Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-01-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek scientists conduct preliminary tests in Kosovo Polie, more protection for troops cited

[02] PM Simitis discusses government's work and priorities with PASOK deputies

[03] Ocalan bears the brunt of his arrest, one of his aids says

[04] Greece's armed forces to cooperate with Athens 2004 organizing committee

[05] President Stephanopoulos meets 96 overseas Greek students

[06] Organizational committee to propose new date for ND's party congress

[07] Report sees more growth potential in Greek investment sector

[08] Government launches battle against tax evasion, economic crime

[09] Indicative petrol prices up, diesel drops

[10] OTE to adjust charges, invest heavily

[11] EU checks reveal inadequacies and shortcomings in Greek abattoirs

[12] Reppas confirms that measures for the market may be taken after a monitoring period

[13] Coordinated intervention supports plunging prices on ASE

[14] Central Bank welcomes bond trading system's 2nd birthday

[15] Interamerican buys Portuguese-owned insurer

[16] ABNA meeting in Athens winds up with transfer of presidency

[17] Greek police arrests alleged Italian mobster

[18] Russian mobster Vladimir Tatarenkov transferred to Greece from Russia

[19] WWII transport ship end service in Hellenic Navy, is inducted in

[20] Irish prime minister notes his country's 'very good relations with Cyprus'

[01] Greek scientists conduct preliminary tests in Kosovo Polie, more protection for troops cited

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

According to Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, the ministry wants to guarantee the complete protection and safety of Greek troops in strife-torn Kosovo, along with members of NGOs active in the area.

He also reiterated that the mobilization by several NATO member-states last month following the report of several instances of leukemia among Italian and Belgium peacekeepers that served in Kosovo came too late.

Regarding a Greek army NCO that served in Bosnia in 1997 and was later diagnosed with leukemia, Tsohatzopoulos clarified that the instance wasnt recorded earlier because it fell within the statistical margin of cases reported annually by members of Greeces armed forces, namely, 10-12 cases on average.

The case gained the defense ministrys attention only when the furor over DU contamination in Kosovo was thrust onto the international limelight, he said.

Finally, he said the European Unions general affairs council would discuss a Greek proposal for the promotion of environmental protection initiatives in areas suspected of DU contamination.

Govt spokesman: In later statements, the government spokesman said the latest tests conducted by Greek nuclear scientists and the armys health service in the vicinity of the Kosovo Polie township are encouraging.

Spokesman Dimitris Reppas said results taken from air and ground samples as well as tests on military personnel were negative as far as radioactivity was concerned. He added, however, that tests are only preliminary as final results will be unveiled when the samples are tested in a specialized laboratory in Athens.

Reppas added that the scientists sent by Athens would also conduct testing in the southern town of Urosevac, where Greek forces have set up their command, along with other areas of Kosovo and Bosnia.

Furthermore, in reply to a press question, the government spokesman conceded that a segment of Greece's military personnel do not want to serve in Kosovo as part of NATO's peacekeeping force (KFOR), while other servicemen and women that wish so may renew their tour of duty. Greek soldiers serving in Bosnia and Kosovo are volunteers.

Asked by reporters on the exact locations were measurements were taken and on the precise elements tested for, Reppas said both parameters were selected by the scientists on the field.

MPs' questions: Meanwhile, a barrage of questions by deputies on the DU issue continues to be lodged in Parliament.

High-profile Communist Party of Greece (KKE) deputy Liana Kanelli called for, among others, the transfer of Greek college students studying in Yugoslavia to Greek universities.

Greek defense minister to visit Kosovo, in the wake of "Balkan Syndrome" revelations: National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos will visit Kosovo on Friday to personally assess conditions in regions where Greek armed forces serve as peacekeepers, in the wake of revelations regarding the so called "Balkan Syndrome" which allegedly caused cancers in veterans.

Former FM Theodoros Pangalos says bombing of Serbia decided in advance by US President Bill Clinton: Speaking during a discussion on the issue of depleted uranium bombs at the Parliamentary National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, former Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said NATO bombings against Serbia had been decided in advance by US President Bill Clinton.

