A.N.A. Bulletin, 05/12/95

From: "Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada" <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 758), December 5, 1995

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Romeos stresses that negotiations for Cyprus, Malta entry cannot be delayed

The starting date for negotiations with Cyprus to enter the European Union should in no way be affected by a possible delay in entry negotiations with other candidate countries, Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos told the meeting of EU foreign ministers on the enlargement of the European Union yesterday.

The discussion was held to discuss preparation of issues to be examined at the Madrid summit.

Mr. Romeos said that Greece would propose a discussion on the fiscal aspects of enlargement and its repercussions on the basic policies of unified Europe such as in Common Agricultural Policy and regional policy, as part of the intergovernmental conference (IGC) or in any other specific framework. This, he added, should be set out at the Madrid summit, both to EU member states and to candidate countries.

Referring to Cyprus, Mr. Romeos stressed the need to observe the decision anticipating that negotiations with Cyprus and Malta should start six months after the IGC.

Mr. Romeos said the issue was also discussed with Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides in Athens last Friday and the positions Greece would support were agreed.

The six-month period is also proposed for the other candidate countries but it is not certain whether it will be possible to have it observed and it is possible that accession negotiations might be delayed.

Mr. Romeos referred to the expectations of European public opinion which was awaiting specific decisions in specific sectors from the Madrid summit.

He said Greece would place emphasis on issues creating public concern such as employment, xenophobia, racism and the problem of drugs.

Mr. Romeos said that if the Madrid summit did not take specific positions on specific issues and limited itself only to a message on the Economic and Monetary Union, the message might be negative.

[2] Efforts to take premier off respirator stop, condition stable

Sources at the Onassion hospital, where Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou was admitted two weeks ago suffering from pneumonia, said last night that efforts to take him off a respirator assisting his breathing had been suspended, because the premier had shown signs of fatigue.

An evening bulletin, read at 8:20pm, said the prime minister's condition remained stabilized, with efforts to withdraw the respirator continuing and renal functions being in the process of being restored.

The midday bulletin, read to reporters by Onassion board of directors chairman Panayiotis Poulis, said that the condition of Mr. Papandreou's heart "remains satisfactory," and that there was no active infection at this time.

Dialysis treatment was also "continuing satisfactorily," the communique said.

Mr. Poulis said that journalists should from now on submit their queries concerning the medical bulletins in writing, and the questions would be promptly answered by the medical council.

Earlier, Mr. Poulis read a letter from Professor Grigoris Skalkeas, who resigned from the press briefing sessions, saying his resignation had resulted from "doubts cast on the objectivity" of his briefings "by factors outside the hospital, thereby creating adverse conditions for a patient, in this case the prime minister."

"Under such circumstances, withdrawal and silence is preferable," Mr. Skalkeas said.

Commenting on Mr. Skalkeas' resignation, government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris said Mr. Skalkeas's press briefings had been most adequate and added that no other doctor wished to assume such duty.

Turning to other issues, Mr. Hytiris said "the government is doing its work well and there is no issue of replacing the prime minister".

He said messages had been received from Yasser Arafat, Richard Holbrooke, and the prime ministers of Turkey, Japan, India, and Yugoslavia.

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert had a telephone conversation with Heal-th Minister Dimitris Kremastinos yesterday requesting regular written briefings of the prime minister's health.

[3] PASOK executive slams attempts to undermine party unity

A statement issued by ruling party PASOK's Executive Bureau last night harshly criticized attempts to break up party unity.

"Nobody has the right to classify PASOK MPs and cadres into categories and groups and try to undermine cohesion," the statement said.

"The thing that has priority today is the improvement of the health of the president and founder of the movement, Andreas Papandreou.

"PASOK in all its expressions, in government and the movement, will secure political stability and the continuation of its policies in all critical sectors and will complete the task which the Greek people assigned it.

"At this critical turn, no intervention by any external factor and interests can affect the unity, positive developments and prospects of the Movement.

"Any efforts by these 'extra-institutional' factors, who are addicted ... to intervening from the behind the scenes in the country's political developments - but also in the internal workings of political parties - are doomed to failure," the statement ended.

