ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN

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From: tabe at newsdesk.aps.nl
Subject: ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN
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Turkey says will not budge on NATO issues after Claes visit
---------------------------------------------------------------
    Ankara, 19/05/1995 (ANA/E. Athanasopoulou/AFP):

    Minutes after NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes left Ankara
after talks with Prime Minister Tansu Ciller on a dispute that
has effectively frozen Nato's military budget, Turkish Defence
Minister Mehmet Golhan said Turkey would not agree to any
concessions in the establishment of NATO headquarters on the
Aegean. Mr. Golhan was speaking to reporters at Ankara airport
during the departure of Mr. Claes who paid a 24-hour visit to
Turkey for talks with government officials in an effort smooth
over Ankara's objections.

    "Unless the same responsibilities are attributed to the seventh
airforce headquarters, as those of the sixth airforce
headquarters, the issue will not be solved and the headquarters
will not be established," he told the state-run Anatolia news
agency. Ankara has expressed its disagreement over the
stationing and operation of the two new NATO military commands
in Greece and has blocked the alliance's entire military budget,
freezing all NATO military projects just as it is in the process
of finalising plans for a possible pull-out of UN peacekeeping
forces in Bosnia.

    Earlier, Mr. Claes held talks with Prime Minister Ciller in
Ankara, saying afterwards "the improvement of relations between
Greece and Turkey is to the benefit of both countries as well as
NATO." Mr. Claes told reporters he arrived in Turkey with the
goal of strengthening Nato's southern flank. He said that being
located in the Alliance's southern region, Greece and Turkey
would have a much more important strategic role.

    "Ms Ciller and I discussed the method which could be followed
in developing relations between Greece and Turkey," Mr. Claes
said, adding that "the improvement of these bilateral relations
will be to the benefit of both countries as well as NATO. I
think this point is acceptable to both sides." "We will start
diplomatic contacts between the two countries in the next few
weeks on resolving Greco-Turkish disagreements in the framework
of NATO. I believe development will be achieved by June when the
NATO defence ministers' session will take place ," he said.

    Mr. Claes also met Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, Turkish
General Staff Chief General Ismail Haki Karadayi, Deputy Chief
Ahmet Corekci, Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu and Defence Minister
Mehmet Golhan. Mr. Claes and his entourage left yesterday
afternoon. Mr. Golhan also accused Greece "of using this issue
for domestic consumption".

    According to the state-run Anatolia agency, Mr. Golhan told Mr.
Claes during talks that the Western European Union should
exploit Nato's possibilities and that, in this case, Turkey
should acquire full membership in the WEU. Turkey is an
associate member of the WEU.

    In Athens, meanwhile, replying to a questioner on Mr. Claes'
recent statements in Athens on relations between Greece and
Turkey, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said Mr. Claes
saw things from the NATO Secretary-General's point of view and
Greece saw them from its own, from national sovereignty and
non-negotiation of its sovereign rights.


ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 590), May 18, 1995



Arsenis hopes for progress by June
--------------------------------------
    Athens, 18/05/1995 (ANA):

    After his meeting with Mr. Claes, National Defence Minister
Gerasimos Arsenis expressed the view that by early June when
NATO defence ministers meet, progress would have been made
concerning the integration of the military structure of the
Alliance's south-eastern flank. "However, if there is no
progress," Mr. Arsenis said, "then Greece will raise a serious
political issue (at the June meeting) vis-a-vis the credibility
of the Alliance, since it is unable to implement its own
decision." Mr. Claes' talks with Mr. Arsenis concerned the
military structure of the south-eastern flank of the Alliance.

    Mr. Claes described the talks as "fruitful" and stressed Nato's
interest in Greece's geopolitical position due to the role the
country can play in the region. He said however that the
Alliance was experiencing certain difficulties in its efforts to
strengthen the southern flank, such as the poor relations
between Greece and Turkey. Mr. Claes expressed the hope that
there would be some constructive results and progress at the
meeting of NATO defence ministers on June 7-8.

    Mr. Arsenis described his talks with Mr. Claes as "very useful
and constructive", adding that the NATO chief had stressed the
importance of the role Greece can play as a stabilising factor
in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean. He said the talks
had focused on the bilateral defence co-operation agreements
which Greece had concluded with a number of Balkan and East
Mediterranean states, describing the accords as "initiatives
which can be part of broader defence co-operation between NATO
and non-members within the framework of Partnership for Peace."

    Also discussed at the meeting was the issue of the NATO land
and air headquarters at Larissa. Mr. Arsenis said the fact that
NATO had not fulfilled its unanimous decision of 1992 on the
issue of the headquarters was due to Turkey's stance, and
reiterated the dispute was between Ankara and NATO.

    Ankara has expressed its disagreement with the stationing and
operation of the two new NATO military commands and has blocked
the alliance's entire military budget, freezing all NATO
military projects just as it is in the process of finalising
plans for a possible pull-out of UN peacekeeping forces in
Bosnia. Mr. Arsenis said that he believed that Mr. Claes now
understood Greece's positions better, which coincided with
Nato's political position. "I believe that the efforts of the
NATO secretary general will move in the right direction," he
added.

