A.N.A. Bulletin, 04/03/96

From: "Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada" <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 828),

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Denktash revelations of murdered war missing proof of Turkey's flouting of international law, Gov't says

Outrage and condemnation of statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that 1,619 Cypriots were summarily executed by Turkish paramilitary forces during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus continued to pour in over the weekend, with the Greek government saying that Mr. Denktash's admission provided further proof of the brutality of the Turkish invasion.

"International law and order remains crippled as long as international organizations fail to effectively deal with the tragedy of the Cyprus missing. Today, when in other cases the international community is looking for war criminals, in occupied and bloodstained Cyprus, Denktash is presenting himself as an interlocutor for the settlement of the Cyprus problem," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Saturday.

In an interview with a private Cypriot television channel, Mr. Denktash said that Greek Cypriot prisoners of war were murdered by Turkish Cypriot paramilitary groups. He said there were no missing persons alive today.

Yesterday, reports from Nicosia said that Mr. Denktash, in an effort to appease international outrage over his disclosures, had claimed that his statements were "distorted".

Mr. Reppas stressed that it must be understood by all that any permanent and just solution of the Cyprus problem must necessarily be brought about through Turkey's reconciliation with international law and UN resolutions.

"As long as Ankara's aggressive policy is tolerated, Denktash will continue to dynamite efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem overall, from the invasion and the missing persons to the existence of the pseudo-state and its cynical leader," he added.

Mr. Reppas said the Cyprus problem was a stain on Europe, stressing "whoever remains silent, whoever remains indifferent has responsibility which must not be continuously avoided but assumed."

Transport and Communications Under-secretary George Daskalakis said on Saturday that Greece and Cyprus are obliged to demand an inquiry into the issue of the war missing following Mr. Denktash's statements.

"Denktash's cynical confession obliges Greece and Cyprus to demand an inquiry and commit those responsible to trial as war criminals," Mr. Daskalakis said.

"We are obliged with direct and co-ordinated action to mobilize international organizations, our EU partners, our allies and international public opinion in order to shed light on a tragedy which has continued for 22 years and to seek the conviction of those responsible," he said.

The Cyprus government said Friday that Mr. Denktash's admission that missing Greek Cypriots were murdered in cold blood was tantamount to a confession of being guilty of war crimes.

The main opposition New Democracy party Friday called for an investigation into the issue of the missing persons following Mr. Denktash's statement, while the Communist Party of Greece termed his remarks as "unacceptable."

In fresh statements yesterday, ND spokesman Vassilis Manginas called on the government to take all necessary action in order to investigate the allegations made by Mr. Denktash.

Stressing that an inquiry to the allegations should be made through all international fora, Mr. Manginas further criticized the government of "delayed response" and of making a "general" instead of specific reply to Mr. Denktash's "unprecedented cynical statements alleging that all the missing since the Cyprus tragedy have been slaughtered."

"The government," Mr. Manginas said, "should at last stop dealing with internal and personal power games and deal seriously with national issues."

Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras said that "Attila and its slaughterers today are called democrats and those that show respect for international law, such as Greece, are being forced to dialogue with Attila and for their sovereign rights."

[2] Clerides

Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides said yesterday that the efforts to determine the fate of the Cyprus missing had to continue in the framework of the UN fact-finding committee and that the Greek Cypriot side should not be diverted by Mr. Denktash's statements.

Mr. Clerides said that if the Greek Cypriot side accepted the Denktash statements, it meant that it accepted that the issue of the missing has ended.

He stressed it was more important that the fact-finding committee continue its work and request all the facts.

"If the Turkish side claims that the missing are dead, we will demand to know the circumstances of their death and where they are buried," he added.

Meanwhile, in an effort to appease the outrage of the international public opinion over his cynical confession that the Cyprus missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion were murdered by Turkish-Cypriot paramilitary groups, Mr. Denktash alleged yesterday that his statements were distorted.

Mr. Denktash told international news agencies that a number of the missing may have been killed in acts of vengeance by Turkish Cypriots whose family members had been killed by Greek Cypriots.

But, according to evidence released by US researchers, two of the five 1,619 missing Cypriots who were US nationals were captured by the Turks and taken, together with a group of Cypriots, to a garage from which "everyone disappeared".

Another US national was murdered by a Turkish Cypriot taxi driver who undertook to drive him from Kyrenia to safety: the taxi driver apparently murdered the man for his jewelry.

Visiting British Labor MEP Pauline Green, the head of the European Parliament's Socialist Group, on Saturday held a meeting with two committees of Relatives of the Missing, focusing on ways to deal with the recent developments on the issue.

Ms Green said all evidence documenting Mr. Denktash's allegations should be put forward.

"If Turkey has indeed no relation to these crimes it must prove so and contribute to the collection of evidence leading to these crimes," she said.

"The criminals must be brought to justice," she said.

The Committees for the Relatives of the Missing insist that there is proof showing that Mr. Denktash, Ankara and the Turkish army were responsible for the crimes.

They also said that Mr. Denktash's public confession tries to "torpedo the new initiative by the (UN) fact-finding committee on the issue."

