From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Mon, 29 Aug 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, August 29, 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Papoulias in Cyprus, reaffirms trial blocks dialogue with Albania * New Democracy statement * Opposition leader to confer with EU envoys, brief President Karamanlis * Church leaders, laymen at Chalki School celebrations * Dutch paper flays Berisha regime Papoulias in Cyprus, reaffirms trial blocks dialogue with Albania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 29/8/1994 (ANA): Greece said yesterday there could be no progress in Greek-Albanian relations unless the trial of the five members of the ethnic Greek political organisation, Omonia in Tirana were halted. "The on-going trial stands in the way of dialogue with Albania," Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias told reporters at the airport prior to his departure for Cyprus on a four-day official visit and talks with Cypriot leadership. "If hardship inflicted on those people does not stop, I believe there could be no improvement in Greek-Albanian relations," he said, adding that "as I've already stated in the past and reiterate today (yesterday), we know how to be patient," he said. Mr. Papoulias said he had hoped Albanian President Sali Berisha "might be more serious and restrained in his assessment and expressions." Asked whether or not measures adopted against the Albanian government would be escalated, Mr. Papoulias responded: "Measures are both taken and stepped up daily with very good results." The government has tightened control at its sea and land boundaries with Albania, after expelling thousands of illegal Albanian immigrants last week. An estimated 350.000 Albanians work in Greece, sending a large part of their earnings to their families back home. Tension mounted between the two countries after a trial opened in Tirana this month, in which five ethnic Greek members belonging to Omonia, the ethnic Greek political organisation, are accused of espionage and illegal arms possession. Last week Albanian President Sali Berisha offered to have talks with the Greek government to try settle Greek-Albanian differences through international mediation, but Athens said it would agree to dialogue only if Tirana respected the rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania, and stopped the trial of ethnic Greek Omonia leaders. The five leaders of Omonia were arrested after a fatal incident at a border conscript centre in Albania led to a growing crisis between the two neighbours. Albania blamed Greece for the attack in which two Albanian conscripts died, but Athens flatly denied the charge. In another development last week, Greece announced it would block Community aid to Albania to retaliate Tirana provocation. Mr. Papoulias, arrived in the free areas of the republic at the invitation of his Cypriot counterpart Alecos Michaelides. He said that despite the Albanian problem, the Cyprus issue "remains a priority," adding his visit "will yield positive results. Mr. Papoulias will hold talks with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and other political figures." The Foreign Minister said he would have a broad exchange of views on the entire political spectrum of the Cyprus problem, noting that talks were held on the eve of a decision to reassess the Cyprus problem following UN Security Council Resolution 939. Greece and Cyprus are currently co-ordinating moves in view of the new UN efforts for a solution to the long-standing Cyprus problem based on the latest Security Council Resolution. The two governments will also join forces in assisting Cyprus to become a full member of the European Union in view of a reassessment in January, of an application for EU membership made by the island-republic in 1990. Mr. Papoulias said also Greece would support with all means the struggle of the Greek-Cypriots for an integrated state according to United Nations Resolutions. "Current moments are critical," he said, adding that "the struggle will not cease before the last occupation soldier abandons the Cyprus soil, and normal living conditions are established for the entire people of the Cyprus Republic." Cypriot Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides said Mr. Papoulias' visit to Cyprus "has special significance because the Cyprus problem is now at a stage of fresh approach following UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's new initiative." Mr. Michaelides said the visit was "extremely timely owing to the recent provocative action by the Turkish side and today's (yesterday's) session of the pseudo-parliament promoting a decision which undermines the Ghali-initiative." The pseudo-parliament has decided to cancel all previous resolutions for a federal solution to the Cyprus problem. Mr. Michaelides criticised the pseudo-parliament for leading the Ghali initiative to a deadlock "before it has started." New Democracy statement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 29/8/1994 (ANA): Meanwhile, main opposition New Democracy party criticised Mr. Papoulias' visit to Cyprus saying it was both "belated and untimely." A New Democracy statement said the visit should have taken place long ago, and it was untimely because "at this moment the Greek Foreign Minister should have been touring and briefing foreign governments and international organisations of what is going on in Albania, instead of confining himself to writing or transmitting letters by the Prime Minister." Opposition leader to confer with EU envoys, brief President Karamanlis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 29/8/1994 (ANA): Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert today will receive separately ambassadors from all EU member-countries. The meetings will be held within the framework of initiatives launched by Mr. Evert for briefing the international community on the violation of rights of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania. This afternoon, Mr. Evert will meet with President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis to present his party's position on foreign affairs, especially on relations between Greece and Albania. Church leaders, laymen at Chalki School celebrations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 29/8/1994 (ANA): The Secretary-General of the World Council of Churches Paul Fisher, representatives of the Vatican, a large number of Metropolitans representing the Orthodox See of Constantinople, clerics and laymen from all parts of the world have gathered in the Theological School of Chalki, Istanbul, to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Dutch paper flays Berisha regime ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Athens, 29/8/1994 (ANA): The Berisha regime does not only persecute the large ethnic Greek minority, but also interferes with freedom of the press, jailing journalists from countries which uphold democracy, freedom of expression and transparency. The popular Dutch newspaper "HET PAROOL" published a report from its correspondent in Tirana titled "Tirana drowns freedom of press with new rules" and subtitled "Journalists are subject to arbitrary arrest." The report claims that 10 opposition newspapers went on strike to protest the "discouraging philosophies of Berisha" because with new laws and more taxation, he tries to prevent the functioning of the opposition press.