A.N.A. Bulletin, 19/04/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 865),

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Greek pilgrims to the Holy Land caught in Mideast cross-fire

Greece began mourning yesterday as the first bodies of the 17 Greek tourists gunned down by Moslem militants in a Cairo street were expected home this morning, on a Greek air force plane.

"Shock and deep grief," was how President Kostis Stephanopoulos characterized the reaction at the news that four gunmen cold-bloodedly opened fire on the group of tourists waiting outside a Cairo hotel to board their bus for a day's sightseeing.

The four, armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, got out of a vehicle near the Europa Hotel on the road to the Pyramids and calmly opened fire on the tourists as they waited to board their coach for the city of Alexandria at 7am.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as victims fell to the ground and others rushed for refuge into stairwells and the hotel lobby.

The gunmen, who took the time to reload their weapons and fire again, escaped in a rented van, despite Egyptian police throwing a cordon around the area and setting up roadblocks on the outskirts of Cairo.

A list of the victims was released late last night in Cairo, after a 15-hour delay in identifying the dead, complicated, Greek diplomatic sources said, by the fact that the bodies had been taken to four different morgues, and that the tourists had no identification on them.

Of the dead, four are men and 13 women: another 17 were injured in the attack, three of them seriously enough to fear a rise in the final toll. An Egyptian man, thought to be the driver of the tourists' coach, was also killed in the attack.

Eleven of the dead, and four injured, were from the group of 83 from the Mistakidis travel agency, one of four Greek travel agencies with groups at the Europa Hotel. The Mistakidis group, which left Greece on April 5 for a tour of Jerusalem, Mount Sinai and Egypt, was scheduled to return to Greece on Saturday.

The Ninos Tours agency said that of their group of 105, there were two dead.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis said after meeting with President Stephanopoulos that he had given instructions to provide all assistance to the survivors and bring back the bodies.

Two Greek air force C-130 transport planes landed at Cairo's airport late yesterday with medical supplies and a 10-member medical team to aid and help the evacuation of the injured.

Foreign ministry Secretary-General Constantine Zoras was due in Cairo last night to coordinate the work of the Greek authorities.

Two Olympic Airways and two Egyptair flights were expected to land in Athens between 10pm and 2am today with Greek tourists and the bodies of the dead.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but an Egyptian interior ministry statement blamed the massacre on a group of "terrorists," the government's term for members of the Moslem militant groups fighting to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak.

The Moslem Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and most influential fundamentalist group, described the massacre as "a disgrace to humanity."

The attack was by far the bloodiest in a sporadic campaign of economic sabotage led by the militant Gama'a al-Islamiya (Islamic Group.) The militants had never killed more than two foreigners in a single operation despite having repeatedly warned foreign tourists to stay away from Egypt.

The coach, riddled with bullet holes, remained outside the hotel on the outskirts to the Pyramids awaiting forensic analysis. Puddles of blood lay in the courtyard and in the lobby of the hotel and the ground was strewn with spent cartridges.

Agence France Presse (AFP) quoted an Egyptian foreign ministry official as saying that security services were investigating the possibility the attack was directed against Israelis.

"We are examining all possibilities including that the attack was targeted against Israeli tourists in view of developments (in Lebanon) and due to the fact that there were 70-80 Israeli tourists in the hotel," General Mahmout al-Fisaoui was quoted as saying.

At the nearby Pyramids Hospital, director Mohamed Sherif said he had put some of the injured on tranquilizers because of the shock.

One of his patients, a 43-year-old Greek woman, saw her mother killed in the attack, he added.

[2] 'Outrage and horror'

The attack drew strong condemnation and outrage from Greek political leaders, the European Commission, London, Paris and Nicosia.

In Athens, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas expressed the government's abhorrence at the attack, stressing that Greece was strongly opposed to all terrorist acts "which even when carried out for supposedly high ideals ultimately isolate the perpetrators because of the destruction and victims they create."

He said "so-called Islamic (fundamentalist) terrorism" should be condemned and that Greece would continue to co-operate with all international agencies to help combat the "phenomenon."

