BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN (02/02/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@uranus.ee.auth.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

February 2, 1996

CONTENTS:

[01] DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS OF THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER

In statements after the meeting, mr.Niles said that the US State Department did not adopt a stand over the issue and that the United States is not the country to decide on such issues.

He added that he discussed with mr.Simitis the posibility of a visit to Athens by mr.Holbrooke but a date was not set. The greek Prime Minister also had separate meetings with the ambassadors of Spain, Italy and Ireland. Those countries make up the EU troika representing the former, the present and the future EU Presidency respectively.

Greek Prime Minister also met today with the italian ambassador to Athens in order to discuss the developments in the greek-turkish relations. The italian ambassador in statements he made after the meeting avoided to define the positions of the italian government and he characteristically said that the sovereignty over the islet of Imia is determined in a 1932 agreement between Italy and Turkey, which gave the Dodecanesse islands to Greece.

Meanwhile, the Italian Foreign Ministry clarified that it did not issue an official statement regarding the issue of the Imia islets in the south-eastern Aegean.

The greek Embassy in Rome mentions that there was a contact with the italian Foreign Ministry during which were presented the documents of the agreement which justifies the greek legal positions on the issue.

[02] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH THE GREEK EURO-DEPUTIES

Reffering to the statements made by US government officials on the issue of the Imia islet mr.Pangalos stressed that Greece condemns those statements. He said that the United States keep equal distances from Greece and Turkey something that Greece has refused to accept because Greece believes that this is a dispute between a side that bases its positions on international agreements and a side which bases its positions on the use of force.

Mr.Pangalos also announced that the issue of mr.Holbrooke's visit to Athens will be discussed on Monday by the cabinet committee.

[03] OUR SOVEREIGNTY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE, SAYS GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER

In an interview of his late last night, mr Pangalos emhasized that in order to improve the greek-turkish relations, there are a lot of prerequisites that have to be met by Turkey.

[04] TURKEY'S GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY DENOUNCED BY EURO-SOCIALISTS

Ms. Green stated that the EU has made a gesture of goodwill to Turkey by recently ratifying the customs union and yet now, Turkey believed "it can insult us."

She added that "as we approach the end if this century, this gunboat diplomacy is unacceptable."

[05] TURKEY'S TERRITORIAL DEMANDS ARE INTOLERABLE, SAYS SANTERS

However, Mr. Santer also added that the European Commission had no power in foreign poicy, an area that can only be dealt with by the European Union's Council of Ministers.

When asked if Europe's reaction would have been stronger had the European Union flag been placed on the Imia islet, Mr. Santer expressed his approval and said that he would put the matter "to my greek friends."

[06] US STATE DEPARTMENT ADOPTS NEUTRAL STANCE ON IMIA

According to State department spokesperson Nicholas Burns, the US maintain the position that Greece and Turkey must cooperate in order to "find a solution to the problem."

"As an ally of both countries, The US prefers not to take a public position on the matter of sovereignty," Mr. Burns said.

When asked why the US would not take a posiiton on the sovereignty issue, Mr. Burns said that "I think that this constitutes the heart of the problem, the soverignty of this island, which has two names, a greek one and a turkish one."

[07] GREEK-AMERICANS TO SPEAK VIS-A-VIS WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON

According to sources, the meeting will be attended by the President of the Council of Hellenes Abroad, Mr. Andrew Athens, the President of A.H.E.P.A., Mr. Spyros Makris and other leaders of the greek community in the U.S.

[08] GREEK-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WILL HOLD A RALLY OF PROTEST

The rally will be organized by the Federation of the Greek Associations in New York. The Federation's Chairman, mr.Vasilis Stathakos stressed that all the greeks living abroad express their indignation and their bitterness. He said that the intentions of the turkish provocations in the Aegean are known but the fact that caused the indignation of the greek-american community is the US government position of equal distances toward the aggressor state and the state that is on the defence.

