Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 98-11-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Winter arrives with snowfall in the north, torrential rain in the south

[02] Lack of computerisation `a block` against `millennium bug` in Greece

[03] Prince of Wales to arrive in Greece

[04] Croatian president begins official visit on Monday

[05] Simitis, Schroeder to meet early December

[06] Greek, Turkish chambers to meet in Lesvos

[07] New Democracy national conference put back a week

[08] Europarliament MPs call for Ocalan asylum

[09] ABNA resolution on journalists' rights

[10] Axis X corridor discussed in Thessaloniki

[11] Paris conference focuses on `Greece in the next millennium`

[12] Panhellenic Demographic Congress session discusses low birth- rate

[13] British director says Parthenon Marbles should be returned

[14] Current account deficit narrows under new calculation

[15] EU pleased with Greek absorption of funds

[16] Greek stocks finish higher in brisk trade

[17] Panafon's share price set at Dr 5,100 after heavy IPO demand

[18] Athens bourse sees upsurge in week

[19] Minoan Lines signs order for two newbuildings

[20] Athens bourse to launch new share sale

[21] Central bank takes tentative step to slow drachma's rise

[22] Commercial Bank calls repeat shareholders meeting Dec 4

[23] New Democracy wants public utilities independent of state

[24] Greek exporters group promotes use of EU funds in China

[25] Greek investors eye Montenegro, ambassador says

[26] EU industrial output increases by 0.6% between June-Aug.

[27] Commission to take up measure against 'juvenile-sex' tourism

[28] Athens Foreign exchange

[01] Winter arrives with snowfall in the north, torrential rain in the south

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

In Athens, the sudden onset of winter and heavy rains caused near-chaotic traffic congestion and flooding of basement apartments throughout the Greek capital. The fire department reported receiving hundreds of calls for assistance.

Snow chains were being used on vehicles travelling in northern Greece as snowfall had reached more than half a metre, cutting off more than 90 villages.

Strong winds of up to 9 Beaufort forced ships to shelter in the ports of Piraeus and Rafina with only covered ferries in the Saronic Gulf allowed to sail.

The adverse weather forced the cancellation of four Olympic Airways domestic flights scheduled for the islands of Crete, Paros and Leros, as well as the northern Greek cities of Kastoria and Kozani.

The torrential rain caused landslides on the Athens-Patra national road, near the town of Aigio, causing traffic to back up for kilometres.

Also, on the Athens-Patra highway, three people died in a head-on collision between two cars. Another woman was seriously injured in the accident.

The weather bureau later forecast an improvement in the weather for western Greece as of yesterday evening, although inclement wea-ther will continue to plague eastern Macedonia, Thrace and the Dodecanese islands.

Temperatures are expected to fall anew tomorrow.

Athens News Agency

[02] Lack of computerisation `a block` against `millennium bug` in Greece

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Interior Minister Alekos Papadopoulos referred to the issue at a Cabinet meeting focusing on the streamlining of state and ministry services.

The Cabinet ascertained that public services were "more immune" in relation to the "millennium bug" Pwhich anticipates problems from an inability of computer systems to anticipate the change of century P because many had not yet gone over to computerise d systems.

Mr. Papadopoulos called on the private sector to coordinate work on dealing with the millennium bug, saying it was "further ahead" in this problem.

A five member ad hoc committee, made up of the ministers of the interior, defence, national economy, development and transports, will also be established.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said after the Cabinet meeting that the government was dealing with the problem and that an information campaign had to get under way on the issue.

He also said that the Cabinet decided to establish organisations in all ministries, at the recommendation of Mr. Papadopoulos.

"Changes must be completed by the end of January '99 and relative presidential decrees must be published by the end of April," he said, adding that "the aim was quality improvement and customer service, both tied to the organisational structure of the p ublic services."

"We believe that after the changes already effected in the structure of the administration in Greece, the existing organisations are obsolete and it is intended for the new organisational forms to be plain and serve the purpose of the ministries, that i s staff performance and also control, but at the same time they must serve as the connecting links with all administration levels (first, second levels of administration, regional, central administration)," he said.

He said that the decisions were unanimous, the common consensus being that the public sector was many times unable to meet its obligations and that was why it should become more effective, with the existence of disciplinary control.

"Promotions should be effected based on merit and transparent criteria so that the most able are selected" Mr. Reppas added.