Earlier, Interior, Decentralization and Public Administration Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who is standing in for Mr. Papandreou, told reporters that "we are not preoccupied with internal party developments. Our concern is to meet the government's responsibilities towards the Greek people and promote the big issues."

He added that "we expect that Mr. Papandreou's health condition will be improved".

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos met with several ministers and deputies during his trip to Thessaloniki.

In other developments, former minister Costas Simitis met with Environment Minister Costas Laliotis yesterday while 15 ruling party deputies issued a joint statement yesterday condemning as "politically and morally unacceptable" efforts to "categorize" deputies into factions at a time when the prime minister was fighting for his life.

A similar written statement was issued by Industry Minister Anastasios Peponis, who categorically denied reports he was participating in 'groupings' supporting particular candidates for the succession.

Meanwhile, African journalists' deputy president and honorary president of the Sudanese community in Greece, Abdelatif Mengi, yesterday visited Onassion Hospital to wish the premier a speedy recovery.

The Sudanese community yesterday postponed a scheduled feast due to the "very serious health condition of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou."

[4] Tsovolas says he will not be returning to PASOK

Dimitris Tsovolas, a former PASOK finance minister, said last night that he would officially declare the establishment of a new political movement on January 15, adding that his departure from ruling party PASOK was "final and irrevocable".

Mr. Tsovolas gave up his PASOK Central Committee position and party membership in October, and also announced the launching of a new political force entitled 'Movement of Civilization'. Offices for the new party have already been leased in central Athens .

Referring to national matters, Mr. Tsovolas expressed his concern over the course of the Cyprus problem. He said dominant western powers were trying to present a fait accompli, taking advantage of the negotiations for Cyprus's entry into the European Union.

On the issue of the state budget, Mr. Tsovolas reiterated that it was identical to the last six budgets. "It is characterized by social austerity that will lead to a shrinking of the productive base while increasing unemployment and restricting the welfare state at the same time," he said.

[5] Cyprus receives first installment of Greek personnel carriers

The first shipment of 80 Greek-made Leonidas-2 army personnel carriers will be shipped to Cyprus today, after they were officially presented to Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides yesterday.

The presentation of the 42 carriers is part of the unified defence doctrine between Greece and Cyprus.

The official delivery ceremony was held at an army camp in western Thessaloniki yesterday in the presence of National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, Macedonia and Thrace Minister Costas Triaridis, Minister to the Aegean Antonis Kotsakas, Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and the president of the state-run Hellenic Vehicles Industry (ELBO).

"Many doubted the implementation of the doctrine announced by Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and President Glafcos Clerides over the two-year period, but we fully showed that the two governments observed what they had announced absolutely," Mr. Arsenis said.

President Clerides said "the unified defence doctrine was no idle proclamation but an agreement implemented on the basis of timetables set out from the very beginning."

[6] ATHENS NEWS AGENCY ON THE INTERNET

As of November 1, you can find the Athens News Agency's news service on the Internet with a brief review of the main news items, in Greek or English, twice a day (at 12:30pm and updated at 4:30pm).

Log in to our Internet address: http://www.forthnet.gr/guests/ape and keep abreast with the latest news from Greece.

[7] Ankara accuses Greece of "violating" international treaties

Ankara has accused Greece of "violating international agreements by placing arms on its Aegean islands".

"The status of the eastern Aegean islands is one of the basic components of political balance between Greece and Turkey created by the Treaty of Lausanne. Despite international agreements, Greece has been violating the islands' status since 1960," Turkish foreign ministry representative Nurettin Nurkan claimed.

He claimed the Turkish troops in the Aegean were there "legally and is for training purposes".

"Greece's placing of Exocet missiles on the east Aegean islands cannot be considered a defensive action," he added.

Mr. Nurkan also requested Greece stop "all forms of pressure" on the Moslem minority in Thrace and called for a complete withdrawal of all restrictions in military areas on the Greek-Bulgarian border. He called Greece's recent partial lifting of restrictions "insufficient".

