Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-03-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek government sets three priorities for Lisbon agenda

[02] Simitis, Tsohatzopoulos to attend ESP Lisbon conference

[03] Solana congratulates Papandreou on his policy in the Balkans

[04] Greece presents first complete SE Europe reconstruction plan

[05] German FM reportedly calls for tighter security on Albanian border with Kosovo

[06] Chirac message in light of March 25 Independence Day

[07] Greece a candidate to host EU-Africa summit in 2003

[08] Simitis visits industrial region of Patras

[09] Karamanlis accuses government of trying to mislead the Greeks

[10] Greece donates patrol boat to Cyprus Navy

[11] Coalition of the Left and Progress calls for vigilance against far-right

[12] Schroeder and Cem will not participate in Wednesday's Friedrich Ebert Foundation conference

[13] Exports to Britain up in 1999

[14] N. Greek industrialists call for more coordination in Balkans

[15] Cargo ship-owners guardedly welcome chance of bourse entry

[16] Greek stocks succumb to profit-taking

[17] Governor gives tour of National Bank's new dealing room

[18] Ergodata takes majority stake in Unitel

[19] Petzetakis unveils 10 bln drs investment program

[20] Athens 2004 Olympic Games Committee approves 2000 budget

[21] Turkish Airlines to inaugurate Istanbul-Thessaloniki route on Wednesday

[22] First ever International Poetry Day celebrated in Greece

[23] Gov't condemns ruling over Irakleio landfill

[24] Memorial concert for Nicholaos Doumpas in Vienna

[25] President Clerides to pay state visit to Israel

[26] Greek and Turkish Cypriot parties back substantive talks on Cyprus

[27] Cyprus' EU negotiator to address British House of Commons

[28] Summer time begins Sunday

[01] Greek government sets three priorities for Lisbon agenda

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

Such priorities must be seen as part of a drive to reduce regional inequalities in the European Union, is said in a document containing proposals for the agenda.

"A central target in coming years must be higher growth rates sufficient to reduce unemployment ... the target of high competitiveness and satisfactory growth rates is a primary condition for a great many other targets, employment, prosperity and, of course, the social model," the document said.

"The European growth model, as developed so far, has a strong social dimension which is now coming under pressure from global realignments. This dimension, must be safeguarded and strengthened in the new policies and actions," it added.

Regarding regional inequalities, the Greek government holds the view that the same reasons, which necessitate policies of convergence of the European Union to more dynamic models, also necessitate policies of strengthening internal convergence.

"Reducing regional inequalities by strengthening competitive-ness, the society of knowledge and social convergence must be diffused as a goal in all these initiatives," it said.

The Greek contribution to the debate on employment contains specific proposals for strengthening small and mid-sized enterprises, investment, the development of electronic commerce, entrepreneurship among women, the deregulation of the telecommunications, energy and transport markets, the content of education and life-long education and training.

Among other things, the Greek government considers that the drawing of a European Charter for small and mid-sized enterprises is an important issue whose particular aspects must receive special attention.

The document attributes particular importance to a reduction in the European Union's weaknesses in competitiveness and to the utilization of innovation and knowledge in production, and to its ability to efficiently transit to the economy and society of knowledge while maintaining its social model.

It stresses that the necessary changes must not lead to the so-called society of the two-thirds and that the growth process must be linked with the consolidation of a climate security and confidence in the national societies.

EU to undertake measures against unemployment in Lisbon meeting, Greek minister says: The European Union's unemployment rate stands at about 10 per cent of the total manpower, the European Commission's report for the Lisbon European Council stressed.

The report noted that 15 million people are jobless in Europe, whereas there would be 30 million new jobs if the Union could have achieved job growth rates equal to those of the United States or some Union member-states.

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Christos Rokofyllos said that the Union would convene in Lisbon united to confront the unemployment problem, adding that the Union recognizes as one of its aims that of total employment, by creating 1.5 million new jobs per year.

[02] Simitis, Tsohatzopoulos to attend ESP Lisbon conference

BRUSSELS, 22/03/2000 (ANA- V. Demiris)

An international relations official of the New Democracy party will represent main opposition leader Costas Karamanlis at a meeting of the presidium of the European Peoples' Party (EPP), following a decision to cancel the customary conference of conservative leaders.

[03] Solana congratulates Papandreou on his policy in the Balkans

BRUSSELS, 22/03/2000 (ANA - Y. Zitouniati)

Solana, who was addressing the European Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee in Brussels, also briefed Eurodeputies on the results of Monday's Council of Foreign Ministers and replied to questions put to him on the targets of the EU's policy in the Balkans.

