US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Ukrainians Vote for Independence
Fitzwater
Source: White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Dec 2, 199112/2/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: Eurasia
Country: Ukraine
Subject: Democratization
[TEXT]
Yesterday, in a free and fair vote, the people of Ukraine voted for
independence. The United States welcomes this expression of
democracy which is a tribute to the spirit of the Ukrainian people.
The President would also like to congratulate Leonid Kravchuk on
his apparent victory in Ukraine's first free presidential election.
Yesterday's referendum and election were also a tribute to the
defeat of the coup, in which Boris Yeltsin played such a pivotal role,
and a positive development for the new Europe.
..........For its part, the United States looks forward to the kind of
normal relationship with Ukraine that one would expect it to have
with a democratizing country. Ukraine's aspiration to join the Euro-
Atlantic community is striking testimony to the will for liberty in
a nation which has persisted and survived despite the terrible
calamities of the 20th century. In developing this relationship, we
also intend to continue our cooperation with President Gorbachev
and his government and to strengthen our expanding ties with
President Yeltsin and the Russian Government, as well as the other
republics.
..........We are aware that independence raises some complex issues
to be resolved among Russia, Ukraine, and the center. Establishment
of a new cooperative relationship between Russia and Ukraine,
based on openness and mutual respect, will be a test of whether
they are capable of making the transition to democratic societies
which respect the rights of individuals. We hope and believe that
the leaders in Moscow and Kiev will establish such a relationship.
..........The President has instructed the Secretary of State to
dispatch a special emissary, Assistant Secretary for European and
Canadian Affairs Thomas Niles, to discuss with the newly elected
authorities in Kiev our future relationships with Ukraine.
..........In particular, Secretary Baker has asked the special emissary
to consult closely with the Ukrainian leadership on three issues of
fundamental importance:
..........First, the special emissary will discuss ways in which the
United States and the international community can support
Ukrainian adherence to democratic values and practices, especially
respect for human rights including equal treatment of minorities.
The special emissary will also discuss ways in which Ukraine can
record its commitment to such fundamental principles as:
..........-- Respect for international obligations;
..........-- Respect for borders with changes to be made only
peacefully and through negotiations; and
..........-- Respect for and adherence to all of the other norms of the
Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris, and other CSCE [Conference
on Security and Cooperation in Europe] documents.
..........Second, the special emissary will discuss with Ukrainian
leaders the steps we would like to see Ukraine take to implement
their desire to achieve a non-nuclear status and to ensure
responsible security policies. These include the steps Ukraine is
taking with other republics and union authorities to ensure safe,
responsible, and reliable control of nuclear weapons; to prevent
proliferation of dangerous military-related technology; and to
support implementation of relevant international agreements,
including START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty], the
Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, the Non-Proliferation
Treaty, and the Biological Weapons Convention.
..........Third, the special emissary will also discuss with the
Ukrainian leadership its commitment to economic policies aimed at
facilitating free markets and fair trade both with other republics
and with the international community more generally.
..........Finally, the special emissary will discuss Ukraine's obligation
and role with regard to the debts of the Soviet Union.
..........After consulting with the Ukrainian leadership, the special
emissary will return to Washington to report to Secretary Baker.
The President has asked that later this month Secretary Baker
travel to Kiev and Moscow to further consultations on these issues
with the leadership of Russia, Ukraine, and the center. We are also
discussing these issues in NATO and with other allies. The
transformation of the Soviet Union, as we have known it, is of vital
significance not only to us but to our European and other allies, and
we, therefore, will continue to coordinate our approach with them.
..........In closing, we commend Ukrainians for pursuing the
democratic path, both in the referendum on independence and in its
popular vote for president. As both the Ukrainian and American
people well understand, genuine and effective independence requires
a never-ending commitment to democratic values and practices. As
the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the other republics continue
peacefully and democratically to pursue the hard work of freedom,
the President supports them in their work and wishes them peace
and prosperity. (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Call to Repeal UNGA Resolution 3379 ("Zionism is Racism")
Tutwiler
Source: Statement by Department Spokesman Margaret
Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Dec 3, 199112/3/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: MidEast/North Africa
Country: Israel
Subject: United Nations
[TEXT]
Secretary Baker has today instructed the Department to press
actively to accomplish the nullification of the "Zionism-is-racism"
determination in UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 by December
17, the end of the current General Assembly session.
