Greece will not give up any sovereign rights it has, declared today from Thessaloniki, Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou in the traditional press conference on the first Sunday of the function of the international fair of Thessaloniki.
Mr Papandreou expressed his surprise for the fact that there is an Aegean Sea issue which is being mentioned by the press and stressed that the NATO allies and the European Union have adopted a pro-turkish position in the dispute.
"We have not come to sell the country out, but to make it strong" said mr Papandreou who accused the allies of asking Greece to make concessions in its positions in the issues of sovereignty and administration.
The whole issue is the role Greece and Turkey will have in the Aegean Sea in the framework of the NATO, underlined mr Papandreou who added that Greece wishes good and friendly relations with Turkey and has the good will and the wisdom to do so.
Speaking on the aspects of the so-called Aegean Sea problem mr Papandreou said that they consist of the continental shelf, the width of the territorial air and the territorial waters in the Aegean Sea area.
As far as it concerns the shelf mr Papandreou repeated that Greece believes that it should be solved in Hague in the international court while Tureky considers it a bilateral dispute.
Regrading the territorial air, the Greek Premier stressed that Athens have set it to 10 miles which is unilaterally not recognised by Turkey which violates this area while as far as it regards the territorial waters he said that Greece reserves the right to extend it to twelve miles according to the maritime law convention if and when it thinks so.
Mr Papandreou noted that Turkey went back on the decision NATO has taken for the creation of two alliance staffs in Thessaloniki and Larissa in Greece.
The issue of the official name of FYROM will not be discussed in the negotiations Greece and this country will start next week in New York under the international mediator mr Cyrus Vance, repeated today the Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou who underlined that the negotiations and the agreement take place on the axis .of the greek positions on the issues.
Mr Papndreou stressed that Greece enters the negotiations phase without abandoning it position that FYROM should not use the term "Macedonia" in its name but said that this concerns a future phase of the bilateral negotiations.
That is what has been called "the small package" which contains suggestions on an agreement on the change of the greek symbol used by FYROM in its flag, the change of the articles in its constitution which unveil expansionistic tendencies towards Greece and the lifting of the Greek measures against Scopje.
The Greek Prime Minister contradicted the information that Athens will lift the measuers one hour before the start of the negotiatons but declined to give any details on the tactics Greece will folllow saying that he does not want to give up his "weapons" by announcing the tactics.
As far as it concerns the Greek relations with Albania mr Papandreou estimated that it is to the benefit of Tirana that these relations are good but noted a bend in the Albanian policy towards Greece which he said he has not understood yet.
Asked about the desicion of the Albanian government to take back land which has not been cultivated for a long time and which is thought of having been taken mainly against the Albanian citizens of Greek origin who work in Greece he included it in a number of such decisions which he described as convulsive.
Mr Papandreou once again contradicted the rumours that he may call early elections and expressed his satisfaction on the work his government produces, especially in the sector of economy stressing the fall of inflation and the raise of the investments.
The Prime Minister said that an eventuality of ealry elections will push everything back and will lead the economy to dissolution.
At the same time mr Papandreou contradicted scenarios which brought him under resignation.
"This scenario has been going on for eight years but they should wait a little bit more", said mr Papandreou who also expressed his dissaproval of the attacks against his wife.
"They want to hit me but they hit her, said mr Papandreou who characterised these attacks as not manly and shameful and underlined that he has been fighting for all his life and he will continue to do so for a long time.
He did not contradict that he has in mind changes concerning the government and th party leadership but declined to announce what they will concern and when they will take place while he excluded any eventuality of a break in the governing PASOK. Asked about prominent members of PASOK who express different opinions on the party he said that there can not exist a party with 170 MPs who have 170 opinions and express them evry night on the TV channels, to which he attributed the creation of a climate of social dissolution.
Such problems can not be solved by putting those who express them outside the party said mr Papandreou who on the issue of the grek shipbuilding industry which is under crisis recently .he announced that the government will ask a well-known house for a feasibility study but when asked about the eventuality of faults by his ministers he refused to criticise them in front of the public.