A.N.A. Bulletin, 18/01/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 790), January 18, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Four run the final race for premier today

Four leading PASOK members will vie against one another to be named Greece's new prime minister today, at what is expected to be a marathon meeting by PASOK deputies, beginning this morning.

The field narrowed to four at yesterday's Central Committee meeting when Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis said he would not be in the race.

His announcement leaves four contenders: National Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis, Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, former minister Costas Simitis and former deputy prime minister Yiannis Haralambopoulos.

The Parliamentary Group, which meets at 11am, will resolve the dispute over the number of rounds to elect the successor to Andreas Papandreou by secret ballot among deputies.

The election of the prime minister immediately afterwards will also be held by secret ballot.

The four candidates will nominate themselves at the meeting and will set out their positions to the group.

All four candidates stressed the need for party unity and cohesion at the party's Central Committee meeting yesterday.

In his opening address to the Central Committee meeting, PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis said all party officials should support the new prime minister, in order to ensure a more effective and collective administration.

He reiterated that any new prime minister will be committed to implementing the government's policies and finishing its current four-year term.

Mr. Skandalidis said the new government should operate without exclusions, adding that the election of a new prime minister is "an unprecedented experience for the party."

Referring to a proposal by the party's Executive Bureau for an extraordinary party congress, most likely at the beginning of June, Mr. Skandalidis said it would be held to define PASOK's profile, policy and strategy, adding that "Andreas Papandreou's contribution during the preliminary preparations will be invaluable."

"PASOK will be renewed and will evolve into a movement of principles, today and not tomorrow, and will once again discover its true opponent," he added.

Costas Simitis, the first of the four candidates to speak at the Central Committee meeting, said his priority was the party's unity and operation of the new government without exclusions.

"We want to elect the kind of leader who will ensure the synthesis of views and trends (within the party) and the party's common course," he said.

"We want the kind of leadership that will cause the abolition of factions for the sake of a united and dynamic party."

Mr. Simitis made a special reference to social and foreign policy issues, stressing that "our country should become a substantive contributor to European developments, play a role in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean and create bonds of cooperation that will contribute to our development.

"We shall conceive and build the new welfare state upon the remnants of the 'entitlements state'," Mr. Simitis said.

In his address to the Central Committee, Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis, the second contender to speak, said a new government should be "the golden mean" for PASOK's historic continuity and renewal.

The national defense minister elaborated on what he said were the six points which "should determine the role of the new government," following the election of a new prime minister tomorrow by PASOK's Parliamentary Group.

Stressing the view that the government should operate without exclusions, Mr. Arsenis said "there should be a strong bond between the government and deputies.

"The Parliamentary Group should be the basic political adviser of the new prime minister," he added.

Saying the government had been cut off from the party of late, Mr. Arsenis said a strong bond should be re-established between the government and PASOK's organizations.

"We are socialists," Mr. Arsenis said. "The government should go back to the people."

Mr. Arsenis further said the government should be effective, "willing to produce and not afraid of the political cost borne by government action."

Mr. Arsenis said a new PASOK government should continue "the multi-faceted foreign policy instigated by Andreas Papandreou" and remain steadfast in its economic policy, which is designed to meet the EU convergence goals.

However, he added: "...we must redefine our social policy so that PASOK may show its real political traits and social sensitivity."

Former deputy prime minister Yiannis Haralambopoulos, who also confirmed his candidacy, placed special emphasis on foreign policy and national issues.

He said there was currently an aggressive disposition on the part of Turkey, and simultaneous pressure from the United States for dialogue. He called on the other candidates to clarify whether they accepted dialogue with Turkey, of what kind, and the solution currently being prepared against the interests of Cyprus. He added there was room for the promotion of Greece's interests in the Balkans.

He rejected Mr. Simitis' call for a reduction in the defense budget, saying that funds for social programmes could be saved from a reduction of operating expenses in all ministries.

He concluded by calling for unity, support for the new government (which, he added, should comprise no more than 25 members) and for initiatives that would change the present image of the party and the government.

"Already, before the emergence of the new era we are currently entering, PASOK proved it is able to successfully face serious political problems such as that created by Andreas Papandreou's prolonged absence from his prime ministerial duties," said Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos in his speech to the party's Central Committee, while announcing his candidacy yesterday.