He said that, in any case, the establishment of new organisations must proceed issues such as transfers and staffing of the new bodies, so that needs are first identified and then all possibilities can be examined. ND: In response, main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos said that at a time when "election rumours" are circulating, the "Simitis government remembered again the 'new oganisations', where, of course, new 'spe-cialised personnel' wil l be hi-redIas required for a ' blood infusion to the new state administration', according to Mr. Papadopoulos' 'immensely beautiful' expres-sion".

"Let the Simitis government be informed that this new wickedness it is planning as it is approaching the end of its tenure, will not carry any weightIwe are calling upon it (the government) to leave public administration as isI

"The project of real public administration reform will be undertaken by ND after the elections, whenever Mr. Simitis dares to hold them," Mr. Spiliotopoulos said.

Athens News Agency

[03] Prince of Wales to arrive in Greece

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The heir to the British throne will attend a concert at the Athens Concert Hall tomorrow evening. The following day, he will be honoured at the Athens Town Hall before visiting the "12 for 2000" exhibition at the municipal exhibition centre.

The Prince of Wales will later inaugurate the British Council's new education information centre before being received by President Stephanopoulos. On the same day he will visit the Gennadios Library and be given a guided tour of the Acropolis by Cultur e Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

On Tuesday, Prince Charles will fly to Irakleio, Crete where he will visit the town's archaeological museum and the nearby site of Knossos.

Athens News Agency

[04] Croatian president begins official visit on Monday

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Tudjman is scheduled to have a private meeting with Mr. Stephanopoulos soon after his arrival in Athens. A meeting between the two countries' delegations will follow.

The Croatian president meets with Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Monday at midday, and their meeting will be followed by an official luncheon in Tudjman's honour.

In the afternoon, Mr. Tudjman is scheduled for a series of meetings with leaders and representatives of Greece's political parties.

He will be guest of honour at an official dinner on Monday evening, hosted by Mr. Stephanopoulos.

Mr. Tudjman is scheduled to visit the Acropolis on Tuesday morning, followed by a meeting with Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, a tour of Cape Sounio. In the evening he will host a dinner in honour of the Greek president at the Grande Bretagne Hotel.

Athens News Agency

[05] Simitis, Schroeder to meet early December

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Simitis will also meet with the German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, on December 4.

Mr. Reppas refused to say whether Mr. Simitis would broach the issue of German reparations during his talks with the German officials.

Athens recently said that the issue of the repayment of a wartime loan forcibly extracted from Greece during the Nazi occupation was still an issue in bilateral relations.

Athens News Agency

[06] Greek, Turkish chambers to meet in Lesvos

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

In a message supporting the meeting, Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou noted: "We believe that the Aegean is a sea which must and can unite us and not separate us. The relation and cooperation in the existence of the two peoples, the Greek a nd Turkish, is long and I am sure that we will be able to overcome whatever difficulties we have today and face challenges opened before us in the future together. It is up to us and it is imperative that we utilise natural neighbourliness in every way an d I sincerely believe that the sole course which is acceptable and beneficial for the two peoples is that of peaceful coexistence and cooperation."

The representatives of the 10 Turkish Chambers of Commerce participating in the event, as well as about 160 Turkish businessmen accompanied by the mayors of Izmir, Vourla and Cesme, headed by the President of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce Ekrem Demirtas , will be arriving in Lesvos this morning.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Turkish business people will have talks with Greek counterparts and will visit an exhibition of Aegean products in Mytilene.

Meanwhile, the newly elected prefect of Lesvos and former PASOK deputy Dimitris Vounatsos yesterday expressed strong opposition to the meeting.

Athens News Agency

[07] New Democracy national conference put back a week

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The two-day conference, which was originally scheduled for December 5-6 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus, will now be held on December 12-13 at the same venue, the sources said, citing a decision yesterday by the conference's organisationa l committee.

According to the committee's decisions to date, the conference will be split up into three distinct entities - the party's programme, organisational matters and local government.

Athens News Agency

[08] Europarliament MPs call for Ocalan asylum

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The petition is addressed to Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema and calls on him to extend political asylum to Kurdistan Workers' Party leader Abdullah Ocalan, presently under house arrest at an undisclosed location in Rome.

