From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 6 Jan 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Jan. 6, 1994 Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): The European Commission said yesterday it was optimistic about Greece's ambitious plan to tackle a series of crucial problems during its six-month presidency of the European Union. "There is great optimism for the semester ahead as Greece will grapple with lots of problems confronting the European Union", European Commission president Jacques Delors said. "It is deplorable and regrettable that some people are trying to make Greece a scapegoat for the EC's problems", he added. Mr. Delors was speaking at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, after detailed talks on Greece's EC presidency targets. Mr. Delors said the European Commission White Paper on unemployment and growth within the EC should serve as the framework of action to bring Europe out of its economic recession. "We hope the White Paper will be in full effect by the end of the Greek presidency", said Mr. Delors, whose draft plan has been praised by Mr. Papandreou and endorsed by EU leaders at a summit in December. The number of jobless in the 12 member-countries is currently around 16 million, with unemployment at 10.7 per cent. Mr. Papandreou said his talks with the head of the European Union's executive body were "significant and constructive". "We have common targets and hope to succeed in implementing them", he said. "Our first and most important goal is to tackle unemployment and Europe's economic recession. The economic situation facing Europe is the worse since World War Two", Mr. Papandreou added. He said several dangers could stem from the situation, namely destabilisation of Europe's social structure and democratic institutions. Also high on the Greek agenda is the issue of enlargement. Mr. Papandreou said the Greek presidency would strongly promote membership of Norway, Sweden, Austria and Finland by March 1 and, if necessary, there would be more conferences and also top-level meetings with the heads of the applicant countries. Asked about Turkey's membership request, he reiterated Greece's position, saying admission of the neighbouring state hinged on a just and viable solution to the 19-year-old Cyprus dispute. Mr. Delors said he had been pushing the 12-member EU states since August to appoint an EU negotiator in United Nations sponsored talks to resolve the dispute. "It is a sign of our interest in a just and viable resolution of the Cyprus problem", Mr. Delors said. Other community foreign policy targets cited by Mr. Papandreou, included continuing Yugoslav peace efforts, enhanced transatlantic dialogue between the Community and the United States and support for Middle East peace talks. He said an international conference of businessmen would be held on the island of Rhodes this summer, in a bid to help in rebuilding the West Bank and Jericho. The Greek presidency lays special emphasis on furthering ties between the European Union and the Mediterranean basin countries, Mr. Papandreou said. He said a Co-operation Council with Algeria and Egypt would take place during Greece's presidency. In reference to Cyprus' application for full EU membership, Mr. Papandreou emphasised the Greek Presidency's interest in monitoring and intensifying accession talks with Cyprus, (in the framework of the European Commission Avis), and Malta. He said an association council with Cyprus is also scheduled to take place. Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): Greece has declared it will not create a border crisis with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) at present. At the same time it urged EU member states, that recently set up diplomatic links with the former Yugoslav republic, to pressure the neighbouring government to comply with a list of Greek demands aimed at resolving the pending dispute. "We do not wish for the dissolution of Skopje. It is not our intention today to close the Greek borders with Skopje", Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said. He was speaking at a joint press conference with European Commission president Jacques Delors, who arrived in Athens yesterday at the head of the European Commission, for talks with the Greek government on EU Greek presidency targets. "But (Skopje President Kiro) Gligorov should seriously consider the consequences, if we came to that decision", Mr. Papandreou added. "Why don't you put the same question to Mr. Gligorov? Is he prepared to face such an eventuality, if he continues his uncompromising policy? Mr. Papandreou said. Earlier this month, Greece vigorously reacted when six EU partners - Germany, France, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy - decided to establish diplomatic relations with the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia. "Greece is a peace-loving country whose prime target is peace, an end to hostilities and economic growth in the region", Mr. Papandreou said. Greece objects to the republic's use of the name "Macedonia", its adoption of ancient Greek symbols and a clause in its constitution referring to "the liberation of enslaved Macedonia". It argues that such actions conceal territorial designs on Greece's northern province of Macedonia. Replying to a question why Greece considers the "Vergina Sun" a Greek symbol, Mr. Papandreou said "the reply can be found in any textbook one