From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 30 Aug 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, August 30, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Papoulias starts Nicosia visit, confers with President Clerides * Cyprus, Greece co-ordinate action on Cyprus problem * Greece condemns Albanian prosecutor's proposed sentences against ethnic Greek defendants * Karamanlis-Evert meet on Greek-Albanian relations * Party reactions * Turks abandon federal solution, initial Greek reactions * Electoral law not to change - Venizelos * Patriarch Vartholomeos appeals for Chalki school reopening * Foreign U'Secretary in Slovakia, Armenia Papoulias starts Nicosia visit, confers with President Clerides ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nicosia, 30/8/1994 (ANA/CNA): Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias opened his four-day visit with what he described as "substantive" talks with President Glafcos Clerides and the island-republic's political and military leadership at a working lunch in Nicosia yesterday. Mr. Papoulias is holding talks with the Cypriot leadership on the future handling of the Cyprus problem, in light of the latest UN Security Council Resolution 939 and a decision by Turkish Cypriots to abandon federation as a solution to the Cyprus problem. Mr. Papoulias said it was a lunch which had proved that "Hellenism is united, potent and full of spirit". Asked if it had been an unofficial meeting of the island's National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem, Mr. Papoulias said "the meeting was unofficial. Another more substantive meeting will follow." Replying to pressmen's questions President Clerides emphasised the National Council would convene Thursday to examine the situation, following the decision (to abandon a federation settlement) by the illegal "assembly" in Turkish occupied areas. President Clerides said all options would be examined. He did not rule out the possibility of a Cyprus recourse to the UN Security Council. He declined comment on the decision by Turkish Cypriots to abandon federation as a solution to the Cyprus problem. Asked what was the purpose of holding consultations with the United Nations in light of the decision of the illegal Turkish Cypriot "assembly", President Clerides said current talks with the United Nations were of "paramount importance". He noted the Greek Cypriot side "should concentrate on proving that there is no Turkish will for a solution to the Cyprus issue, as already mentioned in the May 1994 Cyprus report of the UN Secretary General to the Security Council." Cyprus, Greece co-ordinate action on Cyprus problem ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nicosia, 30/8/1994 (ANA/CNA): Earlier yesterday Mr. Papoulias began official talks with his Cypriot counterpart Alecos Michaelides. He also conferred with the Speaker of the Cyprus House of Representatives Alexis Galanos. In a statement after the meeting, the two foreign ministers said they had exchanged views on the future handling of the Cyprus problem and established identity of views. They stressed that the Cyprus problem was going through "critical moments", and decisions should be taken on strategy to be followed. Mr. Papoulias stressed the Cyprus problem remained a top priority for the Greek government. Mr. Michaelides underlined the significance of Mr. Papoulias' visit at such a critical time because "now is the moment for serious decisions to be taken in Cyprus", particularly after the (no federation) decision of the illegal Turkish Cypriot "assembly". Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Mr. Papoulias, Mr. Galanos said the Greek minister's visit to Cyprus would be very helpful in formulating a new strategy on the Cyprus problem. Mr. Papoulias also held separate talks with the leaders of the island's political parties. Greece condemns Albanian prosecutor's proposed sentences against ethnic Greek defendants ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 30/8/1994 (ANA): Greece yesterday criticised the demand of an Albanian prosecutor to have five ethnic Greeks imprisoned for espionage and illegal arms possession, saying it was indicative of the trial's political character. "Unfortunately the Albanian authorities are blindly following the slippery road which they have chosen," said government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos. He added that "the prosecutor's proposal is yet another confirmation and raw testimony of the trial's sheer political character." As the trial resumed after a three-day break yesterday, Albanian prosecutor Arben Qeleshi demanded jail terms of between seven and nine years for the ethnic Greek defendants charged with espionage and illegal arms possession. Specifically, Theodoros Bezhanis, 61 is facing a nine-year jail term for illegal arms possession and co-operation with Greek intelligence, Vangelis Papachristos, 51, an eight-year term for espionage, Panayotis Martos, 55 a seven-year sentence for spying for Greece, and Costas Kyriakou, 39, and Iraklis Sirmou, 52, are facing eight and nine year jail terms respectively, for espionage and illegal arms possession. The five ethnic Greeks were arrested in April following a cross-border attack on a military camp close to the Greek border. Two Albanian conscripts were killed in the raid. Tirana blamed Greece for the attack but Athens denied the charge. When the trial opened this month, stoking tensions between the two neighbours, the