From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 10 Dec 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Dec. 10, 1993 Brussels, 10/12/1993 (ANA): European socialist leaders yesterday expressed unreserved support for EC commissioner Jacques Delors' proposal, known as the "White Paper", on the European Union economic recovery. Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou declared that a similar political proposal drawn up by Alan Larsson of Sweden on behalf of socialist, was "satisfactory", adding an amendment of interest to Greece was made on his initiative. "Reducing working time is an issue for individual countries, as there is no central policy", Mr. Papandreou said, adding it was up to each country to decide on whether or not working hours should be reduced along with pay cuts. Former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard agreed with Mr. Papandreou's view, at a joint press conference. Mr. Papandreou said such proposals laid special emphasis on the human element, education, new technologies, communications and transport to enable the European economy to develop without a high transport cost. Responding to questions at a joint press conference by socialist leaders, Mr. Papandreou said the Greek presidency would support the policy of Community enlargement. Asked to comment on the resurgence of neo-Nazism, Mr. Papandreou said he would like to stress first and foremost, the significance of the problem posed by unemployment. "Unemployment is not only an economic phenomenon. It is also a social phenomenon. It is, therefore, a prime and major target for us. It is a difficult target. Because universality exists in markets today. In essence, there are no economic borders, with speedy technological development creating structural, not merely cyclical unemployment", Mr. Papandreou said. Referring to the impact of unemployment beyond the economic sector, Mr. Papandreou said "I believe continued unemployment at present levels will also decisively jeopardise democratic institutions". Mr. Papandreou said extremist phenomena, such as acts of terrorism, are phenomena of alienation reflecting lack of solidarity, while market values have replaced all human values. "It is for this very reason that we, who represent Europe's socialist parties, believe that the root of all evil lies there. Of course, dangers exist. Our colleague from Italy also referred to them - great dangers for institutions. "It is, therefore, our resolve to do everything in our power to address - with all means at our disposal - the source of the problem consisting of unemployment and recession, and symptoms of racism and xenophobia", Mr. Papandreou said. Brussels, 10/12/1993 (ANA - S. Liarellis): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will meet with US President Bill Clinton in Brussels between January 9-11, sources said yesterday. The meetings was finalised by Alternate Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and the US Ambassador to Brussels. President Clinton will fly to Belgium for the NATO Summit on January 10. He is also scheduled to meet with European Commission President Jacques Delors, the sources added. Belgrade, 10/12/1993 (Reuters): International mediators scrapped tentative plans to reconvene a meeting of Bosnia's three warring parties in Greece this weekend, after talks with Serb leaders in Belgrade yesterday, their spokesman said. Peace envoys Lord Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg decided instead to try for another round of talks in the week beginning December 20, spokesman John Mills said. "Their view after the meeting was that the time is not quite ready for a meeting between the parties this weekend as had been envisaged", Mr. Mills said at U.N. headquarters for ex-Yugoslavia in Croatia. Earlier in Athens, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos declined to confirm or deny media reports of a possible meeting of leaders of former Yugoslavia in Thessaloniki "in coming days". Mr. Venizelos told the press that he had nothing official to announce, adding however that media reports were "optimistic" about the possibility of such a meeting being held. Sofia, 10/12/1993 (ANA - MPA/AFP): The Black Sea Bank of Commerce and Development' headquarters will be established in Thessaloniki, a one-day Foreign Ministers' meeting of the 11 members of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation grouping decided yesterday. The decision was hailed by the Greek Embassy in Sofia. Greece was represented by Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias. Candidates for the bank's headquarters were the host country (Bulgaria), Greece, Romania and Turkey. According to the bank's statutes adopted in October, Russia, Greece and Turkey will have a 16.5 percent holding. Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine will get 13.5 percent each, and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova two percent each. The bank has a registered capital consisting of 300 million dollars in SDRs (special drawing rights with IMF), of which 100 million will be issues when the bank opens and the remaining 200 million during the next eight years. The meeting also decided to appoint a Turk as the Bank's president and a Bulgarian national vice-president. The conference was opened by Bulgarian President Zhelio Zhelev. In his inaugural address, he called on member-countries to pay "particular attention to the development of transport and communications networks, in line with European standards" to link the Black Sea basin with Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Envoys from Poland and Tunisia attended the meeting as observers, while Israel and Slovakia sought observer status. Athens, 10/12/1993 (ANA): At a meeting with Mr. Papoulias yesterday, President Zhelev expressed Bulgaria's gratitude for Greece's vote of support in ratifying a temporary trade agreement between Bulgaria and the European union and Bulgaria's efforts to join European structures. Mr. Zhelev proposed the Greek parliament be first to ratify the agreement. Athens, 10/12/1993 (ANA): Serbian Culture Minister Roco Stoicic arrived in Greece yesterday for a three-day visit at the invitation of Xanthi town Mayor F. Amourides. Last Summer 60 children from Serbia spent their holidays in Xanthi, while 150 children are expected to spend Christmas as guests of 150 families of the city. Mr. Stoicic said the Serbian people were grateful for Greece's support. "Serbs will never forget the difficult embargo period, as also the great help of the Greek people", he added. The Serb Minister will tour archaeological sites, Byzantine monasteries and attend a cultural event in his honour. Athens, 10/12/1993 (ANA): Cyprus National Council members will visit Athens on December 17, for talks with the Greek government on the Cyprus problem Foreign Ministry spokesman Kostas Bikas said yesterday. They will meet with Premier Andreas Papandreou and Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, Mr. Bikas added. Athens, 10/12/1993 (ANA): A Cyprus settlement is the cornerstone in relations between Athens and Ankara, Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias told his Turkish counterpart, Hikmet Cetin, when they met in Brussels, last Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kostas Bikas told the press yesterday. "It was an acquaintance meeting between the two foreign ministers", the spokesman added. Brussels, 10/12/1993 (ANA - P. Pantelis / G. Daratos): Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday called on the European Peoples' Party to support Greece on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). "Greece believes this issue concerns vital Greek interests, and may pose a threat to its territorial integrity in the future. We wish to make it clear from the beginning that Greece desires FYROM's existence as a state entity, and is also prepared to help in this direction with all means at its disposal. However, it is self-evident FYROM should not use a name or symbols which are detrimental to Greece and reveal aggressive intentions. Its constitution should respect existing borders and not nurture aggressive intentions", Mr. Evert added. "I should also point out nobody has ever explained to us what interests are so vital to certain of our partners in regard to FYROM, as to carry so much more weight than their interests with Greece, as to lead them into a breach of Community solidarity. The sole thing our friends have invoked and are still invoking is the need to safeguard stability in the region. However, stability in the region is of at least as much importance to us who live in the region, as it is to our friends who do not live in it. However, we believe that stability is not safeguarded by mere recognition or establishment of diplomatic relations", he said. "This was proved in the case of Croatia and Bosnia, where war is still raging, despite the fact that they have recognised by all countries of the world. We believe that stability is safeguarded only by an understanding of reality and providing a rational solution to problems", Mr. Evert stressed. Mr. Evert supported EU enlargement by including Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway, adding "we believe Cyprus and Malta should join (the European Union) soon because conditions for admission exist too". Istanbul, 10/12/1993 (ANA): Ethiopian Coptic Church Patriarch Abuna Pavlos, currently visiting Greek-orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos of Constantinople, attended a special service in his honour, conducted at St. Nicholas Church, Istanbul, yesterday. Patriarch Pavlos is accompanied by three Ethiopian Archbishops, and Metropolitan Petros, on behalf of the Greek Orthodox See of Alexandria and All Africa.