TRKNWS-L ANA News Excerpts
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ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 872), April 27, 1996
Pangalos, Gonensay to meet in Bucharest today
Athens, 27/04/1996 (ANA)
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said yesterday that a simple
statement by Turkey that it would seek recourse to the
International Court at the Hague over the Imia issue would
suffice for Greece to lift its objections to European Union
funding for the neighboring country.
Mr. Pangalos was speaking to reporters regarding his meeting
with his Turkish counterpart Emre Gonensay today on the
sidelines of the Black Sea Co-operation Conference in Bucharest.
Mr. Pangalos stressed that Greece sincerely wanted a settlement
of Greek-Turkish problems and peace in general.
Their acquaintance meeting will be the first face-to-face
meeting between Greek and Turkish government officials since
late January's stand-off over the Aegean islet of Imia, which
brought the two close to war.
"By asking Turkey to declare its intention to have recourse to
the Hague and at the same time state that it respects the
'status quo ante' in the region, we are providing Ankara with a
way out (of the impasse), if it decides in the end that its
claims are groundless," Mr. Pangalos said.
He said that if Ankara were to take these steps, Greek-Turkish
relations would revert to their previous level, which he
described as "bad, but tolerable."
The foreign minister said he had often stated this position and
strongly attacked the "demagogues and jingoists" in Greece who
have accused him of retreating from earlier positions.
He said he would expect to hear clarifications from his Turkish
counterpart concerning Ankara's claims against Greece when he
meets him.
Turkey's claims against Greece are unclear, Mr. Pangalos said.
"One minute they are claiming Imia as theirs and the next minute
they are laying claim to more islands than those given to us by
mother nature." He reiterated that Greece refuses to enter into
a comprehensive dialogue on all issues raised from time to time
by Turkey, adding that there could be no discussion between the
two countries as long as the Imia issue remained outstanding.
Explaining what Greece meant by its proposal for a
"step-by-step" rapprochement, Mr. Pangalos said Athens was
prepared to discuss two issues with Turkey - that of the
continental shelf in the Aegean and that of "normal relations,"
particularly with respect to border matters.
He added that other issues could also be discussed and dealt
with, such as the problems of illegal immigration and smuggling
which, he said, belonged to the framework of good-neighborly
relations.
Turning to talks in Athens earlier this week with his Egyptian
counterpart, Amr Moussa, Mr. Pangalos said both had agreed that
the funds allocated to Turkey under the European Union MEDA
program were disproportionately high while those earmarked for
Egypt were disproportionately low.
"The EU is funding Turkey in a scandalous manner for reasons
which it has not explained to us," Mr. Pangalos said, restating
Greece's position that EU foreign ministers should be able to
decide by special majority for Community funding to be suspended
f or any country which violates human rights.
"Turkey will receive the share to which it is entitled and
nothing more," Mr. Pangalos said.
Ankara reiterates desire for unconditional dialogue
Ankara, 27/04/1996 (AFP/ANA)
Ankara yesterday reiterated that it wished to begin an
unconditional dialogue with Athens on all aspects of
Greek-Turkish differences in the Aegean.
Speaking to Agence France Presse, Turkish foreign ministry
spokesman Nurettin Nurkan said:
"We hope that this meeting (between the foreign ministers) will
allow the beginning of a new process of dialogue on all aspects
of the Greek-Turkish conflict in the Aegean."
The Aegean FIR, the delineation of the continental shelf, the
delineation of territorial waters and the demilitarization of
the Greek islands across the Turkish coast are the most
important differences between the two countries, according to
the spokesman.
"All these problems are interlinked and should be discussed in a
constructive way in the framework of an unconditional dialogue
for the preservation of the status quo and the defusion of
tensions in the Aegean," he added.
Turkish displeasure
Istanbul, 27/04/1996 (ANA)
Ankara reacted bitterly to a decision by Greece's Parliament on
Thursday declaring April 24 a day of remembrance for the 1915
Armenian genocide.
"We view the decision with sadness," a Turkish foreign ministry
announcement read, adding: "It is certain that such actions do
not contribute to the efforts taking place for the beginning of
a new period in bilateral relations, which hopes to decrease
current tensions between the two countries."