[8] EU parliamentary delegations discuss IGC at Athens meeting

"A demand of all parliaments of European Union member states is to have a more decisive role in the Union's decision-making processes," PASOK former foreign under-secretary and deputy Yiannis Kapsis told the ANA during the inter parliamentary discussion group on the 1996 intergovernmental conference, which he organized at the foreign ministry yesterday.

The discussion group debated the issue of parliamentary control of the 2nd and 3rd pillar of the Treaty of Maastricht, following the presentation of a report by the deputy president of the French Senate Yves Guena.

The five deputies, two senators, and eight officials of national delegations from Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Germany, and Denmark concluded that there was a need for a greater flow of information to the parliaments of the EU from their governments, especially on issues discussed by the Community's councils of ministers.

The inter parliamentary discussion groups began in the spring of this year, at the initiative of French National Assembly president Philippe Seguin. The Athens meeting was the fourth after Paris, Luxembourg, and Brussels.

Proposals by the Agriculture Department of the European Commission, which satisfy a number of Greek demands, were adopted in Brussels yesterday, a Panhellenic Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives (PASEGES) statement released in Athens said yesterday.

These include a rejection of joint financing and the gradual phasing out, over a six-year period, of produce withdrawals, the maintenance of the principle of Community preference on the basis of the clear terms agreed in GATT, and a clarification of the organizational structure of producer groups, without affecting the institution of the cooperative.

[9] Greece plans to bolster security on border with Albania

The government said yesterday it will proceed with the implementation of measures in order to stem the growing tide of illegal immigrants from Albania.

The measures include reinforcement of border police patrols with police forces, and with vehicles and monitoring and communication equipment.

Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said Albanian government requests for seasonal employment of Albanian workers in Greece and the granting of a green card to a number of Albanians living and working in the country depended on the neighboring country 's intention to guard its borders and prevent the entry of illegal immigrants as well as drug traffickers and arms smugglers.

Public Order Minister Sifis Valyrakis expressed the hope that electronic monitoring systems would be installed at border posts within 1996.

Meanwhile, police arrested two Albanian nationals in the region of Ayia Paraskevi, Konitsas, after finding them in possession of one kilo of raw hashish.

Police arrested another two Albanians on the Ioannina-Trikala national road after finding them in possession of 2.5 kilos of hashish.

[10] Kaklamanis stresses duty of Greek Parliament to overseas Greek communities

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis yesterday addressed the sessions of the inaugural World Council of Overseas Hellenism conference in Thessaloniki.

Addressing 260 delegations from Greek communities from every corner of the earth, Mr. Kaklamanis said it was the nation's constitutional duty to show its concern for Greeks overseas.

"The role of the (Greek) parliament is to serve the general interests of Hellenism and the nation as well as defend and promote national issues in international fora," he said.

Mr. Kaklamanis said today's international conditions called for the formation of a "parliamentary diplomacy," adding that "the Parliament, expressing as it does a country's political trends, is often more able to promote positions, than the government."

Stressing the "great contribution of overseas Greeks to the defence of national issues," Mr. Kaklamanis said one of the goals of the Council of Overseas Hellenism was to coordinate action among overseas Greeks.

[11] Tsohatzopoulos opens expatriate Greek women's conference

Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos yesterday opened a two-day overseas Greek women's forum, being held in the framework of the World Council of Overseas Hellenism conference in Thessaloniki.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos called on expatriate Greek women to exploit opportunities for co-operation with Greece.

"The place of women in Greek society has improved considerably but that does not mean that we have reached the end of the road," the minister said.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos announced that a World Council of Overseas Greek Women will be held within 1996 in order to promote dialogue with expatriate Greek women, a move which he described as "historic and national necessity."

"Through this dialogue," the minister said, "we will derive ideas, and agree on major priorities."

He also announced the establishment of a national women's committee which will operate with the participation of women association's representatives.

[12] News in Brief

- Government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris yesterday described the Council of Overseas Hellenism conference currently underway in Thessaloniki as a "significant government initiative" and that it would "constitute a bridge of communication between Greece an d Greeks overseas."

