From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 24 Nov 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens, 24/11/1993 (ANA): Greece desires relations of "good neighbourliness and co-operation" with Israel, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said yesterday, following a 30-minute meeting with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. Mr. Peres said that relations between the two countries had gone through difficult times but that there were now no differences. The talks focused on the Middle East peace process and bilateral issues which Mr. Peres discussed in detail in meetings with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos. Mr. Papandreou described the course towards peace in the Middle East as "an achievement" and expressed the hope that the process would be completed soon. "The Israeli foreign minister's assurance that the peace process will not stop bears a great significance for Greece. We are awaiting (the conclusion of this procedure), and we wish that this procedure will conclude soon", Mr. Papandreou said. Mr. Peres said that Greece could play an important role in the region in view of its assumption of the European Community presidency in January. Asked whether he would meet with PLO leader Yasser Arafat who is due in Athens today, Mr. Peres replied: "No such meeting has been scheduled but we are in continuous contact (with Mr. Arafat) and when there is a need to meet, we do so. There would be nothing unusual about having such a meeting". Mr. Peres also had talks yesterday with Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos. According to informed sources, the talks focused on relations between the EC and Israel in view of Greece's assumption of the Community presidency in January. Mr. Peres met with his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias late last night to discuss Greek-Israeli relations. "The PASOK government is opening a new chapter in relations between Greece nd Israel", Mr. Papoulias told the press after the meeting. He aid an agreement on cultural and scientific co-operation was also decided at the meeting and would be signed by the two countries. "Both countries have pledged to act towards peace and development in the Middle East as both our people are parts of the same history and share a common sea and a common future", Mr. Peres said. Asked whether Greece would assume a mediating role to help normalise relations between Israel and Syria, Mr. Peres said: "We found Greece prepared to play a role in the pacification procedure in the region. We are satisfied and we encourage Greece in its effort to build bridges". The Israeli foreign minister also referred to Greece's assumption of the six-month EC rotating presidency in January, adding that the European Community would "play an important role in the peace process in the Middle East". The meeting was followed by a reception also attended by National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis and Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou. Mr. Peres also met with former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis. Mr. Mitsotakis said relations between Greece and Israel had been normalised under the New Democracy government and expressed his satisfaction that this policy was now acceptable to all political parties in Greece. Mr. Mitsotakis added that Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat's visit to Athens provided the right opportunity for Greece to show the same desire to normalise relations and implement the same policy towards the Palestinians as it has done towards the Israelis. Athens 24/11/1993 (ANA): Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said yesterday that a lasting peace in the Middle East could be achieved only through economic co-operation among states in the region. "If we want lasting peace, then like in Europe we need a Middle East economic community", Mr. Peres told a joint press conference with Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos in Athens. "If we only reach political agreements we will have achieved too little". He added that Israel hoped to meet its December 13 deadline for its withdrawal from the Gaza strip and Jericho. "We hope to be on time. These are unprecedented negotiations going on, but we are making progress", he said. His statement, made during a two-day visit here, came as Israeli and PLO representatives resumed secret talks in Cairo to discuss the details of the Israeli pullout. Under a historic PLO-Israeli agreement signed in Washington in September, the Jewish state is to begin withdrawing from the densely-populated, poverty-stricken Gaza strip and the small West Bank town of Jericho in three weeks. The handing over the regions to Palestinian administration is due to be completed by April 13. Defying popular discontent over the historic agreement, Mr. Peres said his government was determined to go ahead with the peace process, opting for a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. "We are on the course of peace without yet seeing the fruits of it. There are opposing forces trying to kill the peace process, but we are determined to go ahead. We will try to reduce violence and stand up against violations", he said. On efforts to break a year-long deadlock in talks with Syria, Mr. Peres said Israel was trying to "widen the channels of negotiation". Syria insists on total Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, a region captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Israel will not say how much land it will return unless Syria says whether it accepts full peace including trade and embassies. Mr. Peres said consecutive peace agreements with Syria, Jordan and Lebanon were necessary for the "re-building of a new Middle East". "We are working on two tracks. The first is aimed at resolving the conflicts of the past and the other aims at building a new Middle East on new assumptions", he said. Mr. Pangalos told the press that Greece supported the Israeli-PLO accord and would work to provide