A.N.A. Bulletin, 12/01/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 785), January 12, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Premier ready to discuss political developments, meeting with president to be arranged

Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will meet with President Kostis Stephanopoulos on the president's return to Greece, in the first of the contacts he plans to have ahead of the party's Central Committee meeting later this month, the government said yesterday.

Government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris told reporters a meeting would be arranged between the president and prime minister, who is still being treated at the Onassion Centre, as soon as Mr. Stephanopoulos returns from attending the funeral of former President Francois Mitterrand in Paris.

The meeting, at Mr. Papandreou's request, will take place in the next few days.

Mr. Hytiris said he did not know what would be discussed at the meeting but added that it would probably be an exchange of views between the two men.

The spokesman said the prime minister was beginning a "cycle of contacts," which he wished to start with a meeting with the president.

Mr. Hytiris said efforts were being made for a meeting between the prime minister and PASOK officials before the party's January 20 Central Committee meeting to discuss succession procedures, so that recommendations to be submitted will belong to both the party leader and the Executive Bureau.

Asked whether the prime minister would appoint deputy prime ministers to act for him while he is in hospital, Mr. Hytiris said he did not know, but considered such a possibility rather unlikely.

Turning to other issues, Mr. Hytiris said Mr. Papandreou had been briefed by the health minister and his personal physician, Dimitris Kremastinos, on the defeat of the censure motion which main opposition New Democracy had tabled in Parliament, as well as the death of former French president Francois Mitterrand.

The government overwhelmingly defeated a censure motion tabled by the main opposition party in Parliament Wednesday night, by a margin of 50 votes.

Mr. Hytiris said that the government had received a vote of confidence for the second time by the "great parliamentary majority which remains unbroken, united and steadfast."

As to the tabling of the censure motion, the spokesman said "one should know when to submit a censure motion, why one submits it and what one hopes to gain by it."

Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who is deputizing for the prime minister, said yesterday the ruling party had proved its unity.

"I think that this is the message of the vote of the Greek Parliament," he said.

Asked to comment on whether the prime minister's request to meet with Mr. Stephanopoulos meant that a solution would be soon found to the issue of the prime minister's replacement, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said:

"I don't think anybody can be led to conclusions as a result of this meeting. We should wait until the meeting has taken place before we make our conclusions."

In a related development, Finance Minister Alekos Papadopoulos, commenting on reports that he would be proposed as one of the deputy prime ministers, said: "The critical moments we are going through should not lead us to 'paper solutions'. I consider it absolutely necessary that there is an immediate and clear solution in the framework determined by the Executive Bureau, and, of course, in accordance with constitutional provisions".

[2] Evert sends letter to premier

Meanwhile, sources said that a letter addressed to the prime minister from main opposition ND leader Miltiades Evert expressed the view that "from a human viewpoint and institutionally" the best solution to the problem would be if the premier resigned.

According to the same sources, Mr. Evert wrote that, by resigning, Mr. Papandreou would "protect himself, his party and the country."

In the one-page letter, Mr. Evert describes the situation which has arisen and underlines that due to the "power vacuum" there were dangers with regard to both national issues and within the country. He also sets out the initiatives taken by ND to resolve the impasse.

Mr. Hytiris said later yesterday that the letter had been given to Mr. Kremastinos, who informed Mr. Evert he would hand the letter to Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, who is standing in for the premier.

In a statement late last night, Mr. Evert responded that no one was legitimized in handing the letter to anyone other than the prime minister himself.

"Otherwise there may be penal responsibilities for violation of the confidentiality of correspondence," he added.

Asked whether not handing the letter to the premier himself was related to his state of health, Mr. Evert said "I believe it is related to his isolation, which does not allow him to see reality".

Yesterday's evening bulletin on the prime minister's health said his condition was stable, with his breathing periodically supported through a respirator, and the programme of motion and breathing physiotherapy continuing.

He responded well to dialysis and had no fever, the bulletin added.

[3] Parliamentary Group to meet after January 20 meeting

PASOK's Parliamentary Group is to convene immediately after the end of the January 20 Central Committee meeting, the Parliamentary Group's presidium decided last night, during a two-hour meeting on the political situation after the defeat of New Democracy 's censure motion.

Parliamentary Group Secretary Dimitris Beis said the exact date of the Parliamentary Group's meeting would be set after consultation with the Executive Bureau.

Mr. Beis stressed that if there were new developments in the meantime, the presidium, in co-operation with the Executive Bureau, would call an immediate meeting in order for decisions to be taken.

In a related development, seven ruling PASOK party deputies, dubbed the "captains" by the Greek press, yesterday issued a series of proposals to resolve the political problem created by the premier's prolonged illness.

A solution to the problem should be honorable, clear, final and strong, a statement from the group said, and warned people close to the prime minister not to attempt to put a stop to developments.

The group called for a Parliamentary Group meeting on January 24 or 25, following the January 20 Central Committee meeting, to decide on the process of electing a new prime minister and his immediate election by secret ballot.

The seven also called for a government reshuffle "with the participation of the most worthy cadres and the directing principle that no one can be excluded and no one can refuse to participate in the government."

The "captains" finally proposed an additional Central Committee meeting in the first 10 days in February to elect a new "representative" Executive Bureau, to restructure the Central Committee's policy and guidance sectors and to proclaim a special congress for June 1996.

[4] Political Spring

Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras yesterday chaired an Executive Committee meeting to examine the problem created by the premier's illness.

As of yesterday, Political Spring is abstaining from all Parliamentary work and will only return when the ruling PASOK party provides a solution to the problem created by the prime minister's illness.

