A.N.A. Bulletin, 16/01/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 788), January 16, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Andreas Papandreou resigns as Prime Minister

Andreas Papandreou submitted his resignation as prime minister last night, clearing the way for ruling party PASOK to select a new prime minister.

Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who has been deputizing for the prime minister during his two-month-long illness, last night met with President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and handed him a copy of Mr. Papandreou's letter of resignation.

According to ruling party PASOK secretary Costas Skandalidis, speaking at the party's headquarters in central Athens, the premier addressed his letter to the party's Central Committee and the Parliamentary Group.

Following the news of the prime minister's resignation, and in view of the need to speed up procedures, the Executive Bureau meeting last night decided to bring forward the party's Central Committee meeting, scheduled for the weekend, to tomorrow at 11am.

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis described Mr. Papandreou's letter of resignation as a brave decision, measuring up to his personal history and name.

He announced that Parliament will continue its sessions normally until Wednesday, when the procedure envisaged by Article 38, paragraph 2 of the Constitution, concerning "the replacement of the prime minister" will be set in motion. This means that PASOK's parliamentary group will have to be convened within three days of Wednesday to elect Mr. Papandreou's successor. Thursday is considered most likely.

[2] Papandreou's letter

In his resignation letter, Mr. Papandreou said:

"The first responsibility of all of us is the effective governing of the country for the realization of our programme, in accordance with the mandate of the Greek people. At the same time, it is the responsibility of all of us to safeguard the unity and future of our great Movement.

"I have been briefed exhaustively over the past few days by the doctors about my health problems and their estimates as to how much time will be needed for my recuperation.

"It is obvious that my incapacity during this time should not act as a brake on the country, the government and PASOK. I have put, and we have always put, the interests of the country and the people above all. This is also our duty now.

"It is time for decisions. And it is to these decisions that the organs of the movement are called to proceed with, each according to their responsibilities. The Central Committee will define the framework and the directions of our coordinated course until the congress which will guarantee the future of a united and strong PASOK. The Parliamentary Group will proceed immediately to the election of a prime minister because the nation's problems cannot wait, and what we have achieved till now must not be endangered.

"I believe that all PASOK's cadres can rise to the occasion, not only because it is my demand as founder and president of the movement, but also because it is the demand of the great popular majority that supports us."

Mr. Papandreou's resignation came after speculation as to whether he would ever be able to resume his duties, following an extended stay in hospital for breathing and kidney problems.

Questioned when the parliamentary group will elect a new premier, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos replied: "The Central Committee will convene on Wednesday to make decisions, and from then on, developments will start rolling according to the Constitution.

He described Mr. Papandreou's resignation as an act of great historical significance, confirming that he placed the national and collective interest above any other consideration.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, Minister of State to the Prime Minister Antonis Livanis, Education Minister George Papandreou, Environment Minister Costas Laliotis and government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris met with the prime minister in hospital earlier last night before proceeding to the Executive Bureau meeting. Details of the content of the discussion were not officially available.

[3] Papandreou: Greece's first socialist prime minister

Mr. Papandreou's resignation essentially closed the door on a 35-year-long career in Greece's political life, beginning with his inclusion in the 1964 Centre Union government formed by his father, George Papandreou.

He was rarely out of the public eye after that, serving as Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and, subsequently, as Alternate Coordination Minister until he was forced into exile.

The April coup by Greek colonels in 1967 led to his detention in Goudi, where he remained until his release under an amnesty in December.

Pressure from abroad led to the former Harvard University professor receiving permission to leave the country on January 16, 1968, along with his family. He remained in exile for the duration of the seven-year dictatorship, campaigning around the world against the colonels regime.

He established the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK), the precursor to today's Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), on February 27 of the same year, in Stockholm.

The fall of the colonels in 1974 meant he could return to Greece, which he did in August. He did not participate in the National Unity government, led by veteran politician Constantine Karamanlis, but formed PASOK, which lured many resistance members as well as pre-junta leftists and members of the Centre Union.

