Subject: News I - Tue, 24 Aug 1993 From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Athens News Agency Bulletin, August 24, 1993 ============================================ United Nations, 24/8/1993 (ANA - M. Georgiadou): Greece yesterday agreed to begin direct talks at the United Nations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, while the leader of a US congressional fact-finding mission visiting Greece said that Macedonia is indisputably Greek and said called on Skopje to make concessions to resolve differences with Greece. The agreement to hold direct talks was announced in a joint statement released by the UN Secretariat in New York following separate talks by the UN Secretary General's special representative Cyrus Vance with the Greek and Skopje delegations. "On 23 August 1993 delegations of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, headed respectively by Ambassador George D. Papoulias, special envoy, and Ambassador Ivan Tosevski, special envoy, met together at New York under the good offices of the Representative of the Secretary General, Mr. Cyrus R. Vance. At Mr. Vance's suggestion, which both parties warmly welcomed, they have agreed to commence direct discussions on a continuing basis in Mr. Vance's presence at New York on 28 September 1993, to be followed in due course by a visit of Mr. Vance to Athens and Skopje", the joint statement said. "These direct and continuous discussions will mark a new phase in the effort to resolve the differences between the two parties, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 845 (1993)", it said. The statement also noted that "pending the opening of the discussions on 28 September, both parties reserve their positions, as stated in United Nations documents S/25855/Add.1 and S/25855/Add.2". It added: "The parties wish to express their deep appreciation to Mr. Vance for his tireless efforts in pursuing his mission of good offices". Mr. Vance, a former US secretary of state and until earlier this year co-chairman with Lord Owen of the Yugoslav peace talks, was recently appointed by UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to continue efforts to resolve differences between Greece and Skopje over the former Yugoslav republic's name and its usurpation of Greek symbols. The former Yugoslav republic was admitted to the UN on April 8 under a temporary name but its flag was not raised outside UN headquarters following Athens' objections over its inclusion of a 2,300-year-old Greek emblem, the 16-ray Vergina Sun. Greece also argues that the former Yugoslav republic's insistence on the name "Macedonia" implies territorial ambitions against the northern Greek province of the same name. --- Ambassador Papoulias described yesterday's meeting with Mr. Vance and Skopje's envoy as "very good", adding that the joint statement fully satisfied Greece's positions and as binding for both sides. "In the interim period, Mr. Vance may, of course, have new contacts but I do not see any reason why there should be any difference from the previous talks", he told reporters, when asked whether the new round of talks to begin September 28 would be held at the foreign ministers' level or delegation level. Asked whether any consultations would take place before the next round of talks, Mr. Papoulias said the UN Secretary General's special representative would, as always, be free to communicate with both sides. "We are dependent on the actions and initiatives to be undertaken by Mr. Vance", he said but added that the UN Secretary General might submit a report to the Security Council on developments to date. "The joint statement safeguards the existing legal framework and Greece's positions and, primarily, allows time for good negotiations without pressures ... and for the possibility of a visit later by Mr. Vance to both capitals", Mr. Papoulias said. --- "Macedonia is indisputably Greek", US Congressman Newt Gingrich said yesterday after visiting the Royal Tombs at Vergina. "If Skopje wants to find a mutually acceptable solution ... it must make certain concessions". The Republican congressman, who heads a five-member congressional fact-finding mission to Greece and the former Yugoslav republic, said it was not in Skopje's interest to create new problems at a time when they are faced with the problem of Kosovo. "I will convey these views to the representatives of the Skopje government, whose positions I will hear during our visit there", he added. Mr. Gingrich also expressed the United States' concern about a possible spread of the war in former Yugoslavia and its active interest in the situation in Kosovo and Skopje. His views were echoed by the other delegation members: Republican congressmen Michael Bilirakis and Gerald Solomon and Democrats Roy Rowland and Caroline Maloney. Ms. Maloney, sponsor of a congressional resolution in support of Greece's positions on the issue, described the trip as a "unique experience". "My other colleagues must come here, to the heart of Macedonia, to learn how history was written thousands of years ago. I hope I will find enough co-sponsors for my resolution... I also hope it will receive the support of President (Bill Clinton), whom I will visit as soon as I return to the US", she said. Athens, 24/8/1993 (ANA): Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis yesterday received Serbian opposition leader Vuk Draskovic, currently in Greece on a private visit, to discuss developments in the Balkans and Greek-Serbian relations. "We talked about the need to end and how to end this bloody war so that peace and democracy may prevail in the region", the Serbian Renewal Movement leader told reporters after the meeting. Mr. Draskovic said he had briefed the premier on his party's positions on Bosnia and expressed his reservations about the proposed division of Bosnia into three ethnic mini-states. The Serbian opposition leader said he had also briefed the premier on a plan devised by his party for a rail link between Serbia and Greece. Mr. Mitsotakis was among world leaders who had appealed to the Serbian government for the opposition leader's release after he and his wife were sentenced to 60 days in prison for undermining public order in June.