The petition notes "the unanimous decision of the Italian Parliament in 1997 to not extradite any person to a country, such as Turkey, where the death penalty is in force" and "the European Court of Human Rights' condemnation of Turkey for its persecu tion of the Kurds". Among the signatories are the president of the European Left Union (GUE/NGL) Alonso Puerta (Spain), the president of the German Green party Claudia Rott, Italian MEPs Luciana Castellina and Luciano Pettinari, and the secretary- gen eral of Italy's Communist Reformation party Fausto Bertinotti.

Also signatories are representatives from the EU's socialist, left and Greens parties from Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Britain and Greece. Kurds on hunger strike in downtown Athens for Ocalan: Dozens of Kurds performed folk dances yesterday in the rain as they continued a hunger strike for the sixth day at Klathmonos Square in downtown Athens, demanding that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan not be extradited by Italian authorities.

The Kurds also protested what they called an "on-going genocide" by the Turkish government and demanded freedom and self-determination.

Kurdish doctor Ibrahim Azat said: "We will not stop the hunger strike and we will not leave (the square) unless the extradition of our leader is averted."

He added that with these actions we aim to sensitise Greek public opinion, which has always helped the Kurds' struggle.

Athens News Agency

[09] ABNA resolution on journalists' rights

SOFIA, 21/11/1998 (ANA - B. Borisov)

The ABNA resolution called on "the governments of countries all over the worldIto create conditions that will facilitate reporters to discharge their professional duty of providing information."

ABNA also called on "the competent authorities not to obstruct, but to render assistance to mass media representatives and to journalistic organisations in establishing and maintaining contacts as well as to ensure their freedom of movement from one cou ntry to another and free access to information."

It emphasised that the "national news agencies of the Balkan countries, their mass media and journalists must work and perform their duties in accordance with the principles of pluralism, objectivity and truthI"

Finally, the resolution condemned the use of violence against journalists carrying out their professional duties.

Albanian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Yugoslav, Turkish and Greek agencies participated at the conference, while the assembly accepted the announcement of the creation of a new Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) news agency, entitled MIA.

Athens News Agency

[10] Axis X corridor discussed in Thessaloniki

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Representatives from Greece, FYROM, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Austria and Hungary agreed that secondary roads off the main highway and rail lines must be developed with common criteria, while funding must be secured through both the public and private sectors.

Athens News Agency

[11] Paris conference focuses on `Greece in the next millennium`

PARIS, 21/11/1998 (ANA - O. Tsipira)

Conversely, others, including several French businessmen active in Greece, referred to an "inflexible" and "oudated" public administration.

The conference was attended, among others, by national economy deputy minister Alekos Baltas, Development Deputy Minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis, as well as business and civil service leaders.

G. de Saint Marie, director general of Aluminium of Greece, reported that Greek leaders have always shown "a clever and reasonable behaviour, frequently offering their support". He stressed that his parent company, Peshiney, was determined to continue i ts investment in Greece with a new alumunium recycling plant.

J.P. Toyssandier, general director of Gefyra SA, the consortium which has undertaken to build the Rion-Antirrion bridge, said the project was a long- term one, showing the confidence his company had in the country. He painted a picture of a "dynamic Gree ce, moving at an incredible speed, indeed in some sectors, faster than France".

Nevertheless, he stressed the complex and time-consuming procedures followed by Greek public administration and the problems arising.

"The development of human relations has great significance in Greece and is the basis for the development of the right business relations," he said.

Francois Perrigot, who was president of the French industrialists' federation for a number of years, stressed that what was of interest was whether European firms could set up shop in Greece for production targetting European markets.

"The domestic Greek market presents a certain interest, but not that big, because it will lose every significance within 20 years. On the contrary, today, Greece is appropriate for those wishing to set up competitive companies for the European market," he said.

Athens News Agency

[12] Panhellenic Demographic Congress session discusses low birth- rate

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

A majority of participants said the recent demographic diversity, analyses of various research and the technological evolution in conjunction with the evolutionary course of the family have had a positive affect on the aging of the population, which has created problems to the insurance, labour and health sectors.

The aging of the population has affected the urban as well as the rural societies of Greece, while the state has been summoned to resolve issues bordering on urbanisation, immigration, senior citizens' employment and even issues relevant to the changing relation between the sexes inside and outside the family.

One of the problems with low birth-rate is the lowering of the average age for pensioners, which has accelerated the maturity of large insurance funds and causing a deficit.

