From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 20 Jul 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). ANA Bulletin, 20/07/1994 ( ) ---------------------------- President,PM recall world community responsibility for Cyprus tragedy ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) President Constantine Karamanlis yesterday accused the international community of doing nothing to force Turkey end its 20-year occupation of Cyprus. Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou underlined the responsibility of the international community for the vindication of Cyprus and its people. In a statement to the Cyprus National Radio and Television Network (RIK) on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, Mr. Karamanlis also strongly denounced the Cyprus coup leaders for providing Ankara with the pretext it needed. The July 15 coup against the late President Archbishop Makarios, backed by the then Greek junta in Athens, led to the Turkish invasion five days later. Ankara claimed that it was acting to protect the island's minority ethnic Turkish population. Turkish troops continue to occupy the northern part of the island and over 1,600 Greek Cypriots remain unaccounted for since the invasion. Describing the coup and subsequent invasion as "one of the blackest pages in the recent history of Hellenism", President Karamanlis said that "enormous" responsibility for the tragedy lay with many: "With Greece of the Colonels, which through criminal recklessness had overthrown the legitimate government of Cyprus and provided Turkey with a pretext for invading the island-republic; and Cyprus which, at the time, was torn by domestic squabbles; Tu rkey which, by its treacherous and barbaric invasion, had violated and continues to violate all rules of international law; the international community which, despite hypocritical disapproval, has done nothing in practice to put an end to the Turkish vi olation of law. And last, those powers which, although in a position to make Turkey honour its international obligations, not only fail to do so but are in effect condoning its behaviour." He added that the Cypriot people continued "to pay the price for these mistakes and crimes". President Karamanlis pledged that the whole of Hellenism would continue to fight for the inalienable right of Cypriots to be independent and live free on their island. The Prime Minister ------------------ In his message, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou also underlined the responsibility of the international community for the lack of vindication of Cyprus and its people. "Responsibility for the vindication of Cyprus and the Cypriot people rests with the international community," Mr. Papandreou said. "The years which have passed have neither reduced the size of the crime, erased it from memory, nor altered our resol ve to stand unyielding," he added. "The Cyprus problem is and will remain - until its resolution - a problem of invasion and occupation. Its essence is indissolubly linked with the need to put an end to occupation, the withdrawal of the Turkish troops and settlers, and securing basic li berties," Mr. Papandreou said. Premier confers with U.S. Defence Secretary ------------------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou yesterday held talks with visiting U.S. Defence Secretary William J. Perry, who had arrived earlier in Athens. Mr. Perry will have a meeting with his Greek counterpart Gerasimos Arsenis today. He is currently on a tour of Balkan states, having arrived from Skopje, The meeting with the Prime Minister lasted over an hour and, according to reports, the discussion centred on the problems of the Balkans and the former Yugoslavia, with emphasis on the crisis in Bosnia. Mr Perry expressed anxiety over the prolongation of the crisis, and underlined that Greece plays an important role in the region. Upon arrival, he said his tour of Balkan and NATO countries aimed at the restoration of security in the region and the resolution of the Bosnian crisis. "Greece is the first European NATO country I am visiting...My visits to NATO and Balkan countries aim at restoring security in the region and the resolution of the Bosnian crisis," he told reporters. "Greece plays a leading role in the efforts towards peace in the region," he added. Mr Perry was met at the airport by Mr Arsenis. Athens Press Union appeals to world press for Cyprus ---------------------------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) Human rights are crudely violated and European civilisation is suffering in occupied Cyprus, the Athens Journalists Union (ESHEA) charged yesterday, in a statement marking the 20th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The full text reads as follows: "ESHEA appeals to its colleagues in Europe and all over the world, to every free man, to recall that 20 whole years of military occupation of 37 per cent of Cypriot territory by Turkey are completed these days (July 20). "On the legendary mountain range of Pentadaktylos, up there, in the north, the Turkish flag continues to serve as a grim reminder of the tragedy of Cypriot Hellenism, a sequel to the treacherous coup against Ethnarch Makarios engineered by the dictators in Athens and their collaborators in Nicosia. "Four divisions of the Turkish occupation army and tens of thousands of settlers have seized the estates of the Greeks of Cyprus and have been exploiting them for the past 20 years without the civilised Western world being moved by such injustice. "At a time when international organisations are becoming activated on human rights all over the planet, they display strange indifference toward the unprecedented violation and infringement of the freedoms of the Cypriot people, while over 1,600 Greek Cypriot prisoners of the invaders are still missing. "For 20 years, martyred Kyrenia and deserted Famagusta and Morphou have been suffering under the Turkish boot. Provisions included in nearly all U.N. decisions are not implemented. None of the 'great powers' are sensitised by the fact that Cyprus, an in dependent country and a member of the U.N. has suffered a foreign invasion, and its northern part remains under foreign occupation ever since. Its Greek inhabitants have been ousted and live as refugees, churches have been desecrated and estates seized by the invaders. "ESHEA calls on international press unions and organisations, as well as all journalists, to support the struggle to put an end to Turkish occupation at long last. "Let this become the slogan of all: "Human rights are crudely violated and European civilisation is suffering in occupied Cyprus." No EU pressure on Greece over Skopje trade sanctions ---------------------------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) The government said yesterday it did not consider European Union pressure had been exerted on Greece to lift its trade sanctions against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. "Something of this sort would