Subject: Athens News Agency Bulletin, February 2, 1995 Topic: ana --------------------------------------------- (Apo to Ellnviko Grafeio Tupou kai Plnroforiwv, Ottaba, Kavadas E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca) * Greek archaeologist convinced Siwa excavation the burial site of Alexander the Great * Response in Greece * President suggests speeding up moves to elect successor * European Court begins hearing on Greek sanctions on FYROM * US official in Skopje on trade sanctions * Three airmen missing as two aircraft disappear over Aegean * State Dep't human rights report says serious 'inadequacies' in trial of ethnic Greek five in Albania * Papoulias meets with German envoy * EU Commission to propose Cyprus-EU talks * Gov't to go ahead with Skaramangas shipyards, to discus workers participation in share capital * Inflation remains stable for first month '95 * Commission ratifies state support for Elefsis Shipyards Greek archaeologist convinced Siwa excavation the burial site of Alexander the Great ---------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): The head of the all-Greek team of archaeologists working in Egypt's western desert said yesterday she was certain that they had found the grave of the Macedonian king, Alexander the Great. "Alexander's tomb is here in the remote oasis of Siwa in accordance with his wish, which we know from ancient texts, to be buried within view of the temple of Ammon," archaeologist Liana Souvlatzi told the ANA in an exclusive interview. "His tomb is large, the biggest Macedonian royal tomb to have been found, with exquisitely beautiful architectural decorative features and marvellous triglyphs. It was extremely moving, each moment since 1989 when we began the excavations, to retrieve from the sacred ground of Ammon amazing finds which illustrated the immortal Greek spirit," Ms Souvlatzi said. "We also had the good fortune to discover on the holy mountain of Ammon the name of the architect responsible for this superb edifice... 'Paideas Tekton'," Ms Souvlatzi told the ANA. "This year," Ms Souvlatzi said, "we found that which our detractors had used against us: 'You have indications, you have no evidence'". "We were fortunate to find (stone tablets bearing) Greek inscriptions revealing the truth and providing hitherto unknown historical data. The first (tablet) was found on January 10. I remember it was still morning and as soon as we realised that (it bore) chiselled Greek letters, we were speechless with emotion," Ms Souvlatzi said. Ms Souvlatzi, 47, who studied archaeology at Athens University, heads a team which includes her husband Manos, an epigraphist who interprets the ancient inscriptions on the tablets. She said she had been working independently on the excavations with the backing of the Greek Institute for Hellenic Studies and financial help from her husband. She first travelled to Siwa in 1985 and has lived there since 1989 in a small house without a telephone and only a few hours of electricity a day. The Greek archaeologist described the difficulties the team faced in retrieving the tablet from rubble 2.5 metres below the ground and the danger of making a wrong move which could have destroyed it forever. "This first tablet tells us for certain that Ptolemy I (Alexander's deputy in Egypt) brought the corpse not to Alexandria, not to Memphis, but directly here to the land of Ammon, as requested by Alexander," Ms Souvlatzi said. Alexander had visited the temple of Ammon in Siwa in 332 BC, nine years before his death, seeking confirmation from the oracle of his belief that he was the divine son of the god Ammon. The oracle confirmed his belief and Alexander went on to wage war against the Persian king Darius. "The inscription says that his body was as light as a small shield, from which we concluded that it had been embalmed, that is, mummified... Until now, there had been many theories originating from ancient writers. Some said the body had been embalmed, others that it had been burned in accordance with Macedonian custom, others that it had not been touched, out of fear... Now we know that it was mummified and is here in Siwa, at al-Maraqi," Ms Souvlatzi said. The second inscription, she said, can be dated to around AD 108-115, as it "refers to persons that we know were in Egypt at the time". It mentions the visit of Roman emperors Trajan, and Nerva (his stepfather) and Octavius before him, to the site. "We know that Octavius, having conquered Egypt, and after the death of Cleopatra, visited, according to the historical sources, Alexander's tomb. But it was never mentioned where, and the impression prevailed that Caesar visited Alexander's tomb in Alexandria... But it was here," she explained. "The inscription says that 'Nerva and Trajan built a shrine in honour of Zeus (Jupiter), and of eternal Zeus (Alexander), after, of course, offering the necessary sacrifices," she continued. Ms Souvlatzi added that the inscription contains a reference to poisoning as the specific cause of Alexander's death. Response in Greece ------------------ Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): The Central Archaeological Council yesterday