A.N.A. Bulletin, 26/06/96

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

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 921), June 26, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Greece lays Papandreou to rest

Athens will slowly grind to a halt today as tens of thousands of Greeks from all walks of life converge on the capital to accompany Andreas Papandreou to his final resting place.

People from throughout the country are expected to attend Papandreou's funeral, while scores of foreign leaders and government delegations began arriving in Athens yesterday.

The funeral service will begin at 2:30 pm. The public will be able to pay their respects until 6 am.

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Serapheim will officiate the funeral service at Athens' Metropolitan Cathedral, where Papandreou's casket has been resting on a bier.

Eulogies will be delivered by political leaders before the final procession - with a minute's silence in front of Parliament - to the Athens First Cemetery. The funeral procession will embark at 5pm.

Air force fighter planes will carry out low-level flyovers over the city's center, while a 21-cannon-salute will be fired from Lycabettus.

Papandreou will be buried at the entrance of the cemetery in an area provided by the Athens municipality and beside his father's (one-time prime minister George Papandreou) grave.

All government offices will be closed for the day, while the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) has declared a three-hour work stoppage. Shops in Athens, museums and archaeological sites will also remain closed. The Union of Greek Banks also announced that banks, both Greek and foreign outlets, will be closed. By decision of the interior ministry, the Athens Stock Exchange will be closed as well.

Meanwhile, police are on alert for the security of visiting dignitaries, as are services at Athens airport.

Today's forecast high of 38 degrees Celsius is not expected to deter the public from planning to travel to the capital for the funeral. High temperatures and air pollution have put hospitals and ambulance services in Attica on full alert.

[2] Mourners pay their last respects

Thousands continued to line up in Athens' scorching heat yesterday to pay their respects on the third and final day of mourning.

"Andreas Papandreou was one of the greatest personalities in modern Greek history," the president of the Cyprus' House of Representatives Spyros Kyprianou said as he visited the Cathedral to pay his respects.

He hailed Papandreou's efforts for Hellenism's rights and freedom for Cyprus, "for which his love was well-known".

"Andreas Papandreou is surrounded by love. He gave the Greek people the notion of freedom and his love," PASOK deputy and former minister George Mangakis said as he came to pay his respects.

Mr. Mangakis told reporters that he was not anxious about what the future held for PASOK, as the party was supported by the people.

Others who filed in to pay their respects yesterday included Public Order Minister Costas Geitonas, Transport and Communications Under-secretary George Daskalakis, EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, many PASOK MPs, Spyros Mercouris, the brother of Papandreou's late culture minister Melina, Papandreou's close friend George Hallack, writer Antonis Samarakis, and representatives from the embassy of the People's Republic of China and Greece's Nigerian community.

Papandreou's widow, Dimitra Liani-Papandreou, arrived at the Cathedral shortly after 1 pm.

In addition, according to reports from Crete, a traditional Papandreou stronghold, some 10,000 people are expected to arrive from the island. Olympic Airways said its flights from Hania yesterday and this morning were fully booked.

Special trains setting off from Thessaloniki will transport thousands of people from the north and other regions of Greece. Lamia reported that it was sending 45 coaches to Athens in the morning, adding that hundreds of private vehicles would also be on the national road toward the capital. The regional bus service, KTEL, reported waiting lists for Athens, while the railways organization, OSE, said its routes were also fully booked.

[3] Book of condolences

Foreign diplomats, politicians and citizens queued up yesterday to sign the official book of condolences at the prime minister's office in Parliament.

Among them were: Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Constantopoulos, Political Spring deputy Antonis Lentakis, the head of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) liaison office in Athens, who signed as a representative of "Macedonia", the Turkish ambassador and representatives of Albania's ethnic Greek organization "Omonia".

[4] Tributes

In an announcement, GSEE expressed its grief and extended its condolences to Papandreou's family, stressing the importance of his struggles for democracy, peace and social justice. The Athens Bar Association yesterday issued an announcement, saying Andreas Papandreou was one of the "greatest political figures in post-dictatorship Greece."

"The historian of the future will focus on the course and achievements of Andreas Papandreou; for now, there is great sorrow and the emptiness," the announcement read.

