Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-09-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece among the powerful economies in the world, Papantoniou says

[02] Passenger ship sinks off Paros island, fifty nine confirmed deaths

[03] Greek alternate FM discusses Greek-Turkish relations with Finnish deputy FM

[04] EU Commissioner Verheugen optimistic over success of Cyprus' EU accession course

[05] PM, ministers decide to increase the capacity of public works control agencies

[06] Karamanlis expresses strong opposition to media ministry bill

[07] No comment on Yugoslav elections until official results are in, spokesman says

[08] President Stephanopoulos to watch final phase of "Parmenion 2000" exercise

[09] Reppas says visit by Metropolitan Theoklitos to Maximos Mansion of a private nature

[10] Prime Minister and PASOK Secretary discuss current issues

[11] Defense Minister Tsohatzopoulos arrives in Bulgaria for two-day visit

[12] Archbishop Dimitrios of America receives Holbrooke

[13] Constantopoulos invited to World Solidarity Conference in Havana

[14] Consumers have calmed down after initial rush, petrol station owners say

[15] Greek stocks end flat; liquidity problems resurface

[16] Christodoulakis says economic cooperation with FYROM positive

[17] National economy ministry gets new secretary-general

[18] Overseas Greek rallies support of Venezuelan, Latin American literati for Greek composer's bid for Nobel Prize

[19] Santorini hosts international conference on culture

[20] First ever robot-assisted surgery takes place in Greece

[21] Car with US plates firebombed in Glyfada suburb

[22] Can Greece match the success of the Sydney Games? Angelopoulou-Daskalaki thinks so

[23] Pangalos says circles exist that believe Greece cannot organize the Olympic Games

[24] Greco-Roman wrestler Konstantinos Thanos loses match to place fourth

[25] "Spartathlon" super long distance race begins on Friday

[26] Panathinaikos scores important win against Hamburg away

[27] Clerides describes Cyprus proximity talks 'useful' in that positions were made clear

[01] Greece among the powerful economies in the world, Papantoniou says

PRAGUE, 27/09/2000 (ANA / A. Lidorikis)

In his speech, Papantoniou unveiled to international finance ministers and central bankers the modern face of the Greek economy, with growth rates estimated at 5.0 percent in the next few years, inflation under control and a fiscal debt below the average levels in the eurozone area.

He emphasized on structural changes, currently under way, and in particular an ambitious privatization program and a forthcoming full deregulation of the country's energy and telecommunications markets.

Referring to international financial conditions, Papantoniou said that the euro's volatility in the last few months did not reflect the economic fundamentals in the eurozone. "A strong euro is in the interest of the global economy," he said.

Papantoniou said that Greece has undertaken a significant and productive role in an effort for the reconstruction of the Balkans. He supported an IMF/World Bank initiative to offer economic support to indebted countries and urged for more intensive efforts towards this aim.

[02] Passenger ship sinks off Paros island, fifty nine confirmed deaths

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The ship was carrying approximately 500 passengers and according to conflicting reports a number of people jumped into the sea before the ship sank.

Reports at press time at 01:45 on Wednesday said that about 150 passengers arrived safely on the island of Paros either on lifeboats or by managing to swim ashore.

Gale force winds were prevailing in the area at the time of the accident, making rescue operations highly difficult.

A number of tug boats and trawlers rushed to the aid of the passenger ship.

Rescue operations were still in progress at press time.

The "Express Samina" had departed at 5 p.m. from Piraeus for Paros, Naxos, Ikaria, Samos and Patmos. The vessel was reported to have sustained a crack and had tilted on one side, before eventually sinking.

[03] Greek alternate FM discusses Greek-Turkish relations with Finnish deputy FM

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

"The well known 'triangle' connecting Athens, Ankara and Nicosia has now become a 'square', that is since Brussels plays an important role in confronting those conditions that appear for some years now as bilateral problems between Greece and Turkey," Papazoi said, following the meeting.

She also said that Greece presented its positions during the talks, stressing the need for the UN-led Cyprus proximity talks in New York to continue and to assume a more substantive content, as well as the need to become clear to Turkey that its European prospect depends on its stance on the Cyprus problem and the Greek-Turkish affairs.

