From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 4 Aug 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin --------------------------- * Ethnics' trial: Athens awaits Tirana reply, may toughen stance * Albanian reaction * Greece focuses efforts on helping Cyprus start accession talks * Gligorov statement vindicates Greek stance - Venizelos * PASOK endorses Piraeus mayor's renewed candidacy * All party committee to implement second-tier local government * Balkan youth conference in Thessaloniki * Snap poll unthinkable - Venizelos * Egyptian court to hear three Greek seamen's drugs-related death conviction appeal * Livanos announces casino tendering Ethnics' trial: Athens awaits Tirana reply, may toughen stance -------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): Greece indicated yesterday that it might toughen its stance against Tirana following the publication of charges against six leading members of the ethnic Greek political organisation "Omonia". Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that Greece was awaiting the Albanian response to the demarches it has lodged over the charges, and did not rule out "an escalation of action" on the part of Athens. The spokesman also flatly rejected Albanian claims that the trial of the six, scheduled for August 15, constituted a "penal" matter which was being handled by the judicial authorities. "The defendants are accused of treason... for aiming to annex territory of the Republic of Albania and of serving foreign espionage agencies," a statement from Tirana district court said on Tuesday. The six were arrested in April along with scores of other ethnic Greeks who have since been released. Mr. Venizelos said that the Greek Ambassador to Tirana, Christos Tsalikis, and a Greek all-party four-member parliamentary committee would attend the trial of the six. Earlier yesterday, Foreign Ministry General Secretary Christos Zaharakis summoned the Albanian ambassador to Athens and lodged a strong protest, while Mr. Tsalikis is expected to lodge a similar demarche with Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Sereqi today. Representations have also been made to CSCE High Commissioner for Ethnic Minorities Max van der Stoel and the Council of Europe. Ambassadors of European Union member states will be briefed on the issue in Athens today. Mr. Venizelos reiterated that the Albanian action was aimed at intimidating the ethnic Greek minority in the neighbouring country, and again called on Tirana to drop the charges. Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis said that a parliamentary delegation, consisting of deputies George Alexandros Mangakis (PASOK), Antonis Foussas (New Democracy), Maria Machaira (Political Spring) and Gerasimos Aravanis (Communist Party of Greece), would leave for Tirana on August 14. In a statement after meeting with the four members of the delegation later yesterday, Mr. Kaklamanis said the Greek deputies will monitor the trial and keep Greek and world public opinion posted. "It is a case," he added, "which we look upon as provocation by the Albanian regime against our country." Meanwhile, speaking yesterday after a specially convened meeting chaired by main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert, Mr. Foussas described the charges brought against the six ethnic Greeks as a political affair "based on an organised plan aimed at intimidating the ethnic Greek minority in Albania." He said that the charges were "groundless and a complete fabrication." Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos said that the charges constituted "a provocation of a destabilizing nature aimed against Greece," adding that Greece's response should be "decisive" in order to safeguard the rights of the ethnic Greek minority "and bring to light the domestic expediency involved behind the systematic provocations of the Berisha government against Greece." Albanian reaction ------------------ Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): Meanwhile, the Albanian Foreign Ministry yesterday rejected the Greek protests, according to a Reuter dispatch from Tirana. "Greek government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos' words ... constitute a gross and unacceptable interference in the activity of our justice institutions and the internal affairs of Albania," an Albanian Foreign Ministry statement said. Greece focuses efforts on helping Cyprus start accession talks -------------------------------------------------------------- Nicosia, 03/08/94 (ANA/CNA): The aim of the Greek government is to get in 1995 approval for the start of negotiations on Cyprus' accession to the European Union, regardless of developments in the Cyprus problem, Greek Foreign Under-secretary in charge of European affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis said here yesterday. Mr. Kranidiotis was speaking at a press conference after the conclusion of two days of talks with Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides. The talks covered Cyprus-EU relations, the recent ruling of the European Court of Justice to ban all Turkish Cypriot products from the Union's markets, and the current stage of the Cyprus problem in light of the recent Security Council resolution. Referring to the results of the Nicosia talks, Mr. Kranidiotis said that they ended up to "specific conclusions" and that the co-operation will continue with visits of Cypriot delegations to Athens for the follow up of the talks while the two governments will keep up co-ordinating their efforts. He also said that he would start this fall a series of contacts with EU member states and the current German presidency, in a bid to persuade them that the island republic's admission will help towards the solution of the Cyprus problem which constitutes, as he said, a European affair, and that the admission will benefit both sides. Regarding the recent decision of the European Court, Mr. Kranidiotis said that if the ruling was not respected by all EU members, Greece will react with all the means it has at its disposal. In regard to the Cyprus problem, the Greek foreign under-secretary said the Greek Cypriot side was at a turning point and in need of bold decisions as far as the essence of the problem was concerned. The Cypriot foreign minister added a working schedule between Athens and Nicosia had been set up. He also said that further discussions will be held when his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias will visit the island at the end of this month. Regarding the Cyprus problem, Mr. Michaelides noted that a new approach was needed now and that Cyprus should be prepared to launch initiatives. He also revealed that a relevant committee will meet next Thursday to decide on the signing of a contract appointing a public relations firm to undertake promotion of Cyprus' application for full EU membership in European countries. Gligorov statement vindicates Greek stance - Venizelos ------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): The government said yesterday that recent statements by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) President Kiro Gligorov merely served to prove the soundness of Greece's positions on Skopje's use of Greek symbols and its