Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-04-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] SE Europe defense ministers condemn extremism, terrorism in FYROM

[02] EPP assigns ND leader with task of coordinating cooperation between moderate Balkan political parties

[03] FM conveys message of peace and friendship from Greek to Turkish people

[04] PM announces 550-600 billion drachmas aid package for financially weaker classes

[05] Labor and health ministers announce social solidarity measures

[06] Powell initiative to bring regional FMs to Skopje next week

[07] Premier rejects possibility of a government reshuffle

[08] Parliament president rejects request for vote delay on Constitutional amendments

[09] Prosecutor orders arrest of 'law-breaking' construction workers, ministry take-over ends

[10] EU commission approves protocol for highway, railway connecting Greece and Austria

[11] Greek minister, EU Commissioner call for regulations on airline strategic alliances

[12] Greece wants to host EU shipping group, see black boxes on ships

[13] Mutual funds' returns mostly negative in March

[14] Greek bond market's turnover soars in first quarter

[15] Morgan Stanley to announce revised Greek stock index on April 10

[16] NBC's Ebersol says no 'early-morning' requested for Athens Games

[17] Hellenic Petroleum in talks with foreign energy groups

[18] Greek stocks end sharply up in technical rebound

[19] Prosecutor calls for legal action in cases of citizens' degradation by media

[20] Greece leads EU in traffic related deaths

[21] Greek government to provide 18 billion drachmas for 2004 Paralympic Games

[22] Irish premier expresses support for Cyprus' EU accession 'without preconditions'

[23] Cyprus foreign minister meets US officials

[01] SE Europe defense ministers condemn extremism, terrorism in FYROM

SKOPJE, 06/04/2001 (ANA – M. Vihou)

Greek Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos’ appeal was later put into writing by his defense counterparts from other southeast European countries, in the form of a joint communique issued at the end of their meetings here.

The region’s defense ministers also condemned what they called the "terrorist actions by Albanian extremists in FYROM” while reiterating their support for the land-locked country’s territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders as necessary for the region’s stability.

Participating defense ministers also expressed their full support for the measures taken thus far by the FYROM government in the face of a crisis last month, when armed Albanian gunmen attacked villages on the country’s northern border before entrenching themselves on the hills overlooking the city of Tetovo.

Finally, defense ministers praised the ongoing cooperation between Skopje and the EU, NATO, the OECD in dealing with the crisis.

On his part, Tsohatzopoulos said violence was an unacceptable means with which to solve political differences, while at the same time calling for the defense of human rights.

“I believe it is our obligation to reiterate our basic positions; the international community’s positions regarding the support of the UN Security Council’s resolution 1244... I’d also like to say that we owe praise towards FYROM’s government for the moderation with which it faced the crisis.”

"It is important that a substantial dialogue is initiated on the relations of the ethnic groups that compose the multi-ethnic state of FYROM so as to arrive at solutions within the bounds of constitutionally accepted and institutionally provided for expression of political parties, which represent this multi-ethnic state," Tsohatzopoulos told reporters at the end of the meetings.

Commenting on his meeting with his Turkish counterpart Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, Tsohatzopoulos said that they have examined the possibility of a common approach for the signing of the Ottawa agreement against the use of landmines.

He added that the issue would be dealt with on a bilateral level, under the auspices of NATO.

[02] EPP assigns ND leader with task of coordinating cooperation between moderate Balkan political parties

SOFIA, 06/04/2001 (ANA - B. Borisov)

Main opposition New Democracy party leader and EPP Vice President Costas Karamanlis, speaking at a press conference, also underlined the summit's importance for stability in southeastern Europe in light of the process of EU enlargement.

The EPP's summit, with a special decision, assigned Karamanlis with the task of undertaking an initiative to promote and coordinate permanent dialogue and cooperation between moderate political parties in the Balkans.

The Sofia summit included Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and leading politicians from 42 conservative parties from all over Europe.

Meanwhile, European prime ministers expressed strong support for the ruling Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and its President Ivan Kostov in light of the upcoming elections in June.

"We want Bulgaria's fate to be in safe hands and for this reason we wish all the best for the UDF and Bulgaria's leader Ivan Kostov," EPP President Wilfried Martens said.