In place of a wreath the Bar Association's board decided to donate the amount of 500,000 drachmas to attorneys' health fund. Christos Tomaras, the US president of the World Council for Overseas Hellenism, sent his condolences.

Condolences were also sent by the PASEGES, OPAP and the ELTA trade unions.

[5] Simitis lauds Papandreou the leader at Parliament group meeting

Prime Minister Costas Simitis opened a special meeting of the ruling PASOK party's Parliamentary group yesterday in honor of PASOK's founder Andreas Papandreou, saying "leaders like Andreas Papandreou are neither usual nor circumstantial."

"Andreas Papandreou lost the sole battle he could not win. The battle with natural death. Greece is mourning a great leader today. PASOK is mourning its founder today, the man who inspired its course, the man of great victories and wide horizons. The country is becoming poorer today, PASOK is becoming poorer," he said.

"He is the leader who once again gave political standing to the progressive side. The creation of PASOK was his great work. Being an opposition party, we contributed decisively to the consolidation and widening of democratic institutions. Being a party in power, we changed the country's social map. Andreas Papandreou was the man who inspired this great course which changed the shape of Greek society. For this reason, Andreas Papandreou and PASOK are already deservedly occupying a central role in the modern history of Greece," he added.

Mr. Simitis said "we are proud of the work achieved by Andreas Papandreou. We are proud as a party for what we have achieved with him. The historical account of Andreas Papandreou and our party has leading moments in our modern political and social history to provide."

He said continuing the work of Papandreou was the duty and responsibility of all.

"A duty and responsibility toward him and towards the Greek people. And all of us, cadres, members and supporters of PASOK will do this with honor and respect for his memory and we will turn PASOK's unity and prospects into practice. To promote what he had envisaged even further and have PASOK emerge as a force of hope and responsibility for our country," he said.

"Andreas Papandreou lives on in his work. We have to give a continuation and prospect to this work and we will. It is a debt of honor. It is our big contribution to his unfading memory," Mr. Simitis concluded.

[6] Internal PASOK developments

Deliberations inside PASOK in light of the beginning of the party's fourth congress tomorrow, which is expected to elect a successor to the late Andreas Papandreou, continued yesterday. After the funeral today, the party's executive bureau will convene for the last time under its present form, in an effort to formulate a commonly acceptable solution for the new leadership scheme.

The likelihood of such a solution being found seems unlikely, however, as the two potential contenders, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, remained steadfast on their positions, giving the impression that a clash is inevitable at the congress.

Sources close to the prime minister said yesterday that he insisted on his candidacy for the post of party president, and that any other solution, favoring a so-called collective leadership, with the party president being an individual other than the premier, would lead the party to fractionalization.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos was reported to have had several meetings with colleagues yesterday, to whom he announced his intention to contest the post of PASOK president on one hand, and on the other, to provide full guarantees to the prime minister, that if elected, he (Tsohatzopoulos) would not contend the premiership.

[7] Int'l leaders and dignitaries arrive for Papandreou funeral

Scores of dignitaries from all over the world, including heads of state and government, were due in Athens amidst tight security yesterday to attend today's funeral of the late PASOK leader and former premier Andreas Papandreou.

According to the foreign ministry, confirmations have already been received from Dutch Premier Wim Kok, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Bulgarian Premier Zhan Videnov, Armenian Premier Arad Bagradian, Slovenian Premier Janez Drnovsek and Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri.

Among the representatives of European Union countries attending the funeral will be German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel (who will be accompanied by Oscar Lafontaine, the head of the German Social-Democratic Party, SPD, and SPD deputy and president of t he German-Greek Parliamentary Group Ingrid Skarpeli-Sperk) and the British environment minister. French Education Minister Francois Bayrou, former French premier and president of the Socialist International Pierre Mauroy as well as former minister and secretary-general of France's Socialist Party Lionel Jospin will attend.

Former longtime Spanish prime minister and Socialist Party leader Felipe Gonzalez, considered a close Papandreou associate, is also in Athens for the funeral. In addition, according to sources, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is expected to attend.