On his part, Blomberg said "we are especially interested in supporting the Greek stance, the stance of Greece as a European Union member-state and for this reason we believe that it is very important to have a direct contact".

"We are at a critical point in the discussions regarding the problems of this region of the world ... Finland shows a great interest and participates in the undertaking of responsibility in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem," he added.

"Regarding the candidacy of Turkey (to the Union), we are active participants, we are interested, because, let's not forget, a year ago my country had the presidency of the European Union and at that time we offered it (Turkey) a chance to handle the issue. We believe that the final conclusions of the Helsinki Summit should be applied," he said.

"The conclusions of the Helsinki Summit were agreed upon by the leaders of states and governments. They are binding," Blomberg said, and referring to a question on a letter sent at the time of the Summit by Finish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen to Turkey, which that country considers it binding, he added "the letter is explanatory to the conclusions (of the Summit) and of course the letter is a letter of the presiding leader of the then Summit Council to Turkey. But I do not think that the letter adds anything of substance to the conclusions which are the substance."

Finally, Blomberg expressed his belief that both the accession of Cyprus and Turkey will be a great opportunity towards a united Cyprus.

[04] EU Commissioner Verheugen optimistic over success of Cyprus' EU accession course

BERLIN, 27/09/2000 (ANA - P. Stangos)

"Cyprus will be among the first countries with which negotiations will be completed," he said, and assessed that despite fruitless UN-led proximity talks held so far conditions to resolve the political problem "are more favorable than ever."

The accession of Cyprus as a whole is the final objective, Verheugen said, adding that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will realize that he cannot stay "outside."

On the question of the EU-Turkey partnership and the Turkish government's demand that no reference should be made to the Cyprus issue and Greek-Turkish relations, as was the case in the decision taken at the EU Helsinki summit last December where Turkey was granted EU candidate status, Verheugen reiterated the known official position that "the relevant document does not constitute an object for negotiations."

[05] PM, ministers decide to increase the capacity of public works control agencies

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The premier issued his call during a meeting of ministers of Public Administration and Decentralization Vasso Papandreou, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Costas Laliotis, Deputy National Economy Minister Christos Pahtas and Deputy Finance Minister George Drys, at the Maximos Mansion.

The decision on the mechanisms of controls were finalized during the meeting, and the premier requested increased efforts for the completion of public works, via the upgrading of the existing state mechanisms of control.

Specifically, Simitis said that local government control agencies should be reinforced via the hiring of permanent personnel, the continuing education of the personnel and the restructuring of the existing mechanisms so they may better coordinate their work.

[06] Karamanlis expresses strong opposition to media ministry bill

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The bill was tabled in Parliament and discussions on its articles begun in the afternoon at the relevant Parliament committee.

According to Karamanlis, recent revelations regarding the government's plans for the sensitive mass media sector "clearly revealed the existence of a network of vested interests that has been used and is being used to keep Prime Minister Costas Simitis in power".

The bill itself, he added, essentially negated all the measures adopted almost unanimously by the Constitutional Review Committee for dealing with vested interests in the media sector.

In response, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that criticism against the government was without content or substance, adding that the bill was part of the government's pre-election plans.

He warned all those who comment on the issue "and pretend to be the watchers of public morals" that they will be surprised soon in Parliament.

Reppas called on all sides to discuss the substance of the issue, accusing at the same time the critics of the bill that they want an ERS to be controlled by all parties and not an independent agency.

He also said that ERS was downgraded during the tenure of Miltiades Evert as minister of the last ND government.

[07] No comment on Yugoslav elections until official results are in, spokesman says

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

He said that he would not comment until the final result was made public by the election's central monitoring committee, stressing that the elections were held under normal conditions "and we should expect the results to be published in the same way."

"We should be careful and what we wish for is that Yugoslavia exits this crisis aided by all of us," he said, adding that what matters was the vote of the Yugoslav people and underlined that the political forces of the neighboring country accepted that the elections were held in a normal and democratic way.

Mitsotakis calls for Serbs to be "left unobstructed" on their road to democracy: The Serbian people should be left unobstructed to resolve their internal problems, former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis said on Tuesday, in light of the Sunday elections in Yugoslavia.

The main opposition New Democracy (ND) honorary president also said that one more reason for the Serbs to be left unobstructed was that "it seems clear that their (Serbian people) motive is to move toward democratization and political change".