[03] FM conveys message of peace and friendship from Greek to Turkish people

ISTANBUL, 06/04/2001 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

"I wish to convey to the friendly Turkish people a message of peace and friendship on behalf of the Greek people and the Greek government," Papandreou said at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem at Ankara airport, adding that present-day conjunctures present a "historical opportunity for us to create a peaceful future for the two peoples."

Papandreou said "I am convinced that we have the opportunity to develop relations of good neighborliness and work for mutual development and social progress" and that "the message we are receiving from our peoples is constant and persistent: we want to be friends, we want to work together and we want to live in peace."

Papandreou said he is convinced a strong partnership relation between Greece and Turkey means stability for the wider region, it constitutes a guarantee for mutual progress and security and promotes the ability of the two countries' economies to be competitive and successful in a global economy.

"We have made real and realistic steps, we have set specific medium-term targets and we have laid the foundations to enable our relations to continue gradually and carefully," Papandreou said and added that "there are still some problems for which we have not found a solution, but we have created suitable conditions to have them resolved."

Papandreou further said certain doubts and fears exist which belong to the past, but an atmosphere of confidence has been created. He reiterated that Greece supports Turkey's accession to the European Union and expressed the support and solidarity of the Greek people and the Greek government for the economic crisis in Turkey to be overcome.

Papandreou also reiterated that the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU constitutes a particular opportunity for Turkey.

On his part, Cem said "we achieved in a year what had not been achieved over the past 40 years" and added that artists, athletes, schoolchildren and mayors from the two countries meet on a daily basis and strengthen ties between Greece and Turkey.

"Our rapprochement is careful and reserved," Cem said and pointed out that "certain issues might appear at times, but we believe that we can overcome them."

Cem reiterated that Greece has proceeded with the issue of removing minefields on the Greek-Turkish border along the Evros River and stressed that Turkey will try in turn to promote the issue.

Cem also underlined that commercial transactions between the two countries neared one billion dollars in 2000 and expressed hope that these transactions will be improved even more in 2001.

[04] PM announces 550-600 billion drachmas aid package for financially weaker classes

Athens, 06/04/2001 (ANA)

He added that at the end of this four-year period social policy expenditures would near the European Union's average expenditures.

Simitis, who was speaking after a cabinet meeting, said the government's policy of supporting specific social groups is aimed at aiding them to confront their problems, which are harder than the average to bear.

He said these groups are the aged long-term unemployed, low incomes households in the rural areas, poor urban households, single parent families with young children and a number of economically sensitive groups of the population such as people with special needs, immigrants returning home, former drug addicts, immigrants, women having to balance their family and professional lives and elderly people unable to meet their basic needs.

Simitis said the government's policy guarantees the permanent and widening linkage of economic progress and social cohesion, adding that this guarantees a more effective Greece with greater stability in progress and support for those in need.

He said that the aim of government policy for the socially weaker is to limit inequalities, support the weaker and handle the negative results created for certain sections of the population by the country's accession to a competitive globalized economy.

"With this program we are implementing a commitment we have undertaken towards the Greek people. The commitment that there will be a network for handling phenomena of exclusion and poverty," he said, adding that "our policy will acquire a more dynamic social base over the 2002-2004 period."

[05] Labor and health ministers announce social solidarity measures

Athens, 06/04/2001 (ANA)

Giannitsis referred at length to three packages of measures constituting new elements in social solidarity policy.

The first package concerns households in mountainous and underprivileged regions having incomes, which are less than 750,000 drachmas a year. These households will receive 200,000 drachmas a year if they have an annual income, which is less than 500,000 and with 100,000 drachmas a year if their income is less than 750,000.

The assessed annual cost of the measure will approach 24 billion drachmas and about 140,000 families will benefit from it.

The second package concerns unemployed people aged between 45-65 who have been unemployed for over 12 months and who no longer receive unemployment benefits from the Manpower Employment Organization (OAED), while their annual family income is less than one million drachmas.

Such unemployed people will be subsidized with 48,000 drachmas a month (about 30 percent of an unskilled worker's salary) over a period of 12 months. The measure will cost 20.2 billion drachmas and will concern about 35,000 long-term unemployed.

The third package appeals to households having an annual family income of up to one million drachmas which it will subsidise with 100,000 drachmas a year for each child. A condition for the government to offer subsidies is that children should be aged between 6-16 and should attend school. The measure will have an estimated cost of 17.6 billion drachmas and concerns about 135,000 families.