Parliament unanimously decided to designate April 24 as a
remembrance day for the Armenian victims of the massive Ottoman
pogrom in 1915.
Van den Broek: Ankara's good relations with the EU depend on
relations with Greece
Istanbul, 27/04/1996 (ANA-A.Kourkoulas)
European Commissioner for external relations Hans van den Broek
said good neighborly relations between Greece and Turkey
constituted a necessity for Turkey's good relations with the
European Union.
Mr. van den Broek made the statement yesterday, prior to his
departure from Ankara.
Hailing Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's statements on
Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. van den Broek said the customs
union was "proceeding well" and expressed the hope that the
remaining problems will also be resolved.
His statements confirm the European Commission's position which
resists the disassociation of Greek-Turkish problems from the
development of relations between Turkey and the European Union,
a sought-after goal of the Turkish diplomacy.
US congressional discussion on Moslems begins
Washington, (ANA - T. Ellis)
The open debate on the human rights situation of the Moslem
minority in Thrace took place in low tones in the US Congress
yesterday, under the aegis of the Helsinki Commission for
security and co-operation in Europe.
The debate, which took place at an academic level, without the
presence of senators or representatives, was attended by about
80 people, including University of Indiana professor Van
Koufoudakis, Dimokritian University of Thrace professor Irini
Lagaki, Turkish Cypriot professor of King's College Tozun
Bahceli, and Komotini lawyer, and leading member of the minority
Adam Bekiroglu.
Mr. Bekiroglu said he was proud to be a Greek citizen of Turkish
origin, and publicly thanked the New Democracy party deputies
who came to Washington to promote Greek positions on the issue,
saying that with their presence they "gave additional emphasis
to the existence of the problem of violation of the rights of
the Moslems in Western Thrace".
He criticized the existence of a 3 per cent minimum share of the
poll required for party representation in the Greek parliament,
saying that it was designed to exclude Moslem representation.
Mr. Koufoudakis pointed out in reply that a minimum 5 per cent
requirement applied in Germany and a minimum 10 per cent in
Turkey itself. He spoke of a provocative intervention by Turkey
in Greece's internal affairs, promoted mainly through the
Turkish consul in Komotini.
Ms Lagaki said the United States should stop using Western
Thrace as a lever of pressure on Greece in its relations with
Turkey. She pointed out that 10 local newspapers were published
in the Turkish language, and that Greece was the only country
where the mufti could decide on the basis of the Islamic Sharia
law.
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 871), April 26, 1996
Turkish claims of harassment of fighter planes denied
Athens, 26/04/1996 (ANA)
Sources close to the Hellenic Air Force categorically denied
claims yesterday by the Turkish foreign ministry over alleged
harassment of Turkish fighters flying south of Crete in
international airspace.
Ankara said eight of its aircraft were intercepted by Greek
fighters while flying to Italy to replace other Turkish units
participating in NATO-led IFOR forces in Bosnia.
"There is no chance of harassment," the sources said, adding
that only planes violating Greek airspace would be intercepted,
as foreseen by relative directives.
Parliament declares April 24 day of remembrance for Armenian
genocide
Athens, 26/04/1996 (ANA)
Parliament unanimously decided yesterday to designate April 24
as a day of remembrance for the victims of the Turkish genocide
of Armenians in 1915. The motion was originally submitted by
Political Spring.
Turkish man jailed for smuggling immigrants
Athens, 26/04/1996 (ANA)
A 28-year-old Turkish man was yesterday sentenced to 10 years
jail and fined 13 million drachmas by a court on the island of
Samos for trying to smuggle 12 Iraqi illegal immigrants into
Greece.
The three-member court also passed a three-month suspended
sentence on the illegal immigrants and ordered their expulsion
from Greece.
Georgi Amatzi was arrested Tuesday after a chase by a Greek
Coast Guard patrol boat when he refused to obey orders to stop
for investigation and sped off in his six-meter speedboat.
The illegal immigrants, all Iraqis, said they had each paid
$1,500 dollars to Amatzi for him to ferry them from the Turkish
coast to Samos.
