Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-09-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis and Drys discuss progress of this year's budget and preparation for 2001 budget

[02] Foreign Ministry says turnout and election process show maturity of Serbian people

[03] Cypriot FM, party leaders to visit Athens early October

[04] Apostolakis interview to US magazine touches on regional relations, armaments

[05] Reppas comments on PASOK ministers' statements on transparency

[06] Reppas criticizes ND leader for signing Church petition for referendum on ID-card issue

[07] Synaspismos leader calls for abolition of press ministry

[08] Meeting held in Athens on the granting of technical know-how to Turkey

[09] PM Simitis meets with Vougias, Papaioannou

[10] President meets with Political Spring leader

[11] Papazoi to discuss EU issues with Finnish Deputy Foreign Minister Blomberg

[12] Papademos tracks mid-term oil price for economic impact

[13] Christodoulakis says no major impact from tanker strike

[14] Blue chip stocks lead ASE higher

[15] Papoutsis tables bill in Parliament on 'settling issues concerning shipwrecks'

[16] Greece hosts Info system 2000 in Thessaloniki

[17] Seminar to support women in business

[18] Athens' National Gallery to host major exhibition of 16th-, 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painters

[19] Ecumenical Patriarch arrives in Manama on invitation from Emir Al Halifa

[20] Cultural heritage bill introduces heavy penalties for theft of cultural items

[21] Intracom president honored by Academy of Achievement

[22] Deputy sports minister signs memorandum of cooperation in sports with Australia in Sydney

[23] President Clerides says there is no backtracking on Greek Cypriot side's positions

[24] CoE presses Committee of Ministers to enter dialogue with Turkey over Loizidou case

[01] Simitis and Drys discuss progress of this year's budget and preparation for 2001 budget

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

The achievement of difficult targets set in the 2001 budget concerning the creation of a surplus and a decrease in the public debt, under the burden of new circumstances created by increases in the parities of the dollar and the yen and hikes in international fuel prices, is believed to be attainable.

These developments were brought to the attention of Prime Minister Costas Simitis in a meeting with Deputy Finance Minister George Drys on Monday. Talks focused on the implementation of this year's budget and the preparation of the 2001 budget. It was ascertained that all existing margins for containing expenditures should be exhausted to enable budget targets to be achieved and to allow for the coverage of the cost created for low incomes, by the increase in the price of oil, with the granting of a special benefit in the event fuel prices are not normalized in the near future.

According to data Drys presented to Simitis, the cost created for the budget so far by increases in the parities of the dollar and the yen amounts to 150 billion drachmas and is expected to reach 200 billion by the end of the year. This cost concerns the increase in expenditures for interest and installments serving the public debt.

It was evaluated that this cost can be covered by the surplus in the revenues of this year's budget but, in any case, it is an additional reason necessitating implementation of a stringent fiscal policy in 2001.

Drys briefed Simitis on consecutive contacts he had with the government's ministers in past days on determining increases in their ministries' expenditures in 2001. According to data provided by Drys, the expenditures of ministries in 2001 will increase on average by 6.7 per cent. This means that expenditures will only increase by 4-5 per cent in some ministries, while in others the increase will exceed 6.7 per cent (meaning as much as the nominal increase in GDP and inflation). The biggest increases will be given to the health, labor, culture and education ministries in the framework of the government's policy of increasing expenditures in these sectors.

[02] Foreign Ministry says turnout and election process show maturity of Serbian people

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

"The large turnout and the way with which the election process went ahead prove the maturity and will of the Serbian people for democratic changes to go ahead in Yugoslavia," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Panayiotis Beglitis said in relation to Sunday's elections.

"We are expecting completion of the counting process and we express the hope that this process will be concluded smoothly and with the necessary transparency," he added.

[03] Cypriot FM, party leaders to visit Athens early October

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

Foreign ministry press spokesman Panos Beglitis told reporters that Papandreou had spoken with most of the Cypriot party leaders by phone and invited them to visit Athens to discuss the developments in the Cyprus problem.

The specific dates of the visits had not yet been set, Beglitis said.

Ministry sources said the invitations had been made to Democratic Rally (DHSY) leader Nikos Anastasiades, communist AKEL party secretary general Dimitris Christophias, KISOS party leader Dr. Vassos Lyssarides, Democratic Party (DHKO) president and speaker of the Cyprus House of Representatives Spyros Kyprianou, and Liberal Democrats Movement president George Vassiliou, who heads Cyprus' team in the EU accession negotiations.