Commenting on the Ecumenical Patriarchate's opposition to the establishment of the Council, Mr. Hytiris admitted there were difficulties, but said "all malfunctions will be fixed."

- Archbishop of North and South America Iakovos arrived in Thessaloniki yesterday to receive an award from the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki for his contribution to national rights and overseas Hellenism.

In statements at Macedonia airport, he reiterated he would not be attending the World Council of Overseas Hellenism and stressed there was no crisis in his relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

- A two-day forum entitled "Scholars of Greece in the World" commenced yesterday within the framework of the Council of Overseas Hellenism conference being held in Thessaloniki.

Opening the forum, Secretary-General for Overseas Hellenism Nikos Dimadis stressed the role of Greek scholars in the international promotion of Greek civilization.

[13] Vartholomeos meets with senior British official

Visiting Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos held a meeting yesterday with British Foreign Under-secretary responsible for Central and Eastern European issues Sir Nicholas Bosnor.

The Patriarch, who is visiting London at the official invitation of Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, described his talks with Sir Nicholas as a "goodwill meeting".

Yesterday evening, the Patriarch was due to attend mass and give a lecture at Westminster Abbey.

[14] Russia main buyer of Greek tobacco

Greece exported 2.62 million kilos of processed tobacco, bringing in the equivalent of 1.7 billion drachmas in foreign exchange, in the July to October period this year.

According to the National Tobacco Association (EOK), the tobacco varieties exported included basma, kamba kulak and virginia.

Russia was the main importer with 437,700 kilos, followed by the United States, Korea, Japan, Poland, Germany, Tunisia, Taiwan and Egypt.

The tobacco was exported via the ports of Kavala and Thessaloniki. According to sector sources, tobacco exports for the November-December period are anticipated to reach 1.2 billion drachmas, while exports in the first half of the year stood at two billion drachmas.

The European Commission last week approved the operational "tourism-culture" programme, included in the second Community Support Framework 1994-1999.

The subprogram "Culture" is part of the "Tourism-culture" programme and will be allocated 85 billion drachmas and includes the unification of archaeological sites in Athens, a new Acropolis museum, a convention and cultural centre in Athens, a convent ion and cultural centre in Thessaloniki, as well as technical aid.

The programme, valid retroactively from November 22, 1994, will be in effect until December 31, 1999.

[15] News in Brief

Representatives of professional and manufacturing organizations held a rally in Kaningos Square in downtown Athens yesterday, requesting a change in policy on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A General Confederation of Professionals and Craftsmen (GSEBEE) vote outlined their demands, which include the fundamental protection of company leases and the reinforcement of SMEs insurance funds.

[16] Greek exports turn to developing Balkan markets, slight drop in figures for Europe

Greek exports to the European Union have decreased in value over the past five years, while exports to Balkan countries are on the rise.

Five years ago, exports to Europe accounted for 65 per cent of total exports but have dropped to 55 per cent at present. Exports to Balkan countries over the same period have increased from 3.4 per cent to 7.8 per cent.

Increased exports to eastern European and Middle East countries as well as to countries with strong Greek communities (the US, Canada and Australia) have also been noted.

The above conclusions were drawn from a draft study presented in Thessaloniki yesterday by Federation of Exporters of Northern Greece President Apostolos Genitsaris at the inauguration of the Panhellenic Exports Development Conference.

National Economy Under-secretary Yiannis Anthopoulos outlined government initiatives for the next eight months concerning the development of international business activities through co-operation between the state and business agencies.

Former minister and main opposition New Democracy party Deputy Stephanos Manos said Greece would not re-enter a development orbit unless it restricted and modernized the public sector.

Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras called for the creation in Thessaloniki of a regional centre for the transport and adjustment of technology.

After his address, Mr. Samaras said Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou's health was an additional problem for "the fluidity of Greece's political situation."

Refusing to comment on developments in the ruling PASOK party and main opposition New Democracy, Mr. Samaras criticized both for their economic policies, saying that the word "austerity should be replaced with the word 'development'."