The new measures will cost about 200 billion drachmas over a period of three years and will start being applied as of January 1, 2002. The cost will burden the 2001 state budget and about 300,000 families will benefit from them.

Giannitsis assessed that the measures will benefit 900,000 to 1.2 million people who are currently living in difficult conditions.

Reactions: Reacting to the social solidarity measures, main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis said from Sofia "after six years of petty accounting which created tragic deadlocks, Mr. Simitis appeared today, trying to present himself as being socially sensitive. In essence, he admitted that he has lost control. Because his government is responsible for this deep crisis, as we have been pointing out to him for years."

"What Mr. Simitis announced today is a mockery for the 2.5 million Greeks living under the poverty limit. It is a mockery for the 600,000 unemployed that are being marginalized. It is an affront for low pension earners, farmers and people with low and medium incomes," Karamanlis added.

On its part, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) spoke of a "poor fund policy with crumbs of charity which will in turn be taken back and which the government is applying by distributing nickels and dimes to a few".

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos termed the measures "miserable handouts in the place of integrated social protection for the citizen", adding that "intentions on paper" will be "repeated many times for communication reasons until the next elections".

General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) President Christos Polyzogopoulos said the government's decisions to implement a plan of action to combat poverty and social exclusion constitute an intervention, which was and is imperative.

He further said that handling the problems of underprivileged people should constitute a primary target, since problems had been accumulating for many years.

[06] Powell initiative to bring regional FMs to Skopje next week

Athens, 06/04/2001 (ANA)

As expected, the situation in the Balkans -- and especially in the host country -- the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) -- will be discussed at the April 12 session.

[07] Premier rejects possibility of a government reshuffle

Athens, 06/04/2001 (ANA)

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Reppas said that in his opening address to the cabinet the premier denied rumors of a government reshuffle or of changes in the policies of the government.

He added that Simitis noted that this would be a four-year term government, focused on its work and continuing its efforts.

[08] Parliament president rejects request for vote delay on Constitutional amendments

Athens, 06/04/2001 (ANA)

"The time allotted for the briefing of the deputies, on the proposed (amendments of) articles, was adequate. There is no reason for the postponement of the vote for after Easter. Behind this request, there are designs that are not spelled out," Kaklamanis said.

In an unrelated development, the president of the group of loan recipients was briefly detained in Parliament for allegedly laughing during a speech of National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, who was outlining the new proposals for relief regarding penalty rates on over due loans.

[09] Prosecutor orders arrest of 'law-breaking' construction workers, ministry take-over ends

Athens, 06/04/2001 (ANA)

The workers -- backed by the mostly Communist Party of Greece (KKE)-affiliated PAME faction -- later left the building in the late afternoon, with one ministry official saying no damages were recorded.

The construction workers occupied the ministry in the early morning, after overpowering security guards and a small police detail at the building, before blocking traffic on a central Athens street (Pireos) outside.

The take-over coincided with a 24-hour strike called by the construction workers' union in protest of planned reforms to the social security/insurance system.

An announcement issued by the Federation of Construction Workers said its members staged the take-over at 5:30 a.m., following a decision taken by the group's executive committee late Wednesday. The federation also called on construction workers throughout the country to take part in the nation-wide strike called to safeguard social security, health, welfare and healthcare, the announcement said.

Additionally, protesters inside the ministry had hung up a huge banner at the building's entrance reading: "Popular Struggle now - The anti-popular measures of the government and plutocracy on social insurance will not prevail".

Other mobilizations on Thursday included a rally at a central square and a march toward the labor ministry, as well as a demonstration organized by the PAME front in Omonia Square.

[10] EU commission approves protocol for highway, railway connecting Greece and Austria

BRUSSELS, 06/04/2001 (ANA - B. Demiris)

EU Commissioner in charge of transport Loyola de Palacio singed the protocol for the upgrade of the 2,260-kilometer highway and the 2,445-kilometer railway connecting Thessaloniki with Salzburg, Austria.

Greek Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis represented Greece at the signing ceremony, accepting congratulations by Palacio for Greece's success in achieving the necessary consensus among the eight countries the highway and railway traverses, on its way to central Europe.

The protocol was initially approved, in 1998, by Austria, Greece, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Yugoslavia, in Thessaloniki.