The philosophy and goals of the party were codified with the founding declaration of September 3 and at the first national elections after the fall of the junta, on November 17, 1974, it garnered 13.58 per cent of the vote, bringing him back to parliament as the MP for Achaia.

Three years later, PASOK had increased its share to 25 per cent, giving Papandreou the title of main opposition leader.

In a landslide victory on October 18, 1981, PASOK received 48.06 per cent of the vote and took power, with Papandreou retaining the post of defense minister. Greece was newly a member of the then European Economic Community. It was Greece's first ever socialist government.

On foreign policy, the first Papandreou government worked to upgrade the role of the country within the framework of its international commitments, such as NATO and the EEC and improved relations with the socialist governments of the Third world.

On the domestic front, the government gave emphasis to the equality of the citizen, independent of political loyalty or sex, abolished national emergency legislation (martial law), recognized the National Resistance of 1941-1944 and rehabilitated resistance fighters, allowed thousands of Greek communists to return to their native land from the Eastern bloc countries to which they had fled after the Civil War. The government pushed through changes to family law which gave equal legal status to the role o f men and women, introducing for the first time, the institution of civil marriage.

PASOK was returned to power on June 2, 1985 with 45.82 per cent of the vote. It announced an economic austerity programme with the aim of leading the country out of its economic crisis and towards development and, at the same time, made moves to reduce simmering tension with Turkey, with Papandreou meeting with Turkish prime minister Turgut Ozal at Davos, Switzerland.

His interventions to the European Union created a political framework for the Community's social policy.

On June 19, 1989, he resigned as head of government when the opposition New Democracy gathered the majority in the elections of the previous day. On June 23, after ND failed to form a government, the president asked him to form one, while hospitalized in the General State Hospital. He remained caretaker prime minister until July 2 when a temporary government between ND and the Coalition of the Left and Progress took office.

On January 16, 1992 a special court found him innocent of charges in the $200 million Bank of Crete embezzlement scandal, despite his refusal to recognize the court's authority to try him and boycotting all the proceedings. In May 1992, Parliament voted to put a stay on his referral to a special court for alleged involvement in the wire-tapping of political opponents.

On October 12, 1993, PASOK swept back into power after three years of the conservative New Democracy government.

His Balkan policies have set the conditions for good neighborly relations with Albania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Romania and PASOK's foreign policy was influenced by the wave of change which put an end to the bipolar system.

Despite health problems, Papandreou, during PASOK's third mandate, was active in the international arena, with his visit to the US in May 1994, heralding a new era in relations with the US. The signing of an interim accord between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia also formed the conditions for a settlement of a protracted problems and safeguarding peace in the Balkan peninsula.

[4] President wants settlement quickly, Kaklamanis says

Before last night's developments, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis said succession procedures had already been delayed and that the issue of the prime minister's replacement should be settled as soon as possible.

"It is the president's view as well as mine that (succession procedures) have been delayed and the issue should be settled as soon as possible," Mr. Kaklamanis told reporters after a meeting with President Kostis Stephanopoulos.

Mr. Kaklamanis said the issue would be effectively, formally and correctly settled only if prime minister Andreas Papandreou resigned.

Asked to elaborate on his candidacy for prime minister, Mr. Kaklamanis said he would state his position after the prime minister resigned.

Concluding, Mr. Kaklamanis said other political parties should not try to be involved in the issue of the Prime Minister's replacement.

"They should let PASOK and its officials solve the problem," he said. "The other parties should only be interested in the smooth operation of the regime."

Meanwhile, National Defense Minister, Gerassimos Arsenis said that "the political problem should be and will be solved through the procedures which have been set by PASOK's Executive Bureau."

Mr. Arsenis expressed his conviction that the issue would be solved directly "and in a way that ensures unity, so that PASOK, after this ordeal, will emerge more powerful and united."

The prime minister is constantly being briefed on developments in the ruling PASOK by party officials, Press Under-secretary and acting government spokesman Nikos Athanassakis told reporters yesterday.

Mr. Athanassakis was speaking to the press in the absence of government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris who was meeting with the prime minister, his wife and Minister of State to the Prime Minister, Antonis Livanis.

