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Tuesday, 26 November 2024
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BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN (06/02/1996) 2oFrom: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@uranus.ee.auth.gr>Macedonian Press Agency News in English DirectoryBRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYFebruary 6, 1996TITLES[01] TRAUMATIZED GOVERNMENT WILL BOUNCE BACK, SAYS GREEK PM[02] US PRESIDENT CLINTON CONGRATULATES TURKEY'S ACTING PREMIER[03] GREEK PREMIER CANCELS VISIT TO ANDREAS PAPANDREOU[04] PASOK LEADER'S HEALTH CONDITION REMAINS STABLENEWS IN DETAIL[01] TRAUMATIZED GOVERNMENT WILL BOUNCE BACK, SAYS GREEK PMGreek ruling party PASOK held its Parliamentary Group meeting today, where, according to the Press and Media Minister Dimitris Reppas, the greek Premier has admitted that the government's picture has been "traumatized" by the recent crisis in the Aegean Sea, and, as a result, is still suffering from the aftershocks of the event. Nevertheless, according to Mr. Reppas, the greek Premier believes that the optimistic and confident climate which characterized the newly-elected government duirng its first days in power will soon return anew.During today's meeting, Mr. Simitis is said to have emphasized that the government's decision regarding the Imia crisis were drawn with caution and decisiveness, and do not leave room for criticism, as its aim was "to defend Greece's sovereign rights and to circumvent any negotiations of issues already resolved in the international legal arena." According to Mr. Reppas, during the recent confrontation with Turkey, the greek government faced three options: war, military collission or disengagement. Following collective decision making, the PASOK party opted for disengagement. The Press Minister said that the option of war, although it would have lead to victory, surely would have taken lives and caused damages while, at the same time, risked the danger of drawing Greece into a negotiations trap with Turkey. Moreover, Mr. Reppas stated that during the upcoming week, the Governing Committee will convene to discuss its plans for strengthening the country's defense policies, while it will take under consideration the possibility of creating a Foreign Policy Committee and a Balkan Countries Council. Most importantly, the government will outline a diplomatic campaign, the government spokesperson said. The government's aim is to promote Greece into a position of strength and, as such, will "tighten its international cooperations in order to achieve this goal," Mr. Reppas said. Referring to Greece's lack of support by the European Union in this recent crisis, Mr. Reppas stated that the government is troubled that the EU did not proceed to draw any direct actions. The Press Minister attributed this european lack of initiative to Greece's lack of strength in the community, since "Greece has not seized the role it deserves in the community." Regarding the greek Premier's public display of gratitude to the United States, an act that intensified the greek people's bitterness and disappointment in their government's handling of the crisis, Mr. Reppas stated that the "thanks" was meant to say that the US was a "useful third party." When asked about reasons behind the cancellation of the trip to Greece by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke, Mr. Reppas stated that the U.S. special envoy's trip was cancelled for "technical reasons." Regarding the possibility of Greece-imposed sanctions on Turkey, the Press Minister allegorically stated that there will be "leveraged intervention by Greece so that Turkey's funding resources are subjected to conditions." |
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