From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 9 Jun 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Extending Greece's territorial waters "inalienable right" despite Ciller reported threats ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): Greece reiterated yesterday that it would not contribute to the creation of "a climate of artificial tension" in relations with neighbouring Turkey, following publication of a statement attributed to Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller. According to a front-page article in the Turkish daily "Milliyet", Ms. Ciller reportedly said "extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 miles in the Aegean would be a casus belli for Turkey. Should Greece be crazy enough to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean to 12 miles, the very day Greece tries to turn the Aegean into a Greek sea, I will have troops landed on the (Greek) islands within 24 hours". Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that he did not wish to comment on the issue in view of Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias' visit to Istanbul for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers due to begin today. He underlined, however, that it was Greece's sovereign right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles, which it could exercise whenever it deemed fit. Mr. Venizelos told questioners the government was closely monitoring the Turkish government's declared intention to extend the runways at the airports on the Aegean islands of Imvros and Tenedos. According to an ANA dispatch from Istanbul, diplomatic sources yesterday deemed Ms. Ciller's statement "irresponsible", "opportunistic" and "unprovoked", since there was "absolutely no evidence that Greece planned to make use of its right to extend its territorial waters." Sources said the Turkish government is making efforts lately to create artificial tension in Greek-Turkish relations in view of Mr. Papoulias' meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hikmet Cetin on the sidelines of the NATO council, and in an effort to divert Turkish public opinion from major domestic problems. In Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin said Ms. Ciller's statement "had been made off the record several months ago and misinterpreted by the press." "I spoke to Ms. Ciller and she assured me that her remarks had been distorted," Mr. Cetin told a press conference yesterday on the occasion of Nato's Foreign Minister's council. According to 'Milliyet', the Turkish Prime Minister made the statement off the record stipulating that they should not be publicised. "But in light of recent developments in the Aegean," the paper added, "the public should be told." Stating that Turkey's policy on Greek-Turkish relations was "a policy of friendship and good neighbourliness," Mr. Cetin said that "we have problems with Greece but they will be solved through dialogue." "The Aegean should be a sea of peace," the Turkish Minister added. Turning to his meeting with Mr. Papoulias, he said it would also tackle "certain rumours and allegations - rumours which we don't believe - on the issue of terrorism." Ankara claimed recently that Kurdish guerrillas received training in Greece to carry out terrorist activities in Turkey. Athens flatly denied the accusations saying they "are bordering on the absurd." At least two Kurdish prisoners in Turkey said last week they had been tortured by Turkish security forces to confess having received training in Greece. Papoulias statement ------------------- Istanbul, 9/6/1994 (ANA-A.Kourkoulas): Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, who arrived yesterday in Istanbul for the NATO Foreign Ministers' council, told the press he was "satisfied" with Mr. Cetin's and Ms Ciller's "later statements" but expressed "outrage" at such "tendency, cultivated by the Turkish press and other circles, to create a climate of artificial tension, especially on the issue of alleged encouragement of terrorist activities by Greece." "It is unacceptable. In Greece, it has been described as ludicrous," Mr. Papoulias said, adding that he was planning to raise the issue at his meeting with Mr. Cetin. "I will raise the issue with Mr. Cetin, who spoke of rumours and allegations. But it is not possible that such accusations should be based on rumours," he added. Asked whether or not Greece would extend its territorial waters to 12 miles in the Aegean, Mr. Papoulias said Greece's position on the issue was firm and already known and "I don't need to repeat it." Turning to other issues, the Foreign Minister said that efforts were being made to cultivate a positive climate in Greek-Turkish relations "even though there is a reversal in the course of finding a just and peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem." "But efforts for an improved climate and good relations cannot be unilateral. Both sides need to contribute," he concluded. Opposition parties ------------------ Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): In Athens, commenting on Ms. Ciller's statements, Main Opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said that "it is a fact that Turkey faces many problems. The Kurdish problem, the economy, Islamic expansionism. Every time it is faced with problems in the domestic front it seeks to turn publicity lights beyond its borders. Every time it looks for a victim and, usually, it is Greece." Stating that it "is Greece's inalienable right to extend its waters to 12 miles," Mr. Evert said that "Greece will not settle for threats from anybody." "The Greek people stand united to face any danger," he said. Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras said "it is Greece's inalienable right to extend its territorial waters whenever, as a country, we deem fit." He added that the Turkish Prime Minister should be aware of the Greek position on this issue and also bear in mind that the Greek islands are European territory. Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Political Bureau member Orestis Kolozov said: "It is Greece's right under Maritime Law to extend its waters to 12 miles in the Aegean." Premier: 'On the course of ditente' ---------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou last night declared that "the artificial tension between Turkey and Greece was on a course of ditente," which he lauded. Speaking on his way to the Poseidonia '94 shipping exhibition in Piraeus, Mr. Papandreou added that de-escalation already existed. "There is slight ditente because Mr. Demirel made a statement referring to Mr. Karamanlis, his history, and recalled that they had signed an agreement together." "An attempt is made to lower tones," Mr. Papandreou said, adding: "We hope tones will be lowered, because all such artificial problems naturally carry dangers." Rio-Antirio link project begins early fall ------------------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): Preliminary land work on the Rio-Antirrio and Aktio-Preveza links will begin in late summer or early autumn, Alternate Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Yannis Souladakis said yesterday, announcing the two consortia selected to construct the projects The GEFYRA consortium and the Christiani and Nielsen-TEG S.A. consortium -- both comprising foreign and Greek companies -- were selected via a tendering process to build the Rio-Antirrio bridge and Aktio-Preveza link respectively. The tenders were evaluated by two committees comprising Athens Polytechnic professors, engineers and experts. According to Mr. Souladakis, the main work on the projects, in the sea, will begin in late 1994 or early 1995, with completion of the Rio-Antirrio bridge scheduled in five years' time and of the Aktio-Preveza link in three-and-a-half years. He said that the relevant contracts between the Greek State and the two consortia would be signed and ratified by Parliament by the end of July. The Rio-Antirrio project will be constructed through a self-financing method. The Greek State will provide 200 million ECU (in July 1993 rates) while the remainder of the budgeted 449.1 million ECU (without Value Added Tax, in July 1993 rates) cost of the project will be covered by the consortium in own-capital and bank loans. The figure includes the cost of construction as well as all relevant studies. According to GEFYRA's tender, the consortium will exploit the project -- via tolls -- for 35 years. Mr. Souladakis clarified that the duration of exploitation of the bridge by the consortium and other details would be fully clarified during the final negotiations of the terms of the contract, which are to begin in the next few days. The bridge will comprise two lanes in each direction, 3.5 metres in breadth each, a 2-metre-wide emergency lane, and a 2-metre sidewalk. The bridge's total width will be 25 metres, and the total length of the main bridge 2.5 kilometres. The GEFYRA consortium comprises the foreign companies GTM International, GTM Batiments et Travaux Publics, and Joannou and Paraskevaides, and the Greek firms The Volos Technical Company, Elliniki Technodomiki, Athina, Proodeftiki, and K. I. Sarantopoulos. The Aktio-Preveza link will be built with the study-construction method since the evaluation committee rejected, due to insufficient insurance of financing, the tenders of the consortia proposing the self-financing method. The project is budgeted at 40,208,236 ECU. The link will comprise an underwater tunnel with two traffic lanes 1.3 kilometres in length, and full electrical/mechanical equipment with a service building at each end, as well as road access for a link-up with the road network in the region. Mr. Souladakis further announced that the consortium or consortia to construct five major parking garages in the centre of Athens, under the self-financing method, will be selected by the end of 1994. Five consortia have been short-listed already in the first stage of tendering. Clinton envoy ends Skopje talks, may fly to Athens ------------------------------------------------- Skopje, 9/6/1994 (ANA/N.Georgiadis): US special envoy on the issue of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Matthew Nimetz and FYROM president Kiro Gligorov yesterday took great care not to make any statement on their talks here and in Athens Tuesday. "I have nothing to announce... We have all reached an understanding to avoid making any announcement", Mr Nimetz said. He added both sides approached the issue with special care, adding everything depended on consultations in New York under the auspices of special mediator Cyrus Vance. FYROM Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski said earlier he had had meaningful talks with Mr Nimetz and indirect consultations would follow in New York next week. Meanwhile, in a statement to the British newspaper "Daily Telegraph", FYROM president Kiro Gligorov said he did not expect rapid progress on the issue, even after the elections for the European Parliament in Greece. Greek government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday it was likely Mr Nimetz would return to Athens from Skopje, but there was no planned meeting with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. US envoy meets PM on courtesy call ---------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): US