From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 22 Jul 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, PM confident Parliament capable of electing President next spring ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 22/7/1994 (ANA): Speaking at the opening session of PASOK's second Central Committee conference yesterday, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou expressed the conviction that the present Parliament can elect a new President of the Republic next spring. "The presidential election of spring 1995 neither opens nor closes a political cycle. This opened last October. We consider the potential of the present parliament to elect a President of the Republic, just a year-and-a-half after the elections as natural... If others assume the responsibility of going to the polls, they will get the Greek people's reply," he said. The Prime Minister stressed that the people have voted PASOK in for a four-year term and the application of its policy requires conditions of political stability, which its comfortable majority in Parliamentary and unity as a democratic party warrant. He went on to say that Greece will not go through a phase of "Italianisation" of its political life, this having been attempted in 1989 and failed. He referred to the work of the government since assuming power, saying that there had been no substantial divergence from its initial policy statement, but he also indirectly blamed certain party members for the government's poor image, or for alleging that other interests guided government policy. He attributed PASOK's significant reduction in electoral strength in the recent Euroelections not only to the main image of the government and the Movement, but also to "the flood of social demands and expectations, the inability to offer a convincing explanation why our economic policy cannot provide direct answers for everything and to everyone", the cultivation of unrealistic expectations etc. Referring to the forthcoming municipal and prefectural elections, the Prime Minister said they will be a test of the Movement's strategy in relation to the institutional reforms that have been effected. He described the contest as crucial. With regard to the issue of electoral collaboration, Mr Papandreou said the tickets that will participate in the contest will have to enjoy widest possible acceptance and co-operation with forces that favour the upgrading of local government. Nevertheless, he added, such tickets cannot be the outcome of "summit agreements" and negotiations. The persons to be selected, he said, must fulfil wider requirements in order to serve local government. Referring to the role of the Central Committee, he stressed the need to return to a more 'collective' PASOK, adding that the Committee must forge the Movement's unity and continuity. Papoulias pledges Greek bid to lift Iraq UN embargo ------------------------------------------------ Athens, 22/7/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday pledged to lobby for the lifting of sanctions against Iraq, provided Baghdad complied with all UN conditions for a return of stability in the region. "We will mediate for lifting sanctions against Iraq, provided demands set by the international community are met," Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said after talks with his visiting Iraqi counterpart Tariq Aziz. Sanctions were slapped on Baghdad after its August 1990 invasion of Kuwait and subsequent seven-month occupation. A Security Council decision Monday said sanctions should be maintained, despite requests by members of the 15-seat body to issue a statement saying Iraq had made progress in complying with weapons demands. The United States, backed by Britain, spoke against any statement as well as against any steps towards considering a change in the sanctions regime. Mr. Aziz expressed satisfaction at his talks with Mr. Papoulias, adding the Iraqi people "suffer from the continuing UN embargo." Papantoniou meets with US counterpart --------------------------------------- Washington, 22/7/1994 (ANA/D.Dimas): National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou met with his US counterpart Lloyd Bentsen here Wednesday, on bilateral and international economic issues. Mr. Bentsen, a former senator from Texas, ran as former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis' vice president on the unsuccessful Democratic presidential ticket in 1988. Mr. Papantoniou is also scheduled to confer with other top officials of the Clinton Administration on trade and economic issues, and leaders of international economic organisations in Washington, before leaving today for a round of meetings with business circles in New York. Euro-parliament praises Greek presidency work --------------------------------------------- Strasbourg, 22/7/1994 (ANA/M. Savva): A plenary session of the new European Parliament passed its first resolution yesterday, expressing satisfaction on successful achievements under the Greek European Union rotating presidency. The resolution, proposed by Socialist, Christian Democrat, Liberal, Gaullist and Radical groups, praises the enlargement of the EU, GATT negotiations, the Parliament's participation in the 1996 inter-governmental conference and the ratification of the fourth research programme. It also calls on national parliaments to participate in the process of revising the Maastricht Treaty. Mention is also made of the fact the European Council has achieved considerable progress on the question of the candidacies of Cyprus and Malta for EU membership, stressing the hope a timetable for negotiations will be prepared as soon as possible. While expressing regret that the problem of unemployment had not been handled in an appropriate manner, the House endorsed conclusions reached at the Corfu summit on the White Paper, small and medium-size enterprises and inter-European networks, but added concern over existing delays in the energy, communications and environment sectors. The resolution also expresses satisfaction on both EU enlargement with four new members and the signing of a partnership and co-operation agreement with Russia. It further calls for immediate closure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, condemned the international community's passive stance over genocide in Rwanda, and lauds progress achieved between Bosnians and Croats in Bosnia, adding that only a similar agreement with the Serbs might lead to lasting peace. Russian Duma ratifies friendship agreement with Greece ------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 22/7/1994 (ANA): The Russian Duma (Parliament) yesterday ratified the treaty and friendship and co-operation signed between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and former Premier Constantine Mitsotakis. The motion was introduced by Soviet Foreign Under-secretary Vitali Churkin who praised Greece's contribution to the signing of the agreement between Russia and the European Union at the recent EU summit in Corfu.