Reppas denies linkage between continental shelf, territorial
waters issues
Athens, 26/04/1996 (ANA)
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas yesterday said there was no
association between the delineation of the continental shelf and
the expansion of Greek waters to 12 miles in the Aegean. He was
commenting on Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos'
statements, Wednesday, that "if Turkey referred the issue of the
delineation of the Aegean continental shelf to the International
Court at The Hague, the verdict might also resolve the 12-miles
issue."
"The issue of the expansion of our territorial waters - which
Greece can enact at any time it wishes - has nothing to do with
the delineation of the continental shelf," Mr. Reppas said.
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 870), April 25, 1996
Recourse to International Court over continental shelf issue may
solve a number of problems, Romeos says
London, 25/04/1996 (ANA/MPA)
Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos yesterday told an
interview with the BBC Greek Service that if Turkey referred the
issue of the delineation of the Aegean continental shelf to the
International Court at The Hague, the verdict might also resolve
the 12-miles issue.
Turkey has made repeated threats that if Greece exercised its
right to extend its territorial waters from six to 12 nautical
miles in the Aegean it would consider the act a cause for war.
"If Turkey agrees to take the issue of the continental shelf to
the International Court at The Hague the resulting verdict might
also give a solution to the 12-miles issue," Mr. Romeos said.
Mr. Romeos said Turkey protested Greece's right to extend its
waters to 12 miles because it "claims a bigger part of the
continental shelf than it is entitled to."
"Therefore, if the continental shelf issue is settled, the
12-mile issue may also be resolved," Mr. Romeos said.
Asked to comment on the possibility of a court verdict that
would be against Greece's interest Mr. Romeos said that "nobody
expects to win everything in court."
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 869), April 24, 1996
Major says international court should resolve Imia dispute
London, 24/04/1996 (ANA - V. Mourtis)
British Prime Minister John Major expressed support for
referring the issue of the Imia islets in the eastern Aegean to
the International Court at The Hague after meeting his Greek
counterpart Costas Simitis yesterday.
"We believe this issue should be referred to the International
Court," Mr. Major told a questioner.
However, Britain appeared to insist on its position in relating
the accession of Cyprus to the European Union to a solution to
the Cyprus problem, but Mr. Simitis told a press conference he
informed Mr. Major of disagreement by both the Greek and Cyprus
governments on this position.
On the question of Turkey's customs union with the EU, Mr. Major
said Greece should lift its reservations on the funding of
Turkey.
Mr. Simitis said that for this to take place Turkey should
abandon threats of the use of force, stating this publicly, and
resort to the International Court at The Hague on the Imia issue.
US hopes '96 to be year of progress in Cyprus problem
Istanbul, 24/04/1996 (ANA)
US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs John
Kornblum reiterated the desire of the US yesterday that 1996 be
"a year of progress in resolving the Cyprus issue."
After meeting Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and True Path
Party leader Tansu Ciller, Mr. Kornblum told a press conference
at the US embassy in Ankara that he discussed the Cyprus issue,
Greek-Turkish relations, various regional issues and bilateral
Turkish-US relations.
"The US desires progress to be achieved in regional problems and
primarily the Cyprus issue," he said, adding that "we believe
regional developments and the position of the Turkish government
create a great opportunity for the Cyprus issue to be resolved."
He said statements by the Turkish side on Greek-Turkish
relations were "positive and constructive" and that "Greece also
desires a resolution to problems."
Gonensay urges Germany to exercise influence on Greece,
reiterates call for dialogue
Bonn, 24/04/1996 (ANA - P. Stangos)
Replying to reporters' questions after his meeting with his
German counterpart Klaus Kinkel, Turkish Foreign Minister Emre
Gonensay refused to be drawn on the possibility of his country
seeking recourse to the International Court at The Hague
concerning the Imia islets dispute with Greece, and reiterated
his call for a start to dialogue with Athens without
preconditions.
He also urged Germany to exercise its "positive influence" on
Greece in the matter.