Papandreou, who departed for Sydney at noon Monday, intended, after his return, to brief the leaders of the Greek political parties that expressed such a desire on the developments in foreign policy issues.

Diplomatic sources said Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Konstantopoulos requested such a briefing in a telephone conversation with Papandreou.

Papandreou will also brief the Greek parliament's standing committee on foreign affairs and defense on developments in foreign policy issues -- including the Cyprus problem, Greek-Turkish affairs and the Yugoslavia issue following his recent contacts in New York on the sidelines of the UN general assembly -- at the committee's scheduled session in early October.

[04] Apostolakis interview to US magazine touches on regional relations, armaments

WASHINGTON, 26/06/2000 (ANA - T. Ellis)

Introducing the interview, the magazine noted that the collapse of Yugoslavia, the Greek-Turkish arms race and two armed conflicts in the Balkans led Greece to create a ten-year 31-billion-dollar armament's program.

It added that Greece's government, headed by Costas Simitis, is expending efforts in changing the image of Greece from a supporter of Serbia to a country that is a leader of the Balkans and a geopolitical ally of Turkey, while it noted Washington's negative reaction to the purchase of European and Russian weapon systems.

In the interview, Apostolakis stressed that the presence of 100 Turkish marines on Greek soil was well accepted by the Greek people and foreign policy makers. He added, however, that within the military there remained lack of trust toward the motives of Turkey.

"The Turks, as the inheritors of the Ottoman Empire, feel that they can claim several or all the islands (of the Aegean) not specifically mentioned in international treaties. They have a theory of 'gray zones' within the treaties that they want to table. We, simply do not accept any changes to the status quo of the current borders," Apostolakis said.

Speaking on the Balkans, Apostolakis said "Greece has excellent relations with all sides and is promoting security in the region. We have markedly improved our relations with FYROM (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), we have forces in Bosnia, Kosovo and Albania and we have aided in the training of the Albanian armed forces."

Responding to a question on Greece's purchase of the French-made SCALP missiles, he said that Turkey had the fourth largest military force on the planet, and has purchased the Israeli-made Popeye missiles.

Finally, Apostolakis noted that Greek-Israeli relations have improved, adding that Israel reassured Greece that its cooperation with Turkey does not constitute some kind of "axis".

[05] Reppas comments on PASOK ministers' statements on transparency

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

He added, however, that it was a dangerous phenomenon when social life was made "suspect" in this way.

The spokesman also commented on the statements made on Sun-day by PASOK ministers Papandreou, Papantoniou and Tsohatzopoulos regarding transparency, saying that they did not contain any charges against the government, which had taken measures to safeguard the state on transparency issues.

Reppas called on all parties to make a contribution in the right direction for the benefit of public life, while accusing the opposition of doing exactly the opposite and of taking an accusatory tone.

"PASOK's image at the present time is not the best it could be," the spokesman conceded, but stressed that the party possessed organs that could deal with the matters that arose. He denied that the prime minister's office was considering making replacements.

Reppas said he did not know whether Prime Minister Costas Simitis was planning to meet with PASOK Organizing sector secretary Michalis Neonakis but confirmed that there would be a meeting between the premier and PASOK Central Committee Secretary Costas Skandalidis on Tuesday evening.

He also announced a meeting of the PASOK Executive Bureau on Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. and a meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday to discuss tourism.

[06] Reppas criticizes ND leader for signing Church petition for referendum on ID-card issue

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

While entitled to his opinion, Reppas added, by his action Karamanlis had taken a stand on an issue being promoted by the Greek Church that was dividing the people.

Asked if his criticism of Karamanlis also applied to two PASOK deputies who have also signed the Church petition, the spokesman said that all parliamentary deputies were free to express their opinion.

[07] Synaspismos leader calls for abolition of press ministry

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

Addressing a press conference at the party's offices, Constantopoulos criticized Press Minister Dimitris Reppas, saying that "he wants absolute government control over the mass media and his haste regarding the ratification of the draft law concerning, among others, the National Radio and TV Council, is evidently related to movements in the mass media sector and the discussion started on vested interests."

Referring to the press conference, Reppas spoke of an untenable political position, which was nothing more than the result of petty-party expediency.

