Greece backs `balanced` NATO expansion, wants Balkans included
NEWS IN DETAIL
Papantoniou outlines Greece's social and economic cohesion
Greece's economic policy since 1994 has been characterised by stability and
consistency within the framework of efforts to attain the targets of the
revised economic conversion programme, National Economy and Finance
Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said today.
Speaking at an event marking the presentation of the European Commission's
first report on Economic and Social Cohesion, Papantoniou underlined that
cohesion policies should contribute to the development of the less
developed countries.
The report was presented by European Commissioner for regional policy and
the Cohesion Fund, Monika Wulf-Mathies, who began an official visit to
Greece yesterday.
The course towards economic and social cohesion, he said, should be viewed
as a long-term process during which it will be absolutely necessary to
support the less developed regions.
Papantoniou added that the Greek economy would, at the end of 1988, satisfy
terms for accession to Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and was expected
to join by the year 2000.
During his speech, Papandreou stressed that Greece functioned in an
entirely different public finances framework from its EU partners, since it
was facing a major national security threat from Turkey.
For this reason, he added, Greece was forced to spend huge amounts on
defence and should therefore be treated by the EU with different criteria.
Underlining the success of the government's economic policy since 1994,
Papantoniou said that inflation had dropped from 14.2 per cent in 1993 to
an average of 8.6 per cent in 1996, while it is expected to be below 5 per
cent by the end of the current year.
Papantoniou underlined that while EU enlargement was necessary, it should
under no circumstances be attained at the expense of the poorer EU
countries.
Iranian vice-president meets Parliament president
Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis met today with Iran's first Vice
President Hassan Habibi who is currently on a three-day official visit to
Greece.
During their talks, Kaklamanis underlined Turkey's aggressive stance
towards Greece and its destabilizing role in the region in general.
Kaklamanis briefed Habibi on Turkish threats in the Aegean and the
continuing Turkish occupation of 40 per cent of Cyprus' territory.
The two officials also reviewed bilateral relations.
It was agreed that efforts should be made to strengthen cooperation between
the two countries' parliaments through exchange visits by parliamentary
delegations.
Habibi renewed the invitation of the Iranian Parliament President to
Kaklamanis to visit Teheran and referred to the bilateral agreements which
are expected to be signed during his stay here.
He stressed that Iran considered Greece to be an important friend and a
''bridge of communication'' between his country and Europe.
Austrian FM Schussel arrives in Athens tomorrow
Austrian Foreign Minister and Deputy Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel arrives
in Athens tomorrow on an official two-day visit.
Mr. Schussel will hold talks on bilateral relations with Greece, developments
in the European Union, cooperation between the two countries at the EU and
other international organisations as well as the situation in former
Yugoslavia and the Balkans, the future enlargement of NATO and Austria's
views on European security.
The fact that Austria will hold the EU's rotating presidency in the second
half of 1998, the year when negotiations on Cyprus' accession to the EU are
due to start, attaches increased importance to Mr. Schussel's visit.
Talks are also expected to focus on the Cyprus issue, with which Austria
has a particular interest since Vienna has had a contingent of soldiers in
the UN peacekeeping force on Cyprus since the early 1960s.
Greece rallies to send aid to Bulgaria
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou today chaired a meeting which
focused on the despatch of humanitarian aid to neighbouring Bulgaria.
The meeting was attended by the mayors of Greek towns with Bulgarian sister-
cities and the deans of universities of Macedonia and Thrace.
Also participating were Interior Undersecretary Lambros Papademas and
Bulgaria's Ambassador in Athens.
The aim of Papandreou's initiative is to sensitize Greeks concerning the
need to provide assistance to the Bulgarian people.
He expressed the view that public opinion would respond to the campaign and
donate foodstuffs, clothing and pharmaceuticals.
The participants in the meeting referred to their previous experience in
gathering humanitarian aid for former Yugoslavia and appealed for the
State's support in despatching the aid to Bulgaria.
According to informed sources, Papandreou will pay a lightning visit to
Sofia on Friday to discuss Bulgaria's real needs in terms of economic and
humanitarian aid with the country's political leadership.
Papandreou is also expected to convey a Bulgarian aid request to the EU
General Affairs Council which is due to meet in Brussels on 24 February.
The Greek government is already in the process of sending 700 tonnes of 1,
700 tonnes of flour to Bulgaria for distribution among hospitals and social
institutions in several cities.
Court hears petition on Acropolis closure strike
An Athens court today examined a Culture Ministry application to have an
employees' strike declared ''illegal and abusive'', as the country's
foremost archaeological sites and museums remained closed to visitors.
The ministry employees' ongoing 48-hour rolling strikes have closed the
Athens Acropolis as well as the Byzantine Museum, Archaeological Museum and
White Tower in Thessaloniki.
The ministry maintains that the due procedure for calling the strike was
not adhered to and that the decision to strike was taken by the board of
administration of the employees' federation instead of its general
meeting.