Pangalos said 48 hours before the bombings started, and under dramatic conditions, he went to Belgrade and received a plan from Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic enabling the avoidance of bombings and a start to negotiations for a solution to the Kosovar issue with the presence of an international peacekeeping force for the protection of the Kosovars' human rights.

He said he mentioned the plan to US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and found out that the US President had already decided on the bombings, while the head of the State Department told him "don't go on, you are annoying."

Pangalos said a few days later "I left the ministry for the reasons you know", meaning the case of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Pangalos had returned from Belgrade on February 10, 1999, Ocalan's arrest was revealed on February 16 and two days later Pangalos was dismissed from his post, while the bombings started on March 24.

On the question of depleted uranium bombs, Pangalos said the discussion has not yet opened in the country mainly responsible, the US, adding that "there is a war crime for all who decided to use the above bombs while being aware of their consequences."

Referring to all that he is hearing from the State Department concerning the independence of Kosovo, Pangalos said Greek forces are in Kosovo to safeguard its autonomy in Yugoslavia and that if independence is being promoted "we have no reason for our presence in the region."

[02] PM Simitis discusses government's work and priorities with PASOK deputies

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

According to an announcement by the prime minister's office, Simitis said the materialization of everything announced would contribute to Greece's strengthening, its modernization and development, the full incorporation of the Greek economy with that of Europe for its competitiveness and the parallel improvement of living standards.

Simitis further said the government would be judged by its work, which will become apparent at the end of the four-year term. He also denied reports of dual leadership in the party, saying the issue was resolved in 1996.

[03] Ocalan bears the brunt of his arrest, one of his aids says

ISTANBUL, 11/01/2001 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

"The fact that the leader fell in the hands of the Turks, is the worst defeat PKK suffered and the responsibility for this event does not - as Ocalan claimed - fall on Greece or any other country," Kilic said.

"We accused Greece to defend our leader ... Greece did not want war with Turkey, it acted in accordance with its national interests," she added.

At the time Kilic had accused Greece, blaming Greek officials as responsible for the arrest of the PKK leader, who since 1984 lead his rebels in a struggle against Turkey.

"We said to Ocalan (that we should) leave the (Greek) embassy grounds, but he refused. He said that they (the Turks) could have kidnapped him and kill him in the streets," Kilic said.

"Greek agent (Savvas) Kalenteridis supported this opinion, reassuring Ocalan that he would protect him, but the leader was scared of going out in the street," she noted.

"We told him that the agents of Turkey would not clash with us in the streets, since it would have been an international scandal and we told him that we had the ability to save ourselves, but he said 'you do not know of Turks. They would do anything to arrest me'. It was clear that he was very scared," she concluded.

[04] Greece's armed forces to cooperate with Athens 2004 organizing committee

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

The memorandum included items such as the provision of personnel by the Greece's Armed Forces for volunteer services during the Games in Athens, use of military installations and infrastructures and meteorological support.

Daskalaki briefs Archbishop Christodoulos on 2004 Olympiad: Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos on Wednesday said the Church is willing to help the national undertaking of achieving the success of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Archbishop Christodoulos, who was speaking after receiving Athens 2004 Olympiad Organizing Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki at her request, said she asked for the blessing of the Church for the effort taking place at all levels, as well as its support on the issue of volunteerism and other matters and was given the promise that the issues will be examined with the relevant agencies.

Daskalaki said she briefed the Archbishop on developments concerning the preparations for the Olympic Games and the major issue of volunteerism in particular.

[05] President Stephanopoulos meets 96 overseas Greek students

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Speaking to the students, President Stephanopoulos said the country "is not prepared to lose contact with even one of you or even one of all the Greeks living abroad."

Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis, who accompanied the students, briefed President Stephanopoulos on efforts being made by the ministry through the Overseas Hellenism Council and other institutions to maintain such contact.

[06] Organizational committee to propose new date for ND's party congress

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

The organizational committee has decided to propose to ND's Central Committee that the congress be held on March 30-31 and April 1 - instead of March 16-18 as originally planned - to avoid these problems.

In charge of the charter and the party's new organizational structure is Vangelis Meimarakis, while Marieta Yiannakou is in charge of the program.

The organizational committee is also expected to propose holding prefectural and regional conferences, as well as special conferences on specific issues.