Foreign ministry spokesman Costas Bikas said "terrorism is an unacceptable method of settling any problem."

He said the ministry was in constant contact with the Greek charge d'affaires in Cairo and the Egyptian ambassador in Athens.

Mr. Bikas added there was no travel advisory warning Greek tourists to avoid Egypt.

The Egyptian ambassador in Athens, Samir Seif el-Yazal, told reporters the guerrillas had not singled out Greeks.

"The targets were tourists," he said.

Egyptian President Mubarak and Foreign Minister Amr Moussa sent their condolences to their Greek counterparts.

"This was a vile crime. The Greek and Egyptian victims are martyrs of terrorism," Mr. Moussa told reporters in Cairo.

Greek political party leaders, Public Administration Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Archbishop Serapheim of Athens and All Greece expressed their condolences to the families of the victims.

Main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert condemned the "cowardly killing of Greek citizens" and expressed "abhorrence for this barbaric action."

He called on the Egyptian government to "take all measures for the discovery, arrest and punishment of the unscrupulous killers."

Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras issued a similar statement, while the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) also condemned "the abhorrent criminal action against innocent people."

Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Constantopoulos described the attack as one of "barbarian and paranoid fanaticism" said the "mass execution of unsuspecting Greek citizens by fanatic killers in Egypt causes sentiments of horror and abhorrence."

He said the Egyptian government was obliged to act "quickly" to punish the killers.

In Brussels, the Commission called the attack a "futile and cowardly act", noting that the dead were mainly European Union citizens.

In Nicosia, Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides expressed his abhorrence for the "cold-blooded murder of Greek tourists by Egyptian terrorists."

"We convey our deepest grief and sincere sympathy to you, the Greek government, the Greek people and especially the families of the victims," he said in a note to Mr. Simitis.

In London, the British government said it strongly condemned "every terrorist act."

Paris said the "abhorrent" act served to highlight the need to promote the peace process in the Middle East and sent condolences to the families of the victims.

In Strasbourg, the European Parliament condemned the attack with Greek Eurodeputies taking the floor to express their horror.

PASOK Eurodeputy Stelios Panagopoulos submitted a question to the European Commission and the Council of Ministers over the measures they intended to take to protect EU citizens traveling in third countries from terrorist attacks.

Speaking on behalf of the Europarliament's Socialist Group, PASOK Eurodeputy Irini Lambraki expressed her deep regret and abhorrence over the Cairo's terrorist attack.

In Chicago last night, President of the North and South American branch of the World Hellenism Council (SAE) Christos Tomaras condemned the terrorist attack, characterizing it as cowardly and unacceptable.

President of the World Hellenism Council Andrew Athens also strongly condemned the terrorist attack.

[3] White House condemns Egypt tourist attack

The United States yesterday strongly condemned the massacre of 18 Greek tourists and an Egyptian man by gunmen thought to be Moslem militants.

White House spokesman Mike McCurry said US President Bill Clinton was conveying his sympathy to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

"The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack against innocent Greek tourists in Egypt today," McCurry said.

"The murder and wounding of Greek tourists and Egyptian citizens in Cairo underscores the need for all nations both to condemn terrorism and to take purposeful actions to end it," he added.

[4] Athens to protest Turkish violations of Greek air space over Imia

The Greek government will protest to Turkey over recent violations of Greek air space over the islets of Imia in the eastern Aegean.

Both foreign ministry spokesman Costas Bikas and government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday the Greek embassy in Ankara would lodge demarches with the Turkish foreign ministry over the recent violations.

Mr. Reppas said there was no reason for the violations which could not be excused by the fact that private individuals had placed two small flags - one Greek and one American - and a wreath on Imia on Wednesday.

Replying to questions, Mr. Reppas stressed that no order had been given to take a Greek flag down on Imia since no such flag had been raised.

"What happened was that two small flags and a wreath were placed on the islet," Mr. Reppas said, adding that "we must be determined in our opposition to those who have only now discovered Imia and trade upon patriotism."

