Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 98-11-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Pangalos: Greece to insist on positions vis-a-vis EU funding for Turkey

[02] Pay rises in 1999 to match 2.0 pct inflation target

[03] Gov't gives parliament bill to overhaul Athens urban transport

[04] Gov't to auction 10-year bonds, investors reposition to buy

[05] Foreign inflows seen in forex market, drachma rises again

[06] Greek stocks shed gains after late profit-taking

[07] Fixed-income mutual fund assets slip in October

[08] Mailis reports 70 pct profit jump for Jan-Sept

[09] Tax changes for used automobiles

[10] Conference on quality, competitiveness in the foodstuffs sector

[11] New Macedonia-Thrace minister Magriotis points to 'tourism explosion'

[12] Gov't on Turkish reaction to EU Commission report

[13] Simitis in Poland

[14] Pangalos strongly criticises PASOK dissidents,ND

[15] PASOK executive bureau holds introspective session

[16] Amnesty International-Greece hands American envoy report on US human rights abuses

[17] 109 Parliament MPs revive invitation towards Ocalan

[18] French mayor honoured for idea to unite Greek-founded Med port cities

[19] Draft agreement between UNESCO, Greece on 'cultural olympiad' approved

[20] Boycott of Izmir expo called due to pseudo-state

[21] Cooperation protocol between Greece, FYROM statistical services

[01] Pangalos: Greece to insist on positions vis-a-vis EU funding for Turkey

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Pangalos said Greece had never rejected EU funding for Turkey but had simply linked it with specific behaviour on the part of Ankara, both in bilateral relations and efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.

"There are those who believe that this is unnecessary, but we shall insist on our positions for as long as certain developments are not forthcoming which would induce us to change our view," Mr. Pangalos said during a wide- ranging press conference on a number of foreign affairs issues.

He added that it was "unac-ceptable, paradoxical and unlawful" for the European Commission to propose funding for Turkey as a "developing" country when the neighbouring state was attempting to become an EU member.

Athens said last month that it would refer the Commission to the European Court for its decision to approve a 150-million-Ecu package of economic aid to Turkey.

The Commission's plan, put forward by External Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek, circumvents a standing Greek veto pre-venting the release of EU funds to Turkey, by adopting a new regulation terming Turkey a "develo- ping" country, which requires only a special majority for approval by EU foreign ministers.

Greek objections to date have been successful in preventing disbursement, as the package was envisaged as aid to an associate member in preparation for membership, which requires unanimity.

Mr. Pangalos reiterated that if the Commission's proposal was adopted by the General Affairs Council, "Greece will react using all means at its disposal", citing in particular its ability to have recourse to the European Court of Justice and efforts to gain the support of the European Parliament.

In this latter respect, Mr. Pangalos referred to the decision of the European Parliament last month to adopt an amendment by the Budget Committee eliminating credits earmarked for Turkey from the EU's budget reserves, citing a lack of legal grounds. Ask ed to comment on a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, according to which Ankara was "thawing" its frozen dialogue with the EU, Mr. Pangalos said if Turkey had indeed taken such a decision it was positive, while expressing the hope for a change of stance by Turkey on other issues also.

Replying to reporters' questions, Mr. Pangalos said Turkey, like many other countries, had the right at some point to become a full member of the EU, stressing that Greece had always maintained that Turkey had a European vocation.

However, he added, the EU has adopted a specific strategy for enlargement which involves the six candidate countries for which accession negotiations are to commence in a few days, a further five countries which will enter into negotiations at a later date and the European Conference.

In this respect, Mr. Pangalos said, the first problem is that Turkey refuses to participate in the European Conference.

"The EU does not beg countries to join. Candidate countries ask to become members...Turkey has been invited to participate (in the European Conference) but has declined the invitation. The first step therefore is Turkey's participation in this process," Mr. Pangalos said.

In addition, the foreign minister continued, participation in the EU also presupposes the fulfilment of certain other criteria. In this respect Mr. Pangalos noted that all countries participating in the European Conference had to accept, on the basis of the Agenda 2000, the general jurisdiction of the International Court at The Hague.

"If Turkey takes this step, all our differences will be placed on a new footing and there can then be not one but 1,000 dialogues, because the outcome will be certain," Mr. Pangalos said. He added that Turkey should take this step "not for Greece, but chiefly for itself".

