Subject: News I (Greek Press Office BBS in Ottawa). To: macedonia@husc.harvard.edu (macedonia list.) Date: Thu, 8 Jul 93 18:48:09 EDT Bulletin, 08/07/1993 ( ) ------------------------ A.N.A. Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): The Greek government will not accept any preconditions in a dialogue with Albania to normalise relations between the two countries after recent developments, government spokesman Vassilis Manginas said yesterday. Mr. Manginas was asked to comment on reports that Tirana was setting preconditions for the restoration of dialogue between the two countries. The government remained steadfast in its positions, Mr. Manginas stressed, while desireing the restoration of good and friendly relations with neighbouring Albania. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Michalis Papaconstantinou yesterday briefed deputies participating in Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee on the latest developments in Greek - Albanian relations. According to an announcement yesterday, the confidential two-hour meeting was the first of a series to brief deputies on Greece's national issues. ANA Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): National Defence General Staff spokesman Lt.-Col. Dermetzoglou said yesterday that there had been no border neinforcements on Greece's frontier with Albania and that existing border forces were there for the defence of the country and to help the police control the entrance of illegal migrants into the country. Existing forces were there to execute their mission, he said. Lt.-Col. Dermetzoglou was responding to Albanian claims Tuesday that Greece had sent troop reinforcements to the Greek-Albanian border. ANA Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): Archbishop Serapheim of Athens and All Greece met yesterday with Archbishop Anastastios of Tirana and All Albania to discuss recent developments in Greek-Albanian relations. During the meeting, Archbishop Anastasios reiterated his plea for an improvement in the relations between Greece and Albania and the search for truth in a sober dialogue, and sought advice from the Church of Greece. Archbishop Serapheim expressed full support for the peace initiatives and efforts of Archbishop Anastasios and expressed his wish for a climate of mutual understanding, respect, creative dialogue and cooperation to prevail in the relations between the two countries. ANA Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): Main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader Andreas Papandreou yesterday said Greece could not be or become a country of illegal immigrants. ``Greece is the only European country which employs thousands of Albanian citizens to help Albania cope with its huge financial problems. But it cannot be or become a country of illegal migrants``, Mr. papandreou told the press. Mr. Papandreou described as ``ineffective`` the measures taken by the police to handle the problem of illegal migrants, saying that the status of aliens in all European countries was governed by international rules and conventions which should be implemented with full respect for human diginity. Stressing that quick normalisation and development of Greek-Albanian relations was a factor of stability and peace in the region, Mr. Papandreou said the illegal migration problem could be handled through specific agreements at the highest political level. ``The Albanian government should realise that the violation of religious rights is a blatant violation of the human rights of the Greek minority``, Mr. Papandreou said, reiterating his party's steadfast position on the preservation of peace and stability in the region. PASOK's leader also recalled his party's respect for the inviolability of borders as well as respect for international justice and international conventions and agreements. Citing recent developments in Greek-Albanian relations, Mr. Papandreou said the ``government's foreign policy is contradictory and leading the country to a deadlock``. ANA Tirana, 8/7/1993 (ANA - M. Vichou): Albanian President Sali Berisha Tuesday attempted to cause a rift in relations between Romania and Greece and primarily in relations between the Romanian and the Greek Orthodox Church during talks with the Romanian foreign minister, currently an official visit to Tirana. Mr. Berisha praised the stance of the Romanian Orthodox Church which, he said, ``did not try to appoint Romanian clergymen in the Albanian Orthodox Church despite the existence of Romanians (Vlachs) in Albania``. The Romanian foreign minister said ``Romania maintains friendly relations both with Albania and Greece`` and in this context offered his country's offices to help overcome the crisis in Greek - Albanian relations. The Romanian Orthodox Church was the last Orthodox church to send a congratulatory message on the appointment of Anastasios as Archbishop of the autocephalus Orthodox Albanian Church. ANA Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis yesterday received Cyrpus House of Representatives Speaker Alexis Galanos to discuss developments in the Cyprus issue. ``I conveyed our side's deep concerns regarding the (European Commission) avis (on Cyprus's accession to the European Community), which is considered rather negative and the growing intransigence of the Turkish side``, Mr. Galanos told reporters after his 30-minute meeting with Mr. Mitsotakis. ``Some roads are beginning to close, as far as the Cyprus issue is concerned. There needs to be a strong reaction from both Greece and Cyprus``, he added. Mr. Galanaos said Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's resignation as Turkish Cypriot negotiator at the United Nations-sponsored Cyprus peace talks was a ``worrisome development``. ``It proves, beyond any doubt, that Mr. Denktash never went to the talks with the intention of achieving a solution to the Cyprus issue. He always used the talks to promote his own partitionist plans ... and it is clear that Mr. Denktash is headed in the direction of partition``, Mr. Galanos said. ANA Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): National Defence Minsiter Ioannis Varvitsiotis will receive Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Mock tomorrow, the government said in an announcement yesterday. The meeting, shceduled for 6 p.m., will take place at the ministry of national defence. ANA Athens, 8/7/1993 (ANA): Greek and Palestinian officials met in Athens last week to discuss economic cooperation and trade relations, a government statement said yesterday. It siad the Palestinian side has presented proposals for cooperation in the sectors of trade, industry, energy, construction, agriculture and services. The proposals included the dispatch of Greek experts to assess the feasibility of cooperation in these areas. The Palestinian side also requested the establishment of scholarships, especially in technical fields, for Palestinian students as well as Greece's support in obtaining aid from the European Community and international organisations, the statement said. Meanwhile, Greece and Pakistan yesterday reaffirmed their mutual desire for closer trade relations and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the shipping, tourism, investments and construction sectors. According to an announcement issued at the conclusion of a three-day meeting of the joint Greek-Pakistani committee on economic and technical cooperation, the two sides agreed to increase bilateral exchange and pledged reciprocal participation in trade shows hosted by each country. They also agreed to organise a ``Greek Week`` in Pakistan and a ``Pakistan Week`` in Greece. The meeting identified the potential for the establishment of joint ventures in solar energy, shipbuilding and ship repairs, textiles, leather, vegetable processing and fishing. The two sides also pledged to increase cooperation in the transfer and exchange of greenhouse technology. The Greek delegation at the talks was headed by National Economy Ministry General Secretary George Theofanous, while the Pakistani delegation was headed by R.A. Akhund, Pakistan's greneral secretary for economic affairs. The Pakistani side said called on Greek firms to participate in international tenders for the construction of highways and other infrastructure projects.