From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 4 May 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Papoulias: Meeting with Albanian FM "positive, but action must follow' ----------------------------------------------------------------- Zurich, 4/5/1994 (ANA-G.Zarkadis): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday termed three-hour talks with his Albanian counterpart Alfred Sereqi "positive", adding that Tirana's goodwill was ascertained but action should also follow. At the end of their talks at the Eden au Lac Hotel, including Foreign Ministry officials, the two Ministers said "a wide review of Greek-Albanian problems took place." "The meeting can be termed positive at this time. The course of Greek-Albanian relations depends on many factors which the Greek side is closely monitoring. Tirana's goodwill was ascertained, but action should also follow," Mr. Papoulias said. Mr. Papoulias said the Albanian side also raised the issue of the April 10 incident at Episkopi, which Mr. Sereqi termed "an act of terrorism." "We condemned the incident, and rejected even indirect attribution of responsibility," Mr. Papoulias said, adding that "the Albanian side called on the Greek side to activate itself towards arresting the perpetrators, while the Greek side called for the creation of a joint committee by the two countries to resolve the incident." Mr. Papoulias said he "detailed to Albanians at length the responsibility of honouring the rights of the Greek minority, which is an inviolable condition for the Greek side" and underlined that he "called for the release of the five Greeks still being detained. It is an arrest overshadowing Greek-Albanian relations, but no commitment made by the Albanian side." "A positive element resulting from the talks is that Tirana is interested in resolving Greek-Albanian problems," Mr. Papoulias said. Mr. Sereqi in turn termed the talks "positive and important." "It is the conviction of both sides that Greek-Albanian relations are not only important to the two countries, but to the region as well," Mr. Sereqi said, adding that his country "will do everything possible through dialogue to normalise Greek-Albanian relations." Political observers believe the meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was positive to such degree as it allowed the two sides to set out their views, and so constitutes a resumption of dialogue between the two countries. But whether or not dialogue will continue and progress will be achieved depends on the goodwill of the Albanian side, which also raised the Tsamides issue (rejected by Mr. Papoulias), on its overcoming its "suspicions" towards the Greek side and its positive handling of the Greek minority, observers added. Shortly before leaving Ioannina for Zurich yesterday, Mr. Papoulias expressed contained optimism over the results of his forthcoming talks with his Albanian counterpart. When asked in Zurich whether or not he shared Mr. Papoulias' optimism, Mr. Sereqi replied "why not." "I am going with open proposals, and I prefer that we discuss all the issues concerning Greek-Albanian relations. I hope that Albania will show goodwill to improve relations," Mr. Papoulias said, adding that he planned to raise the issue of the release of Greek minority members held in a Tirana jail, because "the latest incidents overshadow this meeting in Zurich, and the Albanian government should have already released them as a goodwill gesture." Referring to the incident at Ano Episkopi, Mr. Papoulias reiterated that if, at the meeting, the Albanian side persists in its intransigent position, it will not be to its interests. Asked to comment on latest statements by Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Mr. Papoulias said: "I do not comment on statements by colleagues. We are used to statements by Mr. Pangalos." Mr. Papoulias had a courtesy meeting with his Swiss counterpart at 4.30 p.m. He was then due to leave for Cairo to attend today's signing of an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians in his capacity as President of the European Union Council of Ministers. Denktash to blame over Cyprus deadlock, Venizelos to "Milliyet" -------------------------------------------------------------- Istanbul, 4/5/1994 (ANA-A.Kourkoulas): In a statement to the Turkish newspaper "Milliyet", government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos stressed the responsibilities of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash over the deadlock reached in the Cyprus issue, adding that Mr. Denktash's intransigence is based on the strength of Turkish troops in Cyprus. "Mr. Denktash's personality undoubtedly plays some role in this development," Mr. Venizelos said, noting that "Mr. Denktash's intransigent position is based on the strength of the Turkish soldiers on the island." Asked to comment on the uproar caused in Turkey by Greece's alleged support for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), he said "no organisation exists in Greece under the name PKK." "Greece is a democratic, European country and, just like all people, so are the Kurds able to find refuge there. They can organise themselves, provided they do not violate the Constitution and our laws," Mr. Venizelos said, adding that "however, we will not allow terrorism, we are opposed to acts of violence and terrorism." Venizelos on Pangalos statement: Greece's FYROM positions set out clearly by PM, no issue for Gov't -------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 4/5/1994 (ANA): "Greece's positions on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are known, given, and public and were most clearly set out by the Prime Minister himself during his recent trip to the US. Seeking very specific wordings or interpretations of wordings is not conducive to the promotion of our foreign policy positions", government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos commented yesterday, when asked if statements by Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos to the Italian newspaper "La Republica" raised an issue for the government. Speaking to a private radio station yesterday, Mr Pangalos claimed he had referred to mutual "demands", not "rights", as was erroneously translated by the Greek newspaper report on the interview. "I think I used the term 'demand' ... I usually use the term 'demand'. That is, that both we and FYROM have demands on the name. I think this is self-evident, because if there were no demands, then why enter into dialogue on the name?", said Mr Pangalos. "No one doubts that we will enter into dialogue on the name. What I said was that negotiations on the name will lead nowhere ... because both our position and theirs are irreconcilable. 