The United States will be represented by Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and US ambassador to Athens Thomas Niles, while Russia will be represented by Deputy Premier Vitaly Ignachienko and Foreign Under-secretary Nikolai Athanasievski.

United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali will be represented by the organization's assistant secretary-general Peter Hansen.

Other dignitaries expected to attend include Syrian Vice-President Abdel Halim Kadam, Canada's Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, Europarliament President Klaus Haensch and the president of the European Socialist Group Pauline Green.

Portugal will be represented by Foreign Under-secretary Jose Lamego.

Also awaited are: Italian Minister of State Livia Turco, Maltese Foreign Minister and Deputy Premier Guido de Marco, Finnish International Commerce Minister Anti Kaliomaki, Norwegian Commerce Minister Grete Knudsen and Sweden's Alternate Foreign Minister Pierre Sorri.

Cyprus will be represented by President Glafcos Clerides, former president and current House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou as well as Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides. In addition, the leaders of all of the island republic's political parties will attend the funeral.

Confirmation is also awaited from Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay and Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati. Ministers from Romania, Georgia, Poland, Tunisia and India have confirmed.

Former Turkish foreign minister Erdal Inonu will represent the Republican Popular Party, CHP.

Greece's EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis will represent Commission President Jacques Santer.

An ANA dispatch from Skopje said a government delegation from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was expected to attend the service.

[8] Police protection for visiting dignitaries

A total of 600 police officers will provide security during the arrival of the estimated 80 foreign dignitaries at Athens airport and their stay in the capital.

Informed sources said 300 policemen will be guarding the airport where the foreign visitors will be welcomed by foreign ministry officials and ambassadors.

According to the police, most of the foreign officials will be staying at the embassies or at their ambassador's residence, while some will be staying at two central Athens hotels.

Both hotels have been placed under a 24-hour guard by a 20-man-strong police force.

The movement of foreign delegations in Athens will be facilitated by police motorcycle escorts.

[9] Condolences continue to pour in

Tributes to Papandreou continued to come in from around the world yesterday.

In Moscow, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin called Papandreou "a great statesman" as he signed the book of condolences at the Greek embassy.

"It is a loss for all, not just for Greeks ... Relations between our two countries, the relations between the Russians and the Greek people and his government were always warm and will always remain this way, even in difficult times such as now," he said.

Mikhail Gorbachev told reporters that "the consolidation of Greece as a modern democratic nation was due to a large degree to the work of Papandreou and his associates."

"He was a true friend (of the former Soviet Union and Russia) ... we both believed in the ideas of democracy, socialism and socialist values. I admired him ... for the way his agile mind worked through ideas, a mind of a truly great political figure, who belongs to Europe and the whole world," he said.

Former Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov yesterday sent a message of condolences to Papandreou's family and PASOK.

"I will always remember our productive activities in the name of peace," the message read.

Albanian President Sali Berisha paid tribute to Papandreou on his way to the Greek embassy in Tirana to sign the book of condolences.

"I am certain the Albanians will remember his particularly important achievements for a long time to come," Mr. Berisha said. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi.

Meanwhile, in Gyrokastr, in southern Albania, scores of ethnic Greeks converged on the Greek consulate to sign the book of condolences.

In Ankara, a line of dignitaries passed through the doors of the Greek embassy to sign the book of condolences.

Among them were Turkish Foreign Under-secretary Onur Oumen, leader of the Republican Popular Party and former Turkish foreign minister Deniz Baykal, former foreign minister Hikmet Cetin and ambassadors of the United States, Germany, France, Britain and others.

Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic yesterday sent condolences to President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and the ruling PASOK party, expressing his grief over the death of Andreas Papandreou.

The Coalition of Yugoslav left-wing parties (JUL) also expressed deep sorrow over Papandreou's death.

[10] Athens, Thessaloniki honor the late leader

The Athens municipal council yesterday decided to posthumously confer the municipality's highest honorary distinction, the Gold Medal of Value, to the late Andreas Papandreou, following a proposal by Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Papandreou's name will also be given to a central point in the city, either a street or a square that befits his stature, he said.

"The honor bestowed by Athens municipal council on Andreas Papandreou today is a minimum tribute to a personality that is recorded in Greek history," Mr. Avramopoulos said.

