A.N.A. Bulletin, 29/04/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 873), April 29, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Greece maintains stance on Imia issue, contacts between Greek, Turkish diplomats to continue

The Greek and Turkish foreign ministries agreed to continue contacts following a meeting between Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and his Turkish counterpart Emre Gonensay on Saturday, without this indicating the initiation of official dialogue.

Saturday's meeting was considered a positive step in re-establishing contacts between the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers.

Diplomatic officials from both countries will be meeting in Geneva to prepare the groundwork for their next talks scheduled for June during a NATO meeting in Berlin.

Mr. Pangalos told reporters following his return to Athens Saturday that Mr. Gonensay had assured him Turkey had no territorial claims on Greece, with which it wanted to develop friendly relations.

Yet the issue of the islet of Imia and the Greek veto on EU funds to Turkey remained to be solved, since Turkey is not willing to refer the issue of Imia to the International Court of the Hague, as Greece has requested, preferring to first discuss the question of the Aegean as a whole.

The Greek minister called this unacceptable and not a friendly action towards Greece, adding:

"As long as the issue is not resolved as we have asked, we will continue to maintain that it is not possible for Turkey to receive funds from the European Union in the framework of the customs union agreement."

Nevertheless, Mr. Pangalos said Turkey recognized the Treaty of Lausanne and the bilateral treaties determining the status quo in the Dodecanese islands, although it considers there are certain "gray areas" regarding certain small islets and rocks.

However, the Turkish minister had not clarified which islets he was referring to, something which Mr. Pangalos called unacceptable. Mr. Gonensay also told Mr. Pangalos his country was ready to denounce the use of force and the threat of force in its future relations with Greece.

The Turkish minister had also raised the question of military forces on Aegean islands, clarifying that this was in no way connected with any question of Greece's sovereignty.

Mr. Pangalos replied that a de-escalation of both country's forces could only be the final step in a long process of resolving differences, creating a climate of trust.

At this time, he added, the presence of Greek forces in the Aegean was justified by the presence of a considerable military force on the Turkish coast.

In addition, Mr. Pangalos reminded his Turkish counterpart that a full normalization of Greek-Turkish relations required a solution to the Cyprus problem. Although this was not a bilateral issue, it involved both countries, he observed, noting that Turk ey had been responsible for creating the problem and for perpetuating it by maintaining an occupation force in the north of the island republic.

Meanwhile, commenting on Mr. Gonensay's expressed hope that the two countries would avoid unilateral actions, Mr. Pangalos said that if this was a reference to Greece extending its territorial waters from six to 12 nautical miles, Turkey had no cause for concern.

Although Greece was legally entitled to extend its waters, it would only do so in a responsible manner, within the framework of the international community and according to its obligations as a member of international organizations.

Mr. Pangalos noted as positive the fact that during Saturday's talks, it appeared that Turkey no longer considered such a move as cause for war.

[2] Reactions

Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos expressed the hope that the government would not be tricked into a dialogue with Turkey, "without first having ensured from Ankara the full respect of our territorial integrity and our inalienable sovereign rights."

Describing the meeting between Mr. Pangalos and Mr. Gonensay as a "fiasco," Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras said that "while we make concessions the Turks multiply their claims."

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said dialogue with Turkey would only make sense if there was mutual respect of the borders and sovereign rights of both countries.

The Coalition of the Left and Progress said in an announcement that "prospects for a de-escalation (of tension) and normalization of Greek-Turkish relations should be based on full respect of the rules of international legality, the international law an d international treaties."

[3] BSC states agree on better co-operation, restoration of former Yugoslav countries

Upon the completion of their four-day synod in Bucharest the Black Sea Co-operation's eleven member-states decided to reinforce co-operation as this, they said, would contribute to stability and security in the region.

Russian Foreign Minister Evgeni Primakov, who will assume the upcoming six-month rotating presidency of the BSC, said one of the group's priorities was "the restoration of the countries of the Former Yugoslavia and especially Bosnia."

The Russian official said among the BSC's priorities were also the mutual investment protection and the establishment of a BSC Bank and the 'Black Sea Energy Region.'

The meeting postponed for a later date discussion on the membership of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The "business forum" focused on strengthening and expanding the organization and a step in this direction is the creation of a Black Sea bank, for which adequate capital has not yet been found, since only four countries (Greece, Albania, Moldova and Armenia) have the necessary funding for the total required.

A proposal has been made for private individuals to assume the financial obligations of the states, which they will represent in the bank, which will be based in Thessaloniki. An objection by Turkey to the site has been solved by appointing that country president of the bank for its first four years.

Present at the meeting were representatives of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to become members by the next session, as well as Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Jordan, who will have observer status.

Greece believes that strengthening the infrastructure and institutions of the organization should precede any expansion, which it believes should be made as a whole, since Turkey is opposed to the accession of Cyprus.

The organization's next meeting is to be held in Moscow in six months' time. In the meantime much work is expected to be done by ad hoc committees in the areas of transport, telecommunications and energy. At the Bucharest meeting, Greece presented maps for the inter-European road networks, an important factor in promoting infrastructure in the Black Sea region.

