NEWS IN DETAIL

Greece: Turkey upping the ante in Aegean

A Turkish foreign ministry statement yesterday alleged ''attacks on a mosque and sacred graves'' which it linked to ''pressure'' being exerted on ''the Turkish minority of Western Thrace''.

According to the statement, unknown persons on January 16 destroyed ''historical objects'' on a Turkish grave on Rhodes and on January 27 attempted to burn a mosque on Kos.

''Turkey is trying to blow out of all proportion isolated incidents which are being investigated by the Greek authorities and which took place under as yet unclarified circumstances, in order to maintain a climate of tension in relations between the two countries,'' a foreign ministry announcement said.

''It is no surprise to us that this latest statement by Ankara comes at a time when Turkey has been accused internationally over the human rights situation in that country, with regard to both Turkish citizens and minorities, in an effort, for diversionary reasons, to create an impression among public opinion using false accusations,'' the announcement added.

The ministry reminded Ankara of the ''most serious and continual violations of human rights in the political and religious sector, which are being committed against the few remaining ethnic Greeks in Istanbul, Imvros and Tenedos''.

Simitis defends policy on farmers' protests

Tsovolas had criticised the government for ''displaying authoritarianism'' in confronting a new round of farmers' protests.

Simitis retorted saying authoritarianism is to block roads and prevent citizens from moving freely.

''Authoritarianism is the road blockades, authoritarianism is to cause damage to the property of others, authoritarianism is to place your own interest above the interest of all others,'' Simitis said.

The premier said the government would not accept behaviour which was contrary to the provisions of the law and the Constitution.

Tsovolas charged that the government's ''heartless'' policy would lead society to an impasse. He accused the government of using ''police methods'' to frighten the farmers and cause social strife.

Instead of engaging in dialogue with the farmers, Tsovolas said, government ministers were provoking and insulting them.

Noting that ''others'' had adopted authoritarian behaviour, Simitis said the government had entered into a dialogue with farmers and had taken a series of measures to resolve their problems.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) General Secretary Aleka Papariga meanwhile launched a stinging attack on the government from Thessaloniki, describing it as ''pitiful'' and ''dangerous''.

Papariga was replying to questions on statements by Justice Minister Evangelos Yannopoulos who charged that the KKE was behind the farmers' protests.

''I would say that we have a pitiful government which communicates with the people in this manner, indeed pitiful and dangerous,'' Papariga said.

She added that the farmers' problem was particularly acute in Greece, attributing it to ''the concentration of the production and trade of agricultural products in the hands of a few'' which had caused ''indignation and desperation'' among farmers.

Balkan cultural cities network announced

He was speaking immediately after his meeting with his counterparts from Balkan countries, who arrived in Thessaloniki on the occasion of the start to events entitled "Thessaloniki-Cultural Capital '97."

It was unanimously agreed during the meeting to have a "cultural visa" issued with the purpose of facilitating artists to travel, as well as individuals involved in cultural activities.

Specifically, the proposed "Balkan Countries Cultural Network" will function through a secretariat, which will collect information and exchange proposals.

Among others, talks focused on the concept of Balkan cultural identity and its inclusion in a "European cultural identity", preparation of joint cultural programmes and their funding by European Union, UNESCO and Council of Europe funds within the frame work of a European cultural identity.

The meeting of Balkan national culture ministers was attended by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Culture Minister Unkovski, who held talks with Mr. Venizelos on the issue of promoting cultural exchanges for communication, given that, as Mr . Venizelos said afterwards, the issue of the state's name remained open.

Greece welcomes CoE resolution on Cyprus, hopes for improvement

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said, however, that there was "always room for improvement...so that the positions of international bodies are identical with our own."

The Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly said in the resolution that Cyrpus' membership in the EU would entail significant economic and political advantages for the two communities on the divided island.

"It will be a major factor of stability," the resolution stated.

US faults Turkey for worsening human rights record

"The government was unable to sustain improvements made in 1995 and, as a result, its record was uneven in 1996 and deteriorated in some respects," the US State Department said in its 20th annual report on human rights worldwide.

"Serious human rights problems continued," it stated.

Despite such failings, the United States opposes European efforts to require improved human rights as one condition for approving Turkey's bid for membership of the European Union.

"There is a strong case to be made by the United States that Turkey should be more fully integrated into Europe despite the fact that there are p roblems on human rights," US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said on Wednesday.

Mr. Burns spoke after Europe's "big five" powers had told Turkey it could aspire to full membership in the European Union but must make progress on human rights, the Kurdish issue and its disputes with Greece.

The human rights report cited the situation in southeastern Turkey, where most of the Kurdish population lives, as an area of "particular concern (because Ankara) has long denied its Kurdish populationIbasic cultural and linguistic rights."

The State Department accused Ankara of forcibly displacing an estimated 560, 000 non-combatants in its campaign against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a separatist movement known as the PKK, which the United States and Turkey claim is a terrorist group.

The report said Ankara's efforts to compensate Kurdish non-combatants displaced inside Turkey "remained inadequate".

Also, "there are credible allegations that serious security force abuses during the course of operations against the PKK continue," the report said.

It said the government organises, arms and pays a civil defence force in the region known as village guards and this often leaves villagers caught between the two opposing sides.

More broadly in Turkey, the United States charged that "extrajudicial killings, including deaths in detention, from the excessive use of force, in safe house raids, and mystery killings continued to occur with disturbing frequency."

It said police often abused detainees and used torture during periods of incommunicado detention and interrogation.

In the freedom of speech area, "officials of various government agencies continued to harrass, intimidate, indict and imprison human rights monitors, journalists and lawyers for ideas they expressed in public forums," the report said.

The report also noted the continued ban on the operation of the Theological School on the island of Halki despite appeals by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, adding that the Greek Orthodox Church is in danger of losing some of its buildings.

Greece`s candidacy for 1999 Security Council seat explored

Mr. Zaharakis will brief Athens on the initial results of these contacts, which are considered positive. He will embark on a second round of meetings with individual groups representing an entity of countries at the UN.

EU Mediterranean regions meeting on Crete

The committee, currently presided over by general secretary of the Crete region, Stavros Kanbelis, is comprised of regions of Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.

Possibilities for the utilisation of EU programmes, regulations and initiatives, such as MEDA and Interreg IIC are to be discussed during the meeting, as will be the necessity for forming a joint position and policy aiming at reinforcing Mediterranean areas.

Those participating in the meeting include representatives of the European Commission, Greek ministries, Mediterranean EU regions and representatives of non-EU Mediterreanean countries. Greek Eurodeputies, deputies and local authorities from Crete have also been invited.

Major power project between Greek firm and FYROM

The agreement concerns a hydroelectric project with an estimated capacity of 100MW and valued at US$115 million, scheduled to be built on the Tresk River, a tributary of the Axios (Vardar) River running through Skopje.

The project will be called Kotjak Power Station and will begin in early March and will be completed in two and a half years with a loan to be paid off in 10 years.

East Power Corp. was formed with joint Greek-Russian capital, with the majority of shares held by the Elliniki Energiaki Techniki firm.

OTE-INTRACOM agreement announced

Under the agreement, Intracom also undertakes to upgrade the supervision and maintenance system of the existing card phone network.

The new cards are expected to be delivered during 1998.

Intracom has already supplied OTE with 30,000 phone cards following an international tender in 1992.

The company has already extended its activities in the field of public telephones to other countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Bosnia, Albania, Georgia, Armenia and Pakistan.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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