[5] Reppas comments on FYROM name talks

The Greek government will be satisfied when there is a tangible result on the issue of the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) which confirms its policy, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday in reply to press questions .

Mr. Reppas was asked whether the government was satisfied by the results of Wednesday's talks in New York between Greece and FYROM on the issue of a permanent name for the Balkan state.

The meeting decided that the two nations would continue their direct discussions on the name issue under the auspices of UN envoy Cyrus Vance in early June.

Mr. Reppas said a mutually acceptable solution must be found within the framework of the interim agreement between Athens and Skopje.

Replying to other questions, Mr. Reppas said the government did not connect matters of national importance to a time table.

As a matter of principle, he added, the government desires relations of friendship and good neighborliness with all the countries of the region, including Turkey.

Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Manginas accused the prime minister, meanwhile, of "thoughtlessly forging a climate of a pending solution to the Skopje issue."

"His actions resulted in frivolous and damaging statements, even from the foreign minister, as to what Greece's position on the name issue should be," Mr. Manginas said. He added that the open statements on the issue led to "the hardening of the stance by Skopje, who said they were not willing to negotiate their name, while New Yugoslavia recognized them with their 'constitutional name'."

The Political Spring party yesterday called Mr. Simitis' positions on the FYROM issue a form of "psychological blackmail" on the Greek people, adding that "he (Simitis) had to close (the FYROM issue) before April 16, or else Mr. Vance would return his (UN) mediation mandate."

A Political Spring party spokesman also asked Mr. Simitis if he discussed the FYROM issue with US President Bill Clinton during his US trip last week, and if a 1992 council of political leaders decision on the FYROM name problem is still the policy followed by the government.

[6] Frckovski comments

The foreign minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Ljubomir Frckovski, said yesterday he was pessimistic about the outcome of negotiations between Athens and Skopje over a permanent name for the neighboring state.

Mr. Frckovski made his statement while on an official visit to the Austrian capital, where he spoke to a council of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He also held talks with Austria's leadership.

"I do not believe these type of negotiations will conclude in a compromise," he said, adding that the Skopje government does not have any margin for compromise.

"On a bilateral level the Greeks can call us whatever they like," he said, adding that at an international level Skopje wants to use "Macedonia" for all institutions.

However, he did express satisfaction over the fact that the interim agreement between Athens and Skopje, signed last September in New York, has rebuilt bilateral relations between the two nations in all sectors.

"Political, economic and social relations with Athens are multiplying and improving daily," he added.

[7] US-Greek reaction

The US-Canada Panmacedonian Union and the Aegean, Macedonian Committees of Connecticut issued a joint announcement expressing strong opposition to the handling of the FYROM name issue by Greece's prime minister and foreign minister.

[8] Executive Bureau discusses possible changes to party charter

The ruling socialist PASOK party's Executive Bureau convened yesterday to focus on setting out a proposal on changes in the party's charter in light of the July congress.

Replying to a questioner on a possible "political agreement" among senior members of PASOK in the run-up to the conference, Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos referred to the "visible results of a general climate of expectation among the Greek people" who want "a substantive promotion of solutions."

Manolis Daskalakis said the congress should target "continuous unity".

George Katsimbardis will set out his own proposal on changes in the charter aimed at "succession in a clean way." He believes that PASOK president and founder Andreas Papandreou himself should shape the conditions of his succession at the party's leader ship or a deputy president should be elected at the congress.

[9] US visit positive for Greek positions, premier says

There is a positive climate for Greek positions following Prime Minister Costas Simitis' visit to the United States last week, the premier told reporters yesterday, after a one-hour meeting with President Kostis Stephanopoulos, whom he briefed on the visit.

Mr. Simitis said he would be in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Monday and Tuesday for talks with his British and Irish counterparts, adding that these visits would be the last in his tour of European capitals "and the first round of my contacts aiming at informing (Greece's EU partners and the US) and advancing the Greek positions."

Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Manginas yesterday called on Mr. Simitis to brief the Parliament on his US visit.

