Shultz’s Talks in Athens Conciliatory, but Ruling Party Assails U.S. Libya Actions

Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias conferred without their aides for almost two hours Wednesday, apparently searching for a way to smooth the relationship between the two North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, despite Greece’s anti-American political rhetoric.

Both governments made conciliatory remarks after the meeting. But Greece’s ruling Socialist Party dispelled much of the good will when it issued a blistering statement accusing Washington of attempting to cause “a holocaust in the Mediterranean” with its military actions against Libya.

In a speech at the lunch that followed his meeting with the foreign minister, Shultz referred to Papoulias, who took office last July, as “a fresh breeze” within the often prickly regime of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. “I look forward to our continuing, progressively improving work together,” Shultz told the foreign minister.

Papoulias agreed that U.S.-Greek relations are improving steadily, and he promised to spare no effort to bolster those ties.

Defense Pact Cited

“The most recent example of the fact that bilateral relations prosper and problems are solved . . . comes from the signing of the defense and economic cooperation agreement between Greece and the United States,” Papoulias said. The 1983 pact permits the United States to maintain military bases in Greece.

Shultz, who also seeks to secure the future of U.S. bases in Greece, had been scheduled to meet with Papoulias alone for just five minutes before a formal session with other high-ranking officials present. But they stretched that meeting to an hour and 45 minutes, thereby eliminating the larger meeting.

Nevertheless, in the Greek political structure, decisions can be made only by Papandreou. Shultz and the prime minister are scheduled to confer for three hours today.

The Foreign Ministry’s talk of improving relations, however, was eclipsed by the statement of Papandreou’s political party, which said Washington had “dynamited” peace and tried to “abolish” national independence.

U.S.-Libya Clashes Condemned

“The peoples of the Mediterranean will not tolerate the armed enforcement of a new Pax Americana,” the Socialists’ statement said. “They want to live peacefully. They can safeguard their national dignity and sovereignty. We are sure we are expressing the feelings of the whole of the Greek people who unequivocally condemn the attempt for a holocaust in the Mediterranean.”

Some Greek sources suggested that the political statement was intended primarily for domestic consumption while the foreign minister’s remarks were intended for American ears.

A senior U.S. official said only: “We have no comment on that. I suggest you look at what the foreign minister said.”

Several thousand demonstrators flocked to downtown Constitution Square in Athens on Wednesday night to urge Greece to close the U.S. bases in this country. Although some organizers close to the speaker’s platform chanted slogans, most of the crowd seemed somewhat uninterested in the strident oratory.

Security Beefed Up

Throughout the day and well into the night, hundreds of police ringed the U.S. Embassy and the hotel where the Shultz party was staying. Police were stationed six or seven per block along the way to Shultz’s formal meetings and to his sightseeing excursions, which included the Acropolis and the archeological museum. There were no incidents.

Although the senior American official who briefed reporters said that an extension of the military base rights agreement was not the primary purpose of Shultz’s trip, there was little doubt that it was high on the agenda.

At the time the 1983 agreement was signed, Papandreou said that it was the last of its kind and that the U.S. bases would have to be dismantled when the current pact expires in 1988. Since then, he has indicated that he might change his mind on the issue.

Shortly before he arrived in Athens, Shultz expressed impatience with the Greek position. He said Washington needs to know as soon as possible if the bases will be allowed to remain. If Papandreou plans to go through with his earlier vow, the United States would have to seek other arrangements, Shultz said. And he said the United States will not invest more money in the facilities if the lease is going to be allowed to expire in two years.