Experts' studies have shown that during the past few years retirement costs rose sharply as a result of an aging population.

Participants said that a large part of the responsibility for the demographic problem in Greece was also attributed to traffic accidents.

Several participants agreed that benefits and the structure of income assistance to families were ineffective as an incentive to increase the birth-rate.

Athens News Agency

[13] British director says Parthenon Marbles should be returned

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Mr. Loach arrived in the northern Greek port city on Thursday to attend the 39th Thessaloniki Film Festival.

He was welcomed at the airport by Greece's internationally renowned film director, Thodoros Angelopoulos.

Greece has been trying for years to secure the return of the marbles, lifted from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin before Greece independence from Ottoman rule. Elgin sold them to the British Museum in 1816.

Britain has repeatedly refused Greece's requests, saying they were safer at the British Museum than in the smog of Athens, despite recently acknowledging that some damage was caused by cleaning in 1937. According to the results of a recent MORI pol l, if there were a referendum on whether or not the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Greece or remain at the British Museum, the British public would vote for return, by a margin of more than two to one.

Mr. Loach, whose work often centres on social and political issues, is perhaps best known for his films "Land and Freedom" and "Carla's Song".

Asked by reporters about the political situation in Britain, Mr. Loach described it as "miserable", adding that Prime Minister Tony Blair was "a Thatcher in trousers".

Athens News Agency

[14] Current account deficit narrows under new calculation

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The improvement was attributed mainly to a new accounting method employed by the central bank since the second quarter of 1998.

The trade deficit was down to $9.009 billion in the first half from $9.521 billion in the same period of last year.

The decline was mainly due to a fall in imports by $601.5 million, which outpaced a simultaneous drop in exports by $89.4 million.

The lower spending on imports was exclusively due to a fall in oil prices.

Intangible receipts in the same period rose by $337.4 million to $9.454 billion and intangible payments increased to $3.532 billion, creating a $5.921 billion surplus, down $112 million on first-half 1997.

Net capital transfers rose to $9.665 billion from $940.8 million, while net external public borrowing totalled $6.684 billion compared to a net outflow of $6.558 billion in the same period of 1997.

Foreign currency reserves at the end of June jumped to $19.4 billion from $6.3 billion in June 1997, later dropping to $18.3 billion at the end of October.

The new accounting method includes transactions among residents and non- residents as well as those requiring currency conversion.

Athens News Agency

[15] EU pleased with Greek absorption of funds

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The Director of the Community's General Directorate on Regional Policy, Ms. E. Slavkov, said that the problem of defective work must be tackled by the government, and that the Commission was keeping a close watch on the matter.

Deputy National Economy Minister Christos Pachtas warned that criminal responsibility would be attributed to engineering contractors for slipshod work.

The public works ministry has announced that it will create a blacklist of engineering contractors who breach construction rules and fail to meet project specifications.

It has also rapped contractors for being slow in fixing building errors pointed out by the ministry.

The firms have to pay for the cost of remedial work.

Athens News Agency

[16] Greek stocks finish higher in brisk trade

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The general index ended 1.24 percent up at 2,464.02 points, off the day's highs when the market gained nearly 2.5 percent, to reach its highest level since August 26.

Trading was active with turnover at 68.9 billion drachmas. Volume was 13, 275,000 shares.

Sector indices were mixed.

Banks rose 0.88 percent, Leasing fell 2.27 percent, Insurance dropped 0.57 percent, Investment ended 0.18 percent up, Construction fell 1.10 percent, Industrials increased 1.74 percent, Miscellaneous fell 0.09 percent and Holding ended 2.79 percent up.

The parallel market index for small cap companies ended 0.27 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 126 to 110 with another 23 issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation, Eskimo, Hellenic Petroleum and Altec were the most heavily traded stocks.

Singular, Atemke, Galis, Xifias, Eskimo hit the daily 8.0 percent limit up followed by Petzetakis, Halcor and Parnassos which scored big gains.

Kekrops, Macedonian Mills, Athinea, Ergas, Boutaris, Proodeftiki, Dimitriadis and Edrasi suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 49,580 drachmas, Ergobank at 27,810, Alpha Credit Bank at 26,150, Ionian Bank at 12,550, Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 7,240, Delta Dairy 3,790, Intracom at 13,800, Titan Cement at 19,630, Hellenic Petrole um at 2,360 and Minoan Lines at 6,400 drachmas.