Mitsotakis added that according to information confirmed by the president of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Karolos Papoulias, the elections were conducted in "a normal climate" and the Serbian people have "shown maturity and cool headedness".

He added, however, that the delays in publishing the results, created well-founded concern and this action demands careful handling by everybody.

The policy of NATO and the USA, who "openly and provocatively intervened in the elections, while at the same time maintaining an unexplainable stance towards Kosovo and Montenegro, essentially damaged the opposition and as the bombings, it resulted in increasing the popularity percentages of President Milosevic," Mitsotakis said.

In conclusion he called for the immediate lifting of the embargo and the abandonment of the unilateral prosecutions for war crimes, which the Serbs unanimously rejected, adding that such a policy follows less along moral principles and more so along the lines of expediencies.

[08] President Stephanopoulos to watch final phase of "Parmenion 2000" exercise

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The final phase will also be watched by the National Defense Ministry's civil and military leadership while, according to reports, members of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will be present.

"Parmenion 2000" will be under the command of National Defense General Staff Chief Manoussos Paragioudakis and will include the army, navy and air force.

[09] Reppas says visit by Metropolitan Theoklitos to Maximos Mansion of a private nature

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

Reppas said the meeting was friendly and of a private nature, adding that Metropolitan Theoklitos also met Education Minister Petros Efthymiou on Monday.

Reppas said the Metropolitan and Pantagias did not discuss the possibility of freezing the process for issuing new identity cards and that the government's decision to issue the new identity cards is final and irrevocable, while as of next Monday a big batch of them will be sent to the relevant services.

The Greek Church and the government are at odds over the latter's decision not to list religion in new identity cards, unlike the case with existing identity cards which list the bearer's religion. The Church has already called on the faithful to sign relevant forms calling on the government to agree to a referendum as to whether or not religion should be listed in the new identity cards. People wishing to sign on in support of a referendum being called may do so at churches until March 25.

[10] Prime Minister and PASOK Secretary discuss current issues

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

At the end of the 90-minute talks, Skandalidis made no specific comment, saying that "we discussed everything" and referred reporters to the party's Executive Bureau's meeting on Thursday and that of the Central Committee on Friday.

Meanwhile, sources said that Simitis and National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos did not have a telephone conversation on Tuesday regarding the climate that might prevail at PASOK's Central Committee meeting.

[11] Defense Minister Tsohatzopoulos arrives in Bulgaria for two-day visit

SOFIA, 27/09/2000 (ANA - M. Borisov)

The exercise, codenamed "Seven Stars", will be carried out near the town of Haskovo, southeastern Bulgaria, on Wednesday in the presence of Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov and defense ministers and staff chiefs from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Romania and Turkey. Military units from these countries will be participating in the exercise.

Tsohatzopoulos attended an official dinner given in his honor by his Bulgarian counterpart Boiko Noev in the town of Hisarya on Tuesday night.

[12] Archbishop Dimitrios of America receives Holbrooke

NEW YORK, 27/09/2000 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

Following the 45-minute meeting, Dimitrios said that "the meeting with Ambassador Holbrooke was, as all other meetings with other political and diplomatic leaders, very cordial and of course substantive."

According to the Archbishop, the US ambassador visited the Greek Orthodox prelate on his own initiative and their discussion focused on Greece, the Balkans and the reopening of the Halki Theology School of the Orthodox Patriarchate near Istanbul, Turkey.

[13] Constantopoulos invited to World Solidarity Conference in Havana

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

Issues to be discussed at the conference will also include globalization and the lifting of sanctions against Cuba, which are continuing on the part of the US government, despite UN resolutions.

Constantopoulos referred to the Coalition's positions on a new system of international relations based on international law, and not the right of the powerful, where UN resolutions will be implemented and will not remain on paper, as is the case at present, regardless of whether they concern the Cyprus issue, the Palestinian issue, the lifting of sanctions against Cuba or other international problems.

[14] Consumers have calmed down after initial rush, petrol station owners say

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

According to the president of the Greek Petrol Sellers' Federation, Dimitris Maravelias, the public appeared to have calmed down after the initial rush on Monday and was now showing restraint. He also said that petrol stations were being supplied by private tanker-trucks and companies, that stayed open until late at night.