Saying that there were a lot of points that needed clarification and answers regarding the prime minister's trip, Mr. Manginas criticized Mr. Simitis for briefing senior PASOK officials on the results of his visit before Parliament.

[10] Eurodeputies query status of CEDEFOP

The issue of the European Center for Development and Vocational Training's (CEDEFOP) operation in Thessaloniki was raised with the Commission by Greek Eurodeputies Yiannos Kranidiotis and Nikos Papakyriazis.

In their tabled question, the two Eurodeputies asked the Commission for information on its co-operation with CEDEFOP and how many research programs and studies it had assigned it. Some sources have claimed that an effort is underway to downgrade the center's responsibilities in light of its transfer from Berlin to Thessaloniki.

[11] Yilmaz stresses new point of agreement in relations with Greece

Acceptance of arbitration by a third party is a substantive innovation in Turkey's positions vis a vis Greece, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz told the Turkish National Assembly during a debate on the state budget.

"The appeal to tackle all issues with negotiations is not something new," Mr. Yilmaz said. "What is really new is acceptance of solutions a third party will submit with the consent of both sides."

"I proposed resorting to the International Court at The Hague with both sides committing themselves in advance to accepting decisions," Mr. Yilmaz said.

The Turkish premier, meanwhile, has accused foreign ministry officials of exceeding the bounds of their authority in a row over the suppression of key documents during an armed standoff with Greece.

"The fault of the bureaucrats in the Kardak (Imia) crisis was that they took the place of the government and formed policy," Mr. Yilmaz told parliament on Wednesday.

Greece and Turkey almost came to blows in the Aegean Sea in January over sovereignty rights over the Imia islets.

The Turkish press has accused a leading foreign ministry bureaucrat of failing to pass on a message to then prime minister Tansu Ciller from Turkey's Rome embassy that could have undermined Ankara's claim to the islets.

Newspapers have said the embassy told the official during the crisis that it possessed a letter sent to Italian authorities from the Turkish foreign ministry in 1932 in which Turkey appeared to accept Italian sovereignty of the islets.

Meanwhile, former Turkish prime minister Tansu Ciller appealed to her party's parliamentary group yesterday to avoid taking advantage of the Imia issue for domestic political aims, saying "don't turn Kardak (Imia) into an organ of internal politics."

Replying indirectly to the statements made by Mr. Yilmaz, Ms Ciller said "I would take the same decisions now."

[12] Mitsotakis says economy headed to a dead end

Former prime minister and New Democracy honorary president Constantine Mitsotakis said yesterday that PASOK's economic policy is leading to a dead end and is incapable of dealing with the problems of the Greek people.

Mr. Mitsotakis said he is not at all optimistic about the course of the economy. "I am not interested in the personal differences that may exist between ministers. I am interested in the fact that we are on the wrong tack. The government's policy is wrong, as the austerity is only affecting the poor and pensioners and no corrective measures are being taken.

"The government is not proceeding with privatisations, is not reducing the wasteful state and so deficits, along with public debt is increasing and inflation is out of control."

Mr. Mitsotakis estimated that elections will take place this winter.

[13] Police rule out terrorists being behind attack on Supreme Court prosecutor

Police investigating the explosion at the apartment of Supreme Court prosecutor Avraam Stathopoulos on Tuesday night have almost ruled out the possibility of the explosion being due to an improvised time bomb and are focusing their attention on common criminals.

According to reports, anti-terrorist squad officers believe the explosion was caused by a powerful explosive material weighing about four kg which was detonated by a fuse. They believe that shortly before the explosion a nylon bag containing explosives and a fuse was placed outside the apartment's front door.

Police place great importance on detecting a woman seen by neighbors distributing advertising leaflets outside the apartment building, but they have not succeeded in locating her so far.

The clues currently at their disposal are that no terrorist organization has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, there is no evidence of an improvised explosive mechanism being used, while explosive materials with a fuse are almost exclusively used by common criminals wishing to settle scores or send a warning.