Albanian prosecutor dropped treason charges against the five ethnic Greeks, some of which carried the death penalty, saying they were based on Albania's old Stalinist penal code. Four of the five defendants told the court they had been forced to confess charges after mental and physical torture, and retracted their confession. Last week Greece rejected Tirana's offer to enter talks to try settle differences saying that as long as it was accused of being an accomplice of the five ethnic Greeks, dialogue was meaningless. In recent days, Greek police have rounded up and deported thousands of illegal Albanian immigrants and tightened control at the country's sea and land boundaries with Albania. An estimated 350,000 Albanians work in Greece, sending a large part o f their earnings to their families back home. Mr. Venizelos told reporters yesterday expulsions of Albanian illegals were "not a reprisal measure but come within the framework of national sovereignty, protection of frontiers, respect for public order and fight against crime." The spokesman said effectiveness of Greek measures would depend on how the Albanians interpreted their international commitments and results have not been forthcoming so far." Mr. Venizelos stressed expulsion of illegals was in no way a counter-measure to the trial, adding strict instructions had been given to the police to treat deportees well, and use force only if provoked. Referring to expulsions of illegals, Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis said yesterday in Thessaloniki measures concerned the "sealing of borders rather than deportations of illegal Albanian immigrants." "We are a state and not an open field. We can't keep foreign citizens who have not entered the country in a lawful way," Mr. Papathemelis said Responding to a statement by the ruling party of Albania strongly attacking Greece and accusing it of waging Cold War against its neighbour. Mr. Venizelos said it was "unworthy of comment" and beneath established standards of international relations. Mr. Venizelos expressed satisfaction at the attitude adopted by international organisations such as the UN Human Rights Sub-Commission and the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) High Commissioner for ethnic minorities Max van der Stoel. He added "we have not asked for anything special from the European Union which is not always the most suitable forum." If necessary, the spokesman continued, Greece would raise the issue of Greek-Albanian relations at the EU, particularly in connection with the disbursement of free macroeconomic aid to Albania. Karamanlis-Evert meet on Greek-Albanian relations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 30/8/1994 (ANA): In another development yesterday, President Constantine Karamanlis met with main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert on Greek-Albanian relations. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Evert said he was deeply concerned at developments in the neighbouring country, "the general isolation of Greece and its inability to inform international public opinion about national issues." Mr. Evert said that New Democracy, in its role as main opposition party, was doing everything possible in that connection. The ND leader yesterday briefed embassy officials of EU member states on latest developments regarding Albania. According to informed sources, he expressed grave concern over the ongoing trial of the five Omonia members in Tirana and called for the support of Greece's European partners. Party reactions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 30/8/1994 (ANA): Commenting on the Albanian prosecutor's demand to have the five ethnic Greeks face jail sentences, Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras said that Albanian President Sali Berisha "has chosen a slippery path of perilous tension." In an earlier statement yesterday, Mr. Samaras said he would not ask for separate meetings with President Karamanlis and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, but reiterated his party's stance on the need for a Political Leaders Council meeting to discuss Greece's national issues. Mr. Samaras criticised the government for stalling in answering Mr. Berisha's provocations, and delaying in briefing international public opinion on Greek-Albanian relations. Responding to a statement yesterday by Albania's ruling party that Greece had launched Cold War against Albania, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said that "such action is the result of political acrimony followed by the Balkan countries which have been converted into protectorates and satellites of imperialist states." The Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party said in a statement yesterday that the Albanian prosecutor's demands were "an engineered escalation of provocation against Greece." "Greece should face such provocative methods by denouncing the brutal violation of the human and democratic rights (of the members of the ethnic Greek minority) by the Berisha regime, by demanding full equality before the law for the ethnic Greek minority in accordance with the international conventions and guarantees, and projecting its (Greece's) role as guarantor of border stability, and peaceful coexistence in the region." Turks abandon federal solution, initial Greek reactions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nicosia, 30/8/1994 (ANA/CNA): The illegal Turkish Cypriot "assembly" decided early yesterday to