Asked by reporters about the armaments of US origin which have been deployed by Turkey in the occupied part of Cyprus, Mr. Pangalos said the issue had already been raised with the US Congress, in view of a US law prohibiting the sale and transport of US arms to the island republic.

Mr. Pangalos said the Greek side had given all the relevant information requested by the US government and underlined that Greece had not given any arms of US origin to Cyprus.

"Turkey is the one that is acting illegally by transporting US weapons to Cyprus. Ankara must furnish all the relevant information and the US government must take all the necessary measures for the enforcement of the US prohibitory law," Mr. Pangalos said.

Asked whether the commencement of such a process might affect Nicosia's planned installation of Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles on the island, Mr. Pangalos said Athens agreed with Nicosia that the de-escalation of armaments was something which would help improve the general climate. He added that this applied also in the case of the S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.

FYROM : Commenting on recent general elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Mr. Pangalos said Greece respected the domestic political life of the nei-ghbouring country and during the election campaign had maintained contacts with all the parties.

On the issue of our bilateral relations, he added, the positions of all (parties) were identical, both with regard to the promotion of these relations and the need for the United Nations to increase its efforts to resolve the problem of the neighbouring country's name.

The VMRO-DPMNE centre-right bloc which came to power after Sunday's second round of general elections in FYROM ended 53 years of centre-left and leftist rule.

Mr. Pangalos expressed satisfaction at the "serious and moderate" views expressed by VMRO's leader, Ljubco Georgievski, as opposed to positions presented by his party in the past.

As soon as a government is formed in FYROM, Mr. Pangalos added, Greece will try to develop relations of cooperation with it.

Athens News Agency

[02] Pay rises in 1999 to match 2.0 pct inflation target

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Papantoniou was speaking to representatives of the ADEDY civil servants' union at a meeting to discuss wages and conditions.

Union officials told reporters that the minister had dismissed the possibility of tax breaks next year, but he pledged to consider indexation of the tax scale and a higher tax-exempt level for 2000.

Mr. Papantoniou also said that the government would not award civil servants an extra payment at the end of 1998 to bridge the gap between this year's pay rises, calculated on the basis of inflation forecasts, and higher-than-expected inflation for the year.

Payment of the corrective sum was common in the past.

Athens News Agency

[03] Gov't gives parliament bill to overhaul Athens urban transport

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Under the terms of the bill, Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA) is to acquire the city's remaining bus, trolley, and metro firms as subsidiaries and take charge of planning, operations and supervision.

Local government will have the right to buy up to 40 percent of OASA, sit on its board and provide auxilliary transport services to complement central routes.

The government will continue to subsidise fares and ensure funding for long- term contracts forged by OASA to purchase 750 buses, 192 trollies and 80 underground carriages.

Lines of the metro currently being built will eventually fall under OASA's jurisdiction.

The bill also introduces new labour regulations to better utilise staff, and allow transfers among OASA and its subsidiaries.

Split shifts will be employed for workers in order to improve services at peak hours, and disciplinary procedures are to be tightened.

The restructuring plan aims at cutting costs by 8.0 percent, or 5.0 billion drachmas a year.

Services will increase, especially during peak hours, by around 10 percent. The number of passengers is also expected to rise, boosting revenue.

Working hours for staff have been set at seven hours and 45 minutes daily, based on a five-day working week.

Public holidays will be reduced to 14 from 16 annually.

Finally, bus handovers by drivers will no longer be restricted to the starting and finishing points of routes.

Athens News Agency

[04] Gov't to auction 10-year bonds, investors reposition to buy

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The re-opening and settlement date is November 13, and no commission is payable.

Competitive bids will be submitted by the market's primary dealers. Also acceptable are non-competitive bids for up to 20 percent of the total.

The secondary bond market corrected slightly yesterday ahead of the auction with investors liquidating some holdings in order to take part in Tuesday's auction.

Athens News Agency

[05] Foreign inflows seen in forex market, drachma rises again

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The Bank of Greece made no major intervention at the daily fix in order to meet the demand for drachmas, stepping in only once for a minor yen deal worth 10 million dollars.

Selective interventions were made during the day's open market trade to cover part of demand, making it difficult to estimate a total for inflows.

The dollar was set at 280.070 drachmas at the fix, falling to 278.66 drachmas in the burst of late trade; the mark closed at 168.475 drachmas, later dropping to 167.80 drachmas; and the Ecu fell to 229.33 drachmas from 330.700 at the fix.