[14] Kouros breaks six world records in weekend ultra-distance race

Yiannis Kouros, the Greek ultra-distance runner, broke six world records over the Greek Easter weekend in Melbourne, despite bad weather conditions.

In a 24-hour race at the Coburg Stadium, which began in the early afternoon of Easter Saturday, Kouros ran 294.546 kilometers round the track, beating his own world record of the greatest distance run in 24 hours by 8.1 kms. He beat the second runner by about 80 kms.

This performance also broke the world record on a 400-metre track (the previous record was 283.6 kms), on a 200-metre track (previous record: 285.5 kms), on the road (previous record: 285.5 kms), and the records for the fastest times for the first 200 and 250 kms.

Kouros, who has been living in Melbourne for the past few years, and has taken up Australian citizenship, appeared to have been expecting an even more impressive performance. "I was in very good racing form, and I expected to achieve a record that would be untouchable for centuries. But the heavy persistent rain prevented me from achieving this," he said.

Nevertheless, experts believe this new world record, as well as others held by the same man, will never be broken by another athlete, unless it is Kouros himself.

The runner has left Australia for France in order to compete in an international ultra-distance event on May 3-5, where he is expected to make a bid on other world records.

[15] Stavros Niarchos laid to rest in Lausanne

Stavros Niarchos, one of the richest men in the world, was buried yesterday in the Bois-de-Vaux cemetery following a short ceremony at the small Greek Orthodox Church in Lausanne.

Niarchos, 86, a shipping billionaire, died in a clinic in Zurich on Monday after six weeks in intensive care.

He earned millions shipping crude oil around the world and spent much of his life competing for fame and fortune with his arch-rival, the late Aristotle Onassis.

"We have lost a great Greek, a man who was the incarnation of the myth of 'Magna Grecia'," said Metropolitan Damaskinos, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Switzerland.

The funeral was attended by 35 mourners, including ex-king Constantine and the family of Italian magnate Gianni Agnelli.

"His private life was his and his alone, but he made Greece's name known all over the world," a mourner said.

[16] Two armed gunmen get away with 65 million

Two masked gunmen robbed a General Bank branch in the southern Athens district of Moschato yesterday, reportedly making off with 65 million drachmas.

According to police reports, the two assailants arrived at the bank and later fled in a yellow vehicle driven by an accomplice.

Both assailants brandished sawed-off shotguns at the bank's teller before taking two sacks filled with the bills and firing twice at the bank's glass entranceway.

The trio subsequently eluded a police chase. The getaway vehicle was later found abandoned in the Neo Faliro neighborhood.

The large amount of money taken in the armed robbery was later verified by the bank branch's manager.

[17] Simitis successfully mediates at Papantoniou - Papadopoulos meeting

Apparent differences between National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and Finance Minister Alekos Papadopoulos have been reportedly smoothed over after a joint meeting the two had yesterday with Premier Costas Simitis. Both men declined to comment after the hour-long meeting, but did appear together at the end of the session.

According to national economy sources, no substantial differences were highlighted during the meeting.

Tensions rose between the government's top economy ministries' heads earlier this month after the leaking of a finance ministry report toward a government committee for limiting public expenditures, which proposed cuts in certain "sensitive" social sectors.

Sources said that a similar public sector cost-cutting committee fro m the national economy ministry will issue its report as scheduled at the end of the month. Work on a final draft will then be started.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis will chair a meeting today on the course of the Greek economy, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas announced yesterday. Taking part in the meeting, the spokesman said, would be National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, Finance Minister Alekos Papadopoulos, Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and Bank of Greece Governor Lucas Papademos .

[18] Tzoumakas warns of imminent fall in olive oil, cotton prices

Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas warned of an imminent fall in olive oil and cotton prices during a press conference yesterday. Mr. Tzoumakas called on olive oil producers to sell the amounts of oil they have in stock immediately as current market prices are the best they can expect.