decided to dispatch a team of archaeologists to Egypt on February 13, headed by expert on ancient Macedonia Yiannis Touratsoglou, to visit the excavation at Siwa. Meanwhile, Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos has written to his Egyptian counterpart Farouk Hosni, asking for the granting of assistance to a delegation of top-ranking ministry officials and experts who are leaving for Siwa today. President suggests speeding up moves to elect successor ------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis intimated yesterday that he would have no objections to stepping up the process of electing a new president and to contributing himself in that direction. Speaking to reporters before a meeting with Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, Mr. Karamanlis replied to an observation by a newsman that all of Greece was taken up with "presidency-mongering" saying: "It would be good to speed up (the process of electing a new president)". He called on politicians and press to put an end to speculation about a new candidate for the Presidency of the Republic "as quickly as possible", adding "I am prepared to facilitate in this myself". Political analysts interpreted the president's statement as meaning that Mr. Karamanlis would have no objection to early commencement of the process of electing a new president and of turning the post over to the new president before May 5, when Mr. Karamanlis' current second five-year term in office officially expires. The President of the Republic is elected by Parliament. If no candidate for the post secures 180 votes in the 300-seat House, then Parliament is dissolved and national elections must be held under Article 110 of the Constitution. The new parliament emerging after the elections is able to elect a president with an absolute majority of 151 votes. An announcement later by the presidential office said that Mr. Karamanlis' statement on the speeding up of procedures for the election of a new president was "of an advisory nature". Explaining the reason for the clarification, the announcement said that "arbitrary interpretations are again being given to the president's statement". In a related development, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said his views on the election of the president were "identical" with those of Mr. Karamanlis. Replying to press questions at the end of a ministerial committee meeting, Mr. Papandreou said: "I never comment on statements by the president of the republic, but my position is identical". On the possibility of the electoral procedure being speeded up, Mr. Papandreou said that "whatever is permitted by the Constitution will take place". "Our position on the matter is the respect of the Constitution." Commenting on the issue, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that the premier's statements on the speeding up of procedures for the election of president were "crystal clear... since the initiative will be undertaken by the majority party with in the framework of the procedures laid down in the Constitution...". The Greek Constitution sets only the latest date for the commencement of procedures for the election of the president of the republic, which in the present case is April 5, a month before Mr. Karamanlis' term of office expires. Asked by the press to comment on Mr. Karamanlis' statement, main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said the party "never comments on the statements of the President of the Republic." Mr. Evert said however that speculation about a candidate were untimely and to be avoided. Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras expressed satisfaction at Mr. Karamanlis' statement saying he was pleased the President of the Republic found useful a procedure which had been long suggested by Political Spring. "We await the following steps," Mr. Samaras said. In an announcement later the Coalition of the Left and Progress, which is not represented in parliament, called on the parties to clarify their positions directly and publicly as well as their proposals concerning the election of a new President of the Republic. It said speculation caused confusion and stalled the handling of Greece's pending issues. European Court begins hearing on Greek sanctions on FYROM --------------------------------------------------------- Luxembourg, 02/02/1995 (ANA - G. Daratos): The European Commission's recourse against Greece calling for the lifting of an economic and trade embargo against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was heard in camera at the European Court yesterday. Greek positions were defended at the hearing by jurists Krateros Ioannou, Vassilis Skouris and Stelios Perrakis. The hearing lasted for about three hours. The Commission initially set out its positions, reiterating parts of its initial recourse and putting forward a few new arguments. The Greek side made an extensive presentation of its own arguments afterwards. The court had no questions to make and the floor was given again to the European Commission, which replied to Greek positions, and then the Greek side. Special prosecutor Mr. Jacobs is expected to set out and