Four participating countries - Britain, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia - presented their national policy vis-a-vis managing crises. Representatives attending the conference hailed from Armenia, Belgium, Germany, Georgia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, the United States, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Hungary, Ukraine, FYROM, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

[04] Stephanopoulos to travel to Ireland on Monday

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Accompanying the Greek president will be Alternate Foreign Minister Elizabeth Papazoi and Deputy National Economy Minister Yiannis Zafiropoulos.

[05] Veteran leftist proposes meeting between PM Simitis and Coalition leader Nikos Constantopoulos

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Kyrkos, who was addressing the Coalition's ongoing congress, was replying to a proposal made on Thursday by PASOK's secretary Costas Skandalidis on cooperation between the parties.

Referring to Simitis, Kyrkos said if he meant the creation of a new and big coalition of progressive and democratic forces "we are ready for a summit meeting to examine together under which policy and other preconditions can this idea go ahead, which we have been supporting for years."

[06] Patriarch to receive Greek MPs, academics

ISTANBUL, 01/07/2000 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

Main opposition New Democracy deputy Giorgos Kalos and Patras University rector Stamatis Alahiotis, among others, will accompany PASOK's Costas Skandalidis. The delegation is also scheduled to attend a mass at the Patriarchate's main cathedral of Agios Georgios (St. George) in the Fanar district.

Skandalidis is in Istanbul to attend the second part of a programme entitled "Ecumenical Hellenism", which begins here on Saturday.

[07] Stephanopoulos receives widow of slain British officer, plea for information repeated

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The notorious "November 17" urban terrorist group on a congested Athens highway gunned down Brig. Stephen Saunders, who served at the British embassy in the Greek capital, on the morning of June 8.

Stephanopoulos received Heather Saunders, accompanied by her two teenage daughters and British ambassador to Athens David Madden, shortly after noontime at the presidential mansion in downtown Athens. It was also announced on Friday that Prime Minister Costas Simitis would also meet with Saunders' widow and the British envoy on Tuesday at his office.

On his part, Stephanopoulos expressed his condolences towards the British officer's family, calling Saunders' killing a "horrendous crime".

Heather Saunders told reporters afterwards that she would remain in Athens in order to follow and encourage the investigation into her husband's assassination by the shadowy terrorist group.

"I have taken this opportunity to tell the president about the wonderful messages of support and offers of help that I have received from people everywhere in Greece, people I don't even know, at the same time they have expressed their condemnation," Heather Saunders said, adding:

"We came to Greece just over a year ago and I was under the impression Greece and Britain had always been allies. We fought side by side in the Second World War and many of our soldiers lie side by side in war graves throughout Greece.

Yet, there is someone living here in Athens who has murdered a British soldier and father in cold blood for no reason and with no remorse ... November 17 is condemned by the descent people of Greece and the world for the murder of my husband and others. Who is going to be next for the agenda?"

Finally, Mrs. Saunders again called on anyone with information about the slaying or the terrorist group to contact authorities, a plea echoed by Madden.

The British ambassador also expressed his appreciation for the wholesale condemnation by Greek society of the killing.

[08] Greece leads EU's exports' growth in 1st quarter 2000

BRUSSELS, 01/07/2000 (ANA- V. Demiris)

Eurostat said that Greek exports totalled 2.7 billion euros, up 600 million euros from the same period in 1999, for an increase of 30 percent, followed by Luxembourg (with a 26 pct rise), Spain and Finland (21 percent).

Denmark was the only EU member-state to record a fall in exports (-5.0 pct).

Greek imports totalled 6.3 billion euros in the first quarter of 2000, up one billion euros from the corresponding period last year, an increase of 19 percent.

Spain recorded the biggest growth in imports (27 pct), followed by Ireland (26 pct) and Germany (25 pct). Denmark recorded a 3.0 percent drop in imports.

Greece's trade deficit rose to 3.6 billion euros in the Jan-March period, up from 3.2 bln last year.

[09] Greek stocks remain under pressure, end lower

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Traders said market sentiment was undermined by lack of fresh liquidity and reiterated that the market would find support at the 4,000-4,050 levels.

