From: thanost@athena.mit.edu (Thanos Tsekouras)
Subject: News from the Athens News Agency for June 25, 1993
Date: 26 Jun 1993 23:32:26 GMT

Bulletin Athens News Agency - 25/06/1993
	Damascus 25/6/93 (ANA - K. Christodoulou/Reuter)  The desire for
improved bilateral relations between Greece and Syria were the outcome
of the talks Foreign Undersecretary Virginia Tsouderou had yesterday
with high-ranking Syrian officials.
	"There are lots of opportunities to expand the commercial
exchange between the two countries", Ms Touderou said.  "We are
interested in particular in importing Syrian oil".
	Ms Tsouderou -- currently on a tour of the region which will
take her to Beirut -- met with Syrian Vice-President Abdel-Halim Khaddam
to pass on a message from President Constantine Karamanlis to his Syrian
counterpart Hafez Assad.
	The message underlines the "special importance" Greece places on
its relations with Syria.
	Mr Khaddam said he hoped that Prime Minister Constantine
Mitsotakis would visit Syria soon.
	The meeting between the two officials focused on a wide review
of the international situation with the Middle East issue receiving
special attention.  The Eyropean Community's role in the peacekeeping
process was mentioned.
	Both agreed that the uniform implementation of UN resolutions
was necessary:  Syria expressed unreserved support for Greek positions
on the issues of Cyprus and Skopje .
	In her meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud El Zuabi, Ms
Tsouderou discussed ways of speeding promoting bilateral relations.
	Both sides confirmed the activation of the joint economic
cooperation committee.
	Mr Zuabi requested Greek mediation in increasing Syrian exports
to the European Community since Greece will soon be a member of the
"troika" and will assume the EC presidency on January 1, 1994.
	During Ms Tsouderou's meeting with Economy and Foreign Trade
Minister Mohammad Imadi, the Syrian side expressed interest in
cooperation with tourist, shipping and mixed business as well as in
industry and trade.
	Reference was made to cooperation at a chamber level and the
possibility of the ferry line linking Volos with Tarsus reopening was
examined.
	Ms Tsouderou made a detailed presentation of possibilites for
collaboration in the sectors of agriculture, means for the transport of
natural gas and petroleum products and sea cultivation.
	She met Culture Minister Naya Attar, who gave her an invitation
for Culture Minister Dora Bakoyianni to visit Syria.
	Ms Tsouderou said the Syrian culture minister expressed the wish
for collaboration in translating books by Greek and Syrian writers and
preserving monuments.
	Ms Tsouderou was expected to conclude her visit to Syria
yesterday with a press conference for the local media before leaving for
Lebannon in the afternoon.

	Athens, 25/6/93 (ANA)  Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis
expressed optimism at a Cabinet meeting yesterday that the issues of
Skopje and Bosnia-Herzegovina were "doing well".
	Mr Mitsotakis underlined the importance of the Serb-Croat
agrement, adding that it was believed that the Moslems also wished to
contribute to efforts for a peaceful settlement of the problem.
	On the Vance-Owen peace plan for Bosnia, the premier clarified
that the part concerning territorial divisions no longer applied, but
that the constitutional provisions remained in effect, particularly the
principle of preserving Bosnia-Herzegovina's entity as a state.
	He reiterated the Greek government's willingness to contribute
to final efforts for peace, stressing that great care was needed in
order to avert the possibility of a conflagration in Kosovo.  "Greece,
which maintains traditional ties with Serbia and friendly relations with
Albania, is willing to offer its good services in this direction", he
said.
	Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, government
spokesman Vassilis Manginas said that Greece's leading role in efforts
for a peaceful solution to the crisis in former Yugoslavia was sought
not only by the conflicting sides, but also by the international UN
mediators and by Washington and Moscow.  Replying to questions the
spokesman expressed the opinions that Greece has at its disposal enough
time to attain a settlement of the Skopje issue which would be
acceptable.
	Rejecting US allegations that Greece was violating the embargo
against Serbia and Montenegro, the spokesman said that the allegations
concerned shipments coming from Skopje.  "What can the Greek government
do?"  Manginas asked, adding:
	"When we don't give (Skopje) supplies, we are accused.  And when
we do supply them, again we are accused.  This situation cannot go on."
	The Cabinet meeting yesterday also focused on the state of the
government's legislative work.
	Government spokesman Vassilis Manginas said the legislative work
was proceeding as scheduled, adding that the agriculture ministry's
legislation concerning ownership and cooperative issues was a matter of
top priority for the government.
	The Cabinet also examined the Acheloos diversion project which,
he said, will be speedily implemented.  European Community procedures
regarding the project will be completed in the next few days and, after
the EC reply is received, an urgent legislative settlement will be
carried out.
	Mr Mitsotakis briefed the Cabinet on the results of the EC summit
in Copenhagen while the steadfast decision was reiterated that no change
or unfavourable measure concerning the citizen's social protection will
be taken since the government has taken necessary measures in time and
in the mildest way possible.

	Athens, 25/6/93 (ANA)  A government announcement yesterday
reaffirmed its respect for human rights.  "Respect for the human rights
of all peoples constitutes an inviolable principle for Greece.  Our
country has repeatedly proved this respect in all intenational fora and
in practice whenever necessary", the announcement said.
	It said the country's positions against any form of violence,
regardless of the aim it served, was also clear, adding that Greece
considered it self-evident that any alien offered hospitality in its
territory should respect Greek public order and that laws be respected by
all, Greeks and aliens alike.
	"The government is resolved to defend domestic public order and
the security of both Greek citizens and aliens living in the territory
of our country in every way," it concluded.

	Athens, 25/6/93 (ANA)  Eduaction Minister George Souflias met
yesterday with his Hungarian counterpart on education issues, with both
ministers agreeing to further cooperation between the two countries,
especially in the higher education sector.
	Educational reforms in Hungary were also discussed.  Mr Souflias
requested that a joint committee be set up to consider student affairs,
calling this "particularly important" for Greek students in Hungary.
	In response to an invitation from his Hungarian counterpart to
visit Hungary, it was decided that the Education Ministry's Higher
Education Secretary Mr Antonopoulos visit Hungary to prepare Mr
Souflias' visit.

	Athens, 25/6/93 (ANA)  A Turkish national, identified as Aksou
Siamban, 33, was arrested by police yesterday for illegally smuggling 12
Iraqi migrants into Greece.
	Siamban was arrested when he told the migrants to disembark on
the Greek bank of the Evros river frontier.
	His associate, identified only as Ibrahim, and another 37
migrants wating on the Turkish side of the river for transportation
disappeared after the incident.  The Turks had agreed to smuggle the
migrants into Greece for a fee of 25,000 US dollars.
	The Iraqis told the Greek authorities that they came to Greece
in pursuit of work and a better life.
	The migrants and Siamban will be brought to court today.

	Athens, 25/6/93 (ANA)  Christian Barnard, the surgeon who
performed the world's first heart transplant, was yesterday made a Greek
citizen by a decision of the Cabinet.
	In a letter requesting Greek citizenship to Foreign
Undersecretary Virginia Tsouderou, Mr Barnard said that since taking the
Hippocratic Oath "I have felt a strong and wonderful feeling of
attraction for the country where Hippocrates was born...  After my first
visit to Greece, I felt I was not only a student of Hippocrates but a
compatriot also".  "I am already Greek in my heart", Mr Barnard wrote,
"and I would be proud, happy and fulfilled if the Greek government were
to grant me Greek citizenship.  I truly feel that no other honour
granted to me by any other country could match the honour of being
Greek".

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