Mr. Athanassakis said the meeting was obviously being held at the request of the prime minister.

In another development, yesterday, main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Manginas announced that ND leader Miltiades Evert would meet with President Kostis Stephanopoulos today.

The members of ND's Political Council, meanwhile, agreed that the party's initiatives had "resulted in successful, intense and effective political pressure on the ruling majority in order to extricate the country from the lack of government," Mr. Manginas said.

ND effectively addressed an ultimatum to the ruling party to settle the issue by January 22, after the two-day conference of the party's Central Committee, threatening that it will otherwise intensify its pressure and actions.

[5] Papandreou's health

Mr. Papandreou underwent a CAT scan yesterday to determine whether there were changes in the amount of fluid accumulating in his lungs, according to a medical bulletin.

Mr. Papandreou's medical team said it would consult with American pulmonary specialist, R. Light, visiting Athens for consultations regarding appropriate therapy, before removing the liquid.

The CAT scan showed that small quantities of liquid were being removed through frequent dialysis.

Dr. Light, the bulletin said, would attempt to induce hardening substances into the patient's thorax to prevent fresh accumulation of liquid between the ribs and the lungs.

But, according to sources, Mr. Papandreou's physicians wanted to discuss this method at a medical council before giving consent for its application.

[6] Weight-lifter Dimas receives 'athlete of the year' award

President Kostis Stephanopoulos presented weightlifting world record-holder and world champion Pyrros Dimas and Greek champion in the women's 100 meters sprint Katerina Thanou with Panhellenic Sports Writers' Association's athletes of the year awards at a special ceremony at the Peace and Friendship stadium last night.

Dimas, 22, received 1,344 votes, while high-jumper Lambros Papakostas came second, followed by weightlifter Kahi Kakhiasvili. Thanou, 21, came first in the women's category with 1,007 votes, while 16-year-old gymnast Vasso Tsavadaridou placed second with 593 votes. Niki Xanthou, Greece's women's long-jump champion came in third with 412 votes.

In the best team category, the national under-21 basketball team came in first with 950 votes. The weightlifting national team placed second place with 707 votes.

Sports Under-secretary George Lianis also gave a good conduct award to Kyriakos Yiannopoulos (water polo).

Mr. Lianis referred to Athens' candidacy to host the Olympic Games in 2004, terming the relevant file complete and Greece a pioneer in technical infrastructure. He also focused on the two major sports events due to be held in the country, the world athletics championships in 1997 and the world basketball championships a year later.

The event was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of modern-day Olympic Games and Gabriela Andersen, a dominant figure in the marathon race in the 23rd Olympiad held in Los Angeles, was a distinguished guest. Ms. Andersen thanked the association for the invitation and expressed regret that the 100th anniversary would not be celebrated in Athens.

The event was attended by ministers, government representatives, deputies and representatives of parties, the Olympic Games Committee, federations, sports agencies and clubs and Olympic Games gold medallists and sports fans.

Greece plans to honor one of the nation's finest athletes and indisputably finest basketball players, Nikos Gallis, by naming a newly-constructed indoor arena in Athens' Olympic sports park for the veteran star.

Sports Under-secretary George Lianis made the announcement yesterday after meeting with the one-time Aris Thessaloniki and national team player.

[7] Defense ministry policy shows good results, Arsenis says

1995 was a significant year for the national defense ministry, minister Gerassimos Arsenis said yesterday.

Reviewing the results of defense ministry policy last year, Mr. Arsenis said there had been progress in three main sectors:

First, Greece's signing of defense co-operation agreements with Balkan and East Mediterranean countries, upgrading its defense capability and giving a new dimension to its foreign policy;

Second, the cementing of the unified defense doctrine for Greece and Cyprus through joint exercises; and

Third, a reorganization of the ministry, which includes the setting up of an Arms Procurement General Directorate.

He also made special mention of the successful contribution, jointly with the foreign ministry, to efforts for the release of 132 blue berets held by the Bosnian Serbs.

