Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-03-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] British MPs discuss Parthenon Marbles with Greek ministers

[02] German president to visit Greece between April 3-5

[03] Simitis charges ND as the "party of negation"

[04] Reduction in unemployment a priority in the next four years - Simitis

[05] Karamanlis calls on supporters of other parties to vote for ND

[06] Constantopoulos charges PASOK with conservative turn

[07] Papandreou, Nano discuss Kosovo, bilateral relations

[08] Communist Party protesters attempt to block NATO convoy in northern Greece

[09] Athens and Washington D.C. sign cooperation protocol

[10] Greece to enact CoE agreement for the protection of children on July 1

[11] Political circles link report of entry ban to imprisoned ex-deputy Zana

[12] Athens bourse's outlook positive, Papantoniou says

[13] Greek stocks find technical support, end slightly lower

[14] Noted economist Joseph Stiglitz the keynote speaker in Papandreou memorial lecture series

[15] Stock exchange members to set up Internet stock trading firm

[16] Crete gets EU-funded trade fair center

[17] Post-Byzantine icon exhibition opens in Venice

[18] Pianist Sgouros to perform in New York's Carnegie Hall in April

[19] Venizelos inaugurates research center in Thessaloniki

[20] Greek-Turkish cooperation between Antenna TV channel and Turkish publishing firm Bilgin

[21] Turkish Cypriots give blood to save Greek Cypriot child

[01] British MPs discuss Parthenon Marbles with Greek ministers

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Although the head of the British House of Commons select committee on culture, media and sport emphasized during a brief press conference that the committee neither represented nor exercised government policy, the Greek side nonetheless termed the contacts a very good omen.

The committee will issue a non-binding report over its inquiry on the topic of cultural property: return and illicit trade, complete with recommendations, to the Blair government.

Asked to define the difference between cultural property historically removed as opposed to acquired as a result of illicit trade, British MP and committee chair Gerald Kaufman said this definition lay at the heart of the matter, adding that the Marbles controversy would be solved when we have an answer to that question (of definition).

Both Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Culture Minister Elizabeth Papazoi noted in their initial remarks that Greece only requests the return of the Parthenon friezes, as paramount elements comprising the uniqueness of the Parthenon edifice, and not other cultural treasures displayed in foreign museums. They also called discussions with the 10-member British MP delegation friendly and constructive.

The return of the exquisite Classical friezes that adorned the temple dedicated to the goddess Athena atop the Acropolis for centuries has been a battle cry for successive Greek governments for the past two decades. The late Greek culture minister and film star Melina Mercouri catapulted the issue into the international spotlight in the early 80s.

However, the British Museum in London, where the friezes are on display, has adamantly refused to discuss the probability of the Parthenon Marbles return, while subsequent British governments have also been hesitant or even hostile to pressure the museums board over the issue even after recent exposes detailing poor maintenance by the museums staff in the late 1930s.

The Parthenon friezes, which date from between 447 BC and 432 BC, were removed from atop the Parthenon in Ottoman-occupied Athens in the early 19th century by British diplomat Lord Elgin, who then sold them to the British Museum.

[02] German president to visit Greece between April 3-5

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Rau will be holding talks with President Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and leaders of Greek political parties. He will also visit Parliament and meet Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, as well as the Athens Town Hall where Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos will award him the Gold Medal of the City of Athens.

Rau will visit the town of Kalavryta in southern Greece, together with President Stephanopoulos, and will lay a wreath at the monument of those who died during the German occupation of Greece. He will also have contacts with economic officials and visit the new Athens airport at Spata, east of Athens, while he will be visiting the city of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on the last day of his stay.

German Ambassador to Athens Karl Heinz Kuna said the German president's visit to Greece reflects the impressively good and constructive bilateral relations between Greece and Germany.

Speaking to the Athens News Agency, Kuna said his country is not following a policy of equal distances towards Greece and Turkey, adding that for his country Greece constitutes a very important partner who can contribute in particular to the development of relations and the establishment of stability in the region.

He praised the rapprochement between the two countries and hailed the results of this initiative at the European Union's Helsinki summit. He further said that Turkey's possibilities, as well as those of the EU, after Helsinki depend on Turkey fulfilling the obligations it has undertaken.

On the question of developments in Kosovo, Kuna said Greece's knowledge in the region, its position at the southern end of the Balkans, as well as its special contacts render it a reliable interlocutor on which Europe can depend.

Kuna said Greece and Germany could also cooperate very well in connection with the Stability Pact in the Balkans, adding that Germany wants to depend on Greece's help for greater stability in the region.

[03] Simitis charges ND as the "party of negation"

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

"All these years it has understood nothing, it has negated everything, it is the party of negative policy," he told a large pre-election rally.

