From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 23 Feb 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens, 23/02/94(ANA)--The government has expressed satisfaction the European Union was treating Greek retortion measures against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) as primarily a political issue. "Greece has every reason to be pleased the European Commission and the General Affairs Council (in Brussels Monday) addressed the issue of the measures against Skopje as primarily political, thus reflecting the Greek government position,' ' government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. He told the press the mission of External Political Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek to Skopje and Athens, would be visiting both countries "to assess the situation". Mr Venizelos added that the government did not know "the content" of Mr van den Broek's mission, adding the Commissioner, who is due in Skopje today and in Athens tomorrow, would meet here with government officials. He was unable to say though whether or not the EU Commissioner would be having talks with Premier Andreas Papandreou. Mr Venizelos confirmed press reports yesterday of a telephone conversation between Mr Papandreou and Commission President Jacques Delors. He said Mr Delors had briefed the Prime Minister on the Commission's views on the retortion measures, and Mr Papandreou in turn set out Greece's position. Asked if there were differences between the initiative by UN special mediator on the Skopje issue Cyrus Vance, and Mr van den Broek's mission, the spokesman stressed Mr Vance was a UN mediator. Mr Venizelos reiterated the government favoured resumption of dialogue with Skopje within the framework of the UN "provided that Skopje gives concrete examples that it will abandon its intransigence". He said Mr van den Broek's mission was "the result of activation of European Union apparatus". Asked if Greece's stance causes harm to the EU presidency, which it currently holds, Mr Venizelos replied it would be "inconceivable for a country to sacrifice its national targets to procedural needs of a presidency or for the sake of public relations". Replying to other questions, the spokesman said that had Greece's foreign policy positions been properly understood by international circles and world media, rather than being the target of arbitrary interpretations, Greece's international image would be no problem. Meanwhile, Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras called on Mr Papandreou to brief Greece's eleven EU partners at summit level "on the new , tougher measures which Greece will take if the intransigence of (Skopje President Kiro) Gligorov continues to be given support". The retortion measures announced by Greece last Wednesday include suspension of the traffic of goods through the northern port city of Thessaloniki to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and closure of the Greek Consulate General in Skopje. However, transit of food and medical supplies, which are exempt from the measures, continued unhindered yesterday. A truck carrying Greek olives to Skopje crossed the Evzones border post yesterday, while six Italian trucks with consignments of pork meat products and organces were granted the necessary transit permits in Thessaloniki. In a related development, Russian ambassador Valery Nikolayenko said yesterday Moscow was willing to help in efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Skopje issue. Speaking to reporters after a 30-minute meeting with main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert, the envoy recalled a recent statement by Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev that his country was prepared to provide such assistance. Turning to the situation in Bosnia, the Russian envoy said peace attained was "still fragile", and efforts should continue for a political settlement of the problem and consolidation of peace in Sarajevo. He did not rule out the possibility of fresh provocations which, he said, would "dynamite" efforts for peace. --- Coalition of the Left and Progress (SYN) party President Nikos Constantopoulos said yesterday the retortion measures taken by the government against FYROM "will possibly not contribute to peace and stability in the region. On the contrary, they might intensify confrontation between Greece and Skopje". Speaking at a party meeting, Mr Constantopoulos said that the measures "might be prove ineffective as a means of exerting pressure, and encourage Skopje intransigence rather than being it". He also accused Greece's European Union partners of not having exercised pressure on Skopje to abandon its policy toward Greece. "Instead", he said, "they encouraged Skopje's intransigence". Referring to EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek's mission to Athens and Skopje starting today, Mr Constantopoulos said that every initiative which "brings us close to rapprochement and understanding should be exploited". Brussels, 23/02/94 (ANA)-- European Commission President Jacques Delors yesterday wrote to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou expressing "serious concern at the legality" of Greece's retortion measures against FYROM. According to a Commission spokesman, Mr Delors wrote "the Greek move challenges the very principle of the EU's customs union and common trade policy as well as the functioning of the Union's single market". Mr Delors requested Mr Papandreou to "convey Athens' views promptly, and state how the Greek authorities intended to remedy the situation". Brussels, 23/02/94 (ANA-P.Pantelis/F.Stangos/V.Demiris)-- A Commission spokesman yesterday said Community Foreign Policy Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek will carry out "a good offices" mission to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Athens today and tomorrow "to examine the possibility of restoring dialogue between the two sides". The spokesman added that the idea of European Commission mediation had been discussed during the Commission's visit to Athens on January 5 at the start of the Greek EU Presidency. The spokesman said the process of Mr van den Broek's "good services" mission runs parallel to a European Court recourse process against Greece for "violating Community legal order" which the Commission is examining. "The Commission will give special consideration to legal arguments which the Greek government will submit. Should the Greek side fail to provide appropriate justification or convincing arguments, the Commission will follow up the recourse process", the spokesman said. Presenting data on commercial transactions between the "12" and FYROM over the first half of 1993, the spokesman said 80 per cent of FYROM's commercial transactions go through the port of Thessaloniki, including 1.1 million tonnes of oil. Germany is FYROM's biggest commercial partner in the EU, with 43 per cent of the total amount of transactions (German exports to FYROM amount to 104.6 million ECUs and imports to 126.3 million ECUs). FYROM exports to the Community total 258 million ECUs and imports from the EU 282.4 million ECUs. Greece's exports to FYROM are of the order of 19.8 million ECUs and imports 2.5 million ECUs . Brussels, 23/02/94 (ANA.