Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 98-11-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens points to dismal Turkish human rights situation as Ocalan issue escalates

[02] Greek progress seen towards EMU entry - the Economist

[03] Greek stocks sprint ahead, led by banks

[04] Gov't to draw up blacklist of engineering contractors

[05] Prinos oil group management, workers still in deadlock

[06] Xiosbank completes acquisition of Interact brokerage

[07] Greek-Bulgarian fibre optics link ready within six months

[08] Olympic Airways restructuring before part-sale

[09] Wind parks to be built on Crete

[10] Seminar on Greek economy to be held in Paris

[11] Tax hike for merchants, self-employed professionals taxed with objective criteria

[12] Agriculture Minister Anomeritis speaks of 'new communication policy'

[13] DIS more than triples profits

[14] Greek-French business meeting

[15] New German FM Fischer on Turkey's accession prospects

[16] G. Papandreou visit to Bonn

[17] Greek-Uzbeki military cooperation agreement signed

[18] NATO ratification for Larissa sub-headquarters pending

[19] Gov't: No decision on new European Commissioner

[20] Pharmaceuticals sent to Cuba

[21] Greek participation at Australian food fair

[22] Mediterranean environmental protection discussed in Libya

[23] Crutzen calls on industries to comply with agreements on emissions

[24] JETRO aims to promote Greek exports to Japan

[25] Athens Foreign Exchange

[01] Athens points to dismal Turkish human rights situation as Ocalan issue escalates

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Turkey's accusations against Greece resurfaced on Tuesday and yesterday, after its failure so far to secure the extradition of PKK's leader Abdullah Ocalan from Italy. Mr. Ocalan was arrested at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Nov. 12 after arriving from Moscow on a false passport, and demanded political asylum.

In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Massimo D' Alema angrily dismissed threats addressed earlier by Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz, saying that Italy "will not be subjected to unjustifiable intimidation".

The Ocalan and the Kurdish issues "are not an Italian-Turkish problem, but a problem concerning the whole of Europe. We expect from European countries an attitude of solidarity," Mr. D'Alema told a press conference yesterday.

In Athens, a foreign ministry statement rejected Turkish accusations that it was supporting the PKK and reiterated that human rights in Turkey were flagrantly violated, while Ankara was in a state of "complete confusion."

"Ankara, in a state of complete confusion, evidently because the Ocalan case has again brought to the forefront the tragic dimension of the problem of the flagrant violation of human rights in Turkey, went ahead with an unprovoked attack against Greece yesterday by hurling threats and unfounded accusations," the statement read.

"The Greek government has no desire to become entangled in a futile exchange of announcements with the Turkish side, which has an unenviable track record not only in the area of the violation of fundamental human rights but also in the blatant breach of the rules and principles of international law.

"The Turkish side is unable, as it seems, to understand that citizens in Greece, and members of Parliament, even more so, have absolute freedom to express their opinion. The Turkish side interprets this freedom as support for terrorism. The Greek govern ment has condemned terrorism from wherever it may originate and has categorically stated to the Turkish side at the highest level that it has not provided any support whatsoever to the PKK. Consequently, the Turkish claims are rejected as unfounded and groundless," the statement continued.

"Nobody can ignore that the Kurdish issue constitutes a real political issue which must be resolved with peaceful means and on the basis of respect for human rights.

"Ankara did not limit itself, however, to an attack against Greece alone, but also went ahead with formulating accusations and threats against Cyprus. Greece merely observes that the country which invaded Cyprus, infringing every principle and every con cept of international law and is continuing to occupy, despite the reaction of the international community and UN resolutions, a large part of the Republic of Cyprus, has no legitimacy in invoking international treaties and international commitments.

"The Greek government with regret notes that Ankara, rather than attempting rapprochement, has chosen the path which takes it further from the civilised democratic countries of Europe," the statement concluded.

Gov't protests to Turkish envoy : On his part, government spokesman Yiannis Nikolaou said that Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis yesterday strongly protested to the Turkish ambassador in Athens regarding the Turkish accusations.

Mr. Nikolaou clarified, however, that yesterday's meeting between Mr. Kranidiotis and the Turkish envoy was scheduled.

Ankara on Tuesday said Athens and Nicosia were "playing with fire", following Cyprus' statement that Mr. Ocalan not be turned over to Turkey due to its less than stellar performance in the human rights field.

"We want to warn the Greek Cypriot administration of the consequences it will face...if it maintains its aid and support to the PKK," the Turkish foreign ministry statement added. It did not elaborate.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem reiterated yesterday Ankara's accusations, saying that Greece should abandon "its dangerous game with terrorism", with reference to PKK.