ambassador Mr Thomas Niles yesterday met with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos described the visit as a courtesy call. Mr Niles handed the Prime Minister photographic and other material from the latter's recent visit to the US, he said. With Foreign Under-secretary --------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): Mr. Niles also met with Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou. Discussion topics included various facets of Greece's relations with Turkey and Albania and the latest developments in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) issue in light of the second round of visits to Athens and Skopje by US President Bill Clinton's special envoy on Skopje, Matthew Nimetz. Earlier yesterday, Mr. Papandreou met with the German Ambassador to Greece on developments during Greece's European Union presidency. Germany will take over the six-month rotating presidency on July 1. Finnish Defence Minister has round of talks ------------------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): Visiting Finnish Defence Minister Elisabeth Rehn held talks in Athens yesterday with Greek counterpart Gerassimos Arsenis and the military leadership on matters of mutual interest. Ms Rehn conferred successively with Mr. Arsenis, National Defence Under-secretaries Nikos Kouris and M. Benteniotis, and Chief of the National Defence General Staff, Admiral Christos Lymberis. She extended an invitation to Mr. Arsenis to visit Finland. Today, Ms. Rehn will visit the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB) and the Fleet Command, and tomorrow the Museum of Cycladic Art and the battleship "Averof". NATO group due tomorrow ----------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): The commander and a group of officers of the NATO alliance's newly-established rapid deployment force will visit the First Army in Larissa and the Third Army Corps in Macedonia between June 10-11. The visit is part of a NATO map-exercise code-named Anvilghost '94. Bomb discovered near Belgian Embassy, defused --------------------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): A special squad defused a home-made explosive device outside the Belgian Embassy in Kolonaki, minutes before it had been set to explode, press sources said. Police were notified by an Italian Embassy guard across the street who saw two persons laying a parcel near the entrance of the building housing the Belgian Embassy shortly after midnight. The area was immediately sealed off and the bomb squad located the device using specially-trained dogs. No organisation has claimed responsibility for the abortive attempt, but police believe it to be the work of the Revolutionary Popular Struggle (ELA) terrorist group after comparing the device with similar ones used by ELA in the past, the sources added. ELA has claimed responsibility for a number of bomb attacks against foreign targets and government buildings in the past. Meanwhile in Brussels, a Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed the government's appreciation for the "speedy intervention and effective action." Justice Minister in Bucharest, received by President Iliescu ------------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): Justice Minister George Kouvelakis arrived in Bucharest yesterday on a three-day official visit to Romania. Mr. Kouvelakis was received by Romanian President Ion Iliescu after holding talks with his Romanian counterpart Mr. I. Kiusbaia, on issues concerning judicial co-operation between the two countries. Mr. Kouvelakis also met Senate Vice President Mr. V. Sonion and Senate Justice Committee President Mr. I. Predescu. Current accounts deficit markedly reduced ----------------------------------------- Athens, 9/6/1994 (ANA): The current accounts deficit was contained at 141 million dollars in March 1994, compared with 345 million dollars in the same month of 1993, according to figures released yesterday by the Bank of Greece. The favourable development was mainly due to a 17.4 per cent increase in the invisibles surplus and a 3.9 per cent drop in the balance of trade deficit owing to an 81 million dollar drop in the value of imports which more than made up for the 33 million dollar reduction in the value of exports. The balance of current accounts showed a 144 million dollar surplus in the first quarter of 1994, compared with a 227 million dollar deficit in the same three-month period of 1993. The improvement was mainly a result of a 28.6 per cent increase in the invisibles surplus which more than offset the 13.6 per cent rise in the trade deficit caused by a 5.3 per cent increase in the value of imports and a 12.5 per cent reduction in the value of exports. The increase in the invisibles surplus was due to a 14.8 per cent rise in invisible receipts and an 11.8 per cent drop in invisible payments. Net EU inflows contributed greatly to the increase in invisible receipts, reaching 2,099 million dollars as against 1,591 million dollars in the first quarter of 1993. The net inflow of private capital in the first three months of 1994 totalled 916 million dollars, compared with 284 million dollars in the corresponding period of 1993. Public Sector gross borrowing was restricted to 757 million dollars in the first quarter of 1994, compared with 1,706 million dollars in the same period last year, while public sector debt repayments amounted to 1,377 million dollars, as against 1,519 million dollars in t he first quarter of 1993. At the end of March 1994, the country's foreign exchange reserves stood at 9,289 million dollars, compared with 5,531 million dollars at the end of March 1993.