Greece and Cyprus examine ways to boost business in the Balkans
NEWS IN DETAIL
Greek troops will join Albania force, Tsohatzopoulos says
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos clarified today that the
Greek contingent of the multinational security force to be sent to Albania
would not be formed on a voluntary basis.
Asked by reporters in Thessaloniki whether the contingent would be made up
of volunteers, Tsohatzopoulos replied in the negative, adding that ''there
is a specific unit of the armed forces which, as soon as the relevant
decisions have been taken and we have determined the disposition and size
of the force which will participate, will undertake its task as a
constituted section of the armed forces''.
The United Nations on Friday gave the green light for the formation of a 5,
000-strong force, half of whom will be deployed and half held in reserve,
to protect humanitarian relief operations in Albania.
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said today that Greece would
participate in the multinational force with about 700 troops.
Asked whether Italy's ''primacy'' would create problems following the
sinking of a crowded Albanian refugee boat in the Adriatic on Friday,
Tsohatzopoulos replied that there was no problem as far as Greece was
concerned, while noting that ''there is no primacy in the multinational
force, in which 7 or 8 countries will participate''.
''The countries which will make up the force will decide jointly after
discussion. They will discuss all matters and all responsibilities will be
shared out,'' he said.
The Albanian boat sank after an Italian navy vessel tried to intercept it.
At least 80 people are believed to have died.
Asked to comment on reservations voiced as to the efficacy of the
multinational force, Tsohatzopoulos said it was the Greek government's
choice ''to express in the most effective way the solidarity we feel as
neighbours, as a Balkan people and as a people which has a Greek minority
in Albania''.
National Defence Ministry sources meanwhile clarified, in reference to
Tsohatzopoulos' statements, that the possibility of conscripts serving in
the Greek contingent depended directly on the type of mission the force
would be undertaking and the degree of danger involved.
If the mission was deemed to be dangerous, they said, conscripts would not
be sent. It it was not dangerous, the sources added, the possibility of
conscripts participating would be examined.
Everything will depend on the decisions to be taken in Rome on Wednesday
during a meeting of military commanders, they added.
Reppas said the countries to participate in the force would be Greece,
Italy, France and Spain from the European Union, as well as Hungary,
Romania and Turkey.
The force will remain in Albania for three months, he added, in order to
assist the distribution of humanitarian aid and keep open lines of
communication as part of efforts to restore normality in the neighbouring
country.
Reppas said the contingents should be made up of full-time soldiers rather
than reservists and Athens would propose that the Greek contingent be based
in the area of Tirana.
The spokesman meanwhile expressed its regret at the sinking of the Albanian
refugee boat.
''We believe that an inquiry should be held into the circumstances
surrounding the accident and, if there is responsibility, it should be
attributed accordingly,'' he said.
The spokesman expressed the view however that the tragedy should not become
an obstacle to efforts to restore normality in Albania.
Reppas said the presence of the Greek military contingent in Albania and
the strengthening of Greek-Albanian ties would avert any attempts at
provocations against the Greek minority in the neighbouring country.
Asked to comment on reports alleging plans by Tirana aimed against the
minority, Reppas said ''we do not believe that there is any plan by the
Albanian government for the annhilation of the Greek minority''.
However he did not rule out the existence of ''circles and centres'' which
might attempt to destabilise Greek-Albanian relations and create hardships
for the minority in order to force ethnic Greeks to leave the country.
''The Greek government is at the side of the Greeks of Albania,'' Reppas
said, in response to a request from the minority for the Greek military
contingent to be based in their areas.
He clarified however that Greece had never proposed that its contingent be
based in the areas inhabited by the minority -- namely the south of the
country -- since Athens believed that it would be more effective if based
in central Albania.
Greek delegation in Tirana
Greek foreign ministry general secretary Alexandros Filon is heading a
delegation of senior ministry officials to Tirana today.
The delegation includes the general secretary for international economic
relations of the Ministry for Overseas Greeks Costas Zachariadis, the
director of Balkan affairs Dimitris Kypraios and officials of the
ministries of the interior, health and welfare and public order as well as
a representative of the Greek Red Cross.
The delegation will have talks with officials of the corresponding Albanian
ministries in order to examine ways in which Greece can best offer
assistance.
Filon will be received by President Sali Berisha, Prime Minister Bashkim
Fino and the Albanian Foreign Ministry leadership.
Albanian Premier due in Athens Wednesday
Albanian Prime Minister Bashkim Fino's visit to Athens on Wednesday is an
indication of the good relations existing between the two governments and
signals the beginning of renewed attempts by Tirana to secure humanitarian
and financial aid in an effort to bring calm to the strife-torn country.
"By making contacts and presenting the chaotic situation which exists in my
country, I hope to secure more humanitarian and financial aid and, at the
same time, as (the leader of) a national reconciliation government, to
stress what I have already said to the Greek ambassador in Tirana, that we
are open and prepared to cooperate with the (Greek Prime Minister's Costas)
Simitis government", the Albanian premier said in an exclusive interview
with the ANA.
Mr. Fino's comments came after the UN Security Council gave the green light
early Saturday for a multinational protection force to restore order and
guarantee distribution of aid.
Mr. Fino will cross the Greek-Albanian border by road at the Kakavia border
post after meeting local authorities at Gjirokaster.
Mr. Fino said he was pleased at the response of the Greek people to the
Albanian crisis.
On Saturday, a Hellenic Air Force transport plane delivered the second
batch of food and medical aid to the Albanian army, after direct consultations
between the defence ministries of the two countries.
Uzbekistan president begins official visit today
Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov will start an official visit to Greece
today, at the invitation of President Kostis Stephanopoulos.
Mr. Karimov will meet the Greek President tomorrow morning and will be
guest of honour at an official reception in the evening.
