara and Athens.

He added that "both sides are well aware of the obligation that has been imposed on them by NATO to solve their bilateral differences through peaceful means."

Replying to a question by "Ethnos", Mr. Solana said the Greek-Cypriot joint defense doctrine "does not concern NATO" because "Cyprus is not a member of NATO and the Alliance's defense plans do not include it."

Mr. Solana also spoke of "the catalytic role Greece can play as a NATO member in the Balkans," and of its ability "to contribute, in its immediate environment, to the spreading of a form of extended co-operation on security matters and to forge ties and factors of stability."

[7] Greece has nothing to fear from US discussion of Moslem minority, Pangalos says

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said on Saturday that Greece has nothing to fear from the discussion to be held by a US Congressional committee on the issue of the Moslem minority of Western Thrace.

Mr. Pangalos added that the Greek government would not be officially represented at the committee, but would count on its friends in Congress.

Yesterday, the government's spokesman, Dimitris Reppas, replied to opposition criticism regarding the discussion, saying "in our country human rights are respected and Greece honors international treaties, ensures conditions of equal rights and of equality before the law for everyone and constitutes an example of a state ruled by law and solidarity."

Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos said, however, that "the prime minister and the government are incapable of effectively handling our national issues."

"Either the prime minister and the government were aware of this unfavorable prospect and remained passive, or they were ignorant of this prospect, which proves them once again dangerously uninformed," he said.

New Democracy noted that the same Congressional committee is to discuss human rights issues in Turkey and stressed that any attempt to compare Greece and Turkey would be "a provocation towards the intelligence of international public opinion."

ND underlined that Greek Moslems of Thrace enjoy full rights, while in contrast, Turkey "cannot call itself a state ruled by law, at least under the present conditions".

The Political Spring party lashed out against both the government and New Democracy on Saturday, criticizing them for "having accepted" the issue to be discussed by the Congress committee.

"The government's confession that although it was aware of (this development) it deemed it as non-important and the ND's peculiar silence reveal the dangerous sliding of our national issues," party spokesman Notis Martakis said.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) also criticized the government for its "acceptance to participate in the debate", characterizing it as a example of the government's "yes-men policy."

The party said that instead of reporting to the US on Greece's domestic affairs, "the PASOK government should apologize to the residents of Western Thrace over non-existence of development measures in the region."

Referring to the ND announcement, Mr. Reppas said that "instead of (ND) being quiet, as it knows that the government's policy regarding the Moslem minority is correct, it criticizes the government for not blowing the issue out of proportion."

Mr. Reppas accused Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras of exaggeration, saying that when foreign minister, Mr. Samaras had suggested the issue be discussed by a United Nations committee, saying "he had suggested we make a matter of internal order an international issue. Now he is worried..."

Mr. Reppas concluded by saying that "the position of all of us must be a position of honesty, judgment and courage."

[8] Arsenis comments

Also commenting on the issue, National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis said that the event alone was not characteristic of Greek-US relations as a whole.

The defense minister was speaking to reporters in Larissa, where he was participating in a party youth organization discussion on the European Union's Inter-governmental Conference, which he said would be a long and arduous process of tough negotiations .

Greece had to seek alliances and propose exchanges in order to achieve its goals, he said. For example, Greece could agree to the abolition of the right of veto if the EU recognized Greece's borders as its own external borders and accorded Greece the appropriate guarantees of security.

[9] Passengers safe after ferry hits reef

The passenger-car ferry 'Poseidon Express' hit a reef upon entering the port of Paros late Friday night and began to take on water.

The 256 passengers and crew were safely evacuated before the ship sank at the dock early Saturday morning.

The ferry was on a voyage from Piraeus to the islands of Naxos, Paros, Ios and Thira when it struck a reef in an attempt to avoid hitting another ship.

Divers sealed the ship's fuel reserves late on Friday night to prevent fuel spilling into the sea.

Officials said the investigation into the reasons for the accident - which they said could have cost the lives of dozens of passengers - was continuing.

The task of pumping oil out of the ship's tanks will take two to three days before the ship is raised.

[10] Thessaloniki remembers victims of the Holocaust

A memorial service for the 45,000 Jews of Thessaloniki who lost their lives in the Holocaust was held in the northern city today in the presence of Members of Parliament and local government representatives.

Chief speaker at the service was the president of Thessaloniki's Jewish community, Andreas Sephicha.

Thousands of Jews had sought refuge in Thessaloniki from the Spanish Inquisition in 1492, making the city a major center of Jewry. Before the Nazi occupation, the city's Jewish population stood at around 49,000, most of whom (46,061) were sent to the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. Of these, only 1,950 returned.