He made the statement in an interview to the Austrian News Agency (APA), on the sidelines of a three-day official visit in which he is accompanying Turkish President Suleyman Demirel.

Mr. Cem also addresed a warning to western European countries that in case Italy granted political asylum to Mr. Ocalan, there would be de-stabilisation through the "Mafia network", which, he claimed, was behind PKK.

He said it was not likely Turkey would abolish the death penalty soon, for the additional reason that this would seem as a concession under pressure on account of this "common criminal", a reference to the PKK leader.

Denial of press reports regarding Ocalan stop-over : Meanwhile,the government yesterday also described as "a good piece of fiction" an Athens newspaper report which claimed that Mr. Ocalan had stopped-off at Athens airport on Oct. 9 to sound out the Greek government about the possibility of being granted political asylum.

"There was never any such issue," government spokesman Nikolaou said, adding "Greece is in no way getting involved in this issue for any reason".

A report in Tuesday's edition of the Athens daily "Athinaiki" claimed that Mr. Ocalan stopped-off in Athens on October 9.

The spokesman stressed that the Kurdish problem was not a Greek-Turkish problem, but a political issue that concerned Turkey "which should resolve it alone and not try to export it".

Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou said on Tuesday that the issue arising from Mr. Ocalan's arrival and detention in Italy was a problem for all of Europe and must be tackled.

DHKKI : Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas visited Italian ambassador to Athens, Enrico Pietromarchi, at the embassy yesterday and conveyed DHKKI's views, stressing that Mr. Ocalan should be granted political asylum by Rome.

Afterwards, Mr. Tsovolas visited Kurd refugees who are on hunger strike at Klafthmonos Square and delivered a cheque to them for 500,000 drachmas as economic aid.

A further eight ruling PASOK deputies yesterday added their signatures to a call for an extraordinary debate on the Kurdish problem, bringing the total to 18.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) deputy Stratis Korakas announced in Parliament that the United European Left group in the parliamentary assembly of the Counicl of Europe had sent a letter to Mr. D'Alema, urging Rome to grant political asylum to Mr. Ocalan.

Kurds in Greece : Finally, a Kurdish man went on a hunger strike in Thessaloniki demanding that political asylum be granted to Mr. Ocalan. The man was rushed to a hospital yesterday morning with signs of fatigue.

Doctors said later that 32-year-old Mazer Dogan's condition was not life threatening.

About 30 other Kurds entered the sixth day of a hunger strike in the Kamara area of downtown Thessaloniki, while they have installed a satellite linkup to monitor developments in the Ocalan case on the satellite Kurdish television station being broadcast from the Netherlands.

The total Kurdish population in Greece, including political refugees, numbers around 3,000.

Athens News Agency

[02] Greek progress seen towards EMU entry - the Economist

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The government deficit fell from 7.5 percent of gross domestic product in 1996 to 4.0 percent in 1997, it said in its latest issue.

Despite high interest rates on the government debt (109 percent of GDP), the 1998 deficit should fall to close to 3.0 percent, and, as interest rates fall, it will drop comfortably under 3.0 percent of GDP in 1999. Ten- year interest rates on government debt are also falling and likely to be well below the Maastricht threshold by end-1999.

The inflation criterion for convergence with other EU states is the only one that could still trip up the government, the Economist said.

Inflation has remained stubbornly above 5.0 percent, but it should fall gradually in 1999, and, with the help of cuts in indirect taxes, should just squeeze under the EMU barrier.

However, there are dangers that tension with Turkey over Cyprus, or an escalation of the Kosovo conflict, could lead to a collapse in financial markets' confidence in Greece.

"But if luck and Prime Minister Costas Simitis' nerve hold, Greece will be ready to enter euroland, creating a feeling of local pride that will grow as Greece prepares for the Olympics, to be held in Athens in 2004," the Economist said.

Athens News Agency

[03] Greek stocks sprint ahead, led by banks

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The rate cut has sparked hopes of a similar decline in European and domestic markets.

The general index ended 2.12 percent higher at 2,352.60 points in active trade of 55.1 billion drachmas. Volume was 12,363,000 shares.

Sector indices scored gains.

Banks rose 2.56 percent, Leasing was 0.23 percent up, Insurance increased 1.79 percent, Investments ended 2.43 percent higher, Industrials ended 1.57 percent up, Miscellaneous rose 2.40 percent, Holding increased 1.86 percent, but Construction bucked the trend to end 0.42 percent off.