..........As President Bush indicated in September to the UN General
Assembly, "to equate Zionism with the intolerable sin of racism is
to twist history. . . . By repealing this resolution unconditionally,
the United Nations will enhance its credibility and serve the cause
of peace."
..........The President and the Secretary place highest importance on
achieving the nullification of this odious determination. We
continue to urge all countries to look to the UN's future by actively
supporting this repeal effort.
..........Since September 23, the Secretary of State and other
officials here at the Department have been working actively and
quietly on this issue. (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Update on Middle East Peace Talks
Tutwiler
Source: Statement by Department Spokesman Margaret
Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Dec 3, 199112/3/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: MidEast/North Africa
Country: United States, USSR (former)
Subject: Mideast Peace Process
[TEXT]
The Soviet Union and the United States, as co-sponsors of the
process launched in Madrid, have agreed to convene a meeting at the
level of ministers in Moscow on January 28 to 29, 1992, for the
purpose of organizing multilateral negotiations on issues of
regional concern.
..........The co-sponsors hope for the widest possible participation
from among the parties in the region and other interested parties,
believing that the multilateral negotiations can serve as a positive
influence on and complement to the critical bilateral negotiations
aimed at achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace
settlement.
..........In the period ahead, the co-sponsors will consult with a wide
range of parties to help ensure that the negotiations get off to a
productive start. (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: US-Soviet Statement on El Salvador: Peace Negotiations
Tutwiler
Source: Statement by Department Spokesman Margaret
Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Dec 2, 199112/2/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: Caribbean
Country: USSR (former), United States, El Salvador
Subject: Democratization
[TEXT]
Having reviewed the situation at the ongoing talks on the peaceful
settlement of the crisis in El Salvador, the USSR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the US Department of State have agreed upon the
following joint statement.
..........The efforts made over the past year by the opposing
Salvadoran parties toward ending the armed confrontation and
assuring conditions in which all Salvadorans will be guaranteed
equal, non-discriminatory participation in internal political
processes have produced a number of important decisions. These
provide realistic prospects for achieving early agreements to end
the protracted conflict in this Central American country.
..........Of particular significance were the agreements reached during
the April and September negotiating rounds between
representatives of the Government of El Salvador and the FMLN
[Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front] leadership, conducted
respectively in Mexico City and New York, with major contributions
by UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar and his personal
representative at these talks, Alvaro de Soto.
..........The recent steps to terminate offensive combat operations
taken by the government and FMLN have helped create favorable
conditions for the success of the meeting between the
representatives of the government and the FMLN being held in
Mexico.
..........The USSR and the United States believe that it is important
that both the government and the FMLN observe their announced
commitments in order to sustain the emerging constructive
approach. The USSR and the United States strongly urge the
Salvadoran parties and the United Nations to extend every effort to
achieve by the end of the year the goals set by the participants in
the talks themselves: to agree on remaining issues; to reach
agreement on an internationally supervised cease-fire; and to begin
to implement measures aimed at national reconciliation. They note
that a UN-supervised cease-fire is urgently required to consolidate
the progress that has been made and to put a definitive end to the
conflict.