[11] Armenian community commemorates 1915 genocide

Greece's Armenian community commemorated the 1915 genocide of 1.5 million of its people by the Turks with a political meeting in Thessaloniki today.

Main speakers at the event were the representative of the Armenian national committee Chripsime Kostikian and Armenian Ambassador in Greece Arman Girakosian, both of whom asked Turkey to recognize the genocide, to return Armenian lands to their rightful owners and to stop arming Azerbaijan at the expense of Armenia and the Armenian populations of Nagorno-Karabakh.

[12] Commission worried about Estonian church issue

The autonomous Estonian Church is to seek to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Filaret of Kiev, if the Ecumenical Patriarchate, under pressure from Moscow, renounces its responsibility for this small church, Estonian officials said yesterday in Brussels.

The officials, visiting Brussels for discussions with the European Commission, were commenting on the recent conflict that threatened to sever relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Russian Church.

The tension arose after the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Holy Synod decided to honor a 1923 decision founding the autonomous Estonian Orthodox Missionary Church as the "Orthodox Metropolitan of Estonia". The Estonian Church was recognized as an autonomous church in 1923 under Patriarch Meletios but was forcibly abolished when Stalin annexed Estonia to the Soviet Union after World War II.

Recently the Estonian Church expressed its wish not to be put under the jurisdiction of Moscow, adding that 54 out of the 80 Orthodox parishes called on the Ecumenical Patriarchate to request the implementation of the 1923 decision.

The name of the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos has not been mentioned in liturgies officiated by Patriarch Alexios since last February, due to the fact that the operation of an Estonian Orthodox Chur-ch was put under the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate instead of the Russian Church.

European Commission sources expressed concern on Saturday that Estonian Church's move towards Kiev would complicate the already strained relations between Tallin and Moscow.

[13] Aid package for unemployed

Funds totaling 25 billion drachmas to deal with financial problems faced by laid-off workers, particularly older people who were at a disadvantage in seeking new positions, was announced by Robertos Spyropoulos, governor of the Organization for the Employment of Human Resources (OAED) in Drama on Saturday.

He also announced planned improvements in OAED schools, promising his organization would spare no expense for the purpose.

[14] Egyptian ambassador says Cairo close to arresting gunmen

Egypt's ambassador to Athens said the arrest of the gunmen who massacred the Greek tourists in Cairo on Thursday was a matter of hours.

He made the statement on Saturday while visiting the wounded at an Athens hospital.

Ambassador Samir Seif el-Yazal said he derived the information from sources in Cairo.

In a statement on Friday night, Egypt's largest Moslem militant group claimed responsibility for the massacre of the 18 Greek tourists and said it had planned to kill Israelis.

The Gama'a al-Islamiya (Islamic Group) said it wanted to avenge Israel's raids on Lebanon.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa will pay a two-day visit to Athens starting tomorrow.

The foreign minister's visit was scheduled before the events of last Thursday.

He is expected to convey condolences on the murder of the 18 Greeks.

[15] Greece and Cyprus optimistic about island's accession to the EU

Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and Greek Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos expressed optimism concerning prospects of the island's accession to the European Union.

Speaking at a joint press conference here Saturday at the end of Mr. Romeos' contacts on the island, Mr. Michaelides described the Greek official's three-day official visit as "especially productive". On his part, Mr. Romeos said the meetings he had were "substantial and constructive".

Mr. Michaelides stressed the co-operation of the Cypriot and Greek foreign ministries on Cyprus' application for accession to the EU, a co-operation which Mr. Romeos described as "close and continuous."

Expressing optimism for accession, Mr. Michaelides noted that any obstacles met in the way can be overcome. On his part, Mr. Romeos said he shared Mr. Michaelides' optimism, adding that "serious work" is being done in Cyprus in co-operation with Greece.

Mr. Michaelides said that "the EU talks with the Turkish Cypriot side solely aimed to inform it of the benefits it will acquire when Cyprus becomes a full member of the Union" and added that "our side approves these talks and encourages them."

He did however stress that the Cyprus government would oppose any moves to alter the status of these talks. He also said that all those who believe that accession talks should start only after a re-unification of the island have more than a year's time to work towards a solution of the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Romeos said that during his meeting with President Glafcos Clerides, they went through certain preparations concerning the latter's visit to Athens in May.

Mr. Michaelides explained that the preparations concern issues of strategy. Referring to the visit of the new US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs John Kornblum to Nicosia, Athens and Ankara, he said it would give Cyprus and Greece the chance for more information on the US initiative.

"We believe that the US initiative could be launched after President's Clerides' visit to the US in June," Mr. Romeos said, adding that this gives enough time to both Cyprus and Greece to intervene in the shaping of the framework of the initiative.

Mr. Romeos returned to Athens on Saturday afternoon.

End of English language section.