Meanwhile, it was announced that ND leader Costas Karamanlis had left earlier in the day for Berlin, where he would attend a meeting of the European People's Party, accompanied by Dora Bakoyianni, Yiannis Varvitsiotis and other ND cadres.

[07] Report sees more growth potential in Greek investment sector

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

The report expects a widening of the sector's profitability, based on a prediction that the Athens Stock Exchange could move upward in the medium- and long-term, although it acknowledges the possibility of strong fluctuations.

A total of 39 investment firms are currently operating in Greece, with 17 listed on the Athens Stock Exchange. The remaining 22 firms were founded after 1998 and are currently on a waiting list to enter the market, while another seven firms are under creation.

Listed investment firms' accumulated capital totalled 896 billion drachmas last November, or 2.1 percent of the market's capitalization and almost a third of equity mutual funds' total value.

The report said that four out of the 17 listed firms, which were bank subsidiaries, accounted for 70 percent of the sector's total assets, turnover and profits.

[08] Government launches battle against tax evasion, economic crime

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

He said that the economic crime squad was one of the biggest success stories of the country's public administration in the last 25 years with a significant contribution in containing tax evasion in the last few years.

The comments were made during a ceremony to present the squad's new special secretary, Dimitris Batzelis, after the resignation of his predecessor George Kanellopoulos.

[09] Indicative petrol prices up, diesel drops

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Specifically, super and unleaded gasoline prices were raised by 8.1 and 7.9 drachmas per liter, respectively. Conversely, the suggested weekly retail price for heating oil was cut by 5.5 drachmas per liter, amidst one of the mildest winters in recent years. Finally, diesel fell by 8.5 drachmas per liter.

In the greater Athens area and Thessaloniki prefecture, super will sell for 235.7 drachmas (0.691) per liter; 225.9 drachmas (0.662) for unleaded; 207.9 (0.61) for diesel and 101.5 drachmas (0.297) per liter for heating oil.

The government announces indicative prices every Wednesday, effective for one week.

The fixed exchange rate for drachmas/euros is 340.750 dr. equaling 1.

[10] OTE to adjust charges, invest heavily

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

OTE managing director and president Nikos Manasis told reporters that the state telecom was considering extending local phone units in the first quarter to the surrounding region from the prefecture that they currently cover.

In addition, lower rates were likely be introduced for selected social groups including low wage earners, pensioners and the unemployed; and billing by the second could be launched by the end of the year, Manasis said.

It was also possible that the rate for local calls would be raised again following increases endorsed by OTE's board this week, but the hikes would be accompanied by price declines in other services, he added.

The company is also to set aside 135 million US dollars in 2001 for the purchase of Bulgaria's state telecom.

Manasis said that he believed OTE's stock price was undervalued by 40 percent over the last ten months.

The company's board has already endorsed one round of hikes for domestic calls but lower rates for long-distance calls.

It said the cost of a local unit would rise to 10.5 drachmas from 9 nine drachmas. Long-distance units would drop by 30% to 28 drachmas from 40 drachmas; and the cost of calls abroad would fall by 10%.

Finally, the standing charge was slated to rise to 2,800 drachmas per month from 2,400 drachmas.

The changes are expected to come into effect on February 1.

[11] EU checks reveal inadequacies and shortcomings in Greek abattoirs

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Papayiannakis had requested information from the European Commission on the course of the abattoirs' modernization and to what degree directives 93/118, 96/43, 97/12 and 97/79 concerning fresh meat control are observed in Greece.

According to the reply given by Burn, the Commission's Foodstuffs and Veterinary Issues Bureau conducts regular inspections in member-states to check if EU sanitation rules are observed at abattoirs.

Following the latest inspection of abattoirs for poultry, pigs and bovines, the existence of serious inadequacies and shortcomings was revealed.

The Commission will wait for the final report of the inspection to determine its actions to secure the appropriate implementation of EU law.

[12] Reppas confirms that measures for the market may be taken after a monitoring period

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

The stock exchange operates by its own rules and all must respect its autonomy, he added.

He confirmed, however, that the government's economic team was considering new measures for the stock exchange but that those would be the result of constant monitoring of the market's operation to choose the most effective measures.