Also, the Aegean Sea Federation Chairman mr.Giorgos Pharmakis pointed out that Washington has to realize that Ankara has expansionist claims in the Aegean and called all the greek- americans to protest to US President Bill Clinton and to the US State Department while he stressed that the neutral stand adopted by Washington reinforces Turkey's expansionist policy in the Aegean.

[09] US DEMOCRATIC PARTY REPRESENTATIVE IS SUPPORTIVE OF GREECE

According to Ms. Maloney, the international community must be alerted to Turkey's expansionist tendencies and take the appropriate measures.

"This crisis would not have been created had Turkey observed international law regulations," the american democrat said.

[10] POL.SPRING PARTY YOUTH HELD PROTEST RALLY OUTSIDE US CONSULATE

In a protest resolution, the party's Coordinating Committee in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki strongly condemns the provocative and ignorant of history pro-turkish stand adopted by the US government and calls it to stop its unacceptable attitude toward Greece.

Mr.Giorgos Hatzivallas, Chairman of the A' District of Thessaloniki stated referring to the US stand that the american position is shameful. He said that the greeks want the americans as friends and allies but the greek people do not want to be subservient.

[11] HEALTH CONDITION OF PASOK LEADER IS STEADILY IMPROVING

The medical bulletin issued by the Onasion Cardiosurgery Center, where the PASOK President is being hospitalized for over two months, is as follows:

"The President's health condition continues to show signs of improvement. His respiratory function has been problem-free since the removal of the tracheostomy tube."

Mr. Papandreou underwent dialysis and filtering while he continues his respiratory physiotherapy and kinesiotherapy. Today marks the sixth day that Mr. Papandreou has not been supported by an artificial respirator.

[12] GREECE SHOULD EXPORT AGRI-PRODUCTS TO BALKANS, SAYS EXPERT

Mr. Sivenas, who is advisor to Jacques Santer, attributed Greece's poorly performing Western Europe agricultural products exports to distance.

This disadvantage can be overturned if Greece targets the nearby Balkan markets, according.

[13] FOREIGN MINISTRIES OF GREECE-FYROM SIGN VISA AGREEMENT

The bilateral agreement, proposed by the greek government, reduces the entrance fee amount from 5,000 drachmas to 1,000 drachmas.

According to statistics issued by FYROM's Foreign Ministry, since the signing of the New York intermediary agreement between the two countries, more than 20,000 FYROM citizens have entered Greece.

Also, during today's Skopje meeting, the potential for trade, economic and environmental cooperation among the two neighboring countries was examined.

[14] YUGOSLAVIA:RECOGNITION OF FYROM IN A MATTER OF DAYS

The broadcasted information also alluded that intense diplomatic contacts have begun to take place regarding the recognition.

[15] ALBANIA:PARLIAMENT VOTES ELECTION LAW, SHUTS OUT REPORTERS

Concurrently, the new law imposes to all parties a total- votes ceiling of 4%, applicable to coalition members as well. This is expected to be especially detrimental to the minor parties of the Center and the Right.

President of the Socialist Party's Parliamentary Group, Servet Pelubi, commended that "the way in which the new law was adopted proves that a new dictatorship is being established." While the proceedings were conducted, a climate of juxtaposition hovered outside, as journalists were shut out from the parliament.

The presence of reporters was barred from the albanian parliament procedures for the first time since the fall of the communist regime in 1991.

[16] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE REPORT

CURRENCY                 FIXING      BUY         SELL
ECU                     303.2240   302.3140    304.1340
U.S. Dollar             245.2000   244.4640    245.9360
Deutsche Mark           164.8500   164.3550    165.3450
UK Sterling             372.5900   371.4720    373.7080
French Franc             48.0080    47.8640     48.1520
Swedish Crown            35.1960    35.0900     35.3020
Danish Kroner            42.6220    42.4940     42.7500
Norwegian Crown          37.7600    37.6470     37.8730
Italian Lira             15.5285    15.4820     15.5750
Swiss Franc             201.3300   200.7260    201.9340
Spanish Peseta            1.9596     1.9537      1.9655
Finnish Mark             53.7900    53.6290     53.9510
Yen                     230.1000   229.4100    230.7900