The parallel market index for small cap companies ended 1.21 percent higher.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 154 to 88 with another 21 issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation, Strintzis Lines, Thessaliki and Ideal were the most heavily traded stocks.

Proodos, Rocas, Vis, Sportsman, Ideal, Dimitriadis, Nikas and Ergas scored the biggest percentage gains, hitting the daily 8.0 percent limit up.

On the other hand, Fintexport hit the daily 8.0 percent limit down, while Mouzakis, Levenderis, Pavlides, Mesohoritis, Technodomi, Xylemporia, Ergodata and Attica Aluminium suffered major losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 46,050 drachmas, Ergobank at 26,800, Alpha Credit Bank at 25,160, Ionian Bank at 11,955, Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 6,625, Delta Dairy at 3,910, Intracom at 13,120, Titan Cement at 18,770, Hellenic Petro leum at 2,365 and Minoan Lines at 6,390 drachmas.

Athens News Agency

[04] Gov't to draw up blacklist of engineering contractors

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The ministry has so far ordered 18 engineering contractors to foot a 7.0 billion drachma bill to remedy substandard workmanship, also including fines, Mr. Laliotis told a news conference.

The offenders include Olympic Metro, which is building a new underground network for Athens. The firm will have to fork out 3.0 billion drachmas to redo works that failed to meet project specifications. The minister indicated that the reason for poor workmanship was generally a desire to make more profits, and not a lack of technical knowhow.

Contractors were not used to being inspected, he added.

Spot checks on projects funded under the European Union's second Community Support Framework (CSF) in 1994-1998 had risen to 130 from 81 checks under the first CSF in 1989-1993.

Exacerbating the problem, contractors had been slow in carrying out improvements ordered by the ministry, even in projects that had been in public use for four years, including the Athens-Corinth motorway and Athens Yliki highway, Mr. Laliotis said.

He also charged the main opposition party with a poor record of quality in public works during its previous term in government.

Under the system of inspections, contractors are ordered to carry out remedial work at their own expense, and the work is then checked. If they refuse, they receive the bill in any case.

A record of violations is kept and taken into account if the firms guilty of breaches later bid in tenders for public works.

Athens News Agency

[05] Prinos oil group management, workers still in deadlock

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The consortium last weekend announced that it would halt output on November 23 if it was unable to cut operational costs by around 30 percent, a week later than originally planned.

Workers have rejected outright the plan for 180 lay-offs among 400 staff and a 30 percent wage cut for remaining staff.

The plan also involves changing industrial relations at NAPC's installations and hiring sub-contractors.

At a meeting held at the labour ministry in a bid to defuse the stand-off, the two sides failed to reach agreement.

But Deputy Labour Minister Chistos Protopapas, who proposed the meeting, said he was strongly opposed to mass redundancies.

He asked NAPC for a two-week grace period so that he could hold separate talks with management and workers in a bid to achieve consensus, and therefore the continuation of operations.

In addition, the development ministry's secretary general proposed that NAPC could embark on a new seismic shoot at the Athos site with the government footing 50 percent of the bill, instead of 25 percent, its usual contribution for exploration.

Union leader Athanassios Lamokas told reporters after the meeting: "In no event will workers agree to pay cuts and redundancies for colleagues."

The union backs the initiative by Mr. Protopapas.

NAPC has installations off the island of Thassos and near the mainland town of Kavala.

The firm has said that if it cannot effect a 30 percent cut in operational costs, it will retain a small team of workers in order to wind up production and guard installations.

Athens News Agency

[06] Xiosbank completes acquisition of Interact brokerage

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Private Xiosbank now owns 47 percent of Interact's share capital and an additional 20 percent of voting rights, which, combined, constitute a majority holding.

The acquisition deal also contains an option for Xiosbank to buy another 20 percent of Interact's shares in the future.

The bank plans to boost Interact's share capital by the end of the year so that shareholders' equity rises to 2.0 billion drachmas, the floor required under new bourse rules for a firm to seek listing.

Shareholders of Interact are now Xiosbank (47 percent), Venetsianos Kakkavas (50 percent), and Dimitrios Vottas (3.0 percent).

As part of its plan to boost capital market activities through acquisition of the brokerage, Xiosbank plans to set up 10 financial advisory centres in 1999 to supplement its network.

The centres will handle specialised financial products for the bank's customers aiming at low investment and operational costs, and rapid implementation.