..........The USSR and the United States declare their intention to
continue to provide all possible support for a peaceful resolution of
the crisis in El Salvador. They urge all the interested states and
the United Nations to do everything possible to secure the earliest
possible achievement of these objectives. (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: START Treaty Sent to Congress
Bush
Source: President Bush
Description: Text of a letter to the US Senate, Washington, DC
Date: Nov 25, 199111/25/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: North America, Eurasia
Country: United States, USSR (former)
Subject: Arms Control
To the Senate of the United States:
I am transmitting herewith, for the advice and consent of the
Senate to ratification, the Treaty Between the United States of
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the START
Treaty) signed at Moscow on July 31, 1991. The START Treaty
includes the following documents, which are integral parts thereof:
..........-- The Annex on Agreed Statements ("Agreed Statements
Annex");
..........-- The Annex on Terms and Their Definitions ("Definitions
Annex");
..........-- The Protocol on Procedures Governing the Conversion or
Elimination of the Items Subject to the Treaty Between the United
States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on
the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
("Conversion or Elimination Protocol");
..........-- The Protocol on Inspections and Continuous Monitoring
Activities Related to the Treaty Between the United States of
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, with 12
annexes ("Inspection Protocol");
..........-- The Protocol on Notifications Relating to the Treaty
Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic
Offensive Arms ("Notification Protocol");
..........-- The Protocol on ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile]
and SLBM [submarine-launched ballistic missile] Throw-weight
Relating to the Treaty Between the United States of America and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms ("Throw-weight Protocol");
..........-- The Protocol on Telemetric Information Relating to the
Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of
Strategic Offensive Arms ("Telemetry Protocol");
..........-- The Protocol on the Joint Compliance and Inspection
Commission Relating to the Treaty Between the United States of
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms ("Joint
Compliance and Inspection Commission Protocol"); and
..........-- The Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of
the Data Base Relating to the Treaty Between the United States of
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, with 10
annexes ("Memorandum of Understanding").
..........In addition, I transmit herewith, for the information of the
Senate, the Report of the Department of State and documents
associated with, but not integral parts of, the START Treaty. These
documents are of four types: separate executive agreements
related to the Treaty; letters embodying executive agreements on
various aspects of the Treaty; declarations regarding specific
systems that do not fall within the scope of the Treaty; and a
variety of statements and correspondence concerning aspects of the
negotiation of the Treaty. Although not submitted for the advice
and consent of the Senate to ratification, these documents are
relevant to the consideration of the Treaty by the Senate.
..........The START Treaty represents a nearly decade-long effort by
the United States and the Soviet Union to address the nature and
magnitude of the threat that strategic nuclear weapons pose to both
countries and to the world in general. The fundamental premise of
START is that, despite significant political differences, the United
States and the Soviet Union have a common interest in reducing the
risk of nuclear war and enhancing strategic stability.
..........The United States had several objectives in the START
negotiations.
..........First, we consistently held the view that the START Treaty
must enhance stability in times of crisis. The strategic nuclear
forces remaining after implementation of START--as well as during
the period when weapons are reduced--should be such as to reduce
Soviet incentives to provoke a crisis or to strike first during a
crisis. Stability in times of crisis will remain important even in
the post-Cold War era; no one can predict the future, and the
purpose of this Treaty is to regulate the strategic threat for many
years to come. Among the many measures we sought to fulfill this
objective, the most important were the preferential treatment
given to stabilizing systems, such as bombers and cruise missiles,
the stringent limits on deployed ballistic missiles and their reentry
vehicles, and the special, restrictive limits on heavy ICBMs, the
most destabilizing weapons in existence.
..........Second, we sought an agreement that did not simply limit
strategic arms, but that reduced them significantly below current
levels. A successful combination of this objective with that of a
stabilizing force structure can serve for many years as a linch-pin
in shaping our strategic posture, and, if appropriate, can serve as a
basis for future agreements that will lead to further reductions.
Moreover, in order for the Treaty to work smoothly over many years,
its terms must be as precise and unambiguous as possible. Neither
Party should have any doubt as to the limitations and obligations
that are imposed by the terms of the Treaty.
..........Third, we sought a Treaty that would allow equality of US
forces relative to those of the Soviet Union. Again, the emphasis is
to reach equality in order that the resulting levels will be
stabilizing. Equality does not require identical force structures;
rather, it demands limits that allow the Parties to have equivalent
capabilities.
..........Fourth, we sought an agreement that is effectively verifiable.
Effective verification is necessary to ensure that US national
security is not jeopardized under the Treaty. Effective verification
also acts as an inducement to the Soviets to comply because they
are aware that their behavior will be closely monitored.
