USIA - Transcript: Albright/Pangalos Remarks, 97-03-06

United States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT/PANGALOS REMARKS AT MARCH 6 BRIEFING

(Says OSCE Albania mission will include U.S. Congressman) (1290)

Speaking with reporters during a brief question-and-answer session just before her meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Theodhoros Pangalos, Albright said the OSCE mission "will serve a very important purpose." It is "highly important" that, she said, the current Albanian crisis be resolved peacefully.

Pangalos noted that "the situation in Albania is creating great concern, I think, for everyone, especially for us who are a neighboring country."

Among his concerns, said Pangalos, is the possibility of a massive flood of refugees into Greece, increasing the already substantial number of illegal Albanian immigrants in the country. "There are more than 300,000" now, the Foreign Minister said, "very close to our tolerance point." He added that his government is, of course, "very much concerned about the protection of the Greek community in Albania."

Media reports say that more than 20 people have been killed in southern Albania in violent protests, sparked by the collapse of several get-rich- quick investment schemes.

Regarding U.S.-Greek relations, Albright said the United State "stands ready to help if we can in resolving the differences between our allies, Greece and Turkey, in the Aegean and elsewhere. We will also discuss the opportunities that exist to help promote a settlement among the parties in Cyprus."

Following is a transcript of her remarks provided by the State Department:

(begin transcript)

REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AND GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER THEODHOROS PANGALOS IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Our countries are bound together by ties of culture and by the institutions of democracy. As the oldest democracy that has passed on its traditions to the United States, it is a great pleasure always to be able to meet with someone who has such a deep understanding of our culture. Also, as a NATO ally, Greece has an important role to play in constructing a new Europe, and we value their role in this.

Today the Foreign Minister and I are going to be discussing the challenges that we face in ensuring stability in Europe, and we need to continue to work together on issues to do with Bosnia and the Balkans generally. The United States stands ready to help if we can in resolving the differences between our allies, Greece and Turkey, in the Aegean and elsewhere. We will also discuss the opportunities that exist to help promote a settlement among the parties in Cyprus. I am sure that we will be reviewing our mutual concerns about the situation in Albania.

From building peace in the Balkans to strengthening transatlantic trade, I am confident that the U.S.-Greek relationship is strong and growing stronger, and this is a moment of great challenge and opportunity for both our countries. I look forward very much to working with Foreign Minister Pangalos to further our nations interests. Mr. Minister?

FOREIGN MINISTER PANGALOS: I'm very grateful Secretary Madeleine Albright found the time to see me so soon in her tenure at State. I know she's facing a lot of challenges, and is under heavy stress, so I think we'll use the time we have to have a review of our fundamental common interests in Europe. We shall try to find, if it is possible, a way to combine our efforts for stability and progress in the Balkans, to have a peaceful situation in the southeastern Mediterranean, including a just solution of the Cyprus problem. Of course, this is not the end of our meetings. I am hoping to meet often with Secretary Albright and the people that work with her We have a longstanding tradition of cooperation and friendship between the two nations Madeleine Albright mentioned the ancient heritage of Greece; may I suggest that the contribution of the American Revolution to the ideas that created the modern Greek nation was also fundamental.

QUESTION: Madam Secretary, what is the next step that you're going to take in terms of resolving the Cyprus dispute?

ALBRIGHT: Well, we obviously have a great interest in this, and we have our envoy Mr. Beattie who will continue to work. We consider this a year of opportunity, because of the potential of EU accession, and so we are highly involved in trying to find a settlement. We will continue to see it as a very high priority, because we believe that it is essential to get a proper and just solution there.

Q: To both foreign ministers: How concerned are you that Albania is indeed spinning out of control, and presents as much a stability problem to Europe as Yugoslavia did? Will you discuss, do you have any ideas, for what will happen if a massive onslaught of refugees pours out of Albania?

ALBRIGHT: Would you like to go first?

PANGALOS: Well, you know, the situation in Albania is creating great concern, I think, for everyone, especially for us who are a neighboring country. We have a great concern about the eventual situation that would get out of control, would create a trend of refugees that will increase the present population of illegal immigrants from Albania in Greece. There are more than 300,000 -- very close to our tolerance point. And, of course, we are very much concerned about the protection of the Greek community in Albania. Prime Minister Simitis was in contact with President Berisha. He had a positive response. We are not going to dictate a solution to the political problem of Albania; out of I think, shared good faith and elementary understanding of what's happening there, we think that a solution should be helped in any possible way. The solution will include not only the government but all the political forces, trying to find an emergency political proposal to take the country out of the situation that has arisen.

ALBRIGHT: We obviously are also concerned about what is going on. We believe it highly important that there be a peaceful solution to the whole issue. We are very supportive of the OSCE mission that is headed by Mr. Vranitzky that is going there. We are going to have an American representative on that, Congressman Engel. We think that that mission will serve a very important purpose. There's also an EU mission going. And we are, as the Foreign Minister also said, concerned about the outflow of refugees, and believe, as I said initially, that a peaceful solution is the only way to go here. We obviously are monitoring the whole situation very closely.

Q: How do you feet about the Turkish claims in the Aegean, and are you going to discuss the subject with the Foreign Minister?

ALBRIGHT: Well, we believe that it's very important for Greece and Turkey to discuss these issues. We are concerned about heightened tension in the Aegean, and we will obviously be talking about this subject. We have talked about it before. As I said, these are two NATO allies, the region is strategically important, and we think that the best way to resolve it is by dialogue between the two countries.

(end transcript)

From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov

United States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article