Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 96-12-30
From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 1077), December 30, 1996
Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca
CONTENTS
[01] Freighter capsizes off Evia; four dead, 16 missing
[02] AGET response
[03] Gov't statement
[04] Weather problems
[05] Foreign policy, economy expected to take center stage in '97
[06] Weather-related problems continue
[07] Celebrations to mark commencement of Thessaloniki as 'Cultural
Capital'
[08] Anastasios on tour of southern Albania
[01] Freighter capsizes off Evia; four dead, 16 missing
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
Sixteen out of 21 persons on board a capsized Greek-flagged
freighter beached off Kymi, Evia, remained unaccounted for at
press-time yesterday evening, as search efforts were suspended
at nightfall.
Four bodies from the freighter "Distos" have been recovered by
rescue units, while one crew-member, 18-year-old merchant marine
cadet Christos Anagnostou, was picked up alive after he jumped
into the water when the vessel began to list.
According to authorities, three of the four bodies have been
identified, while search operations by the coast guard, the
navy, merchant vessels and divers were scheduled to resume at
daybreak today.
The vessel, owned and operated by the AGET Iraklis Cement group,
was laden with 5,300 tons of cement when it capsized in rough
seas at around 10:30 p.m. Saturday east of Kymi. The Distos was
headed for Piraeus after leaving Volos on Thursday, and after
previously seeking shelter in the island of Skiathos' port on
Friday due to bad weather.
According to shipping circles, rough seas can cause a cement
cargo to shift, making it a particularly dangerous cargo to
transport in bad weather.
After the vessel was located by the coast guard, it was
subsequently towed to approximately one nautical mile from the
Evia coast in about 35 meters of water.
Among the 21 on board the vessel were two wives of crew-members
and a 10-year-old girl.
[02] AGET response
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
Meanwhile, AGET general manager Nikos Mavros told a press
conference yesterday afternoon that the vessel had left Skiathos
despite strong winds and rough seas.
"We did not give the Distos an order to leave port," he said,
adding: "There was no need to transport the cargo during the
holidays."
Stressing that the vessel had set sail at the decision of its
captain Yiannis Tsitsirikis, Mr. Mavros stressed, however, that
the company had full trust in the vessel's skipper, who has been
with the company since 1981. He also acknowledged responsibility
on the part of AGET's shipping arm for disregarding a merchant
marine ministry notification that the vessel was in danger.
The ministry notified AGET that the Distos was in trouble after
being warned by a Spanish satellite station, which had received
a signal from a specially fitted communications device on the
vessel.
According to reports, when the ministry notified AGET that the
Distos was in trouble Saturday night, the company considered it
a false alarm.
"These devices are very sensitive and there have been times,
which have also been recorded by the merchant marine ministry,
that they have sent a signal without a cause," Mr. Mavros said.
He added that the vessel began listing after being engulfed by
two huge waves.
[03] Gov't statement
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
Speaking to reporters earlier, Merchant Marine Minister Stavros
Soumakis said an investigation to possible negligence by port
authorities was continuing.
In later statements, Mr. Soumakis said that "according to first
reports from divers who had entered the ship, the vessel's
compartments were full of water."
Concerning the causes and circumstances of the maritime
accident, the minister said a preliminary investigation has been
ordered, which is being carried out by senior coast guard
officials on site.
"It must be underlined, and we should all understand, that
maritime accidents occurring under these particularly difficult
conditions cannot be handled by anyone, even if he possesses the
most sophisticated equipment. In this particular case, and
according to the statements by the rescued crewman, the vessel
capsized and a black out occurred in less than a minute," he
added.
Many passenger ships were advised to cancel their routes on
Saturday due to heavy seas and strong winds in the Aegean.
On its part, the main opposition New Democracy party said in a
statement that "responsibilities should be sought" and that
searches should be continued, while all necessary precautions
should be taken to avert similar tragedies in the future in this
area.
The Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) accused the
merchant marine ministry for "an impressive delay ... (in
mobilizing rescue forces)."
[04] Weather problems
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
A 65-year-old woman died yesterday after slipping and hitting
her head in her backyard, which turned to ice following snow and
freezing rain that pounded her village over the past few days in
northern Greece.
Efthymia Pinakidou is the first victim of arctic-like weather
which hit Greece over the weekend.
In a related development, dozens of people, particularly elderly
persons, were rushed to hospitals in the last few days suffering
from fractures from falls on ice.
Meanwhile, snow continued to fall yesterday in many parts of the
country, cutting off villages in mountainous areas and creating
transportation problems.
[05] Foreign policy, economy expected to take center stage in '97
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
Prime Minister Costas Simitis has every reason to be satisfied
with the outgoing year, a particularly difficult year for
Greece's foreign policy and economic sectors, since he
admittedly played a leading role in 1996.
Mr. Simitis succeeded the late Andreas Papandreou at the
socialist PASOK party's leadership and won general elections
last September, keeping PASOK in power for a second consecutive
term.