European Community economic assistance when Greece assumed the six-month EC rotating presidency in January. "We are ready to help", he said. "We have decided to take common action in the framework of joint foreign policy. We are also considering all possible means to achieve a peaceful settlement with the other countries involved (Syria and Lebanon) in the Middle East conflict". The meeting also discussed Community funding to the Palestinians in order to contribute to development in Gaza and Jericho. The Community aid is estimated at 90 million ECU according to a September decision of the European Community Finance Ministers Council (ECOFIN). The funding will be allocated to a series of infrastructural works in Jericho and the Gaza Strip especially in the sectors of education and health as well as the establishment of joint ventures. Athens, 24/11/1993 (ANA): PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat arrives in Athens today on an official visit. Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will welcome Mr. Arafat at the airport which will be followed by the Palestinian leader's meeting with Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Serapheim at the Foreign Ministry. At noon, Mr. Arafat will have a meeting with President Constantine Karamanlis, followed by an official luncheon hosted in Mr. Arafat's honour by Mr. Papandreou. Mr. Arafat will hold consecutive meetings with main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert, Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Paparriga and representatives of the business world. He will also meet House Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis and attend a dinner given by Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos in the evening. Athens, 24/11/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou had talks yesterday with India's Ambassador to Greece Aftap Seth on bilateral relations and regional and international developments. Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Seth exchanged views on developments in the Balkans and the Indian envoy briefed the premier on developments in the Indian sub-continent. An Indian Embassy source said that Mr. Papandreou expressed his determination to give fresh impetus to the excellent relations between Athens and New Delhi. Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Seth also discussed ways to expand bilateral economic and cultural co-operation. It was decided during Mr. Seth's courtesy call that the joint Greek-Indian committee be convened in May. Athens, 24/11/1993 (ANA): Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Anastasios Peponis has circulated a draft public administration bill which provides for the establishment of a watchdog body to monitor appointments in the public sector. The interior, national economy, labour, energy and technology and transport and communications ministries, as well as under-secretaries to the premier's office including the press under-secretary, will consider the bill. According to the draft law, a Supreme Council of Staff Selection (SCSS) will report to the Prime Minister and the House speaker in March every year analysing the council's work and listing the number of employees hired during the previous year. The appointments concern public services, legal entities of public law, local administration organisations, state corporations and organisations and legal entities of private law which the state either owns or subsidises. The bill, which attempts to establish meritocracy in the public service and end cronyism, has also been sent to the Civil Servants' Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY), the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), the Central Union of Greek Municipalities and Communities (KEDKE) and the Panhellenic Federation of Short-Term Civil Servants (POED), calling on them to communicate any observations and proposals as soon as possible. Mr. Peponis said contacts on the bill will begin immediately. Athens, 24/11/1993 (ANA): Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou is due to arrive in Cyprus today on a three-day official visit to hold meetings with government officials and participate in a symposium on "Hellenism in the 21st century", organised by the Cyprus Research Centre (KYKEM). Mr. Papandreou told a press conference yesterday that his trip to Cyprus was the first in his capacity as under-secretary and reflected the need for closer co-operation between Greece and Cyprus. "The aim is to benefit from the international climate, especially after the developments in the Middle East and the increased sensitivity displayed by overseas Greeks in the past few years, to promote the Cyprus problem on an international level", Mr. Papandreou told a press conference. Mr. Papandreou clarified that the handling of the Cyprus problem was not his immediate responsibility but was indirectly related to his line of work as he is responsible for Greek-American relations. Mr. Papandreou will pay an official visit to the United States early December. Athens, 24/11/1993 (ANA): Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis said yesterday that while, on the political side, the case of the two US diplomats had closed, the government would re-examine co-operation with the US on these issues. "The case has closed politically, with the premier's statement. Given this, we are reconsidering the 'chapter' of co-operation with the US on such matters and will re-examine the practices followed by the previous government on co-operation (with the US) on such matters", Mr. Papandreou told reporters. The two US diplomats were arrested in Athens Tuesday last week and released the same night. The Greek police had simply done its job in arresting the two Americans, the minister said. "The US ambassador pledged that such an incident would not recur ... the issue had a politico-diplomatic aspect and has ended here. Similar things happened between the US and the USSR during their period of tension and they were ended with similar statements", he said.