From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 31 Mar 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Romanian President in Athens talks on Yugoslav crisis, bilateral relations --------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Romanian President Ion Iliescu arrived in Athens yesterday on a two-day visit for talks on bilateral relations and the Yugoslav crisis. Mr. Iliescu began talks with President Constantine Karamanlis who reaffirmed the "excellent" ties of traditional friendship between Greece and Romania. The Romanian president also conferred with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, criticising the deployment of Turkish peacekeepers in Bosnia, on the grounds United Nations rules barred participation of states with a historical involvement in a trouble area. "We should take into consideration the basic principle of the United Nations that neighbouring countries should not become involved in the crisis," said the Romanian president, recalling similar remarks he had made to Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during the latter's recent visit to Bucharest. Mr. Papandreou said although the issue of Turkish forces in Bosnia had not been discussed at the meeting, Greece and Romania were firmly opposed to military involvement of Balkan states in the Yugoslav crisis. President Iliescu said a solution to the civil war in former Yugoslavia was vital, cautioning it was a crisis which was fraught with great dangers for the broader region of the Balkans. On Greece's dispute with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, President Iliescu said Romania had taken Greece's views into consideration adding, however, his country was not opposed to the existence of that new Balkan state. The Romanian President also had talks with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias on the Balkan situation and relations between the two countries which, Mr. Papoulias said later, were both "good" and carried "great prospects". Mr. Papoulias said the question of inter-Balkan co-operation after the settlement of the Yugoslav crisis, was raised during the talks. President Iliescu also discussed military co-operation with Greece, and developments in the Balkans and former Yugoslavia, at a half-hour meeting with National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis. Mr. Arsenis said Mr. Iliescu's positions were very similar to those of Greece. Implementation of a defence agreement signed by the Greek and the Romanian defence ministries two years ago was also discussed, in view of the forthcoming visit to Romania of the Chief of the National Defence General Staff Admiral Christos Lymberis. Economic co-operation -------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Romanian President Ion Iliescu also discussed with Alternate National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou ways of expanding economic co-operation between the two countries and the European Union. Economic ties between the two countries have been strengthened over the past 3 years, mainly due to initiatives by Greek businessmen. Mr. Papantoniou told reporters that a delegation of Romanian Ministers would visit Athens next month, to discuss further development of economic co-operation between Greece and Romania. Mr. Papantoniou is due to visit Bucharest in the fall, as head of a group of Greek businessmen. Mr. Iliescu also had a meeting with Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, focusing on co-operation between Balkan municipalities and the European Union. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said the Greek EU presidency would propose the EU Interior Ministers' Council on April 21, organising a two-day meeting of all Balkan mayors. Evert ----- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Mr. Iliescu also held talks with main Opposition New Democracy Party leader Miltiades Evert to discuss the Skopje issue, the Bosnian crisis, and the deployment of Turkish troops in the region. Mr. Evert said during the meeting he presented his proposal for a peace agreement between the Balkan countries. He later told reporters that "I believe Romania's positions are very close to the Greek positions." "I believe there are very good prospects for further cementing ties between the two countries," he added. Mr. Evert described relations with Romania as "very good, with great prospects for further development in the political, economic, commercial and cultural sectors." Dassin launches world campaign for Parthenon Marbles ---------------------------------------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): World-famous film director Jules Dassin, husband of the late Culture Minister-actress Melina Mercouri, yesterday announced an international campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Mr. Dassin, chairman of the Melina Mercouri Foundation, told a press conference that the "prime aim of the Foundation is to seek, in co-operation with the State and the Culture Ministry, the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece", which would be housed in the new Museum at the foot of the Acropolis. Mr. Dassin, whose film "Never on Sunday" catapulted Mercouri to international fame, presented the Foundation's nine-member board, which included film directors and producers, architects and lawyers who, he said, "actively share Melina's dream for the return of the Marbles to their homeland". "Melina's vision," he said, "began in 1962 when she visited the British Museum in London, where the Parthenon friezes are kept, and prompted the establishment of a private organisation to work internationally for their return." On September 18 -- which coincided with Mercouri's birthday -- a group of renowned artists who supported her demand would gather at the Lawrence Olivier Theatre in London to "demand from the British government the return of the friezes", he said. At the same time, he added, renowned Greek artists would display their works at a major exhibition-auction in Athens, the proceeds of which would be donated for building the Acropolis Museum. Meanwhile, it was made known that the hand-written will of Melina Mercouri will be opened after Athens lawyers end their on-going strike. FM hopeful of Skopje progress within fortnight ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Greece said Tuesday it hoped progress would be made in efforts to settle a dispute with the Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia before Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou pays his first official visit to Washington next month. "I hope that in the next couple of weeks we can achieve positive results," Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said. He was speaking after talks, Tuesday evening, between Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Matthew Nimetz, the United States envoy sent over by President Bill Clinton to help mediate the dispute. Mr. Papoulias said the US envoy would shuttle between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in quest of progress in the conflict before Mr. Papandreou visits Washington on April 22. "Mr. Nimetz views that the premier's visit to the United States is a time framework in which some progress can be achieved," Mr. Papoulias said. Greece imposed trade sanctions against the former Yugoslav republic last month in retaliation to its "growing