Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-08-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] FYROM's Georgievski predicts resolution of 'name issue' within a few months

[02] Greek military chief reiterates Athens' determination to catch British officer's killers

[03] Equities drop in light trade

[04] Crete court sentences six Turkish migrant traffickers

[05] Fishing boat rammed by Turkish motor ship

[06] Thousands of ethnic Greeks flock to S. Albania for upcoming religious holiday

[07] New stretch of Egnatia Way opens to traffic

[08] Clerides, Bandler discuss upcoming Cyprus proximity talks

[01] FYROM's Georgievski predicts resolution of 'name issue' within a few months

Athens, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

Speaking from the Ionian holiday island of Corfu, where he arrived for a brief vacation, Ljubco Georgievski also told a local television channel that economic relations between FYROM and Greece were ideal and an example for other Balkan countries.

The FYROM premier stressed that upgraded political understanding also exists between neighboring south Balkan states, a situation aided by Greece-based entrepreneurs.

Georgievski was met on Corfu by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who told reporters that bilateral relations over the previous period were particularly stable, while he noted that Athens and Skopje view regional problems from an angle that is similar on most points.

There are differences, but a good relationship can lead to a positive conclusion over the (name) problem that separates the two countries, Papandreou said.

The name issue remains as the only difference between Athens and Skopje left to be resolved after often strained relations marked the first half of the 1990s -- following FYROMs succession from rump Yugoslavia and its establishment as an independent state.

Greece has long contended that the name "Macedonia", which FYROM adopted after its official independence, belies territorial ambitions and generates significant historical inaccuracies directed at Greece's major northern province of Macedonia, which borders FYROM's southern frontier. An "interim agreement" signed in September 1995 normalized relations and left the name issue to be decided through UN mediation, an ongoing process continuing to this day.

Georgievski will be hosted on board a cruiser owned by Greek insurance magnate Dimitris Kontominas.

[02] Greek military chief reiterates Athens' determination to catch British officer's killers

LONDON, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

Gen. Manoussos Paragioudakis is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of his British counterpart Gen. Sir Charles Guthrie.

Brig. Stephen Saunders was gunned down on an Athens highway in early June while he was driving alone in morning rush-hour traffic. The notorious urban terrorist group "November 17" claimed responsibility for the assassination the next day.

"We have all been deeply shocked by the murder of the British defense attache in Athens... on June 8 by the 'November 17' terrorist group. On this sad occasion I would like to reiterate the absolute determination of the Greek government to spare no efforts in order to bring those responsible to justice," Gen. Paragioudakis, the chief of the Greek armed forces' general staff, said during a brief address.

"To that effect, I wish to emphasize that the law enforcement agencies of both our countries are working very closely together and will continue to do so until our goal is achieved," he added.

[03] Equities drop in light trade

Athens, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

Turnover remained thin, and the market needed to consolidate at current levels, accompanied by a rise in trade, analysts said.

The general index ended 1.15 percent lower at 3,720.49 points with turnover at 68.9 billion drachmas.

Worst hit were small and medium-capitalization stocks, and construction shares.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.55 percent down, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index for medium-sized shares finished 3.25 percent lower.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: -0.11% Leasing: -1.10% Insurance: +0.29% Investment: +0.23% Construction: -4.58% Industrials: -2.04% Miscellaneous: -2.17% Holding: -3.35%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks closed 7.41 percent down.

Of 344 shares traded, declines led advances at 317 to 22 with 5 issues unchanged.

Most heavily traded were Hellenic Telecommunications, Alpha Bank, Intracom and Naoussa Spinning Mills.

Drachma closing prices of leading shares were as follows: National Bank of Greece: 13,225 Titan Cement Co. (c): 13,200 Alpha Bank: 12,900 Hellenic Telecommunications: 7,660 Commercial Bank: 15,590 Panafon: 3,995 Hellenic Petroleum: 3,405 Eurobank: 9,000 Intracom: 11,805 Lambrakis Press: 8,960 Heracles Cement: 7,300

Equity futures slump, tracking bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished lower on Wednesday, in line with the indices on which they are based.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 0.55 percent down, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 3.25 percent lower.

Turnover was 10.83 billion drachmas from 12.94 billion drachmas a day earlier.

A total of 1,271 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 with turnover at 5.33 billion drachmas.

On the FTSE/ASE 40 index, 2,704 contracts changed hands on turnover of 5.50 billion drachmas.

Bond prices drop in sell-dominated trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Wednesday finished lower in brisk trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.023 percent from 6.03 percent in the previous session.

The Greek paper's yield spread over German bunds was 85 basis points from 84-85 basis points a day earlier.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 112 billion drachmas from 38 billion drachmas the session before.

