Realist Greek Foreign Policy Embarrassed Anew by Returning Anti-Western Serbophilia

AIM Athens, 25 March, 1999

"What is Adolph [Hitler] now doing: is he merely coming out of his tomb or is he also opening new tombs" one sparrow asks another one, in a caricature showing Hitler raising from the dead and leading NATO tanks and troops into Kosovo. Stathis, a caricaturist and columnist, elsewhere in the same 24 March 1999 newspaper, writes:

"War needs the politically correct people and those citizens who have become morons: when war turned up in Bosnia, many considered (and even backed) it as a just punishment, a Nemesis of Serbian atrocities, [even though] the explosion in Sarajevo was a provocation. Now, the massacre of Albanophones in Racak was proved to be another provocation. Kosovo Albanians are involved in deadly drug trade. But those who brought the war in the Balkans, Americans and some Europeans threaten with war if
war does not stop. Well, that is the way it is! Goebbels would not have existed had there been no morons!"

The newspaper concerned is no other than "Ta Nea," Greece's largest selling daily, and with an orientation favoring the socialist government. Stathis is indeed only more expressive, but not out of line with editorial policy. "NATO raids against Serbia are supposed to settle the Kosovo crisis but in reality aim at bringing to an end the civil strife with a victory of Albanian autonomists," says the paper's editorial.

Even the usually moderate and conciliatory critic of Greek hyper-nationalists, Retired Ambasador Sekeris, in his column in the same newspaper, bases his disapproval of the air raids, among other things, to equally skeptical

"serious Western voices [who fear that] such course will lead to a de facto secession of Kosovo and the ensuing encouragement of Albanian irredentism, which will lead to a permanent focus of unrest in the Balkans -as Kissinger has warned. As a consequence, there will be a destabilization of the Skopjan statelet [sic] ( ) while our country will be faced with dangerous uncertainties not only vis-a-vis FYROM, but also in relation with the Hellenism of Northern Epirus [South Albania], as well as Turkish activity north of our borders."

Greece's second largest daily, "Eleftherotpia," also with pro-government orientation, concentrated its 24 March editorial titled "Clinton strikes, the UN collapse," on the role of the USA.

"Global leader Bill Clinton decides, cynically and bluntly, to order NATO, which is under complete US control, to confirm through the bombings American monocracy, rendering totally obsolete the UN and ignoring all principles of international law. ( ) The UN are foundering, so as not to hinder the sovereign, just like the League of Nations had collapsed as a result of Great Powers confrontation, which led humanity to the mad house of the World War. Now there is no confrontation, but only the arrogance of the mighty one, who uses violence in the name of 'humanitarianism' or the fight against 'terrorism.' ( ) The sovereign considers legitimate whatever serves its interests anywhere in the globe. He said dramatically: 'Our children (of America that is) need a stable and free Europe,' instead of declaring 'We want a world controlled and dominated by us.' Such ambition justifies and legitimizes everything at the expense of all enemies of American hegemony. Enemies who are made up, like 'terrorism,' minority or state, whatever is suitable every time. Nothing else matters, principles or mere pretenses alike: the latter are already buried under the rubble of the UN."

The conservative opposition-leaning "Kathimerini," with the largest circulation among morning dailies, in its 24 March editorial, even justifies Belgrade's refusal to sign in Rambouillet.

"Though formally Kosovo independence is not on the agenda, should Belgrade allow the introduction of NATO forces, it will lose control over Kosovo which will be then gradually moving towards secession from Serbia. ( ) No ruler and no country can give away sovereign territory, even if the cost for the refusal is heavy, as in this case. The way the West has handled the matter till now indicates that it seeks not a viable compromise solution, but instead Serbia's humiliation. ( ) History shows, though, that no bombing, however sustained and destructive, can achieve such purpose. On the contrary, it could have an adverse effect, ( ) the violent cleansing of Kosovo of its majority Albanian element. Kosovo's transformation in a Western protectorate, however, will not solve any problem. On the contrary, it will bring destabilization, as it will activate all minority conflicts in the Balkans, with many negative consequences."

The less "serious" dailies had more alarming headlines on 24 March. Among conservative ones, "US-NATO plan a third Balkan war" wrote "Adesmeftos Typos," while "Apogevmatini" saw "Turkish soldiers in our borders to protect Albania from Greece. A battalion will be based in Northern Epirus." "Vradyni" announced that "Balkan Storm started. The globe's butcher turned on the green light for the massacre." Among pro-government ones, "Ethnos" stated that "the US want a Greek involvement as NATO declared war to the Serbs," while "Logos" sees "Pax NATOiana the forthcoming war. Balkans: a century later, the peninsula of the Hemos on fire."

