From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 12 Apr 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Athens denies Albanian border killing report -------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): Greece yesterday flatly rejected Albanian claims an attack on a conscript training centre in Gjirokastr, near the Greek-Albanian border, early Sunday, had been carried out by Greek "Special Forces." Albanian television has claimed two soldiers were killed and three others wounded. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the report came as a "great surprise." He said the "Albanian allegations were obviously contradictory since, on the one hand, they attempted to lay the full blame on the Greek government for a supposedly planned operation, while calling on Athens to locate and punish unidentified perpetrators, on the other." Mr. Venizelos further said: "It goes without saying, that since Greece deplores and condemns all acts of violence, it could have no connection whatever with any such incident. This is already well-known both to the international community and the Albanian government and, therefore, Greece will tolerate no provocation or any groundless accusations brought against it." "It follows, that any attempt to connect Greece with incidents of this kind, is utterly unacceptable," Mr. Venizelos said. "Greece is a fundamental element of peace, security and stability in the Balkans, which have become a region of multi-faceted tension and provocation," the spokesman stressed. "At the same time, constant improvement in Greek-Albanian relations is a set target of Greek foreign policy," Mr. Venizelos noted. The Greek government has drawn up a comprehensive and formal reply to the Albanian demarche lodged with the Greek Embassy in Tirana, which will be conveyed to the Albanian government through diplomatic channels. Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou later told the press the border incident was "disturbing" and "provocative". National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said statements made by the Albanian side on the incident, were "merely groundless claims" as far as Greece was concerned. Albanian Mob main suspect ------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): Meanwhile, tension swept across southern Albania after the attack. Despite Tirana's attempt to blame it on to Greece, public opinion in Albania believes it is the Albanian Mafia - which has spread its activities all over the country - that is responsible for the act, including murders of policemen and civilians and robberies. Army officers in the Gyrokastr region believe the attackers were aware of details of the base and had evidently served there. Moreover, weapons stolen were of the same type as those used by Albanian Mafia mobsters to guard drugs plantations, primarily along the Albanian coastline. The Greek ethnic minority unanimously deplored the attack and the killings of Albanian servicemen and called for an investigation and exemplary punishment of the culprits. French President's wife Athens honorary citizen ----------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): Danielle Mitterrand, wife of the President of France and president of the Association for the Defence of Human Rights, was yesterday proclaimed an honorary citizen of Athens, in recognition of her contribution to the defence of human rights, democracy an d individual liberties. Mrs Mitterrand yesterday opened an action week against racism, an initiative organised by the Greek chapter of the International Federation SOS- Racism, the Justice Ministry and the Municipality of Athens. US envoy at Crete base closing ceremony --------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): "It is difficult to accept foreign troops on one's soil, even though they may be allies. We appreciate the help and affection you have shown to two generations of Americans", American ambassador to Athens Thomas Niles said at the closing ceremony of the American base at Gournes, Crete. The base, in operation for 40 years, was officially handed over to the 126th Battle Squadron of the Greek Airforce. It served as a supply, administrative support and communication base for a number of smaller units in the Mediterranean. Venizelos: Quick, viable settlement needed for Bosnia --------------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): The government said yesterday that the Bosnian problem necessitated a "just, rapid and viable" solution following Sunday air strikes by NATO planes on Bosnian Serb forces attacking the Moslem enclave of Gorazde. Replying to press questions on the strikes, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said: "A solution should be in accordance with the rules of international law and respect the decisions already taken by various international bodies." Meanwhile, National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said that Greece was closely following developments in the region, and expressed hope that there would be no continuation of "the incidents" in Bosnia. He said that Greece had been informed about the operational side of yesterday's NATO air strikes. In a speech at the Panteios University in Athens, Mr. Arsenis said that "Greece must not be a party to the crisis in the Balkans, but an arbitrator for resolving regional crises such as the situation in former Yugoslavia." Main Opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday said he felt concern the war in Bosnia would spread in the greater Balkan region and entangle the neighbouring states in a great adventure. Mr. Evert called on the government to intervene, in its capacity as EU President, to restrain conflict and a possible spreading of war. A spokesman for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) yesterday said Greece should not become entangled in the Bosnian crisis. "It is certain that (the deployment of Greek armed forces in the region) will complicate things even more and further entangle the nation, with unforeseen consequences for the Balkans," the spokesman said. Arsenis: No Greek crews in Bosnia air strikes --------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): In another statement later in the evening, Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis made it clear that Greek crews are not participating in flights related to air strikes in Bosnia, reaffirming that all AWACS aircraft are located in Italy. Referring to the issue of whether or not Greece was informed on the first air strike, Mr. Arsenis said it had been informed after the event, not before. Mr. Arsenis reiterated a remark that there was no political machinery for notifying member-states in advance of action emanating from Naples headquarters. He explained that the General is authorised at the request of UN forces in Bosnia to carry out air strikes without informing member states beforehand. The question of notifying NATO member-states in advance will be discussed at ministerial level at the next session in May, Mr. Arsenis said. Invoking unofficial reports, Mr. Arsenis said the Bosnian Serbs held 40 peacekeepers, probably French, as hostages. Mr. Arsenis said the Defence Ministry has been alerted and is following developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina, while he himself was in constant contact with Prime minister Andreas Papandreou on the issue. He also had meetings with staff chiefs on the matter. Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou held a half-hour meeting last night with Ambassador of rump Yugoslavia Milan Milutonovic. November 17 intended rocket attack on UK warship ------------------------------------------------ Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): Police yesterday revealed an intended attempt by elusive "November 17" terrorist organisation to carry out a rocket attack on the British aircraft carrier Ark Royal near the port of Piraeus. The Ark Royal, the British fleet's largest warship, had been docked for maintenance work since March 31 after arriving from patrol duty in the Adriatic Sea with NATO and Western European naval forces enforcing the UN embargo on rump Yugoslavia. The vessel left Piraeus yesterday, to resume duty after crew members carried out a thorough search of the carrier. Police said that they had found two 3.5 inch rockets and two plastic pipes, apparently to be used for firing the projectiles, in an old timber warehouse near the site Ark Royal had been docked. The police search was prompted by an anonymous telephone caller who also said that the organisation had fired a rocket at the Ark Royal ten days ago. Police and anti-terrorist units searched the Piraeus harbour area, but failed to find anything until another second anonymous caller phoned Athens police headquarters saying there were some "strange objects" in an old timber warehouse. Insurance offices rocketed --------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): Meanwhile, "17 November" terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for a rocket and bomb attack against an American and Dutch insurance companies yesterday causing damage but no injuries. An anonymous caller telephoned private radio and television station SKY in Athens claiming responsibility for the attacks on behalf of the urban guerrilla organisation. A rocket hit a building housing the offices of the American Life Company (ALICO), in the northern Athens suburb of Maroussi, 45 minutes after midnight Sunday. Three minutes later a home-made bomb exploded at the offices of the Dutch insurance company Nationale Nederlanden in the same suburb, not far from the ALICO offices. Commenting on the 17 November hits, Coalition of the Left and Progress party leader Nikos Costantopoulos said terrorism was a challenge to democratic institutions. "Failure to cope with the problem of terrorism for over 20 years, is a challenge to democratic institutions," he said. Victoria (Australia) Prime Minister details co-operation with Greece ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): Visiting Victoria (Australia) Prime Minister Jeff Kennett yesterday voiced support for the Greek positions on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Mr. Kennett said Victoria "is awaiting Greece's assurance that the dispute (with Skopje) is settled in order to further (diplomatic) relations with FYROM". He was speaking after a meeting with Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou, during which it was agreed Greece and Australia should set up a business council that would focus on commercial interests and developing "cultural exchanges" between the two countries. Mr. Kennett told reporters that a number of issues had been discussed, of which two he considered of "great importance." "One is the question of knowledge of Greek affairs in Australia, in Victoria, both historic and current," especially Greece's membership in the European Union, "and, secondly, an opportunity to develop further cultural and commercial ties" between Greece and Australia. "At present, we do very little business with each other, partly because of distance, and also because of costs," Mr. Kennett said. "But now, I think that with Greece's full membership of the European Community there are very real opportunities for Australians to position themselves in such a way as to expand markets through joint ventures," he said. Mr. Kennett said that, together with Mr. Papandreou, it had been agreed to develop the concept of suggestions within the context of an Australian-Greek Council. "We will not only concentrate on commercial interests, but also on developing cultural understanding and exchanges," he said, adding the two sides were "very keen that our relationship should have time to build over the years, so that we may be able together, through our governments, to enhance opportunities for both our communities." As there was very little commercial trade between Australia and Greece, Mr. Kennett went on, "what we are going to do over the next few months is to try and put together this Australian-Greek Council" that should "ultimately lead to long rather than short-term benefit." "We are both interested in the manner in which we could lead our communities into the 21st century not only here in Greece, but through Greece into the Balkans and the broader European community," he said. Gov't blames ex-king of political intervention ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 12/4/94 (ANA): The government yesterday accused ex-king Constantine of "trying to intervene politically" following a statement by him challenging a recent decision to seize his property in Greece and cancel the passports of the former royal family. "The statement by the ex-king is provocative and fully justifies the government's decision to table the bill (providing for property seizure and passport cancellation), government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. He added that the fact that the former monarch signed the statement as "King Constantine II" was "provocative" and that "the moment he chose was no coincidence." "The government," Mr. Venizelos said, "does not expect advice on issues of foreign policy or national dignity from the former King." The political parties, he went on, "both the ruling party and the opposition, are capable of handling these issues in a lawful and impeccable manner." The spokesman said it was not possible for Constantine to enjoy a special legal status as the ex-king, but that the issue of nationality could be re-examined if all preconditions were fulfilled, including respect for the Constitution. In the statement by the ex-King released here yesterday by Admiral Stavridis (Ret.), Constantine described the government's recent decision to return the royal property to the state and cancel his family's passports as "unconstitutional" and "contrary to the rules of international law, of the European Union and common sense."