A conference of BSEC's academic communities is to be held in Athens at the end of the year. The Greek capital has also been designated as the site of the organization's Research Center.

[4] EPP delegation meets with Vartholomeos

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos yesterday held a meeting with a visiting delegation of the European Peoples' Party headed by former Belgium prime minister Wilfred Martens.

The meeting focused on human values and human rights, protection of the environment, social policy and the role of the Orthodox Church in Europe.

The delegation comprised 16 Eurodeputies, six of them Greek.

It is the first meeting by a European Peoples' Party delegation with a church leader.

In statements following the meeting, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos said the structured dialogue and co-operation between the delegation and the Patriarchate "which was not possible in the past," is now "hopeful."

[5] Mouskouri to sing for Bosnian children

Internationally-renowned singer and main opposition New Democracy Eurodeputy Nana Mouskouri will give a concert this evening at the Athens Concert Hall for the children of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"Through singing we show our interest for the children of Yugoslavia and state our presence," she said.

Ms Mouskouri arrived in Athens yesterday from Istanbul where she met with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos together with other Eurodeputies. She described the meeting as a "historic visit."

[6] Gligorov pleased with state of bilateral relations with Athens

President of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov told reporters Saturday that he was pleased with the development of relations between Athens and Skopje.

He made the statement on the sidelines of a four-day summit of the Black Sea Co-operation member states.

In a press question regarding the name issue, Mr. Gligorov said it was "not purposeful to make statements while negotiations in New York continue."

[7] Balkans news agencies to discuss satellite hook-ups at Thessaloniki meeting today

Technical directors of all Balkan news agencies will meet in Thessaloniki today to discuss developments regarding the establishment of a Balkan News Bank and the linking of all Balkan national news agencies via satellite, it was announced Saturday.

The projects are the initiative of the Macedonian Press Agency and will be financed by the Community program "Diavlos."

Transport and Communications Minister Haris Kastanidis will open the two-day meeting at the Helexpo installations.

Greek Eurodeputy Nikos Papakyriazis will also attend the meeting which will take place with the participation of Albanian's ATA, Bulgaria's BTA and BIP, Yugoslavia's Tanjug, Greece's ANA and MPA, FYROM's MPB, Romania's Rompres and Turkey's Anatolia.

Technical directors of the national news agencies of Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will attend the meeting as observers.

[8] Remaining wounded Greeks return to Athens

The last five remaining Greeks wounded in the Easter terrorist attack in Cairo, in which 18 of their fellow-travelers were killed, returned to Athens yesterday.

The five, whose injuries had been too severe for them to be moved earlier, returned on a C-130 Greek air force transport plane, accompanied by Greek doctors.

After being met at Athens airport by relatives and Health Under-secretary Franklinos Papadelis, they were taken to hospitals in Athens to complete their treatment.

[9] Premier set to tour eastern Macedonia-Thrace this week

Prime Minister Costas Simitis begins a three-day tour of eastern Macedonia and Thrace later this week, accompanied by a ministerial delegation.

Their program begins Thursday with a meeting of local authorities in Komotini at the University of Thrace, where the prime minister is expected to refer to the government's new development program for the region.

On Friday, Mr. Simitis is to meet with local government authorities in the prefectures of Xanthi and Kavalla. On Saturday he will visit Drama, later traveling by helicopter to Ormenio, Evros on the Greek-Bulgarian border, where he will address a meeting on business prospects for the region in Balkan and Black Sea markets. Mr. Simitis returns to Athens on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, at a regional meeting at the Xanthi Chamber of Commerce on Sunday, May 5, Development Minister Vasso Papandreou is to announce the government's intervention program for tourism and small and medium-sized businesses in the region.

[10] Cypriot foreign, interior ministers in Athens

The foreign and interior ministers of Cyprus, Alecos Michaelides and Dinos Michaelides, were due to arrive in Athens yesterday for a two-day visit, according to an ANA dispatch from Nicosia.

During their stay, the two ministers will attend a meeting at the foreign ministry to examine, among other things, issues related to the residence and employment of ethnic Greeks from the Black Sea region and southern Albania in Cyprus.

Dinos Michaelides was also due to have talks with Press and Mass Media Minister Dimitris Reppas, with whom he will sign a bilateral agreement providing for co-operation in the sectors of informatics and the mass media.

[11] ND deputies begin week of briefings of US congressmen

Main opposition New Democracy party deputies Saturday began a series of meetings in Washington with members of the US Congress.

The meetings, aiming at the "objective and full briefing" of US Congressmen on issues relating to Greece, will also continue this week.

[12] Party Vice-President issue expected to dominate talks between Simitis Skandalidis

The issue of the election of a Vice-President for the ruling PASOK party at the party congress, now expected to be held late June instead of July, will be the prevalent issue in talks today between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and PASOK Central Committee secretary Costas Skandalidis, sources said yesterday.

Mr. Skandalidis is also expected to hold a meeting this week with PASOK President Andreas Papandreou.