present his thoughts and views on the essence of the issue to the court in four to six weeks. Consequently, with the present state of affairs, the European Court is expected to issue its verdict in June at the latest. Mr. Perrakis referred to the international nature of the issue, terming the imposition by Greece of limited economic and trade retortion measures against FYROM a "purely political case." He said that with the measures, whose implementation was recognised by article 224 of the Treaty, Greece exercised a legal right while the European Commission's recourse against Greece, based on article 225, paragraph 3, was made in great haste. Referring to specific examples, Mr. Perrakis said Greek retortion measures were based on article 224 of the Treaty and international law and argued that the international climate over the case had been reversed in Greece's favour and that FYROM's intransigence had become noticeable and understandable both inside and outside the EU. Mr. Ioannou set out the conditions calling for implementation of article 224 by which an EU member-state could deviate from EU law under certain circumstances provided it ascertained a threat of war and, acting precisely on this ascertainment, Athens to OK the measures against FYROM. Replying to the Commission's view that there was no threat of war for Greece (By whom was Greece threatened? Weak FYROM was never in a position to threaten Greece, etc. Consequently, the Commission maintained, Greece abused article 224), Mr. Ioannou explained that "it is up to the discretion of a member-state to asses the magnitude of an external threat." More specifically, on the question of the threat of war constituted by FYROM's attitude, it should be interpreted in accordance with the other phrase used by the UN Security Council profusely, namely the "threat against peace." According to Mr. Ioannou, the phrase "threat of war" contained in article 224 should be dissociated from the concept of a specific threat against a specific state and be examined in the light of the overall explosive situation prevailing in the Balkans which was creating a climate of war. If, on the basis of this interpretation, a member-state was threatened, and not only, it could assess this itself and not the European Commission from Brussels. Mr. Skouris focused on the interpretation of the second paragraph in article 225, on which the Commission based its recourse against Greece at the European Court for the first time in EU history, claiming that it abused powers stemming from article 224. According to Mr. Skouris, powers emanating from article 224 had never been ceded to the EU but remained with member-states. US official in Skopje on trade sanctions ---------------------------------------- Skopje, (ANA - M. Vichou): Head of the US Liaison Office in Skopje Victor Comrass yesterday told Skopje state television that Greek trade sanctions against its neighbour were an "obstacle to the settlement of differences between Greece and 'Macedonia'." Mr. Comrass said the US desired the lifting of sanctions, which Greece imposed against Skopje as retortion measures to fight its neighbour's intransigence. "The United States do not consider the embargo to be the right answer by Greece to the solution of problems between the two countries," Mr. Comrass said. Concerning the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the US and Skopje, the US diplomat said that prior to taking such a step the US government "wishes to be certain that it would not pose an obstacle to relations between your country and any of its neighbouring countries." Three airmen missing as two aircraft disappear over Aegean ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): Two Greek fighter aircraft on a training flight went missing over the northern Aegean yesterday. The two F-5s, with a crew of three, were on a reconnaissance flight between the islands of Lemnos and Ayios Efstratios, when communication with the control tower was lost. No trace of the aircraft or the crew had been found late last night. Authorities had not ruled out a mid-air collision between the two planes. State Dep't human rights report says serious 'inadequacies' in trial of ethnic Greek five in Albania -------------------------------------------------------------- Washington, 02/02/1995 (ANA - D. Dimas): The State Department report on the state of human rights world-wide in 1994, includes references to "serious violations of human rights in Albania", and makes extensive mention of the conditions of arrest, imprisonment, trial, and sentencing of the five members of the ethnic Greek minority party Omonia on charges of espionage and firearms possession last summer. The report refers specifically to "substantial procedural inadequacies adversely affecting their arrest, search of homes and offices, detention and trial", adding, elsewhere, that the Greek minority continued, in 1994, to have "complaints about unfavourable discrimination, especially in educational and religious matters". The report said human rights were respected in Greece. "...With a few exceptions in the cases of Turks and people calling themselves 'Macedonians', the (Greek) authorities