The general index ended at 4,054.41 points, off 0.42 percent, with turnover a low 97 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 2,235.52 points, off 0.72 percent, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index rose 0.06 percent to 580.22 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended at 752.01 points, off 1.20 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 185 to 139 with another 20 issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecoms, Fanco, Axon, Bank of Piraeus and Naoussa Spinning were the most heavily traded stocks.

[10] Derivatives down in line with shares

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The FTSE/ASE 20 closed 0.72 percent down, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.06 percent higher.

Turnover was 11.2 billion drachmas from 10.9 billion drachmas a day earlier.

A total of 1,393 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 index with turnover at 6.2 billion drachmas.

Changing hands on the FTSE/ASE 40 were 2,238 futures on turnover of 5.05 billion drachmas.

[11] Bonds sold in light trade

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.087 percent for the second straight session; and the yield on the equivalent German bund was 5.208 percent.

The Greek paper's yield spread over German bunds was 88 basis points from 87 basis points a day earlier.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 52 billion drachmas from 56 billion drachmas in the previous session.

Sell orders accounted for about 46 billion drachmas of turnover.

[12] Drachma down vs. euro, up vs. dollar

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

At the central bank's daily fixing, the euro was set at 336.800 drachmas from 336.760 drachmas in the previous session. Also at the fixing, the US dollar was set at 351.780 drachmas from 354.110 drachmas a day earlier.

[13] Hellenic Telecoms launches e-business company

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Nikos Manasis, the organization's chief executive, told a press conference that it was the first attempt to promote e-business commerce in Greece.

He said the new company was the result of cooperation between Cosmote, Hellenic Telecom's mobile phone operator, and Commerce One Inc, a world leader in e-business integrated systems.

Manasis said he expected the Greek e-commerce market's value to total 100 billion drachmas in the next three years, based on a prediction that Internet penetration rates would exceed 30 percent by 2005 in Greece.

Hellenic Telecoms SA, Cosmote SA and Citibank NA will hold 80 percent of the new company's equity capital and Commerce One Inc, represented in Greece by Perpetual Information SA, will have a 20 percent stake.

Citibank will offer a wide range of financial services through its international partnership agreed last February between Commerce One and Citigroup.

The new company's initial capital will total 2.0 billion drachmas and will offer specific portals and marketplaces for business-to-business trade from September.

CosmoONE will offer Greek businesses direct access to Global Trade Web.

[14] Greece to auction 20-year bond next Tuesday

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The issue pays an annual coupon of 6.5 percent.

[15] Marinopoulos, LVMH Group establish Sephora-Marinopoulos company

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The LVMH Group, with its subsidiary Sephora, and Marinopoulos Bros will each have a 50 percent stake in the new company's share capital and will unite all their activities in Greece in the cosmetics sector.

The Marinopoulos Bros SA company has a network of 51 Beauty Shop retail outlets and expects turnover of 21 billion drachmas in 2000.

An announcement by the company said the agreement in question is aimed at the further development of Beauty Shops and the consolidation of Sephora outlets in the country.

The LVMH Group is active in the sectors of luxury goods, perfumes, cosmetics, wines and alcoholic beverages. It has also created a company specialising in watches and jewellery.

[16] 1st Greek broker becomes member of bourse abroad

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The firm is now a member of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, allowing its customers online trading access to 3,500 shares of the biggest US and European companies.

[17] Microland to raise share capital by Dr 16.6 bln

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The company plans to use the proceeds to boost operating capital and fund its investment programme.

In 2000, management expects consolidated profits of 1.0 billion drachmas from 644 million drachmas a year earlier.

Consolidated sales should total more than 14.7 billion drachmas from 8.8 billion drachmas in 1999, company officials told shareholders.

[18] Lymberis forges alliance with US publisher

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The first project between the two companies is to publish PC Magazine in Greek.

Ziff Davis specialises in publications on technology, including informatics.

Among them are E-Week, Interactive Week, Yahoo magazine, Internet Life and Smart Business.

Other forms of cooperation between the Greek and US firms will involve the Internet and creation of infotech laboratories.

[19] Summer sales period begins on July 3 and will end on August 31

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The Development Ministry, shop-owners' associations and consumer groups have all advised consumers to check that the discounts given are real and the quality of products before making their purchases.