"The day when the political activity and contribution of Andreas Papandreou will be recognized soberly by historians is not far away," he added.

Thessaloniki's municipal council also decided to name one of the main streets in the city after Andreas Papandreou, while his name will also be given to the chamber of ceremonies of the School of International and European Economic and Political Studies of the Aristotelian University.

Mayor Constantine Kosmopoulos will attend the funeral at the head of a delegation.

[11] Health ministry issue heat wave warning

The health ministry issued a warning yesterday against excessive sun exposure as temperatures are expected to exceed 38 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country today.

Heatstroke symptoms are headaches, dizziness, low blood pressure, confusion and gradual loss of consciousness. People suffering from such symptoms are advised to go to hospital for treatment.

General rules to avoid heatstroke are limiting exposure to the sun, avoiding strenuous manual labor and drinking alcoholic drinks. On the other hand, people should drink plenty of water, refreshments and natural juices. Meals should be light and frequent and should include fruit and vegetables. Frequent showers are advisable and people exposed to the sun should be lightly dressed.

The ministry's announcement said particular attention should be paid to high-risk groups such as babies, who should be dressed as light as possible and supplement their meals with plenty of fluids; people over 65, people suffering from chronic ailments and individuals on medicines such as diuretics, contraceptives and insulin.

Meanwhile, air pollution exceeded alarm levels in Athens yesterday. At noon, nitrogen dioxide levels reached 518 micrograms in Patission street; 340 in Peristeri; 334 in Athinas; 314 in Aristotelous and 227 in Piraeus.

The alarm level for nitrogen dioxide is 200 micrograms per cubic centimeter.

Ozone levels also reached high levels at the station in Athinas street, 222 micrograms, while the alarm level is 180.

[12] Gonensay attacks Greece for blocking EU monies

Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay yesterday attacked Greece for blocking the development of Turkey's relations with the European Union, the state-run Anatolian news agency reported.

"Greece is using the opportunities given by its full EU membership to obstruct the development of Turkish-EU relations," the agency quoted him as saying at inter-parliamentary talks between European Parliament and Turkish deputies in Ankara.

Mr. Gonensay stressed the importance of overcoming Greek opposition to a 375 million ECU ($490 million) EU aid package agreed as part of a customs union between Turkey and the EU, which went into effect on January 1.

"One cannot expect that the customs union will be successful if the financial accord is not put into practice," he said in a speech on behalf of the Turkish government.

"Turkey's efforts to promote its relations with the EU founder on the obstacles put forward by Greece. The mechanism of dialogue put forward by Turkey and the EU to overcome the problems has ceased to function since Greece became a member of the EU. Greece ignores the existence of certain problems and requests solution only to those which it recognizes. Existing problems cannot be resolved by ignoring them," he said.

The Turkish minister asked the European Parliament to not forgot Turkey's aim to accede to the EU.

[13] European Parliament deputies slam Turkish police for violence

The inter-parliamentary commission began talks a day after European Parliament members slammed Turkish police for their handling of disturbances after a weekend Kurdish activist party congress.

"I have seldom so closely witnessed what brutality and violence can be used against human rights," European Parliament Greens group leader Claudia Roth told journalists.

She was speaking at the headquarters of the Kurdish People's Democracy Party after more than 80 people were injured on Monday when police baton-charged members of the party and another left-wing party in two separate incidents on Ankara's streets.

The EU assembly, represented by 13 deputies at the talks, said last week Turkey must improve its human rights record and end a campaign against Kurdish separatists in the south-east.

[14] Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America to hold convention next week

About 3,000 delegates and observers from more than 550 expatriate Greek communities throughout the Western Hemisphere will participate in sessions of the Archbishopric of North and South America's 33rd Clerical and Laymens' Convention, scheduled to open in New York on Sunday and last until July 4.

Events will open with a service in Central Park, with Archbishop of North and South America Iacovos officiating. Some 10,000 people are expected to attend.

The convention will officially open on July 1, with a message from Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, who will be represented by Archbishop of Australia Stylianos, and an introductory speech by Archbishop Iacovos. The high-ranking Orthodox ecclesiastical leader is retiring on July 29, after 37 years at the helm of North and South America's Greek Orthodox Archbishopry. US President Bill Clinton will be represented by his close adviser George Stephanopoulos at the official dinner on July 3.