The centres will be grouped under an investment services company and handle mutual funds, securities, personal banking products, insurance products, share transactions and investment consultancy.

Athens News Agency

[07] Greek-Bulgarian fibre optics link ready within six months

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Authorities on Tuesday launched a new stretch of the cable in Bulgaria that is finally to link Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, to the northern city of Thessaloniki.

Undertaking the project is Intracom of Greece, a high-technology communications specialist that is listed on the Athens bourse, and is also active in the Balkans.

Intracom expects to complete the cable within six months against the one- year deadline contained in the original deal with BTK, Bulgaria's state telecom, which is funding the project.

The cable on the Greek side has already been completed.

Athens News Agency

[08] Olympic Airways restructuring before part-sale

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

He was commenting on media reports that British Airways and Germany's Lufthansa were interested in an alliance with Olympic Airways.

Mr. Mandelis said that Olympic should first regain its position in the market, and then the government would consider either a flotation or a partial sale of the airline.

Athens News Agency

[09] Wind parks to be built on Crete

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The contract, which follows an international tender, calls for the construction of two wind parks containing 17 600KW wind generators for a power total of 10.2 MW.

The project will contribute to energy demand in the island of Crete, particularly in the summer months, and at the same time improve the environment in the island by reducing the use of fossil fuel power stations.

The project is expected to be completed in 13 months.

Athens News Agency

[10] Seminar on Greek economy to be held in Paris

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Among speakers at the seminar are Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and Deputy National Economy Minister Alekos Baltas.

French representatives of business will discuss their experiences in Greece of the industry and infrastructure sectors.

Athens News Agency

[11] Tax hike for merchants, self-employed professionals taxed with objective criteria

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

An amendment tabled in Parliament by Deputy Finance Minister George Drys set the percentage for the leasing value of professional space at 8.25 per cent from 7.25 per cent, which was valid for last year's income.

The objective values on which the percentage is assessed for the finding of the leasing value of real estate used as working space will remain at 1993 levels.

On the occasion of the amendment's tabling, Mr. Drys said objective criteria will be abolished in 1999 since the "TAXIS" programme will be completed at tax offices. "There will be no objective criteria from the year 2000," he said.

Athens News Agency

[12] Agriculture Minister Anomeritis speaks of 'new communication policy'

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

In his short speech, Mr. Anomeritis called on all agricultural bodies to rally together in order to cooperate and jointly map-out methods and positions to resolve the sector's problems.

He announced that his ministry's political leadership will begin tours of the provinces on Nov. 29.

Stressing that the ministry's job was to reach all corners in the country, the minister asked farmers' representatives to submit their proposals by the end of next month for the reformation of the Agricultural Policy Council.

Participants in yesterday's meeting looked into the Regional Development Plan 2000-2006 for agriculture and fishery, and a forest policy. The deputy governor of the Agricultural Bank of Greece (ATE) Thanassis Papageorgiou defended the bank's circular providing for legal action against farmers with outstanding debts to the state-run bank.

The circular refers to 25,000 outstanding debtors who have not paid their debts and ceased dealings with the bank since 1990.

Athens News Agency

[13] DIS more than triples profits

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

According to the accounting report for the above period, its turnover amounted to 1.6 billion drachmas, increasing by 95 per cent, and its pre- tax profits approached 348 million drachmas, showing an increase of 247 per cent as against the corresponding period last year.

DIS is listed with the Athens Stock Exchange's parallel market and its management expects that in 1998 mixed profits will amount to 1.086 billion drachmas (773 million drachmas last year). In 1997 net pre-tax profits totalled 456 million drachmas, while they are expected to amount to 550 million drachmas this year.

Athens News Agency

[14] Greek-French business meeting

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The Greek delegation comprises 21 business executives representing a number of sectors of Greek industry, who will seek to strike new deals or to continue and extend existing ones.

A one-day seminar on "Greece at the Dawn of the New Millennium", is organised on Friday at the Paris Chamber to present developments in Greece's economy and investments opportunities.

The meeting, to be attended by Greek and French government and business officials, will hear addresses by Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, National Economy Deputy Minister Alekos Baltas and the president of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organising

Committee, Stratis Stratigis.

Gas prices will decrease as of today and for a week while prices of heating oil will increase. The price of diesel will remain unchanged.

Specifically, decreases in gasoline will be 0.90 drachmas per litre for super and unleaded gasoline; the increase in heating oil will be 0.30 drachmas per litre for quantities of more than 1,000 litres.