[11] Greek minister, EU Commissioner call for regulations on airline strategic alliances

BRUSSELS, 06/04/2001 (ANA - B. Demiris)

Verelis' positions coincided with those of EU Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio, who called for the establishment of Union regulations for air transport, stressing that many European companies are faced with problems.

The European Commission considers strategic alliances as a half-measure, which offers no advantages that could arise from mergers or buyouts.

On his part, Verelis said that strategic alliances place independent airlines at a disadvantage and create problems concerning fair competition.

[12] Greece wants to host EU shipping group, see black boxes on ships

BRUSSELS, 06/04/2001 (ANA/M.Spinthourakis)

The minister formally made the proposal at a meeting of European Union maritime transpiration ministers held in Luxembourg.

He also told the ministers that Greece backed installing data recorders aboard vessels, equivalent to the 'black box' used in aircraft to monitor operations.

[13] Mutual funds' returns mostly negative in March

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

Domestic equity mutual funds' average return was -8.83 percent in March, domestic combined funds was -5.34 percent and domestic money funds average return was +0.98 percent.

Institutional Investors Union figures said on Thursday that mutual funds' assets fell by 216 billion drachmas, or 2.19 percent, to 9.629 trillion drachmas in March, from 9.845 trillion in February.

The union attributed the decline to a fall in domestic money market funds' assets by 262 billion drachmas in the month.

Domestic equity funds' assets rose by 1.95 percent, domestic bond funds' assets increased by 8.20 percent and international bond funds' assets soared 25.86 percent in March.

Bond mutual funds' market share rose to 19.89 percent, equity funds' share was 24.66 percent and money market funds' share was 45.98 percent in the month.

In the money market mutual funds' market, Marfin Smart Cash topped the list of returns with 2.0 percent, up from an average return of 0.98 percent in the sector, while in the international funds' market, Interamerican MM USD yielded 6.27 percent, up from 3.42 percent of the sector's average return.

In the domestic equity funds' market, International Fund yielded -0.05 percent, compared with an average sector return of -8.83 percent.

[14] Greek bond market's turnover soars in first quarter

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

Turnover in the domestic electronic secondary bond market almost quadrupled to 20.244 trillion drachmas (59.41 billion euros) from 5.466 trillion drachmas the same period last year.

Bond prices also increased by 32 to 240 basis points in the January-March period, with the long-term curve mostly benefiting. Prices in the 15- and 20-year issues rose by 232 to 240 basis points in the first quarter, reflecting a 26-21 basis points drop in yields.

The spread between long-term Greek and German state bonds moved within the 60-75 basis points range, up from 30-50 bps in other EU regional market (Spain, Italy, Portugal).

The central bank said that short-term yield spreads, however, remained stable at 15 basis points, matching the spread in other regional markets.

The 10-year Greek benchmark bond (with a maturity date of May 18, 2011) rose by 74 basis points to end March at 100.55, with a return of 5.28 percent, compared with 99.81 and return of 5.37 percent in January 31, 2001.

The yield spread between the Greek benchmark bond with the German Bund widened to 58 basis points in March from 55 bps in January and 56 bps in February, reflecting a flight to quality trend because of falling prices in international markets.

The Bank of Greece expects the positive climate in the domestic bond market to continue with investors' - both domestic and foreign - interest increasing following a decision by Standard & Poor's to upgrade Greece's credit rating from A- to A.

[15] Morgan Stanley to announce revised Greek stock index on April 10

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

Set for announcement are the names of the companies, and their weighting in the index, MSCI said in a statement on Wednesday.

The change follows the introduction of new methodology by MSCI for the evaluation of firms.

MSCI has said that on May 31 it will change its classification of the Athens Stock Exchange to that of a mature market from an emerging market.

In its statement, the international investment house said it was releasing its Greece index early to give investors time to study the changes ahead of the shift in the market's status.

National Nederlanded Emerging Markets yielded 0.07 percent in the foreign equity mutual funds' market, up from a -12.59 percent average return in the sector.

Alpha Trust Healthcare yielded 1.32 percent, up from an average return of -13.5 percent in the international equity mutual funds' market.

Cyprus Hellenic yielded 2.65 percent, up from an average return of 1.56 percent in the domestic bond funds' market. Barclays Bond USD yielded 7.64 percent, up from an average return of 3.01 percent in the sector of foreign bond funds and Alpha Trust Dollar Bond yielded 7.25 percent, up from an average return of 2.55 percent in the international bond mutual funds' market.

