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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 99-09-28Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Simitis promises permanent housing to quake stricken prior winterAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Prime Minister Costas Simitis reiterated yesterday that 'tent cities' housing those made homeless by the Sept. 7 quake would not become a permanent feature across quake-stricken west Athens.Touring the grounds of the camps set up in the Aghii Anargyri and Kamatero districts, Mr. Simitis said all the homeless would be provided with more permanent accommodation before the winter's onset. Mr. Simitis was leading a delegation comprised of the town planning and interior ministers as well as MPs from the area. The fear of the approaching winter was uppermost in the minds of those quake victims who spoke to the prime minister, although many of the children asked for his personal intervention to ensure that their schools open again soon. The prime minister said there would be a reappraisal of the "Xenocrates" emergency contingency plan, to factor in earthquake disaster planning and relief. "We should all have been prepared for the prospect of a quake," he said. "As we realised after the quake, the response to this obligation was not the same across the board. Some services had done what was necessary. Others, and this is in regard to local authorities, had not." The prime minister said the state had responded quickly and immediately to address the quake relief effort but said that the government could not be held responsible for solving all problems. "We need cooperation and participation in the problem of quakes and the quake-stricken, given it is a challenge for all of Greek society to prove its reserves of strength and optimism," he said. Latest quake 'signal' rebuffed : Meanwhile, in a related development, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis yesterday dismissed a telegram sent by the controversial VAN team of seismic researchers - who claimed new electro-magnetic signs indicative of oncom ing seismic activity, as they noted. The Athens-based team, whose work has long been the subject of intense debate among scientists, has issued similar warnings in the past - the previous one last week - without, though, ever clearly indicating a epicentre, time or magnitude of possible quakes. Mr. Laliotis said the ministry would no longer accept such warnings that do not specify the specifics of a possible quake. He urged the team to address any scientific findings in future to the central Seismic Risk Assessment Committee, which includes the country's top experts in the field. In a related development, Justice Minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos has established a 15-member legal committee to study problems related to criminal liability for faulty constructions and collapsed buildings as a result of earthquakes. The committee must deliver its report within 25 days of its first session. The camp is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Athens, while the homeless there briefed the two men on the problems they face, while in general, they said they are pleased with the municipality's support. Mr. Karamanlis said Greek citizens, regardless of religion, financial situation or gender, are equal and "have and should have the same rights." He added that the state should give double the care to the financially weaker. Athens News Agency[02] Gov't denies report of imminent US-Greece-Turkey summitAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The government denied yesterday that there were proposed plans for a tripartite summit between the leaders of the United States, Greece and Turkey at the Organisation for Security and Coopeeration in Europe (OSCE) summit in November in Istanbul.Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas denied reports that US President Bill Clinton would confer together with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. "The climate of non-tension currently prevailing in Greek-Turkish relations is good," Mr. Reppas said. "It could provide the basis for the full normalisation of relations between the two countries, on the condition that Turkey change its stance on Cyprus and that it does not oppose Cyprus' accession to the European Union." "Right now, however, Turkey is not doing what it should," he added. Athens News Agency[03] Schroeder in Athens on MondayAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)German Chancellor Gerhard Schro-eder arrives in Athens on Monday for a working visit, the government announced yesterday.Mr. Schroeder will have talks with Prime Minister Costas Simitis while in the evening of the same day the two leaders will attend an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Greek-German Chamber of Commerce. Athens News Agency[04] Simitis-Samaranch meeting on ThursdayAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Prime Minister Costas Simitis will meet with visiting International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch in Athens on Thursday, before both attend a ceremony for the unveiling of the new Athens 2004 Games' emblem. Mr. Simitis is schedu led to meet with the presidium of the 2004 Games organisers today.Athens News Agency[05] Gov't says it is ready with any eventuality in terms of presidential electionAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The government yesterday responded to severe criticism by main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Costas Karamanlis over the weekend, saying that the ruling party was ready to deal with any development."PASOK is ready to deal with any eventuality, since ND is linking the procedure to elect a president with petty party games," spokesman Dimitris Reppas said. The government, which wants elections at the end of its four-year