He expressed confidence that Greece could respond to the challenge of European economic and monetary union and participate in the third phase of European unification. Referring to foreign affairs, he said Andreas Papandreou's policy, which led to successes in the FYROM and Cyprus issues, as well as in the Balkans, must be continued. "We have policy, we have commitments, we have a clear programme, and a national strategy," he added. He provided assurances that if elected, current economic policy will be continued, and that the weight must now be placed on development and social policy.

He added finally that the new government must exclude no trends, and that there was a need for a new climate of comradeship in PASOK. "We want a new creative synthesis of views," he said.

In a statement at the end of the Central Committee meeting, Environment Minister Costas Laliotis said he believed today's decision by the parliamentary group would be respected by everyone.

"We have committed ourselves to contributing to the unity, renewal, and rejuvenation of our movement," he said.

He praised Mr. Kaklamanis' decision not to stand for the premiership, saying he was "a man who serves values and not offices".

[2] The four candidates for prime minister

The four contenders to succeed Andreas Papandreou as prime minister are the following (in alphabetical order):

[3] Gerassimos Arsenis

Born in Argostoli, Cephalonia in 1931, Arsenis began working at the National Bank while still a law student at the University of Athens. Shortly after graduating he left for America for postgraduate studies at MIT and continued his career at the United Nations in economic and development issues.

For two years (1964-66) Arsenis worked at the OECD in Paris before returning to New York as director of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

In 1981, he returned to Greece at the invitation of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and assumed the post of governor of the Bank of Greece. Eight months later, in July 1982, he was appointed national economy minister (while also retaining his central bank post for a time). His role at the time in economic affairs was decisive and he was generally considered to have justly earned the title "economy czar".

In 1985, he was elected to Parliament for the first time as a state deputy. In March 1986, however, he quit PASOK, using harsh language against the party, its leadership and Papandreou and, subsequently, founded the Greek Socialist Party (ESK). Three years later, after the venture had flopped, he returned to PASOK and has been MP for the Athens A' electoral district since 1990. He has held the post of national defense minister and been a member of the PASOK executive bureau since 1993.

Calm in all his activities, Arsenis acts methodically, usually with small but steady steps.

With two sons from his first marriage in the US, he is now married to Louka Katseli (an economic adviser to Papandreou) and has a five-year-old daughter, Amalia.

[4] Yiannis Haralambopoulos

Haralambopoulos, 77, was born in Psari, Messinia in the Peloponnese and studied at the Military Cadets School and, later, civil engineering at the Woolwich Institute of London.

While in the military, he served as an officer in the war in 1940 and later served in the army in the Middle East. After 25 years in the service and a number of decorations, he retired and entered politics.

He was elected to parliament on the Centre Union party ticket of the late George Papandreou (Andreas' father) as MP for Messinia in 1961 and re-elected in 1963 and 1964.

He was arrested three times by the military dictatorship and was exiled to a prison island for four years. Upon his release he headed Andreas Papandreou's PAK movement, which was then operating underground, in Greece.

In 1974, after the collapse of the dictatorship, he was elected MP for the Athens B' electoral district on the PASOK ticket and has been consistently re-elected since.

He served in various ministerial posts between 1981 and 1989, including foreign affairs (twice) and national defense (three times) and has also served twice as deputy prime minister.

[5] Costas Simitis

Born in Piraeus in 1936, Simitis followed the family law tradition by studying law in Germany. He went on to study economics at the London School of Economics before returning to Greece in 1965, and was one of the founders of the Papanastasiou Group, a political research group.

Following the military take-over in 1967, Simitis and others quickly founded the "Democratic Defense" organization to fight the colonels.

He was persecuted by the junta for, among other things, planting bombs, and escaped abroad where he joined PAK as a member of its National Council.

He subsequently followed another family tradition in becoming a university lecturer in Germany. He returned to Athens in 1974 and was a co-founder of PASOK.

In 1979, in a row over a poster "in favor of a Europe of the peoples", he resigned from the executive bureau, which he had been a member of since PASOK's founding.

In 1977, Simitis took up a lecturer's post at the Panteion University.