[08] Meeting held in Athens on the granting of technical know-how to Turkey

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

The Greek delegation was headed by the Foreign Ministry's General Secretary for European Affairs, Ilias Plaskovitis, and that of the Turkish delegation by Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister Akin Alptuna.

The delegations discussed what has taken place to date within the framework of the relevant cooperation and its prospects for further advancement.

Both sides expressed the will to cooperate for the granting of technical know-how to Turkey through seminars in Greece or in Turkey, for the training of Turkey's public administration personnel in the sectors of the economy, customs, foreign commerce, banks, environment, agriculture, justice and regional policy and development.

[09] PM Simitis meets with Vougias, Papaioannou

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

Following his meeting with the premier, Papaioannou, responding to a question on whether he was happy with "what was happening in (ruling) PASOK", said that "we will confront all issues and problems that come up in the best possible way, as we have always done."

The way all this will be accomplished "is the way of discussion, dialogue and composition."

Simitis will receive PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis on Tuesday.

[10] President meets with Political Spring leader

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

Samaras said that the government ought to resist coordinated international pressure for a "quick-fix" solution to the Cyprus problem.

He also said that the situation in the Balkans was "politically explosive" and said that the government should also deal with foreign policy issues, as well as the serious problems of economic vested interests in government and the preparations for the Olympic Games in 2004.

The government, he added, had so far left national issues on the "modernist shelf of indifference and downgrading."

Questioned on his views regarding the Church petition for a referendum on the identity-card issue, Samaras said he intended to add his signature to the petition.

[11] Papazoi to discuss EU issues with Finnish Deputy Foreign Minister Blomberg

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

The talks will be held at the Foreign Ministry and later Papazoi will give a luncheon in honor of Blomberg.

[12] Papademos tracks mid-term oil price for economic impact

PRAGUE, 26/09/2000 (ANA-A. Lidorikis)

If the price of oil per barrel settled at 25-28 US dollars per barrel in the mid-term, then the impact would not be discernible on the economy, Papademos told reporters on the sidelines of an International Monetary Fund and World Bank meeting in the Czech capital.

The central bank governor also said that monetary authorities had no intention of hastening the drachma's slide towards its central euro zone parity.

At the same time, its parity could be adjusted earlier than originally planned on January 1, 2001, he added.

[13] Christodoulakis says no major impact from tanker strike

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters in Thessaloniki, he said that oil refineries must maintain their output.

Separately, the president of the truckers union said that he expected a heavy strike turnout on Tuesday following a low showing in the cities on Monday.

Striking owners were to occupy selected sites around Athens but an estimated turnout of around 5.0 percent of truck owners was reported at the sites.

The union estimated strike turnout at 70-80 percent of trucks in the provinces.

In another statement on Monday, Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis pledged that roads would remain open and refineries would not be blockaded in the strike.

Reppas urges striking truckers to show 'responsibility': Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas on Monday urged striking heavy-goods vehicle and tanker-truck owners, who are protesting rising oil and fuel prices, to "show a sense of responsibility" in order to limit the consequences of the crisis.

[14] Blue chip stocks lead ASE higher

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

Traders said selective stock buying in heavy capitalization shares was an encouraging sign for the short-term outlook of the market.

The general index ended 1.48 percent higher at 4,151.48 points, at the day's highs, with turnover a low 88.18 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 2,366.88 points, up 1.63 percent, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index rose 0.70 percent to 538.35 points.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 8,434.91 +1.48% Leasing: 683.03 +1.38% Insurance: 2,249.21 +1.52% Investment: 1,653.99 +0.68% Construction: 2,093.50 -0.04% Industrials: 2,464.33 +1.41% Miscellaneous: 4,237.54 +0.67% Holding: 5,120.41 +1.17%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization shares ended 0.24 percent lower at 625.41 points.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 215 to 115 with another 21 issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecoms, Alpha Bank, Elval and Daios Plastics were the most heavily traded stocks.

Leading shares' closing prices (in Drs): National Bank: 15,420 Titan Cement (c): 14,510 Alpha Bank: 15,200 Hellenic Telecoms: 7,565 Commercial Bank: 19,950 Panafon: 3,630 Hellenic Petroleum: 4,170 Eurobank: 10,440 Attica Enterprises: 2,910 Piraeus Bank: 6,460 Intracom: 13,390 Lambrakis Press: 9,350 Minoan Lines: 3,355 Heracles Cement: 4,700

Bond prices nose up in light trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished higher in light across-the-board trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.05 percent from 6.071 percent in the last two sessions.