The death of Andreas Papandreou (which may signal the end of an
entire era), the prevalence of Simitis in Greece's political
scene, a crisis in Greek-Turkish relations and the farmers'
mobilizations late in the year, are considered the most
important events in 1996, and will probably pave the way for
what is expected to develop in 1997.
On the domestic political front, Mr. Simitis can be considered
the leading figure since at the present stage he has neither any
substantive intra-party criticism to face nor a main opposition
party having a steadfast and unified policy, as the conservative
New Democracy party is faced with its own serious internal
problems, and consequently, he can address the country's
problems unimpeded.
Mr. Simitis will have to tackle two main problems in the new
year, namely, Greek-Turkish relations and the state of the
economy.
The crisis over the Imia islets in January 1996, when Greece and
Turkey came to the brink of war, substantively shaped the
framework and the climate - the worst in past years - in
Greek-Turkish relations, and according to all indications the
disputing b y Turkey of all islets lying close to the Turkish
coastline will constitute a permanent headache for foreign
policy in the future.
One could say that Greek foreign policy, more than ever, is
orientated towards confronting Turkish designs in the Aegean and
Cyprus. Additionally, Athens is pursuing this purpose both
through the European Union and through Washington, as well as a
unified defense doctrine with Cyprus.
Backstage manoeuvres are also taking place to improve
Greek-Turkish relations, while US President Bill Clinton is
expected, on the basis of pre-election statements, to take
initiatives on Greek national issues.
Meanwhile, Greece's relations with the neighboring Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are also pending, after a
prolonged period of recession, since talks in New York sponsored
by UN mediator Cyrus Vance failed to produce results.
Consequently, the settlement of the landlocked state's name is
to be expected in 1997, or at least a clarification of its
prospects.
Many fear that the state of the economy and the restrictive
policy the government is obliged to follow to allow the country
to align itself with Maastricht Treaty criteria might lead to
social tensions. The danger was clearly visible with
mobilizations by protesting farmers and pensioners, which the
government handled steadfastly and successfully.
However, the situation is not easy since the government might be
faced with additional problems in the health and education
sectors and since it will have to maintain its social image in
the light of its steadfast economic and incomes policy.
The picture in ND's camp is particularly grim.
Party leader Miltiades Evert lost last September's general
elections and in the wake of this defeat his intraparty foes
virtually consider him to be "a leader with an expiry date."
He is faced with a sustained internal opposition headed by
George Souflias, who is seeking the party's leadership, as well
as a party congress in late February or early March, where a new
leader is expected to be elected.
Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras, who failed to
keep his party in Parliament after it fell below the 3 per cent
margin necessary for a party to elect deputies, is also in a
difficult position.
On the other hand, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary
General Aleka Papariga, Coalition of the Left and Progress
leader Nikos Constantopoulos and the leader of the recently
established Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) party, Dimitris
Tsovolas, have every reason to feel satisfied with their forces.
[06] Weather-related problems continue
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
Twenty-nine villages in three prefectures throughout the country
continue to be isolated in the wake of on-going poor weather
conditions.
According to information by the public order ministry, as a
result of snowfall yesterday, communications have been disrupted
with 11 villages in Achaia prefecture, 11 villages in Evia and
seven villages in Fthiotida prefecture.
Many vehicles have been immobilized on the national and regional
network due to weather conditions.
In addition, a total of 85 traffic accidents have occurred from
Friday afternoon until last night, resulting in 13 people being
killed and 125 injured.
[07] Celebrations to mark commencement of Thessaloniki as 'Cultural
Capital'
Athens, 30/12/1996 (ANA)
Thessaloniki will welcome its assumption of the European
Cultural Capital 1997 title with a 24-hour, open-air celebration
replete with singers, actors, clowns, magicians, artists,
musicians and participating residents.
An open-to-all party beginning on New Year's Eve and lasting
until dawn the next day is also being thrown by the city's
Cultural Capital Organization. In addition, five open-air tents
will be set up at central locations in the city to house musical
and theatrical groups.
Other events welcoming the new "cultural year" will start
tomorrow morning . Musical groups and singers will perform
traditional carols and will end up in Aristotelous Square at
around 1 p.m. The centerpiece celebration will begin at 8.30
p.m. and last until dawn.
The main tent will be set up in front of the White Tower where
appearances by several well-known Greek and foreign performers
are scheduled.
[08] Anastasios on tour of southern Albania
Gjirokaster, 30/12/1996 (ANA/D. Tsakas)
Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania Anastasios officiated at a
church service in Gjirokaster's Taxiarchon Cathedral yesterday
in the presence of a large gathering of parishioners.
The Archbishop arrived in the city from Tirana on Saturday night
after staying in Arysenitsa Monastery. Earlier, children from
Megalohori, Dervitsiani sang Christmas carols in the presence of
Anastasios.
The Archbishop will leave for Sarande today, while on New Year's
day he will officiate at a church service in Korce.
End of English language section.
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