Sympathy clearly exists only for the Serbs. The newly launched daily edition of Greece's best selling Sunday paper "To Vima" (pro-government) had the title "My God, no bombs." "For the Serb woman in the picture, hopes for peace in Kosovo are now in God's hands." No Greek paper had anything similar for the hundreds of Albanian women victimized, or threatened to be, in the previous days or months.

So, the Greek state "Macedonian News Agency" had no problem calling in its lead story on 25 March "yesterday's NATO bombings incomprehensible that have left Hellenism ice-cold to celebrate our national day of 25 March."

The same day, following the ritual military parade, the socialist Speaker of the Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis expressed his "shame as Europe failed to measure up to an adventure that will not lead to better days and the responsibility of which lies with the US. It is an adventure that endangers peace and security in the whole continent. Washington uses ideals and principles as a pretext to bring Europe back to the cold war era and humanity to political Middle Ages. Europe must stop being at the mercy of the US."

The very popular, and notoriously intolerant, Archbishop Christodoulos echoed him. Not only did he voice his "complete solidarity with the heroic Orthodox Serb people," but he also went on to call the strikes "a brutal violation of ideals and principles of democracy and freedom by the mighty of the earth, who have unleashed the storm."

What do all these media, politicians and clergy have in common? A consistent pattern of Serbophilia, anti-Westernism and intolerance towards minorities as well as the non-governmental organizations that advocate human and minority rights. First, it should be added that none of them ever voiced any sympathy for the plight of Kosovars; or even mentioned the crackdown of independent Serb or Kosovar Albanian media in recent weeks. They did not even call for Milosevic' return to the negotiating table, like Montenegran President Djukanovic did.

On the contrary, for all of them, minorities in the region are sources of potential conflict and are manipulated by their respective kin states, and/or great powers which want to further their interest in the region. Hence, restrictions of minority rights, and, to the extent possible, segregation, are perceived as legitimate ways to react to the alleged threats minorities pose. So, the development of the Kosovo crisis is seen as setting a dangerous precedent for all other minority problems. They fear that it allows the international community to play an active role in enforcing the respect of human rights on countries that may have signed all relevant documents but are reluctant to honor their signature.

The reactions to NATO strikes, which went beyond voicing a legitimate concern about their effectiveness, therefore, have brought to light the "forces for intolerance in the Balkans." They include the sweeping majority of the Greek press and political world, but also the opposition forces and associated media in Bulgaria and Romania: the latter too voiced disapproval and we all remember their negative attitude towards their minorities when they were in power.

In that light, the current Greek government has once again adopted positions that put it at odds with public opinion, even more than in the Ocalan case. It sounds almost heretic to make a balanced statement that "Yugoslavia's failure to agree with the Rambouillet proposals led to the use of force by NATO against Yugoslavia. So, the Kosovo problem was aggravated. To the refugees and the casualties of the previous days, was added a number of new victims for whom we express our profound sorrow?" These were the words of the Greek Minister of Defense Akis Tsohatzopoulos, the night of 24 March. He is not a "modernist" but the Prime Minister's main rival and, in the party congress a few days ago, was elected first with an overwhelming majority to PASOK's new Central Committee. He has, though, been a moderate person who had long ago voiced his displeasure with Milosevic; now he was calling for a halt to the bombing and a return to negotiations.

On 25 March, the Prime Minister Costas Simitis, himself, in successive interviews, spelled out clearly why the strikes had to take place and how it was Milosevic' fault:

"Greece's position on this issue is well-known. Yugoslavs and Kosovars should have come to an agreement. The Yugoslavs did not sign and the new round of fighting caused many casualties, so NATO resorted to strikes. ( ) The decision to strike was taken a long time ago and, following repeated warnings to the Yugoslav President, no other solution could any longer have been credible. This was said to Slobodan Milosevic time and time again. ( ) We had told many times Mr. Milosevic that a solution must be found. Then Foreign Minister Pangalos made a special trip to Belgrade to tell him that and [current Foreign Minister] Mr. Papandreou did so again a few days ago. We had warned the Yugoslav President not to lead things to a deadlock and that, should he go too far, this would be a negative development. ( ) Greece says 'no' to a military intervention. Only a political solution is viable."

Though the Prime Minister had reiterated the preference for a political solution, his justification of the strikes and his putting of the blame on Milosevic was totally out of line with the prevailing anti-Western, Serbophile mood in Greece. So were similar statements by Foreign Minister Papandreou to CNN and BBC in the evening of the same day. So, the state Macedonian Press Agency, which had an exclusive to one interview with Simitis, decided to make absolutely no mention of these statements in its English language bulletins of that day, opting instead to mention the "mainstream statements" of the two Greek Orthodox Archbishops of Athens and of America. The editors apparently thought that world public opinion should not be misled about Greece's position on the raids by reading such "nonconformist" -by current Greek standards- views.

Panayote Dimitras