The agriculture minister said that a significant price fall is expected soon which would reduce their income, and called on the producers to sell this year's harvest now. Mr. Tzoumakas told cotton producers that the conditions emerging in the market at present will cause significant price reductions for their product. He urged cotton producers to turn to alternative crops such as beet, corn and watermelons.

Commenting on the minister's statements, a main opposition New Democracy party announcement said "the PASOK government's mistakes are being paid for today by the farmer and the stock-breeder."

[19] Greece focuses on telecoms, road links in cross-border co-operation with Albania

Greece has allocated 27.3 billion drachmas for the cross-border co-operation program (INTERREG-PHARE CBC) with Albania, National Economy Under-secretary Christos Pachtas told a press conference yesterday. The program covers a number of infrastructure works, particularly in the fields of road construction and communications.

One of the main objectives of the road construction works is to create an international link between the Adriatic coast, the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki and the Greek-Turkish border.

In the communications sector, the program provides for a link between Greece and Albania by means of an underwater optic fiber cable which will later be extended to Croatia. The ultimate objective of the project is to set up a telecommunications link between central and northern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Cross-border co-operation between Greece and Albania also provides for the strengthening of the two countries' agricultural sector through the transfer of know-how and the reciprocal promotion of non-competing products.

A joint monitoring committee is due to meet for the first time in Ioannina on April 22 to discuss implementation of the co-operation program.

[20] Public investments subsidies up by 26 per cent

Payments for projects being carried out by the Public Investments Program (PIP) for 1996 amounted to 100 billion drachmas in the first quarter of 1996 compared to 79.6 billion in the corresponding period in 1995, an increase of about 26 per cent, according to the Bank of Greece, National Economy Under-secretary Christos Pachtas said.

Mr. Pachtas said financing by the PIP had totaled 200 billion drachmas as at March 31, 1996. The PIP for 1996 is expected to reach 1,200 billion drachmas of which 900 billion drachmas will be provided to fund projects included in Community programs.

Meanwhile, the national economy ministry is promoting the issuing of collective project decisions for ministries to have this process completed and the rate of implementing projects speeded up.

[21] Facilities at Thessaloniki port more than adequate to handle Yugoslav traffic, Sfiriou says

Merchant Marine Minister Kosmas Sfiriou yesterday dismissed the possibility that a Yugoslav free trade zone would be created in the port of Thessaloniki, staffed by Yugoslav customs officials and other employees.

In response to press questions after his visit to the Thessaloniki Port Authority (OLT), he said Greece considers the port as the best solution for Yugoslav exports and imports, but only within the current free trade zone regime at the port.

Mr. Sfiriou also said he believed the Thessaloniki port solution is the most efficient for the transit of goods by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, adding that experts from the neighboring country should take into account the port's future development in light of modernization and upgrading underway at the port. In reference to a question concerning results from the recent visit by representatives of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) chamber of commerce, the merchant marine minister expressed the hope "very shortly we will have positive developments," with the prospect of the Skopje government using the port's facilities.

[22] Greek banks to examine prospects for regional expansion at Thessaloniki conference

A conference on "The Greek banking system and its development in the Balkan and Black Sea countries" will be held in Thessaloniki on April 24, organized by the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece (SBBE) and the Union of Greek Banks (EET).

Minister of Macedonia and Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, National Economy Under-secretary Christos Pachtas, SBBE President Nikos Efthymiadis and EET Secretary-General Ioannis Manos have been invited to address the conference's opening session.

The conference, due to be held at the Macedonia Palace Hotel, will focus on the expansion of Greek banks to Balkan and Black Sea countries, business prospects being created by economic development in the region and new banking products offered by specialized fiscal agencies.

[23] Dynamic marble sector sees exports triple in volume

A rapid increase in the export of marble has been observed over the past 15 years, with exports tripling in volume, according to figures released yesterday by representatives of marble producers during a press conference held in advance of next week's 21s t "Marmin" exhibition at the Helexpo convention center in Thessaloniki.

Greek marble and marble byproducts increased from 840 thousands tons in 1980 to 2.5 million tons in 1994, while the value of exports jumped from one billion drachmas to 30 billion two years ago.