[3] Government condemns new Israeli bomb outrage

Athens condemned the bomb attack on an Israeli bus in Jerusalem yesterday morning that left 18 dead and 10 injured.

"Jerusalem has become a testing ground for peace for the entire region. We express our abhorrence at such acts which result in the death of innocent people, in the maintenance of tension and which undermines the definitive normalization of relations between the two peoples. We hope that the forces of destruction will be dealt with decisively and that peace and progress can be consolidated," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.

A Moslem suicide bomber blew apart a Jerusalem commuter bus yesterday, killing 18 and wounding 10 in a mirror-image of an attack one week ago.

The government was joined by main opposition New Democracy party in expressing "indignation and outrage" at yesterday's Moslem terrorist bomb attack but said "peace must be safeguarded at any cost."

"Extremist forces cannot defeat reason," ND spokesman Vassilis Manginas said. "They cannot impose their will and put peace in this sensitive region at risk."

Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres has declared all-out war on the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas, which said it carried out the explosion on the same bus route, on the same street at almost the same time as last Sunday's attack, which killed 25 people.

The Political Spring party said it abhorred the bomb attack "as a new terrorist act with sole aim the disruption of Israeli-Palestinian talks".

"The continuation of the peace process is the answer the two peoples must give to the terrorists," a statement said.

[4] Tsohatzopoulos says Asia-Europe meeting a 'great success'

Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos brought up the development of sea transport due to Greek shipping's comparative advantage in the sector and the opening of Asian markets to Greek businesses at the two-day Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) here as well as in private contacts with participating state leaders.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos took the opportunity to reiterate Greece's position that differences on security issues faced by Asian island states should be solved through the International Law of the Sea as "the only way to answer to any provocations and problems ".

Speaking to the ANA, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said he took the opportunity to brief British Prime Minister John Major, Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitsky, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres and French President Jacques Chirac of the recent Turkish provocations and the Cyprus problem.

Regarding the ASEM Summit, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said it was a "great success," since specific measures were decided on the economic, business and education areas as well as the fields of communications and sea transport.

[5] South Korea holds off on recognition of FYROM

South Korea will await the results of the New York negotiations over the Skopje name issue before it proceeds to recognize the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Foreign Minister Gong Ro Myung told Greek Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe meeting in Bangkok.

Mr. Romeos told the foreign minister that recognition of FYROM under the name "Macedonia" would not be "a constructive and friendly act."

The Greek minister also met with Asian counterparts focusing on opportunities of bilateral co-operation and briefing them on the recent Greek-Turkish crisis.

[6] Dutch, Italians play down spying row

The Italian defense ministry said in a statement Saturday that it had given its attachi in Athens, Colonel Mario Volpicelli, a "period of leave in Italy."

"Volpicelli's conduct has always been in line with the existing relations between a friendly and allied country like Greece," it said, adding that it was "deeply surprised by the blown-up episode."

The Greek government on Friday requested Italy and the Netherlands recall their military attaches in Athens, after the two diplomats were caught allegedly collecting military-related information on the east Aegean island of Lesvos three days before the Imia islet crisis.

Athens' ambassador to Rome Evangelos Frangoulis was told by the Italian foreign ministry on Friday that Rome was surprised at and regretted the incident, while stressing it did not believe its diplomat was involved in any such acts.

Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo called the incident a "small storm in a large teacup."

The Dutch diplomat involved has been recalled to the Netherlands on leave.

[7] US senator says Simitis US visit of great importance

US Senator Paul Sarbanes yesterday stressed the importance of Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis' official visit to the US next month for talks with US President Bill Clinton.

Speaking during an Archbishopric event in New York, Mr. Sarbanes referred to the US president's "great efforts" to avert conflict and defuse tensions in the recent Aegean crisis.

The Greek-American senator said the opinion that "President Clinton held a neutral position in the Greek-Turkish dispute" was not "entirely fair."

Stressing the concern of the US government over the continued tension between Greece and Turkey, Mr. Sarbanes said Ankara's recent provocations against Greece "serve, to a great extent, domestic political expediencies."

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Mr. Sarbanes said the US government would launch a fresh initiative following parliamentary elections in Cyprus on May.

Speaking to reporters during the same event, representative Mike Bilirakis said he was disappointed by President Clinton's attitude choosing to keep equal distances between Turkey and Greece during the Imia crisis.

He added that the "international community should realize that the support of Islamists constitutes a major international threat."

[8] Simitis, Skandalidis meet

Prime Minister Costas Simitis held a meeting Saturday with PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis focusing on the forthcoming PASOK congress and other party-related issues.

The PASOK Executive Bureau will hold a meeting with the participation of Mr. Simitis this week.

Meanwhile, Mr. Skandalidis on Saturday called on all PASOK cadres to participate in a substantive dialogue for the party's evolution.

Mr. Skandalidis said that "the new PASOK cannot imitate Andreas Papandreou" adding that "PASOK cannot deny its history ... but PASOK is not responding to present conditions."

