Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 98-04-16

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Close Greek-Bulgarian ties reaffirmed during Simitis visit

[02] Greece to train Armenian officers

[03] Meeting with Tsohatzopoulos

[04] Bulgarian, Romanian and Greek presidents to meet in Nafplio

[05] Six Balkan nations discuss rapid deployment force

[06] SIMITIS' VISIT TO SOFIA

[07] State Dept. condemns renewed Turkish threats against S-300 deployment

[08] Black Sea Bank governor briefs Petsalnikos

[09] G. Papandreou-Burns meeting

[10] Environmental conference on Zakynthos

[11] Serapheim's successor to be chosen on April 28

[12] 'Treasures of Mount Athos' ends on April 30

[13] Poaching on Ionian islands decried

[14] Karamanlis' condition unchanged

[15] New Cyprus ambassador to Greece

[16] Film festival on Lesvos

[17] Greenpeace activists charged with disturbing the peace

[18] Firebombers say they're sorry

[19] Gov't says no petrol tax being considered

[20] Current account deficit rises 6.5 pct in 1997

[21] Greek stocks jump 3.22 pct on govt's privatisation plan

[22] Aspis Bank to seek bourse listing

[23] Tourism federations call for creation of chamber

[24] Northern Greek exporters aim to boost membership

[25] Greece ready to absorb Santer package funds - EU

[01] Close Greek-Bulgarian ties reaffirmed during Simitis visit

SOFIA 16/04/1998 (ANA - S. Liarellis)

Mr. Simitis was speaking to reporters at a joint news conference held with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov at the end of his two-day official visit.

He said that his talks with the Bulgarian leadership had been "cordial and friendly" and had provided an opportunity to define "joint efforts to resolve problems". There is agreement, he said, on the general framework of policy which should underpin relations in the region and said Greece had always supported Bulgaria's desire to participate in the European Union.

"The Balkans must be an area of friendship, peace, cooperation and development, without opposition, axes and alliance-building which create dividing lines," Mr. Simitis said, adding that the participation of Balkan countries in NATO would be a prelude to regional security.

He called bilateral relations with Sofia "right and good" and that agreement had been reached that the Bulgarian Parliament would ratify a bill on the avoidance of double taxation.

There was also agreement on pursuing pacts on the waters of the Nestos River and stepping up the pace of construction of border posts and the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline.

He said experts would be meeting on the issue of the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline issue at the beginning of May and that Sofia and Athens were awaiting clarifications from the Russian side on financing and other issues.

Mr. Simitis spoke of a new phase in bilateral relations being ushered in by the EU's decision to include Bulgaria in accession procedures, which he noted may be "long and arduous" although he recognised the progress made by Sofia since 1989.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov expressed his gratitude for Greece's support for Bulgaria's bids to join the EU and NATO and said that there were prospects for more economic cooperation, citing infrastructure projects and Greek assistance in constr ucting a bridge over the Danube.

He called for greater cooperation from EU public order ministers to help Bulgaria combat organised crime and the drug trade, suggesting the creation of a regional centre to combat organised crime.

Both prime ministers said that tension in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo must be resolved through political means.

Mr. Simitis said Balkan countries needed to keep in touch on this issue to work on joint political moves and that he and Mr. Kostov favoured the creation of a Balkan rapid deployment force, although discussion had not extended to where the force would be based.

Joint communique : Meanwhile, a joint communique issued at the end of the talks said the deepening of Bugarian-Greek relations was a strong contributing factor to the consolidation of peace and stability in the broader region.

"Greece fully supports the Bulgarian aspiration to join the EU and NATO. Both sides noted that stability in Europe depends to a large extend on the stability in the Balkans and they will continue working together in order to foster peace, stability and security in the region, and to promote social and economic development," said the communique.

The two prime ministers stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation in South-eastern Europe and the results achieved by the Crete summit of Balkan heads of state last autumn, and said they wished to see such meetings continue.

"They held a thorough discussion on the recent developments concerning the situation in Kosovo. They welcomed the progress made with regard to the education agreement and they expressed their support towards the decisions of the Contact Group of March 9 and March 25, 1998.

"They call for an immediate start of the dialogue between the authorities in Belgrade and the Kosovar Albanians, and agreed that that the solution of the future status of Kosovo should be found on a mutually acceptable basis within the borders of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They expressed a common view that any measures against Yugoslavia should take into account the political and economic stability of south-eastern Europe and should not harim the interests of the states in the region".

The two sides agreed to speed up procedures for the implementation of the Burgas to Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, and stressed the importance of trilateral meetings, also involving Romania, in fields of common interest, as well as of the construction of a new bridge over the Danube.