Liquidity in the domestic money market was tighter after an intervention by the Bank of Greece in the previous session.

National Bank of Greece quoted an overnight rate of 12.20 percent, a one- month rate of 12.25 percent, and a one-year rate of 11.30 percent.

Athens News Agency

[06] Greek stocks shed gains after late profit-taking

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Traders said the market reacted negatively to the central bank governor's apparent unease about a recent cut in lending rates by several commercial banks.

The general index ended 1.95 percent off at 2,254.37 points with turnover at 52.8 billion drachmas.

Sector indices mostly suffered losses.

Banks dropped 3.03 percent, Insurance fell 3.10 percent, Investment eased 1.81 percent, Leasing ended 1.23 percent off, Industrials fell 0.82 percent, Holding ended 0.68 percent down, but Construction and Miscellaneous bucked the trend to end 0.84 and 0 .38 percent up respectively.

The parallel market index for small cap companies fell 0.88 percent.

The day's volume was 12,807,000 shares.

Mytilineos, Strintzis Lines, Teletypos and Hellenic Petroleum were the most heavily traded stocks.

Decliners led advancers by 129 to 102 with another 22 issues unchanged. Halcor, General Warehouses, Bitros, Allatini, Alysida and Euromedica hit the daily 8.0 percent limit up, followed by Lampsa, Daring, Klaoudatos and St.George Mills, which scored major percentage gains.

Techniki Olympiaki, Alcar-Aemet, Eskimo, Halyps Cement, Viosol, Petzetakis, European Credit, Dimitriadis and National Insurance suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 41,980 drachmas, Ergobank at 25,550, Alpha Credit Bank at 23,405, Ionian Bank at 12,200, Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 6,420, Delta Dairy at 3,800, Intracom at 13,190, Titan Cement at 17,950, Hellenic Petroleum at 2,370 and Minoan Lines at 6,500 drachmas.

Athens News Agency

[07] Fixed-income mutual fund assets slip in October

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Poseidon mutual fund was at the top of the table with annual returns of 15.05 percent, followed by Metrolife with 14.09 pct, Interamerican 12.21 pct, Frontida 12.12 pct and International 12.12 pct.

The assets of foreign fixed-income mutual funds fell 4.16 percent to 121.2 billion drachmas to yield an average 7.55 percent from the beginning of 1998.

Nationale Nederlanden topped the list to yield 13.63 pct, followed by Ionian at 10.79 pct, Alpha 10.45 pct, Alico-Eurobank 10.41 pct and Alpha JPY 10.24 pct.

The assets of international fixed-income mutual funds fell 3.74 percent to 25.41 billion drachmas to yield an average 7.57 percent from the start of the year.

ATE International topped the list with an annual return of 12.23 pct, followed by Halcyon at 11.55 pct, Helvetia 10.30 pct, General 9.05 pct and Aspis 8.69 pct.

Athens News Agency

[08] Mailis reports 70 pct profit jump for Jan-Sept

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The group's consolidated sales increased 40 percent to 14.525 billion drachmas from 10.4 billion drachmas in 1997.

Exporter Mailis is listed on the main market of the Athens Stock Exchange and is considered one of the two biggest steel packaging industries in Greece.

Athens News Agency

[09] Tax changes for used automobiles

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The finance ministry's target is to have changes in taxation finalised as soon as possible so that, if possible, the relevant bill will be tabled in Parliament early next week. The bill's clauses will be valid from the day following its tabling. Consequ ently, it is expected that cars, both new and second-hand, will become cheaper as of next week.

Deputy Finance Minister George Drys held talks with the Federation of Automobile Importers yesterday and briefed it on government plans which will lead to a decrease in the price of new cars on an average of 5 per cent. He was also due to meet with repr esentatives of the federation of second-hand automobiles later in the day.

Athens News Agency

[10] Conference on quality, competitiveness in the foodstuffs sector

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The conference was inaugurated at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA) last night and will be organised by 16 bodies in the foodstuffs sector which is its paramount event for the current year of quality.

Yesterday's session focused on the legislative framework and its possible developments on the Greek and European foodstuffs industry. Quality systems, the institutional framework and control in foodstuffs, as well as what will happen in genetic mechanism products.

Athens News Agency

[11] New Macedonia-Thrace minister Magriotis points to 'tourism explosion'

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

He expressed a view that the tourism flow will increase due to Greece's expected EMU accession.