Reppas said that the government would not interfere in the operation of the bourse nor influence its rise or fall and that it was the affair of individual citizens whether they would invest in the stock market and in what way.

In response to other questions, he said that the government had never interfered with the course of the stock exchange, which he said should be free of political influence, while he rejected arguments that the bourse's fall was linked to delays in the privatization program.

"There is no such delay," Reppas said and added that an effort was being made to promote structural changes and that the government had been sufficiently prompt in this regard to make such criticism unjustified.

[13] Coordinated intervention supports plunging prices on ASE

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

The general index ended 0.06 percent off at 3,095.84 points, off the day's lows of 3,048.43 points, with turnover a low 144.02 million euros, or 49.07 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index ended 0.10 percent lower at 1,797.33 points, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index eased 0.49 percent to 347.55 points.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 6,752.75 -0.73% Leasing: 501.64 +4.72% Insurance: 1,203.03 -1.60% Investment: 1,233.87 -1.11% Construction: 1,181.79 +4.37% Industrials: 1,905.53 +0.25% Miscellaneous: 2,381.82 -1.15% Holding: 3,310.90 +0.10%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended 0.23 percent higher at 270.84 points.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 190 to 137 with another 26 issues unchanged.

National Bank, Alpha Bank, Hellenic Telecoms, Panafon and Follie Follie were the most heavily traded stocks.

Leading shares' closing prices (in euros): National Bank: 37.78 Alpha Bank: 32.88 Commercial Bank: 47.96 Eurobank: 19.64 Piraeus Bank: 15.18 Lambrakis Press: 11.08 Altec: 6.36 Titan Cement (c):

40.58 Hellenic Telecoms: 15.54 Panafon: 6.70 Hellenic Petroleum: 9.74 Attica Enterprises: 6.40 Intracom: 20.16 Minoan Lines: 5.22 Viohalco: 10.54 Hellenic Bottling: 17.50

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

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 0.10 percent down, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.49 percent higher.

Turnover was 53.811 billion drachmas.

A total of 4,801 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 with turnover at 43.740 billion drachmas.

On the FTSE/ASE 40 index, 2,879 contracts changed hands on turnover of 10.0 billion drachmas.

Bond prices nose down in heavy trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Wednesday finished lower in heavy trade with players focusing on 10-year paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.29 percent, the same as a day earlier.

The yield spread over German bunds was 54 basis points, also the same as the previous session.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 785 million euros (around 267 billion drachmas)from 820 million euros (about 279 billion drachmas) the trading day before.

[14] Central Bank welcomes bond trading system's 2nd birthday

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Rising in 2000 was turnover, which totalled 43,349 billion drachmas (127 billion euros) from 28,268 billion drachmas (85.57 billion euros) in 1999, the Bank of Greece said in a statement.

The sharpest increase in turnover was seen in the last three months, and especially in December when it totalled 6,478 billion drachmas (19 billion euros), the statement said.

The 'convergence bet', or run-up to Greece's entry into the euro zone on January 1 this year, was a major factor in providing market players with a chance to make profits, along with institutional changes in the market and macroeconomic data, according to the central bank.

A key element in rising turnover and bond prices was the insertion by JP Morgan, a global investment house, of the Greek government bond index into its Government Broad Bond Index, the statement said.

[15] Interamerican buys Portuguese-owned insurer

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

The price of Interamerican's 100 percent purchase of the subsidiary was 540 million drachmas, or 4,153.8 drachmas per share.

Interamerican and BCP, a Portuguese financial services group, are the owners of Novabank, a newly created commercial bank in Greece.

[16] ABNA meeting in Athens winds up with transfer of presidency

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Among others, ABNA members - representing national news agencies in the Balkans - reviewed efforts to revive a system for the exchange of news items amongst themselves; ideas on proposed charter changes; funding possibilities and suggestions for future development and cooperation between member-agencies.

Anadolu General Director Mehmet Guler, who took over from ANA General Director Andreas Christodoulides, will hold the ABNA rotating presidency for the next 12-month term.

The ABNA conference came on the heels of a special two-day seminar in Athens entitled "Sports and Olympic Games Coverage in the Digital Era", hosted and organized by ANA.

