Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-08-12
From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1261), August 12, 1997
Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca
CONTENTS
[01] UN-led Cyprus peace talks resume in Switzerland
[02] ..... UN Secretary General
[03] ..... Kyprianou
[04] Contract signed for modernization of Phantoms
[05] Hailstorm in Larissa devastates crops
[06] Feminist theologians to meet in Crete
[07] Yugoslav Foreign Minister begins visit
[08] Athens '97 director counters charges by IAAF president
[09] Italian press praises Athens
[10] Fouras sums up mood after 6th World Athletics Championships
[11] Otters reappear in Larissa after 35-year absence
[12] Papamihail leaves the footlights
[13] Alpha Credit Bank expects high profits, report says
[14] Allianz capital rises
[15] Greek stocks finish 0.48 pct down on profit-taking
[16] Greece's Xiosbank boosts loans to SMEs
[17] Completion of TVX Hellas investment called for
[18] Information on SMEs provided through Internet
[01] UN-led Cyprus peace talks resume in Switzerland
Montreux, 12/8/1997 (ANA-D. Konstantakopoulos/CNA)
The United Nations (UN) will not enter an immediate discussion
of the fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem at this round
of talks, but instead suggests an incremental process with a
discussion of a revised U N non-paper.
In statements prior to a working lunch that opened the second
round of UN-sponsored talks between Cyprus President Glafcos
Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the UN
Secretary General's special advisor Diego Cordovez said he
expects both leaders to co-operate for a settlement.
The Cyprus peace talks resumed yesterday with a working-lunch
hosted by Mr. Cordovez at the Hotel Righi Vaudois, in the
tranquil mountain resort Glion-sur-Montreux, Switzerland.
The first round was held in Troutbeck, New York, between July
9-12 and was opened by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Mr. Cordovez said the UN wants to change the procedure used in
the talks so far. "We are trying to institute a process that is
different", he said, noting that in the past the leaders came to
the talks with the idea that they would solve all the problems.
He also clarified that the non-paper which he handed to the two
leaders during the first round of discussions was not a
settlement to the 23-year-old Cyprus problem.
"The paper I gave them is not the solution. These are simply
some guidelines to be taken into account. The difference is we
are having what I call an incremental process. That is to say,
they will meet from time to time and each time take it from
where they left it and proceed forward", the UN official said.
To a question that the Greek Cypriot side believes the basic
issue should be agreed on first, Mr. Cordovez said that "this is
what they have been trying to do for 23 years and failed".
What he suggest now is to go "into a process of discussing and
negotiating on the actual document, on the actual legal text,
and in the process of doing that they will start settling all
these problems. And in settling all these problems there will be
real negotiations".
Mr. Cordovez further explained that the leaders would be able to
choose the aspects of the Cyprus problem they want to discuss
each time they meet and "try to bridge the differences between
them and go on to the next aspect".
He added that with this process the leaders of the two
communities will not start their next meeting from zero, as in
the past.
Asked if the two leaders will start trading off on all aspects
of the Cyprus problem, Mr. Cordovez said "not on all the
aspects, on certain aspects", but did not specify which, noting
it is up to the leaders to decide.
Invited to say what he would consider a success in this specific
round of talks, Mr. Cordovez replied he expects all "to continue
to work with a sense that we are involved in a process", noting
"you cannot solve the Cyprus problem in four days".
Asked what he expects from the two leaders during this round of
negotiations, Mr. Cordovez said "I expect them to co-operate
with me and particularly with themselves. It is in their
interest".
Mr. Cordovez declined comment on last week's agreement between
Turkey and the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus calling
for the latter's partial integration into Turkey.
Defending the UN directive on a news blackout during the first
and second round of talks, he said the negotiations were a very
"dynamic process", which premature publicity could threaten by
making it "rigid".
The UN envoy described a meeting he had in Geneva earlier
yesterday with Britain's special representative on Cyprus, Sir
David Hannay, as "excellent".
The lunch was to break off yesterday afternoon for a photo
opportunity at the hotel Righi Vaudois.
From then on there will be no other media access at the site of
the five-day negotiations as the UN has insisted on a blackout.
On his arrival at Geneva Sunday, Mr. Denktash said he was not
prepared to be pressured into compromise.
He spoke negatively on prospects for a deal, reiterating his
view that insistence on Cyprus' European perspective is not
compatible with the UN-led direct negotiations.
He also criticized the European Union (EU) decision to start
accession talks with Cyprus and said he wants it reversed
"because it has stopped the negotiating process".
The EU has invited Cyprus along with five central European
nations to start accession talks early next year.
[02] ..... UN Secretary General
Stockholm, 12/8/1997 (ANA-N. Servetas)
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the Turkish agreement with
the pseudo-state for partial integration "does not help
negotiations, but I hope it will not become an obstacle".