According to sources close to the prime minister, Mr. Simitis will not accept discussing the issue with Mr. Skandalidis as he considers running for Vice-President his "exclusive right."

In the meantime, Development Minister Vasso Papandreou called for a "summit agreement for the election of Costas Simitis to the post of Vice-President or alternate president", in statements she made in an interview to the 'Kyriakatiki Eleftherotypia' newspaper.

[13] Kaklamanis, other PASOK cadres comment on Papandreou's role

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Mr. Kaklamanis said ruling PASOK's President Andreas Papandreou "constitutes a symbol of the whole democratic movement", in response to a press question over Mr. Papandreou's statements to reporters on Friday.

Speaking to a MEGA television channel reporter on Friday, Mr. Papandreou denied rumors about a deterioration of his health and said he was recovering steadily.

"There are those who think that Andreas Papandreou no longer exists, and those who over-emphasize his presence and his role," Mr. Kaklamanis said.

Meanwhile, commenting on a scheduled meeting today between PASOK's Central Committee Secretary Costas Skandalidis and Prime Minister Costas Simitis, Justice Minister Evangelos Venizelos said "the government should always communicate with the party of ruling majority."

In Thessaloniki, Mr. Skandalidis said Mr. Papandreou would begin a round of political meetings in the next few days.

[14] Claims for war reparations at the forefront of protests marking 55th anniversary of Nazi occupation

Resistance organizations yesterday chose the 55th anniversary of the occupation of Athens by Nazi forces to protest Germany's refusal to compensate the victims of the country's occupation during World War II.

Members of the "National Council for German War Reparation Claims" gathered in a central Athens square before picketing the German embassy, demanding that the German government honor its obligations to the Greek people.

Also taking part in the protest were members of five World War II resistance organizations.

"We are unbending in our resolve for Germany to pay what it owes, even if it is just one deutschmark," Manolis Glezos, member of the National Council coordinating committee, told the ANA.

"For the Greek people, the payment of reparations constitutes a guarantee that Germany will not repeat in the future the crimes which Hitler's Germany committed against humanity during World War II," Mr. Glezos added.

German tanks rolled into Athens on April 27, 1941. The Greek flag flying on the Acropolis was replaced by the swastika. The subsequent Nazi occupation of Greece was marked by firing squads, the cold-blooded murder and torture of citizens, looting, the confiscation of property and forced loans.

According to the decision of the Allied Reparations Organization which convened in Paris on January 14, 1946, the amount owed to Greece by Germany for material damage alone, caused by the Nazi occupation forces, totaled $7.1 billion.

The loans which Nazi Germany forced Greece to extend in order to feed Rommel's army in North Africa totaled $3.5 billion.

These figures are based on official data and calculated at 1938 prices. Of course, it has not been possible to put a price on the thousands of human lives lost during the occupation.

[15] Olympic Aviation celebrates 25 years in business

A seminar on the developments and prospects of regional airlines in southern Europe and the Middle East took place in Athens on Saturday as part of events marking Olympic Aviation's 25th anniversary.

President of the company A. Vlahoyiannis said Olympic Aviation's basic goal was to attain further development through restructuring.

He said this was the only way to survive increasing competition.

Referring to the importance of regional airlines, Mr. Vlahoyiannis said the company should expand its network.

Earlier this month, Olympic Aviation expanded its routes to Belgrade and Bucharest.

Meanwhile, Olympic Airways President N. Blesios said both Olympic Aviation and Olympic Airways should continue their constructive co-operation in order to meet the increasing demands of competition as a result of the globalization of markets.

"Changes in Eastern Europe and the European Union markets unification open new horizons which should not be left unexploited," he said.

[16] Kaklamanis marks 81st anniversary of Armenian genocide

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis yesterday expressed his grief on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the genocide of Armenians by the Turks, in a message read out during an Armenian National Committee of Greece event.

Stressing that Greece has always supported the Armenians in their "just struggle," Mr. Kaklamanis said it was "sad that 81 years after the Armenian genocide, the Turkish state continues to go unpunished and to systematically violate, without any remorse , the human rights and all principles of international law."

"The example of the Armenian people which has managed to survive and magnify in the decades which followed the genocide... is a source of hope and optimism to all peoples and nations suffering from violence and atrocity," he added.

The Greek Parliament recently designated April 24 as "Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."

[17] Two injured as two bombs go off in Kolonaki pedestrian mall

A policeman and a bomb expert were slightly injured last night when two bombs went off in the crowded pedestrian mall of Tsakalof street in the plush Kolonaki neighborhood.

The bomb blasts, at 9.40pm and 10pm, caused panic among hundreds of people sitting at outdoor cafes on the pedestrian mall.

Police said the blasts went off on the second floor at Tsakalof 5 and said the blasts were probably due to an underworld settling of differences, although they did not rule out terrorist involvement.

The policeman and bomb expert sustained injuries to the face and hand while trying to defuse the second bomb and were taken to the Athens State Hospital for treatment.

Kolonaki is home to many Greek political figures.

Police forces threw a cordon round the area and were continuing their investigation.

End of English language section.