Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-11-03
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 03/11/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Summit of Southeast European countries begins
- Greece wants good relations with Turkey
- Greece presents blueprint for regional economic cooperation
- Balkan leaders' contributions
- Turkish planes infringe Athens FIR
- Language sticking-point in FYROM-Bulgaria relations
- Albanians to undergo vaccination programme
- Greek First Division soccer results
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Summit of Southeast European countries begins
Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis today called for a "new reality" and
a "new page" in the Balkans to avoid a return to "old practices", which he
warned would lead the region to "defeat".
Opening the first-ever Balkan summit, titled the informal Southeastern
Europe Meeting, at Aghia Pelagia near the Cretan capital of Heraklion,
Simitis said that international law, the international treaties and
international bodies of justice "must be an inalienable element of every
policy and comprise the only road to peace, prosperity and development in
the region".
"We are at a crossroads, and persistence in old practices or a return to
the past would lead all of us to defeat," he told the heads of state or
government of Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, FYROM, Romania, Turkey and
Yugoslavia.
"Many see the Balkans as a region of bloody clashes and conflicts,
resulting in their hesitating to embrace the area or keeping distances,"
Simitis told the two-day summit.
"We must change this situation. In our days, with the globalisation of the
economy, economic frontiers have been abolished and groupings of states
(such as the EU and the World Trade Organisation) are being formed. These
historic changes demand adaptation and redetermination of policies for the
coming century," Simitis said.
The Greek premier called for "seeking new perspectives on all the crucial
issues".
He said solutions could not be sought "on the basis of the rivalries of the
past decades, since the meanings that determine the prevailing mentality of
the past -- such as areas of influence, vital space -- do not correspond
with the future".
"We all have a past, but we must overcome it to a great degree in order to
determine the future," he urged.
Simitis said peace and stability should not be "fragile", adding that the
peoples needed to be "assured that there will be no new clashes in the
future".
"The reality in Europe," he said, "creates new potential and should not
increase the distance from our goals, as it is our duty to give the peoples
of the Balkans a better prospect."
Simitis called for the consolidation of peace, respect of international law,
economic cooperation and solidarity in the Balkans, and said "we all desire
an answer to the problems that separate us, and Greece will work for a
better tomorrow".
Greece wants good relations with Turkey
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos stressed today that Greece was greatly
interested in establishing good relations with neighbouring Turkey, just a
few hours before talks this evening between the prime ministers of the two
countries.
Pangalos was speaking to reporters after the first session of the Balkan
summit at Aghia Pelagia, near the Cretan capital of Heraklion.
Prime Minister Costas Simitis was scheduled to meet this evening with his
Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz on the sidelines of the summit.
Pangalos declined to make an forecast about the result of the talks between
the two premiers, saying it was something was concerned only them.
He added that the Balkan leaders who requested bilateral talks with Simitis
were able to choose the manner in which the meeting would be held, noting
that both Yilmaz and Albanian Premier Fatos Nano had asked for one-on-one
talks with the Greek premier.
Asked whether it would be possible for Greece and Turkey, in view of the
summit, to postpone the military exercises currently being conducted by
both countries, Pangalos replied that it was not possible to suspend
exercises which had already begun.
"What is important is that the exercises be conducted without creating any
problems," he stressed.
Replying to other questions, Pangalos noted that the recognition of the
compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court at the Hague was not a
Greek demand but a prerequisite for participation in the European
Union.
He underlined that all European countries had acknowledged the jurisdiction
of the International Court.
Asked to comment on statements yesterday by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail
Cem concerning the peaceful settlement of disputes in the manner stipulated
by article 33 of the UN Charter, Pangalos said Cem's position was
completely compatible with the need to recognise the compulsory jurisdiction
of the Hague court.
He also expressed satisfaction at the position expressed by his Turkish
counterpart.
Concerning the reservation expressed by Greece with respect to the
jurisdiction of the International Court, Pangalos said it pertained to
matters of defence and national security, adding that similar reservations
had been expressed by many countries, including the United States.
"If Turkey too accepts the compulsory jurisdiction of the International
Court, then it too will be able to express one or more reservations and the
two countries (Greece and Turkey) will then be able to see which issues
they can resolve at the Hague," Pangalos said.
At this point, Pangalos said that the issue of the delineation of the
Aegean continental shelf could be examined by the International Court,
expressing his conviction that "in reality, this is the only real problem
between the two countries".