..........Finally, the United States placed great emphasis during the
negotiations in seeking an agreement that would be supported by the
American and allied publics. This objective means that US policies
regarding strategic forces must not only sustain deterrence, but
will also serve to assure the American people and allied publics
that the risk of war and crisis instability is low and is being
further reduced.
..........I am fully convinced that the START Treaty achieves these
objectives.
..........START will be the first Treaty that actually reduces strategic
offensive arms. START will lead to stabilizing changes to the
composition of, and reductions in, the deployed strategic offensive
nuclear forces of both countries. The overall strategic nuclear
forces of both countries will be reduced by 30-40%, with a
reduction of as much as 50% in the most threatening systems. The
Treaty will have a 15-year duration, and can be extended for
successive 5-year periods through the agreement of the Parties.
..........Force reductions under START will be asymmetrical due to
currently higher Soviet levels, and will result in equal limits on
deployed strategic offensive arms at the end of each of three
phases over the first 7 years that the Treaty is in force. Moreover,
I believe that the reduction of ICBMs should be accomplished even
more rapidly than the Treaty would require. On September 27, as a
part of my statement on the future of US nuclear weapons, I said
that those ICBMs that the United States would reduce pursuant to
START would be eliminated more rapidly than required by the
Treaty. Today, I reiterate that pledge.
..........More specifically, the central limits of START require
reductions down to ceilings of 1,600 on deployed strategic nuclear
delivery systems (i.e., deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and
deployed heavy bombers), 6,000 accountable nuclear warheads that
those missiles and bombers would carry, and 3,600 metric tons of
aggregate ballistic missile throw-weight. Aggregate throw-
weight--a measure of the total weight of weapons and related
objects that a ballistic missile can deliver--is limited to
approximately 54% of the current aggregate Soviet throw-weight
level.
..........Within these aggregate limits, the United States and Soviet
Union have agreed to observe certain subceilings in specific weapon
categories. Reductions and limitations on those weapon systems
that could most threaten crisis stability are emphasized in these
subceilings. Under START, neither Party may have more than 4,900
deployed ballistic missile warheads of which no more than 1,100
warheads can be on deployed mobile ICBMs. Moreover, the Soviet
Union is required to reduce by 50% their heavy ICBM force. The
Soviet Union will eliminate no fewer than 22 SS-18 launchers every
year during the 7-year reduction period to a ceiling of 1,540
warheads on 154 heavy ICBMs.
..........To assist in verifying compliance with these limits, START
incorporates the most extensive verification regime in history,
which includes the exchange of ballistic missile telemetry tapes,
the permanent monitoring of mobile ICBM assembly facilities, 12
kinds of on-site inspections, special access visits, cooperative
measures, and data exchanges to complement our national technical
means of verification. Moreover, many of the Treaty provisions,
such as its definitions, counting rules, conversion or elimination
procedures, notifications, and numerous data exchanges, will help
to verify whether the Soviet Union is in compliance with the central
limitations. Thus, I am convinced START is effectively verifiable.
..........START represents a critical watershed in our long-term
effort to stabilize the strategic balance through arms control.
Stabilization of the strategic balance will help cement one of the
most fundamental tenets of our preferred world order--that
conflict must not and shall not be resolved through the use of
nuclear weapons. Moreover, recent events underscore the need to
ensure stability and to broaden the dialogue between our countries.
Implementation of START would reinforce these efforts.
..........In sum, the START Treaty is in the interest of the United
States and represents an important step in the stabilization of the
strategic nuclear balance. I therefore urge the Senate to give
prompt and favorable consideration to the Treaty, including its
Annexes, Protocols, and Memorandum of Understanding, and to give
advice and consent to its ratification.
George Bush (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Senate Ratifies CFE Treaty
Fitzwater
Source: White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Nov 25, 199111/25/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: Europe
Subject: Arms Control, Security Assistance and Sales
[TEXT]
The President is extremely pleased by the Senate's resolution of
advice and consent to ratification of the CFE [Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe] Treaty.