The prime minister said Greece today was strong, had a voice and prestige, and this enabled it to follow a policy of peace vis-a-vis Turkey.

He said the government's policy for the Aegean guaranteed the development of the islands.

"We have turned our attention to the implementation of those changes that will turn the Aegean into a model place of living for the citizen. We seek the area's economic development with specialized policies, adjusted to its island character and its particularities," he said.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister participated in his first tele-conference with the mayors of a number of Dodecannese islands and discussed local problems.

[04] Reduction in unemployment a priority in the next four years - Simitis

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

He made the statement at an interview with Flash radio station.

He said the fact that opinion polls showed he was considered as the most appropriate person for prime minister was a recognition that people recognized his work and that this would show in the election result.

Simitis said a broad analysis of data, social dialogue and a synthesis of views for the best solution would precede the awaited reform of the social security system.

Regarding foreign policy issues, he said Greece had set a framework for its relations with Turkey, which that country had to accept if it wished its relationship with Europe to make progress.

"Turkey is now in a circle which it cannot exit unless it wishes to lose what it has gained. And it does not want to lose it," he said. "The Turks must show mobility. This is not something that only Greece requires. The other Europeans also require it... (But) things will change gradually, we must be patient," he added.

[05] Karamanlis calls on supporters of other parties to vote for ND

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

He said that on April 10, "we are to make a new beginning, we support everything positive that has already been done, we continue with more intensity everything good that has began, we did not come to tear anything down, but to build, we are not coming to subtract but to add".

He stressed that all ND's commitments were valid to the last word and that his party does not divide Greeks into political groups, while he stated his decision to "remove the grayness of the past, which overshadows everyday life".

He accused the government of propaganda, saying that it was attempting to raise political tensions, and noted that Greeks were not divided by the labels of the past, but "united by the problems of today and the opportunities of tomorrow

[06] Constantopoulos charges PASOK with conservative turn

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

"The people must express their disaffection with the government because it has opted for the conservative path and avoided adopting extensive reforms which would open the way to a real convergence of our economy with the economies of the other European countries," he said at a press briefing.

Constantopoulos noted that the main opposition New Democracy claimed to have fathered the policy now followed by the PASOK government, and ND leader Costas Karamanlis promised that he would be a better manager of the same policy.

Referring to the scheduled televised debate on Thursday between Karamanlis and Prime Minister Costas Simitis, he said it had all the characteristics of a set up.

[07] Papandreou, Nano discuss Kosovo, bilateral relations

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Papandreou called Nano "a good friend" and underlined the great importance of the good relations between PASOK and the Albanian Socialist Party, which allows for cooperation in both political and social levels.

On his part, Nano expressed the wish for a continuance of cooperation between the two parties over the next months, while wishing that "the two parties continue to play a leading role in their respective countries".

Speaking on developments in Kosovo, Nano said that there is "a slow but positive development" underlining that the majority of Albanians are moderate people, while he expressed his wish for the creation of a multi-cultural, multi-national, democratic society in Kosovo.

Earlier, Nano met with Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos for talks focusing on cooperation among Balkan socialist parties, among others.

Other topics of discussion included creating conditions for peace, cooperation and stability in the greater region as well as a common course for Balkan states towards the European Union.

[08] Communist Party protesters attempt to block NATO convoy in northern Greece

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Protesters threw rocks and sticks at the convoy of military vehicles comprised of French and Italian units of KFOR, while several others were spray-painted with anti-NATO slogans. According to reports, the convoy was delayed for about two hours before finally heading for the border with Greece's land-locked northern neighbor, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

[09] Athens and Washington D.C. sign cooperation protocol

Athens and Washington D.C. on Monday signed a protocol of friendship and cooperation, during a four-day visit by Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos to the US capital.

The protocol, signed by Avramopoulos and his Washington D.C. counterpart Anthony Williams, said the two mayors agreed that their respective cities further develop their friendly ties, aimed at mutually beneficial cooperation in all sectors of interest to the residents of the Athens and Washington D.C.

In that framework, the two sides decided to exchange information and experiences on a wide spectrum of activities ranging from the structure and function of municipal authorities to environmental protection and the organization of cultural and athletic events.

The protocol also stressed the two mayors' support for business initiatives in Athens and Washington D.C., and their intention to proceed to further cooperation in specific programs to be jointly decided upon in the future.

In the protocol, hope is expressed that the encouragement of cooperation and the development of friendly relations between the two cities will contribute to the safeguarding and preservation of peace and cooperation in Europe.

[10] Greece to enact CoE agreement for the protection of children on July 1

STRASBOURG, 29/03/2000 (ANA - N. Roussis)

The agreement's aim was to secure the interests of children within the family and society, through the creation of procedural measures suited to ensure the respect of the rights of children.