[20] Egnatia Bank joins pension payment system

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

[21] Health services on standby as heatwave expected next week

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Preventive measures to avert heatstroke symptoms are avoidance of unnecessary travel, avoidance of exposure to the sun, choosing shady and cool places, avoidance of heavy duty work in outdoor places which are not protected from the sun, use of light-coloured clothes and sunglasses, consumption of fruit, vegetables and fluids in large quantities and avoidance of sweetmeats, refreshments containing sugar and alcoholic beverages, while frequent showers are also advised.

In the event someone feels unwell he should place a wet towel over his head or on his back, elderly people should not be left alone at home and babies should be dressed as lightly as possible, their hands and legs should be bare and they should be given fluids together with milk frequently.

[22] Pessimism over upcoming European Conference against Racism

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Dimitris Christopoulos, secretary of the Greek Union for the Rights of Man, spoke about political slogans inspired by the far right, adding that "sweep" operations carried out by the Greek state following bus hijackings by Albanian criminals "provide an alibi for racism."

"The response to the upsurge of the far right should not be anything else than an 'opening' of Europe's immigration policy," he said.

Nikos Frangakis, Deputy President of the National Committee for the Rights of Man, said changes in Europe on the issue of racism are not substantive and as a result the phenomenon is increasing.

[23] Former ND Deputy Constantine Karaminas sentenced to suspended two year and 11-month jail term for fatal traffic accident

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The fatal traffic accident occurred in the early hours of June 1, 1998. Karaminas and a friend of his were at a cafeteria in the Athens district of Ilisia on the night that he met Elli Pylidi, 26, and a female friend of hers. At 3 a.m. he offered to give them a lift home but, speeding with his Mercedes car while in a state of drunkenness, he lost control of the car which crashed, killing Pylidi.

After the accident he refused to have a breathalyser test, invoking his parliamentary immunity. The case caused a sensation at the time and Karaminas was expelled from the ND party.

Speaking in court, Karaminas said he was devastated by the young woman's death and denied speeding and being in a state of drunkenness. He attributed the accident to bad luck.

[24] Greek student killed in Belgrade traffic accident

BELGRADE, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The victim was identified as 24-year-old Stavros Smyrnakis, a dental school student from Crete.

According to reports, the students' vehicle collided with a truck in the early morning hours after weaving into the opposite lane. Smyrnakis was a passenger in the car.

[25] Macedonian tomb dating back to 4th century B.C. discovered near town of Zagliveri

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

The tomb was found by chance by a farmer who was digging in his field and was unearthed by archaeologists from the 16th department of prehistoric and classical antiquities.

Statues, urns, inscriptions and coins have also been found in the same region in past years and are being kept in the archaeological museum in Thessaloniki. It is believed that they too belonged to the ancient city of Kalindoia.

[26] Sports secretariat unveils programme for Olympic sports infrastructure outside Athens

Athens, 01/07/2000 (ANA)

Presenting the programme in Irakleion, Crete, Deputy Minister for Sports Giorgos Floridis said the Olympic Games were a "golden opportunity" to create sports facilities in regional areas, with every prefecture acquiring a comprehensive sports infrastructure. These facilities, he added, would attract young people and become the breeding grounds for new champions, as well as covering the needs of the general public and serving as places where "Olympic ideals" could be fostered.

The "HELLAS 2004" programme, he said, linked the organization of the Olympic Games with the balanced development of sports infrastructure in all regions in the country, while he noted that this would be the first time that local authorities would have a clear idea of what they were entitled to and what they could expect in the way of sports infrastructure over the next few years.

The total budget for the programme is 360 billion drachmas and, among other things, it covers supplementary infrastructure in four cities that will host the Olympic soccer matches, the building of network of Olympic training facilities throughout the country, an education programme on the Olympics for secondary school children and students, improvements in the archaeological site at Ancient Olympia (where the original Games were held in antiquity by the ancient Greeks) and improving tourist infrastructure and services outside Attica.

Also included in the programme are the Cultural Olympiad, one of the trademarks of the Athens bid for the Games, and the Olympic Youth Festival, which the government is touting as a chance to foster the original values and ideals of the Olympics in the highly commercialised world of modern sports.

Floridis said that the sum that would be spent on infrastructure used exclusively for the Games would not be greater than 700 billion drachmas.