..........This action could not be more timely. The CFE Treaty is the
cornerstone of the new security structure we have been working to
construct in Europe. Its full implementation will put in place a
system of equipment limits and verification provisions that will
help provide a stable and secure framework for future European
political development.
..........We call upon all other signatories to ratify the treaty
promptly so that it can be implemented as soon as possible. (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: What's in Print: Dispatch Supplements on CFE and START
Treaties
Date: Dec 9, 199112/9/91
Region: Europe, North America, Eurasia
Country: United States, USSR (former)
Subject: Arms Control, Security Assistance and Sales
[TEXT]
The US Government Printing Office sells copies of the publications
listed below. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the
Superintendent of Documents and sent to the Superintendent of
Documents, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402
(Tel.: 202-783-3238).
-- "Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE),"
September 1991, Dispatch Supplement No. 4; ($3.25, GPO Stock No.
044-000-02330-0).
-- "START--Treaty Between the United States of America and the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation
of Strategic Offensive Arms," October 1991, Dispatch Supplement
No. 5 (includes 2-page errata sheet from ACDA); ($14.00, GPO Stock
No. to be issued). (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Feature: ACDA Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Date: Dec 9, 199112/9/91
Category: Features
Region: North America
Country: United States
Subject: State Department, Arms Control
[TEXT]
The end of the Cold War, rapid change in the Soviet Union, and the
aftermath of the Gulf war present extraordinary challenges to the
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA), says Director Ronald
F. Lehman II.
.......... "Arms control continues to make a significant contribution to
traditional security concerns," says Mr. Lehman, "as well as the
urgent need to stop the global proliferation of nuclear, chemical,
and biological weapons, and the missile systems that provide the
means to deliver them."
..........Created 30 years ago as part of US efforts to promote peace
and freedom throughout the world, ACDA begins its fourth decade
amid historic changes in superpower relations.
..........President John F. Kennedy signed the legislation creating
ACDA on September 26, 1961. It remains the only independent
government agency in the world with the sole responsibility of
formulating and implementing arms control policy. ACDA also
develops verification for arms control and disarmament
agreements.
..........ACDA can point to the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
(CFE) Treaty and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START),
which were transmitted to the Senate for advice and consent on
ratification in 1991. Both agreements stipulate actual reduction
and elimination of nuclear and conventional weapons systems.
..........START "vindicates an approach to arms control that guided us
for almost a decade, the belief that we could do more than merely
halt the growth of nuclear arsenals," said President Bush as he
signed the treaty on July 31, 1991, in Moscow. He called START "a
testament to the new relationship emerging between our two
countries."
..........Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
July 11, 1991, Secretary Baker declared that CFE "marks a
fundamental shift away from the Cold War to a Europe whole and
free. Not only is it an essential foundation for the new Europe, but
it will be a bulwark against a return to Cold War dangers and
animosities."
..........These treaties are only two of the many in which ACDA has
been prominent. Since its inception in 1961, the agency has played
a key role in all arms control negotiations and agreements. Among
the more well-known are:
..........-- The "hot line" agreements of 1963, 1971, and 1984;
..........-- The Limited Test Ban Treaty of 1963;
..........-- The Strategic Arms Limitation Interim Agreement (SALT I)
and the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, both of 1972; and
..........-- The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty of
1987.
..........ACDA always has had a special independent status. Congress
mandates that the director of ACDA serve as the principal adviser
on arms control issues to the President and the Secretary of State.
..........William C. Foster was the first director of ACDA, serving
from 1961-69. Other directors were Gerard C. Smith (1969-73),
Fred C. Ikle (1973-77), Paul C. Warnke (1977-78), George C.
Seignious (1978-80), Ralph W. Earle II (1980-81), Eugene V. Rostow
(1981-83), Kenneth L. Adelman (1983-87), and William F. Burns
(1988-89).
..........The agency has four principal objectives: prepare for and
manage US participation in negotiations on arms control and
disarmament, conduct research on arms control issues, verify
compliance of the parties to existing agreements, and disseminate
information on arms control and disarmament to the public.
