An agreement between Greece and FYROM was signed in New York just before midnight yesterday. The agreement signed by the Foreign Ministers of Greece mr Carolos Papoulias and his FYROM counterpart mr Stevo Crvenkovski provides for the lifting of the greek measures against Skopje within 30 days in return for the change of the flag, and the constitution of FYROM.
Late last night, before returning to Athens mr.Papoulias stated that it was a very important day for the settlement of the differencies with Skopje which gives to Greece more possibilities for action in the wider region of the Balkans. He also stated that it was a very good agreement and serves the greek interests. Mr.Papoulias pointed out that the issue of the name remains pending and will be under negotiation within 30 days after the implementation of the interim agreement.
Mr.Papoulias stated that the US mediation helped the greek intentions and bended President Gligorov's intransigence who finally realized that FYROM will be led to isolation if good relations with Greece were not established. The Foreign Minister also stated that in the signing ceremony in Washington he will be represented by greek Ambassador in the United States mr.Loukas Chilas because he considered his return to Athens necessary after the announcement by Prime Minister Papandreou of a government reshuffle.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali in a written statement mentions that the agreement had been drafted for the establishment of mutual trust between the two neigbouring countries and to prepare the ground for bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation, while it constitutes a big advantage for their mutual benefit and for the benefit of all the Balkan region.
The UN Secretary General also stated that based on the interim agreement both parties will continue the negotiations on the issue of the name under his auspices with the prospect to reach an agreement on the basis of UN Security Council resolution 817.
United Nations special mediator Cyrus Vance stated in a press conference that the agreement provides that each party will respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the other, while they will affirm the existing borders between them as permanent and internationally inviolable.
Also, the agreement provides that Greece will recognize FYROM as independent and sovereign state and that the two countries will open liaison offices in Athens and Skopje.
Mr.Vance stated that FYROM will drop the symbols used on its flag until now and will give assurances that its Constitution is in accordance with the International Law principles.
The agreement also provides for the free movement of people and goods through their borders while Greece must give assurances for the lifting of its countermeasures against FYROM and for their replacement with open relations and relations of cooperation.
Greek Press and Media minister mr Evangelos Venizelos characterized the agreement signed as historic adding that the government is totally satisfied because the positions it had expressed had been fully accepted.
Mr.Venizelos stressed that Skopje for the first time accepted the fact that its name is negotiable and underlined that based on the agreement the embargo will be lifted after the changes in the constitution and the flag used by FYROM are concluded.
The minister stated that guarantor for all the above will not be Skopje's good will but International Law.
Mr.Venizelos also stated that Skopje undertakes the obligation to change its flag which bears the greek symbol of the 16-pointed Sun found in the tombs of the ancient macedonian kings in Vergina and not to ever use again greek national symbols, symbols that belong to the greek historical and cultural heritage.
Regarding the issue of the FYROM Constitution and its irredentist articles mr Venizelos stated that Scopje undertakes the obligation to make changes that will lift all the greek objections concerning the phrasing and the interpretation of the FYROM Constitution's preamble and of Articles 2 and 49 while recognizing such an interpretation based on International Law that will avert any possible misinterpretation now and in the future.
Referring to the commitments undertaken by Greece mr.Venizelos stated that Greece recognizes Skopje as a state entity under the provisional name FYROM and will open liaison offices in its capital.
Mr.Venizelos stated that Greece will enter the negotiations on the issue of the name of the neighbouring country that will start in a month with the firm position that will not recognize Skopje under the name Macedonia or any of its derivatives.
Meanwhile, United States President Bill Clinton welcomed the agreement between Greece and FYROM stating that is very much in the interest of both countries and will significantly strengthen regional stability while aiding the efforts for the negotiation of a wider peace in the Balkans. He also stated that both Prime Minister Papandreou and President Gligorov deserve congratulations for demonstrating the courage and determination needed to reach an agreement that was fair for both sides.
Mr.Clinton also expressed hope that both governments will now proceed to establish friendly and enduring bilateral relations while taking steps to resolve their remaining differencies, including the issue of the name of FYROM.
The US President also thanked UN special mediator Cyrus Vance and US special envoy Mathew Nimetz for their tireless efforts in helping to mediate the dispute while he confirmed that diplomatic relations now exist between the United States and FYROM.
German Foreign Minister mr Klaus Kinkel commenting on the signing of the agreement by Greece and FYROM he characterized it as very important step in the hard road toward security and peace in former Yugoslavia adding that the agreement was reached in a decisive moment constituting a bright example for the neighbouring countries.
Mr.Kinkel stated that Greece and FYROM showed that the reasoning of conflict and mistrust can be replaced by the reasoning of cooperation and peace expressing the hope that this important step will encourage and the politicians in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia to choose the road to peace.
Inside Greece, the main opposition party of New Democracy called on the government to publicise the text of the agreemnet and discuss the issue in the parliament within a week although some deputies of the aprty especially form Northern Greece adopted a firmer stance against the government accusing Papandreou of selling out the name of Macedonia.
Minor opposition party of Political Spring characterised the agreement as unacceptable while the Communist Party said that the agreement is not full.
Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou announced late tonight the new governmental scheme which will lead to the next elections, due in 1997.
In the new scheme there are 22 ministers among which six who did nit take part in the previous scheme four out of whom undertake ministerial duties for the first time, although they had served as vice ministers in the past.
Three ministers change positions in the government while 13 retain their posts and four are withdrawn from the cabinet.
The cental person of the reshuffle is the secreatary of the central committee of PASOK mr Akis Tsohadjopoulos who returns to the cabinet after 15 months when he kept the position of the secretary which deprived him of the possibility to participate in the cabinet.
Mr Tsohadjopoulos will probably be replaced in the party secretariat by ex-Interior minister mr Costas Scandalidis who will serve in the party as the prime minister and president of the governmental party mr Papandreou announced.
Mr Tsohadjopoulos undertakes the duties two ministers had up-to-now, the ministers of presidency and interior affairs while ministers of financial sector, mr Papantoniou and papdopoulos, Foreigfn Affairs mr Papoulias and Defense mr Arsenis are among those who keep the same posts. Only one out of the seven alternate ministers enters the cabinet for the first time, while two are upgraded since up- to-now they served as vice ministers.The Foreign Affairs alternate minister who handled the European Affairs mr G.A.Mangakis leaves the scheme and is replaced by the ex-vice president of the European parliament mr Georgios Romeos.
14 out of the 22 vice ministers keep the same posts they had in the previous cabinet, one changes position and seven enter the government for the first time after 1993 altough one of them had served as a vice minister in the governmental schemes of the 1981-89 PASOK governments.
Prominent members of the governmental party as the ex-European Union commissioner ms Vasso Papandreou expressed reservatiosn on the effectiveness of the scheme which constists of 22 ministers, 7 alternate ministers and 22 vice ministers.
President fo the main opposition party of New Democracy mr Miltiades Evert attacked today fiercely the government on the sectors of the economy and the foreign policy.
Mr Evert said that in 1995 the imports increased and teh Greek economy lost its competitivenss and that teh situation deteriorated in alll sectiosn while as far as it regards the foreign policy he said that PASOK has failed fully in handling the issue of the relations with Scopje and expressed doubt on the effectiveness of the agreement with the FYROM, signed yesterady in New York
Regarding Thessaloniki and its role, mr Evert sai dthat there are gerat prospectievs provided they are used correctly.