[9] Kaklamanis comments on Greek-Turkish relations

Commenting on recent developments in Greek-Turkish relations, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis told reporters that "we are going through an especially crucial phase".

He said the Greeks "should realize that we do not live in just another European country, which has solved its problems on the external front, has ensured its borders and enjoys its safety and stability in the region."

Stressing the importance of unity among the Greeks, he quoted Kemal Ataturk's saying that "if Greeks are partitioned, do not count how many they are, how many weapons they have. You will beat them. But if they are united, do not dare (to go to war) because you will be beaten."

[10] Coalition leader says Thrace development should be part of national strategy

Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Constantopoulos yesterday said making Thrace a centre of multilateral co-operation with the Balkans and the broader region should be part of Greece's national strategy. He made the statement during a three-da y tour of the Evros prefecture.

Referring to the Greek-Turkish crisis, Mr. Constantopoulos said foreign policy issues should not be exploited for reasons of internal party expediency.

Mr. Constantopoulos reiterated his party position for the establishment of a foreign policy council, at the same time calling for a political leaders council meeting. He said that Turkey's recent provocations call for "the planning and development of a diplomatic and political counter-offensive at all levels".

Commenting on the statement of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that the Cyprus missing were murdered by Turkish-Cypriot paramilitary groups, Mr. Constantopoulos said that Greece should pursue the "greatest possible mobilization of governments and n on-governmental organizations, as well as international public opinion and the UN, in order to achieve the substantive condemnation of Turkish barbarity against Cyprus and Greece."

[11] Ecumenical Patriarchate attempts to smooth over differences with Moscow church

The dispute between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Church over the ecclesiastical status of the Church of Estonia threw a pall over festivities yesterday marking the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

Despite the Russian Church's differences with the Patriarchate in Istanbul, however, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos mentioned the name of the Patriarch Alexios II of Moscow and All Russia during the liturgy.

It is not the first time that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has treated relations with the Moscow Patriarchate with circumspection.

In 1948, the Ecumenical Patriarchate also kept a low profile after the Moscow Patriarchate seized control of the Hungarian Church.

Relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Moscow were disrupted this time after the Patriarchate's decision to put the Church of Estonia under its jurisdiction.

Sources said the Moscow Patriarchate's decision was influenced by political expediencies.

The sources said it was clear that the Estonian Church did not wish to be put under the jurisdiction of Moscow, adding that 54 out of the 80 Orthodox parishes called on the Ecumenical Patriarchate to request the implementation of the 1923 decision.

Regarding the Russians in Estonia, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is always willing to accept any regulation settling their rights, the sources added, stressing that the Patriarchate pursued discussion of all these issues with Russia over the past two year s.

An ANA dispatch from Moscow, meanwhile, said that Patriarch Alexios had expressed optimism over a settlement of the dispute with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

"I would not call it a crisis. It is rather a complication. Both parties take measures to remove such complications. As Christians we must be optimistic," Alexios said during a reception held by Greece's Ambassador to Moscow, Kyriakos Rodousakis, marking the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

The Greek ambassador expressed satisfaction at the fact that the Patriarch chose the Greek Embassy for the third consecutive year to commemorate the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

The Patriarch said that he felt at home in Greek territory, "as all Greeks feel in Russia, since both peoples are united by a common faith."

[12] Bomb found at church in Istanbul

Police yesterday removed a bomb put in front of the gates of a Greek Orthodox Church, sources at the Phanar said yesterday.

The bomb, which was set to go off through a remote control mechanism, was discovered by vergers, who notified the police.

The church is one of the forty Orthodox churches still in operation in Istanbul.

[13] Sunday of Orthodoxy observed

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and other high-ranking government and political figures attended a church service commemorating the Sunday of Orthodoxy yesterday.

"There is a whole world of Orthodox (people) beyond Greece," Mr. Pangalos told reporters, "including many peoples and powers in all parts of the world, which Greece should bring together for justice and the freedom of the individual."

In an announcement yesterday, the Political Spring party said that "in times of social crisis and external threats the message of Orthodoxy throws light on the ideals of peace, co-operation and human values."

[14] Melina Mercouri memorial service

Culture Minister Stavros Benos, ministry officials and political figures joined friends and family of the late Melina Mercouri yesterday for a graveside memorial service.

Mr. Benos stressed that the work the much-loved actress set in motion at the ministry would continue.

[15] Talks with rioting inmates continue, most hostages released

Riots in prisons around the country continued yesterday as new rounds of negotiations got under way to release guards taken hostage after inmates took over facilities last week.

Inmates at Patras prison released two of four hostages held since Thursday when the riot broke out and requested that Justice Minister Evangelos Venizelos visit the facility.

In the Corfu prison, tensions were still high but hostages have been released.

A riot broke out Saturday at the Diavates prison in Thessaloniki by one-third of the Albanian inmates there.

There was hope yesterday that tensions would ease, since the majority of the 530 inmates were not participating in the riot.

Inmates in the Korydallos, Komotini and Kavalla prisons refused to eat or enter their cells in an act of solidarity with the rioting inmates.

End of English language section.