..........ACDA's concerns span the full range of modern weaponry,
including conventional, nuclear, chemical, and biological. It
monitors arms transfers worldwide and participates in
international negotiations to reduce weapons levels and prevent the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. ACDA has four major
bureaus: non-proliferation, multilateral affairs, verification, and
strategic nuclear affairs.
.........."ACDA has the experience and the personnel to provide key
leadership in formulating and implementing the Administration's
policies to meet the challenges we face," says Mr. Lehman. "The
agency is working toward a broad future of stability, peace, and
freedom." (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Fact Sheet: Greek Prime Minister's Visit to Washington
Date: Dec 9, 199112/9/91
Category: Fact Sheets
Region: Europe
Country: Greece, Cyprus
Subject: Trade/Economics, Security Assistance and Sales,
NATO, EC, Democratization
[TEXT]
Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis made his second trip and
first official working visit to the United States from December 11
to 13, 1991, reciprocating President Bush's visit to Greece in July
1991. The prime minister's first visit occurred in June 1990.
US-Greece Relations
The exchange of official visits underscores the cooperative
relationship between the Governments of the United States and
Greece, a partnership reflecting shared ideals and a common
heritage. Both countries promote the peaceful settlement of
disputes, free enterprise, an open world economic system, and
democracy; they cooperate closely in the international fight against
terrorism.
..........A 40-year membership in NATO forms the basis of a bilateral
security relationship. The Greek Government dispatched, on a
rotational basis, the frigates Limnos and Elli to the Red Sea to
enforce UN sanctions against Iraq. Greece also supported the rapid
movement of troops and material from Central Europe to the Persian
Gulf. Greece was an ally of the United States in the two World Wars
and in the Korean war.
..........In May 1990, the United States and Greece signed a new Mutual
Defense Cooperation Agreement. It allows for the continued
operation until 1998 of US military facilities at Souda Bay and
Iraklion on the island of Crete. Those facilities serve important
missions, such as naval support for the US Sixth Fleet,
reconnaissance, storage of reserve materials, and communications.
..........Trade and travel flow easily between the two countries.
Large numbers of Greek-Americans, including the present US
Ambassador Michael Sotirhos, represent both cultures. There are
more than 3 million people of Greek heritage in the United States
alone. A famous Greek statesman, Eleftherios Venizelos, in the
early 20th century, claimed that "America has realized the ideals of
ancient Greece. No two elements come closer to each other than do
the Greek and the American." In 1991, President Bush said, "My
country would not exist if [Greek] forefathers had not developed the
world's most revolutionary idea: democracy."
Consolidation of Democracy
Greece is a presidential parliamentary republic. Its governmental
structure is similar to that found in most West European countries,
where the prime minister and parliament play central roles in the
political process. The president performs certain government
functions in addition to ceremonial duties. The president is elected
by the 300-member parliament to a 5-year term and can be
reelected once. Parliamentary deputies are elected to serve for a
maximum of 4 years by direct, secret ballot according to a system
of proportional representation, but elections can be called before
the 4-year term expires. The current president, serving his second
5-year term, is Constantine Karamanlis, who was prime minister
during the visit of President Eisenhower in 1959 and has been an
active political leader in Greece ever since.
..........For democracies everywhere, Greece is a historical model
2,500 years old. As such, it plays an active role in the Balkans,
supporting and encouraging progress toward democracy and a free
market economy in Bulgaria and Albania. After 18 years as an
associate member, it became a full member of the European
Community (EC) on January 1, 1981, and actively supports the US
and EC aim of preserving the unity of Yugoslavia.
..........The continuing problem of Cyprus divided between Greek and
Turkish populations is one of Greece's most troublesome
international issues. The Mitsotakis Government has responded
positively to an initiative from the UN Secretary General to
negotiate a political solution of that conflict.
Economic and Trade Issues
Recent agreements have strengthened ties between Greece and the
United States in the areas of customs, civil aviation, and tourism.
