Subject: News I (Greek Press Office BBS in Ottawa). To: macedonia@husc.harvard.edu (macedonia list.) Date: Fri, 16 Jul 93 13:56:47 EDT Bulletin, 16/07/1993 ( ) ------------------------ A.N.A. Strasbourg, 16/7/1993 (ANA): The European Parliament yesterday called on the Albanian government to confirm its commitment to the ``cultural and religious autonomy`` of the Greek minority in Albania and ``provide protection for those wishing to exercise these rights``. A joint resolution was approved by a plenary session of the European Parliament with 189 votes to 42 and nine abstentions. The resolution was tabled by four political groups (European People's Party, European Socialist Party, Coalition of European Democrats and the Coalition of the Left) and deplores the expulsion of Greek Archimandrite Chrysostomos Maidonis on June 25 and the means used by the Albanian police to disperse 300 demonstrators at Delvino on June 30. Moreover, it praises work done by the Orthodox Archbishop of Tirana Anastasios Yiannoulatos ``who has already made many efforts to resolve the crisis between the two countries`` and condemns any form of extremism on either side of the border. The European Parliament ``appreciates that the mass emigration of Albanian workers to Greece (about 300,000 people), a factor of survival for Albanian society, constitutes a problem whose size requires Community action. It also appreciates the contribution made to Albania's new market economy by the large number of Albanians who can live and work in Greece, despite the fact that this situation entails certain problems for Greece``. It finally calls on both Tirana and Athens to cooperate in an atmosphere of mutual confidence to safeguard integrated and coordinated cooperation at political, economic and cultural level, ``decisive factors for peace in the Balkan region in the framework of the Paris Charter``. Intervening in the debate preceding the vote on behalf of the European People's Party's parliamentary group, New Democracy Eurodeputy Efstathios Lagakos underlined the two very serious problems Greece is faced with in its relations with Albania, those of religious liberties and human rights and the refugee problem, adding that these two problems are not related to each other and should not be confused. --- Double standards on minorities cannot be accepted in today's world, government spokesman Vassilis Manginas said yesterday, referring in particular to the Albanian minority in Kosovo and the ethnic Greek minority in Albania. Mr. Manginas was commenting on Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis' press conference on Wednesday. The government spokesman said that Mr. Mitsotakis' statements on Greek-Albanian relations were the result of three factors: the general developments in the area; the developments in bilateral relations; and, thirdly, the decrease in tension which is apparent in other areas of former Yugoslavia. Mr. Manginas pointed out that the positions stated by the prime minister Wednesday had been expressed before and are in agreement with the principles to which Greece has steadfastly held to for a peaceful solution to the Yugoslav crisis: the achievement of similar treatment for equal cases and the inviolability of existing borders. ANA Tirana, 16/7/1993 (Macedonian Press Agency): The Tirana-based newspaper Alenaza yesterday stressed the assistance Greece had given Albania. Entitled ``Two wrongs never make a right``, the article said that ``the truth is that Greece helped us, it kept more than 200,000 refugees. In short, Greece proved it is a good neighbour``. ``The Greek Church in general, and the priests who came to Albania, helped the Orthodox believers, mainly the Greek minority, a great deal spiritually and economically``. Referring to events following the expulsion of a senior Greek Orthodox cleric from Gyrokastr, it said ``such incidents could reopen old wounds which benefit neither friendship nor cooperation``. Commenting on the expulsion of the archimandrite, the article said the matter should be discussed at the highest levels to prevent a recurrence. It noted that the authorities had used force against the archimandrite and pondered whether this had occurred at the government's order. ANA Athens, 16/7/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis chaired a meeting yesterday which dealt with the upcoming General Affairs council on the final allocation of Delors II funds to Cohesion countries Greece, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Michalis Papaconstantinou, National Economy and Finance Minister Stephanos Manos and Foreign Undersecretary George Papastamkos. Mr. Mitsotakis gave instructions to the foreign minister and foreign undersecretary on how to handle the issue in the most effective and beneficial way for the country. The General Affairs Council will meet Monday in Brussels. ANA Athens, 16/7/1993 (ANA): Government spokesman Vassilis Manginas confirmed yesterday that Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis had received a letter from UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali on the Skopje issue. Mr. Manginas confirmed that Mr. Boutros Ghali had urged both Mr. Mitsotakis and, in a separate letter, president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov, to continue their efforts towards a resolution of the problem, before the UN General Assembly convenes in September. ANA Athens, 16/7/1993 (ANA): The addition of 30 new US- manufactured UH-1H helicopters has increased the air strength of the Greek air force by 30 per cent, National Defence Minister Ioannis Varvitsiotis said yesterday at a ceremony marking their entry into service. Mr. Varvitsiotis said that the aire force's air strength would be further increased with the addition of 17 Cobra training helicopters in 1994 and 12 Apache helicopters in 1995. The increase in the force's air strength, Mr. Varvitsiotis said, together with the parallel entry into service of new weapons systems, tanks and artillery, will give the army heightened operational capabilities. Mr. Varvitsiotis said that the addition of the 30 UH-1H/AB-205 helicopters was part of an extensive programme for the modernization of the Greek military's air capability. ANA Athens, 16/7/1993 (ANA): The Navy General Staff yesterday announced that the new frigate Aegeon will arrive at the Salamis Naval Base on Monday. The frigate is the first of three to be delivered to Greece by the Netherlands.