Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-01-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] June 2003 EU summit to be held in Thessaloniki

[02] Ruling party, main opposition claim leading in polls

[03] Greece chairs meeting on Balkan cultural cooperation

[04] Vartholomeos honored in Thessaloniki

[05] Athens ready to receive 15 million people for Athens

[06] Illegal immigrant dies of exposure

[07] Soldier apparently commits suicide at guard post

[08] New point system introduced for traffic code infringements

[09] Jordanian Embassy car torched

[10] Greek stocks celebrate 2000 with rally

[11] European Popular Bank Lowers Rates

[12] Banks, companies free from millennium problem

[13] Spread on 10-year bonds narrows

[14] Derivatives market start 2000 positive

[15] Turkish Cypriots support accession of Cyprus to the EU as a whole

[16] The Athens dailies at a glance

[01] June 2003 EU summit to be held in Thessaloniki

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

"The event will project the relation of northern Greece --and Greece in general-- with the Balkans and the broader region, will boost the growth potential of the area and will signal that Greece continues to play an important role in the region," he said.

Greece will hold the EU presidency in the first half of 2003.

Simitis was visiting the city, where he inaugurated its new Royal Theatre and Concert Hall on Sunday.

"The decision means that we need to have to try to improve the city's infrastructure. Nevertheless, the existing infrastructure is already very good and will not require a considerable amount of additional efforts," he said.

[02] Ruling party, main opposition claim leading in polls

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

According to a nationwide poll conducted by V.PRC. appearing in Monday's issue of TA NEA newspaper, ND was leading in voter preference with 34.3 percent against 32.4 percent for PASOK, but 52.4 percent of the respondents believed that the ruling party would win the next general elections against 30.6 percent who said ND would emerge the victor.

Undecided voters were at a high 18.5 percent, while the smaller political parties ranged between 4-5 percent.

The poll was carried out in the first 10 days of December, after the EU summit in Helsinki but before ND leader Costas Karamanlis' decision to back the re-election of President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

In a second poll, conducted by "Metron Analysis" in the Attica prefecture among a sampling of 830 people and published in Monday's issue of "Ethnos" newspaper, PASOK led voters' preference with 33 percent against 27 percent for ND.

Some 55 percent of the respondents believed that PASOK would win the next general elections, against 24 percent for ND.

ND spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos said later: "This research, which has been (conducted) nationwide and emanates from a reliable opinion poll firm, and naturally, isn't published by a newspaper favoring the ND faction, demonstrates a reality: Whenever elections take place, New Democracy will win them.

"Let's not forget that the edge New Democracy has over PASOK is not an edge based on a coincidence, where ND hadn't delineated its position in relation to the issue of the presidential (of the republic) election," he said.

"Now that this position has been clarified the difference is now greater," Spiliotopoulos added.

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis expressed certainty that the ruling socialist PASOK party will emerge with a majority again from the next general elections.

Addressing the press in Thessaloniki on the results of opinion polls publicized Monday, Laliotis said the opinion polls constitute an indication, adding that according to his own analysis the Greeks will judge and will compare sides, par-ties, programs and leaders in the next elections. Laliotis went on to say that PASOK is ahead regarding vision, planning and programming and Prime Minister Costas Simitis is ahead, comparatively speaking, of main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis since he can guarantee that there will be better days in the years to come. Laliotis was accompanying the Prime Minister during his two-day visit to Thessaloniki.

[03] Greece chairs meeting on Balkan cultural cooperation

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

The two Balkan ministers were both in Thessaloniki to attend the inauguration of the city's Concert Hall over the weekend.

Issues discussed included cooperation in the use of archaeological sites such as amphitheaters as well as jointly using sites such as opera houses and theatres. Also discussed were the prospects for organizing educational programs in the sectors of music, theatre and the fine arts.

A list of Balkan cultural organizations, which could participate in the network, will be drawn up.

The Greek culture ministry plans to invite Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania and Turkey to participate in the initiative and plans to send a letter on the issues discussed at Monday's meeting to these countries.

[04] Vartholomeos honored in Thessaloniki

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

In his response, Vartholomeos expressed the "pleasure of the Mother Church" with the works of the Thessaloniki Metropolitan.

