From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 31 Aug 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, August 31, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Round-up of illegal Albanians not a counter-measure to the trial in Tirana * Papoulias: There will be no new 1974 * PM: Greek-Albanian developments negative, Greece will answer * Sarajevo peace Marathon sets off * Turkish Cypriot retraction of federal solution, reveals Turkish intransigence * New icon theft at Istanbul Orthodox church Round-up of illegal Albanians not a counter-measure to the trial in Tirana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 31/8/1994 (ANA) Greece yesterday reiterated that the round-up of thousands of illegal Albanians in recent days was in no way intended as a counter-measure to the trial of five ethnic Greeks which opened in Tirana this month. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the measures taken by the Greek government were connected with the guarding of the country's borders and the maintenance of public order. Mr. Venizelos described as "grossly inaccurate" an article in the Financial Times claiming that Greece's expulsion of illegal Albanian immigrants was unprecedented. He said that no other country would accept so many illegal immigrants. Replying to questions, Mr. Venizelos said it was not a case of Albanians being deported, but of illegal immigrants being sent back to their country in accordance with international law. The spokesman stressed that "it is Albania which must make efforts for the normalisation of its relations with Greece." 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 of their earnings to their families back home. The government said the round-up was not a reprisal measure, but comes within the framework of national sovereignty, protection of frontiers, respect for public order and fight against crime. On Monday tension between the two countries soared to a new high, after an Albanian prosecutor demanded that the five ethnic Greeks currently on trial in Tirana be imprisoned for espionage and illegal arms possession. Greece criticised the demand saying it was indicative of the trial's political character. In a strong warning last week, President Constantine Karamanlis said Albania was "acting thoughtlessly" and would regret it. "Every step against the Greek minority... will be answered," he said. Greece has rejected Albania's offers of talks to settle differences, saying that as long as it was accused of being an accomplice of the five men, dialogue was meaningless. The five ethnic Greeks were arrested in April following an attack on a border conscript centre inside Albania. Two Albanian conscripts were killed in the attack. Tirana blamed Greece for the raid, but Athens denied the charge. Meantime, Russia has urged Albania and Greece to settle a deteriorating dispute to help international efforts to stabilise the Balkan region. According to a Reuters dispatch, a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, released by Russian embassy officials yesterday in Tirana, said mounting friction between Albania and Greece was causing concern. "Such developments hardly contribute to intensifying efforts being undertaken to improve the critical situation in former Yugoslavia and the Balkans as a whole," Reuters quoted the statement as saying. "Russia is in favour of dialogue (between Greece and Albania) to remove obstacles to a friendly and neighbourly climate as soon as possible," the statement said. It added that attempts by the two countries to settle differences would be "a concrete and positive contribution to stabilising the Balkans." Papoulias: There will be no new 1974 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nicosia, 31/8/1994 (ANA/CNA): Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday assured the people of Cyprus there will never be a new 1974 again. He was referring to the invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of the island republic's territory by Turkish troops in 1974. Mr. Papoulias made the statement at a ceremony at National Guard headquarters, where he was handed an honorary plaque from National Guard Commander Lieutenant-General Nicolaos Vorvolakos. The Greek Minister, who is on an official visit to Cyprus, told Greek high-ranking military officers their presence on the island was "a political and military message to those who are conniving new plans against Cyprus". Earlier, Mr. Papoulias had a meeting with Cyprus Defence Minister Costas Eliades and General Vorvolakos. The Greek Minister was briefed on the work achieved by military leaders of Greece and Cyprus in implementing a common military dogma. Mr. Papoulias also had a meeting with the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos. Mr. Papoulias told questioners afterwards there were other problems, apart from future federation, namely the occupation army, human rights and the territorial integrity and independence of the island-republic. The illegal "assembly" in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, decided Monday to withdraw a previous decision in March 1984 and March 1985, providing for a federal solution to the Cyprus problem. Archbishop Chrysostomos repeated publicly his opposition to a federal solution. The Archbishop said "what is now left is to prove internationally Turkey's ultimate designs". Meanwhile, government spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides revealed that President Glafcos Clerides and Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides Monday discussed with Mr. Papoulias the possibility of a visit by the island republic's National Council, the top advisory body on handling Cyprus problem, to Greece. They also examined the contents of reply letters of President Clerides and the Greek government to the UN Secretary General on future