withdraw earlier decisions, providing for a federation as the only solution to the Cyprus problem. Greek Cypriot leaders reacted strongly to the switch in attitude of the Turkish Cypriot side, which coincides with the beginning of a new effort by the United Nations, aimed at reuniting the war-divided island-republic of Cyprus. All UN efforts for a Cyprus settlement since the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of the island's territory in 1974 aimed at setting up a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash signed two high-level agreements in 1977 and 1979, envisaging such a solution. At the end of a marathon session, the illegal "assembly" set up in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, decided by a majority vote to withdraw its previous decisions of March 1984 and March 1985, which called for the establishment of a federation as the only solution to the Cyprus problem. The decision of the illegal "assembly" was approved by 30 "votes" of the Democratic Party of self-styled "prime minister" Hakki Atun and the National Unity Party of Dervis Eroglu. Sixteen so-called "deputies" of the Turkish Republican Party of Ozker Ozgur, the so-called "deputy prime minister", and the Communal Liberation Party of Mustafa Akkinci voted against. Mr. Ozgur had threatened that if the resolution were passed, his party might leave the so-called "coalition government". The resolution lays down the Turkish Cypriot side will not take part in negotiations since "political equality and sovereignty" of Turkish Cypriots is not recognised. It says that agreements should be signed with Turkey in the fields of foreign policy, defence and the economy. The move is tantamount to annexation of the occupied territories with Turkey. In an initial reaction to the Turkish Cypriot move, the island-republic's Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides said the decision of the so-called "assembly" marked "a climax to numerous intransigent acts by the Turkish side and Rauf Denktash, aimed at undermining the UN Secretary General's latest initiative". Addressing a meeting of Cypriot overseas leaders, Mr. Michaelides expressed the government's deep concern over the prospects of the Secretary General's initiative. He expressed the hope that there would be a dynamic reaction by the Secretary General and the UN Security Council. Similar statements were made by high-ranking political party figures, who described the new Turkish Cypriot policy as a "blackmail" for the international community. They stressed the need for "re-positioning" the Cyprus problem but without changing the aim of a federal solution to the Cyprus problem. Electoral law not to change - Venizelos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 30/8/1994 (ANA): No change is to be brought to the electoral law, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday, commenting on reports that such a possibility had been raised at a recent meeting between Premier Andreas Papandreou and main Opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert. Mr. Venizelos added there was no question of changing boards of public utility concerns, and reiterated that Transport and Communications Minister Theodoros Pangalos would resign at a time which, as he himself put it -, was connected with his selection as candidate for the Athens mayorship. Patriarch Vartholomeos appeals for Chalki school reopening ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Istanbul, 30/8/1994 (ANA/Alkis Kourkoulas): Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios yesterday appealed to the Turkish government to permit the re-opening of the Chalki Theological School, speaking during the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of its opening. "It is inconceivable that this School should have operated in the days of monarchical Ottoman Empire, and be denied such a possibility in today's democratic Turkey", he said, recalling that Turkey had signed all UN Declarations on Human Rights. "In a secular state, such as Turkey", said the Patriarch, "all religions and dogmas should enjoy equal possibilities of preparing and training their clerics." He noted Islam had a multitude of theological and clerical schools. Finally, he stressed that "we have repeatedly stated that the Patriarchate and the minority it oversees could and should constitute a bridge and a connecting link between Turkey and Greece, and not a cause of disputes or a factor of division, tension and antagonism." Celebrations are attended by the Secretary- General of the World Council of Churches Paul Fisher, representatives of the Vatican, and clerics and laymen from all parts of the world. Foreign U'Secretary in Slovakia, Armenia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 30/8/1994 (ANA): Foreign Affairs Under-Secretary Gregoris Niotis met with Slovak Prime Minister R. Moravcik in Slovakia, Saturday on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Slovak uprising against the Nazi occupation. He also met with Foreign Affairs Under-Secretary Dusan Rosbora with whom he discussed Balkan affairs including Cyprus, Albania and Skopje. Mr. Rosbora requested Greek support for ratification of his country's agreement with the European Union. Mr. Niotis was also received by the President of the Czech Republic Vazlav Havel, and met with President Zelev of Bulgaria and Slovak Premier R. Moravcik On Sunday, he flew to Armenia where he represented the Greek government at the funeral of Patriarch Vazgen.