From: Greek Press Office in Ottawa Subject: News I (Greek Press Office in Ottawa). Date: Tue, 6 Jul 93 10:01:32 EDT Bulletin, 06/07/1993 ( ) ------------------------ A.N.A. Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): National Economy and Finance Minister Stephanos Manos yesterday said that economic cooperation and development was the ``best path`` towards securing peace. ``Commerce and investment unite peoples. We must do whatever possible to ensure that our vision of a peaceful and prosperous Balkans, in the framework of a united Europe, may become a reality``, Mr. Manos told a conference on ``The European Community and the Balkans``. Noting that the EC's relations with the Balkan states fell within the broader framework of the Community's relations with the former communist states, Mr. Manos said that a large share of these relations were conducted through Greece. ``The fact that Greece is the only Balkan country currently a member of the EC means that Greece can be the last link in th eprovision of EC aid to other Balkan countries. One example is the PHARE programme aimed at supporting political and economic change in central and eastern Europe``, he added. Mr. Manos said opportunities existed for the development of trade ties and the improvement of living standards. ``In recent years, Greece's bilateral economic relations with the other Balkan countries have marked considerable growth, both in direct investments and trade. In the Balkans and eastern Europe, there are currently 1,256 Greek joint ventures, a remarkable number that illustrates the vigour of Greek private sector initiative in the face of opportunity``, he said. Reviewing the expansion of Greece's trade relations with Romania, Albania and Bulgaria, where Greece is the second largest foreign investor after Germany, Mr. Manos said this growth was not accidental. ``First of all, there have been great political and economic changes since 1989 ... which have offered a unique opportunity to (EC countries) to actively promote business cooperation and coordinate their economic activities to the benefit of the whole``, he said. ``Greece desires, and can, play a significant role in this process ... It has the longest experience with a free market economy and the highest growth rate in the Balkans. It also has an important geographic location, bordering four Balkan counties. These characteristics give Greece considerable advantages that we wish to use not only for our direct benefit but also to develop inter-Balkan relations, which will indirectly contribute to a rise in living standards for all``, he added. Mr. Manos said the government would contribute towards this goal through appropriate diplomatic and economic initiatives aimed at creating condintions to foster growth and productivity by encouraging private sector initiatives. ``Greece does not wish to exploit or economically subjugate the other Balkan countries. It does wish to contribute to the realisation of the vision of economic growth in conditions of cooperation and peace. In any case, the relationship between economic cooperation and peace is a two-way street``, Mr. Manos said. ANA Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): The government yesterday flatly rejected allegations made by a Danish MP that Greece is violating the United Nations embargo against Yugoslavia. ``These allegations are laughable. It is obvious that (the deputy) is either completely unifnormed or is expressing, for reasons known to her alone, gross lies``, government spokesman Vassilis Manginas said. Vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in europe (CSCE), Ritt Bjerregaard of the Danish Social Democratic party, yesterday accused Greece of ``blatant violation`` of the embargo against Serbia, and asked that it be excluded from the European Community unless if fully applies the sanctions. ANA Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): Twenty-two illegal immigrants have been arrested and 13 barred from entering Greek waters by the Chios Coast Guard, police said yesterday. They said 22 illegal immigrants --11 men, four women and seven children-- had been picked up Sunday by coastal authorities in the island's Langadas region. The migrants told the authorities that they had paid a Turkish speedboat owner to drop them off on the island. Police said the Coast Guard also intercepted two dinghies yesterday carrying 13 illegal immigrants from Iraq in the waters off the Ayhia Elemi Bay. The rafts, believed to have come from the Turkish coast, were escorted out of the port and not permitted entry into Greek waters. ANA Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis yesterday warned against the usurpation of Greece's cultural and historical heritage and expansionist aims against it. ``I want to send a clear message to all those who have attempted to falsify Greece's cultural and national history``, he said at the official