Eurobank Rock, Alpha Combined and Telesis TMT were the three mutual funds with the biggest returns in March in the domestic, foreign and international combined mutual funds market.

[16] NBC's Ebersol says no 'early-morning' requested for Athens Games

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

NBC sports chairman Dick Ebersol maintained that the US broadcaster would stick by its policy of airing taped events during "prime time" in the United States, as "these are your Olympics, and you should enjoy them". Athens and the US East Coast are separated by a seven-hour difference.

"All we asked for, as in Barcelona, is to take advantage of the late events, such as the basketball finals ... we're not going to ask for events in the middle of the night," the veteran television executive and the network's Olympics executive producer said. He also claimed that any reports to the contrary were caused by misunderstandings from American media reports last year.

"I have very high hopes that these Games will be a spectacular success," Ebersol, who first visited in Greece in 1972 to shoot in Delphi a "recreation" of the ancient Olympic Games, emphasized.

Speaking for the IOC's largest financial partner, NBC, Ebersol said the network's staff in Greece during the Games would probably exceed 2,000 people, including the hiring of 500-600 employees locally. Additionally, he dismissed any security risks and predicted increased interest by American television audiences.

"The impressive physical sites of your country will seduce Americans," Ebersol said during a press briefing at the central Athens headquarters of the 2004 organizing committee (ATHOC).

Finally, the NBC executive blamed the end of September scheduling for what critics termed the "ratings failure" of the Sydney Games, expressing his confidence that the traditional August date for the Olympics will mark a rebound for the network.

Press reports last year put the percentage of commercial space sold by NBC for the 2004 Games at 25 percent, whereas the network's ad-sales target in Sydney was $780 million. No figures were discussed at the Athens briefing.

[17] Hellenic Petroleum in talks with foreign energy groups

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

The three companies were named as MOL of Hungary, PKN Orlen of Poland, and OMV of Austria.

Coordinating the talks, which focused on a possible alliance in the wider European area, was Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, the German banking group.

The three groups had been named in the past as possible players in a share swap deal with state-owned Hellenic Petroleum, which is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange.

Hellenic Petroleum and the three groups all have roughly the same capitalization.

[18] Greek stocks end sharply up in technical rebound

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

Traders, however, noted that turnover remained low, a sign that investors stayed sidelined awaiting more fundamental incentives before they decided to return in the market.

Shares in the wholesale, publishing, IT and construction sectors attracted heavy demand to score to biggest gains of the day. Telecoms and technology shares were also strong, with Cosmote rising 8.04 percent, Panafon 7.46 percent and Intracom 8.20 percent.

The general index ended 3.11 percent higher at 3,058.73 points, with turnover a low 159.50 million euros, or 54.35 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 2.40 percent higher at 1,761.98 points, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index jumped 3.66 percent to 371.98 points.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 6,470.15

+1.62% Telecoms: 1,007.02 +3.98% Insurance: 1,407.47 +2.33% Investment: 1,125.36 +1.92% Construction: 1,484.63 +5.25% Industrials: 1,876.03 +3.93% Holding: 3,571.31 +3.17% Base metals: 976.30 +3.31% Minerals: 1,007.90 +2.10% Publishing: 1,002.24 +5.71% Textiles: 1,199.66 +4.92% Retailing: 1,098.53 +2.42% IT: 1,089.27 +5.63% IT solutions: 1,036.67 +4.88% Wholesale:

957.11 +2.58% Food and Beverage: 865.12 +5.71%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 332.21 points, up 3.77 percent.

Broadly, advancers overwhelmingly led decliners by 348 to 10 with another 16 issues unchanged.

Despec, Kekrops, Altec, Korfil, Mytilineos, Kambas, Viosol, Metka and Atemke scored the biggest percentage gains, while Alysida, Lyberis, Papafilis, Creta Farm, Ippotour, Active Invest, Piraeus Leasing, Alpha Trust, Evropharma and Alco suffered losses.

Hellenic Telecoms, Naoussa Spinning, Intracom, Alpha Bank and Panafon were the most heavily traded stocks.