Mr. Annan, who is visiting Sweden officially, made the statement
following a question by ANA.
He added that "significant progress" had been made on the Cyprus
issue since the Troutbeck talks and expressed the hope that
further progress would be made.
"It's obvious that one cannot expect great progress in long
standing problems of this sort. But we shall work hard at
solving the problem. It's not an easy case, but we shall
insist," he said.
[03] ..... Kyprianou
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Cypriot House of Representatives Speaker Spyros Kyprianou told
ANA in reaction to Mr. Cordovez's statements that contrary to
what the latter claimed, during the last 23 years the basic
aspects of the Cypriot problem had not been discussed, and that
negotiations had been limited to the constitutional aspect.
Mr. Kyprianou is in Montreux along with the other Cypriot
political party leaders who are consulting President Clerides
during the UN-led talks.
[04] Contract signed for modernization of Phantoms
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
The contract relating to the modernization of 39 Hellenic
Airforce F-4 Phantom jets by the German company DASA, in
co-operation with the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB), was
signed yesterday between the General Air Force Staff, EAB, and
the director of DASA's military department.
At the end of July, the Government Council for Foreign Affairs
and Defense (KYSEA) had officially awarded the 87 billion
drachma tender to the German DASA, whose bid was 8 billion
drachmas lower than that of an American bidder.
EAB will undertake to modernize the Phantom jets' skeleton at a
cost of 5.5 billion drachmas, while DASA will upgrade their
electronic components. The average cost of modernization per
aircraft is estimated at $8 million (compared with $11 million
Turkey recently agreed).
In July, National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos had
described the deal as very satisfactory, as it provided for a
solution of a long-standing problem.
[05] Hailstorm in Larissa devastates crops
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
A hailstorm in Larissa, central Greece, has devastated thousands
of hectares of cotton, corn and other crops, plunging farmers
from 17 local communities into despair.
The hailstorm, which lasted for about 45 minutes and rained hail
the size of walnuts, totally destroyed the crops, which
unofficial estimates put at 6,000 hectares, causing hundreds of
millions of drachma in damages.
The hailstorm, accompanied by strong winds, also uprooted trees
and swept away roofs from a number of homes.
Two months ago, another hailstorm destroyed an estimated 80-90
percent of seasonal crops in Kavala, northern Greece.
[06] Feminist theologians to meet in Crete
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Women theologians from all over Europe will meet in Crete next
week for the 7th international conference of the European
Society of Women in Theological Research (ESWTR) to discuss new
approaches in feminist theology.
An ESWTR spokeswoman said more than 200 women theologians from
almost all European countries would be discussing the theme
"Source and Resources of Feminist Theologies".
Observers from Palestine, India, Tunisia and the United States
as well as 50 delegates from eastern Europe, 30 Greek Orthodox
and three Moslem theologians would be attending the conference,
to be held from August 17-21 at the Orthodox Academy at
Kolymbari in Chania. One aspect of the conference, according to
the spokeswoman, "addresses the issue of the text sources and
traditions to which women theologians refer", while another
aspect "refers to the source of spiritual strength from which
women draw and which nourishes their commitment to a renewal in
the way they speak of the Divine and their quest for a just
world", the spokeswoman added.
Keynote speakers include Old Testament scholar Silvia Schroer
(Switzerland), Kyriaki Karidojannis-Fitzgerald (Greece), Joan
Martin (US), Letizia Tommassone (Italy), and Ulrike Bechmann
(Germany).
The ESWTR was set up in 1985 by eminent women theologians to
address the need for networking, support and international
exchanges in women's theological studies. The conference
languages will be German, English and French.
[07] Yugoslav Foreign Minister begins visit
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Foreign Minister Milan
Milutinovic yesterday began an official two-day visit to Greece
during which he will have talks with his counterpart Theodoros
Pangalos.
Mr. Milutinovic' talks with Mr. Pangalos this afternoon are
expected to cover developments in the Balkans and bilateral
issues related to economic and political co-operation.
According to informed sources, the talks will focus in
particular on the progress in the implementation of the Dayton
peace accord on Bosnia, the summit meeting of Balkan countries
in Crete in November and the promotion of Greek investments in
Yugoslavia.
A number of Greek public and private sector companies are active
or wish to become active in the neighboring country, including
the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) concerning
the purchase of part of the equivalent Serbian organization.
Several major Greek construction companies have expressed
interest in the construction of the European E75 highway.
[08] Athens '97 director counters charges by IAAF president
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
The General Director of the 'Athens 97' World Athletics
Championships, Vangelis Savramis, yesterday countered charges by
International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) President
Primo Nebiolo that the Championships were a success only because
the IAAF had "lent a hand".
"We carried this wonderful championship to a successful end
alone, and everyone who was involved in it one way or another
knows this. The only thing Mr. Nebiolo did was to continuously
create problems for the organizers. He created problems
regarding the seating, the protocol, who was going to sit
where," he said.