Greece presents blueprint for regional economic cooperation
Prime Minister Costas Simitis today proposed the institutionalisation of
cooperation between the countries of southeast Europe along the lines of
the European Union, at the morning session on the first day of the summit
of Balkan leaders in Crete.
In addition to further summit meetings, Simitis proposed the convening of
"Council of Ministers" to promote separate issues within their competence.
At the end of the session, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos announced
that the next meeting of Balkan foreign ministers would be held in Istanbul
in June while the heads of state and government would meet for the second
time in the Turkish city of Antalya in October next year.
During the session, discussion also focussed on the creation of a Centre
for the Coordination of Economic Activities.
Pangalos said this issue had long been delayed "due to a lack of political
impetus".
Pangalos said the coordination of the activities of non-governmental
organisations was discussed "in a positive climate".
Clearly satisfied with the talks so far, Pangalos said inter-Balkan
cooperation was already a fact.
Presenting the framework of the Greek proposal "for the building of a new
reality in southeast Europe", Simitis said that Balkan ministers competent
for commerce and investments should meet regularly, at least once a year,
to examine the progress made on decisions taken.
"I should like also to propose that we set up in Athens a centre to bring
legislation of the countries of the region into line with the rules of the
European Union.
"Greece has particular experience in this area and could make a decisive
contribution in this respect," Simitis said.
Turning to cross-border cooperation, Simitis proposed that economy and
finance ministers of the region should meet at least once a year, and
experts from the various countries once every six months, "to examine the
financing possibilities available under various EU programmes".
Of decisive importance for the further development of economic cooperation
in the region, Simitis continued, will be the implementation of various
decisions taken by the Balkan governments in the sectors of transport,
telecommunications and energy.
Here too, Simitis proposed meetings of competent ministers at least once a
year and of experts every six months.
"I believe it is necessary to assign to the foreign ministers of our
countries the monitoring of the results of these meetings and (for them) to
discuss progress on these issues at their meetings," Simitis said.
Simitis said the globalisation of the economy did not eliminate the need
for regional cooperation which, he stressed, was of particular importance
"in the case of countries like ours which are relatively isolated
geographically from the nucleus of the European Union".
He stressed that the development of economic cooperation in the region at
all levels should be an absolute priority.
"The limited cooperation and economic relations which existed between our
countries until recently must now be replaced with a network of initiatives
and collaboration, bilateral and multilateral, for the promotion of
investments, common infrastructures, technological cooperation, joint
business ventures, and the optimum use and improvement of human resources,"
Simitis said.
Simitis urged efforts for the creation of "a more cohesive financial area
of cooperation in our region, characterised by development and the
convergence of our economies".
He said in order to upgrade "our position" in the international distribution
of labour and increase the competitiveness of "our products", it was
necessary to improve and expand "our productive bases" through new
investments, particularly in areas of high added value and technology.
"Our countries will become attractive for new investments only if they
succeed in becoming parts of a broader market, which will allow the proper
exploitation of economies of scale," he said.
Therefore, he continued, it was in the common interest to take all the
necessary measures to facilitate the free movement of goods, services and
capital, in line with the provisions of the World Trade Organisation and EU
rules.
Of strategic importance for the future of the region, Simitis said, was
cooperation in the infrastructures sector.
"Today, most investments in the infrastructures sector are not effective
when they are designed for one country alone," he said.
He said the systematic monitoring of the implementation of the various
economic cooperation decisions taken by the countries of the region would
require the operation of a more permanent coordinating body, "for example,
an International Secretariat for the Conference of the countries of
Southeast Europe," in order to secure the necessary continuity between the
various meetings and serve as a point of reference for all the states.
"Greece would be willing to host such a secretariat," he said.
Balkan leaders' contributions
In the discussion following Simitis' presentation this morning, the other
Balkan leaders concentrated on their countries' concern for their future
relations with NATO and the European Union, practical measures to promote
cooperation among Balkan states and support for the idea of frequent
communication between leaders in the region.
According to informed sources, Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
congratulated the Greek government on promoting cooperation and friendship
in the region in the form of the summit.
Mr. Yilmaz also reportedly said that nationalism and intolerance were
threats that should be overcome. Cooperation, he added, was moving forward,
while the accession of the region's countries was of strategic importance.