In addition, the ministry contends that skeleton security shifts have not
been implemented at archaeological sites and the way in which the strike is
being held is prejudicial to the country's image internationally.
On the other side, the employees assert that every effort had been made
prior to the strike to meet with Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos in
order to discuss their grievances.
Testifying for the ministry, employee Barbara Belezini said that according
to the federation's board of administration, only 180 of the ministry's 6,
500 employees were striking.
George Alvanos, member of the federation board who works as an antiquities
restorer at the Athens Acropolis, testifying on behalf of the striking
employees, underlined that the strike had been called because communication
between the federation and the political leadership of the ministry was non-
existent.
The Civil Servants' Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) intervened in
the proceedings in support of the ministry employees.
No ruling has yet been delivered by the court.
Russian fugitive did not receive Greek travel papers
Greek Ambassador to Russia Kyriakos Roudousakis has confirmed that no
passport or other travel document was issued by the Greek Consulate in
Moscow to Alexander Solonik, a Russian fugitive found murdered near Athens
early this month.
Investigations have been under way as to how Solonik managed to obtain
Greek identification papers after escaping from a Russian prison.
The Ambassador also denied that a passport under the name "Kolandopoulos"
found in the possession of Russian Andrei Koligov at Moscow airport had
been issued by the Greek consulate. He said the passport in question had
proved to be a forgery, as had the identification papers found among
Solonik's personal belongings.
National defence college students visit Albania
A group of 20 students from the National Defence College and several senior
employees of the National Defence Ministry will pay a three-day visit to
Tirana beginning tomorrow, according to an ANA despatch from Gyrokastr.
During their stay in Tirana, the group will be briefed by the Albanian
Defence Ministry and visit the neighbouring country's military college and
a number of archaeological sites.
The defence ministry representatives will have contacts with Albanian
Foreign Ministry officials who will brief them on Albanian foreign
policy.
Customs officers seize contraband cigarettes
Customs officers have seized over one million packets of contraband
cigarettes and 2,200 shirts on a Honduras-flagged vessel in the port of Nea
Moudania, Chalkidiki, which would have been liable to duty totalling 1
billion drachmas.
The contraband was discovered in four containers on the freighter
''Dig''.
The captain of the vessel, Ukrainian Volodimir Kosevcuk, 56, was arrested.
During questioining, Kosevcuk contradicted himself, initially claiming not
to have been aware of the content of the containers and subsequently saying
that they contained drinks and clothing.
He told customs officers that the cargo had been loaded in Limassol, Cyprus
and their destination was Nea Moudania.
The vessel arrived in the northern Greek port yesterday morning without
reporting to the local Harbour Police office and without presenting
shipping documents for the cargo.
Customs officers searched the vessel and found 1,325,000, packets of
cigarettes, Greek and foreign, packed in cartons of 50, and the shirts of
unknown origin.
Kosevcuk is due to appear in court at Polygyros later today.
Greece backs 'balanced' NATO expansion, wants Balkans included
Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis said yesterday that Greece
favours enlargement of NATO eastwards, adding it should be "balanced" and
not be aimed at only one region but should include Balkan countries as well
.
Speaking to Greek reporters yesterday, Mr. Kranidiotis said Athens believes
that the 16-NATO members should take into serious consideration concerns
and claims put forward by Russia and Ukraine.
He added that dialogue on Mediterranean issues should be promoted in the
framework of the alliance, adding that there are many problems which must
be resolved by July, both in relation to enlargement and the alliance's
internal structure. Mr. Kranidiotis also mentioned the problem of structure
and the allocation of NATO headquarters as an example.
Mr. Kranidiotis represented Greece at the informal session of NATO foreign
ministers which came to a close at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels
last night.
Mr. Kranidiotis said Greece had agreed with the idea set out by NATO
Secretary-General Javier Solana some time ago on the installation of a
"secure telephone link" between Greece and NATO, and at the same time
between Turkey and NATO, which could be activated in the event of an
emergency or crisis.
According to ANA reports, direct linkage is anticipated between the defence
ministries of Greece and Turkey with NATO's headquarters, and more
specifically with the office of NATO's secretary general, through telephone
lines which will be absolutely secure.
WEATHER
Cloudiness, rainstorms and snowfalls in most parts of Greece, spreading to
the rest of the country this evening starting from east to the southern
coastal areas. Athens will be overcast with rain and snow in the surrounding
mountains with temperatures ranging between 4-13C. Thessaloniki will be
cloudy and rainy with temperatures between -1 to 6C.
SPORTS
Acropolis rally
The 44th international "Rally Acropolis" will be held from June 8-10 with
20 special routes, including nine new ones, covering a total of 399
kilometres, the Hellenic Automobile Touring Association (ELPA) said
yesterday.
This year, the rally is included in the world manufacturers' and drivers'
championship and the two-litre world cup category.
ELPA said a number of teams have already declared that they will be
participating, including those of Ford, Seat, Skoda, Subaru and Mitsubishi.
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