GREECE: ANGRY RESPONSE FROM ATHENS FOLLOWING ALBANIAN COURTS CONVICTION OF FIVE ETHNIC GREEKS ON SPYING CHARGES.

Record ID: 566129

  • Title: GREECE: ANGRY RESPONSE FROM ATHENS FOLLOWING ALBANIAN COURTS CONVICTION OF FIVE ETHNIC GREEKS ON SPYING CHARGES.
  • Date: 8th September 1994
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 7, 1994) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SCU GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN COSTAS BIKAS SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 0.52 2. SCU GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER CAROLOS PAPOULIAS SAYING THAT THERE WILL BE AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO THE TIRANA COURT RULING (GREEK) 1.02 SEQUENCE 1 TRANSCRIPT: BIKAS :"THE GREEK GOVERNMENT HAS REACTED AND WILL CONTINUE TO REACT WITH CALMNESS, DECISIVENESS AND LOOK TO THE FUTURE. WE ALSO REMIND THAT WE ARE THE MAIN POOL OF SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE AREA. THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GREEK GOVERNMENT WILL BE APPLIED AND INTENSIFIED. WE HAVE TOLD OUR AMBASSADOR IN TIRANA IN ATHENS FOR CONSULTATIONS. THE FOREIGN MINISTER CAROLOS PAPOULIAS IS GOING TO PRESENT THE ISSUE AT THE COMING MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS IN GERMANY THIS SATURDAY AND ALSO THE GREEK MINISTER IS WRITING A LETTER TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, MR. BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI. AT THE SAME TIME ALL THE NECESSARY DIPLOMATIC STEPS TOWARDS FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN" Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • City:
  • Country: Greece
  • Reuters ID: LVA22WO5B1PVJUMQ010Q7VH9EZIG
  • Story Text: An Albanian court convicted five ethnic Greeks on Wednesday (September 7) of spying for Greece and sentenced them to between six and eight years in jail, provoking an angry response from Athens.

    The Greek government announced that it was recalling its ambassador in Tirana and would protest against the convictions to the United Nations (U.N.) and European Union (EU).

    In Athens, Greek foreign ministry spokesman Costas Bikas said Greece would intensify measures against Albania and make all the necessary diplomatic approaches to foreign countries and international organisations.

    Later on Wednesday Foreign Minister Carolos Papoulias told waiting reporters of a "effective" Greek response to the Tirana court ruling.

    The leader of Greece's conservative New Democracy Party, Miltiadis Evert, called for the sealing of the Greek-Albanian border, the immediate deportation of all illegal Albanians and the freezing of all Albanian assets in Greece.

    The five men, Vangjel Papakristo, 51, Panajot Marto, 55, Kosta Qirjako, 39, Irakli Sirma, 52, and Theodhori Bezhani, 61, were arrested after a raid on an Albanian conscripts camp in April in which two Albanian soldiers were killed.

    Greece has accused Albania of staging a political trial to intimidate the Greek minority in southern Albania, which Athens says numbers around 300,000.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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