The Greek paper's yield spread over German bunds was 79-80 basis points from 78-79 basis points in the previous trading day.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 22 billion drachmas from 150 billion drachmas in the session before.

Of the total, buy orders accounted for the bulk of trade.

Equity futures rise, tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished higher on Monday, in line with the indices on which they are based.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 1.03 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.70 percent higher.

Turnover was 19.78 billion drachmas.

A total of 3,303 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 with turnover at 15.92 billion drachmas.

On the FTSE/ASE 40 index, 1,756 contracts changed hands on turnover of 3.86 billion drachmas.

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

At the central bank's daily fixing, the euro was set at 339.250 drachmas from 339.180 drachmas in the previous session.

Also at the fix, the dollar was set at 386.740 drachmas from 393.010 drachmas a trading day earlier.

[15] Papoutsis tables bill in Parliament on 'settling issues concerning shipwrecks'

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

He said on Monday that the bill attempts a substantive legislative intervention on the sensitive issue of shipwrecks, which have been inconveniencing the country's ports for many years, creating problems for shipping security and constituting a permanent source of pollution with considerable repercussions for the marine environment.

[16] Greece hosts Info system 2000 in Thessaloniki

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

This year's trade fair, organized by the Helexpo, has invited the most significant IT companies, state representatives and press officials in the Balkans, with strong delegations expected from Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, FYROM and Cyprus.

Greece's Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Ministry will present its operational program "Kleisthenis".

Info system 2000 will hold the sixth Software Application Conference, organized by Helexpo with the support of Northern Greece's Software Companies' Union, under the auspices of national economy and interior ministries.

[17] Seminar to support women in business

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

General Secretary of Equality Effie Bekou told the meeting that a program entitled Now/Women Business Forces provided active backing for women seeking to launch businesses or receive assistance for existing enterprises.

In addition, the EU's Third Community Support Framework package of funds contained innovative programs covering the same ground, Bekou said.

[18] Athens' National Gallery to host major exhibition of 16th-, 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painters

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

The exhibition entitled "Greek Gods and heroes in the age of Rubens and Rembrandt" will run until January 8, 2001.

A complementary exhibition of 50 engravings will also be on show at the restored Dutch Institute as of September 30.

The works making up the exhibition are on loan from major museums in the Netherlands, Germany, Washington, Tokyo and private collections.

The two exhibitions will next travel to the Dordrecht Museum in the Netherlands.

[19] Ecumenical Patriarch arrives in Manama on invitation from Emir Al Halifa

MANAMA, Bahrain, 26/09/2000 (ANA A. Kourkoulas)

Metropolitan of Switzer-land Damaskinos and a delegation of Patriarchate representatives accompanied Vartholomeos, who was invited by the Bahrain Emir Hammad Bin Isa Al Halifa, from Istanbul.

Metropolitan of Baghdad, Kuwait and Surrounding Lands Konstantinos and ambassador of Russia and Consuls of Greece and Cyprus were also on hand to receive the Patriarch.

"We have the same beliefs regarding the principles of peace, friendship and religious freedom," Al Halifa said, to Vartholomeos during the reception at the Palace.

Al Halifa also bestowed the highest honorary title of his state on Vartholomeos, noting that the tradition of religious freedom on the Emirate has allowed for the existence of the Orthodox Church there, along with another 13 churches.

[20] Cultural heritage bill introduces heavy penalties for theft of cultural items

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

The bill includes measures for cultural goods from the ancient times to today, it differentiates between real estate and non-real estate based monuments, it provides protection for non-material cultural items, for the unity of cultural collections and elements of the cultural heritage of other civilizations within Greece's territory.

Harsh prison terms are mandated by the bill for illegal activities in exploring for or selling cultural items. Specifically, the bill mandates three-year prison terms for illegal archaeological excavation and a minimum of three-years imprisonment for trading of illegally obtained archaeological items, while the use of metal detectors will be illegal and the mandated punishment will be a year's imprisonment.

Special mention is made in the bill for cultural items in possession of monastic communities, as those items are part of a living heritage, thus the Mt. Athos property will not be subject to the bill, once it becomes the law of the country.

Pangalos said that the bill introduces an attitude, whereby society comes to understand the value of cultural heritage.