"They underline the need to forward proposals and ideas concerning land and sea trade routes linking the Danube and Central Europe with the Aegean, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Black Sea. In this context they stressed the importance of linking the Paneuropean Crete Corridors IV, VIII, IX with the Transeuropean Corridor of Egnatia," the communique added.

The two delegations expressed satisfaction with the prospects of opening three new border crossing points and the agreement regarding distribution of the Mesta/Nestos river waters.

"They also agreed to increase cooperation between the respective police forces and relevant institutions for the combat of organized crime, terrorism, illegal drugs and arms trafficking. They supported the Bulgarian initiative to host a Regional Coor dinating Center for Combating Illicit Drugs Trafficking," it said.

"Both sides expressed their readiness to facilitate contacts between their citizens and promote business and trade contacts within their international obligations. Greece welcomes the progress Bulgaria has achieved in harmonizing its visa asnd immigrat ion policy with that of the EU and supports its efforts to be excluded from the list of countries whose citizens are required visas to enter the external borders of the Union.

"In the context of the mutual will to further their economic cooperation both sides agreed that in the process of privatisation and the evaluation of investment programmes of each side they shall observe the same rules and procedures of transparency wh ich are applied in the EU," the communique concluded.

Athens News Agency

[02] Greece to train Armenian officers

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The accord was signed after talks on bilateral defence cooperation between Defence Undersecretary Dimitris Apostolakis and his visiting Armenian counterpart Vahan Shirkhantan.

The two men also discussed the general political situation in the wider region, as well as collaboration within the framework of the NATO-sponsored "Partnership for Peace" programme.

Mr. Apostolakis told reporters after the meeting that they had agreed on the coordination of the two countries' activities to further tighten bilateral relations.

Mr. Shirkhantan later met with Greek military chief Gen. Athanasios Tzoganis.

Athens News Agency

[03] Meeting with Tsohatzopoulos

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The Greek defence minister referred to the two countries' historical ties which constitute, as he said, an investment in a common effort for cooperation, stability and security in the wider region.

He also expressed a hope that bilateral cooperation between Greece and Armenia will help in a peaceful solution to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh, as soon as possible, on the basis of principles of justice and mutual respect for the rights of peoples in the region.

On his part, Mr. Shirkhantan referred to assistance Greece is offering to his country in the direction of consolidating a democratic state and the manning of its armed forces which, as he said, will give Armenia the possibility of consolidating its terr itorial integrity with continuous political solutions.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulios also received the Planning and International Relations Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Nabil Saat.

Athens News Agency

[04] Bulgarian, Romanian and Greek presidents to meet in Nafplio

SOFIA 16/04/1998 (ANA - B.Borisov)

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and his Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts, Petar Stoyanov and Emil Constantinescu, respectively, are due to discuss trilateral issues.

Meanwhile, Mr. Stoyanov and Mr. Constantinescu will be in Antalya, Turkey today and tomorrow for talks with Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during which the three men will sign an agreement for the establishment of a inter- governmental Balkan law enf orcement organisation, fashioned after the Paris-based International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and the European Union's Europol.

The idea of a "Balkan Interpol" was conceived at last week's meeting between the Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian foreign ministers on Santorini.

Athens News Agency

[05] Six Balkan nations discuss rapid deployment force

BUCHAREST 16/04/1998 (AFP/ANA)

Representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and Turkey participated in the meeting.

Slovenia, which had initailly declared its intention to participate, decided yesterday not to send a representative.

Athens News Agency

[06] SIMITIS' VISIT TO SOFIA

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

"The spirit unites the world and creates friendship between people and peoples," Mr. Simitis said, thanking the Bulgarian poet and interpreter Stefan Gechev, who offered Mr. Simitis two volumes containing the poems of leading Greek writers in Greek and translated into Bulgarian.

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, Bulgarian Parliament President Iordan Sokolov, Deputy Prime Minister Evgeni Bakarjiev, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezda Mihailova and Bulgarian Defence Minister Georgi Ananiev attended.

Press reaction : The Greek PM's visit here was well-received in most Bulagrian dailies' front page yesterday.

'Demokracia' said the interest shown by third parties on the visit was a major change for Bulgarians, who are not accustomed to such treatment.

"The Greek Premier Costas Simitis' visit was carefully monitored not only by Balkan states, but also by the rest of our continent, because the visit is part of a comprehensive normalisation in Europe's former powderkeg", the daily reported in a front-pa ge article.

Broadcast media also provided extended coverage on Mr. Simitis' visit and his meeting with the country's leadership.

Bulgaria's largest circulation daily, "Troud", wrote that Athens backed Sofia's demand to be removed from the Schengen Pact's 'black list'.