In the Attica region and the Thessaloniki prefecture super gasoline will cost 197.90 drachmas per litre, unleaded 181.50 drachmas per litre and heating oil 69.30 drachmas per litre.

More than 280 vehicles have formed long lines on both sides of entry points from Turkey and Bulgaria into Greece, due to a three-day strike of the customs employees that started yesterday.

Customs officials allow, by exception, the entrance only to lorries carrying perishable goods and medicines, as well as to vehicles carrying ill or elderly passengers.

Athens News Agency

[15] New German FM Fischer on Turkey's accession prospects

BONN 19/11/1998 (ANA - P. Stangos)

However, he quickly added that "if Turkey wishes to walk the road of accession to the EU, then it is a candidate-country like all the others," a "clear differentiation" in Bonn's foreign policy from the previous government.

Speaking to foreign correspondents on Tuesday night, however, Mr. Fischer also insisted on the "other side" of this position, stressing that this "presupposed that Turkey would implement these values within the country".

"It is a condition of membership which all candidate countries must fulfill, " he added.

Responding to a question as to whether a political solution to the Cyprus problem was a condition for a successful conclusion of the island republic's membership negotiations with the EU, Mr. Fischer said it was not a demand but the expression of a hope .

"It is a hope, which, I personally, with regard to Turkey, link with the status of an EU candidate country, and the conversion, step by step, of this status, with a stable accession statusIWe all link the hope of a comprehensive solution and settlement opf the problem with Turkey's wish to accede to the EU," he said.

He made it clear there was no question of suspending accession netotiations with Cyprus. "Cyprus is a candidate country. This is a definitive decision and the relevant negotiations must now go on. They will not be simple, but they will go on, " he stressed.

Nevertheless, the content of the "clear differentiation" from the Kohl government's positions on Turkey's accession is still considered relatively 'murky', as linking that country's European prospects with its religious and cultural identity was never an official policy of the German foreign ministry, but rather "unofficially" voiced concerns of European Christian Democrats, from which the then chancellor had publicly distanced himself during Turkish PM Mesut Yilmaz's visit to Germany in March 1997.

Athens News Agency

[16] G. Papandreou visit to Bonn

BONN 19/11/1998 (ANA - P. Stangos)

According to sources, the meeting will be in preparation for a visit to Germany by Prime Minister Costas Simitis for talks with new Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

The two men will hold talks in view of the EU Vienna summit on Dec. 13, ahead of Germany taking up the Union's presidency on Jan. 1.

Mr. Simitis' visit is estimated to take place at the end of the first week of December. Deputy Foreign Minister Yinnnos Kranidiotis is also likely to pay a visit to Bonn, which was postponed last week.

Athens News Agency

[17] Greek-Uzbeki military cooperation agreement signed

TASHKENT 19/11/1998 (ANA - D. Konstantakopoulos)

The accord is the first of its type to be signed between Greece and a country of former Soviet Central Asia which has traditionally enjoyed good ties with Ankara.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos also had talks yesterday with Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, while today he will meet with Prime Minister Utkir Sultanov and the Uzbek Parliament Speaker Erkin Khalilov. Speaking to reporters accompanying him, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos prai-sed Uzbekistan's role as "an island of stability in a volatile part of the world".

During talks with the Greek side, Uzbek officials made it clear that Tashkent wanted to consolidate its indpendent course, without Russia being replaced by another power in the role of "big brother".

The military cooperation agreement signed yesterday has three main axes: activities within the framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace programme, cooperation as part of a collective policy of Eurasian security - as is being shaped by the Euroatlantic Council - and thirdly, purely bilateral relations. The accord provides for the training of Uzbek officers at Greek military academies and joint participation in Partnership for Peace exercises.

Also of interest to the former Soviet republic is the issue of resolving problems of inter-operability between western and eastern weapons systems, a sector in which Greece has acquired experience due to Russian-manufactured armaments it acquired or int ends to buy.

The Greek minister also said both sides want accession to a "joint European security policy" regarding to security vis-a-vis the transport of oil from the greater region. He added that a European initiative on the crucial issue is necessary.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' visit will be followed by talks in Tashkent between National Economy Undersecretary Alekos Baltas and the granting by Athens of credits totalling 50 million dollars.

President Kostis Stephanopoulos, meanwhile, will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan next March. In addition, a Greek embassy is expected to open soon in Tashkent. Up to now, Greece has been represented in Uzbekistan by its embassy in Moscow.

