Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-03-09

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 09/03/1998 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• First visit to Greece by Albanian President
• Cooperation protocol on policing of borders
• Earthquake off Rhodes
• Insurance official's murder
• Greece in NATO exercise
• Weather
• Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Albanian president Rexhep Mejdani arrived in Athens today on a three-day official visit, the first ever by an Albanian head of state.

Mejdani, who shortly after his arrival entered into talks with his host, Greek president Costis Stephanopoulos, was expected to meet later with prime minister Costas Simitis.

His discussions here would focus on the unrest in the Yugoslavian province of Kosovo and on the rights of the Greek ethnic minority in Albania.

During the visit, the Greek and Albanian education ministries are also expected to sign an educational cooperation agreement.

Stephanopoulos said after talks that he and Mejdani had agreed on the need for "prudent and sensible views" to prevail in resolving the Kosovo problem.

Mejdani said his visit to Albania coincided with the worsening of the situation in Kosovo, stressing that this development "poses a serious threat to peace in the region".

He called on Greece, as a member of NATO and the European Union, to play its role, within the framework of Euro-Atlantic structures "in order to make Belgrade stop using force and sit at the negotiating table so that a viable and long-term solution can be found".

Greece has long proposed the creation of a multinational rapid reaction force, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said later, when asked to comment on proposals in this respect by other countries, such as Turkey.

Reppas said Greece had raised the issue of a rapid reaction force at a meeting of Balkan defence ministers, well before the recent intensification of tension in Kosovo.

Athens had not raised the issue of a headquarters for the force so as to avoid placing the matter on the basis of "a discussion motivated by expediencies",he added.

Greece was participating in efforts to draft a joint text at the five- nation talks in Sofia, including Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, he added.

He said that Greece's approach on the Kosovo crisis remained the same, namely that it be resolved by peaceful means, through dialogue, without military intervention.

"In no circumstances should there be any change of borders," Reppas said, adding however that Athens was in favour of autonomy within the framework of existing agreements.

Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou meanwhile told Greek television in London yesterday that Ibrahim Rugova, the leader of the Albanians in Kosovo, and Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic had to talk "to avoid the worst".

"Above all, there must be a clear message from the international community that Serbia must proceed to partial autonomy for Kosovo as well as from the other side that the international community cannot tolerate a new independent country, in other words, a change of borders in the Balkans, which would send shockwaves throughout the region," Papandreou said.

"A Rugova-Milosevic dialogue could contribute to the peace process as would the implementation of the educational agreement," he said.

"Thirdly, there must be calm from all sides, no violence, no no terrorist acts on the part of extremist elements as well as self-restraint on the part of Serbia in relation to the suppression of any expression of the Albanian-speakers... so as to allow democratic procedures to prevail in developments in Kosovo."

Cooperation protocol on policing of borders

Following talks between Greek and Albanian presidents, a cooperation protocol was signed by Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis and Albanian Interior Minister Neritan Ceka providing for joint patrols by the border police and Greek Harbour Police Corps for the more effective policing of the two countries' sea borders.

For technical reasons, the scheduled signing of a bilateral cultural agreement was postponed for 24 hours for certain corrections to be made.

Stephanopoulos said he was certain that his Albanian counterpart's visit would contribute to the further improvement of bilateral relations, adding that he had ascertained in talks with his Mejdani and the Albanian delegation "the sincere desire for any outstanding issues in bilateral relations" to be dealt with in a way that leads to "the right solutions".

Mejdani said Tirana was willing to broaden bilateral relations in all sectors and stressed the need for Greek investments in Albania.

Noting that the ethnic Greek minority in Albania gave additional impetus to the "brotherly and friendly" relations between the two countries, he gave the assurance that the Albanian state "will respect the minority's rights in accordance with international standards".

Mejdani said the Albanian immigrants in Greece were a link in the friendship between the two peoples, noting that the Greek government was doing everything possible towards granting them legal status and improving their living conditions.

Stressing that Greece was a "top priority partner", Mejdani said he had ascertained this during the difficult period which Albania had gone through, citing in particular Greek assistance in consolidating democratic institutions in his country.

Mejdani also stressed the importance of Greek support for Albania's efforts to joint Euro-Atlantic structures.

Earthquake off Rhodes

A strong earth tremor measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale was recorded at 13.21 this afternoon by the Athens Observatory.

The epicentre was situated 480 km southeast of Athens in the sea bed east of Rhodes.

As yet no damages have been reported.

Thessaloniki University professor of seismology told the ANA that the quake originated in the eastern sector of the Greek seismological "arc".

He said it was an isolated quake with no aftershocks expected.

There is a wide variety of seismic activity in the area, he added, both in depth and intensity.

Insurance official's murder

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterised the murder of insurance firms' subsidiary fund president Nikos Sotiropoulos as a tragedy.

Sotiropoulos was shot in the head late Saturday night as he arrived at his seaside home in Saronida with his wife and mother-in-law.

Reppas said that in Greece, while there were those who were actively contributing to the good of their sector, there were other criminal elements thwarting these efforts in the most abominable way possible. However, he added that in Greece these phenomena were not widespread.

The Union of Insurance Companies of Greece (EAEE) has offered a reward of 50 million drachmas for any information leading to the capture of those responsible for killing Sotiropoulos.

At a press conference today, EEAE president Doukas Paleologos spoke of the victim's long service and substantial contribution to the insurance business in Greece.

He declined to comment when asked whether he thought Sotiropoulos' murder was in any way connected to his activities in reforming the insurance market, saying it was a matter for the police and judicial authorities.

Meanwhile, Paleologos issued a list of the 40 insurance firms whose licenses have been revoked since 1981.

Greece in NATO exercise

Greece is participating in the large-scale NATO exercise codenamed ''Strong Resolve" with four F-16 fighter planes, one frigate and a number of staff officers, the National Defence Ministry said today.

The exercise got under way today in the Iberian peninsula and simultaneously in Norway with the participation of all NATO countries and seven Partnership for Peace countries.

The objective of "Strong Resolve" is to evaluate the Alliance's capability to take action in two crises which arise simultaneously in different parts of the world.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article