Present at the ceremony were the ministers of ministers of defense, Akis Tsohatzopoulos; Development, Evangelos Venizelos, and Macedonia-Thrace, Yiannis Magriotis, as well as Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, deputies and armed forces representatives. The Ecumenical Patriarch left for the Patriarchate in Istanbul at noon, while he is due to leave Turkey on Tuesday for Bethlehem to attend Friday's all-Orthodox Christmas liturgy.

[05] Athens ready to receive 15 million people for Athens

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

Avramopoulos said that atmospheric pollution has decreased 35 percent in the capital in the past 10 years due to a series of measures and programs, which have been implemented.

Elaborating on the measures, he referred to the replacement of old cars by new technology ones, the removal of industrial installations, the replacement of old buses by new ones, the expansion of zones of greenery and water-cleaning programs.

Avramopoulos said that more projects will be carried out in Athens soon and will be ready before 2004.

"Athens will be an example at the beginning of the next century of how a city changes and becomes clean and humane," he said.

[06] Illegal immigrant dies of exposure

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

An autopsy on the woman's body indicated that death occurred at least 48 hours before the body was found.

Coroner Minas Georgiadis said the woman was aged 20-25 and had probably succumbed to severe cold in the region after entering Greek territory with a group of illegal immigrants.

The unidentified woman was the first illegal immigrant to die in eastern Macedonia and Thrace this year. In 1999, 20 illegal immigrants in the region died.

[07] Soldier apparently commits suicide at guard post

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

[08] New point system introduced for traffic code infringements

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

[09] Jordanian Embassy car torched

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

Unidentified persons set fire to a car registered with the Jordanian embassy at 3:20 a.m. as it was parked on a street in Aghia Paraskevi, police said.

They said an unidentified caller phoned the private FLASH radio station and the Athens afternoon daily ATHINAIKI and claimed responsibility for the torching on behalf of "Anarchist Faction".

[10] Greek stocks celebrate 2000 with rally

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

The general index soared 4.69 percent to end at 5,794.85 points, off the day's highs of 5,874.94 points, in heavy turnover of 289.54 billion drachmas.

Telecoms stocks were heavily traded while smaller capitalization stocks and construction shares led the day's advance.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Banks:		10,506.15	+3.15%
Leasing: 	1,642.48 	+6.27%
Insurance: 	3,933.23 	+5.42%
Investment: 	2,984.64 	+5.74%
Construction: 	3,715.56 	+7.82%
Industrials: 	3,655.20 	+5.90%
Miscellaneous:	7,322.47 	+4.83%
Holding: 	6,994.70 	+3.31%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks soared 7.69 percent while the FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 3.79 percent to 3,020.27 points. The FTSE/ASE MID 40 index jumped 6.33 percent to 1,064.34 points.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 313 to one with another nine issues unchanged.

More than 160 shares ended at the day's 8.0 percent limit up.

Hellenic Telecoms, Panafon and Sato were the most heavily traded stocks.

FTSE/ASE 20 closing prices:

National Bank 		24,700
Alpha Credit 		26,800
Commercial Bank 	26,100
Eurobank 		14,245
Titan Cement (common) 	20,360
Hellenic Petroleum 	5,615
Intracom 		16,225
Minoan Lines 		9,580
Panafon 		4,770
Hellenic Telecoms 	8,200

[11] European Popular Bank Lowers Rates

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

The bank's savings deposit rate dropped to between 8.0 percent and 8.75 percent depending on the account's balance, European Popular said in a statement.

Consumer loans fell to 19.25 percent and personal loans to 19.90 percent.

The rate on drachma floating-rate housing loans dropped to 11.75 percent, the statement said.

[12] Banks, companies free from millennium problem

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

No problems were reported in the use of automated teller machines, which were steadily fed with cash throughout the transition at the weekend.

Working on the plan to make banks Y2K compliant over the past three years were the Bank of Greece, or central bank, and Union of Greek Banks in cooperation with international organizations.

In addition, the switch to the new date went smoothly for most companies.

However, some smaller retail outlets found their electronic tills failed to operate normally.

The finance ministry at the weekend issued a directive allowing the stores to provide their customers with hand-written receipts endorsed by the tax office until January 31, or until the problem is fixed.