ABNA members include the national news agencies of Albania (ATA), Bulgaria (BTA), FYROM (MIA), Greece (ANA and MPA), Romania (Rompress), Moldova (Moldpress), Turkey (Anadolu), and Yugoslavia (Tanjug).

[17] Greek police arrests alleged Italian mobster

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Albino Prudentino, a reputed member of the Italian underworld organization "Sacra Corona Unita", was arrested near the city of Patra, the Peloponnese.

According to reports the arrest was made possible through the cooperative efforts of Greek and Italian authorities.

Prudentino's arrest came at the wake of the Dec. 22 arrest of Francesco Prudentino in Thessaloniki, northern Greece. The two men are wanted in connection with a major smuggling ring active in Italy and the Balkans.

[18] Russian mobster Vladimir Tatarenkov transferred to Greece from Russia

Athens, 11/01/2001 (ANA)

Following an agreement between the interior and justice ministries of Greece and Russia, Tatarenkov was taken to the city of Krasnoyarsk, in the former USSR, last June for interrogation concerning the murders of personalities in his country over the 1990-1996 period.

Interrogation revealed that Tatarenkov and the members of his syndicate are involved in at least 15 murders or attempted murders, most of which were perpetrated for financial reasons.

[19] WWII transport ship end service in Hellenic Navy, is inducted in

A transport ship that served in the Hellenic Navy was inducted on Wednesday in the United States Navy War Museum, established in Mobile, Alabama, as it was one of the original transports used during the June 1944 Allied invasion to Europe.

The ship listed as LST-325 was donated to Greece after the war and now returned to the US with a crew of World War II veterans.

British envoy Sir David arrives in Cyprus NICOSIA, 11/01/2001 (CNA)

Britain's Special Representative for Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, arrived on the island on Wednesday for talks, in view of a new round of UN-led peace talks, aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. on Wednesday afternoon, Sir David met with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and will be received on Thursday by President Glafcos Clerides.

During his three-day stay on the island, Sir David is scheduled to meet with political party leaders and ambassadors of European Union countries in Nicosia.

On Friday afternoon, Sir David will give a press conference and will depart on Saturday morning.

The UN-led proximity talks opened in December 1999 and five rounds of meetings have been held so far aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 percent of its territory in 1974.

[20] Irish prime minister notes his country's 'very good relations with Cyprus'

NICOSIA, 11/01/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking after a meeting with House President Spyros Kyprianou, before concluding his two-day official visit to the Republic, Ahern expressed his full support for the positions outlined by the speaker of the House and noted the "very good relations with Cyprus."

"If the difficulties are were not resolved, Cyprus' accession would go ahead," Ahern said of efforts to settle the Cyprus question, after the half-hour long meeting.

He said the EU decisions in Helsinki state that a solution is not a precondition for accession but it would facilitate it.

He said Irish and Cypriot parliamentarians could work together to iron out the difficult accession negotiations, adding that already government officials and departments are involved in this process.

In his remarks, Kyprianou said he had a friendly meeting with Ahern during which they discussed developments in the Cyprus question for which he showed a particular interest.

Ahern concluded on Wednesday his official visit and departed for Morocco.

Ahern terms Cyprus' EU accession course as 'impressive': Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has expressed full support to UN efforts to reach a settlement in Cyprus and expressed the view that the UN framework of a bizonal, bicommunal approach "remains the appropriate one for an eventual settlement".

In his address at an official dinner hosted in his honor here on Tuesday night by President Glafcos Clerides, Ahern described the progress Cyprus has made both in the negotiations and the internal preparations towards European Union membership as "impressive" and expressed his full support to the Union's enlargement.

On his part, President Clerides expressed gratitude for Ireland's active support in domains such as humanitarian crises, disarmament and especially its peacekeeping contribution from which Cyprus had benefited for years.

"Aware of this constructive role your country can play for the furtherance of justice and international legal order, we are firmly convinced that Ireland's membership in the Security Council, which has just commenced, will be of key significance in the pursuit of these crucial issues," he said.

President Clerides also expressed appreciation for Ireland's "principled and consistent support" to Cyprus' efforts to reach a settlement in Cyprus and joining the European Union.

He also expressed the belief the Republic's EU bid will influence the search for a just and viable solution in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 percent of its territory in 1974.

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