chooses to read". Mr. Papandreou called on Skopje to refrain from continued provocations, and give up its intransigence against Greece, as prerequisites for resuming bilateral talks aimed at resolving a long-standing dispute. He also called on the six EU partners that established diplomatic links with the state of two million Slavs and Albanians to pressure Skopje to make a series of concessions. "Now that the unfortunate move has already been made by these states, they might at least use that development to exert pressure on Skopje", Mr. Papandreou said. Referring to Turkey's relations with the European Union, Mr. Papandreou said: "If there is no permanent and just solution to the Cyprus issue, there can be no progress in relations between the European Union and Turkey", adding "we cannot forget Cyprus is an independent country, part of which is under occupation". European Commission president Jacques Delors described the Commission's opinion on Cyprus' application for admission to the Union as favourable, adding it encouraged the effort for a settlement of the Cyprus problem. "Since last August, I have been trying to convince the 12 to accept appointment of a Community observer at Cyprus peace talks. This shows we want to help in finding a solution. Turkey should realise this", Mr. Delors said, hinting Turkey should step up efforts to establish peace in the region. Referring to Greece's relations with neighbouring Albania, Mr. Papandreou said: "We always extend a hand of friendship to Albania, but problems exist, such as Greek ethnic minority ill-treatment and Albania illegal immigrants". Commenting on foreign press reports criticising the Greek presidency, Mr. Papandreou said "it is something usual which does not bother us particularly, since the press if free to write what it likes". Mr. Delors said such an atmosphere is frequent, stressing the "Greek people are a full member" of the European Union. It is significant, he said, adding that attacks in the press are frequent and aimed at various targets (he recalled the Commission also was sometimes a target). "It is something regrettable, but what can we do?" he said. Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday it would strongly support European Community peace efforts for Bosnia Herzegovina during its presidency of the European Union, but branded international sanctions against Serbia as ineffective. "The Greek presidency will make every effort to help EU peace efforts for Bosnia Herzegovina. We will be very active in this direction", Alternate Foreign Minister in charge of European Affairs Theodore Pangalos said. Asked on Greece's position on international sanctions against Serbia, its traditional ally, he said: "The embargo has proven ineffective. It only affects Serbia. Fair action should have been to impose sanctions against all (warring) sides. But this would only increase human suffering. "Our goal, however, (as EU president) is not to impose our political views, but to settle the problem peacefully". Mr. Pangalos was speaking at a news conference, after the European Commission and its president Jacques Delors met with Greek ministers for talks on Greece's presidency targets. "The meetings were successful in every aspect as a convergence of views was ascertained between the European Commission and the Greek government on its programme for the E.U. presidency", he said. Mr. Pangalos noted that Athens would support Middle East peace efforts and hold a conference of international businessmen on the island of Rhodes this spring to help "create contacts and pave the way for economic action in the Middle East". Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said yesterday that the government's EU presidency was "purely administrative". "The PASOK government will simply take over (the presidency) from the Belgians and hand over to the Germans six months later, with no input of its own", he said. "The task of an effective presidency, should be to increase the prosperity of both the host nation and of Europe as a whole", the opposition leader added. Replying to the ND leader's statements, government spokesman, Evangelos Venizelos said Mr. Evert's criticism was "petty, sterile and monotonous". Political Spring (POL.A) leader, Antonis Samaras also accused the Greek presidency of being merely administrative. On the other hand, Coalition of the Left and Progress leader, Nikos Costantopoulos, spoke out against both the government's "self-satisfied posture" and the opposition's "cheap political point-scoring". Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): Just two months have passed since the Maastricht Treaty came into force and Greece is now called upon to work within the framework of a new reality as president of the European Union, political observers said. According to the same observers, it is clear that Greece, in close collaboration with the E.U. partners and institutions, the Commission and the European Parliament, will tray to make the most of the possibilities afforded by the treaty in the sectors of internal developments, foreign relations, common foreign and security policy, as well as in the areas of co-operation on interior/justice matters. However, the observers pointed out, according to the Commission's white Paper, the sector of prime importance involving medium-term strategy, is that of internal development. The main concern of the Greek presidency, as has already been officially stated, will