Mobile phone communications also were unaffected by the Y2K problem, although some instances of overload were reported in the transmission of messages just after the New Year began.

[13] Spread on 10-year bonds narrows

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

Selling dominated trade after an early flurry of buying as the market began to track European markets in their search for new levels.

Total turnover on the bond market totalled 86 billion drachmas.

The yield on the 10-year bond stood at 6.57 per cent, taking the spread over German bunds to 109-110 basis points.

Traders forecast that within January the spread will drop below the 100-basis-point threshold.

The overnight rate in the interbank market was 9.40 per cent and 9.60 per cent for one-month funds.

[14] Derivatives market start 2000 positive

Athens, 04/01/2000 (ANA)

The January contract ended at 3,011.05 points, the February contract at 3,104.54 and the March contract at 3,151.32 points.

The June and September contracts ended at 3,205.13 and 3,260.00 points, respectively.

The December 2000 contract settlement price was 3,283.38 points.

[15] Turkish Cypriots support accession of Cyprus to the EU as a whole

NICOSIA, 04/01/2000 (CNA/ANA)

The poll was carried out on December 6, 1999 in the areas occupied by Turkish troops since 1974 by 54 experts. A total of 950 people, over 18, throughout the occupied territories took part. The poll included Turkish settlers, who are described as Turkish Cypriots since the occupation regime has granted them so-called citizenship. The poll was published in the Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris.

Ninety-four percent favor entry into the EU under certain conditions. Only 9,8 percent of the people asked want accession without preconditions.

From the National Unity Party (NUP) 5,9 percent want accession without any conditions, while only 1,9 per cent of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP) favor unconditional accession. The two parties had formed a coalition government.

The Republican Turkish Partys (RTP) ratings are higher with 16,8 percent and the Patriotic Unity Movement (PUM) 24,1 per cent.

A percentage of 14,3 per cent from the Democratic Party (DP) of Serdar Denktash, son of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, does not want the accession of Turkish Cypriots to the European Union.

The Nationalist Justice Party (NJP), which hosts the extremist organization Grey Wolves, ranks first with 42,9 per cent among the Turkish Cypriot parties which do not favor accession. The percentage of other parties which do want accession are NUP 9,3 per cent, CLP 7,7 per cent, RTP 6,5 per cent and PUM 10,3 per cent.

The parties NJP, NUP and DP with 28,6, 20,6 and 31,2 per cent, respectively, support accession of Turkish Cypriots after a solution to the Cyprus problem and Turkeys accession.

Some CLP members support the above positions of the nationalist parties. A 19,2 percent wants Turkish Cypriots in the EU after Turkeys accession but the percentage decreases with supporters of RTP with 10,4 per cent and PUM with 6,9 per cent.

[16] The Athens dailies at a glance

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS (Rizos): "Transfers begin --11,197 vacant jobs will be filled through the....Internet", as part of the pre-electoral campaign."

APOGEVMATINI: "Everything changes in pensions and retirements lump sums".

ATHINAIKI: "Two former ministers and four deputies--politicians named in the Revi's (the man behind the call-girls-models scandal) agenda".

AVRIANI: "100 new companies enter Sophocleous (the Athens bourse), says the Bourse president".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Prospects of changes in the Athens Bourse as of mid-January -- a new time-scheduled and fluctuation limits".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: " Steps in the euro dancing tune -- four steps forward but one backward".

ETHNOS: " Bigger reductions for the 1999 incomes -- the income tax gifts for the year 2000".

ESTIA: Headlined the newspaper's first edition published in 1900 (a century ago).

EXOUSIA: "Two crucial tests for the economy in January".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Era of vain yields --special New Year edition".

ELEFTHEROS: "Turkey to carry out air exercises throughout January --They're reserving half the Aegean".

STO KARFI: " Shock in Rigillis (New Democracy party headquarters) after the new opinion poll -- PASOK is ahead with six percentage points".

TA NEA: "A V-PRC opinion poll shows a head-on battle between the two major parties".

TO VIMA: "Why the Simitis government is optimistic and what it prepares -- the road to elections".

VRADYNI: "Maximos Mansion (the government headquarters) under the crown -- fishing for pro-royalist

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