From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 3 Dec 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, December 3 1994 -------------------------------------------- * UN sources expect new moves on FYROM front, while Gligorov tells EU name is not negotiable * Arsenis meets Diodoros in Jerusalem * Mikroutsikos to sign Egypt-Greek cultural agreement while in Cairo * Coalition delegation meets with Milosevic, leaves for Montenegro * Greek national issues not on agenda for Essen, Gov't says * Papandreou may meet with Mitterrand, Kohl * Kranidiotis says new EU members important for new dynamism * Greece regrets Norwegian 'no' to EU membership * Kranidiotis to attend CSCE summit in Budapest * Gov't deplores Die Welt claims that Greece arming Kurdish guerrillas * Thessaloniki conference to look at EU and Balkans economic development * Tsohatzopoulos at SI: Greece will not give in to Skopjan nationalists * Skoulakis announces 50 new support centres for the handicapped * At New York's Metropolitan Museum, all that glitters is Greek gold * Gov't says incomes policy will compensate for inflation * Union reactions UN sources expect new moves on FYROM front, while Gligorov tells EU name is not negotiable ----------------------------------------------------------------- United Nations, 3/12/1994 (ANA/M. Georgiadou): Diplomatic sources here said yesterday that they expected movement in backstage efforts to resume UN-sponsored talks between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia despite apparent efforts by FYROM president Kiro Gligorov to forestall such efforts. Efforts for peace in Bosnia, and the wider Yugoslav issue, developing apace will strengthen the Serbian factor and, the sources said, the need for Mr. Gligorov to normalise his country's position will put a quick end to what they call Mr. Gligorov's "delaying tactics" -- one of which is his failure so far to set a date to meet with US President Clinton's special mediator on the FYROM issue, Matthew Nimetz. Developments, the sources said, indicate a weakening in the significance of Albania and FYROM on the Balkan crisis chessboard and, in parallel, recognition of the great importance of the role played by Russia in the region. Mr. Gligorov has so far failed to honour promises given at his meeting with UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and UN mediator Cyrus Vance in Geneva last month. In Skopje yesterday, Mr. Gligorov told European Union officials that he would not countenance any discussion of a possible change of name for his state but was willing to enter into negotiations with Greece on the other issues. The statement came after Mr. Gligorov and his Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenovski met with German Foreign Under-Secretary Helmut Schiffer and French Foreign Ministry Alternate Secretary General Claud Marten on relations with the European Union and Greece and security in the southern Balkan region. According to an announcement by the presidential office, Mr. Gligorov requested the speeding up of procedures for his country's accession to the European Union while stressing his government's will to continue negotiations with Greece. However, Mr. Gligorov insisted on "the known position over the name." He said the European Union was in a position to find effective means to lift the Greek embargo on Skopje. Greece has imposed trade sanctions as retortion measures against Skopje, following the state's refusal to change its name, the ancient Greek symbols on its flag and the preamble to its constitution which, Greece says, indicates irredentist designs against Greece's northern province of Macedonia. Mr. Gligorov is due to fly to Budapest on the weekend for the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) meeting to speak on the necessity of Skopje's accession to the organisation. The European Union troika of foreign ministers -- Greece's Karolos Papoulias, Germany's Klaus Kinkel and France's Alain Juppe -- will meet on the sidelines of the Essen summit December 9 to discuss a range of issues, including Greek relations with FYROM. Meanwhile, Mr. Nimetz yesterday told Skopje state radio that "negotiations of the Greek-Skopje dispute must be promoted", adding that "the US government is ready to help". He said he had not yet ironed out all the details for his forthcoming visit to Skopje and Athens and, as such, could give no definite date. According to Skopje media reports, Mr. Nimetz is expected to arrive in Skopje later this month. Arsenis meets Diodoros in Jerusalem ----------------------------------- Jerusalem, 3/12/1994 (ANA/G. Zarkadis): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, currently on an official four-day visit to Israel, yesterday met Patriarch Diodoros at the Jerusalem Patriarchate. Addressing Mr. Arsenis, the Patriarch expressed his emotion at the first visit by a Greek national defence minister, adding that he feels secure because "worthy men are in responsible positions in Greece". The Patriarch called on Mr. Arsenis to convey his greetings to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and the Greek government. Mr. Arsenis said Greece's defence was not limited to guarding borders but included efforts in support of Hellenism. "I consider this visit