"We did not proceed to details, because this is something we
shall discuss with Greece, and we shall have this opportunity
with Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos in Bucharest, on
the 27th of this month," he said.
"We are ready to begin negotiations on all our problems in the
Aegean, with all means of peacefully resolving differences,
including the participation of third parties. The specification
of this course, however, can begin only after dialogue has
begun," he added.
In carefully worded statements, Mr. Kinkel did not conceal his
view that Greece's veto of EU financing of Turkey constituted a
problem for Germany, and his desire for a resolution of the
Greek - Turkish imbroglio.
"We pressed Greece to abandon its resistance," he said.
"Both countries must, with our help, find ways and means of
clearing up their relations. The threat of the use of violence
is unacceptable, mutual distrust must be overcome...
"We, the other partners in the European Union, wish to help in
finding a framework for a reconciliation between Athens and
Ankara," he added, also describing Turkish Prime Minister Mesut
Yilmaz's recent proposals as "very important".
Comments from Athens
Athens, 24/04/1996 (ANA)
In Athens, government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis said that the
course of Greek-Turkish relations and Turkey's relations with
the European Union were in principle two quite distinct issues.
Because of its actions during the Imia incident in late January,
the spokesman said, Ankara had violated the EU-Turkey customs
union agreement "and consequently its relations (with the EU)
cannot be smooth."
"What is important now," he added, "is for Turkey to accept that
the Imia issue is a legal one and to state that it will have
recourse to legal bodies."
Lastly, Mr. Athanassakis said that Greece's reservations on the
terms for the MEDA financing procedure - a program aimed at
allocating ECU 3.4 billion EU aid to non-Community Mediterranean
countries, including Turkey - had been expressed prior to the
Imia incident and for other reasons.
The fifteen EU foreign ministers who met in Luxembourg Monday
failed to agree on the terms for financing.
The Greek position, which was presented by Foreign Minister
Theodoros Pangalos, was not accepted by the other foreign
ministers.
Figures show some 23,000 illegal immigrants ferried into Greece
through Turkish border
Athens, 24/04/1996 (ANA)
Many illegal immigrants, mainly from Asian and African
countries, enter Greece each year through Turkey, data released
by the public order ministry said yesterday.
Over the past four years, Greek authorities have arrested 22,906
illegal immigrants entering the country from Turkey, but police
officials estimate many thousands more evaded arrest and managed
to enter Greece.
Greek authorities have arrested numerous Turks who transport the
illegal immigrants with boats or other means from their country
for exorbitant fees.
The main entry points are the northern border prefecture of
Evros, from which 17,545 illegal immigrants have entered during
the past four years, the Dodecaneese islands, with 3,055, the
islands of Samos, Hios and Lesvos with 913,707 entries and 686
arrested illegal immigrants.
The 22,909 arrested illegal immigrants consisted of 10,317
Iraqis, 5,672 from Pakistan, 2,569 Turks, 1,328 from Bangladesh,
while the others were from Syria, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt,
India, Rwanda, Tunisia, Nigeria, Liberia, Somalia and
Afghanistan amongst other countries.
Forty-six Turkish illegal immigrant smugglers were arrested, as
were 15 Pakistanis, 12 Iraqis, two Bulgarians and one Moroccan,
according to the public order ministry's statistics.
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 868), April 23, 1996
Gonensay reiterates call for talks
Istanbul, 23/04/1996 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)
Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay yesterday called for the
immediate beginning of a Greek-Turkish dialogue, in light of
yesterday morning's incident off the southeastern Aegean island
of Kastellorizo.
"Unfortunately, the incident proves that tension in the Aegean
has not decreased and that discussions should begin
immediately," Mr. Gonensay said at Ankara's airport, before a
scheduled flight to Germany.
Greece opposes Turkish plans for coastal nuclear reactor
Athens, 23/04/1996 (ANA)
Environment Under-secretary Elisabeth Papazoi yesterday
condemned plans by Turkey to construct a nuclear reactor in the
region of Akuyu, opposite Cyprus.