Athens News Agency

[18] NATO ratification for Larissa sub-headquarters pending

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The Military Committee will also be briefed on the situation in Bosnia- Herzegovina and Kosovo and the alliance's method of action will be evaluated.

Other issues to be examined are the acession of new members to the alliance, NATO's activities with Russia and Ukraine and the implementation of the Combined Joint Attack Force doctrine. Reference will also be made to conclusions drawn from the activities of the Partnership for Peace programme.

The meeting will be attended by the National Defence General Staff Chiefs of NATO member states as well as of Partnership for Peace countries. Greece will be represented by National Defence General Staff Chief Athanasios Tzoganis.

Athens News Agency

[19] Gov't: No decision on new European Commissioner

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The spokesman was replying to reporters' questions concerning press reports claiming that Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou was the frontrunner for the post.

"The prime minister has time to decide," Mr. Nikolaou said, adding "for the time being, Christos Papoutsis is the Commissioner".

Athens News Agency

[20] Pharmaceuticals sent to Cuba

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The assistance was handed over to Cuban authorities by a Greek inter-party parliamentary delegation currently visiting the country. The delegation is on a visit to Cuba and Mexico on the invitation of the countries' parliaments.

In Athens yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis had talks with his Cuban counterpart Isabelle Alliende on Cuba's role in regional integration in Latin America and the Caribbean, Havana's progress in human rights issues and efforts to combat narcotics trafficking.

At a bilateral level, the two sides ascertained the existence of very friendly relations, as reflected by the two countries' cooperation in international organisations.

Mr. Kranidiotis told Ms Alliende that Greece intended to support Cuba's participation in the European Union -Latin America - Caribbean summit meeting scheduled for June 1999 in Rio de Janeiro.

A headline in Wednesday's "Bulletin" that Mr. Kranidiotis was visiting Cuba was incorrect.

Athens News Agency

[21] Greek participation at Australian food fair

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

The food and beverage exhibition is the largest of its kind in that country.

For more information call HEPO at (01) 99.82.100.

Athens News Agency

[22] Mediterranean environmental protection discussed in Libya

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Environment Duputy Minister Theodoros Koliopanos, who is representing Greece at the meeting, said that this is a forum both "for the protection of the Mediterranean basin as a unified eco-system from many sources of pollution and for the peaceful co-exi stence of the 21 participating countries."

Greece is the permanent host of the executive bureau.

Athens News Agency

[23] Crutzen calls on industries to comply with agreements on emissions

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Prof. Crutzen, currently on Crete to participate in a scientific conference, said that if major industries adhered to agreements they have signed, the hole in the ozone layer will shrink.

Athens News Agency

[24] JETRO aims to promote Greek exports to Japan

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

Athens News Agency

[25] Athens Foreign Exchange

Athens 19/11/1998 (ANA)

                     ATHENS FOREIGN EXCHANGE
         Bang of Greece closing rates of: November 18,1998
                      Parities in Drachmas

Banknotes          Buying   Selling
US Dollar          277.849  284.291
Can.Dollar         178.818  182.964
Australian Dlr     176.774  180.873
Pound Sterling     465.030  475.812
Irish Punt         414.656  424.270
Pound Cyprus       564.686  577.779
Pound Malta        697.008  726.050
Turkish pound (100)  0.085    0.089
French franc        49.747   50.900
Swiss franc        202.542  207.238
Belgian franc        8.085    8.272
German Mark        166.899  170.769
Finnish Mark        54.866   56.138
Dutch Guilder      147.907  151.337
Danish Kr.          43.864   44.881
Swedish Kr.         34.706   35.511
Norwegian Kr.       37.446   38.314
Austrian Sh.        23.725   24.275
Italian lira (100)  16.848   17.239
Yen (100)          229.678  235.003
Spanish Peseta       1.960    2.006
Port. Escudo         1.626    1.664

Foreign Exchange   Buying   Selling
New York           277.849  284.291
Montreal           178.818  182.964
Sydney             176.774  180.873
London             465.030  475.812
Dublin             414.656  424.270
Nicosia            564.686  577.779
Paris               49.747   50.900
Zurich             202.542  207.238
Brussels             8.085    8.272
Frankfurt          166.899  170.769
Helsinki            54.866   56.138
Amsterdam          147.907  151.337
Copenhagen          43.864   44.881
Stockholm           34.706   35.511
Oslo                37.446   38.314
Vienna              23.725   24.275
Milan               16.848   17.239
Tokyo              229.678  235.003
Madrid               1.960    2.006
Lisbon               1.626    1.664

Athens News Agency

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