Meanwhile, in a related development, taxi drivers have announced a strike for Friday over the rise in fuel prices.

[15] Greek stocks end flat; liquidity problems resurface

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

Traders said, however, that the market was again witnessing some liquidity problems with turnover remaining at levels below 100 billion drachmas in the last two sessions.

Shares in the industrials sector attracted selective demand while shares in the construction and the smaller capitalization sectors came under strong pressure.

The general index ended at 4,153.54 points, up 0.05 percent, with turnover a low 89.99 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.61 percent lower at 2,352.48 points and the FTSE/ASE 40 index eased 0.23 percent to 537.11 points.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 8,275.30 -0.82% Leasing: 682.94 -0.01% Insurance: 2,263.54 +0.64% Investment: 1,653.66 -0.02% Construction: 2,039.39 -2.58% Industrials: 2,488.92 +1.00% Miscellaneous: 4,290.76 +1.26% Holding: 5,056.34 -1.25%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 615.86 points, off 1.53 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 120 to 215 with another 18 issues unchanged.

Hellenic Telecoms, Stabilton (c), Hellenic Bottling, Panafon, Elais and Eurobank were the most heavily traded stocks.

Leading shares' closing prices (in Drs): National Bank: 15,250 Titan Cement (c): 14,585 Alpha Bank: 14,950 Hellenic Telecoms: 7,575 Commercial Bank: 19,400 Panafon: 3,790 Hellenic Petroleum: 4,100 Eurobank: 10,440 Attica Enterprises: 2,990 Piraeus Bank: 6,510 Intracom: 13,300 Lambrakis Press: 9,290 Minoan Lines: 3,325 Heracles Cement: 6,210 Hellenic Bottling: 5,005

ASE unveils new measures for company listings: The Athens Stock Exchange's board on Tuesday approved a new package of measures aiming to rationalize and to boost transparency in listing procedures and to better protect investors.

Under the new measures, the listing system changes dramatically with the introduction of a new list of candidate companies, comprising of 11 categories and including a total of 286 companies that have filed listing applications with the Athens bourse.

These categories include:

-Underwriter's Companies. These are candidate companies in which the underwriter has covered a share capital increase plan by at least 2.5 billion drachmas.

-Financial Sector: Banks, closed-fund investment companies, insurance companies, leasing companies.

-New Economy Companies: Information technology (software and hardware), telecommunications, media, internet, biotechnology, advanced medical technology, designing and production of products and services in the new technology sector.

-Merchant Shipping.

-Public Sector Companies under privatization.

-Exporting-Foreign Currency Companies.

-Large Capitalization Companies: Companies with a market value, based on listing price, exceeds the average capitalization of the three smaller companies in the FTSE/ASE 20 index.

-New Stock Exchange Companies.

-Listed Companies seeking reclassification to another market or to issue a convertible bond.

The new measures also envisage bonding for a period of six months of all company owners' equity capital and tighter rules on listing procedures (book building, risk assessment and standardization of figures in application documents).

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

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 0.61 percent down, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.23 percent lower.

Turnover was 12.8 billion drachmas.

A total of 1,928 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 with turnover at 9.2 billion drachmas.

On the FTSE/ASE 40 index, 1,652 contracts changed hands on turnover of 3.6 billion drachmas.

Bond prices nose up in light trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Tuesday finished higher in light, buy-oriented trade with players scooping up mainly 20-year paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.043 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 56 billion drachmas from 150 billion drachmas in the session before. Of the total, buy orders accounted for about 40 billion drachmas of trade.

Greek bond yields fall sharply: Greek bond yields fell sharply on Tuesday during the regular auction of state securities by the Public Debt Management Organization.

The average weighed yield of a three-month treasury bill, worth 25 billion drachmas, fell to 6.55 percent from 8.10 percent in the previous auction of same bills. Bids submitted totalled 76.25 billion drachmas, three times more than the asked sum.

The average weighed yield of a six-month state bill, worth 25 billion drachmas, fell to 5.82 percent from 7.47 percent. Bids submitted totalled 79 billion drachmas, three times more the asked sum.

