World

Clinton Cuts Greece Visit

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

November 10, 1999 / 5:47 AM EST / CBS

President Clinton's upcoming visit to Greece has been postponed and shortened because of a request from the Greek government, the White House said Wednesday.

Mr. Clinton is now slated to make a 24-hour stop in Greece next week rather than the 2-day trip that was previously planned, U.S. officials said.

Sources in the Greek government say that the postponement is as much an issue of politics as it is security, reports CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts. Mr. Clinton's visit to Athens is extremely significant for the Greeks and they can't afford to have it overshadowed by violent protests.

As he left the White House this morning for an appearance to promote trade, the president acknowledged he wasn't the most popular person in Greece.

"The Greeks have a large tradition of large demonstrations," said Mr. Clinton, "and the communists, the anarchists and some others in Greece want to demonstrate. In large measure, I understand, because they strongly disagreed with my policy in Kosovo."

Again Wednesday morning, explosions shook Athens. This time the target was a dealership that sells Japanese cars. Over the weekend, a Levi's store and an American cultural center were targeted. And, a local newspaper published the route Mr. Clinton's motorcade would take.

Wayne Merry, who worked for the State Department in Athens, calls Athens "a security officer's idea of hell." He says decades of anti-American sentiment has reached a new high in the wake of the Kosovo crisis.

"I think there is really no good time for an American president to visit Greece," said Merry, "because any visit is going to inspire demonstrations, even terrorist attacks."

Though a NATO country, Greeks saw the attacks on Serbia as attacks on Orthodox Christianity, the prime religion of both countries. Earlier this week, President Clinton was convicted of murder in a mock trial.

This visit to Greece couldn't have come at a worse time. November 17th is the anniversary of a 1973 crackdown on students by Greek troops, an event that still provokes enormous protests every year. Of particular worry is the terrorist group named for that date. They are responsible for the murders of four Americans, and Greek officials admit there have been no real results in bringing the group to justice.

Mr. Clinton was originally scheduled to arrive in Greece on Saturday to launch an 11-day European tour that included stops in Turkey, Florence, Italy, and Bulgaria.

The schedule issue arose one day after Mr. Clinton declared that one of his main foreign policy priorities was resolving tensions between Greece and Turkey over territorial rights in the Aegean Sea and the future of Cyprus.

"We want very badly to see a resolution of the tensions between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean, especially over Cyprus," Mr. Clinton earlier told reporters. "And I think all Greeks share that hope without regard to their politial views."

Meanwhile, the State Department has advised Americans to "exercise appropriate caution" in Greece and keep clear of demonstrations during the president's visit.