    During his talks with Mr. Claes, Mr. Arsenis said, the issue of
confidence-building measures in the Aegean was not raised, "nor
was the issue of Willy Claes mediating (between Greece and
Turkey)". Mr. Arsenis also stressed that no pressure had been
exerted on Greece "given that NATO does not have a specific
proposal concerning which pressure might be exerted on Athens to
accept.

    Mr. Claes also held a meeting with former Parliament President
and main opposition New Democracy deputy Athanasios Tsaldaris,
focusing on the issue of the headquarters in Greece. Following
the meeting, Mr. Tsaldaris said New Democracy's position on the
issue was "crystal clear." "We ask the complete and immediate
enforcement of Nato's unanimous decision taken in December
1992," he said.


Claes, Papandreou meet, sources say NATO bases discussed
------------------------------------------------------------
    Athens, 17/05/1995 (ANA):

    Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou held a meeting here this
evening with NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes. No statements
were made after the meeting but reliable sources said the two
men discussed Greece's relations with NATO and the issue of
establishing NATO headquarters in Greece. Government spokesman
Evangelos Venizelos yesterday said Greece's positions on the
issue remained steadfast.

    Ankara told NATO last month that it would block the
establishment of a NATO rapid deployment force headquarters in
Thessaloniki and the activation of a NATO headquarters in
Larissa if Greece did not agree to its conditions. These include
Greece relinquishing its right to extend its territorial waters
in the Aegean from six to twelve miles and agreeing to the first
rotating commander in Thessaloniki being Turkish.

    Athens said the dispute was between NATO and Ankara and not
between Ankara and Athens. The two land and air NATO
headquarters in Larissa should have already been established in
compliance with a December 1992 ministerial decision but Ankara
retracted its original consent.

    NATO officials say the establishment of Nato's Southern Flank
Rapid Deployment Force in Thessaloniki would facilitate the
force's operation. After Italy withdrew its proposal to base the
force there, NATO was left to choose between Greece and Turkey,
which has still to say where the base would be established.


Turkey to conduct exercises in Aegean as planned
----------------------------------------------------
    Ankara, 17/05/1995 (ANA/E. Athanasopoulou):

    The Turkish General Defence Staff yesterday said the country's
armed forces were continuing their activities in the Aegean as
planned. In reply to a question concerning a reported US request
that "exercises not take place in the Aegean" over the summer,
Defence Staff officials said they had not received such a
request "and the Turkish armed forces are continuing their
activities in the Aegean as planned".

    Press reports said that two different exercises will take place
in June, 'Efes 95', involving land, air, and naval forces in the
Aegean, and immediately afterwards, 'Seawolf', in the Sea of
Marmara, international waters in the Aegean, and the
Mediterranean.


ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 588), May 16, 1995




WEU to begin talks with Cyprus, Malta for associate membership
------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lisbon, 16/05/1995 (ANA/Reuter):

    National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said yesterday that
Greece was very satisfied with the decision by the Western
European Union to begin dialogue with Cyprus and Malta, with a
view to the island-republics becoming associated members.

    Mr. Mangakis said Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu had
raised an objection to the WEU's decision on Cyprus and Malta,
included as a note in the final communique, questioning the
international legal personality of the Republic of Cyprus as
representative of the whole island. This lacked seriousness, he
said, as Cyprus is a member of a number of international
organisations, such as the United Nations and the British
Commonwealth, is recognised by the WEU and the European Union,
and is on course to membership of the latter.



Evert meets with US Defence Secretary for 'constructive talks'
------------------------------------------------------------------
    Washington, 16/05/1995 (ANA/D. Dimas):

    Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert held
one-hour talks with US Defence Secretary William Perry and
Assistant Defence Secretary Joseph Nye at the Pentagon yesterday.

    Mr. Evert said "we also discussed relations between Greece and
Turkey. It is a given fact that all sides, but Turkey in
particular, should end existing tension."



Premier to meet Claes today
-------------------------------
    Athens, 16/05/1995 (ANA):

    Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will meet with NATO
Secretary-General Willy Claes in Athens this evening, government
spokesman Evangelos Venizelos announced yesterday. He said the
talks would centre on the operation of the Alliance's western
flank and did not rule out discussion on the establishment of
NATO bases in Greece.

    Meanwhile, in Lisbon, where he is attending the WEU meeting,
National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said Greece would
"listen carefully to everything Mr. Claes has to say". "On our
side," Mr. Arsenis said, "I can only reiterate what I have
already said at Nato's Ministerial Conference, that the
unanimous decisions of ministerial conferences should be applied
and that Turkey must be convinced to lift its veto."

    Asked whether Greece would be willing to modify its position on
the issue, Mr. Arsenis said that "it should be made understood
to all that this is not a Greek-Turkish issue, but one that
concerns NATO and Turkey."