be meaningless and, in any case, the government would not allow any pressure to be exerted on it, because such matters fall within the framework of the United Nations," said government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos. The spokesman reiterated that the European Commission's decision to refer the issue of Greek trade sanctions to the European Court did not facilitate "political consulations", and indirectly criticised the General Affairs Council for not dissuading the Commission from its decision. Skopje was responsible for consultations on the issue not marking progress at the U.N., Mr. Venizelos said, by requesting a postponement until the autumn. Mr. Venizelos told questioners that despite the fact the EU had abandoned an opportunity to undertake an initiative on the issue, "Athens would welcome any initiative in harmony with the (Cyrus) Vance mediation effort". He noted that German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel had not ruled out the possibility of an initiative being undertaken on the Skopje issue, but added that there was nothing concrete in sight as yet. Venizelos details Greek line on aid to Albania ----------------------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) The criteria set by Greece on respect for international law and human rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania have, for the first time, become European Union criteria, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. The spokesman made the statement when asked why Greece had not vetoed EU economic aid to Albania at the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. The EU General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday adopted Greek positions on granting free macro-economic aid to Albania totalling 35 million ECU. According to the decision, Albania will receive "as soon as possible" an initial instalment of 15 million ECU while, at the same time, the German presidency will lodge a demarche with the Albanian government reflecting EU concern over respect for human rights and the democratization process in the neighbouring country. The second instalment of 20 million ECU will be paid subject to conditions relating to an improvement of the situation in Albania and after a new decision by the council of ministers. Mr. Venizelos said Albania's behaviour had been "placed under those criteria and Greece reserves the right, if necessary, not to allow disbursement of the second instalment of aid." Greece said last week it would continue blocking 35 million ECU of European Union aid to Albania unless Tirana made progress on the issues of democratization and respect for human rights. Mr. Venizelos said that the Council's decision would serve to bring Community organs "in line with this rationale" and set the Commission to act within the framework of the criteria laid down. The spokesman said the government stance was "far more concrete and far more practical" in safeguarding the rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania. Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis said in Brussels that through the Council's decision Greece maintained its "veto", converting the crucial issue of democratisation and protection of human rights in Albania into a Community issue as well. He said the European Union committed itself under pressure from Greece to lodge a demarche with the Albanian government on those issues. Out of a total of macroeconomic aid amounting to 35 million Ecus, 15 million Ecus will be disbursed for Albania unde r EU strict pressure and control on the course of that country's democratisation and protection of rights of the ethnic Greek minority. Albania's course in that direction, he said, will be monitored systematically by the EU, and the Council will decide on the possible disbursement of the remaining aid on condition a unanimous Council decision is reached. On the question of cooperation between Greece and Albania in the framework of the Interreg Phare crossborder programme, it is clear that it is a question of Community programmes benefitting Greece and the southernmost part of Albania in which the bigges t part of the Greek minority lives, he said. A main opposition New Democracy party announcement said government policy on the issue of Community aid to Albania was mistaken, in view of continuous violation of human rights in that country. It said the government spokesman had served a superb excuse for the way of handling the issue. But he convinced neither ND nor the Greek people. In a similar statement, Political Spring (Pol.An) party spokesman Manolis Kalamidas criticised the government position on the issue of Community aid to Albania, stressing that if the government has not yet realised the significance Tirana attaches to Co mmunity demarches, then it has learnt nothing from its continuous failures over the manner of facing Albanian provocations. ND deputies meet with Papoulias on recent Albania visit ------------------------------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) Foreign Affairs Minister Karolos Papoulias yesterday called the arrest of six ethnic Greeks in Albania "a serious matter with a direct bearing on Greek-Albanian relations." His statement followed a meeting with four members of the main opposition New Democracy party, who updated him on conditions facing six ethnic Greek defendants awaiting trial for "espionage, fomenting separatism and possessing weapons without a licence." The group recently visited Tirana to monitor the trial, originally set for July 16, and gather information on conditions for ethnic Greeks living in the neighbouring Balkan country. Mr. Papoulias said Greece continues to stand by the accused, members of the ethnic Greek Omonia party, adding that he is ready for a fresh round of talks with his Albanian counterpart Alfred Sereqi "if the issue of the defendants and other pending issue s were to be settled." Greece incurs 110 billion yen loans ----------------------------------- Athens 20/7/1994 (ANA) Greece incurs 110 billion yen loans Greece yesterday signed three bond loans totalling 110 billion yen with a group of Japanese banks headed by "Nomura Securities." The loans are part of foreign loans provided for in the 1994 state budget which is developing satisfactorily and with favourable conditions for the Greek state, according to an announcement by the Finance Ministry. The basic terms and conditions of the loans are as follows: 1. First series Amount: 50 billion Japanese yen. Repayment: In three years, on July 28 1997. Price of issue: 100 per cent. Interest rate: 4.43 per cent. 2. Second series Amount: 30 billion Japanese yen. Repayment: In five years, on July 28 1999. Price of issue: 100 per cent. Interest rate: 5.45 per cent. 3. Third series Amount: 30 billion Japanese yen. Repayment: In seven years, on July 27, 2001. Price of issue: 100 per cent. Interest rate: 6 per cent. The loans mark Greek state entry for the firt time on the Japanese loaning market.