In 1981, in the first PASOK government, he was appointed agriculture minister, a post which he retained until 1985. Immediately afterwards, he became national economy minister, resigning his post in 1987 because he claimed his policies were being under mined. In 1993 he took over the commerce and industry portfolio, only to resign from the ministry and from PASOK's executive bureau following a clash with the prime minister.

Simitis is renowned for his cool-headedness.

He is married to Daphne Arcadiou and has two daughters.

[6] Akis Tsohatzopoulos

Apostolos (Akis) Tsohatzopoulos, 56, the current interior, public administration and decentralization minister, was born in Athens in 1939 and studied civil engineering and economy at the Munich Polytechnic.

In 1968, after the military coup in Greece, he joined PAK, the precursor to PASOK, and was subsequently deprived of his Greek citizenship in 1971 by the military regime then ruling Greece.

In 1974, after the restoration of democracy, he returned to Greece and was a founding member of PASOK. He has been a member of the executive bureau since, while he also served as secretary of the party's Central Committee for two years.

Since 1981, he has served almost consistently in ministerial posts, including public works, to the prime minister's office (twice), labor, to the presidency, public order, interior (three times), and transport and communications.

He was first elected to Parliament in 1981 as MP for the Thessaloniki A' electoral district on the PASOK ticket and has been consistently re-elected since.

He is married to Gudrun Moldehouer and has a son and daughter.

[7] Austrian chancellor hails Papandreou

Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitsky saluted the political career of Andreas Papandreou yesterday, in an exclusive interview to the ANA.

"With the resignation of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, I have lost a longtime national leader colleague, whom I especially admire and who during his tenure greatly served Greece and Europe," he said.

He added that Mr. Papandreou is a "pre-eminent personality... a conscientious democrat who will surely continue to shape his country's policy in the future."

[8] French reaction

A spokesman for France's socialist party said PASOK's leader covered an entire period of Greek history.

"We can not forget as socialists that Andreas Papandreou was the one who contributed to the creation of Greece's socialist party and its place among the representatives of other countries. He is a historic personality and we appreciate all that he has contributed to our common struggle," the French socialist party spokesman said.

He added that Andreas Papandreou's historical contribution "will be judged mainly by the Greeks, but France greatly appreciates his assistance for Greece's assimilation into the European Union, even though the accession took place under criticism and difficulties."

Meanwhile, the president of the Citizens' Movement organization, Jean-Pierre Chevenement said he "salutes the completion of Andreas Papandreou's effort, as well as the courage which he showed."

Mr. Chevenement also expressed his best wishes to Mr. Papandreou's successors.

[9] Premier's health stable

A medical bulletin issued yesterday by the Onassion Hospital said that the condition of former premier and leader of the ruling PASOK party Andreas Papandreou had remained stable over the last 24 hours.

The bulletin added that "the patient's breathing is being periodically supported by a respirator and his renal function by dialysis."

Mr. Papandreou was continuing to undergo intensive physiotherapy and motion therapy, the bulletin concluded.

Doctors treating Mr. Papandreou injected him with hardening substances through a chest catheter.

The antibiotic tetracycline mixes with normal chest fluid, creating a reaction that helps prevent excess fluid in the lungs.

Earlier, Mr. Papandreou underwent a CAT-scan, which showed that after three and a half hours of dialysis, some 150 cubic centimeters of fluid had been drained from his left lung, leaving approximately 50 to 60 cc remaining.

[10] FYROM, Greece open liaison offices

The head of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) liaison office in Athens was due in the capital yesterday to officially begin his duties.

The offices in both the neighboring capitals officially opened their doors yesterday.

A Greek foreign ministry spokesman said there was a quiet flag-raising ceremony. According to diplomatic sources, the number two official at the office, Svetko Sokovski, has already arrived in Athens.

Meanwhile, Greece's corresponding liaison office in Skopje, headed by embassy Counsellor Alexandros Mallias, began operating yesterday.

Mr. Mallias previously served as the director of Greece's regional office in Sofia, which covered Bulgaria and FYROM.

The liaison offices have been set up within the framework of the Greek-FYROM interim agreement aimed at normalizing relations between the two Balkan neighbors.