"I believe that the critical word for the future of the Greek economy is the word 'exports'," he added.

[17] Crete hosts conference on repercussions of GATT

A two-day conference on repercussions the General Agreement on Trades and Tariffs (GATT) will have on agricultural produce in the Mediterranean basin started yesterday at the convention centre of the Mediterranean Agricultural Economic Institute (MAEI) in Hania.

The conference is organized by the International Centre of Advanced Mediterranean Agricultural and Economic Studies, which the MAEI is a member of.

About 60 experts from international organizations and agencies, including the European Commission and the OECD, are participating in the conference together with senior state officials and university professors from southern European, Magreb and Middle East countries.

Agriculture Minister Theodoros Stathis stressed dangers faced by Mediterranean farm products due to the increased liberalization of markets promoted by GATT, adding that changes were also expected in bilateral agreements concluded between the European Union and Mediterranean countries which were not Community members.

Mr. Stathis said there was no reason for pessimism since new markets were emerging for farm products from Mediterranean countries, provided the latter "compete on a fair basis."

[18] Papantoniou calls for concerted attack on public debt

Speaking at a one-day conference of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) yesterday, National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou proposed a four-pronged attack on reducing the 33 billion drachma public debt by escalating the fight against tax evasion, reorganizing public services, developing a policy of social protection and cutting back on expenses.

Former New Democracy minister Giorgos Souflias, however, saw the solution of the country's fiscal problem in the free operation of the market, privatizations, a shrinking of the state, a four-year moratorium on new public sector appointments and the expansion of the tax net, in combination with the fight against tax evasion.

Communist Party (KKE) Eurodeputy Yiannis Theonas said the KKE could not follow the logic of the two main parties because its basic tenets were fundamentally different.

He said there ought to be a reorganization of the state, development, and a bolstering of the public sector and workers' incomes.

Coalition of the Left representative Yiannis Dragasakis called for a different strategy, based on tax reform, the autonomy of public enterprises, a different management of Delors II Package funds, and underscored the contribution which mass and social movements can make.

GSEE president Christos Protopapas, who opened the conference, was critical of the government's recently submitted budget, which, he said, continued the policy of austerity, increased indirect taxes, and maintained expenditure for health and social security at very low levels. He also criticized the very low level of pensions, and added it was possible to arrive at a national, social contract that would lay the foundations for the development of the Greek economy.

[19] ND discusses new budget

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert chaired a meeting on the 1996 budget at party headquarters yesterday, attended by ND parliamentary deputies and university professors.

Addressing the cadres in the presence of journalists, Mr. Evert said "the cabinet should be convened to decide on what will happen with the budget", following different positions adopted by Labor Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas and the government's economic staff on pension increases.

ND parliamentary representative George Souflias said in the event Mr. Tzoumakas voted in favor of the budget he would be contradicting what he was advocating, while, if he voted against it, he should resign.

Mr. Souflias added that: "All this is an example of confusion prevailing in the PASOK government."

Announcing the party's positions on fiscal issues afterwards, the president of ND's economic committee, Anastasios Papaligouras, said tax evasion should be stamped out and the tax base widened and opposed "unfair objective criteria", calling for their re placement with expenditure criteria.

He opposed imposition of new taxes, saying "the ability of the Greek citizen to pay taxes has been exhausted."

Mr. Papaligouras said the 1996 budget "instead of constituting a budget distancing and reversing decline, constitutes in the best of cases a budget of inertia preserving the crisis and decline."

[20] ATE approves 1.044 billion in investment subsidies

The Agricultural Bank of Greece (ATE) has approved subsidies of 1.044 billion drachmas for the implementation of 50 investment plans valued at 2.393 billion drachmas in the second half of the year.

Five projects concern greenhouse units and other cultivations costing 156 million drachmas and receiving subsidies of 88 million drachmas.

Forty-one concern animal produce units costing 1.874 billion drachmas and receiving subsidies of 840 million drachmas.

The above investments will create 119 new jobs.

End of English language section.