A lengthy discussion was held on political developments and the censure motion tabled by the main opposition New Democracy party.

Mr. Samaras said Political Spring was proved right in saying the motion would rally dissolved PASOK. He said the motion could not provide a solution because the country's substantive problems were not examined during the three-day debate.

[5] Papoulias, Agnelli meet on Italian Cyprus initiative, Mediterranean issues

Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias said yesterday that the issue of the appointment of a European Union representative to pursue a settlement of the Cyprus problem would be discussed by the Council of Ministers on January 29.

Mr. Papoulias made the statement after talks with his Italian counterpart and current president of the EU Council of Ministers, Susanna Agnelli, attended also by Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos.

"Greece awaits many and positive developments from the Italian presidency, which is a Mediterranean presidency," Mr. Papoulias said. He added that the issue of appointing an EU representative for the Cyprus problem was in the hands of Ms Agnelli, expressing certainty that "the best" would be attained. Mr. Papoulias described the Italian initiative on the Cyprus problem as "a positive step in the right direction which strengthens the island republic's European prospects."

Ms Agnelli told reporters that she had discussed the Italian presidency's programme and the various problems associated with it, while her talks with Mr. Papoulias and Mr. Romeos had given special attention to Mediterranean issues, which the Italian presidency intended to promote.

The Italian foreign minister said that the role of the EU's representative for Cyprus would be supplementary to efforts being made by US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke.

According to informed sources, the Italian presidency wishes to appoint a career diplomat as the EU's representative. Ms Agnelli clarified yesterday that he or she would be a European, but when asked if the representative would be an Italian, she replied "we shall see."

Also discussed at yesterday's meeting was the issue of illegal Albanian immigrants, a problem affecting both countries.

Ms Agnelli later departed for Vienna from where she will fly to The Hague within the framework of her tour of EU capitals.

[6] Stephanopoulos pays tribute to Mitterrand

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos represented Greece yesterday at a memorial service for former French president Francois Mitterrand, who died at the age of 79 Monday after a battle with prostate cancer.

Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, deputizing for ailing Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, represented the government, while former premier Constantine Mitsotakis represented the main opposition New Democracy party.

During an official dinner given by French President Jacques Chirac following the memorial service, Mr. Stephanopoulos met with several Balkan leaders, including Turkish President Suleyman Demirel.

Later in press statements, the Greek president said the late French president "stood as much as he could by Greece's side, and for that our country must retain fond memories of him."

He said Mr. Mitterrand dominated the European and international scene and contributed greatly to the idea of a European Union. He called him a "great friend of Greece."

Mr. Mitsotakis said he had known the former French president since the 1970s and that although they were from opposing political camps, "we had a good communication. Wherever we met at international meetings, we co-operated closely and became close at a human level."

[7] Greeks' reluctance to wed during a leap year means loss of 12 billion for weddings sector

A Greek superstition claiming that marrying during a leap year is bad luck causes turnover for the wedding goods sector to drop by as much as 12 billion drachmas, it was revealed yesterday.

The information was given during a press conference held in Thessaloniki yesterday by representatives of the wedding products industry, on the occasion of the second Exhibition of Bridal Dresses, Baptism and Wedding Products "Wedding Fashion" taking place on January 20-22.

Statistics reveal that one in five couples planning to marry will avoid doing so during a leap year.

Roughly 3,000 retail outlets for wedding and christening goods operate in the country, each of which will suffer an average reduction of four million drachmas during the 1996 leap year.

Sector representatives also referred to problems created by cheaper imported wedding and christening products.

[8] President to attend sportswriters annual awards ceremony

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will be the first Greek head of state to attend the annual awards ceremony organized by the Panhellenic Association of Sportswriters. The event is slated for Monday at the Peace and Friendship indoor stadium in Faliron. It will also be shown on state-run ERT-1. This year's ceremony is dedicated to the centennial of the revival of the Olympic Games.

Greece's best athletes for 1995 are Pyrrhos Dimas, the world champion weight-lifter and track star Katerina Thanou. Greece's world champion under-18 basketball team was named the top unit among team sports.

[9] Theodorakis presents autobiography

The fifth volume of Miki Theodorakis' book "The roads of the Archangel" was presented yesterday at the National Art Gallery by the Kedros publishing house.

The presentation was made by close friends and associates of the renowned Greek composer.

Entitled "Mikis Theodorakis - The roads of the Archangel - autobiography - The end of the Myth", the work recalls adventures of post-war Greece, seen from within music and left-wing politics.

[10] Pesmazoglou takes over as Athens Academy president

Outgoing Athens Academy President Manousos Manousakas officially handed over his duties to new Athens Academy President Ioannis Pesmazoglou and Vice President Nikolaos Matsaniotis last night.

Mr. Pesmazoglou, an economist and former European Parliament deputy, outlined the Academy's targets for 1996, such as the systematic promotion of research co-operation with universities and serious foundations throughout the country.

He also stressed the possibility of extending scientific co-operation between Academy members and its research centers on an international level.

In this spirit, the academy will respond to the interest and co-operation proposals of the Academies of eastern European countries, particularly Balkan ones.

[11] Mount Athos treasures to go on show next year

Priceless treasures from the monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece will go on display in Thessaloniki next year, as part of events celebrating the city's assumption of the European Cultural Capital in 1997.

It will be the first time since the establishment of Mount Athos as a religious retreat a thousand years ago that the exhibits will have left the monasteries.

The items include 11th century icons, manuscripts, sculptures, historical documents and seals.

End of English language section.