Leading shares' closing prices (in euros): National Bank: 39.04 Alpha Bank: 29.38 Commercial Bank: 50.84 Eurobank: 17.50 Piraeus Bank: 13.00 Lambrakis Press: 13.56 Altec: 7.48 Intrasoft: 11.90 Titan Cement (c): 38.30 Hellenic Telecoms: 15.06 Panafon: 6.34 Hellenic Petroleum: 8.92 Attica Enterprises: 8.14 Intracom: 20.06 Mytilineos: 8.42 Minoan Lines: 5.00 Viohalco: 10.74 Coca Cola: 15.16

Bond prices nose down in moderate trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Thursday finished slightly lower in moderate trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.32 percent from 5.30 percent a day earlier.

The yield spread over German bunds was 57 basis points from 58 basis points in the session before.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 710 million euros (105.6 billion drachmas) from 1.3 billion euros (446 billion drachmas) in the trading day before.

Sell orders accounted for 391 million euros of turnover.

Equity futures end up, tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished higher on Thursday, in line with the bourse indices on which they are based, traders said.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 2.40 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 3.66 percent higher.

Turnover was 49.9 million euros on 7,850 contracts traded, the dealers said.

[19] Prosecutor calls for legal action in cases of citizens' degradation by media

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

Legislation forbids the televising, videotaping or photographing of people being brought before judicial or police authorities without their explicit consent.

In addition, those violating or facilitating the violation of the ban are liable to imprisonment for up to two years and fining between 100,000 and five million drachmas.

Athens Bar Association President Antonis Roupakiotis had addressed a letter to Dimopoulos on Tuesday, calling for his help in putting an end to the degradation of citizens by the media in such cases.

[20] Greece leads EU in traffic related deaths

BRUSSELS, 06/04/2001 (ANA - B. Demiris)

The report noted that for every million residents of Greece, 212 are killed on Greek roads every year, while statistics from previous years showed that deaths on Greek roads in accidents were increasing.

Another worrisome find was that Greece has the highest number of deaths in relation to the number of vehicles used in the country.

[21] Greek government to provide 18 billion drachmas for 2004 Paralympic Games

Athens, 06/04/2001(ANA)

The contract was signed by the president of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, and by International Paralympic Committee President Dr. Robert Stedward.

"The Greek government will be participating in the funding of the 2004 Paralympic Games with 18 billion drachmas. 4,000 athletes from 125 countries will participate in the Paralympics," Daskalaki said, stressing the conviction that both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics will be a great success.

[22] Irish premier expresses support for Cyprus' EU accession 'without preconditions'

NICOSIA, 06/04/2001 (CNA/ANA)

George Vassiliou, with whom he also discussed the Union's enlargement process.

Ahern reiterated Ireland's position for a settlement in Cyprus based on UN resolutions and decisions, according to an official announcement issued in Nicosia on Thursday.

UN resolutions stipulate for the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal federation in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 percent of its territory in 1974.

The Turkish Cypriot side, fully backed by Ankara, is refusing to continue in the UN effort for a settlement that got underway in December 1999 unless the illegal regime in the Turkish-occupied areas is recognized.

The former Cyprus President, who has been carrying out the talks with the EU since 1998, also had separate meetings in the Irish capital with parliament speaker Seamus Pattison and senate speaker Brian Mullooly. He also visited the International Financial Services Center.

Vassiliou, on a three-day working visit to Ireland, was scheduled to meet on Thursday with Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, who was also going to hold an official lunch in his honor.

In its decisions the EU has said a settlement in Cyprus is not a precondition for the Republic's accession.

[23] Cyprus foreign minister meets US officials

WASHINGTON, 06/04/2001 (CNA/ANA)

"I have promoted our positions and asked Congress for its sup-port," Kasoulides told CNA after his daylong meetings with congresspersons, senators, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee.

The minister's meetings in Washington are taking place in the light of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's refusal to participate in UN-led proximity talks for a settlement in Cyprus, that opened in December 1999, unless his illegal regime in the areas of the island occupied by Turkey since 1974 is recognized and a different procedure adopted.

On Thursday, Kasoulides was scheduled to meet US administration officials and representatives of the Jewish American Organizations and will speak at the Woodrow Wilson Center on "Cyprus' Reunification and Membership in the European Union. Why it matters."

He will also meet senators Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI).

Before his return to Cyprus on Monday he will meet Secretary of State Colin Powell.

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