According to the agreement, children will be able to exercise their rights, in being informed and expressing their opinions, either on their own or via other persons or institutions. In efforts to facilitate this process, the agreement allows the granting of relevant responsibilities to persons who are appointed to act on behalf of the children in courts.

Signatory countries who have enacted the agreement are Austria, Croatia, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the Ukraine. Greece, Poland and Slovenia will join them on July 1.

[11] Political circles link report of entry ban to imprisoned ex-deputy Zana

ISTANBUL, 29/03/2000 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

The same circles tied the issue to the case of imprisoned ex-deputy Leila Zana, elected with the subsequently outlawed Kurdish Democratic Party.

The Turkish government had initially forbidden visits by members of a joint EU-Turkey parliamentary committee to Zana, leading to a postponement of two committee sessions - a development viewed as resulting in a policy reversal by Ankara over such visits.

Athens over the past few days has called for an immediate clarification by Ankara on whether the Turkish government has compiled such a 'personae non gratae' list. According to a report in the Turkish mass daily 'Sabah' on Saturday, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos and several Greek MPs are banned from entering Turkey.

[12] Athens bourse's outlook positive, Papantoniou says

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Papantoniou said the ruling PASOK party inspired citizens as it guaranteed the market and the Greek economy.

"The stock market's prospects are positive because the economy is in a good shape, inflation is falling, budget revenues rising, interest rates will fall further and Greece is entering EMU," he said.

"Market nervousness has an expiration date and it is April 9, the day PASOK will win the elections. Confidence in the market will be restored," he said.

He said that the main opposition ND party's pre-election program would cost more than 1.6 trillion drachmas, according to General State Accounting Office's estimates.

Papantoniou reiterated that the Greek economy could face risks if ND won the elections and urged voters to carefully weigh all the risks before casting their votes.

He added that the ruling PASOK government's social spending program would burden the country's budget by 690 billion drachmas in the period 2000-2001, a sum he noted was totally compatible with the government's EU convergence program.

He also said that the social spending program would be extended in the years 2002 and 2003.

[13] Greek stocks find technical support, end slightly lower

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Once again, smaller capitalization stocks came under heavy pressure continuing their free-fall decline.

The general index ended at 4,664.01 points, down 0.25 percent, after moving in a 160-point range during the session with a day's high of 4,698.98 and a low of 4,535.57 points.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 2,662.88 points, up 0.17 percent while the FTSE/ASE 40 index fell 2.54 percent to 653.49 points.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 9,172.52 +0.06% Leasing: 1,048.16 -0.92% Insurance: 3,181.00 +1.25% Investment: 1,990.11 -2.52% Construction: 2,156.68 -4.14% Industrials: 2,713.75

-0.49% Miscellaneous: 4,913.64 -0.74% Holding: 4,950.30 -0.66%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks plunged 7.18 percent to end at 738.37 points.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 298 to 32 with another four issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecoms, National Bank, Electra, Hellenic Petroleum and Athens Water were the most heavily traded stocks.

Leading shares' closing prices (in Drs): National Bank: 24,500 Alpha Credit: 23,800 Commercial Bank: 20,500 Ergobank: 8,100 Eurobank: 11,480 Heracles Cement: 9,140 Titan Cement (c): 13,500 Hellenic Petroleum: 4,305 Intracom: 15,100 Minoan Lines: 6,840 Hellenic Bottling: 6,120 Hellenic Telecoms: 10,000 Panafon: 5,000

Equity futures end down in higher turnover: Equity futures finished lower on Tuesday roughly tracking the two indices on which they are based.

The FTSE/ASE 20 closed 0.17 percent higher, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 2.54 percent down.

Turnover was 9.4 billion drachmas from just over 8.0 billion drachmas a day earlier.

A total of 951 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 index with turnover at 5.1 billion drachmas.

Changing hands on the FTSE/ASE 40 were 1,643 futures on turnover of 4.3 billion drachmas.

Bonds nose up in scant trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market edged up in thin, buy-oriented trade on Tuesday with many players apparently keeping out of the market before national elections on April 9, traders said.

Little action is expected until after the polls, despite the attractiveness of Greek paper, including the 20-year bond, the traders said.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.20 percent from 6.23 percent a day earlier and around 6.13 percent in the two previous trading days.

The paper's yield spread over German bunds was between 91 and 93 basis points, the same as the previous session, from 93 basis points on Friday.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system on Tuesday totalled a scant 24 billion drachmas from 34 billion drachmas in sell-oriented trade a day earlier.

Of the total, buy orders accounted for 20 billion drachmas of turnover and sell orders the remaining 4.0 billion drachmas.

Most heavily traded were three-year bonds, representing around 8.0 billion drachmas of turnover.