'Then why negotiate?', you will ask. Because irreconcilable positions sometimes become reconcilable. That is the meaning of every negotiation", concluded Mr Pangalos. Venizelos dismisses former king showboating threats over property ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 4/5/1994 (ANA): "Whoever respects constitutional order and propriety should demonstrate it in deed," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday, commenting on former king Constantine's threat to go to court over a law bringing the property of the ex-royal family under state control. On April 13, Parliament approved a Finance Ministry bill which gives state control of Constantine's Mon Repos estate on the island of Corfu, a summer palace in Tatoi north of Athens and hundreds of acres in Polydendri in northern Greece. "The law on the so-called royal property and the issue of (the former royal family's) citizenship is the law of the nation. It is in effect and is being implemented," Mr. Venizelos stressed. "The government will not parley with the deposed king, our positions are known," he added. The government has said it would grant Constantine and his family new passports, only if he accepted a 1974 referendum abolishing the monarchy, gave up his title and registered as an ordinary citizen. "Everything else is merely an attempt to appear on the political scene, especially as the deposed king poses as a defender of our national issues. Such sensitivities are very belated," Mr. Venizelos noted. Premier details Greek views to NEWSWEEK, Respect for Clinton, "We are really moving hand in hand" ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 4/5/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou discussed Greece's policy on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia, his position on recent developments in Cyprus and his economic views in an interview with reporters Dody Tsiantar and Charles S. Lee of the American magazine NEWSWEEK, during his recent visit to the US. The interview appeared in this week's edition of NEWSWEEK. Excerpts: NEWSWEEK: The international audience can't understand what's so critically important for Greece about Macedonia. PAPANDREOU: Either we have been doing a very bad public-relations job -- I can't exclude that -- or maybe we are stepping upon interests, which for some reason or another don't want to accept the Greek point of view. There is one view that says Greece and Greek sensitivity are exclusively about cultural heritage. It is true, but it is not the issue. The issue is the national security of Greece. The Balkans are an explosive region. A few mistakes and it will all blow up in our face. One of the possibilities that has to be kept in mind is that while Skopje by itself is incapable of taking over Greek territory, Skopje in alliance with another Balkan country, which I won't name, could easily create a serious security problem for Greece. N: You mean the case your European Union partners have brought to the European Court of Justice -- to force Greece to drop its embargo -- is based on a misunderstanding? P: It's very difficult for me to understand that they don't understand our arguments. They have heard them again and again. It seems to me there must be some thinking (along these lines): the state of Skopje is unstable with its many ethnicities and its internal problems with extremists. (The former republic's president Kiro) Gligorov is a moderate who is prepared to work with the West. Gligorov must not lose power. His prestige must not be diminished. It's important that he win the (fall) elections. This is the only possible logical explanation I can now give, which means, of course, you forget about Greek reactions, Greek insecurities and the Greek climate. After all, we are an ally. One must not forget that the whole issue was born out of the break-up of Yugoslavia. And the responsibility for the break-up of Yugoslavia belongs to the (EU's) 12 - I include Greece in this. It's a huge responsibility. I can't exclude that there are countries which may wish to create spheres of influence and satellites. I can't exclude that in the Balkan developments. N: What kind of eventual solution do you envision in Bosnia? P: A political solution is the only solution. That would be a solution that would satisfy the three warring parties at the same time ... When I hear about a military solution, I see war at the doorstep of my country. N: Given Greece's communication lines with the Serbs, did President Clinton ask you to give any messages to them? P: No, he did not. But I know his views, and I have my own. N: What's your position on the confidence-building measures in Cyprus promoted by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali? P: We have concerns that it may be considered the last step rather than the first step; that having the confidence-building measures means there is no longer a Cyprus problem. For us, there is. N: While most of the world is headed toward free markets, some fear that your government is going in the opposite direction. P: We maintain that government should have supervision over such fundamentals as power, energy and communications. Supervision -- not that they should be part of the civil service; but independent companies broadly under the supervision of government for strategic decisions. But we do not have the fever of privatisation. We are not against privatisation. But to use it well, it (must) benefit the economy. N: Why have you changed your economic views? P: Because reality has changed. Now there is an international market. And anyone who can think that he can survive (without being) competitive has to go to the doctor. Of course there are social aspects; of course there is a security net; of course as a progressive government we're concerned with the jobless and with proper taxation. But survival means we're competitors. N: Do you now see more convergence between your views and the United States policies? P: There's no question that I have great respect for and great faith in Clinton and his policies. Now, we are really moving hand in hand and following objectives I believe are to bring peace and progress in the Balkan peninsula.