From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 10 Dec 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, December 10, 1994 ---------------------------------------------- * Greece adamant on veto of Turkish-EU customs union at Essen * Premier: negotiation path for peace in Yugoslavia * Venizelos on Delors statements Greece adamant on veto of Turkish-EU customs union at Essen ----------------------------------------------------------- Essen, 10/12/1994 (ANA - P. Stangos, M. Savva): Franco-German efforts to pave the way for progress in Turkish-European Union relations at the Essen summit yesterday foundered on Greece's insistence that the EU set a date for a start to negotiations for Cyprus entry. An unfruitful first meeting between the Greek, French and German foreign ministers and Foreign Under-Secretary for European Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis and EU External Affairs Commissioner Hans van der Broek on lifting the Greek veto on Turkey's customs union with the EU, was followed by a meeting between Mr. Kranidiotis and the political directors of the French and German foreign ministries, also without result. Press Under-Secretary Telemahos Hytiris said that "negotiations were not successful", and that "Greece maintains its veto", adding that the procedure in the framework of the troika "had come to an end for the time being". Following this, a scheduled second meeting of the troika was cancelled. Mr. Kranidiotis said that the issue of Turkey's customs union with the EU would be referred to the incoming French presidency of the bloc, as the December 19 meeting of the Association Council will not yield any results following yesterday's impasse. He said he had reiterated to his interlocutors that only a positive sign, such as the setting of a date for a start to negotiations for Cyprus' entry to the EU, might have produced a change in the Greek stand. A representative of the German presidency stated that "there was no question of linking Turkey's customs union with the EU, either with Cypriot entry or with (Thursday's) sentencing of eight Kurdish deputies, despite a protest demarche to Ankara". "Our partners," said Mr. Kranidiotis, "recognise Turkey's special strategic significance, and believe that we must sacrifice all sensitivities in the name of this significance." German Chancellor Helmut Kohl is said to hold the view that on the issue of the customs union with Turkey, the EU has reached "a full deadlock". External Relations Commissioner Hans van der Broek, for his part, recognised that there had to be a strong message to Turkey for the flagrant violations of human rights, and said a message to Cyprus implying support for its application to join the EU would be appropriate. He said, however, he was optimistic about progress in relations between the EU and Turkey yesterday. "I have a feeling that, after the European Council meeting, some progress has been made in relations between the European Union and Turkey," Mr. van den Broek said yesterday. "Our efforts aim at an overall settlement of various problems by removing technical obstacles and political reservations which stand in the way of achieving a customs union between the EU and Turkey, and the further examination of an application to admit Cyprus and Malta to the Union next January," he added. Commenting on the conviction of eight Kurdish MPs in Turkey Thursday, Mr. van den Broek said: "It is regrettable that a country with which we have and should have close relations, owing to its significant geopolitical position, should take such steps (violating human rights) every now and then." Premier: negotiation path for peace in Yugoslavia ------------------------------------------------- Essen, 10/12/1994 (ANA): Intervening in yesterday afternoon's European Council meeting, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said "the negotiation path constitutes the sole solution for peace in former Yugoslavia." "The international community made tactical and strategic mistakes," Mr. Papandreou said, adding that he agreed with French President Francois Mitterrand's recommendation that all should proceed to make "self-criticism on the European Union's attitude towards Yugoslavia." Mr. Papandreou said in no way should UN peacekeepers be withdrawn from Bosnia because then "responsibilities will double tragically." Earlier, in an intervention on Mediterranean policy issues, Mr. Papandreou said "it would be good if there were a timetable" for a start to accession negotiations between Cyprus and the EU since "we must go a step further than the Corfu statement" where it was stressed that Cyprus and Malta will be included in the next phase of EU enlargement. Mr. Papandreou said Cyprus and Malta should participate in dialogue as will be the case from now on with central and eastern European countries. Referring to EU enlargement with central and eastern European countries, Mr. Papandreou said the EU should support these countries, and especially Bulgaria and Romania, "for them to maintain their European orientation and for security to be strengthened in this troubled Balkan region." Venizelos on Delors statements ------------------------------ Athens, 10/12/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos yesterday said equating Greek-Cyprus relations to Cyprus-Turkish relations was "historically inaccurate and unfortunate." Mr. Venizelos was commenting on statements by outgoing European Commission President Jacques Delors. Mr. Delors said Thursday that "Cyprus is nobody's hostage" and that "issues that are not related to one another" such as Turkey's EU customs union and Cyprus' accession should not be connected. He said his statement was a more general observation and did not constitute a reply to Mr. Delors, which would be dealt with by Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou in Essen. Mr. Venizelos said the relation between Greece and Cyprus was a relation between two independent fraternal states, further linked with a guarantee alliance and an alliance agreement. Turkey's relation to Cyprus, he said, was one of invasion and occupation.