Defense Under-secretary Nikos Kouris said emphasis was given last year to procuring supplies from Greek industries, adding that their production reached a five-fold increase in relation to 1991.

Replying to questions, Mr. Kouris pointed out that Greece's procurement policy was not determined by that of Turkey, but was based on five-year armaments programmes, which aimed at maintaining the 7:10 ratio in the balance of military power between the two neighbors.

Further, Mr. Kouris announced the procurement of 100 missiles for arming F-16 aircraft, 18 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) capable of hitting ATAMCS missiles, while a programme for the modernization of Phantoms was being prepared.

[8] Greece will not increase troops for Bosnia, Arsenis says

National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis said yesterday the Greek transport force operating in Visono, Bosnia, was composed of volunteers and its activities and region of operations had been decided to minimize the risk of an accident. Mr. Arsenis said

Greece did not intend to increase the country's force and expressed the assessment that the NATO alliance would not request such a thing in 1996. He reiterated that he would visit Bosnia soon.

[9] Greek positions on NATO HQ unchanged, Arsenis says

Greece remains steadfast in its positions concerning the establishment of NATO regional headquarters in Larissa and the installation of a multinational rapid deployment task force in Thessaloniki, National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis said yesterday . He added that these issues would be discussed during a meeting with NATO's new Secretary-General, Javier Solana, during his visit to Greece at the end of February or beginning of March.

[10] Romanian navy chief to visit Athens

Vice-Admiral G.A. Gelesku, the chief of staff of the Romanian Navy arrives in Greece tomorrow for a five-day official visit.

Adm. Gelesku will meet with his Greek counterpart, Vice-Admiral I. Stangas and visit facilities of the east Mediterranean military command and Hellenic fleet headquarters.

[11] National defense ministry prepares series of bills

The national defense ministry will table three legislative bills in Parliament in February concerning a new salary scale for armed forces officers, the state and development of officers, replacing law 178, and issues concerning military service. The new salary scale is at the finance ministry for further processing. National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis admitted the problem, reminding that he had stressed the need for a generous adjustment of salaries.

On the bill concerning military service, Mr. Arsenis conceded there was a delay in preparing it but expressed the hope the bill would resolve the problem of insubordination finally and courageously.

[12] Bosnian Serbs hope for economic co-operation with Greece

The Bosnian Serbs hope to sign economic co-operation contracts with Greece worth $1 billion, Vice-President of the self-proclaimed Bosnian Serb state Nikola Kolievitch said in an interview published in the Belgrade "Vetsernigie Novosti" newspaper yesterday.

A representative delegation from the self-proclaimed Serbian Republic in Bosnia visited Greece recently and signed an agreement of economic co-operation. Greek and Bosnian Serb companies are planning to create a new plant in Nevsingie, southeastern Bosnia, and to realize plans in the construction sector.

Mr. Kolievich said he believes economic co-operation between the Serb Republic and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will commence again in the near future, and added that he hopes for "good economic co-operation."

"However, for this to take place, the war through the press must stop. Future associates must not consider each other as being aggressive or fanatics," he said.

[13] Volos prison siege ends

A 24-hour inmates' siege at a prison in Volos, central Greece ended at around noon yesterday with the inmates returning to their cells after being given official assurances regarding the improvement of living conditions in the prison.

The inmates - 123 Albanians and seven Romanians - refused to return to their cells last night, demanding improvements in living conditions and an end to overcrowding in the prison. Greek inmates refused to take part in the uprising, police sources said.

Riot police clashed with the inmates and several were injured when they refused to return to their cells.

The majority of the prisoners involved had been transported to Volos from Korydallos maximum security jail in Athens after riots broke out there last November. The demands of the Korydallos prisoners had also been a solution to overcrowding and an improvement in living conditions.

Police sources said the prison building had sustained serious damage during the riots, in which one prison worker was injured in clashes between police and the inmates. Doctors at a local hospital said his condition was not serious.

The riot was started by about 20 Albanian inmates, who were later joined by seven "dangerous Romanian criminals," police sources said. The 20 Albanians have now been transported to other jails in northern Greece.