The same committee also discussed a report on the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe.

Despite the rejection of a relevant amendment by PASOK party Eurodeputy Yiannis Souladakis, a compromise amendment by New Democracy party Eurodeputy George Dimitrakopoulos was ultimately ratified according to which "any activity leading to a unilateral change of borders in the region of southeastern Europe will entail the automatic exclusion of whichever country attempts this from the region's Stability Pact and from its funding apparatuses which are promoted by the EU."

[04] Greece presents first complete SE Europe reconstruction plan

TIRANA, 22/03/2000 (ANA-Ilir Patso)

Kosovo representatives also participated in the meetings, which concluded on Tuesday and focused on the progress of plans on the region's development.

A four-member team headed by former ambassador to Tirana Spyridonas Dokianos represented Greece, who is also Greece's national representative for the Stability Pact.

"Progress has been made to date, but no specific project began," Dokianos said, adding "The countries which participate in the Pact expect a lot from the funding summit scheduled for the end of March in Brussels".

Greece was the first country to present a complete plan entitled "the Greek plan for the economic reconstruction of the Balkans", which will fund projects worth 100 billion drachmas in Romania, Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Albania and Kosovo.

[05] German FM reportedly calls for tighter security on Albanian border with Kosovo

BERLIN, 22/03/2000 (ANA - P. Stangos)

According to diplomatic sources in the German capital, Fischer appeared "extremely concerned" over the latest activities of various "Kosovo Liberation Army" factions and ethnic Albanian-dominated crime networks in the Yugoslav province, as reports point to re-supply and logistic bases inside Albanian territory.

In a joint press conference following their talks, both Fischer and Albanian FM Paskal Milo called on "all sides" to renounce the use of violence. They also supported the holding of municipal elections in the mostly NATO-policed province as soon as possible so UN administrators and KFOR military officials will gain "a credible interlocutor".

In response to a relevant press question, Milo reiterated that his government "rejects all forms of extremism and ideas regarding a 'greater Albania'," beyond the boundaries of his country.

"This is our official position, and we're not going to lend our support to ideas and activities that cultivate these," he added

[06] Chirac message in light of March 25 Independence Day

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

In his message, the French president expresses his wish that the very close bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite Greece and France be strengthened even more.

"I know that France and Greece will always work side-by-side in the course of building a Europe that we want to be strong and with a spirit of solidarity," he stresses.

[07] Greece a candidate to host EU-Africa summit in 2003

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

[08] Simitis visits industrial region of Patras

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

Simitis, who was speaking while on tour of the Achaia prefecture in the Peloponnese, which included a visit to the city of Patras' industrial region, said that a few years ago there was de-industrialization in Achaia and ever-increasing unemployment, as well as the feeling that there is no future. He added that new factories are now being created in the industrial region, while unemployment has decreased.

Simitis said that Patras, already the country's third city regarding the level of industrial production, will become the center of a multifaceted network with motorways leading to the cities of Pirgos, Athens and Igoumenitsa, via the Ionian motorway and that a new port will be built.

"Just as we have stabilized the economy over the past four years, just as we have led to high development rates, just as we have made the country a center of peace and cooperation in the region, so will we achieve social convergence as well over the next four years and we will continue the development course which will provide agriculture with potential," he said.

Simitis noted that the government secured nine trillion drachmas for agriculture in Berlin last March to enable farmers to receive from the EU in the years to come as much money as they had in past years and even more, plus at least two trillion for the development of rural areas.

"Our country has a stable economy. And the crises, which took place, or are taking place, in the world at economic level no longer, have the negative impact they had for Greece in the past. Because we have stabilized the economy and we want to continue in this direction in the years to come," Simitis said.

The Prime Minister was due to address a rally of party supporters in a downtown square later in the evening.

[09] Karamanlis accuses government of trying to mislead the Greeks

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

Speaking at an indoor rally in the town of Livadia, eastern Greece, Karamanlis said: "The government of the establishment, of the nomenclature and of conservatism has played and has lost. It found itself in a deadlock and tried to mislead the Greeks and attempted to deceive public opinion and it is now faced with society's mature judgement. It has been proved that it lacks any plan or a political proposal and the only thing it says is that it will negotiate its policy with Brussels. They are concealing their intentions and are refuting each other."