mandate in September 2000, may be forced to the polls early if it fails to garner the requisite number of votes in Parliament to elect a president. PASOK officials and the government has stated that it will support a re-election of incumbent President Kostis Stephanopoulos. "We want criticism when it is constructive and does not prove to be detrimental to the country's interests," he said. He also criticised Mr. Karamanlis as "playing with fire", claiming the ND president of showing disrespect to the office of president of the republic. Athens News Agency[06] G. Papandreou reiterates latest positive conjunture in Greek-Turkish relationsAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The present conjuncture is unique for enabling progress in the Cyprus issue, Foreign Minister George Papandreou said in a newspaper interview published yesterday, adding his belief that the US would move actively in that direction.Mr. Papandreou, in New York last week for a UN General Assembly meeting, had talks on the sidelines with several colleagues, including Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. He noted that Turkey's European Unio n vocation would be in Greece's long- term interests, but the stance to be held by Athens at December's EU summit hinged on Turkey's attitude on Greek-Turkish affairs and the Cyprus issue, as well as on the guarantees Greece would secure from the EU on its national interests. In "Ta Nea" interview, he said the recent improvement of the climate in Greek-Turkish relations could not have negative effects on the Cyprus issue, while the expansion of the "low-impact" Greek-Turkish dialogue to other secondary issues - despite Ankara's negative stance on the Cyprus issue - in no way meant that Greece had shelved the Cyprus problem, adding that the Cyprus government also considered the recent Greek-Turkish rapprochement as particularly positive. Mr. Papandreou said that if agreements were signed for cooperation in the "low-impact" issues of Greek-Turkish affairs, Greece would be prepared to commence dialogue on the remaining "high-impact" issues, provided Turkey accepted that those issues could be solved only through a legal process. Commenting on criticism voiced by former foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos, Mr. Papandreou said "labels" did not help anyone and only succeeded in causing fear, setting up obstacles to creative thought, and bringing foreign policy matters to a standstill at a time when only bold initiatives could make Greece's voice heard internationally. Athens News Agency[07] Vartholomeos calls for rapid EU entry of Orthodox countriesAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos said yesterday the Orthodox Church should support the European Union with the purpose of having all predominately Orthodox nations join it as soon as possible.The Patriarch, who was replying to the secretary of European Commission President Romano Prodi at a conference on the Dodecanese island of Leros regarding the issue of "The Orthodox World and the European Union Ahead of the 21st Century", also said that Orthodoxy is a common responsibility towards peoples. In a message to delegates and the Patriarch, President Kostis Stephanopoulos underlined the deep feelings of love not only to the primate of Orthodoxy but also to the residents of Leros. On his part, the Patriarch stressed that the contribution of Orthodoxy towards the unification of Europe is "extremely revolutionary." "Consequently, the Orthodox Church is pleased and jointly happy in the unification of the European peoples, which entails the abolition of hostilities and conflicts between them. However, it does not limit its desire in the completion of Europe's unific ation but, without indentifying itself with what is called globalisation at present, it has before its eyes universality as its mission, or otherwise, universality in Christ by which and in which the difference in persons and of their cultural backgrounds does not constitute an element of confrontation, but one of harmonisation and convergence in Christ, in whom everything is recapitulated," he added. The Patriarch ended his three-day visit to the island yesterday, his second visit there since 1994. Late on Sunday, he went to the island's stadium where hundreds of faithful waited for him with candles in hand. The Patriarch was also greeted by seven children from Turkey, pupils from the town of Gulun. The children responded to an invitation by the pupils and teachers of the elementary school of Agia Marina to visit the isle. The Turkish and Greek children embraced each other and danced and sang. Another surprise in store for the Patriarch were songs from his birthplace Imvros which were sung by choirs. Shortly afterwards, the Metropolitan of Kitium Chrysostomos announced that his bishopry in Cyprus offered 20,000 dollars for earthquake victims in Turkey and gave a check to the Patriarch. Metropolitan Nektarios of Leros also offered 20,000 dollars for earthquake victims of Attica. Athens News Agency[08] To the "Daily Bulletin" subscribersAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA) Dear friends,As you are aware, technological developments in the mass media sector are rapid. Today, all the news services are offered online. The "electronic newspaper" supplements, and in many cases replaces, the printed newspaper. Contact via e-mail also affords the ability for direct communication. These developments, as many others, have also influenced our own work here at Athens News Agency (ANA), which is adapting all its services to the new technology. In the framework of these changes, the "Daily Bulletin" will - as of Jan. 2, 2000 - be conv erted from a printed to an electronic medium for our subscribers. With this change, our subscribers will: a) receive our news items online, at the moment the news is breaking. b) receive the next day's "Daily