to the bastion of Greek Orthodoxy my obligation and the Greek government will do all in its power to support your efforts to have it remain a bastion of Hellenism," Mr. Arsenis said. He conveyed greetings to the Patriarch from Mr. Papandreou and the Greek government. Mikroutsikos to sign Egypt-Greek cultural agreement while in Cairo ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos leaves for Egypt today on a visit that will include his performing at the Cairo Opera House. Mr. Mikroutsikos will meet his Egyptian counterpart, painter Farouk Hosni, in Cairo today to sign the final draft of the 1995-1997 cultural agreement between Greece and Egypt. The details of the programme will be released afterwards. He will also conduct a concert at the Cairo Opera House, officially starting events of the Fourth International Cavafy Symposium. The symposium will examine the works of famous Greek poet Constantine Cavafy, who lived in Alexandria. Mr. Mikroutsikos will officially open the symposium in Alexandria, at the Greek Cultural Centre, tomorrow. It will be attended by university professors and writers and poets from Greece, Egypt and other countries. Coalition delegation meets with Milosevic, leaves for Montenegro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Belgrade, 3/12/1994 (ANA/M.Mouratidis): A Coalition of the Left and Progress party delegation, headed by leader Nikos Constantopoulos, wound up its round of contacts here with a meeting with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic. Mr. Constantopoulos said after the meeting that it had been "open and friendly" and had confirmed the desire of the Greek and Yugoslav peoples for peace as a factor of stability. Referring to latest developments, he said that Belgrade was awaiting the new decisions from the NATO Council session in Brussels. Mr. Constantopoulos said he had inferred from the discussion that Belgrade's concerns were in line, if not identical, with those of Greece on the need to consolidate peace and to create the conditions for broader co-operation in all sectors. Yesterday, the delegation headed for Podgorica, Montenegro, for meetings with President Momir Bulatovic and other political figures. Greek national issues not on agenda for Essen, Gov't says --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday that it did not intend to raise its national issues at next week's European Union summit in the German city of Essen. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said, however, that Greek-Turkish relations and the ongoing Turkish occupation of one- third of Cyprus may be raised if the issue of Turkey's customs association with the European Union is brought up. "The customs association can proceed provided certain prerequisites are satisfied; if these prerequisites -- prerequisites of civilisation and the credibility of the international community and of Europe as such -- then we can proceed", Mr. Venizelos said. "The accession to the European Union of Cyprus and Malta are special cases and the Greek government is interested in seeing that the EU's position that these two countries have priority is confirmed", the spokesman added. The EU Corfu Summit last June decided to involve Cyprus and Malta in the next round of enlargement. Mr. Venizelos said that Greece has suggested to the German presidency that Cyprus be invited to the Essen summit. Italian President Silvio Berlusconi has also asked the German presidency to invite Cyprus, Malta and Turkey to the summit. In the meantime, the German presidency, overlooking objections by many EU member-states, has extended a "last minute" invitation to the six countries of Central Europe which have signed an Association Agreement with the European Union. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said the meeting with the six -- Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania -- will take place after the close of the summit. The meeting will last one and a half hours and will aim at briefing the leaders of the six countries on the conclusions of the summit concerning prospects of their accession to the Union. Concerning a dinner which will take place at the close of the summit and will also be attended by the six leaders, Mr. Venizelos said the German presidency has "placed emphasis on the countries of central and eastern Europe which however do not enjoy priority of accession over Cyprus and Malta". Papandreou may meet with Mitterrand, Kohl ----------------------------------------- Bonn, 3/12/1994 (ANA/P. Stangos): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou may meet with French President Francois Mitterrand and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on the sidelines of the Essen summit in an effort by the German presidency to separate Turkey's customs union with the EU from Greece's request the 12 set a date for the beginning of negotiations for Cyprus' entry to the EU. Diplomatic sources said such an eventuality would "facilitate a more favourable attitude by Bonn and Paris", on Greece's other issues. They said the meeting would depend on the outcome of a meeting between the foreign ministers of three countries, due to take place before the official opening of the summit. Kranidiotis says new EU members important for new dynamism ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Foreign Under-Secretary for European affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis yesterday said the entry of three new members to the European Union on January 1 would provide the body with new dynamism. Mr. Kranidiotis was addressing Parliament's Permanent National Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee on the ratification of the Accession Acts of Austria, Sweden and Finland to the European Union. He underlined the long tradition of democratic ideals, protection of human rights and the welfare state. He said their entry would strengthen the EU, adding that the three states were natural allies of Greece both on issues of the EU's institutional reshaping and issues of special Greek concern. Following a proposal by the foreign Under-Secretary, the Parliamentary Committee also discussed and approved the ratification of bilateral co-operation agreements between Greece, Israel, Armenia and Hungary. Greece regrets Norwegian 'no' to EU membership ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday expressed the hope that other ways would be found for Oslo "to participate and co-operate" with the rest of Europe following Norway's rejection of European Union membership. "Greece respects the decision, albeit by a slender majority, of the Norwegian people not to join the European Union," Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis said. Norwegians rejected EU membership by 52.2 against 47.8 per cent in a referendum on Monday. Mr. Kranidiotis recalled that Greece worked hard during its presidency in the first half of 1994 to successfully conclude negotiations for the accession to the EU in January 1995 of Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway. "Eventually it was not possible for Norway, a country with a rich democratic and humanitarian tradition, with social and ecological sensitivities, to more actively contribute to the prospects opening up within the European Union for Europe's future development," Mr. Kranidiotis said. Kranidiotis to attend CSCE summit in Budapest --------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Foreign Under-Secretary for European affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis will leave for Budapest tomorrow to attend a summit of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, a Foreign Ministry announcement said yesterday. It said Mr. Kranidiotis would continue to Essen, Germany to attend the European Union's summit, planned to focus on relations with central and eastern European states, as well as developments in the former Yugoslavia and the Middle East. Gov't deplores Die Welt claims that Greece arming Kurdish guerrillas ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): The government yesterday categorically denied a German newspaper report that Greece was actively training and arming Kurdish guerrillas. Part of the "repetitive and invariably unsubstantiated claims of Turkish propaganda" was how government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos characterised the report in the German Die Welt, adding that the writer suffered from a "lack of information". "Greece, as a democratic country, has ... absolutely no restriction on any correspondent or reporter to see whatever they want," Mr. Venizelos said. The report claimed that Greece was sending funds and training Kurdish guerrillas waging a separatist struggle in the southeast of Turkey, with weapons being sent to them through the central Greek port of Volos. Mr. Venizelos said that Turkey created similar problems from time to time with other countries such as Sweden, adding that a reply would be given through the Greek embassy in Bonn. Thessaloniki conference to look at EU and Balkans economic development ------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): A conference examining the European Union's contribution to economic development in the Balkans will be held in Thessaloniki, December 8-9. The conference is organised by the Center for International and European Financial Law and the European Commission's Greek office. Macedonia-Thrace Minister Constantine Triaridis will open the conference. Tsohatzopoulos at SI: Greece will not give in to Skopjan nationalists ----------------------------------------------------------------- Budapest, 3/12/1994 (ANA/V. Mourtis): Speaking at the opening session of the Socialist International Council meeting here yesterday, PASOK Central Committee Secretary-General Akis Tsohatzopoulos said that "under no circumstances can Greece give up its traditional historic rights... backing down on invalid and unreasonable nationalist demands by the leadership of Skopje". Referring to developments in the Balkans, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said that socialists must follow a policy based on respect for borders, the independence of peoples in the region, peaceful coexistence, and economic and cultural co-operation. He pledged that Greece "will contribute to the reconstruction of the turbulent Balkan countries through political and economic initiatives". He proposed the gradual accession of all socialist and social democratic parties of Balkan countries to the Socialist International, called for the application of UN