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 867), April 22, 1996
Gonensay suggests wide-ranging discussion as first step to
resolving differences
Athens, 22/04/1996 (ANA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay has suggested a
discussion on all issues as the first step in finding a solution
to the differences between Greece and Turkey, in an interview
published in Greece's "Sunday Typos" newspaper yesterday.
"If we cannot solve our differences with talks, then we can
discuss or agree on a framework through which we will recourse
to third parties," the new Turkish foreign minister told the
paper.
However, the minister rejects the mediation of the US "because
it did not offer a productive role," saying "we could set
arbitration committees or we could go to court."
Mr. Gonensay said he does not doubt the sovereignty of Greek
islands, but said there is a problem "with the rocky islets and
islets which are not specifically named in the agreements."
He said the issue of the extension of territorial waters from
six to 12 nautical miles, "is not honest, equal and just,"
because Greece would end up with 60-70 per cent of the Aegean,
while Turkey would have 8-10 per cent.
Mr. Gonensay said such an act "could not be part of a peaceful
arrangement," and asked for the demilitarization of the Greek
islands, rejecting Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos'
proposal for the transfer of the Aegean army.
Mr. Gonensay said he will hold an informal discussion on all
issues with Mr. Pangalos in Bucharest. He added that the
proposals from Turkish premier Mesut Yilmaz "are not tactical
evasions, but arise from the honest will to leave all problems
behind."
An ANA dispatch from Istanbul, meanwhile, reported Mr. Gonensay
saying over the weekend that Turkey was willing to bring all
Greek-Turkish issues to the International Court of Justice at
The Hague if Greece was in agreement.
"If Greece wants to bring (to The Hague) all bilateral problems
in the Aegean - continental shelf, air space, FIR, etc. - we
could agree," the Turkish minister told the Turkish Daily News'
diplomatic correspondent. However, he ruled out unilateral
recourse by Turkey to the court over the Imia islet issue.
He also expressed the hope that his imminent meeting with Mr.
Pangalos in Bucharest would be "the beginning of a comprehensive
dialogue on all bilateral issues".
NATO chief ready to offer services
Athens, 22/04/1996 (ANA)
In a related development, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana
told the "Sunday Ethnos" paper he was ready to offer his
services to help Greece and Turkey find a solution.
Mr. Solana noted that NATO "does not take sides in bilateral
disagreements between member-states, and we will not deviate
from this principle regarding various disagreements" between
Ankara and Athens.
Greece and Cyprus optimistic about island's accession to the EU
Nicosia, 22/04/1996 (ANA/CNA)
Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and Greek Alternate
Foreign Minister George Romeos expressed optimism concerning
prospects of the island's accession to the European Union.
Speaking at a joint press conference here Saturday at the end of
Mr. Romeos' contacts on the island, Mr. Michaelides described
the Greek official's three-day official visit as "especially
productive". On his part, Mr. Romeos said the meetings he had
were "substantial and constructive".
Mr. Michaelides stressed the co-operation of the Cypriot and
Greek foreign ministries on Cyprus' application for accession to
the EU, a co-operation which Mr. Romeos described as "close and
continuous."
Expressing optimism for accession, Mr. Michaelides noted that
any obstacles met in the way can be overcome. On his part, Mr.
Romeos said he shared Mr. Michaelides' optimism, adding that
"serious work" is being done in Cyprus in co-operation with
Greece.
Mr. Michaelides said that "the EU talks with the Turkish Cypriot
side solely aimed to inform it of the benefits it will acquire
when Cyprus becomes a full member of the Union" and added that
"our side approves these talks and encourages them."
He did however stress that the Cyprus government would oppose
any moves to alter the status of these talks. He also said that
all those who believe that accession talks should start only
after a re-unification of the island have more than a year's
time to work towards a solution of the Cyprus problem.
Mr. Michaelides explained that the preparations concern issues
of strategy. Referring to the visit of the new US Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs John
Kornblum to Nicosia, Athens and Ankara, he said it would give
Cyprus and Greece the chance for more information on the US
initiative.
"We believe that the US initiative could be launched after
President's Clerides' visit to the US in June," Mr. Romeos said,
adding that this gives enough time to both Cyprus and Greece to
intervene in the shaping of the framework of the initiative.
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