Mr. Karimov will also meet Prime Minister Costas Simitis and visit the
Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday for talks with Greek
businessmen.
President Karimov will be accompanied by economic ministers and businessmen
from his country who will hold talks with economic officials aimed at
developing commercial and economic relations between the two countries.
Europartenariat Hellas set for June
Europartenariat Hellas '97 will welcome more than 2,000 business people
from 77 countries on June 23 and 24 in Piraeus this year, giving the
business world a unique opportunity to confer with 400 carefully-selected
Greek companies involved in virtually every economic sector.
The event is considered to be one of the widest promotion campaigns of the
Greek economy abroad.
Europartenariat Hellas 1997 is an initiative of the European Commission
that aims at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises explore their
potential for cross-border cooperation. Trade agreements, dealerships,
establishment of joint ventures, sharing of common distribution networks
and exchange of technology and know-how, are typical examples of desired
cooperaiton.
The event is organised by the Exporters Association of Northern Greece, the
same institution that successfully organised the Europartenariat of 1992 in
Thessaloniki.
Europartenariat Hellas 1997 is being financially supported by the European
Commission, Directorate General XVI and XXIII and the Greek ministry of
national economy.
Greece to take over handling of Bosnia transport unit
Greece will take over from Belgium as of April 1 the administration of
BELLUGA, the unit responsible for transport in Bosnia to supervise
implementation of UN resolutions.
The assumption of the Greek mission's new duties will take place at a
special ceremony in Visoko tomorrow and will be attended by Army General
Staff Chief Lieutenant-General Manousos Paragioudakis, as well as by his
counterparts from Belgium, Austria and Luxembourg, namely the countries
composing BELLUGA.
The Greek mission will be strengthened with about 50 additional permanent
members to enable it to meet its new commitments. Mr. Paragioudakis will
leave for Bosnia at noon today.
Bulgarian socialist leader in Athens
Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Georgi Parvanov, who arrived in Athens
yesterday on a four-day visit at the invitation of the ruling socialist
PASOK party, will have talks with Greek party leaders and a series of
meetings with PASOK Central Committee secretary Costas Skandalidis and
other senior party officials.
Mr. Parvanov is scheduled to meet main opposition New Democracy party
leader Costas Karamanlis, Communist Party of Greece Secretary-General Aleka
Papariga, Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Constantopoulos
and Democratic Social Movement President Dimitris Tsovolas.
Fundraising campaign for Bulgaria
The Greek Radio Network (ERA), its 19 regional stations, the international
non-governmental organisation "Doctors of the world" and the Greek Radio
and TV (ERT) Staff Society will undertake a major fundraising campaign for
Bulgaria.
An on-the-spot survey revealed that sensitive sectors of the population
such as orphans, elderly people, handicapped people and hospital patients
are living below poverty levels in the troubled Balkan country.
The situation has become dramatic in the wider region of Plovdiv where
thousands of Bulgarians of Greek origin still live.
Trade unionists warn of labour unrest
Trade unionists in public utilities and the General Conferederation of
Workers of Greece (GSEE) have scheduled a press conference on Thursday,
April 3, regarding what they view as government interference in the
institution of free collective bargaining.
They consider that the current impasse in ongoing negotiations with the
management of several large state-run enterprises is due to government
pressure, particularly by National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos
Papantoniou, for pay increases not to exceed seven per cent, including
remuneration for night shifts and overtime work. They claim that real
increases amount to three to four per cent, and that the government's
interference raises a political issue.
Other outstanding issues are also currently fuelling a climate of
confrontation with the government, such as the status of the social
insurance fund for bank employees, deregulation in the power and telecommunications
sectors according to EU directives, and modernisation programmes in the
railways and the post office.
The most militant trade unionists are threatening strike action, but
particularly in view of the recent fruitless eight-week-long teachers'
strike, the adoption of more 'flexible' forms of protest, which swell the
financial cost for the utilities withou t causing a loss in wages, is
considered more likely.
Greece and Cyprus examine ways to boost business in the Balkans
Cypriot Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou arrived in Athens over
the weekend at the head of a large delegation to participate in the third
meeting of the special Greece-Cyprus coordinating committee for economic,
industrial and technological co operation.
Mr. Christodoulou will co-chair the meeting with his Greek counterpart,
Yiannos Papantoniou.
The symposium, organised by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and
the Union of Chambers in Greece, will examine the entire spectrum of
bilateral cooperation and review progress in a number of areas in which
joint action has already been agreed and is being implemented.
The meeting will also be addressed by Cyprus Minister of Commerce, Industry
and Tourism, Kyriakos Christofi who will speak on "Cyprus as a business
centre in the Middle East and as a transit point for trade transactions."
About 400 delegates from Greece and Cyprus will study ways of boosting
cooperation with Black Sea, Balkan and Middle Eastern countries.
WEATHER
Unstable weather throughout Greece today with local cloudiness, rainfall
and rainstorms, but also spells of sunshine. Rain and snowfall in the
mountainous regions of northern Greece. Winds will be strong to moderate.
Athens will be sunny to cloudy with possible rainfall later in the day and
temperatures between 7-13C. Thessaloniki will be overcast and rainy with
temperatures between 3-7C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 262.959
Pound sterling 429.476 Cyprus pd 524.391
French franc 46.600 Swiss franc 181.655
German mark 156.934 Italian lira (100) 15.721
Yen (100) 212.814 Canadian dlr. 190.444
Australian dlr. 206.276 Irish Punt 414.755
Belgian franc 7.607 Finnish mark 52.856
Dutch guilder 139.574 Danish kr. 41.212
Swedish kr. 34.851 Norwegian kr. 39.615
Austrian sch. 22.303 Spanish peseta 1.853
Portuguese escudo 1.548
(M.P.)