generally respect fundamental human rights," the report said in its chapter on Greece. "Reliable reports on abuse of Albanian illegal immigrants by the security forces continued and the Albanian authorities have officially protested the arrests and deportations, of the period between August-November, of 115,000 illegal Albanians, which it claimed resulted in the deaths of 6-8 people," the report said. Regarding Slavophone Greeks, the report said "there is an undefined number (estimates vary between 10,000 to 50,000 or more) of Greek citizens descending from Slavs or Slavophones." There is also mention of the 1994 report of the Helsinki Watch international human rights organisation alleging the existence of an ethnic "Macedonian minority" in northern Greece. Greece's position that it recognises the rights of citizens to relate to ethnic minorities, but that "there is no need of government recognition of such a minority or the granting of privileges to its members...," is also included in the report. In the chapter on Turkey, the report referred to previous conclusions that the "activities of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is directly affected by the political relations between Turkey and Greece", and noted the recent spate of bomb threats against the Patriarchate's buildings. It noted the Patriarchate's request the Halki Academy of Theology, summarily shut down by Turkish authorities in 1971, be re-opened had not been satisfied. Papoulias meets with German envoy --------------------------------- Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias had talks yesterday with German Ambassador to Athens Leopold Bill von Bredow on bilateral relations which the Germany envoy said were "at a very good level". Mr. von Bredow declined to make any other comment to reporters after the 45-minute meeting but according to informed sources, Mr. Papoulias expressed displeasure over the five-party meeting in London today on the issue of Turkey's association with the European Union. Taking part in the meeting will be France, Britain, German, Italy and Turkey. Greece is opposed to the formation of "groups" of member states within the EU, which it considers to be counter to the concept of a common foreign policy. The customs union between Turkey and the EU was put on hold late last year when Greece vetoed the agreement, arguing that it could not go ahead without a simultaneous setting of a date for talks on Cyprus' entry to the 15-member bloc and Turkey's improvement of its poor human rights record. Talks early in the year under the aegis of the French presidency agreed on a formula which links a date for Cyprus entry talks with the customs union. EU Commission to propose Cyprus-EU talks ---------------------------------------- Brussels, 02/02/1995 (ANA/CNA): The European Union Commission intends to propose to the EU Council of Ministers that accession talks between the EU and Cyprus should start within six months of the completion of the 1996 intergovernmental conference. The Commission will also suggest that the Cyprus government participate in certain EU meetings of foreign ministers and that between now and the start of negotiations steps should be taken to prepare the republic's accession. The decision to put forward these proposals was taken at an EU Commission meeting here yesterday. They will be presented to EU foreign ministers by EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek. Political observers consider the outcome of the discussions as particularly positive for Cyprus. Replying to questions, Mr. van den Broek said that he would argue for EU-Cyprus accession talks right after the intergovernmental conference and not after the ratification of the conference decisions by the 15 member-states. The commissioner said the EU Commission did not share the view held by certain countries that the start of accession talks should be linked with a prior solution of the Cyprus problem. He also said the Commission would only conduct talks with the Cyprus government in accordance with its strategic plan for preparing the republic's membership. Any other action relating to the northern Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus will be controlled by the Cyprus government, he added. Referring to Turkey's relations with the EU, Mr. van den Broek said that he would argue at Monday's ministerial meeting that an EU-Turkish customs union should come into effect on 1 January 1996 provided Turkey commits itself to make significant strides in protecting human rights. In his remarks, the Dutch commissioner linked directly the customs union agreement with the fixing of a date for accession negotiations with Cyprus. Meanwhile, Cyprus Foreign Minster Alecos Michaelides will fly to Brussels today from Strasbourg to meet Mr. van den Broek. Mr. Michaelides is in Strasbourg for the winter session of the parliamentary assembly of the Committee of Ministers. Gov't to go ahead with Skaramangas shipyards, to discus workers participation in share capital --------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): The government yesterday confirmed its decision to proceed with the sale of up to 100 per cent