From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 22 Mar 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Cyprus suspects Turkey involved in murder of Kurdish sympathiser ---------------------------------------------------------------- Nicosia, 22/3/1994 (CNA/ANA/Reuter) - The government and the political leaders yesterday did not rule out the possibility that Sunday's murder of Theophilos Georgiades, an advocate of the Kurdish cause and President of the Committee of Solidarity with Kurdistan, was carried out by the Turkish Secret Service. Condemning the callous assassination, government spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides told Cyprus Radio the murder was part of a recent wave of assassinations of Kurds in various countries. In Athens, the government expressed abhorrence and hope truth will be revealed not only to the Greek and Cypriot, but also to the International public opinion. "The Greek government expresses grief and abhorrence for the callous assassination of Theophilos Georgiades, under the known -and manifest- circumstances. "It also wishes to express hope that the Cypriot authorities will fully investigate the case, so that truth will be revealed, not only to the Greek and Cypriot, but also to the International public opinion", Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said in a statement yesterday. Cypriot police are looking for a foreigner, described as a strongly built man with a dark complexion and aged between 30 and 35, Mr. Cassoulides said. "On Sunday afternoon, this foreigner was asking where Thoucydides street was. This is the street where Georgiades' home is", he said. The murder came only a few weeks after a mosque was attacked by arsonists in Nicosia. Cyprus police arrested on Friday four foreigners for questioning in connection with the offence. Mr. Cassoulides did not believe that Sunday's murder should be seen as part of an effort to halt the UN-led Cyprus peace talks. The spokesman stressed, however, that if the murder aimed at disrupting the peace process, the Turkish Cypriot leader would not avoid assuming his responsibilities in the ongoing discussions. EU appeals for end to Afghan fighting, laudes UN aid --------------------------------------------------- Athens, 22/3/1994 (ANA) - The European Union yesterday appealed for an end to fighting in Afghanistan, adding full support for UN efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the country. In an EU presidency statement released by the Greek Foreign Ministry, the EU welcomed the arrival in the Afghan capital of six trucks carrying UN aid, but said in was only a small part of the supplies needed "to relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of hungry Kabul residents". Expressing its full support for the efforts of the UN and humanitarian organisations to provide aid to Afghanistan, the EU called on all factions in the country to take "immediate and unconditional steps" for the lifting of the blockade of the war-shattered capital. The EU reiterated an appeal earlier this year for an immediate end to hostilities in Afghanistan and commencement of peace talks. G. Papandreou: Improved relations with Turkey through Cyprus settlement ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Istanbul, 22/3/1994 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas) - Visiting Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou yesterday said improvement in Greek-Turkish relations hinged on progress in the Cyprus problem. "Improvement in Greek-Turkish relations hinges on a solution to the Cyprus problem", he was quoted as saying in an interview with Turkish newspaper "Miliyet". "You should not see Greece as an obstacle on your way to Europe, when it really is a bridge between Europe and Turkey", Mr. G. Papandreou was quoted as saying. According to the newspaper, Mr. Papandreou noted in a reference to the Cyprus problem that "no country wishes to grant minorities a right of veto, just as Turkey does not wish to give this right to the Kurds". According to the newspaper, he said that Greek-Turkish relations did not play a part in Greek elections. "I don't believe the Prime Minister used Turkey to win votes", he was quoted as saying. Mr. Papandreou was visiting Istanbul to attend a special service on Orthodoxy Sunday. Romania President to visit Athens March 30 ----------------------------------------- Athens, 22/3/1994 (ANA) - Romanian President Ion Iliescu will pay an official two-day visit to Greece on March 30, the Foreign Ministry announced yesterday. President Iliescu will meet with President Constantine Karamanlis and have talks with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, the statement added. Central bank chief heads team to Bucharest mission -------------------------------------------------- Athens, 22/3/1994 (ANA) - Bank of Greece Governor Ioannis Boutos and a team of executives paid a visit to the Central Bank of Romania yesterday. During talks with Governor Mr Isarescu, it was agreed that the Bank of Greece should provide technical assistance for the setting up and development of inter-bank foreign exchange market and fixing facilities in Romania. Other topics of discussion were the operation of Greek banks in Romania and holding a