The Turkish prime minister also expressed approval of the creation of a
free trade zone, proposing that a Regional Trade Centre be based in
Turkey.
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, expressing support for the Greek
initiative, emphasised the need to convince the European Union to change
its view with regard to the Balkans and to change its policy of selective
treatment (of countries in the region).
Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano emphasised that efforts should be
directed toward the adoption of rules of democracy, the protection of human
rights and economic growth. Mr. Nano proposed the foundation of a Centre
for Regional Cultural Communication, based in Albania.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov placed particular emphasis on the need
to develop regional networks in the sectors of energy, communications and
transport. He also expressed the hope that the Egnatia Highway would reach
"as far as Varna".
Meanwhile, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia President Kiro Gligorov
warned against any "hasty regional integration in the creation of new
European regions which did not help the process of European integration",
although he did not rule out the development of all forms of cooperation in
the region.
With regard to the role of Greece as a member state of the European Union
and of NATO, Gligorov stressed that Greece could help towards speeding up
the process of accession to the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance of
countries in the region. This process, however, "should not benefit one
country at the expense of the whole region, nor should new centres of power
be created."
At the same time, the FYROM president proposed the creation of a centre,
based in Skopje, aimed at assisting in the transition from a planned
economy to a market economy.
Turkish planes infringe Athens FIR
Turkish warplanes today infringed the Athens Flight Information Region
(FIR) as leaders from eight Balkan countries, including Turkey, were
holding their first summit on the Greek island of Crete.
National Defence Ministry sources said eight pairs of Turkish jetfighters
infringed the Athens FIR over the central Aegean Sea region, and in one
instance the pair also violated Greek national airspace over the island of
Samos.
The sources said that the Turkish fighters were intercepted by Greek
warplanes in all instances.
Language sticking-point in FYROM-Bulgaria relations
The language problem is the main obstacle to improvement of relations
between Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM),
according to diplomatic observers at the Balkan summit at the Cretan resort
of Aghia Pelagia.
The observations came after a half-hour meeting Sunday night between FYROM
president Kiro Gligorov and Bulgarian prime minister Ivan Kostov.
Gligorov raised the language issue during the sideline meeting with Kostov,
who replied that overall cooperation "can proceed by leaving aside the
language problem".
Kostov side-stepped a reminder by Gligorov that there were about 20
economic cooperation agreements between the two countries that were pending
signature.
Sources close to the FYROM delegation believe that Kostov was not
authorised to discuss the issue, and that it fell under the "exclusive
authority" of Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov.
Albanians to undergo vaccination programme
All Albanians working in Greece are to be innoculated, it was announced
after talks today on a cooperation protocol between Health Minister Costas
Geitonas and his Albanian counterpart Leonard Salis.
Geitonas said only those Albanians who had been innoculated would be given
a work permit. The protocol also provides for the cooperation of the Centre
for Infectious Diseases and the Organisation against Drug Addiction (OKANA)
with regard to an exchange of information on drugs, AIDS and other
diseases.
Greek hospitals will also be treating about 300 cases per year that cannot
be dealt with in Albania.
Greek First Division soccer results:
Panahaiki-Veria 2-1 Apollon-Ethnikos 1-0
Xanthi-Ionikos 4-2 Paniliakos-AEK 2-4
Olympiakos-Kalamata 3-0 OFH-Panathinaikos 0-3
PAOK-Heracles 2-2 Standings-points:
Ionikos, Panathinaikos 21 AEK 19
Olympiakos 18 Heracles, Xanthi 14
WEATHER
Some cloudiness with local rain is forecast around the southeastern parts
of Greece today. Winds north to northeasterly. Local clouds with spells of
sunshine and light northerly winds in Athens with temperatures ranging from
8-17C. Thessaloniki will also be partly cloudy with temperatures from 6-
15C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 269.149
Pound sterling 450.170 Cyprus pd 528.042
French franc 46.529 Swiss franc 191.992
German mark 155.843 Italian lira (100) 15.885
Yen (100) 224.529 Canadian dlr. 191.178
Australian dlr. 188.986 Irish Punt 403.942
Belgian franc 7.558 Finnish mark 51.892
Dutch guilder 138.260 Danish kr. 40.999
Swedish kr. 35.807 Norwegian kr. 38.321
Austrian sch. 22.157 Spanish peseta 1.846
Port. Escudo 1.528
(M.P.)
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