[11] ND response

Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Manginas said yesterday that "a window pane separates the name FYROM from the name Macedonia at Skopje's diplomatic mission, which opened in Athens today (yesterday)."

Mr. Manginas said this was the result of the "untransparent" and erroneous policy followed by the PASOK government on the Skopje issue which created fait accompli, adding that the mockery of the Greek people was obvious.

[12] Greece among first to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Belgrade

Greece's charge d' affaires in Belgrade said Athens will be among the first nations to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia at the ambassador level.

In statements to the newspaper "Politika Express" yesterday, Greek representative Mihalis Spinellis commented on a report that France will be the first country to send an ambassador to Belgrade, as well as on the issue of when the European Union will up grade diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia, following the recent lifting of UN-backed sanctions.

The EU will examine the issue in Brussels today.

In his comments, Mr. Spinellis said: "...the Greek ambassador was the last to leave Yugoslavia, and that was a political move".

In addition, he said Athens was among the few capitals which recognized the positive contribution of Yugoslavia and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

"It is evident that Greece, responsible in its policy so far, will be among the countries that will soon be represented in Belgrade on an ambassadorial level," he added.

[13] Group for Balkan development created

A non-profit making organization entitled "Union for Democracy in the Balkans" has been created in Thessaloniki by a group of citizens, including businessmen, politicians and scientists.

The aim of the organization, a press conference yesterday was told, is to "help the development and spread of democratic institutions and a society of citizens in Balkan and Black Sea countries through the organization of all types of events, seminars, conferences, research, studies and programmes."

Within the framework of the organization's activities, a conference on "political democracy and the society of citizens in the Balkans" will take place in March in Thessaloniki.

[14] European observers leave for Palestinian elections

A group of 16 Eurodeputies left yesterday for the Palestinian self-rule areas in order to act as observers for elections due to be held there on January 20.

The observers group will consist of Eurodeputies from all European Parliamentary political groups. New Democracy Eurodeputy George Dimitrakopoulos is the Greek delegate, who, as a member of the European Parliament's committee on EU financial help for the Gaza Strip, has been designated an observer in that area.

The group of observers will remain in the Palestinian self-rule areas until January 23.

[15] Onassion's performance 'impressive', figures show

The Onassion Cardiology Centre administration issued a statement to members of the press yesterday characterizing the hospital's operation over the past two and a half years since its establishment as "impressive" in quantity and quality.

The hospital's three cardio-surgery departments dealt effectively with 4,000 patients, while the cardiology sector dealt with 1,000 patients. The out-patients' clinic was used by almost 75,000 people, who underwent cardiological examinations, while t he average hospitalization time was 3.3 days for cardiological cases and 8.4 days for cardio-surgery.

According to statistics issued by the hospital, during 1995 the out-patients' clinic treated 35,000 adults and 1,396 children, while 6,422 people were hospitalized. Out of these, 1,806 patients underwent heart surgery.

The hospital's busiest months over the last year were May, with 182 operations and November with 180. April and August were the quietest months, with 120 and 102 operations respectively.

[16] Villages snowed in after sudden cold snap

Some 30 villages in Crete, Corinth and Fthiotida were isolated by poor weather yesterday, while in most parts of the national highway system vehicles were using snow tires.

Winds of up to 10 Beaufort prevented passenger ships from leaving for the Aegean islands and Crete, while several Olympic Airways flights were also canceled.

The temperature fell to -12 Celsius in eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

[17] Border industries face distribution trouble, exporters study says

The most serious problems faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in border regions in Greece and Bulgaria are the lack of organized merchandise distribution networks combined with the activities of illegal traffickers in Bulgaria, a study by t he Federation of Exporters of Northern Greece (SEBE) on behalf of the European Commission's 23rd General Directorate revealed yesterday.

The initial conclusions of the SEBE study were presented by SEBE's studies manager Yiannis Papaconstantinou at a meeting in Brussels.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of seven other European Union countries (France, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain and Luxembourg), which are preparing 14 similar studies.

The purpose of the meeting was to assess the degree of the studies' progress and note conclusions reached to date.

In most of the other studies, the most important problems faced by SMEs active in border regions in Europe were VAT, the failure to get access to public organizations, and customs tariffs.

End of English language section.