intransigence and aggressive behaviour". Athens insists the neighbouring state change its name, flag and Constitution. Athens argues that the former Yugoslav republic's unwillingness to drop claims to the name 'Macedonia' shows it has territorial designs on Greece's northern province of Macedonia. Mr. Papoulias said the US envoy, who previously visited Skopje, did not request Greece to lift the sanctions, nor did he carry a proposal to help end the dispute. He instead received a detailed briefing from Mr. Papandreou on the reasons that led Greece to take the measure against the former Yugoslav republic and exchanged views on the issue, Mr. Papoulias said. Mr. Nimetz also held talks with Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou over lunch at the invitation of US Ambassador Thomas Niles. Mr. Papandreou told reporters he had a "very substantive dialogue" with Mr. Nimetz. Evert meets with Nimetz ----------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Mr. Nimetz held talks also with main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert. After his 40-minute meeting with Mr. Evert, which the US envoy described as "interesting", Mr. Nimetz said he had had the benefit of Mr. Evert's views. He declined comment on talks he held in Skopje Tuesday with FYROM President Kiro Gligorov. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Evert said "we had a frank exchange of views". "It is my impression that the US and President Clinton are making a sincere effort in finding a solution to the Skopje problem and, as for the outcome, only time will tell". Mr. Evert said he had outlined Greece's position on the "name, symbols issues and Skopje's expansionist policy", stressing the Greek people "remain united on the issue, and the national front will not be broken". "I also reiterated to Mr. Nimetz, as I have already done to our European allies, that Greece is absolutely serious," Mr. Evert said. He added Mr. Nimetz' mission was "more of a fact-finding nature", and the US realised that steps needed to be taken by both sides in order to achieve a solution. Pol.A leader wants referendum on Skopje -------------------------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Political Spring (Pol.A.) party leader Antonis Samaras yesterday asked the government to hold a referendum on the Skopje issue, concurrently with Euroelections. Commenting on US envoy Mr Nimetz's mediation mission, Mr Samaras said the substance of the matter was that Greece should fully maintain a relationship between retortion measures against Skopje and the name issue. Bombs hurled at Orthodox See in Istanbul ---------------------------------------- Istanbul, 31/3/1994 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas) Two firebombs were hurled into the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate's yard at Fanar in Istanbul Tuesday night. A fire which broke out was quickly put out by officials before any damage was caused. Unidentified persons tossed the two firebombs over the northern wall between the main building and the library at about 10 p.m. Sources at Fanar said help from the Fire Brigade was not necessary. Police have recorded the incident and are conducting an investigation, the sources said. Similar incidents have occurred on at least four other occasions in recent months without effective measures being taken for the Patriarchate's security. The election in Istanbul of a mayor belonging to the Islamic "Welfare Party" has increased fears for the security and freedom of the See of the Orthodox Church, and that the Patriarchate might become the target of more provocation. German diplomat as candidate for Council of Ministers post ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): The Greek presidency of the European Union said yesterday it would "seriously consider" German Deputy Foreign Minister Jurgen Trumpf's candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the EU Council of Ministers. This was announced by Alternate Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos after a meeting with Mr. Trumpf. "It is a candidacy of particular interest, and we shall take it into serious consideration," Mr. Pangalos said. Replying to press questions on the negotiations on EU enlargement, Mr. Trumpf expressed the hope that the German EU presidency would be as successful as the Greek presidency before it. He also congratulated Mr. Pangalos on the enlargement negotiations and their completion with respect to the institutional aspect. Mr. Pangalos is also due to meet in Athens tomorrow with the Hungarian Foreign Minister, who will present him with Hungary's application for EU accession. The Polish Foreign Minister is also due in Athens on April 8, and is expected to submit to Mr. Pangalos Poland's application for EU accession. Greek presidency to boost Balkan media programme ------------------------------------------------ Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): The Greek presidency of the European Union said yesterday that it would push ahead with an ambitious Balkan "Media" programme that would link the unique Balkan culture and its audio-visual production with Europe. This was announced by the chairman of the EU Council of Media Ministers, Press Under-secretary Evangelos Venizelos, at the opening here of a two-day EU Audio-Visual Conference. "Television without frontiers", the "Media" programme and the Green Paper on Audio-Visual Policy, as well as the liberalisation of the cultural products and services market in the context of GATT will be the focus of the conference. Swiss FM praises Greek presidency --------------------------------- Athens, 31/3/1994 (ANA): Swiss Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti praised the Greek presidency of the European Union for its success in opening the 12-member bloc to four new members. "In only three months, the Greek presidency succeeded in completing membership negotiations for Sweden, Austria, Finland and Norway," Mr. Cotti said. "The effective work of the Greek presidency proved that Greece, a small country like Switzerland, can achieve great work in the framework of the European Union," he added. Mr. Cotti was speaking in Athens after talks with his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias on bilateral relations between Greece and Switzerland, the Yugoslav crisis and the 20-year-old Cyprus problem. On Greece's dispute with the Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, the visiting Swiss official expressed hope that a solution "safeguarding traditional and historic values" would be found. He said Switzerland was also willing to embark on a mission to help resolve minority problems in Europe. US, Greece to co-operate on terrorism, drugs, crime ----------------------------------------------- Washington, 31/3/1994 (ANA/D. Dimas): The United States and Greece have decided to promote co-operation in the application of international law in the fields of terrorism, narcotics and organised crime, a joint Greek-American statement said yesterday, after talks Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis had with American officials. The United States has agreed to undertake a special evaluation of technological and training needs of Greek police and "upgrade training programmes in the field of anti-terrorist assistance, while the Greek Government expressed its will to make full use of these programmes".