procedures. Mr. Cassoulides said decisions taken by the two governments during Mr. Papoulias' visit would be announced at a joint press conference today of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries. Speaking at a dinner given in his honour by his Cypriot counterpart Alecos Michaelides Monday night, Mr. Papoulias stressed the time had come for measures to force the Turkish side to abandon its delaying tactics and sincerely co-operate for a Cyprus settlement. Mr. Papoulias reiterated the Cyprus problem was Greece's "top national priority". He assured the Cyprus people Greece would continue supporting "with all its strength" their struggle for a just and lasting settlement. "The moment has come for all necessary measures to bring the Turkish side round to put an end to its delaying tactics, and sincerely co-operate for achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem", the Greek Minister said. PM: Greek-Albanian developments negative, Greece will answer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 31/8/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou replying to a press question yesterday said recent developments in Greek-Albanian relations were negative and Greece would answer. "We had hoped there might be some sense in their way of handling matters," Mr. Papandreou said referring to the Albanian government. "But is seems there is none. Of course, Greece will give its answer," he added. "It is a shame, for we - all Balkan countries - could have played a very important role in this region," the Prime Minister said. "Unfortunately," he added, "there are others who move, or are incited to disturb this peaceful, progressive and creative course. We had hoped that there might be change. But I don't believe we will witness it." Sarajevo peace Marathon sets off ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 31/8/1994 (ANA): Fifty veteran runners set off for shell-torn Sarajevo from Olympia on Tuesday, in a 2,000-kilometres marathon promoting peace in former Yugoslavia. "We came to ancient Olympia with the hope that the message of peace will once again be heard from here," said visiting Sarajevo mayor Tarik Kupusovic before the start of the marathon. European Games winner Gerhard Nyborg led the peace relay to run through seven states, finishing at the Bosnian capital with the planting of an olive tree at the city's central square. A convoy with humanitarian aid for the children of Bosnia is accompanying the runners. The event is sponsored by municipal authorities, non-government organisations and citizens' groups promoting a war-free European continent. Turkish Cypriot retraction of federal solution, reveals Turkish intransigence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 31/8/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday that the decision of the Turkish-Cypriot pseudo parliament to revoke earlier decisions providing for a federation as the only solution to the Cyprus problem, provided further evidence of the intransigence of Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriots. "We never differentiated between the Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot stance which constitutes further evidence of their intransigence," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. In Ankara, the Turkish government pledged support yesterday for efforts by the pseudo-state in northern Cyprus to move closer to Ankara and away from a federal solution for the divided Mediterranean island. The pseudo parliament's decision was approved Monday by 30 votes of the Democratic Party of self-styled 'prime minister' Hakki Atun and the National Unity Party of Dervis Eroglu. In New York, United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali replying to a question on the pseudo-parliament's decision said: "We will continue to do everything possible towards finding a peaceful solution (in the Cyprus problem), and we will take all (available) measures so that trust is created between the two communities. We will strive towards continuation of the negotiations," he said. The pseudo-parliament voted on Monday to draw up foreign policy, defence and security agreements with Turkey, similar to existing joint military and security deals between Athens and the Cyprus government. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied the northern part of the island-republic. Long-standing efforts by the UN to reconcile the two communities have so far proved fruitless. The latest talks stalled in June. In Athens main Opposition New Democracy party in an announcement yesterday, said the decision of the pseudo-parliament proved once again that "Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side do not wish seeking a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem." "It is obvious that Greeks should focus on Cyprus' accession to the European Union," the announcement said, attributing the recent developments in the Cyprus issue on Turkey's attempt to divert domestic public opinion from its huge internal problems. The Political Spring (Pol.An) party in announcement yesterday called on the international community to step up efforts to force Turkey to assume responsibility. The announcement said the need for a national conference with the participation of the Cypriot and Greek leadership to draft a joint policy for the solution of the national issue was now more pressing than ever. New icon theft at Istanbul Orthodox church ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 31/8/1994 (ANA): A new incident of theft, involving six icons, was reported at St. George's Church, Istanbul. Turkish authorities attribute repeated such incidents to an organised group which systematically loots Orthodox churches and cemeteries. Another recent incident involved the theft of 30 icons from a church on the island of Imvros.