The agreements will increase the number of commercial flights for
both tourists and trade and to speed their flow through customs.
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation may now provide
insurance and financing for private-sector investment projects in
Greece for the first time in more than a decade. Commerce
Secretary Robert Mosbacher led a presidential trade and investment
delegation to Greece in October 1991. Efforts to protect
intellectual property rights, patents, copyrights, and trademarks
and to ensure repatriation of profits continue.
..........Since assuming power in April 1990, Prime Minister
Mitsotakis has placed a high priority on privatizing the economy,
reducing the cost and size of the public sector, and initiating
growth in the economy so that Greece can reduce its deficit and pay
off its external debt. By the end of 1990, the government had
established a stabilization program with a 1991-93 fiscal
consolidation plan to bring Greece fully into the EC economic and
monetary union by the end of 1993. EC requirements are that Greece
must reduce inflation, the government and current account deficits,
and the public sector as well as eliminate distortions in the goods
and financial markets in order to qualify for a loan.
..........With resources of bauxite, lignite, magnesite, and oil, Greece
anticipates serving as a mining center for some items needed by EC
industries. Greece aims to market fashion apparel, foodstuffs, and
cement to the EC. Tourism and shipping will remain its two largest
foreign exchange earners, and its location is propitious for
companies serving European and Middle Eastern markets.
..........The United States is the largest external investor in Greece,
with direct investment of $900 million. As of November 1991,
imports from the United States totaled $400 million (less than 4%
of the total, but a 10% increase over 1990) and exports amounted to
$600 million (an increase of $30 million, or 5%), representing 6% of
total Greek exports.
..........More than 60% of Greece's trade is with other EC countries,
which has obliged Greece to eliminate or adjust many of its tariffs
and quotas. The Greek merchant shipping fleet is the largest in the
EC.
Greece imports and refines an average of about 10 million
tons of crude oil each year, producing about 16 million tons of
petroleum products and exporting about 2 million tons. Suppliers
are Saudi Arabia, Libya, the Soviet Union, and Kuwait, but Greece
has begun to develop and produce from oil reserves in the Aegean.
..........The Government of Greece provides incentives to foreign
enterprises which locate there to conduct business exclusively
outside the country. Through a broad range of investment grants,
which can extend up to 50% of investment costs in some cases, the
government offers three general types of investment incentives:
direct subsidies, tax relief, and accelerated depreciation. (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: Country Profile: Greece
Date: Dec 9, 199112/9/91
Category: Country Data
Region: Europe
Country: Greece
Subject: Trade/Economics, History,
International Organizations
[TEXT]
Official Name: Hellenic Republic
Geography
Area: 131,957 sq. km. (51,146 sq. mi.) including islands; roughly the
size of Alabama.
Cities: Capital--(greater) Athens (3 million). Other cities--
Thessaloniki (705,000), Patras (154,600), Iraklion (111,000).
Terrain: Largely mountainous interior, with coastal plains; many
islands. Climate: Temperate.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Greek(s).
Population: 10 million (1990 est.).
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2%. Religions: Greek Orthodox 97%,
Muslim 2%, other 1%.
Language: Greek.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Literacy--men 96%, women 89%.
Health (1984): Infant mortality rate--14/1,000. Life expectancy--
men 72 yrs., women 75 yrs.
Work force (1988): Agriculture--27%. Industry--27%. Services--
43%.
Government
Type: Presidential parliamentary republic.
Independence: 1827.
Constitution: June 1975, amended March 1986.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), elected May 1990
for 5 years; prime minister (head of government). Legislative--
unicameral parliament (Vouli) elected April 1990; parliamentary
system with 4-year (maximum) term. Judicial--supreme court
(Areios Pagos).
Major political parties: New Democracy (ND), Panhellenic Socialist
Movement (PASOK), Left Alliance (Synaspismos)--coalition of
leftist parties and former Communist Party elements, and
Communist Party of Greece (KKE).
Suffrage: Universal 18 and over.