Athens News Agency

[17] Panafon's share price set at Dr 5,100 after heavy IPO demand

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The upper limit of the stock's range was chosen due to heavy demand in the offer, which will enable Panafon to enter the main market of the Athens Stock Exchange, and the London bourse, Panafon said in a statement.

The four-day IPO ended on Thursday.

For distribution to the public are 8,328,130 shares, and the offer was oversubscribed by 11 times.

For distribution to Greek and foreign institutional investors are 24,984, 370 shares with 3,203,120 of the total destined for the domestic market.

Panafon expects its stock to start trading on the Athens Stock Exchange on December 2, following approval by the bourse's authorities.

Athens News Agency

[18] Athens bourse sees upsurge in week

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Analysts said yesterday that a possible upgrade for Greece by international credit rating agencies Moody's and Standard & Poor's boosted sentiment on the Athens bourse.

The general index ended the week 229.76 points higher to show an increase of 66.53 percent from the beginning of the year.

The index now stands 12.79 percent below its all time peak of 2,825.52 points on July 21.

Bank shares attracted heavy buying, helped by prospects of lower interest rates in the domestic market and a sharp increase in bond prices.

The banking index ended 12.48 percent higher on the week.

Foreign investors were active during the week under review focusing on industrial blue-chip stocks like Titan Cement and Intracom; banks including National Bank of Greece, Alpha Credit Bank and Bank of Piraeus; and Hellenic Telecommunications Organisati on. The market expects the Bank of Greece to cut its intervention rate towards the end of the month following an anticipated drop in the inflation rate to 4.4 percent in November from 4.7 percent the previous month. Bucking the trend in the market th is week was Leasing, which ended 3.04 percent down on the week, and was the only sector to suffer losses.

The week's turnover totalled 288 billion drachmas.

Athens News Agency

[19] Minoan Lines signs order for two newbuildings

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The Ro-Pax vessels will have a speed of 28.5 knots, ensuring a travelling time of 21 hours between Patras and Venice; and 16 hours between Igoumenitsa and the Italian port.

The first of the two ships is due for delivery towards the end of 2000 and the second at the end of first-half 2001.

Minoan Lines has a ten-month option to buy another two vessels from the shipbuilding firm, Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea.

The cost of the two vessels, which fall under the second phase of Minoan's investment programme for its operations in the Adriactic, is around 140 million dollars.

A signing ceremony attended by senior executives of both firms was held in Iraklio, Crete, where Minoan Lines is based.

Athens News Agency

[20] Athens bourse to launch new share sale

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

National Investment Bank for Industrial Development and Alpha Finance, acting as financial consultants in the sale, invited bids on November 25-27 November.

Brokerages, investment firms, mutual fund managers, insurance companies, state health and pension funds and listed companies are eligible to bid for the stock.

Following the sale, the state's share in the Athens Stock Exchange SA will fall to less than 50 percent from 60.3 percent.

Banks own a 22.8 percent stake in the Athens bourse, listed companies 5.5 percent, brokerages 3.1 percent, state health and pension funds 3.0 percent, mutual funds 2.4 percent, insurance companies 1.6 percent, and investment firms 1.4 percent.

The Athens Stock Exchange's share price is to fall within a range of 14,500- 17,000 drachmas, up from 11,500 drachmas in the share sale scheme's first offer. The bourse posted profits of 5.5 billion drachmas in the first half.

Athens News Agency

[21] Central bank takes tentative step to slow drachma's rise

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

At the central bank's daily fix, the drachma finished 7.73 percent higher than its central parity in the European Union's exchange rate mechanism.

The Bank of Greece bought around 15 million dollars, a minor sum, in foreign currency at the fix when the mark hit 167.70 drachmas.

Nevertheless, the drachma still closed high at 167.800 to the mark and 330.030 to the Ecu.

But it eased slightly to the dollar, finishing at 282,800 drachmas.

Bond prices ended flat after rising sharply with the presence of foreign investors starting to be felt.

A 15-year bond to be auctioned in a reopening on Tuesday did not drain liquidity.

Athens News Agency

[22] Commercial Bank calls repeat shareholders meeting Dec 4

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Shareholders will be asked to approve the 7.2 billion drachma capital rise to be effected through a capitalisation of reserves, revaluation of real estate, and a share issue.