Bulletin" on their screens at midnight, with the ability to print it out if they wish or simply view on screen. c) receive the "Bulletin" either via the paid ANA services on the Internet, or via e-mail sent to a subscriber's e-mail address. d) also have the ability, for a small surcharge, to utilise the ANA's English-language data bank, which contains all the news items appearing in the "Daily Bulletin" since 1992. We believe that these changes, which correspond with the new function of the international and national news agencies, will satisfy subscribers' needs for immediate and credible information. In order to subscribe to this service, you must have a PC and a modem, or an e-mail address. All who wish to continue receiving our services must prepare for these changes which, as stated, will commence on Jan. 2, 2000. Takis Mantis, the director of ANA's informatics and telecommunications department, is at your disposal for any technical information on tel: 64.00.560 and 64.00.038. I sincerely hope all our subscribers will adapt to these necessary technological changes. Andreas Christodoulides ANA General Director Athens News Agency[09] Hellenic Red Cross assistance for Albania listedAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Over the past four months the Hellenic Red Cross has carried out some 50 water sanitation projects throughout Albania, made increasingly necessary because of the influx of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo refugees.The European Community's Humanitarian Office (ECHO), already funding such projects last year, doubled its contributions. The overall project involved the purchase and importation of 110,000 kilos of high quality calcium hypochlorite, the finding of storage facilities with the assistance of the Greek consulate of Korce, distribution to the 50 water supply facilities, and the conducting of a monitoring operation on the effectiveness of distribution, proper use of the chemical and the assessment of related needs. It may be noted that the project represents only one aspect of the activities undertaken by the Hellenic Red Cross in Albania during the last five months. In the very early days of the crisis HRD provided food aid and went on later to undertake the mana gement of a refugee camp in Pogradec, named "Vergina". Athens News Agency[10] Web site refers to listing for National Land RegisterAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The Panhellenic Federation of Real Estate Owners (POMIDA) has set up a web site to provide land owners with information about when and how to declare their property with the National Land Register.The web site provides the full texts of the declarations and statements which must be made by the interested parties. It is also expected to be widely used by owners of land who reside abroad. POMIDA's home page can be found at http: //www.pomida.gr Some two million property owners in 275 municipalities around the country have until Oct. 5 to file their declarations. Around 500,000 owners of real estate have registered their properties for a national land register being created in Greece for the first time. Albania and Greece are the only European countries without a land register. The register, which is expected to start initial operations in 2004, aims to protect public land from encroachment, formalise private ownership rights and provide revenue for the state. Athens News Agency Athens 28/09/1999 (ANA) ATHENS NEWS AGENCY ON THE INTERNET Now you can find the Athens News Agency's news service on the Internet with a brief review of the main news items, in Greek or English, twice a day (at 11:00am. and updated at 4:30pm approximately). Log in to our Internet address: http://www.ana.gr and keep abreast with the latest news from Greece. Athens News Agency[11] Central bank raises credit ceiling for stock loansAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The Bank of Greece said yesterday that it would triple the ceiling on commercial bank loans to retail investors for share purchases to 15 million drachmas from five million drachmas.An existing rule that limits the loans to up to 50 percent of the value of the stock to be purchased remains in place, the central bank said in a statement. The loans are available for new purchases of shares or the payment of existing commitments from stock already acquired. In addition, the central bank has lifted controls on commercial bank loans to brokerages and portfolio investment companies. Under the new ruling, the two parties involved will set the terms for any financing arrangement to bridge shortfalls. Until now, shortfalls in deposit accounts held by brokerages or investment houses that emerged during stock clearance had to be paid off within five days. The measures aim to help normalise the operation of the capital market. Athens News Agency[12] Stocks drop sharply in persisting gloomAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Equities slumped further into the doldrums yesterday in continuing uncertainty over the workings of the Athens bourse, exacerbated by pressure on clients by some brokerages to close their positions, traders said.The brokerages were reportedly under pressure themselves from the capital market commission to close the positions, fuelling the market's decline, the traders said. The general index ended 4.00 percent lower in the wake of a 5.41 percent drop in the previous session and a 3.90 percent decline the day before. It finished at 5,283.42 points. The index had nosedived more than 6.00 percent near the end of the session but banking porfolios stepped in, nudging up the market. Turnover was 272.744 billion drachmas from 362 billion drachmas a session earlier on 26,105,000 shares traded. Value and volume have declined in recent sessions. Adding to market jitters was a delayed start to the session due to technical problems in the bourse's electronic