The minister called the port, airports, railway and highways infrastructure improvements "inflexible options" and added that "the state and the proffesionals in the tourism section must jointly work on creating a complete program of tourism development ".

The secretary general of the National Greek Tourism Organisation (EOT) Mihalis Kyriakidis said that the "expansion of the tourism season and the development of alternative forms of tourism are priorities set by the government..."

He also said that between 1995-1997, some 155 billion drachmas were invested by the state.

Athens News Agency

[12] Gov't on Turkish reaction to EU Commission report

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Reppas made the statement when called on to comment on a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who expressed his country's satisfaction over yesterday's European Commission report and spoke of a "thaw in relations" between the EU and Turkey.

Mr. Reppas also said that Greece is in favour of a rapprochement between the EU and Turkey which, however, is feasible under certain conditions and, primarily, provided it is proved in practice to what degree Turkey desires closer relations with the EU .

Referring to the Commission's report, Mr. Reppas said that this issue would be discussed initially at the Council of Foreign Ministers on Monday, as well as at the December summit.

Athens News Agency

[13] Simitis in Poland

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

During his stay, Mr. Simitis will have talks with Mr. Buzek on bilateral and international issues.

He will also meet with Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and have talks with the speakers of Poland's house of representatives and senate and political party leaders.

Athens News Agency

[14] Pangalos strongly criticises PASOK dissidents,ND

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

He announced that in PASOK's next congress he will raise an issue of amending the party charter regarding the elections of members to the central committee and executive bureau.

Referring particularly to the executive bureau, he said: "It should be a small and flexible organ of seven to nine members", and not include "politicians who aim to turn PASOK into a minority" - an apparent reference to dissidents.

"Past phenomena must disappear because with the large number of members in the bureau, (party founder Andreas) Papandreou wished either to ridicule collective procedures or find positions for some of his own men".

He stressed, nevertheless, that it was not enough for disagreements to exist within the party, they also had to find expression.

"Those who disagree must tell us what they propose, otherwise, they constitute phenomena of mental retardation and must be expelled," he added.

Commenting on the 11 dissenting deputies who questioned the expediency of the recent vote of confidence in Parliament, Mr. Pangalos said "those who do not support the party belong in the madhouse".

He also referred to certain of his fellow party members who spoke in "demagogic and abstract terms, which appealed like a flute to the ears of citizens, and resembling the language of Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos."

"In the end, Mr. Avramopoulos has created a school. And the ladies' and gentlemen's school of 'Mr. Nothing' is continuously enrolling new members," he blasted.

Mr. Pangalos lost the Athens mayor's race to Mr. Avramopoulos in 1994.

Further stoking the fire, he described New Democracy (ND) leader Costas Karamanlis as "a bad, provincial imitation of Mr. Avramopoulos."

ND response : Reacting to the foreign minister's barrage, ND spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos said:

"With his delirium today, Mr. Pangalos proved two things: First, what insults really are?...Some-thing useful for Mr. Simitis, who does not know the term...and second, that his words belong to the competence of a psychiatrist".

Skandalidis : Finally, PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis yesterday said that conditions within the party are better, declining detailed comments.

He added that there is common opinion as far as the proposal of Mr. Simitis on the issue of municipal and prefectural election results, while he deferred all further comments after a meeting of PASOK's central committee today.

Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Mr. Pangalos and Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou did not attend the meeting.

Athens News Agency

[15] PASOK executive bureau holds introspective session

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

According to reports, Mr. Simitis stressed that changes within PASOK are a necessary condition for the party's survival, while saying his policy revolves around three axes: unity, decisiveness and reform.

On his part, Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos requested that specific policies portraying the government's image in a negative light be discussed at next spring's PASOK congress. He added that instead of "development, stability and social protection ", some are only promoting stabililty in order to achieve their goals.

Development Minister Vasso Papandreou called for an acceleration of changes within the ruling party, emphasising that the "party is in a coma".

During discussion focusing on results from the recent local government elections, several executive bureau members attributed the poor showing of PASOK to "pathogenic symptoms" exhibited in the party.

Athens News Agency

[16] Amnesty International-Greece hands American envoy report on US human rights abuses

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Amnesty International-Greece has begun a campaign to highlight human rights abuses in and by the United States.

Members of the delegation gave Mr. Burns a replica of the Statue of Liberty as a pointed reminder that the US itself has not yet managed to ensure the protection of the rights of all, both within the U.S. and abroad, as the group stated.