Some 60,000 individuals are directly or indirectly involved in the marble sector today with 4,000 businesses dealing with marble mining, processing, purchasing and export, according to figures.

Greece currently holds the second place behind Italy among the world's marble exporters, and is fifth among nations producing both marble and granite. The marble exhibition will occur from April 24 to 28, with 187 exhibitors from 15 countries participating, including from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Brazil, the US, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia and Sweden.

[24] OPE declares participation in four forthcoming international trade fairs

The Exports Promotion Organization (OPE) has announced it will organize Greek participation in four international exhibitions.

The food and beverage exhibition 'Fine Food '96' is to be held in Melbourne between September 8 and 11. An exhibition concerning consumer products is to be held in Budapest from September 20 to 29, with products which will include clothing, furniture, fabrics, toys and folk art.

The other two exhibitions are of industrial products and will be held in Plovdiv in Bulgaria, from September 23 to 28, and in Bucharest in Romania between October 7 and 12. Products to be exhibited include agricultural light machinery and fertilizers, telecommunications materials, office furniture and food industry equipment.

The deadline for applications for participation in the Fine Food '96 exhibition is May 3, while the deadline for applications for the other three exhibitions is April 30. Applications are to be sent to OPE.

[25] Yugoslav trade fair in Athens postponed

The first Yugoslav trade fair set to take place in Athens on April 22 has been postponed until autumn.

Organizers said the reason for the postponement was Greek businessmen failing to show great interest in co-operation with Yugoslavia and that the participation of Yugoslav firms in the exhibition was not very representative.

However, economic sources in Yugoslavia claim the postponement is directly linked to political relations between Athens and Belgrade, particularly after Yugoslavia's decision to go ahead with normalizing relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) with the name "Republic of Macedonia."

The sources said there was no reason to postpone the exhibition since at least 50 public and private companies had announced participation and suitable preparations had been made.

[26] Central bank welcomes German rates cut

The Bank of Greece welcomed a reduction in Germany's basic interest rates by half a percentage point as announced by Bundesbank yesterday.

The Greek central bank's satisfaction is due to the fact the reduction in German interest rates widens its scope in going ahead with a further reduction of Greek interest rates without jeopardizing the drachma's parity.

Even if Greek interest rates are not decreased, exchange policy is facilitated since the difference between Greek and German interest rates widens. The central bank is expected to reduce corresponding main interest rates today to 21.5 per cent and 18 per cent for discounting.

The finance ministry has succeeded in accumulating necessary capital but it is not yet known how it will move in issuing treasury bills in early May. However, it did not accept bids by banks for five-year titles as it considered interest rates exorbitant.

[27] News in Brief

Greece and Panama signed an agreement yesterday in Athens on education and scientific co-operation. According to an education ministry announcement, Education Minister George Papandreou and his Panamanian counterpart, Pavlos-Antonios Thalassinos, who is of Greek descent, signed the agreement. The pact aims at strengthening current ties of friendship between the two nations as well as to expand co-operation in the education and scientific fields.

Tonia Antoniou, the secretary of N.PASOK, the ruling party's youth organization, is due to leave for Stuttgart today in order to attend the three-day event organized by N.PASOK groups in Germany, in co-operation with JUSOS, the youth organization of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD). On Friday, Ms Antoniou is scheduled to speak at an event dealing with the subject of problems faced by youth organizations in a united Europe. Ms Antoniou is to attend the N.PASOK German national conference on Saturday, during which the new seven-member body of the German organizations will elect a new secretary.

The 24th International Music Days, organized by the Helexpo trade convention center in Thessaloniki, begins this evening. Noted Greek pianist Dimitris Sgouros will inaugurate the festival with a recital. Events continue until May 16 in Thessaloniki and other northern Greek cities. Specifically, eight concerts are scheduled for Thessaloniki, while concerts will be held in Florina, Trikala, Xanthi, Komotini, Kastoria, Kavalla, Grevena and Veria.

End of English language section.