one-day conference in Bucharest early in July among banks from both countries. Mr. Boutos was received by Romanian President Iliescu, PM Vacaroiu and the Ministers of National Economy, Finance and Foreign Affairs. Canada considering Skopje issue 'in light of Greek concerns' ------------------------------------------------------------ Washington, 22/3/1994 (ANA - D. Dimas) - Canada said yesterday it was considering the Skopje issue and was giving due regard to the concerns of the Greek government. "Canada is considering the issue and no decision has yet been made. We are giving due regard to the concerns of the Greek government, and we are urging both parties to resume UN mediation efforts, "Foreign Ministry spokesman Bob Peck told ANA during a telephone conversation yesterday. He added that "we welcome a statement by President (of Skopje Kiro) Gligorov that FYROM has no territorial designs". Stressing that "this commitment is important to Canada", he said "... we continue to urge that both parties resume UN-sponsored mediation efforts". "From Canada's perspective", Mr. Peck added, "we think a stable and prosperous FYROM is essential to stability in an already volatile Balkan region, but that being said, we have not, made a decision on the issue". According to Mr. Peck, Canada's Foreign Minister Andre Ouellet, "a very experienced member of parliament" and "a minister who has made an assessment of the situation" feels the issue requires further consideration and study. Clinton urged to 'follow predecessors example' ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 22/3/1994 (ANA) - A Panhellenic conference on Greek-US relations last night called on President Bill Clinton to "follow the example of his predecessors" and support Greece's just position on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). The appeal was carried in a resolution adopted at the end of a two-day conference organised by the Centre for Greek-American Relations and Greek-American Friendship attended by representatives of the Greek community in the US "At this critical moment in time", the resolution said, "when moral values are becoming weaker, it is hoped that the American people will share the anxiety of Hellenism, which is fighting in defence of the mother-country and protection of a centuries-old friendship". A message of support wishing the conference every success was sent by Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America. EU, Greek views identical on economy - Papantoniou ---------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 22/3/1994 (ANA-K. Verros/V. Demiris) - Alternate National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said in Brussels yesterday the European Commission's views on the Greek economy's course and prospects are identical with the Greek government positions and policy on economic recovery and convergence. Replying to questions by Greek journalists at the end of yesterday's Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) Council meeting, Mr Papantoniou said a European Commission report expected to be made public tomorrow, refers basically to "huge deviations in economic indicators" in 1993, meaning "the previous government's management" and pointed out, as noted in the report, "a precondition for the Greek economy's recovery is reducing the public deficit and controlling the public debt". Referring to the revised Convergence Programme, Mr Papantoniou reaffirmed that the government will submit it to the European Commission by the end of April, adding that discussion at the ECOFIN Council will take place in June. Addressing a press conference on the ECOFIN Council's work, Mr. Papantoniou said an important decision taken had been approving a loan for 110 million ECU's to Bulgaria. He also referred to two Greek Presidency initiatives on developing economic co-operation between the European Union and Balkan and central and east European countries. The first initiative is a request by the European Commission to prepare and present a detailed report at the informal ECOFIN Council meeting in Athens April 8-9, concerning overall economic aid to these countries. The framework of European Union economic aid includes balance of payments loans and various Community programmes (PHARE, INTEREG and TACIS). The second initiative is an invitation extended by the Presidency to the Economy and Finance Ministers of Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech republic, Hungary and Poland to participate in a joint meeting with the ECOFIN Council in May to jointly examine "the entire spectrum of economic and political co-operation" with these countries. In this way, both the Presidency and the EU want to show the importance they attribute to co-operation with Balkan and central and east European countries. IMF group holds broad range talks --------------------------------- Athens, 22/3/94 (ANA) - A visiting three-member team of IMF experts began talks at the Ministry of National Economy yesterday, and are to meet with Finance Ministry officials today. Discussions with Bank of Greece representatives will follow. Topics discussed included fiscal issues, national accounts, investments, privatisation, public appointments, inflation and the budgets of public enterprises.