Greece says bilateral relations not harmed
ATHENS (AFP) – Greece said on Saturday it did not believe the conviction by a Greek court of a group of British and Dutch plane-spotters for espionage would harm relations with London and The Hague. «We do not think that that will affect bilateral relations or tourism,» Panos Beglitis, spokesman at the Greek foreign ministry, told AFP. Beglitis stressed that the foreign ministry did not consider the 14 tourists to be spies, but stressed that the law was tough on the issue and the legal system independent. Suspended sentences He said that in suspending the sentences pending appeal, the court «had been as indulgent as possible.» The issue has clouded relations between Athens and London, with Britain threatening to take diplomatic steps against Greece when the 14 were arrested on spy charges last November and held for over a month. On Friday, the British government released a statement saying Foreign Secretary Jack Straw «has always made clear he feels the response to this case has been disproportionate.» At the time, the tourists insisted they were simply planespotters – aviation enthusiasts who make a hobby out of collecting aircraft identification numbers and photographs. Effect on tourism? The pastime is popular in Britain, but virtually unheard of in Greece. Head of Greece’s travel agents’ organization HATTA, Yiannis Evangelou, said he was «worried,» about the reaction of the nearly three million British tourists who holiday in Greece every year. «It’s all quite embarrassing, but we respect the decisions of the justice system,» Evangelatos said. The Greek press did not give the story prominence.