"24 Hours", the second most popular daily in the country, said that in his first meeting with Mr. Kostov, Mr. Simitis also asked for three new border crossing on the Greek-Bulgarian frontier.

Athens News Aagency

[07] State Dept. condemns renewed Turkish threats against S-300 deployment

WASHINGTON 16/04/1998 (ANA - T. Ellis)

"The problem with the missiles cannot be resolved with use of threats," US State Department spokesman James Rubin told reporters.

"We have encouraged Turkey to approach the issue of the S-300 missiles in a diplomatic manner and to avoid threats of destroying them by military means, " Mr. Rubin added.

He nevertheless expressed US opposition to the deployment of the missiles.

"We continue to believe that the agreement for the missiles increases the danger of a conflict on the island and constitutes a serious obstacle to our efforts to achieve a solution of the Cyprus problem...and we continue to urge the Cyprus government to cancel the agreement," Mr. Rubin said.

A Turkish foreign ministry spokesman on Tuesday said Turkey's policy concerning the missiles issue has not and will not change, reminding statements by Turkish officials last year that Ankara would oppose by all means the deployment.

The S-300 missiles are scheduled to arrive on the island later in the summer, after an agreement was reached between Nicosia and Moscow in January 1997.

Athens News Agency

[08] Black Sea Bank governor briefs Petsalnikos

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

Both men agreed that the Thessaloniki-based development bank should play an important role in relation to development and investement activities in the Balkans and Black Sea region.

Mr. Petsalnikos assured the Mr. Volkan that his ministry will do anything it could to assist in efforts.

Athens News Agency

[09] G. Papandreou-Burns meeting

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Cohen is due to arrive in Athens on Tuesday as part of a regional tour.

Athens News Agency

[10] Environmental conference on Zakynthos

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the US embassy's commercial counsellor Patrick Santillo said the conference will focus on issues concerning the management of refuse and sewage processing in small towns, as well as alternative possibilities for funding such efforts. Modern methods will also be presented for recycling and managing refuse and wastewater.

The press conference was also addressed by the adviser of the Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister, Costas Dontas, who referred to the significance of cooperation between local administration and the private sector for processing and imp lementing programmes concerning the environment.

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis and US ambassador Nicholas Burns have been invited to address the conference. Speakers from Greece and abroad will also present their proposals.

For more information, call the Symeon G. Tsomokos S.A. company at 36.16.551- 2.

Athens News Agency

[11] Serapheim's successor to be chosen on April 28

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The new head of the Orthodox Church of Greece will be elected by the country's 77 bishops at the Athens Cathedral on April 28, in the presence of Education and Religious Affairs Minister Gerasimos Arsenis.

If no candidate musters the absolute majority of 39 votes in the first round, the process is repeated, and if the result is again inconclusive, a new Archbishop is elected by simple majority in the third round. In case of a tie, lots are drawn.

Sources said that alliances have started forming between hopefuls, who have already unofficially expressed interest in leading the Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece, although the number of candidates cannot be estimated at this early stage. The fav ourites are Anthimos of Alexandroupoli, Christodoulos of Dimitriada, Ieronymos of Thebes and Theoklitos of Ioannina. The first three appeared together on the day of Serapheim's funeral and stated they stood united. However, several other outsiders are also considered likely candidates.

After Monday's funeral, Anthimos spoke of a "programme of modernisation for the Church," stressing that people would not change but the atmosphere should.

The new Archbishop will have to tackle a number of serious problems, not least of which is the issue of alleged financial irregularities, on which a report by a committee of inquiry of is pending.

Another issue is the opening in Athens of an Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople bureau, with which the Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece has often had tense relations.

Athens News Agency

[12] 'Treasures of Mount Athos' ends on April 30

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The exhibition will be open from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow - Orthodox Good Friday - and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Holy Saturday, with free public entrance.

Athens News Agency

[13] Poaching on Ionian islands decried

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

EOE said that many local people are equally to blame since they either hunt themselves or rent "good spots" to poachers from other areas.

In 1997, EOE requested the intervention of the state without, however, the situation being remedied. This year, the intervention of forestry, port and police authorities was requested since March 23 and a mobilisation has already begun by the merchant marine ministry and the public order ministry.

However, initial reports show that the carnage is being repeated.

Athens News Agency

[14] Karamanlis' condition unchanged

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

"The infection is under control and the patient is without fever. His breathing continues to be supported by an artificial respirator. The state of the other organs and systems remains satisfactory at present," the bulletin read.