Administrative subdivisions: 51 prefectures (nomi), 13 regional
districts (periferiarchies).
Central government budget (1988 projected): $25.3 billion.
Defense (1988 projected): About 11% of central government budget,
5% of GDP.
Flag: Four white and five blue alternating horizontal stripes, with a
white cross on the upper staff corner.
Economy
GDP (1989): $67 billion.
Annual growth rate (1990): 0.1%.
Inflation (1991 est): 17%.
Natural resources: Bauxite, lignite, magnesite, oil.
Agriculture (13% of GDP, 1989): Products--grains, fruits
(especially olives, olive oil, and raisins), vegetables, wine, tobacco,
cotton livestock, dairy products. Industry (including mining,
electricity and construction): Manufactured goods (30% of GDP,
1989)--processed foods, shoes, textiles, metals, chemicals,
electrical equipment, cement, glass, transport equipment,
petroleum products, construction, electrical power. Services (57%
of GDP, 1989)--transportation, communications, trade, banking,
public administration, defense.
Trade: Exports (1989)--$6 billion: textiles, metal products,
cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals. Major markets (1988)--EC
64%, Middle East and North Africa 8%, USSR and Eastern Europe 4%,
US 6%. Imports (1989)--$15 billion: petroleum, machinery,
transport equipment, chemicals, meat and animals. Major suppliers
(1988)--EC 66%, Middle East and North Africa 4%, USSR and Eastern
Europe 5%, US 4% (taken from Greek customs statistics, which
exclude military equipment imports).
US economic and security assistance (1946-89): $9 billion.
..........
Principal Government Officials
President--Constantine Karamanlis
Prime Minister--Constantine Mitsotakis
Foreign Minister--Antonis Samaras
Ambassador to the US--Christos Zacharakis
Ambassador to the UN--Antonis Exarchos (###)
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: US Concern About Events in Togo
Tutwiler
Source: Statement by Department Spokesman Margaret
Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Dec 3, 199112/3/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: Subsaharan Africa
Country: Togo
Subject: Regional/Civil Unrest
[TEXT]
Togo
The United States is deeply disturbed by recent events in Togo.
Togo had been on the promising path to democracy. We strongly
condemn the attack on Prime Minister Koffigoh's office/residence
by elements of Togo's armed forces. We call for the Prime
Minister's immediate release and demand that President Eyadema
take firm action to undo this morning's action and put Togo's
democratic process back on track. A political, not military,
solution is required to resolve Togo's current crisis. Failure to
restore democratic procedures, processes, and individual citizen
rights will have a strongly adverse effect on US-Togo bilateral
relations. Finally, we expect all Togolese authorities to ensure the
continued security of US citizens and diplomatic installations in
Togo.
US Department of State Dispatch,
Vol 2, No 49, December 9, 1991
Title: US Concern About Events in Somalia
Tutwiler
Source: Department Spokesman Margaret Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Dec 5, 199112/5/91
Category: Speeches, Testimony, Statements
Region: Subsaharan Africa
Country: Somalia
Subject: Regional/Civil Unrest
[TEXT]
Almost 1 year after the fall of President Mohamed Siad Barre,
Somalis continue to kill one another at a horrifying rate. Most
recently, for the past 2 1/2 weeks militias have been fighting one
another in the streets of Mogadishu. Relief agencies estimate that,
so far, more than 2,000 people have died and over 6,000 have been
wounded in the latest round of fighting. The vast majority of the
latest casualties are non-combatants, most of them children.
..........Those fighting are not attempting to depose a dictator or
repel a foreign invader. Rather, the appalling and intolerable
slaughter results from selfish attempts by clan-based factions to
gain or maintain an advantage over one another.
..........The United States deplores the suffering imposed on the
people of Mogadishu by the leaders of the warring parties. It calls
on these leaders to stop the senseless carnage and the wanton
destruction of their own country and to ensure free and secure
access to all parts of the city, including the port and airport, by
relief workers and medical teams attempting to bring aid to those
suffering. The United States further urges all parties to come
together to resolve their differences by peaceful means. (###)