U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
BRIEFER: PHILIP T. REEKER, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2000 1:30 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: The Washington Post today, with an unusual article, attacks --
namely the Greek Minister of Defense, Apostolos Tsokhatzopoulos,
characterizing him as a hardliner against the Greek-Turkish
rapprochement, and praising in the meantime the Greek Foreign Minister
Yeoryios Papandreou.
Do you agree with this characterization of the hardliner, and could
you please clarify your position?
MR. REEKER: Let me just talk a little bit about some of the things
that came up yesterday in terms of the NATO exercise, called Destined
Glory. As I think we may have discussed, Greece announced October 22nd
that it had canceled its participation in an exercise, Destined Glory
2000. That was a NATO exercise. They had previously temporarily
grounded some of the participating aircraft earlier in the exercise.
We think it is regrettable that Greece felt compelled to withdraw from
the exercise. Overall, this was a successful exercise, including
active participation by Greek units on Turkish soil. It was very much
a good counterpart to the earlier exercise, Dynamic Mix, which took
place earlier in the summer that involved Turkish troops on Greek
soil, you will recall.
I think NATO released a statement yesterday that had a similar
assessment to that. This participation in NATO exercises is one of the
issues of the Turkish-Greek dialogue bilaterally and under the NATO
auspices that will work towards sort of resolving. I think NATO
headquarters is a better place to discuss some of the specifics on
that.
The incident obviously shows, I think, the reasons that we strongly
encourage both countries to continue the very fruitful rapprochement
that they had taken over the past year. I think we saw some very
important historical steps that were taken. I do want to note in terms
of Greek and Turkish relations that yesterday both Prime Minister
Simitis and Prime Minister Ecevit underscored the importance of
bilateral dialogue when they met in Skopje for the Balkan leaders
meeting. So I think that was a very important step.
We believe very much that improved Greek-Turkish relations, as well as
ongoing UN-led efforts to reach the comprehensive settlement for
Cyprus, are strongly in the interest of all the parties, and we will
continue to do all we can to support both processes.
Q: Based on your statement, you said that you felt regrettable because
the Greek forces withdrew from the exercise. But the point, as you
know as the US Government is, that the Turkish Government agrees in
advance to follow the NATO standards as far as for Limnos Island and
Ikaria Island, to be used as a part of the exercise.
MR. REEKER: I would refer you to NATO for those details.
Q: But already you opened the subject. That's why I would like you to
comment on the specific issue besides with regrettable you express as
far as for the Greek position.
MR. REEKER: I don't have anything further to say, Mr. Lambros. I did
say that it is regrettable that Greece felt that they were compelled
to withdraw from the exercise. I would refer you to the NATO statement
for specifics on that, or NATO headquarters to talk about the dynamic.
Q: Can you comment on my previous questions about the characterization
by Washington Post --
MR. REEKER: I have no comments on characterizations in newspaper
articles.
Q: According to Washington Post, your Air Force General Joseph Ralston
succeeded a political agreement of truce between Greece and Turkey for
Greek planes not to fly over the Greek islands of Limnos and Ikaria.
May we have your comment on this unusual truce?
MR. REEKER: I would you to General Ralston's office, then.
Q: But this is a political agreement. It's not --
MR. REEKER: I would refer you to General Ralston's office for that. I
don't have anything further to tell you. I think I made our points
very clear.
Q: This truce agreement is a political one; it pertains to the
Department of State and not to the Department of Defense?
MR. REEKER: Mr. Lambros --
Q: Yes.
MR. REEKER: - I have told you everything I can tell you on this
situation. If you want more details, I would refer you to the Pentagon
or the Joint Chiefs of Staff or General Ralston's office specifically,
or to NATO if you want more details on that. I think I have said
everything that I can say about that today, so why don't we move on.
Q: In the same article, Washington Post predicts another Greek-Turkish
crisis, even in Cyprus, with the new Russian anti-aircraft missiles,
TOR-M1, purchased by the Cypriot Government. What is your position on
this? Since in the previous S-300 missile crisis, the US Government
started a campaign not to be deployed in the soil of the Republic of
Cyprus.
MR. REEKER: I think I made our points about Cyprus very well, too,
that we felt that improved Greek-Turkish relations, as well as the
UN-led efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement on Cyprus, are
strongly in the interests of all the parties and that the United
States will continue to do all that we can to support that process.
Q: What about the missiles?
MR. REEKER: I don't have anything for you on that.
Q: And the last one, the Prime Minister-to-be, Yeoryios Papandreou,
will be tomorrow here in Washington, D.C., for talks with US officials
on an open agenda, as I was told. Could you please name those US
officials? Who is going to talk?
MR. REEKER: I believe it is the Foreign Minister of Greece is Yeoryios
Papandreou, not the Prime Minister, and I don't have any --
Q: But in the Greek and the Turkish (inaudible) as the Prime
Minister-to-be, so it's the Foreign Minister. But, anyway, may we have
the - could you please name those --
MR. REEKER: I do not have any details. I would be happy to look into
that for you to find out what the schedule is. I don't have any
schedule. You might check with the European Bureau.
Q: On your "regrettable" remark, do you happen to know if the State
Department's view is that (a) it's regrettable the two sides couldn't
agree, or are you faulting Greece for withdrawing irrespective of its
reasons?
MR. REEKER: I think my remark is fairly straightforward that we find
it regrettable --
Q: Is the situation regrettable or is Greece's decision - ?
MR. REEKER: - that Greece felt compelled to do that. They obviously
felt compelled to do that, and we feel that that's regrettable. They
withdrew from an exercise that was successful overall, and I think I
can just refer you back to everything I said already in terms of our
feelings about the Greece-Turkey rapprochement. There were important
steps there and we think the dialogue is very important to continue.
Q: I take that as the State Department regrets that the situation was
such that Greece withdrew, not that you regret Greece's decision.
MR. REEKER: I would take it as exactly what we said: It is regrettable
that Greece felt compelled to withdraw from the exercise.
Q: They could felt compelled for good reason, or bad reason.
MR. REEKER: That's for them to make a determination, and for you to
decide.
....
Q: I was told by senior US officials, on condition of anonymity, that
in the framework of another resolution to the Greek-Turkish
differences, from the Aegean to Cyprus on a package deal process, the
US Government is in favor now to give to the Ecumenical Patriarch Head
in Constantinople Major-Minor a kind of Vatican status, as a tip to
Mr. Papandreou's services on the Greek rapprochement. Do you know what
this is all about?
MR. REEKER: I don't know what it's all about, I don't know
said-anonymous official, and I just don't have anything for you on
that.
Q: Could you please take this question to check with --
MR. REEKER: I don't think I would because generally we don't take
questions on the record that were attributed to anonymous sources. So
--
Q: As an information?
MR. REEKER: Sorry?
Q: As an information? I have been told, and it is something which is
from a reliable source. I would like to know if it is true, yes or
not?
MR. REEKER: I will be happy to look into it for you, but I can't
guarantee I'll have anything for you.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:10 P.M.)