Two new shares for 10 old will be distributed free to shareholders.

Athens News Agency

[23] New Democracy wants public utilities independent of state

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

"Any attempt at reform would be insignificant and purely circumstantial," George Alogoskoufis, the head of ND's economy section, told a business conference.

Mr. Alogoskoufis again called for immediate privatisation of the firms either through flotation on the Athens bourse, or through international tenders for sale to strategic investors.

Athens News Agency

[24] Greek exporters group promotes use of EU funds in China

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

HEPO has submitted a proposal to the EU that cooperation should be established with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in order to sound out the prospects for joint ventures between Greek and Chinese firms.

The proposal focuses on foodstuffs and building materials.

HEPO will submit another proposal for participation in the EU's Small Project Facility programme that aims to boost business activity in China. Greek firms want to focus on marble, apparel, olive oil and fur.

Athens News Agency

[25] Greek investors eye Montenegro, ambassador says

Greek businesses are interested in taking part in projects in Montenegro, where Athens has recently opened a consulate, a diplomat said yesterday.

Ambassador to Yugoslavia Panayotis Vlassopoulos was speaking during a meeting with Montenegro's president, Milo Jukanovic, during a visit to the Yugoslav republic.

The two officials agreed that Montenegro's economy was ready for development and that existing healthy ties should be furthered, a move that would also benefit stability in the region.

Mr. Vlassopoulos proposed holding a seminar in Podgorica, where the consulate is located, in order to brief Greek enterprises on investing in Montenegro.

Athens News Agency

[26] EU industrial output increases by 0.6% between June-Aug.

BRUSSELS, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

The greatest increases were recorded in Ireland with 2.4 per cent, followed by Belgium (2.3), Denmark (2.2) and Greece (2.1).

In France and and Luxembourg, industrial output fell by 0.2 and 0.7 per cent, respectively.

Athens News Agency

[27] Commission to take up measure against 'juvenile-sex' tourism

BRUSSELS, 21/11/1998 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

The move follows a relevant proposal by EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, who proposed a series of actions to stem the sexual exploitation of children.

The Commission is expected to present its decisions during an international tourist fair in Brussels next week.

King Albert of Belgium and Belgian Foreign minister Erik Derycke will participate at the meetings.

Athens News Agency

[28] Athens Foreign exchange

Athens, 21/11/1998 (ANA)

Banknotes       Buying        Selling
US Dollar       280.538       287.042
Can.Dollar      181.338       185.542
Australian Dlr  180.544       184.730
Pound Sterling  466.716       477.537
Irish Punt      414.061       423.661
Pound Cyprus    562.345       575.383
Pound Malta     703.752       733.075
Turkish pound (100) 0.086       0.090

French franc     49.650        50.801
Swiss franc     202.279       206.969
Belgian franc     8.070         8.258
German Mark     166.458       170.317
Finnish Mark     54.788        56.058
Dutch Guilder   147.664       151.088
Danish Kr.       43.795        44.810
Swedish Kr.      34.772        35.578
Norwegian Kr.    37.527        38.397
Austrian Sh.     23.657        24.206
Italian lira(100) 16.815       17.205
Yen (100)        233.120      238.525
Spanish Peseta     1.958        2.004
Port. Escudo       1.623        1.661

European Currency Unit Ecu
Buying: 327.390 Selling: 334.980

Gold Sovereign (rates in Drachmas)
Old mint: 19960 (b), Elizabeth up to 1973: 20250 (b), Elizabeth of
1974 and onward mints: 20250 (b), 21370 (s)

GOLD (in dollars per ounce) London: 295.55 New York: 295.80

Foreign Exchange    Buying      Selling
New York            280.538     287.042
Montreal            181.338     185.542
Sydney              180.544     184.730
London              466.716     477.537
Dublin              414.061     423.66
Nicosia             562.345     575.383
Paris                49.650      50.801
Zurich              202.279     206.969
Brussels              8.070       8.258
Frankfurt           166.458     170.317
Helsinki             54.788      56.058
Amsterdam           147.664     151.088
Copenhagen           43.795      44.810
Stockholm            34.772      35.578
Oslo                 37.527      38.397
Vienna               23.657      24.206
Milan                16.815      17.205
Tokyo               233.120     238.525
Madrid                1.958       2.004
Lisbon                1.623       1.661

Athens News Agency

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