The IAAF president, who is also honorary president of Rome's
Candidacy Committee for the 2004 Olympic Games, for which Athens
is also competing, made a stinging attack against the Greek
organizers in the course of a television interview with the MEGA
channel last night, describing them as "mediocrities".
"We didn't find a team of high specifications here. We found
mediocrities... We had people of our own who worked until four
in the morning for this championship to take place, and not
develop into a tragedy. And you believe that we came here to
make war ," he said.
Mr. Nebiolo, who was jeered by the crowd during the concluding
ceremony of the championships on Sunday night on account of
critical comments regarding low attendance on the opening day of
the games, insinuated that the attitude of the crowd had been
part of an organized plan.
"If some individual led the Greek press to write figments of the
imagination, things irresponsible and beyond reality, he made
the worst propaganda for 'Athens 2004'. International athletic
executives will never want to come to Athens again," he claimed .
He did not restrict himself to sports matters, saying that the
Greeks had "economic and political problems, problems with FYROM
(which he termed 'Macedonia'), with Cyprus, the treaty of
Maastricht, a serious problem with unemployment," and that "the
Olympiad is not going to solve your problems".
Greek Olympic Committee Chairman Lambis Nikolaou said Mr.
Nebiolo's attack against Greece would work in favor of the
Athens 2004 candidacy given that he is disliked by many among
the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos commented Mr. Nebiolo had
functioned as the honorary president of the Rome Olympic Bid
Committee, rather than as the President of the IAAF.
[09] Italian press praises Athens
Rome, 12/8/1997 (ANA - S. Aravopoulou)
The press in Italy yesterday carried articles praising Athens
for the excellent work it had done in organizing the Athens '97
6th World Athletics Championships, placing emphasis on the final
day and on an account of the performance of the Italian team.
Italian newspapers focused on the champions, especially Sergei
Bubka (pole vault gold medalist, winning his 6th gold in Athens).
"There could really be no better promotion of the Greek
capital's candidacy for the 2004 Olympic Games than its
organization of the world championships, which had only very few
faults that were fixed", said a journalist of "La Stampa"
covering the championships in Athens.
IAAF president Primo Nebiolo in statements to the sports
newspaper "La Gazzeta Dello Sport" also referred to the perfect
organization of the international meeting by Athens. "The
organization by Greece was of a very high level and a great
spectacular event in terms of athletics. The International
Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) created a marvelous event
which propagates the Olympic ideals to the world", said Mr.
Nebiolo.
[10] Fouras sums up mood after 6th World Athletics Championships
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Sports Under-secretary Andreas Fouras yesterday expressed
displeasure at the stance of IAAF President Primo Nebiolo during
the 6th World Athletics Championships which ended here Sunday
night.
Mr. Nebiolo was widely perceived in Greece as having tried to
belittle Athens in order to increase Rome's chances of being
selected to stage the 2004 Olympic Games. Athens and Rome are
bidding for the 2004 Games, along with Buenos Aires, Stockholm
and C ape Town.
The successful organization of the 6th World Athletics
Championships held in Athens from 1-10 August was seen as
essential to Greece' bid for the Olympics. Replying to
reporters' questions on the booing of Mr. Nebiolo by athletics
fans at last night's c losing ceremony, Mr. Fouras said:
"The intuition of the people is infallible. The disapproval
expressed was only to be expected. To be honest, I too was
annoyed by his stance."
Turning to the issue of ticket sales for the championships, Mr.
Fouras directly accused the IAAF saying: "They told us as far
back as May that 17,000 'packages' had been sold abroad. At the
moment, nobody can say for certain what happened. But a
committee has already been set up under Sports general secretary
Yiannis Sgouros, which will examine all the facts and announce
its findings soon."
Replying to other questions, Mr. Fouras said the total cost of
staging the championships would be close to 11 billion drachmas.
[11] Otters reappear in Larissa after 35-year absence
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Otters have reappeared in the vicinity of Larissa, Thessaly,
after a 35-year absence, signaling a revival in the area's
ecosystem and surprising biologists with a rare phenomenon.
The otters, water-going mammals, belong to a protected species
in all European countries whose population had been obliterated
due to environmental pollution and hunting for the use of their
fur.
The otters disappeared from Thessaly following the draining of
Lake Karla in 1962-3, but have been sighted again in canals,
irrigation channels and reservoirs in the villages of Namata,
Eleftheriou, Koumia, and Platykambos.
Their reappearance in the area shows that wetlands, where wild
species nest, are becoming revived, while the otter's main
staple of fish has seen an increase due to cleaner water and
less pollution.