trading system. Sector indices ended as follows: Banking (-3.00 pct), Construction (-8.00 pct), Insurance (+1.03 pct), Miscellaneous (-6.73 pct), Leasing (-8.00 pct), Investment (-8.00 pct), Industrials (-4.59 pct) and Holding (-5.59 pct). The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks plunged 7.11 percent while the FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chips and heavily traded stocks eased 2.84 percent to finish at 2,801.77 points. Of 306 stocks traded, declines outpaced advances at 295 to eight with three shares remaining unchanged. A total of two shares ended at the daily 8.0 percent upper volatility limit and another 248 ended at the daily limit down, which is also 8.0 percent, posting an all-time negative record for the bourse. The day's most heavily traded stocks were Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation and Hellenic Petroleum. Making its trading debut on the main market of the Athens bourse was Hyatt. The stock started at 7,000 drachmas to close up 99 percent at 13,930 drachmas. National Bank of Greece ended at 24,000 drachmas, Commercial Bank at 26,800, Alpha Credit Bank at 23,500, Minoan Lines at 7,000, Intracom (common) at 26, 000, Titan Cement (common) at 35,950, Hellenic Petroleum at 5,690, Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 6,695 and Panafon at 8,150 drachmas. Bonds scarcely traded, drachma under pressure : Secondary bond market prices stayed at current low levels in almost non-existent trade yesterday and the drachma saw a new round of pressure. Electronic trade totalled 1.0 billion drachmas from 39 billion drachmas in the previous session and 17 billion drachmas on Thursday. The benchmark 10-year bond, which was still trading below par, showed a yield of 6.62 percent from 6.59 percent in the two preceding sessions. The 10-year paper's yield spread over German bunds was 159 basis points from between 151 and 152 basis points a session earlier and 152 basis points on Thursday. In the foreign exchange market, the drachma came under fresh pressure against the euro linked to a slump on the Athens Stock Exchange and institutional investors abroad closing their drachma positions. The Bank of Greece intervened, selling around 120 million euros to prop up the drachma. In the final three sessions of last week, the central bank sold around 300 million euros to curb attacks on the national currency by speculators at home and abroad. At the central bank's daily fix, the euro rose against the drachma. The European currency was set at 328.000 drachmas from 327.600 drachmas in the previous session and 327.250 drachmas on Friday. The dollar rose versus the drachma. At the fix, it was set at 313.89 drachmas from 312.350 drachmas a session earlier and 310.910 drachmas on Wednesday. Athens News Agency[13] Tender for sale of Hellenic Duty Free ShopsAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The Agricultural Bank of Greece has tendered a 25 percent stake in Hellenic Duty Free Shops and its management with the deadline for bids on November 5, it said in a statement.Agricultural, which is the majority shareholder in Hellenic Duty Free Shops, said the winner of the tender will be announced by November 12. Payment will be made in cash on the transfer of shares, and no improved or counter bids are permissible, the statement said. Hellenic Duty Free Shops has 37 outlets. Athens News Agency[14] Olympic Airways, unions initial labour dealAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Olympic Airways managing director Rod Lynch and the Federation of Civil Aviation Unions yesterday signed a collective labour agreement for the airline's ground personnel.Under the terms of the contract, workers will receive a further 6,000 drachmas a month and a 100,000 drachma lump sum payment for October 1, 1999 to December 31, 2000. The boards of OA and OSPA have to endorse the agreement before it comes into force. Athens News Agency[15] Council of Europe to help fund quake reconstructionAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)The Council of Europe's Social Development Fund announced yesterday that it will finance Greece with 80 million euros to help the reconstruction drive after the September 7 earthquake.The projects, which have yet to be specified, are likely to include support operations for small and medium sized enterprises and housing rebuilding programmes in the quake-damaged area. Turkey is to receive 300 million euros to help with reconstruction after its August 17 temblor. Athens News Agency[16] Athens Foreign ExchangeAthens, 28/09/1999 (ANA)Bank of Greece closing rates of: September 27, 1999Parities in Drachmas Banknotes Buying Selling US Dollar 311.379 318.598 Can.Dollar 211.911 216.824 Australian Dlr 203.727 208.451 Pound Sterling 513.320 525.222 Irish Punt 413.142 422.721 Pound Cyprus 563.357 576.419 Pound Malta 730.045 760.464 Turkish pound (100) 0.061 0.064 French franc 49.603 50.753 Swiss franc 203.162 207.872 Belgian franc 8.066 8.253 German Mark 166.362 170.220 Finnish Mark 54.725 55.993 Dutch Guilder 147.649 151.073 Danish Kr. 43.787 44.802 Swedish Kr. 37.765 38.641 Norwegian Kr. 39.660 40.580 Austrian Sh. 23.646 24.195 Italian lira (100) 16.804 17.194 Yen (100) 296.410 303.282 Spanish Peseta 1.955 2.001 Port. Escudo 1.623 1.661 Foreign Exchange Buying Selling New York 311.379 318.598 Montreal 211.911 216.824 Sydney 203.727 208.451 London 513.320 525.222 Dublin 413.142 422.721 Nicosia 563.357 576.419 Paris 49.603 50.753 Zurich 203.162 207.872 Brussels 8.066 8.253 Frankfurt 166.362 170.220 Helsinki 54.725 55.993 Amsterdam 147.649 151.073 Copenhagen 43.787 44.802 Stockholm 37.765 38.641 Oslo 39.660 40.580 Vienna 23.646 24.195 Milan 16.804 17.194 Tokyo 296.410 303.282 Madrid 1.955 2.001 Lisbon 1.623 1.661 Athens News AgencyAthens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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