opening of a shelter covering the Royal Tombs at Vergina. ANA Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Constnatine Mitsotakis yesterday warned against the usurpation of Greece's cultural and historical heritage and expansionist aims against it. ``I want to send a clear message to all those who have attempted to falsify Greece's cultural and national history``, he said at the official opening of a shelter covering the Royal Tombs at Vergina. ``They should know that in order to co-exist harmoniously with Greece --a prerequisite to their survival-- they should abandon their fantasies, accept historical reality and reconcile themselves with the final and irrevocable renunciation of their historically ignorant and futile expansionism``, he added. Mr. Mitsotakis said the international community had plainly ``rejected and condemned`` attempts to usurp the symbols of Greece's heritage from the ancient Macedonians as well as the ``expansionist propaganda`` directed against Greece for the last 40 years. ``Above all, everyone knows that Greece today will never accept the continuation of this attempt to loot (its cultural heritage). Hellenism is here, struggling with the same dedication and selfconfidence to protect all those nonnegotiable elements which comprise our national identity``, he said. ``This project, which we inaugurate today, underscores this identity. It is also an act of love and respect for the ancient Macedonians who, from this corner of the Macedonian plain, won with both swords and their hearts a leading role in world history. For those Greeks one star, a sixteenpoint star, shines and will always shine at Vergina``, Mr. Mitsotakis added. construction of the ``archaeological crypte`` with the five monuments of the Great Tumulus inaugurated by the premier began in 1990. It will house the ancient exhibits from the Royal Tombs at Vergina. The discovery fo the tomb of King Philip of Macedon in 1977 by the late archaeologist Manolis Andronikos is considered one of the major archaeological finds of this century. It confirmed the identity of religion, language and culture between the Greeks in the Macedonia region and the Greeks in the south around Athens. ``This archaeological research brought to light evidence and references that irrefutably prove and reinforce the Hellenic character of Macedonia in response to all those who promote every preposterous distortion and perfidy of our history and culture``, Culture Minister Dora Bakoyianni said. ANA Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotkais last night warned Albania on Greece's intention to firmly support the rights of the strong Greek minority in the neighbouring country calling on the Albanian government to safeguard the freedom of religion. Speaking after the official opening of a shelter covering the ancient Royal Tombs at Vergina, Mr. Mitsotakis said: ``Greece is a sober and a responsible country, It is an EEC and NATO member-state which always had and still has a lot of understanding for the situation prevailing in neighbouring Albania. But I would like to address a warning both to its President and its government that we support the rights of the Greek minority, (and on this issue) we are firm``. Mr. Mitsotakis accused Albania of spreading lies concerning the problem of the illegal Albanian immigrants. He also reiterated Greece's ``firm`` postion on the inviolability of the borders after the dissolution of Yugoslavia. ANA Athens, 6/7/1993 (ANA): Greece said yesterday it desired friendly relations with Albania but the problem of massive illegal migration from Albania must be resolved. ``The problem of Albanians in Greece illegally is huge and must be addressed``, government spokesman Vassilis Manginas said. ``The government desires friendly relations with Albania and its goal is to reach a basic agreement on a leagal way for Albanians to enter Greece``, he said, adding that a solution required the political will of both sides. Meanwhile Albania said yesterday it was ready to patch up relations with Greece if Athens showed the same goodwill and halted deportations of Albanian immigrants. ``If there are signs of goodwill from the Greek side, we have no prejudgement and we are ready to improve relations with Greece``, Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi told Reuters by telephone. --- Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania is scheduled to arrive in Athens today for talks with government officials. The Archbishop expressed the hope yesterday for a quick restoration of relations between Albania and Greece and for an end to the mass expulsion of Albanian illegal immigrants from Greece. Meanwhile, president of the Albanian ethnic Greek movement ``Omonia`` (Concord) Sotirios Kyriazatis is heading a party delegation currently in Tirana to meet with Albanian President Sali Berisha. The delegation also includes representatives of the ``Human Rights`` party.