irredentist propaganda. "From time to time, Mr. Gligorov makes statements reflecting expansionist and pseudo-irredentist designs, of which the international community takes due note," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. The spokesman was commenting on a statement reported by the Macedonian Press Agency, quoting Mr. Gligorov as attacking Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece, accusing these three countries of "breaking up 'Macedonia' and seizing sections of the 'Macedonian' population, branding them Southern Serbs, Bulgarians or Greeks of Slavic origin." Greece does not recognise the former Yugoslav republic under the name 'Macedonia', arguing that the use of this name implies territorial designs against its northern province of Macedonia. Athens demands also the removal from FYROM's flag of an ancient Greek symbol and amendments to the preamble of the neighbouring republic's constitution. The Greek government imposed trade sanctions as retortion measures against FYROM last February, in a bid to curb Skopjan intransigence. PASOK endorses Piraeus mayor's renewed candidacy ------------------------------------------------ Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): PASOK yesterday announced it would support current Piraeus mayor Stelios Logothetis in the October municipal elections. Meanwhile, PASOK candidate for Athens Transport and Communications Minister Theodoros Pangalos reiterated his adherence to the concept of distributing the power of the Athens Municipal Authority into its 7 upgraded Departments, which will acquire the status of mini-municipal authorities, with specific competences and resources. Pol.An (Political Spring) party candidate Andreas Lentakis yesterday visited bus terminals, stressing poor public transportation conditions and atmospheric pollution which Athenians had to endure. Communist-backed candidate for Athens Leonidas Avdis, yesterday announced his ticket's platform, saying it sought to create a citizens' rally, above party affiliation and ideological allegiances, and resting on certain basic municipal policy guideline. All party committee to implement second-tier local government ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): Interior Minister Constantine Skandalides yesterday announced the establishment of a permanent inter-party committee to implement second-tier local government. The Minister introduced the main points of a supplementary draft bill on the new institution, adding he would submit the government's comprehensive proposals to the committee when it first meets August 9. He described his round of talks with party leaders on the issue as especially useful. But he charged main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert with inconsistency and of seeking to have elections called off alleging existence of delicate national issues. The Minister made it clear there would be no merging of prefectures, noting elections of councils and prefects would be genuine. He recalled Article 40 of Law 2218/94 provides for the establishment of broad prefectural regions, comprising two or three prefectures in certain poor areas and isolated islands, which will be given support through specific development incentives. The role of a region as an integral administrative unit will be upgraded, in order to deal with functional problems at prefectural level. Balkan youth conference in Thessaloniki ---------------------------------------- Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): Macedonia and Thrace Minister Constantine Triarides yesterday opened a conference of Balkan youth organisations in Thessaloniki. Participants include delegations of PASOK and the Armenian Youth Organisation from Greece, the Socialist and Agricultural parties, and the Democratic Youth from Bulgaria, and the ruling Socialist party of Serbia. Owing to technical reasons, the participation of delegations from Albania, Krajina and Bosnia was not possible. In his speech, Mr Triarides stressed the need for and tremendous significance of mobilising youth in all Balkan countries to maintain peace, and reiterated the permanent Greek position for inter-Balkan co-operation in all sectors. A joint text adopted yesterday included reference to the non-existence of a 'Macedonian' nation and, consequently, to the unwarranted use of the name 'Macedonia' by the former Yugoslav Republic under this name. The text will be handed to government officials for transmission to the European Parliament, the United Nations and other international organisations. Snap poll unthinkable - Venizelos --------------------------------- Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): The government considers unthinkable the possibility of early general elections, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. Mr. Venizelos told a questioner he would decline answering questions relating to the presidential elections. Meantime, Coalition of Left and Progress (SYN) Party President Nikos Constantopoulos demanded yesterday that the ruling PASOK party name its presidential candidate. "It is time for all to open their cards," he said. Egyptian court to hear three Greek seamen's drugs-related death conviction appeal ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): The appeal trial of three Greek sailors sentenced to death by an Egyptian court on drug smuggling charges opens before a criminal court in Suez today, the Merchant Marine Ministry announced yesterday. Kostas Kastanias, Tassos Kontoyiannis and Nikos Zekelidis, crew members of the Greek motorship "Thanassis", were arrested in the port of Suez in November 1989 and charged with trying to smuggle 7.5 tonnes of hashish. The motorship was headed for India. Two other crew members, both Cypriots, were also sentenced to death in absentia, while the captain, Thanassis Badounas, is serving a life sentence in Greece. The Ministry said that Harbour Corps Lieutenant Commander Alekos Markakis left for Egypt yesterday to provide assistance to the three men during the trial. Execution of the sentence, originally scheduled for May 1992, was put off after appeals by the Greek government and by the Athens Bar Association to its European Union counterparts. Livanos announces casino tendering ---------------------------------- Athens, 04/08/94 (ANA): Tourism Minister Dionysis Livanos yesterday announced the names of the 7-member committee which will invite international tenders for the granting of 10 casino licences. The minister said the law of the previous government concerning casinos had been abolished as unacceptable to the interests of the Greek state. The deadline for submission of tenders expires tomorrow (a 35-day extension for Attica has been granted), and all tenders will have to be assessed within 20 days. The committee will inform in writing those qualifying for the second round within 15 days thereafter, with another 20 days devoted to the evaluation of participants. The announcement of the licences will be made 40 days thereafter. Mr Livanos said that about 100 investors have expressed interest for the licences. For the Faliron Delta development, the minister said the government requires the construction of a conference centre with a capacity of 4000 and the creation of a marina.