[12] Papamihail leaves the footlights
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Actor Dimitris Papamihail has announced his decision to retire
from the stage and to teach drama at a new stage school,
"Iasmos", founded by veteran actor Vasilis Diamantopoulos, who
has been training actors at a drama workshop for the last ten
years.
Mr. Papamihail, who was once married to the late actress Aliki
Vouyouklaki, with whom he starred in many films in the 1950s and
1960s, first appeared in ancient Epidaurus 42 years ago in a
performance of "Hippolytus". He went on to play in 30 classical
theater performances, as well as dozens of films and plays.
[13] Alpha Credit Bank expects high profits, report says
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Alpha Credit Bank revenues are expected to climb to 60 billion
drachmas for 1997, while turnover is expected to reach 203
billion drachmas, according to a Hoare Govett report yesterday.
Hoare Govett is a subsidiary of ABN Amro bank.
According to the report, the turnover for 1998 will reach 243.14
billion drachmas, while profits will come close to 74.27 billion
drachmas.
The group's results are also expected to be very high for 1999,
with turnover forecast at 278.31 billion drachmas and profits to
85.94 billion drachmas.
If the bank's management follows the same dividend policy, the
report said, shareholders' should expect to collect a 956
drachmas dividend for 1998 and 1,107 drachmas for 1999.
[14] Allianz capital rises
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Capital of the Allianz insurance company has been showing an
increase of 11 per cent, reaching 46.5 billion drachmas by end
of July.
Allianz provides five types of mutual funds to investors. Of
these, the unit linked is a mutual fund of mixed type (shares
and bonds), including a life insurance contract necessary.
[15] Greek stocks finish 0.48 pct down on profit-taking
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Equity prices ended moderately lower on the Athens Stock
Exchange yesterday, reversing a three-day rally. Investors
preferred to cash in major gains from previous days, and the
absence of follow-through orders helped in the reversal of the
trend.
Trading was moderate and turnover was 13.2 billion drachmas.
The general index closed at 1,631.62 points, down 0.48 percent,
with all sector indices losing ground.
Banks fell 0.52 percent, Leasing was 1.20 percent off, Insurance
eased 1.27 percent, Investment fell 0.36 percent, Construction
dropped 2.63 percent, Industrials were 0.36 percent off, Holding
eased 0.59 percent and Miscellaneous plunged 3.27 percent.
The parallel market for smaller companies bucked the trend to
end 0.20 percent higher. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 133
to 68 with another 28 issues unchanged. Inform Lykos, Heliofin,
European Trust and Tria Alpha scored the bigger percentage
gains, while Halyps Cement, Keranis and Elfico suffered the
heaviest losses. Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE)
shares rose 50 drachmas to end at 6,495. National Bank of Greece
ended at 37,700 drachmas, Ergobank at 17,570, Alpha Credit Bank
at 20,070, Titan at 15,000 and Intracom at 13,360.
The rampant US dollar eased against the drachma in the domestic
foreign exchange market.
[16] Greece's Xiosbank boosts loans to SMEs
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Xiosbank has extended loan products for small and medium sized
enterprises with average 1997 loan balances for firms in Attica
likely to exceed five billion drachmas.
Xiosbank said in a statement yesterday it made the forecast on
the basis of first half figures that showed the loans would
easily surpass original targets.
First half balances for loans to small and medium sized
enterprises nationwide totaled six billion drachmas, the
statement said.
Xiosbank also announced its weekly interest rate adjustments.
* XiosAlma deposit account at 9.925 percent on an annual basis
with interest paid monthly.
* Base business loan rate unchanged at 17.5 percent.
[17] Completion of TVX Hellas investment called for
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
The Northern Greek Association of Industries (SBBE) called in a
statement yesterday for the immediate intervention of the
government for the completion of the investment by TVX Hellas,
which has undertaken to exploit the gold deposits in Halkidiki.
SBBE considers that the investment is "particularly important
for the development of Halkidiki and northern Greece, more
generally," adding that "the observance by all sides of the
commitments undertaken is a necessary condition for the
unimpeded implementation of the biggest investment of the last
few years in our country".
It opposes the "unilateral and illegal actions which endanger
the implementation of the investment."
"The two-year delay has resulted in significant losses for the
company, besides the fact that our country acquires a bad
reputation in the investment public abroad," the SBBE statement
concludes.
[18] Information on SMEs provided through Internet
Athens, 12/8/1997 (ANA)
Information on small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) and on
the European Union's research and development policy is provided
through the Internet, the latest issue of 'Eur-Op News' writes.
The addresses are as follows:
-BC-Net (Network for finding possible clients):
http://www2.echo.lu/echo/databases/en/bcnet.html
-EudraNET (for the pharmaceuticals industry):
http://www.eudra.org
-Copdris (information about the European Union's research and
development policy): http://www.cordis.lu
-I'am Europe (access to many databases regarding EU issues) :
http://www2.echo.lu/
End of English language section.
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