It added that an attempt to disconnect the 91-year-old former premier from the artificial respirator will be made when conditions were right, but no forecasts could be made as to when. Doctors also appeared concerned over the likelihood of further heart complications,after his heart stopped beating briefly early on Sunday morning.

On the other hand, they would not rule out a positive outcome for Mr. Karamanlis.

Athens News Agency

[15] New Cyprus ambassador to Greece

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis was among officials present at the ceremony.

Mr. Pashiardis later had a meeting with Mr. Stephanopoulos, during which they discussed the latest developments regarding the Cyprus problem and the republic's European Union course.

Mr. Pashiardis succeeds Mr. Charalambos Christoforou who has retired.

Athens News Agency

[16] Film festival on Lesvos

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The "International Creative Documentary Film Festival" is expected be held each spring in Mytilene and surrounding villages.

Mr. Mathiellis said in an announcement its cost will be 90 million drachmas, 50 per cent of which will be financed by the culture ministry.

Athens News Agency

[17] Greenpeace activists charged with disturbing the peace

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The 22 activists, including two German nationals, were among 30 who had blockaded a major soy mill plant near the Corinth Canal in protest over genetically altered soya.

The activists of the international environmental advocacy group blocked the gates of the Soy Mills Co., demanding an end to the importation of genetically altered products.

Greenpeace demands that consumers be provided only with unaltered foodstuffs. Greek and German activists taking part in the protest erected a huge banner outside the facility stating: "Genetic Danger Stop".

A Greenpeace official later said that Soy Mills Co. cannot guarantee a non- genetically altered supply for supermarkets, consumers, food industries and stockbreeders.

According to a Greenpeace, more than 300,000 tons of soy beans are consumed in Greece annually, while the genetic alterations were induced with the use of non-edible organisms.

Athens News Agency

[18] Firebombers say they're sorry

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

An anonymous caller telephoned a private Athens newspaper (Eleftherotypia) two hours after the attack, saying the "Arsonists of Conscience" had planted the home-made incendiary device outside the door of the veterans' office on the first floor of a cent ral Athens building.

The caller also said the group "sincerely apologises" to the students of the private college who were in class on the second floor of the building at the time of the attack.

The makeshift device caused a major blaze that required 30 firefighters to extinguish. Twenty-five students and teachers were rescued from the blazing building with cranes.

Athens News Agency

[19] Gov't says no petrol tax being considered

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Nikolaou was asked whether comments by Transport and Communications Minister Tassos Mantelis on Tuesday meant that a price increase was in the offing. Mr. Mantelis was announcing a package of proposals to restructure urban transport in Athens.

Newspapers reported that Mr. Mantelis had said more expensive petrol would boost the use of urban transport and subvert the need to raise fare prices. "There is no such issue and it has not been considered by the government," Mr. Nikolaou said. "The gov ernment has no plans to impose new taxes or special charges".

Mr. Nikolaou also said that there would be no fare increases for urban transport.

Reactions : The main opposition New Democracy party and the Political Spring (Pol.An) criticised both Mr. Mantelis and Prime Minister Costas Simitis in connection regarding press reports on additional fuel taxes.

"Olympic (Airways) is falling apart. Its flights are being cancelled one after the other, the public is inconvenienced and the country is defamed," ND spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos said.

"Not only does Mr. Mantelis not resign but he is proposing solutions which border on political perversion, since he is thinking of restructuring buses, and taxes those who evidently do not use them, the owners of private cars. On his part, Mr. Simitis instead of dismissing Mr. Mantelis immediately is proud of the 'comrade moderniser' and champions his policy not being able to tolerate other internal fronts," he added.

Pol.An said in an announcement that "Transport Minister Mr. Mantelis, after managing to ground aircraft with his salvatory intervention, is now preparing the take-off of gasoline prices for private cars and motorcycles."

Athens News Agency

[20] Current account deficit rises 6.5 pct in 1997

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The central bank also said that foreign currency reserves were 20.4 billion dollars at the end of March 1998, up from 13.3 billion dollars in December 1997.

The bank attributed the rise to the drachma's entry into the European Union's exchange rate mechanism on March 14.

Athens News Agency

[21] Greek stocks jump 3.22 pct on govt's privatisation plan

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

Traders said the market welcomed the government's intention to move forward with its ambitious privatisation programme.

Foreign investors were once again particularly active in the aftermath of the Easter holiday in the rest of Europe. Greek markets are closed for Greek Orthodox Good Friday on April 17, and for Easter Monday on April 20. The general index ended 3.22 pe rcent higher at 2,339.28 points with all sector indices scoring gains.

Banks rose 3.71 percent, Insurance was 2.19 percent up, Leasing soared 8.0 percent, Investment ended 3.86 percent up, Construction rose 2.04 percent, Industrials increased 1.23 perc ent, Miscellaneous was 3.99 percent up and Holding rose 3.28 percent.

The parallel market index for small cap companies ended 4.53 percent higher.

The FTSE/ASE 20 blue chip index jumped 3.36 percent to 1,394.52.

Trading was extremely heavy with turnover at 96.9 billion drachmas.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 186 to 57 with another 21 issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecoms, Duty Free Shops, Mouriades, Vis,Selonda, Ionian Bank, Bank of Piraeus, Eskimo, Balkan Export, ETBA Leasing, Alpha Leasing and Intrasoft scored the biggest percentage gains at the day's 8.0 percent limit up.

Dane, Barba Stathis, Shelman and Rokas suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 42,995 drachmas, Ergobank at 25,900, Alpha Credit Bank at 26,500, Delta Dairy at 4,370, Titan Cement at 25,100, Intracom at 19,700 and Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at a new record close of 8,947 drachmas in h eavy volume of 2,208,650 shares.

Athens News Agency

[22] Aspis Bank to seek bourse listing

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The bank's shareholders yesterday approved proposals for a share capital increase by issuing 1,600,000 new shares.

Of the total,1,524,000 will be placed on public offer and the remainder privately placed.

ETEBA will act as consultant and main underwriter of the issue.

Athens News Agency

[23] Tourism federations call for creation of chamber

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The proposal made by the country's tourism and travel agents' association, HATTA, was included in a memorandum sent to Development Minister Vasso Papandreou.

Greek hoteliers were the only group to distance themselves rom the proposal.

Athens News Agency

[24] Northern Greek exporters aim to boost membership

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

The union elected a new board on Tuesday including Ioannis Rizopoulos as secretary general, Anastasia Varvaressou as first vice-chairman, Eugenios Plalis as second vice-chairman and Efstathios Yahanatzis as treasurer.

Athens News Agency

[25] Greece ready to absorb Santer package funds - EU

Athens 16/04/1998 (ANA)

During a visit to Athens this month, EU Commission President Jacques Santer said Greece had worked hard to make structural changes that would aid the absorption of Community Support Framework (CSF) funds.

The Commission said in a report outlining the Greek economy in 1994-1997 that a recovery in private investments and the implementation of major infrastructure works, coupled with a major improvement in absorption mechanisms, meant the conditions were ri ght for use of CSF funds.

This applied to the absorption of credits, the repercussions on macroeconomic indicators and the creation of permanent employment. "Greece will continue to reap 17.6 percent of available monies from structural funds or the 5.4 trillion drachmas of its entitlement," Mr. Santer told a small group of Greek and foreign correspondent s in a private briefing.

Saying structural funds would rise by 15 percent in 2000-2006, Mr. Santer indicated that Greece could expect inflows of 6.2 trillion drachmas from structural funds in that period while continuing to reap subsidies from the European Social Fund and Cohesion Fund.

It would also receive a stake in 2.8 billion Ecus that are transferred each year for restructuring in the agricultural economy. No radical change would be made to current quotas for Mediterranean products, Mr. Santer said.

"For purely Mediterranean products proposals have been made but I do not think that in the future these products will be in a disadvantageous position to goods produced in the other EU countries," he said.

The EU expects to settle the allocation of the new CSF, or third Santer package, by June 13, 1999 ahead of Euro-parliament elections.

Eligible for funds are the EU's current members and applicant countries seen close to joining.

Greece's government has set up a ministerial planning group to work out a development plan for 2000-2006.

A key task will be to prepare for absorption of the third Santer package.

Deputy National Economy Minister Christos Pachtas has said the government and EU had agreed that in 2000-2001 certain projects funded under the second CSF, or Delors package of funds, will continue to receive monies under the new Santer package.

Within a policy of overall development, the government's target is to give priority to completion of major projects including a highway linking Patras to Thessaloniki, a city ring road between Elefsina and Stavros, the railway network and the northern branch of a highway on Crete.

"We have decided that certain key projects, which should be completed in 2000, such as the Rio-Andirrio bridge link, the Athens ringroad, the Thessaloniki metro, the Egnatia Way, natural gas and the national land registry will be the projects to straddle the old CSF and the new," Mr. Pachtas said.

The Commission has released the following information on Greece:

• Greece ranked eighth among EU member states in terms of absorption with a 32 percent rate of execution of projects in 1994-1996
• Funds absorbed in 1994 were 120 billion drachmas; in 1995, 320 billion drachmas; in 1996, 550 billion; and in 1997, 700 billion. The target in 1998 was absorption of 820 billion drachmas.

Athens News Agency

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