The average weighed yield of a 12-month state bill, worth 40 billion drachmas, declined to 5.58 percent from 6.27 percent. Bids submitted totalled 98.1 billion, three times more than the asked sum.

Drachma down vs. euro, up vs. dollar: The drachma on Tuesday 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 339.300 drachmas from 339.250 drachmas in the previous session.

Also at the fix, the dollar was set at 386.730 drachmas from 386.740 drachmas a trading day earlier.

[16] Christodoulakis says economic cooperation with FYROM positive

SKOPJE, 27/06/2000 (ANA - M. Vichou)

Speaking after meeting FYROM Finance Minister Borko Andreev, Christodoulakis said possibilities of cooperation in other sectors such as trade, tourism and energy, as well as cooperation between businesses of the two countries in third markets were also examined.

On the question of oil - the Hellenic Petroleum company has purchased Skopje's OKTA refinery - he said "cooperation is going well", adding that prospects of cooperation also exist in other sectors of energy such as natural gas and electric power.

Christodoulakis is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and the leader of the Socialdemocrat Union Branko Crvenkovski.

[17] National economy ministry gets new secretary-general

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

Stavrakakis, who has also served as a special adviser to the ministry, has held a number of posts in the state sector, including head of the Hellenic Productivity Center.

[18] Overseas Greek rallies support of Venezuelan, Latin American literati for Greek composer's bid for Nobel Prize

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

According to an ANA report from Caracas on Tuesday, Dukakis has managed to muster dozens of South America's writers, musicians, poets and other personalities to back Theodorakis' candidacy through events, shows, publications and broadcasts.

Doukakis' initial goal was to collect 1013 signatures, a number that features in one of Theodorakis' most famous songs, but finally collected 1,350 that are to be certified by the Greek embassy in Caracas and sent to the Greek committee supporting Theodorakis' bid.

Meanwhile, other overseas Greeks have posted information about Theodorakis over the Internet, including photographs from various concerts and notes about his work.

[19] Santorini hosts international conference on culture

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The network was created in 1997 and operates as an informal forum for the exchange of ideas on national cultural policies.

In a related development, Greek Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos and the participants from France, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico and South Africa met on Tuesday evening, forming a contact group, to discuss the aforementioned issues. The Greek culture minister and his Canadian counterpart were also due to sign in Santorini on Tuesday night a sports cooperation protocol regarding the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The next forums of the International Network of Culture Ministers will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 2001 and in Cape Town, South Africa in 2002.

[20] First ever robot-assisted surgery takes place in Greece

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The team was led by Ohio University Prof. Konstantinos Konstantinidis and used the AESOP 3000 robotic system, which responded to verbal commands of the head surgeon.

This system has been used on more than 110,000 procedures around the world.

The first person to be operated on, in Greece, by AESOP was a 35-year-old woman and the object of the operation was the removal of a gallbladder stone.

[21] Car with US plates firebombed in Glyfada suburb

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, while police are conducting an investigation.

[22] Can Greece match the success of the Sydney Games? Angelopoulou-Daskalaki thinks so

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

To rise to it, she continued, Greeks had to be united and show professionalism in all areas.

"These aren't Gianna's Games or anyone else's and we have to deal with the issue of the Olympic Games seriously," she said, "we won't succeed through amateurism, attempts at personal promotion or by squabbling."

Regarding the Sydney Games, she said she had been most impressed by the friendliness of the people in general, not just those working for the Games, the perfect traffic system, very high security and above all by the exceptionally well-organized volunteers.

Angelopoulou said that the Athens committee would be looking to pick up pointers for the 2004 Games from the Sydney team, particularly in the area of volunteerism.

"It's not a question of how many volunteers you have, there were plenty in Atlanta and we already have 60,000 signed up, but how you organize them and keep them at their posts. Don't forget that in Atlanta most the volunteers abandoned their posts after the first few days and this hasn't happened in Sydney, where the volunteers have been organized perfectly and have offered huge services."

Asked what Athens should be doing from here on, the "Athens 2004" chairwoman stressed good planning and programming.

"If everyone wants to follow their own personal policy, we can't do anything. Everyone can contribute but there needs to be central planning and programming carried out by the Organizing Committee. All the parties involved should submit their proposals so we can look at them and decide what's best to be done," she said.