According to the final opinion polls allowed under electoral law, the ruling socialist PASOK party and main opposition conservative New Democracy party are likely to run neck-and-neck in voting.

The market has not been hit by negative sentiment over the elections, unlike the Athens Stock Exchange.

Drachma drops vs. euro, dollar: The drachma on Tuesday fell against the euro and the US dollar in the domestic foreign exchange market, and outflows totalled about 75 million euros, a minor sum, dealers said.

The central bank had sold roughly 750 million euros last week in a spate of interventions, but did not step into the market on Monday.

At the central bank's daily fixing, the euro was set at 334.350 drachmas from 334.260 drachmas a day earlier and 334.250 drachmas on Friday.

Also at the fixing, the US dollar was set at 346.350 drachmas against 343.300 drachmas in the previous session and 344.730 drachmas at the end of last week.

[14] Noted economist Joseph Stiglitz the keynote speaker in Papandreou memorial lecture series

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

The well-known Stanford economics professor and prolific scholar arrived in Greece this week to deliver an annual keynote lecture organized by the Andreas Papandreou Foundation in memory of the late three-time Greek premier, while he fielded questions on Tuesday at a downtown Athens press conference.

Stiglitz repeated his often-stinging criticism of World Bank policies, especially with regard to fueling the recent SE Asia economic crisis, stressing that "insufficient regulation and premature deregulation" contributed to the collapse.

In reply to a question regarding the controversial "Washington Consensus" favoring widespread privatization and deregulation of state-run enterprises, he noted that it has become apparent that a government shouldn't operate a steel mill or textile plant, although a debate is now raging in the United States over the issue of privately run prisons.

With regard to the stock market's influence on a country's economy, Stiglitz -- who resigned as World Bank vice-president in protest at its policy vis-a-vis Indonesia - said that equity markets comprise a better source of capital than debt bonds or bank loans and offer a "better mechanism for sharing risks.

However, he said only a few countries (Britain, America and Japan) have a "strong enough legal framework to protect minority shareholders from majority shareholders...especially in transitional economies," he said, pointing to fluctuations in the Czech Republic's bourse as an example.

The first Foundation memorial lecture featured Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, while the next lecture speaker will be another Nobel winner, Kenneth Arrow.

[15] Stock exchange members to set up Internet stock trading firm

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

The new firm, to be named U-Trade Information Technology Holding SA, will have a start-up capital of 600-800 million drachmas.

[16] Crete gets EU-funded trade fair center

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

Taking part in the management agency for the center, which is the first of its kind for the southern Aegean island, are local authorities, local trade groups, the Irini development company and the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

The new center, which has received 1.7 billion drachmas in European Union funding, will help to promote Crete as an exports region.

[17] Post-Byzantine icon exhibition opens in Venice

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

The museum and the Foreign Ministry organized the collections tour. It was initially presented during an exhibition in Thessaloniki in 1997 and has since toured Europe, and specifically, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Portugal and France.

[18] Pianist Sgouros to perform in New York's Carnegie Hall in April

NEW YORK, 29/03/2000 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

Sgouros returns to Carnegie Hall twelve years after his debut there, at the side of Matislav Rostopivic and the National Symphony Orchestra of the USA.

His performance will include works of Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms.

[19] Venizelos inaugurates research center in Thessaloniki

Athens, 29/03/2000 (ANA)

He presented the first managing board EKETA during an event at the new technological park, in Thermi, east of Thessaloniki.

The minister said that the EKETA in Thessaloniki is the first of its kind in northern Greece. "This is very important for the region, development and employment are interconnected with technology".

"Today's action, in establishing EKETA, is equal to the establishment of many factories, many new commercial units.

"National wealth will be created here, along with jobs for new scientists as well as employees, if the results of research are utilized properly, research that is underway in critical sectors, such as chemicals, computing technologies, telamatics, transport and euro technologies," Venizelos said.

[20] Greek-Turkish cooperation between Antenna TV channel and Turkish publishing firm Bilgin

ISTANBUL, 29/03/2000 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

The signing of the agreement in Istanbul was attended by the owner of the Antenna group Minos Kyriakou, the President of the Bilgin group Dinc Bilgin, the owner of the Greek film company "Epsilon" Christos Elmatzioglou and Turkish film director Turker Inanoglu.

[21] Turkish Cypriots give blood to save Greek Cypriot child

NICOSIA, 29/03/2000 (CNA/ANA)

The Turkish Cypriots expressed satisfaction with the fact that they were given this opportunity, noting that it is a humanitarian issue and anybody may find themselves in the shoes of the young boy and his family.

Andreas' father, Vasos, who was present at the event, was very emotional with the Turkish Cypriots' decision, underlining "this is proof that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots can live together".

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