[21] Intracom president honored by Academy of Achievement

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

According to the announcement, the awards ceremony will take place at a London hotel on Oct. 28 and Kokkalis will be one of several businessmen honored among them, BP Amoco President Sir John Brown.

[22] Deputy sports minister signs memorandum of cooperation in sports with Australia in Sydney

Athens, 26/09/2000 (ANA)

The five-year agreement provides for exchanges of athletes, sports-sector employees, information, experience and know-how and cooperation in volunteerism for the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.

Afterward, Floridis said that it was "an important agreement for both countries. Australia is a great country and Greece has much to gain in the sports sector. Both are major powers in sports and this is proved by their successes in Sydney."

[23] President Clerides says there is no backtracking on Greek Cypriot side's positions

NEW YORK, 26/09/2000 (ANA - M. Georgiadou / CNA)

The president also said there is no backtracking on the positions of the Greek Cypriot side and explained that some problematic issues were under discussion in the past and were rightly rejected by previous governments of the Republic as well.

Speaking after an hour-long meeting on Monday with UN Secretary General's Special Adviser for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto, in the context of the peace talks, the president said "de Soto has not put forward any proposals, we have given replies to the ideas he presented us with."

Asked how he felt as this round of talks comes to a close, the president said at this stage many ideas are being floated around and added "this is no secret, they (UN) are trying to sound out our reaction."

"We respond as we should, always taking into consideration the provisions of the UN resolutions on Cyprus," President Clerides said.

Replying to critical remarks by the island's political leadership to the effect that there has been digression from the UN resolutions, the president said "I would say that there we are not reneging because we defend our positions on the basis of UN resolutions."

He explained that some of the contentious issues put forward were in the past rejected by previous governments of Cyprus and are also rejected by the present government.

These relate to the rotating presidency of the federal Cyprus that would emerge from the talks, the issue of sovereignty and the right to decisions by consensus, which the Greek Cypriot side does not accept.

"These issues were there prior to the recommendation of the G8 group in June last year, (before the latest peace effort began), they were there in the 1992 set of ideas the UN had prepared and they continue to exist," the president added.

He said there is probably "a need for us to be careful and we are careful but this need has always been around, this is nothing new."

The fourth round of UN-led talks got underway in New York on September 12 and is held through separate meetings de Soto is holding with President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Next round of UN-led Cyprus proximity talks in Geneva: UN Secretary General's Spokesman Fred Eckhard announced here that the next round of UN-led proximity talks will take place in Geneva, but no date has been set.

The announcement was made at Monday's daily press briefing as the fourth round of proximity talks is coming to an end.

Eckhard said the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus had separate meetings with UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and on Tuesday they are set to meet separately with UN chief Kofi Annan.

These will be the last meetings in this round of talks held at the UN headquarters in New York.

The fourth round of talks focused on the four core issues the UN has identified for discussion, namely constitution, security, territory and refugees-property.

[24] CoE presses Committee of Ministers to enter dialogue with Turkey over Loizidou case

STRASBOURG, 26/09/2000 (CNA/ANA)

During a press conference shortly before the opening of the fourth part of the Ordinary Session of the CoE Parliamentary Assembly, Lord Russell said they have very consistently "been pressing for the Committee of Ministers to enter into a dialogue with the Turks and to perhaps set a time scale for some implementation," stressing at the same time that "the decision finally is with them".

Commenting on a report by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights on the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, to be presented on Thursday September 28, Lord Russell mentioned France and Turkey as examples of countries that do not comply with their formal undertaking to abide by the final judgments of the Court. In the case of Turkey he pointed to the case of Titina Loizidou and "several other similar cases" which are pending at the Court, expressing his concern about the present situation.

"In regard to decisions of the Court of Human Rights and the fact that Turkey is not accepting them, the responsibility for that lies with the Committee of Ministers as to what is to be done," he said.

The draft resolution of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights says that the Committee of Ministers shares part of the responsibility for Turkey's disobedience as it "does not exert enough pressure when supervising the execution of judgments".

Greek Cypriot Loizidou challenged Turkey's continuing occupation of Cyprus' northern part since 1974, prohibiting her from peacefully enjoying and using her property there, as it contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in December 1996 that Turkey, through the large presence of her troops on the island, exercises effective overall control in occupied Cyprus, something that entails responsibility for her policies and actions of the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime in those areas.

The Court also said Loizidou is and must be regarded the legal owner of her property and ordered Ankara to pay some 900,000 US dollars in compensation.

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