He went on to say that local authorities would implement the "HELLAS 2004" programme.

"We have already processed the data, what each prefecture and municipality needs. The General Secretariat will only have a monitoring role. In every municipality in the country, we will create a nucleus, depending on the population, with greater emphasis on regional capitals. The Olympic Games are therefore an opportunity for the regions to participate equally in the development of sports infrastructure."

[27] Turkish Cypriot measures against UNFICYP not in line with UN decisions, Cyprus says

NICOSIA, 01/07/2000 (CNA/ANA)

Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou called on the international community to question these measures, which the government is examining both in their political and legal context. The measures, announced by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on Thursday, force UNFICYP soldiers to pass into the areas occupied by Turkey only through a single point, to insure their vehicles with Turkish Cypriot insurance companies and pay the illegal regime for the water and electricity they use in camps in the occupied north.

They come in retaliation to the non-inclusion of an addendum to the UN Secretary-General's latest report for the renewal of UNFICYP with a Turkish Cypriot demand for separate consultations with the Force.

"Denktash's decision is contrary to and undermines Security Council decisions on Cyprus," the spokesman said.

He called on the international community "to question these actions and come to the necessary conclusions." Replying to questions, Papapetrou expressed the view that Denktash is provoking "both the UN and our side, so that we will make some moves that will facilitate his effort to avoid a dialogue and negotiations."

The Turkish Cypriot leader announced the measures only a few days before a third round of proximity talks begins in Geneva, on July 5, to pave the way for substantive negotiations to reach a settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops occupied 37 per cent of its territory in 1974.

The spokesman said "the Cyprus government will complain and make representations, as it already has, but at the same time it will not give Denktash the chance or an excuse to avoid a dialogue." He said the government is in contact with the UN to which it conveys its views, but refrained from elaborating.

Papapetrou said the Greek Cypriot side is going to Geneva to discuss the substance of the Cyprus question, in line with the UN Secretary-General's invitation.

[28] UNFICYP Protest

NICOSIA, 01/07/2000 (CNA/ANA)

In his letter with which he registers a formal protest, Wlosovicz expresses "deep disappointment" with the measures and the hope Mr Denktash will "urgently reconsider" as they impede UNFICYP's "capacity to carry out its mandate".

UNFICYP spokeswoman Sarah Russell told CNA Denktash "accepted the letter. He explained why he had imposed these measures and then the meeting was closed. "Asked what UNFICYP's next move will be, she said "we are communicating with New York again and we will wait and see if Mr Denktash does reconsider his measures."

Invited to comment on the fact that the regime in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkey since 1974 has already started to impose the measures and on Friday did not allow UNFICYP cars that went to the Ledra Palace check point to enter the occupied areas, she said a daily insurance was acquired.

"Today, because we were waiting to see what would happen about the measures, rather than go and invest a lot of UN money in insurance policies etc. We decided to buy insurance by the day and see what the feedback from Mr Denktash was on the insurance issue, as our cars are insured," she said.

Asked what the most serious impediment caused to UNFICYP was, Russell said the really big issue is the closing of the crossing points which creates obstacles in accessing one observation post and one camp in the occupied north.

[29] US lawmakers urge Clinton to press Cyprus settlement

Members of the U.S. Congress on Friday expressed strong support for U.N.-sponsored talks aimed at ending the 26-year-old division of Cyprus and urged President Bill Clinton step up his efforts to promote a settlement.

The call came five days before talks are due to take place between Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash aimed at reuniting the divided Mediterranean island.

"We believe that the current Cyprus settlement talks, having reached a critical stage, now call for your utmost attention and involvement," 81 U.S. senators and more than 225 members of the House of Representatives said in two separate but identical letters to Clinton.

"A Cyprus settlement, in accordance with long-established U.S. policy and United Nations resolutions, will benefit all the people of Cyprus...as well as serve the interests of America and our allies, Greece and Turkey," they said.

Both Republicans and Democrats signed the letter.

U.S. ambassador Al Moses, Clinton's special emissary in Cyprus, has been working with European and U.N. officials to try and bring about a breakthrough in the next round of proximity talks between Clerides and Denktash, due to be held in Geneva on July 5.

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