resolutions on Cyprus so as to end the foreign military occupation, and referred to the issue of the genocide of the Kurds. Reliable sources reported that in its draft resolution on the countries of eastern and central Europe, the Socialist International Council proposes measures designed to boost the economic development and stability in the area. Skoulakis announces 50 new support centres for the handicapped -------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Welfare Under-Secretary Emmanuel Skoulakis yesterday announced the foundation of 50 new support institutions for persons with special needs, in light of the United Nation's World Day for Persons with Special Needs, today. The Delors II package will provide 36 million drachmas over a five-year period for the institutions. Mr. Skoulakis said the ministry would ensure the provision of 800 positions for trained personnel in all the institutions. Meanwhile, main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday announced that New Democracy aimed at ensuring equal opportunity, the upgrading of the quality of life and the application of basic social rights for people with special needs. At New York's Metropolitan Museum, all that glitters is Greek gold ----------------------------------------------------------------- New York, 3/12/1994 (ANA/M. Georgiadou): A glittering and seductive exhibition of gold jewellery, entitled, "Greek Gold: The jewellery of Classical Greece, "opened yesterday at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Greek Gold," funded by Cartier, Greek shipowner Stavros Niarchos, the World Gold Council and the American Council of Arts, has been put together by Dyfri Williams, curator of Greek and Roman antiquities at the British Museum in London. The exhibition is the most extensive examination of antique Greek jewellery organised. Its nearly 200 objects date from 500 to 300 BC. and include necklaces, pendants, armlets, bracelets, earrings and ear reels, wreaths and a scepter or two. "This beautiful exhibition, as seductive as it is esoteric, adds a substantial chapter to the general understanding of one of civilisation's most widely revered periods," the New York Times wrote in an extensive art review in yesterday's edition. The exhibits have been drawn in almost equal amounts from the collections of the Metropolitan, the British Museum -- where the exhibition was on show June through October -- and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, as well as private collections and the Washington-based Smithsonian Foundation. The exhibition will run through March 26 moving to the State Hermitage Museum in Russia in May. Gov't says incomes policy will compensate for inflation ------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday dismissed criticism that the government's incomes policy would reduce real incomes in the public sector next year. He said that the two three per cent increases, to be granted on January 1 and July 1, 1995, would be supplemented by an additional amount at the end of the year to compensate for the difference in inflation, resulting in a 1.2 per cent overall increase in real incomes. He stressed that the private sector ought to move in line. Mr. Venizelos expressed the government's optimism on final economic indicators for this year, based on the second Community Support Framework, the strict adherence and application of the budget, and the satisfactory course of inflation, projected to end at 11 per cent, only marginally higher than the planned 10.8 per cent. At yesterday's opening of discussion on the budget in the parliamentary Finance Committee, government and opposition parties clashed on many points on the content and orientation of the budget. PASOK deputy Panayiotis Benetatos stressed the need to control public deficits which threatened to "crush" the economy, underscored the budget's developmental character, and asked for the government to persevere with the same fiscal policy over the next three years. New Democracy deputy Manolis Kefaloyiannis dismissed claims that the budget had a developmental character, accusing the government of trying to conceal the fact that the deficit would overshoot projections in the 1994 budget by 1 trillion drachmas, an d predicting that new taxes will be imposed in April. A New Democracy party statement yesterday described the government's projected incomes policy as "a farce", claiming it would erode pensioners' real income by 5.3 per cent, and that of wage earners' by 7 per cent. It described these two categories as the victims of the government's incompetence in the handling of the economy. Union reactions --------------- Athens, 3/12/1994 (ANA): In its meeting to discuss the budget and the government's incomes policy yesterday, the board of the Civil Servants' Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) decided to stage a 4-hour stoppage on December 14 and participate in the rally organised by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE). ADEDY president Yiannis Koutsoukos discerned a possibility for arriving at an agreement for collective bargaining with the government in the public sector, as well as the setting of a new wage structure, but scoffed at the projected incomes policy as " a provocation and a farce".