Amnesty's report focuses on the "violation of human rights in the US by police officers and prison guards as well as the arbitrary and discriminatory use of the death penalty and tendency to imprison those requesting political asylum." Also a focus of criticism by Amnesty is what it called a US "double standard in foreign policy and commitments to protecting human ri-ghts elsewhere in the world".

According to a statement by Pierre Chanet, the general secretary of Amnesty International, as the "biggest producer and exporter of arms in the world, the US contributes to the violation of human rights by other governments and to abuses by armed groups , including torture and political murder".

Mr. Chanet pointed to the case of Turkey, where in 1995, according to a US State Department report, American-made military equipment was used in the displacement of Kurdish villagers and in the committing of other human rights abuses.

Athens News Agency Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The US embassy in Athens yesterday announced that all US federal government offices operating in Greece will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans' Day, a US national holiday.

Athens News Agency

[17] 109 Parliament MPs revive invitation towards Ocalan

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Ocalan is reportedly staying somewhere in Russia.

The invitation is signed by the Parliament's three vice-presidents, several ruling PASOK and opposition Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) deputies, one main opposition New Democracy deputy and one independent.

The signatures were collected by recently reinstated PASOK MP Christos Kypouros, who noted that a similar invitation had been issued by 186 MPs 18 months ago.

The petition calls Abdullah Ocalan "the legal representative and leader of a people who are today the most oppressed in the world, a people between liberation and genocide".

About 29,000 people have been killed in the long-running fight between Kurdish separatists and Turkish forces in the southeast of Turkey.

The Russian lower house of parliament (Duma) on Wednesday urged Russian President Boris Yeltsin to grant asylum to Mr. Ocalan, who has been on the run since Turkey pressured Syria last month to hand him over.

Turkey claims the PKK leader is in Moscow and has asked for Russia to extradite him. However, Russian authorities deny any knowledge of Mr. Ocalan's whereabouts.

Athens News Agency

[18] French mayor honoured for idea to unite Greek-founded Med port cities

AGDE, France 06/11/1998 (ANA - D. Stamboglis)

During a visit, Mr. Papandreou honoured professor Antoine de Neuville for his contribution to classical studies and for the dissemination of Greek civilisation to French youth.

Prof. de Neuville established the university network "Athens", aimed at preserving the Greek language.

The Mediterranean ancient Greek port cities initiative includes Adge, Thilini, Olvia and Marseille of France, Paphos and Larnaca in Cyprus, Alexandria in Egypt, Pythagoreion in Samos, Selinous of Italy, Tzebra of Tunisia and Pyous of Georgia.

The network aims at cultural exchange between the cities founded from a common past, and the reinstitution of bonds between them.

Athens News Agency

[19] Draft agreement between UNESCO, Greece on 'cultural olympiad' approved

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The unanimous approval by the 29th UNESCO Conference in Paris in 1997 of a proposal presented by Mr. Venizelos and the establishment of the International Cultural Olympiad Foundation with International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch, UNESCO general director Federico Major and Mr. Venizelos as the founders.

Greece's success lies in the fact that the "cultural olympiad" is not a series of cultural events accompanying the Olympic Games, as was the case so far, but a permanent institution based in Greece.

Athens News Agency

[20] Boycott of Izmir expo called due to pseudo-state

Athens 06/11/1998 (ANA)

The Turkish Cypriot pseudo-state was illegally formed in the Turkish- occupied part of Cyprus in November 1983.

Only Turkey, whose forces occupy the area since an invasion in 1974, recognise the entity.

Athens News Agency LIMASSOL 06/11/1998 (ANA/CNA)

Panionios Athens qualified for the quarter-finals of the European CupWinners' Cup, beating Apollon Limassol 1-0 last night. In the first leg, played in Nea Smyrni two weeks ago, Panionios defeated Apollon 3-2. The only goal of the match played at Tsirion Stadium was scored in the 18th minute by Antonis Sapountzis.

Athens News Agency

[21] Cooperation protocol between Greece, FYROM statistical services

SKOPJE 06/11/1998 (ANA - M. Vihou)

The protocol was signed on the part of FYROM by the statistical service's head, Dodco Gerasimovski, and on the part of Greece by ESYE Secretary General Nikos Karavitis.

It stresses a common interest of both sides to develop cooperation in the direction of a greater exchange of information and to strengthen relations between the two countries' statistical services.

Athens News Agency

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