[14] Merchant marine ministry informs ports of new shipping regulations

The merchant marine ministry sent a circular to port authorities yesterday informing them that a Presidential Decree published the news that Greece had ratified the 1992 CLC International Agreement in which shipowners' civil liability limits are increased in cases of sea pollution by tankers transporting over 2,000 metric tones of oil. The agreement will come into force in Greece on October 9, 1996.

According to the ministry's announcement, during the preliminary transitional period from October 9, 1996, until the notice of termination of the initial International Agreement CLC '69 (possibly during the last three months of 1997), the Greek ships will have to cover security requirements arising both from the '69 presidential Decree and from the '92 Protocol.

For this reason, a new certificate required by the '92 Protocol will be distributed along with the old type of certificate. Therefore, when port authorities renew old certificates for the period between February 20, 1996 and February 20, 1997, they will also issue the new type of certificate to cover the same period, provided there is the relevant insurance cover (Blue Card).

[15] Koskotas bribery trial begins

The trial of disgraced banker George Koskotas, Aliki Koutsiogiorgas, the widow of former deputy prime minister Agamemnon Koutsiogiorgas, and another man on bribery charges stemming from Koskotas' infamous allegation that he paid $2 million in 1988 to Agamemnon Koutsiogiorgas began yesterday.

The one-time banker, publisher and professional football club president claims he paid the late Agamemnon Koutsiogiorgas, then a top ruling PASOK cadre, the bribe in order pass a law through Parliament concerning bank deposits.

Koskotas is serving a sentence in Athens' Korydallos prison after his extradition from the United States in June 1991. He was convicted of skimming off some $230 million while serving as governor of the Bank of Crete.

Ioannis Mantzouranis is charged along with Koskotas and Ms. Koutsogiorgas, while an attorney for the former yesterday requested that cameras be removed from the court, which the three-member panel of jurists rejected.

Both Ms. Koutsiogiorgas and Mantzouranis are charged with profiting from the product of a crime, while the latter is also standing trial for simple accessory to bribery.

The trial was postponed until next Friday in order for the court prosecutor to consider several appeals placed by attorneys for the defendants.

[16] 14.7 per cent increase in funding for prefectures

Alternate National Economy Minister George Anomeritis said yesterday that project disbursements for Prefectural self-administration by the public investments programme amounted to 154.2 billion drachmas in 1995 .

Mr. Anomeritis said the corresponding amount provided for prefectures in 1994 was 134.4 billion drachmas. In 1995, there was an increase in disbursements for Prefectural projects by 14.7 per cent.

He said particular emphasis was placed on disbursements for projects included in programmes jointly financed by the European Union.

Out of the total amount, 117.8 billion drachmas were allocated for disbursements for projects included in Community programmes compared to 97.2 billion drachmas provided in 1994. This means disbursements made in 1995 were about 21.2 per cent higher than in 1994.

The remaining 36.4 billion drachmas was provided for disbursements for projects not included in Community programmes and was at about the same level with the amount made available in 1994.

[17] News in Brief

* Greek ambassador Loukas Tsilas will give a dinner at the Greek Embassy on January 19 in support of the Hellenic American Academy, the sole school in Washington teaching the Greek language as a second language. The Academy, fully recognized by the state of Maryland and Greece, covers an area of six acres. Greek-American former Senator Paul Tsongas will be the guest of honor.

* Poor weather conditions, including winds of up to 9 Beaufort, prevented several ferry boats from disembarking out of the port of Piraeus yesterday morning. Routes on the Ionian took place as scheduled, however.

* An appeals military tribunal began yesterday over the crash of a C-130 Hercules transport plane in February 1991. The accident claimed the life of 63 officers and airmen after it fell on Mount Othris. The defendant in the case, military air traffic controller Stephanos Tigas, was first sentenced to a suspended two-year term for allowing the plane's pilots to reduce altitude. Relatives of the victims have requested that classified files be released for the court proceedings.

End of English language section.