-M.Savvas)--Community Foreign Political Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek told Greek TV and ANA reporters last night the role of his mission to Athens and FYROM was "clearly political". Speaking on the sidelines of the General Affairs Council which focused on the issue of EU enlargement yesterday, Mr van den Broek said the "12" are primarily interested in the normalisation and the easing of tension in relations between Greece and FYROM. "I do not want to raise your possible hopes. Don't expect us to solve in two days an issue which has been blocked for two years. The European Union wants to contribute to normalisation and, I repeat, that you should not view this mission in relation to the measures taken by Greece, which the Commission criticises, Mr van den Broek said. Asked by ANA whether he would be objective in his mission, given that he had frequently spoken against Greece in the past, Mr van den Broek said he wanted to defend the EU "as a whole and this, of course ,incudes Greece". "But the creation of a situation which will avert the escalation of tension and destabilisation is at the epicentre of our interest. Because of the situation becomes uncontrollable in this fragile region, I believe Greece will again turn to the European Union to ask for help in restoring stability" ,he added. "Consequently, our interests are interrelated and we should always bear this in mind", Mr van den Broek added. Paris, 23/02/94 (ANA-O.Tsipira)-- French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe yesterday said "the 12 should explain to Skopje that it is essential that it makes some moves", but expressed opposition to Greece's retortion measures. Asked by the press how it would be that pressures are exerted unilaterally on Athens, at a time when he himself had said in the past that FYROM should make some good will moves, Mr Juppe said "it is not logical for one to seek a solution through conflict. Such logic necessitates discussion. As I have also said in Athens, I am always willing to help. "In any case, the "12" should also explain to the government of Skopje that it is essential it should make some moves, undoubtedly, on certain symbols or on certain political positions. But it is not logical to resort to reprisals". Athens, 23/02/94 (ANA)-- Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday chaired a broad Executive Committee meeting on the situation in the Balkans and developments on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) issue. Mr Evert's proposal for the signing of a peace and co-operation agreement between Balkan countries was also discussed. Ioannis Kefaloyiannis said before the meeting that Community Commissioner Hans van den Broek's mission to FYROM and Athens will be positive subject to certain conditions, adding government measures against FYROM were "positive". Referring to the FYROM issue, Stavros Dimas said it was high time the Community dealt with FYROM's intransigence which, he said, was strengthened after recognitions. Commenting on the Community Commissioner's mission, Mr Dimas expressed the hope that Mr van den Broek will act in accordance with international law and principles which should prevail to consolidate stability and peace in the region. George Souflias said Mr van den Broek's mission was positive on conditions. Washington 23/02/94 (ANA/D.Dimas)-- The United States will "discuss next steps (on the Skopje issue) in consultation with the European Union", State Department spokesman Mike McCurry said. He was addressing reporters in Washington yesterday. Athens, 23/02/94 (ANA)--Over 350,000 tonnes of European Union humanitarian aid for the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia will be transported to the neighbouring state in the next few days, customs officials said yesterday. They said a Ukranian -flag freighter carried 32 containers of condensed milk and past to the port of Thessaloniki, four days after Athens barred the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia from using the vital Greek port. Customs officials said trucks would transfer the supplies to the neighbouring state by today at the latest. Greece closed its consulate in the former Yugoslav republic last week and barred the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia from using the vital Greek port. Customs officials said trucks would transfer the supplies to the neighbouring state by today at the latest. Greece closed its consulate in the former Yugoslav republic last week and barred the new state from using the port of Thessaloniki, except for humanitarian goods. Athens said it took the measures in response to the neighbouring state's continued intransigence and aggressive behaviour. For the past two years, Greece has demanded the state of 2.5 million Slavs and Albanians change its flag, constitution and name, accusing it of harbouring territorial ambitions against the northern Greek province of Macedonia. Athens, 23/02/94 (ANA)--Commerce and Industry Minister Costas Simitis yesterday said the Greek government's move on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia issue was aimed at impressing upon Community partners that the issue was pressing, there was delay, and a shock was necessary for a solution to the problem, adding that "I believe the tactic followed was correct". Mr Simitis said government officials participating in European Union agencies should support Greek positions, by explaining the reasons for the measures and underlining the government's decision for a solution to the problem. "My colleagues and I will work for this goal. I have already started a briefing and pressuring process", Mr Simitis said. "I personally have no direct contact with Mr Delors", Mr Simitis said, in reply to a question on whether or not a move might be expected from him towards the European Commission President . He added relevant discussions should be expected of him when the goes to Brussels. Athens, 23/02/94 (ANA)--Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis insisted yesterday the government was not "persecuting" seven Catholic nuns who have been ordered to leave the country. "The nuns must renew their residence permits to remain in Greece and are not being persecuted by the Greek state for any reason whatsoever", Mr Papathemelis said, responding to charges of persecution from Roman Catholic Archbishop of Athens. Mr Papathemelis said that a special meeting had been convened last December at the Public Order Ministry to examine the issue, and it was decided to settle the legal aspect of the nuns' residence in Greece by December 31, 1993. In accordance with Greek law, Mr Papathemelis continued, the nuns were advised they would have to return to the countries whence they came and follow the legal procedure for obtaining new visas to enter Greece. He said that the nuns, from India, Poland, former Yugoslavia, Switzerland and Bangladesh, did not follow this procedure and, instead, lodged appeals against the notices advising them that they had no legal residence permits. Mr Papathemelis said that the nuns were not being persecuted for any reason, nor had it been established they were involved in any activities against the State. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said Monday that the government had nothing to do with the expulsion decision. "It is apparently a matter of bureaucratic action by lower bodies", he said, adding that "the government provides all possible protection and assistance to Catholic priests and monks in Greece".