Greek sports deputy minister meets with IOC president: Sports Deputy Minister Giorgos Floridis on Tuesday met with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch in Sydney, during a reception held by the Athens 2004 Olympic Games organizing committee, a ministry press release said.

Samaranch offered his "congratulations for the successes of your (Greek) athletes. It is a very good base from which to begin your preparation for the Olympic Games of Athens".

On his part, Floridis briefed Samaranch on the Greek-Australian protocol of cooperation signed on Sunday, saying, "we concluded an agreement, which will allow us to utilize the knowledge and the experiences of the Australians gained from the Olympic Games underway".

"I am sure that this will be done in the best possible way," Samaranch responded.

Later in the day Floridis visited members of Greece's athletic delegation to the Games.

[23] Pangalos says circles exist that believe Greece cannot organize the Olympic Games

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

"Circles exist that believe Greece cannot organize the Olympic Games. We will make a struggle to prove that we can organize them," Pangalos said on the island of Santorini where he arrived on the occasion of the third conference of the international network of ministers on culture policy.

Pangalos was replying to reports in Greek-Australian newspapers claiming that Greece will withdraw from organizing the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Earlier, Pangalos signed a sports exchanges protocol between Greece and Canada concerning national health centers in places with sports activities and the struggle against doping.

[24] Greco-Roman wrestler Konstantinos Thanos loses match to place fourth

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

[25] "Spartathlon" super long distance race begins on Friday

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

The course begins at the Acropolis, and traces the distance ancient runner Pheidippides covered to reach Sparta in a day, to call on the Spartans to aid Athens during the 5th century BC Persian Wars.

According to event organizers, most of the athletes participating are from abroad.

[26] Panathinaikos scores important win against Hamburg away

Athens, 27/09/2000 (ANA)

Georgios Nassiopoulos scored the golden goal in the 37th minute.

[27] Clerides describes Cyprus proximity talks 'useful' in that positions were made clear

NEW YORK, 27/09/2000 (ANA - M. Georgiadou / CNA)

The president also said the UN are trying to make headway, always bearing in mind the UN resolutions.

In brief statements to the press after his 30-minute meeting in New York on Tuesday with UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, the president said Annan would decide when the next round of talks would take place.

Asked if he was satisfied, he said the fourth round of talks was useful "not because any proposals were put forward but because certain ideas were put down in an effort to find and measure the reaction of our side and the other side on those ideas".

This, he pointed out, "shows how carefully they are preparing for the next round".

"I believe this round was very useful because they know now clearly what our views are on the distribution of powers, the size of the areas, future security, which is a very important issue, and the issue of property", the president added.

He also said the UN were trying to move on bearing always in mind that there are resolutions which determine certain principles.

UN-led proximity talks, separate meetings of the UN with President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, began last December and a fourth round was wrapped up on Tuesday in New York, aiming at paving the way for substantive negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island in 1974.

Denktash says talks 'were not a waste of time': Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, said on Tuesday that a fifth round of UN-led talks on the Cyprus problem would begin in Geneva, on November 1.

Speaking after a half-hour meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Denktash said that this fourth round of proximity talks in New York was not a waste of time.

Asked to give his assessment on this round, Denktash said, "I don't think it has been a waste of time. I think we have put our case very firmly and we shall strive until we come to the same point and bridge the gap".

De Soto says 'there is still a long way to go': The UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, said on Tuesday that a qualitative step forward had taken place during the proximity talks on the Cyprus problem, but noted there was still a long way to go.

He added that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had invited President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, to a new round of talks in Geneva between November 1 and 10, both dates inclusive.

Speaking at a press conference, after the fourth round of UN-led proximity talks on the Cyprus problem, de Soto said he intends to visit Nicosia, Athens, Ankara and other capitals in October.

Referring to the talks, de Soto said "a qualitative step forward has taken place". He said "we are encouraged that the two sides are engaged in these talks", but noted that "there is still a long way to go".

"The process has moved", he added, noting that "progress is hard to report on, it is hard to measure".

The UN diplomat also referred to a news blackout on the content of the talks, stressing that it has to be observed.

He reiterated that "we aim at a comprehensive settlement and we have intensified our input of ideas to the parties and intend to do so in Geneva".

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