    Last month Ankara objected to the establishment of NATO
headquarters in Greece saying it would only agree to the
establishment of a NATO rapid deployment force headquarters in
Thessaloniki and the activation of a NATO headquarters in
Larissa if three conditions were satisfied: that Greece
relinquish its right to extend its territorial waters in the
Aegean from six to twelve miles, that the first rotating
commander in Thessaloniki be Turkish and that the land and air
force headquarters in Larissa be set up simultaneously.

    Athens said the issue was not a Greek-Turkish dispute but a
matter between the Alliance and Turkey.



UN continues search for common ground to nudge movement on
Cyprus problem
-----------------------------------------------------------------

    Athens, 16/05/1995 (ANA):

    Two United Nations envoys arrived in Athens yesterday for talks
with the Greek government on efforts to jump-start UN-sponsored
negotiations for a settlement to the Cyprus problem. "We are
back for some preliminary discussions to see whether there is
reason to encourage the two leaders (in Cyprus) to come together
for face-to-face talks," UN special envoy for the Cyprus issue
Joe Clark said. He made the statement after talks with Foreign
Minister Karolos Papoulias. He is accompanied by Gustave
Feissel, the UN Secretary-General's special representative.

    Mr. Clark said his talks with Mr. Papoulias had been
satisfactory and that there had been interesting developments on
the problem since last year. One of them, Mr. Clark said, was
the decision by the European Union to start membership talks
with Cyprus six months after the 1996 intergovernmental
conference.

    Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following the Turkish
invasion. In 1983, the island's Turkish Cypriot minority
declared an autonomous state in the north. It is recognised only
by Turkey which maintains over 35,000 troops there. UN efforts
to re-unite the island under a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal
system have so far failed.

    Permanent Security Council members Britain and the United
States have recently taken a keen interest in facilitating a
solution to the 21-year-old Cyprus problem. Last month, days
after Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was re-elected as
"president" of the occupation regime, a US envoy visited the
Mediterranean island to convey Washington's desire to
re-invigorate UN-led efforts to resolve the Cyprus dispute.

    The Cyprus News Agency reported that British Foreign Secretary
Douglas Hurd might bring up the issue with US Secretary of State
Warren Christopher during his forthcoming visit to the US.
Commenting on US and British efforts, Mr. Clark said: "We have
always taken the view that it is very helpful for us to have all
the help we can get from our friends. If there are discussions
that make clear as to where some agreement may be found between
the two leaders, then that is great help to us".

    The two envoys are scheduled for talks in Ankara today. They
will continue to Cyprus for meetings with the island's president
Glafcos Clerides and Mr. Denktash.


ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 587), May 15, 1995



Claes Athens visit to seeks ways out of impasse brought on by
Ankara
-----------------------------------------------------------------
    Brussels, 15/05/1995 (Reuter):

    NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes flies this week to Greece
and Turkey to mediate in a dispute between the two alliance
members and regional rivals that threatens sensitive military
operations.

    The latest row has led to Ankara blocking Nato's entire
military budget and forced the grouping to freeze all military
projects just as it is in the process of finalising plans for a
possible pull-out of UN peacekeeping forces from Bosnia.

    "Turkey's action is out of proportion. It is hitting at the
entire alliance not just Greece," one senior NATO diplomat said.
He added that, if the dispute was still unresolved by the end of
this month, the alliance would have to shift to some form of
emergency financing for previously approved military projects
that are worth several hundred million dollars.

    Greek diplomats said they believed Mr. Claes would carry with
him various proposals for a compromise solution, but said they
were not encouraged by recent Turkish actions despite Ankara's
need to win support after its recent military thrust against
Kurdish rebels in Iraq.

    Disputes between Greece and Turkey have often blocked alliance
activity in the eastern Mediterranean, but this time Turkey has
chosen to widen the dispute which centres on the financing of
NATO facilities in Turkey.

    The embattled Claes, who has been dragged recently into a murky
Belgian defence contract corruption scandal dating from his time
as Belgium's defence minister, heads first for Athens tomorrow
and then goes to Ankara on the following day. The visit is
formally part of a tour that Mr. Claes, who only took office
last October, is making of capitals of member states. But it has
taken on greater significance since the tension heightened
between Athens and Ankara. "This is now a very important visit,"
a NATO source said.

    Apart from his personal problems, Mr. Claes has faced an array
of crises in the alliance since taking over, from transatlantic
squabbling over air strikes in support of UN actions in Bosnia
to a row with Moscow over NATO enlargement plans. Diplomats fear
failure to resolve the Greece-Turkey row soon could further dent
Nato's credibility at a time when its relevance in a post-Cold
War world is increasingly questioned.

    The NATO row coincides with Turkish efforts to encourage
European parliamentarians to vote later this year in favour of a
lucrative European Union-Turkey customs union. Independent
analysts say Turkey's drive against Kurdish separatists in
northern Iraq has cost it much support in Europe and the dispute
within NATO has further angered its allies. "Turkey just seems
to keep doing things which do not help its case," one political
analyst said.

---
 * Origin: APS Amsterdam (aps.nl), bbs +31-20-6842147 (16:31/2.0)