Karamanlis said that the National Economy Minister says that the insurance system will be reformed but does not commit himself on the changes and the Labor Minister is trying to hide and refute him, while the Transport Minister says that they will sell the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) and cadres of the ruling PASOK party reveal that they know nothing.

He accused the government of providing billions from taxpayers' money and EU resources for party advertising and "black propaganda" which, as he said, raises the question "where do they find it? Who is giving it to them and why? What is binding them?"

Karamanlis said that at the April 9 general election the people will say no to the increase in unemployment, the increase in poverty, the upsurge in crime, the abandonment of the agricultural world and of small and medium-size enterprises and to the marginalization of the new generation.

[10] Greece donates patrol boat to Cyprus Navy

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

Tsohatzopoulos said the common obligation of the two countries to ensure the security of their nations against any threat and to jointly support the prospect for security, peace and cooperation among all the peoples of the region was reflected in the donation of the patrol boat "Knossos", which was renamed "Kyrenia" after the Turkish-occupied town on Cyprus' northern coast.

The defense minister also warned that any effort to "change the status quo or to dispute our sovereign rights will find us united and strong in our response".

Greece and Cyprus should take advantage of the new prospects for the two countries emanating from their joint course in the European Union, so that the role of Hellenism will find its historic place, Tsohatzopoulos said.

Hasikos said the Greek gesture reaffirmed Athens' and Nicosia's determination to boost their deterrent capability in the framework of the Greece-Cyprus joint defense doctrine.

He also stressed the historic significance of the renaming of the patrol boat as the "Kerynia", noting that the oldest known Greek merchant ship had been found in the Cypriot town of Kerynia and that he himself was elected to the Cyprus House of Representatives by the displaced residents of the town, which was now under Turkish occupation.

After the delivery ceremony, the Greek and Cypriot crews of the vessel exchanged commemorative plaques, while Hasikos presented Tsohatzopoulos with an honorary plaque from the Cyprus House of Representatives in recognition of his efforts to boost cooperation between the two countries.

[11] Coalition of the Left and Progress calls for vigilance against far-right

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

Regarding Greece, the Coalition believes that measures are urgently needed such as continuing the process of legalizing foreigners and giving them equal rights with Greeks, as well as measures aimed at providing education for the children of immigrants and medical treatment.

The party also proposes respect for the rights of ethnic, religious, language and sexual minorities, the enactment of a law against discrimination, the establishment of an anti-racism training lesson at schools and the banning of racist propaganda by the mass media.

[12] Schroeder and Cem will not participate in Wednesday's Friedrich Ebert Foundation conference

BERLIN, 22/03/2000 (ANA - P. Stangos)

According to reports from FES and the Chancellery, Cem announced on Saturday that he is unable to attend the conference and invoked the visit to Ankara by the Hungarian prime minister and foreign minister, while on Monday night Schroeder also decided to cancel his own participation.

The reports said that Schroeder, who was to make an address on the strategic character of relations between Germany and Turkey and Turkey and the European Union, reached his decision not only because of Cem's absence but also due to statements made in Ankara on Monday by Turkish Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, according to which the Turkish government is not prepared to accept "any restriction" on the part of Germany neither on the use nor the final destination of the Leopard-2 tanks in the event the order is placed with Germany.

[13] Exports to Britain up in 1999

LONDON, 22/03/2000 (ANA-L. Tsirigotakis)

Foodstuffs, mainly fresh grapes, tomato paste, tinned fruit, olive oil and yogurt comprised the chief group of exports, accounting for 23 percent of total exports to Britain, followed by ready-to-wear clothing, exports of which rose by 40 percent last year.

Exports of pharmaceutical and veterinary products to Britain jumped by 99 percent, while cement exports rose by 15 percent and tobacco by 12 percent. British exports to Greece also rose last year by 8.8 percent, with automobiles and telecoms and electronics materials the chief export groups.

Automobile exports to Greece jumped by 56 percent and telecoms and electronics material by 57 percent, while exports of British whisky to Greece declined slightly.

Trade counselor to the Greek Embassy in London, T. Kourousis, told ANA that the substantial increase in Greek exports to Britain were the result of the increased competitiveness of the Greek products and the recovery of the Greek economy.

[14] N. Greek industrialists call for more coordination in Balkans

Athens, 22/03/2000 (ANA)

The association also said that Thessaloniki is well placed to become an economic center in the Balkans, and set out a number of broad measures to promote the attainment of this twin-target which include: