From: miltos@nfl2.irc.nrc.ca Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 30 Oct 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Brussels, 30/10/93 (ANA-P.Pantelis/S.Liarellis)--Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou yesterday told a press conference he was satisfied with the results of the EC summit and that the policy of economic development and employment is occupying a major position in the Community of the "12" for the first time. Mr Papandreou was speaking at the end of the special EC summit here yesterday. "Greece won the seat for the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, which will be established in Thessaloniki", Mr Papandreou said. Emphasis, he said, was given to promoting Common Foreign Policy and Political Security (CFPPS). 'What I must underline is that for the first time so many voices have been heard expressing Commission President (Jacques) Delors and also our proposal on the major problems of economic recession and unemployment", he said. It was decided that the seat of the European Monetary Institute be given to Frankfurt, Germany, he said. Common action by CFPPS, he said, encompasses the Yugoslav issue. "The impression might be created that with the inclusion of the Yugoslav issue, the regulation of unanimity is abolished and the regulation of the majority is accepted. This is not the Greek position," he said, adding that: "The European Council calls upon the Foreign Ministers Council to decide on the implementation of joint action with UN co-operation". Mr Papandreou said the issue of unanimity would be presented to the EC Council of foreign ministers and Greece would put its position clearly. The rule of unanimity will apply to former Yugoslavia, he said, adding that the problem is crucial for Greece and Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is committed to insisting on this position. Mr Pangalos, who was present at Mr Papandreou's press conference, did not raise the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) at the foreign ministers council which convened parallel to the Community leaders meeting. "We briefed all sides on the Greek position that we will not accept recognition under the name 'Macedonia'. Consequently, it is not expedient to raise the issue and let others do so", he said. Mr Pangalos said the outcome of the special EC summit was positive. He said it achieved an agreement between the Council of Ministers, the Commission and the European Parliament on the implementation of the Maastricht treaty. Moreover, he said, it too, decisions on the issue of the Community's seats and agencies and on co-operation with the European police on controlling drug trafficking. Enlargement was also decided, he said, with the admission of new member-states without the reorganisation of institutional agencies. "it also underlined the positive convergence of the '12' on economic development and the tackling of unemployment", he said. Athens, 30/10/93 (ANA)--Serbian Vice President Danilo Markovic yesterday expressed hope that Greece would support moves to lift the United Nations embargo on the rump Yugoslavia and Greece when it assumes the EC presidency in January. "It is a collective form of punishment against our people and we hope that Greece, when it assumes the Community presidency will take certain steps in the direction of curtailing the extend of the embargo ", Mr Markovic told a press conference in Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Mr Markovic, accompanied by the Serbian interior minister, is visiting Thessaloniki to attend a Balkan symposium. On the possibility of the Bosnian conflict spreading to Kosovo, Mr Markovic said: "We will have no war in Kosovo since the region is the soul of Serbian culture and everybody knows this". Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)--Greece yesterday denied allegations that it was expelling thousands of illegal Albanian immigrants in response to recent series of border incidents, a government spokesman said. "Mass deportations are not taking place but the Greek government is responding in accordance with international law and relevant (Greek) legislation", government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. His statement aimed to refute reports from Tirana alleging that Greek authorities had expelled over 2,000 illegal Albanian immigrants. Mr Venizelos also deplored the "problems and tension" caused by Albanian authorities against the Greek ethnic minority during celebrations of Greece's national holiday Thursday. He said despite the tension caused by the Albanian government, Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias would carry out his scheduled tour of Balkan capitals, including Tirana, in November. Mr Venizelos also expressed the Greek government's satisfaction over a recent European Parliament resolution condemning Tirana's violation of the ethnic Greek minority's human rights. He reiterated that Athens wished to improve relations with Tirana, "provided the Albanian government respects international law and the human rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania". --Greek schools in Northern Epirus operate under circumstances reminiscent of Ottoman rule and in many areas children of Greek ethnics are taught secretly at homes to avoid being discovered by Albanian police, ethnic Greek minority teachers charged in Thessaloniki yesterday. The teachers are attending the Sixth International Pedagogic Congress, which opened in Florina yesterday. The subject of the congress is "Hellenism of the Diaspora and its Education". The teachers added that over recent months the Albanian regime's policy had focused at fully isolating the Greek ethnic minority from its Hellenic roots by withholding Greek history and doing away with customs and traditions linking Greeks of Albania to Greece. Nicos Katsalidas, a high-school teacher in Saranda, told the congress that Greek ethnic minority children's textbooks consisted of politically-slanted translations by Albanian authorities, there were no Greek schools at all in places inhabited by the minority, and Greek history and tradition were not taught. Ms Dimitriadi- Christidi, a secondary education teacher in Thessaloniki, who visited Albania recently, said that although language and educational entity had been acknowledged, Albanian state interference in educational and religious matters had repeatedly swept aside human rights and fundamental precepts of international law. Greek language tuition is limited to basic education and, at the Gyrokastr Pedagogic Academy, only Albanian is taught, she said. Gyrokastr, Albania 30/10/93(ANA-M.Vichos)-Albanian police yesterday arrested the president of the Dervitsani Community Vangelis Varoufas, following incidents Thursday at which an Albanian flag was burnt shortly before the beginning of October 28 celebrations at the village of Dervitsani. Mr Varoufas is being kept in custody at Gyrokastr police station. Yesterday morning he met with two Greek deputies of the main opposition New Democracy party, who have been touring Greek minority villages. Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)--Former Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Sotiris Kouvelas announced yesterday that he was withdrawing his candidacy for the post of main opposition New Democracy party leader. "With the passing of time, it become evident that certain factors, other than those mentioned in the party statutes, are prevailing today and participation in the race for leadership will not help the maintenance of unity in the party", he said. He added that the principles of ND were in harmony with the character of the people of Greece and that the country was in need of a strong and effective party. Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)-- US ambassador-designate to Greece Thomas Niles arrived in Athens yesterday to take up his new post. In an arrival statement, he voiced hope that he could contribute to further development of bilateral relations between Greece and the United States. "I hope I can contribute to a further improvement in the bilateral relationship and ensure that the United States and Greece and our other Western allies work effectively together to deal with the many important international issues that face us, both political and economic", he said. Mr Niles, 55, most recently Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs, joined the Foreign Service in 1962. He served as ambassador to the European Community from 1989 to 1991. He also served in the former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia, among other tours of duty. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Mr Niles holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a graduate degree from the University of Kentucky School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. He is married with two children. Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)--President Constantine Karamanlis yesterday expressed hope that relations between Greece and Turkey would develop to the mutual benefit of both peoples, in a message congratulating his Turkish counterpart Suleyman Demirel on Turkey's national holiday. In wishing the Turkish people progress and prosperity, Mr Karamanlis said:"I also hope that relations between our two countries will develop to the mutual benefit of our peoples in the interest of peace and co-operation in our region". Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)--National Economy Minister George Yennimatas said yesterday the new government would not impose further taxes and that efforts would focus on shrinking Greece's double-digit inflation. "The government's basic target is to reduce inflation to avoid the vicious circle of interest rate increase that lead to the rise of inflation", Mr Yennimatas said. "New tax measures will not be imposed and there will be no increase in public utility rates in 1993 and 1994 for profitable public corporations", he told a news conference held to outline the economic goals and strategies of the new government. He made clear that profits of state companies would be used to finance their investments and ot the budget deficit. Mr Yennimatas said the deficit inherited from the conservative government totalled 4.25 trillion drachmas, more than 1 trillion drachmas over state budget forecasts. The budget's "black hole", he said, would be covered by increasing tax revenues through stiff against rampant tax evasion. Mr Yenimmatas said the government's top priorities entailed improving market competition, bolstering investment incentives in the Balkans, attracting foreign investors, boosting productivity, and improving relations between the public and private sectors. Mr Yennimatas said the government would take measures to upgrade the Athens Stock Exchange, including a plan to float limited shares of state companies on the market. 'We pin our hopes on the stock market's revival", he said before meeting bourse representatives to discuss measures which will improve the outdated but active market. He said the new state budget would be tabled for debate in parliament by November 30. Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)--Greece has once again been elected to the A Group Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)--a world body handling issues related to safety at sea, the Merchant Marine Ministry announced yesterday. "Apparently, IMO members appreciate Greece's international status in world shipping", Merchant Marine Minister George Katsifaras said yesterday. Britain, China, Japan, Norway, US, Italy and Russia have also been elected to the Council, based on their contribution to international sea services. The elections took place in London within the framework of the IMO 18th congress. Athens, 30/10/93(ANA)--The European Community's Cohesion Fund director Jean-Francois Verstryne announced the first Greek projects to receive Commission approval for funding at a press conference yesterday. The Cohesion Fund--totalling some 55 million ECU, or 15 billion drachmas--funds projects relating to the environment and transport. EC participation is 47 million ECU (13 billion drachmas) or 85 per cent. Environmental projects approved include the following: two packages for integrating archaeological sites; a project for protecting subterranean water conduits; a package for refuse processing; a package for disposal; a package for irrigation networks; and a feasibility study for a research and training centre on the environment. The project for integrating archaeological sites includes restoration of the following: Athens'old trading centre; the Daphni Monastery; the inner-city area of Exarchia, with the aim of upgrading the centre of Athens and protecting the architectural division and character of the city; two post-Byzantine monuments in Plaka; the site surrounding Areos Pagos; and the archaeological site of Elefsina. More environmental projects will be carried out in Patras, Veria, Naussa, Yannitsa, Volos, Halkis, Trikala, Karditsa, Skiathos, Aegion, and other places. Approval of other projects relating to transportation, which is also financed under the Cohesion Fund, is anticipated, and will provide employment for a large number of persons. Greece has submitted over 100 projects for EC evaluation.