Sell orders accounted for 74 billion drachmas of turnover.

On offer was mostly short-term paper.

Drachma up vs. euro, down vs. dollar: The drachma on Wednesday ended higher against the euro and lower versus the US dollar in the domestic foreign exchange market.

At the central bank's daily fixing, the euro was set at 337.05 drachmas from 337.09 drachmas in the previous session.

Also at the fix, the dollar was set at 375.860 drachmas from 372.790 drachmas a day earlier.

[04] Crete court sentences six Turkish migrant traffickers

Athens, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

The traffickers were arrested at Koufonisi, Sitia, last Sunday when they attempted to put ashore from a small boat 341 Kurdish and Afghani illegal immigrants.

The Turks were also charged for the illegal possession of arms, lack of naval documents and for overloading the boat.

The traffickers told the court that they had done a favor to the migrants who could no longer live in their countries. They said that they were destined for Italy, but due to be weather were forced to head for Crete.

The 341 illegal migrants continued to be taken care of at the Ierapetra stadium until the authorities decide on their fate.

[05] Fishing boat rammed by Turkish motor ship

Athens, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

Port authorities said that the small freighter fled toward the Asia Minor coast chased by a Greek patrol boat.

The fishing boat's crew, six Greeks and four Egyptian nationals, were reported unharmed.

[06] Thousands of ethnic Greeks flock to S. Albania for upcoming religious holiday

TIRANA, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

The development marks the first time in several years that so many ethnic Greeks have returned to often strife-torn southern Albania to spend their holidays, especially in the villages surrounding the predominately Greek-speaking areas of Dropoli, Heimarra - the site of a major religious celebration on Aug. 15 -- and Sarande.

Besides a road connection through the Kakkavia border post, boat connections are available from nearby Corfu to the small ports of Heimarra and Sarande.

[07] New stretch of Egnatia Way opens to traffic

Athens, 10/08/2000 (ANA)

The 14-kilometre section is part of a bypass for the port city of Kavala from the Aghios Andreas Pangeos overpass to Aghios Silas.

The bypass' 11-kilometre eastern part from the Aghios Silas overpass to the highway bound for the town of Xanthi is expected to open to traffic by early next year.

[08] Clerides, Bandler discuss upcoming Cyprus proximity talks

NICOSIA, 10/08/2000 (CNA/ANA)

Ambassador Bandler said on Wednesday the US effort will focus on all core issues, which are interrelated, and dismissed press suggestions that Washington focuses on territory, adding that a comprehensive settlement needs to be negotiated.

The US diplomat said he had an "excellent meeting" with President Glafcos Clerides and Undersecretary to the President Pantelis Kouros, which covered "a range of issues."

"We talked about our plans in the important preparatory work that continued and will go on as we get ready for the next round (of talks) in New York," due to begin on 12 September, he added.

Noting that "there is a lot of work to do", he said the US are "determined on this issue, to continue working on it, it is an important question and we have got these talks that we wanted launched and we have to make them a success."

This, he pointed out, meant "hard work" in New York, and suggested that people, including journalists, should get some rest.

Asked where the US will focus its efforts, he replied "we are focused on all the issues that are out there, the core issues, and we want to continue to work substantively on each of the questions, they all interrelate, they all need to get done right."

Invited to say if the US focuses its attention on territory, he said this was not true and pointed out that all issues are important.

"The whole comprehensive settlement has to be negotiated and there is no issue that is unimportant, territory is one of the core ones," he added.

The UN has identified four core issues for the peace talks, namely constitution, security, territory and refugees-property.

Ambassador Bandler leaves on Thursday for the US on vacation and is expected to return towards the end of the month.

He and other American administration officials dealing with Cyprus have attended all three rounds of UN-sponsored peace talks since they began last December. The latest round of proximity talks was adjourned on 4 August and the next is due to begin in early September in New York.

The talks aim at preparing the ground for substantive negotiations to reach a settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops occupied 37 percent of its territory in 1974.

Clinton urged to push for Cyprus settlement NICOSIA, 10/08/2000 (CNA)

Leaders of overseas Greeks organizations have sent letters to US President Bill Clinton and the US Permanent Representative to the UN Richard Holbrooke, urging them to utilize every opportunity for a solution to the Cyprus problem, before they leave office.

In their letters, the leaders note that Cyprus' European Union accession course is "the single most important positive development" for Cyprus since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island, and creates "a profound new dynamic to the Cyprus problem".

They also note that a solution to the Cyprus problem, in accordance with UN resolutions and built on the European Union base "will dramatically improve the future for every Cypriot, Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, for every Turkish citizen and Greek citizen, as well as for the security interests of all Americans".

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