be dealing with recession, giving impetus to development, combating unemployment and creating new jobs within the framework of a competitive economy based simultaneously on decentralisation and cohesion. In the opinion of the same observers, the Greek presidency will work towards taking specific decisions and measures on the basis of conclusions of recent European Councils and the development strategy as set out in the White Paper. Greece's assumption of the E.U. presidency coincides with the transition to the second stage of economic and monetary union. According to observers, a primary objective of the Greek presidency will be to ensure a smooth coming into force of the relevant provisions by facilitating the establishment and operation of the European Monetary Institute, monitoring convergence programmes within the framework of the general orientations of the Brussels E.U. summit held in December last year, and preparing the new general orientations draft which will be submitted to the E.U. summit in Corfu on June 24-25. The role of the European Monetary Institute will be to co-ordinate monetary policy and make preparations for the European Central Bank and the Single European Currency, which are foreseen for the third stage of EMU. Solutions must be found however for the European Monetary System, whose operation has in effect been suspended, since the margins of fluctuation have expanded considerably and a number of currencies have temporarily been placed outside the system. At the same time, a principal target of long-term strategy is establishment of a sound macro-economic framework for development, employment and competitiveness. Such a framework, observers note, would allow the gradual reduction of interest rates which would give the necessary boost for investments which, in turn, would bring multi-faceted results so that the rationale of the so-called 'real' convergence (investments, development, employment) will complement the monetary rationale (inflation, interest rates, public deficits) on which the time schedule for EMU was based. Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): "Europe", a European Union publication, took a positive stand toward the Greek presidency in a leading article by Emmanuel Gatzo its editor-in-chief, yesterday. "A number of newspapers have launched an attack against the Greek Presidency, even before Greece had assumed it, the paper wrote. The author wondered "Why is that? Would it be because the country now presiding over the European Union happens to be a relatively poor Mediterranean country? Let us bring to an end such criticisms and withhold our comments until after the Presidency", the article concluded saying. Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): Community Commissioners held private meetings (about 35) with Greek ministers handling the Commissioners' corresponding matters to specify the targets. In particular, Industry, Commerce and Technology Minister Costas Simitis yesterday met with Research and Technology Commissioner Mr. Ruberty for talks. Press reports said discussion focused on research and technology developments, and relations with third countries on co-operation in this sector. Mr. Simitis also met with Domestic Market Commissioner Vani d' Arkirafi on support for small and medium-size firms. He is due to confer with Industry, Telecommunications and Informatics Technology Commissioner Mr. Bangeman on industry, competition policy, Community iron ore policy and, in particular, matters concerning Community steel works. Mr. Simitis will further meet Customs, Indirect Taxation and Consumer Policy Commissioner Christian Scrivener for a discussion on consumer protection policy. Commenting on foreign press reports painting a gloomy picture of the Greek presidency, Public order Minister Stelios Papathemelis said "it is characteristic that such reports are almost identical, confirming suspicions there is an orchestrating mastermind behind them. He added Mr. Delors had also referred to the matter, although he might have been more specific. Amendment to the Common Market Organisation (CMO) primarily on Mediterranean products, defining a price package and corresponding measures for the 1994-1995 trade period, creating inter-professional organisations and Community enlargement are some of the issues the Greek European Union presidency will handle in the agricultural sector. The issues were discussed by Agriculture Minister George Moraitis and Community Commissioner Mr. Steichen. Referring to the accession of Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden to the European Union, Mr. Moraitis said important matters were pending relating to the agriculture sector. The European Parliament's mandate, he said, is talks on tackling pending issues should be completed by the end of March. Athens, 6/1/1994 (ANA): Greece is not considering introducing a four-day working week, Labour Minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos said yesterday after talks with Commissioner for social affairs and employment Patraig Flynn. Mr. Yiannopoulos said that each European Union member state was free to deal with the problem of unemployment in accordance with "its own exclusive legislation". Mr. Yiannopoulos' talks with Mr. Flynn focused on a number of issues including vocational training programmes, protection of young people in work premises, unemployment, job creation and employment of handicapped persons.