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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-04-18Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>April 18, 2001CONTENTS
[01] Pension reform, meeting with defense minister on PM's agenda this weekAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)A government spokesman on Tuesday again dashed rumors of a pending cabinet reshuffle, while also commenting on the highly anticipated Friday meeting between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos.Spokesman Telemachos Hytiris spoke from the Ionian holiday island of Corfu, where he accompanied Simitis and his entourage over the Easter holiday in the last few days. Reports of cabinet reshuffles often persist in the local press, although Simitis has repeatedly declared over the six years that he's served as premier that he doesn't favor reshuffles as a method of reinvigorating the cabinet. A government decision two weeks ago to slash previously planned defense allocations in favor of increased social spending was criticized by Tsohatzopoulos. On his part, Hytiris dismissed press reports painting the upcoming meeting as a “showdown”, noting instead that it will be a working session. Additionally, the spokesman said Simitis would meet with Labor and Social Insurances Minister Tassos Giannitsis this week for contacts on the all-important issue of social security reform. An informal executive bureau and cabinet meeting will also convene to focus on the same matter. Finally, the Greek premier met with local political, local government and ecclesiastical leaders while on Corfu. [02] Gov’t seeks social justice through social security reformAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)The government's main aim is to promote social justice through its planned reform of the country's social security system, National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said on Tuesday.Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Labor and Social Security Minister Tassos Giannitsis and Deputy Minister Nikos Farmakis, Papantoniou said all views and proposals made in the aftermath of a UK firm's report on the social security system would be put forward for discussion to government bodies. Labor Minister Tassos Giannitsis said that any government measures would not undermine workers' confidence in the social security system. Prime Minister Costas Simitis will chair a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue. [03] Turkish newspaper says modernization of Leopard-1 tanks deployed in eastern Thrace postponedISTANBUL, 18/04/2001 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)The modernization of German-built Leopard-1 tanks used by the Turkish armed forces in eastern Thrace has been postponed following measures decided by the Turkish General Staff due to the country's economic difficulties, according to a report in the Turkish newspaper Milliyet.The newspaper, invoking sources close to the General Staff, said the program concerning the Leopard-1 tanks was included in the 32 modernizing programs which the Turkish military decided to postpone. "When Greece purchased new Leopard tanks from Germany, the balance of forces in the region of Thrace was overturned at Turkey's expense," the sources told the newspaper, adding that due to the detente in relations between the two countries the program for modernizing Turkish tanks deployed in the region was postponed. Meanwhile, the General Staff is speeding up the program for modernizing US-built M-60 tanks used by the Turkish armed forces on Turkey's borders with Syria, Armenia and Iran, the newspaper says. The newspaper report further says that special analysts are expecting that after this move by Turkey, Athens will in turn postpone tendering for the purchase of 250 tanks. [04] Program of Pope John Paul II visit to Athens announcedAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Sources of the Catholic Church in Greece on Tuesday announced the program of Pope John Paul II during his visit to Greece and added that the formal approval of the Church of Greece and the Greek government remains.According to the program, the Pope will arrive in Athens at 11:30 on Friday May 4, on board an Alitalia airliner, and a small welcoming reception will be held at the airport. Later, he will be visiting the Presidential Mansion where the official welcoming will be taking place, as well as the Archdiocese, before arriving at the residence of his representative in Athens where he will be staying. He will dine with Catholic clergymen there and rest before going to Agios Dionysios Catholic Cathedral for a meeting with clergymen and monks of the Catholic Church. In the evening, the Pope will be visiting the Arios Pagos hill to fulfill the purpose of his visit and pray at the location where Apostle Paul taught the word of God to the Athenians for the first time. Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, together with a delegation of high priests from the Church of Greece, will be returning the visit later on. However, there will be no joint praying or officiating with Archbishop Christodoulos or any other clergyman from the Church of Greece. At 8 a.m. on May 5, the Pope will be visiting the indoor basketball stadium at the installations of the Athens Olympic stadium where a church service will be held before he leaves for the airport to fly to Damascus, the next stop in his pilgrimage which will end in Malta. [05] Israeli envoy says end to violence the exclusive responsibility of Palestinian AuthorityAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Israeli Ambassador to Athens Ran Curiel, in a statement on the situation in the Middle East on Tuesday said "the responsibility for an end to violence and terrorism lies exclusively in the hands of the Palestinian Authority."Curiel also said "the Palestinian Authority is not observing its obligation to avert acts of terrorism against Israelis coming from its territory. Consequently, Israel is obliged to take all necessary action to protect its citizens." Referring to the situation on Israel's northern borders, Curiel said the "terrorist organization Hezbollah, supported by Syria, is carrying out attacks against Israel in violation of international legality, the commitments of the Lebanese government and UN Security Council resolutions calling on all parties involved to honor international borders". [06] Hellenic Stock Exchanges takes part in road shows abroadAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Hellenic Stock Exchanges SA, one of whose members is the Athens bourse, has taken part in two corporate road shows held abroad recently for institutional investors, it said in a statement on Tuesday.The first was arranged by National Bank of Greece International in London, Edinburgh and Milan on March 26-28; and the second by Eurocorp on April 6, in which Athens bourse president, Panayotis Alexakis, took part. Quoted Hellenic Stock Exchanges told investors that its results were positive, that it was planning growth at home and in the Balkans, and that it was seeking an alliance with a stock exchange in Europe or beyond, the statement said. [07] Banks lift ASE to a higher closeAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Strong demand for blue chips, particularly banks, lifted Greek equity prices higher on the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday, after a four-day Easter holiday.Traders said investors ignored a sharp fall in other European markets and noted that only five shares (National Bank, Commercial Bank, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank and Hellenic Telecoms) together accounted for more than 50 percent of the day's turnover. Buying interest focused on shares listed on a reviewed MSCI Greece index, offering further evidence that the Greek bourse was currently a two-speed market, with money flowing into blue chip stocks from smaller capitalization stocks. The general index ended 0.82 percent higher at 3,185.50 points, with turnover a low 131.72 million euros, or 44.88 billion drachmas. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.61 percent higher at 1,869.99 points, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index eased 1.93 percent to 370.82 points. Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 6,966.92 +1.90% Telecoms: 1,054.23 +1.19% Insurance: 1,469.46 +1.29% Investment: 1,161.36 +0.81% Construction: 1,446.52 -1.09% Industrials: 1,902.34 -0.21% Holding: 3,609.10 -0.19% Base metals: 987.51 -0.86% Minerals: 1,035.87 +1.62% Publishing: 992.06 -1.02% Textiles: 1,164.59 -1.56% Retailing: 1,139.05 +0.43% IT: 1,063.30 -0.61% IT software: 1,000.44 -1.93% Wholesale: 941.96 -0.37% Food & Beverage: 892.04 +0.08% The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 323.87 points, off 0.75 percent. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 228 to 88 with another 38 issues unchanged. Boutaris, Agricultural Bank, Vis, Halyps Cement, Kordellos Bros, Agricultural Life, Commercial Bank and Kyriakides scored the biggest percentage gains, while Mohlos, Despec, Mesohoritis, Desmos, Parnassos, Korfil, Klaoudatos, European Credit and Fanco suffered the heaviest losses. Leading shares' closing prices (in euros): National Bank: 42.80 Alpha Bank: 31.26 Commercial Bank: 54.74 Eurobank: 18.04 Piraeus Bank: 14.66 Lambrakis Press: 13.72 Altec: 6.90 Intrasoft: 11.82 Titan Cement (c): 39.80 Hellenic Telecoms: 15.48 Panafon: 7.04 Hellenic Petroleum: 9.20 Attica Enterprises: 8.50 Intracom: 20.88 Mytilineos: 8.30 Minoan Lines: 4.86 Viohalco: 10.78 Coca Cola HBC: 16.02 Bond prices drop in lackluster trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Tuesday finished lower in light to moderate trade with pressure seen on long-term paper. The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.40 percent. The yield spread over German bunds was 54 basis points. Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 555 million euros (189.0 billion drachmas). Sell orders accounted for the bulk of turnover. Equity futures end up, roughly tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished higher on Tuesday, roughly in line with the bourse indices on which they are based, traders said. The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 1.61 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.52 percent lower. Traded were 5,883 contracts on turnover of 43.8 million euros. [08] 22 Greeks honored as 'righteous among nations' by Yad Vashem InstituteAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Israel's ambassador to Athens and representatives of the Central Jewish Council of Greece (KIS) will honor 22 Greek citizens on Wednesday for their efforts to save Greek Jews during the World War II occupation.The 22 individuals, who risked their lives to assist their fellow countrymen, will be bestowed the title of "righteous among nations" by the Israeli state during a special ceremony at Ambassador Ran Curiel's residence. The Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem Institute awards the title of "righteous among nations" along with an accompanying medal. A second ceremony, complete with the unveiling of a plaque bearing the honored individual's name and a tree-planting ceremony will take place at the Jerusalem institute. [09] Bomb scare on OA flight from Istanbul proves to be farceAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)A Greek national carrier Olympic Airways flight to Athens that was forced to return to Turkey after a bomb scare landed in Athens at 2:15 Tuesday after a four-hour delay.OA flight 322 rushed back to Ataturk Airport in Istanbul Tuesday morning just one minute after its 10:14 a.m take-off when an anonymous caller phoned the airport's control tower claiming there was a bomb on board the airliner. The local airport and police officials were alerted immediately and the flight was turned back. The airplane was quickly evacuated of its 90 passengers and crew for a security check, and after no traces of an explosive device were found, was allowed to leave with a four-hour delay. [10] Greece wins awards at International Visual Arts Biennale in UAESHARJAH, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Greece won the first National Participation award, the second award for Painting for works by Thanassis Panagiotou and the second for Sculpture for works by Nakis Tastsioglou at the International Visual Arts Biennale, held in the city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates with the participation of 59 countries from all over the world.Art critic and art historian Athina Schina was a committee member at the event and distinguished herself at an international conference held in the framework of the Biennale. The Awards Committee was primarily composed of European and American experts in the field of art theory and distinguished artists. The Biennale, as well as national pavilions, are visited by hundreds of people every day. [11] Marousi wins Saporta Cup in Warsaw finalAthens, 18/04/2001 (ANA)Marousi Athens won the Saporta basketball Cup after beating France's Elan Chalon-sur-Saone 74-72 (halftime 38-33) in the final played in Warsaw on Tuesday night.This was the 10th European basketball cup to be won in the history of Greek basketball. Marousi is the fourth Greek team to win the former European Cup winners' Cup after AEK Athens (1968 and 2000), PAOK Thessaloniki (1991) and Aris Thessaloniki (1993). [12] President Clerides arrives in Egypt for private visitCAIRO, 18/04/2001 (CNA/ANA)Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides arrived Monday in Egypt for a six-day private visit during which he is scheduled to have a series of high level meetings with his Egyptian counter-part Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, Prime Minister Mohamed Atef Ebeid and Foreign Minister Amr Mohamed Moussa.The president, who traveled to Egypt aboard his private yacht, was met at Port Said by Governor Mostafa Kamel and the Republic's Ambassador Demetris Droushiotis. Local press referred to the presidential visit with front page articles. This is the first such visit for about two decades. During his stay in Egypt, the Cypriot president, who is accompanied by First Lady Lila-Erini, will meet on Thursday Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and on Friday with Premier Ebeid. The date and the timing of the meeting with President Mubarak has not yet been arranged. On Wednesday, Clerides will see Patriarch of Alexandria Petros at Saint George Monastery in Cairo. Ambassador Droushiotis will host a reception for the president and Egypt's Ambassador to Cyprus Omar Metwally will host a dinner in the president's honor. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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