of the shares of "Hellenic Shipyards-Skaramangas" but said a new invitation to tender for the Parnitha Casino would be announced. The two sales were among issues discussed at a ministerial meeting yesterday chaired by Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Also taking part in the meeting were National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Ioannis Pottakis, Industry Minister Costas Simitis, Environment Minister Costas Laliotis, Labour Minister Ioannis Skoularikis, Transport Minister Thanassis Tsouras, Alternate Foreign Minister George Mangakis, Alternate Industry Minister Christos Rokofyllos and Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Antonis Livanis. Other issues discussed at the meeting were yesterday's European Court hearing on the legality of Greece's trade sanctions against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and the issue of tax relief for justice officials. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said after the meeting that the decision to sell the Hellenic Shipyards to private investors was confirmed, but that worker participation in the company's share capital was being discussed. Mr. Venizelos stressed the importance attached by the government to "the social guarantees for the safeguarding of jobs, the protection of the environment and the exploitation of the extensive resources of the shipyard". It had been decided, the spokesman continued, to set up a working group made up of the ministers of national defence, industry, labour, environment and the prime minister's office. Its task will be to formulate, within 20 days at the latest specific measures, "of social support" and organise a dialogue with local government and the workers with the aim of working out "a balanced package of measures". Mr. Venizelos said these measures would be included in the draft bill being prepared for the privatisation of the shipyard and incorporated in the terms of the contract which prospective buyers would have to accept. The spokesman clarified that the setting up of the working group would in no way interfere with the existing timetable for the privatisation of the shipyard. On the sale of the Parnitha Casino, Mr. Venizelos said the government had decided to adopt the recommendation of the Economic Committee and declare the tender void. A new invitation for tenders would be announced, he added, since the only offer received was one of 11 billion drachmas from the US hotel chain Hyatt, which was considered too low. Inflation remains stable for first month '95 -------------------------------------------- Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA): Inflation remained at 10.8 per cent in January this year, the same level as December 1994, National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said yesterday. Mr. Papantoniou added that the January Consumer Price Index had been burdened with 0.3 per cent from the increase in telephone charges and car insurance premiums. By April, Mr. Papantoniou forecast, inflation would be running at an annual rate of about 10.5 per cent and would drop below 10 per cent in May or shortly afterwards. Expressing optimism over the targets of the government's economic convergence programme and noting that the aims of the Maastricht Treaty now appeared to be realistic, Mr. Papantoniou said that early elections in Greece would be "a luxury" the country could ill afford, particularly in view of the speeding up of the process for monetary union in 1997 rather than 1999. On the drachma, Mr. Papantoniou said that the Greek currency should enter the European Union exchange rate system before the end of 1996. Commenting on his recent participation in the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, Mr. Papantoniou stressed that "the key" for Greece were "economic alliances" which the country would conclude in order to penetrate the Balkans and Middle East -- two regions, he added, which would enjoy high rates of development in the coming years. Commission ratifies state support for Elefsis Shipyards ------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 02/02/1995 (ANA - F. Stangos): The European Commission yesterday ratified the state support programme amounting to 5.728 billion drachmas for restructuring and modernising the Elefsis Shipyards. The amount will cover 50 per cent of the programme's total cost of 11.455 billion drachmas, while the balance will either come from the Elefsis Shipyards S.A. fund (3.437 billion drachmas) or long-term bank loans (2.291 billion drachmas). The restructuring programme, due to be completed by 1996, specifically concerns investments to cover purchase expenditures, the transport and installation of advanced technology mechanical equipment and electronic computers (8.408 billion drachmas) and the building of new buildings (2.326 billion drachmas). The European Commission announced the ratification of state aid because the investment programme was not aimed at increasing the Elefsis Shipyards' production potential but improving the enterprise's competitiveness. It was also disclosed that the programme exclusively concerned the new ship building sector and not repairs.