[15] Council of Overseas Hellenism conference in Egypt forwards proposals on education, economic development

A Council of Overseas Hellenism (SAE) conference for the Asia-Africa region issued a series of proposals aimed mainly at the Greek government yesterday, following two days of discussions.

The proposals were examined by relevant committees for education and culture, national issues, business co-operation and the mass media.

The Council's proposals on national issues include the finding of funds in order to ensure the SAE's financial independence; cultivation and reinforcement of friendly ties with countries which could contribute to support for Greece in international fora ; funds for the promotion of Greek positions in the media and in universities.

The creation of an Alexandria-based graduate studies programme in Hellenistic and Byzantine archaeology and history was one of the Council's main demands.

Its proposals includes maintenance of the Greek language, reinforcement of the education of ethnic Greeks living in the former Soviet Union; founding of Greek and foreign language libraries and the appointment of educational attaches in African and Asian countries where possible, as well as the founding of Greek language and culture classes in the main universities in African and Asian countries.

The Council estimates that there are significant possibilities for the development of economic relations in Africa and Asia. However, it was stressed that a prerequisite for economic development is support and promotion of investment programmes in Greece, Asia and Africa.

The Council also stated that the founding and operation of Greek banking branches in key geographical areas could assist significantly to this end.

[16] DEP notes rise in profits; unveils new type of diesel

Greek refineries will market a new type of diesel oil with a lower sulphur content - 75 per cent less than the conventional type - while other relevant announcements were made during the Public Petroleum Corp.'s (DEP) general assembly yesterday in the presence of Development Minister Vasso Papandreou.

DEP President Christos Verelis and Managing director Manolis Daskalakis outlined the company's business activities and upward profit-earning trend.

The fourth DEP turnover report represented sales covering 60 per cent of the market's needs in petroleum products, which amounted to 358 billion drachmas in 1995, while the group's contribution to the Greek state was seven billion drachmas in taxes and four billion in dividends.

A substantive parameter in DEP's profit-making were good prices achieved in crude oil imports (35 cents a barrel less than current market prices).

Moreover, a decisive factor in the fuel retail sales sector, strengthening competition and more effective protection for consumers, was the activation of the ELD "E" company. By selling with competitive prices, the company provided substantive services for consumers and managed to obtain a considerable part of the market in a short period of time due to this policy.

The general assembly also presented the group's policy in various sectors of business activities over the next five years.

In this context, the group will produce new fuel types, which will be less harmful to the environment in accordance with new specifications being discussed at the European Union. Relevant investments will exceed 50 billion drachmas, DEP's management said.

The group also announced its intention to focus on joint investments with the private sector.

[17] Greenpeace promotes solar over oil-burning power plant in Crete

The international environmental advocacy organization Greenpeace is launching a "solar revolution" campaign in Crete, designed to oppose the planned establishment of an oil-burning power station by the Public Power Corp. (DEH) at the Atherinolakkos site in the Lasithi prefecture.

A demonstration of the capabilities of the "largest mobile solar electricity production unit internationally" - named Cyrus, will take place from June 29 until July 9, in Iraklio, Agios Nikolaos, Siteia, Rethymno, and Hania.

[18] Greeks second in EU cheese consumption after French

Greeks occupy second place in cheese consumption in the European Union after the French, with 20 kilograms and 22.6 kilograms per capita respectively, according to a study by the cheese producing industry that was released by the Institute of Economic and

Industrial Studies (IOBE) yesterday. In the soft cheese category, accounting for 60 per cent of total consumption, feta sales represent more than 50 per cent and rising again for the first time in years, while in the hard and semi-hard cheese category, k aseri is top of the list with 10 per cent.

The share of imported cheeses (mainly edam and gouda) is also rising, mainly due to their low price. The cheese producing industry in Greece absorbs 50 per cent of the total milk production, while cheeses made from goat and sheep's milk represent 87 per cent of the total production.

Seventy per cent of exports is feta, with 60 per cent of it absorbed by the German market.

End of English language section.