Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-06-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM rules out government reshuffle before PASOK party's October congress

[02] Athens comments on FYROM situation

[03] Turkish FM threatens retaliatory action against EU if Cyprus enters the Union

[04] U.S. ambassador says US continues to support territorial integrity of FYROM

[05] Tirana protest targets Greek embassy over 'Tsami' claims, UCK slogans heard

[06] Coalition party says sending of Milosevic to international court methodized by EU, U.S. and NATO

[07] Palestinian leader calls on Greek government to support Mitchell plan

[08] Simitis confers with ministers regarding cabinet meeting on drugs

[09] Agriculture bill decentralizes responsibilities to local authorities

[10] Council of State rules for exclusion of religion from police ID cards

[11] US ambassador expresses satisfaction over counter-terrorism measures in Greece

[12] US Embassy holds ceremony for 'November 17' victim Capt. Nordeen

[13] EU stresses need for reform of Greek social insurance

[14] EU's 'Habitat Agenda' program to give funds to 60 Greek towns

[15] Subsidies to farmers will not be curtailed due to "mad cow" disease cost, Commissioner says

[16] EU telecommunications ministers discuss electronic communications

[17] Greek firms hold talks with Turkish, European firms

[18] Federation of Greek Industries to participate in social security processing committee

[19] Greece to hire int'l consultant for hotel ratings

[20] Greek stocks end higher in technical rebound

[21] Greece first among European countries to establish blood controls for

[22] Vangelis concert in Athens' spectacular Temple of Olympian Zeus

[23] Fulbright Foundation awards 45 fellowships to Greeks for study in the US

[24] Deputy press minister says 2004 Olympiad will have favorable repercussions for country

[25] FM says Turkish threats not going to dent EU's resolve to accept Cyprus

[26] No member of CoE can avoid execution of ECHR judgments, Council SG says

[27] Spokesman expresses regret over Denktash's refusal to cooperate on missing persons issue

[01] PM rules out government reshuffle before PASOK party's October congress

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

In a statement after the party's Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday night, Simitis said categorically there is was case of a government reshuffle until the congress and attributed relevant talk to "rumors and scenarios in circulation".

He added that a reshuffle now would be incompatible with the purpose of the congress which judges policies and persons and defines policies.

Simitis, who said he would make a statement on behalf of all the Executive Bureau's members as well, said the government has democratic and constitutional legalization and its period of office expires in 2004 and both PASOK and the government are determined to meet the popular mandate.

The prime minister rejected characterizations such as a "caretaker government" and said that the two previous congresses in 1996 and 1999 took place with a PASOK government, which was not a caretaker government, and neither is it now.

Simitis said the congress would not lead to a suspension of the government's work, adding that the government's effort will continue intensively and its work will be promoted with determination. He said the congress will help the government's effort and will constitute a new beginning.

The prime minister said the government was struggling on a daily basis to achieve its targets and for this to be achieved accord and clear policies are necessary. Internal distractions and introversion make such a task difficult, he added.

Simitis said the congress will be one of unity and not one for the settling of scores since, as he said, there are no unsettled scores in PASOK which require resolution.

He clarified that the congress was decided to take place October to avoid a prolonged period of waiting which would not benefit anyone. He added that through its congresses and conferences PASOK has secured its political predominance and has showed the opposition's destitution.

In statements after the Executive Bureau's meeting, PASOK's Central Committee Secretary Costas Skandalidis said it decided that the party's congress will take place on October 11-14 and will make a recommendation to the Central Committee which will convene on July 9.

Skandalidis said the Central Committee meeting which was due to be held on July 13-14 in Ancient Olympia on local administration issues, will not take place and a one-day meeting will be held in Athens with the proclamation of the congress being the only issue. He added that the first meeting of the new Central Committee to be elected by the forthcoming congress would be held in Ancient Olympia.

The Central Committee, which will decide on positions to be submitted to the congress, will convene together with the Parliamentary Group between August 31 and September 1.

Tsohatzopoulos: Reshuffle before party congress would be 'absurd': A government reshuffle would be absurd before the PASOK congress, Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos told reporters late on Tuesday night, adding that a different cabinet would naturally arise after the congress, which would reflect its decisions.

Tsohatzopoulos was speaking in Brussels, after a meeting of the European Socialist Parties presidium.

The defense minister said that PASOK and Greek society were currently traversing difficult ground, to add that neither "was prepared for - the creative, I hope - consequences."

He expressed optimism that the upcoming party congress would achieve a synthesis of views through dialogue and to formulate a new model of development and social policy.

[02] Athens comments on FYROM situation

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Regarding this week's confirmation by the European Union that Cyprus' EU accession prospects are in no way linked to a political solution on the divided east Mediterranean island, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said Athens is satisfied with results of the recent EU-Turkey association council meeting in Luxembourg -- where it was stressed that Helsinki summit decisions remained intact.

Constantopoulos: Meanwhile, from Thessaloniki, Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos criticized the Greek government for what he called a lack of initiatives vis-a-vis the FYROM crisis.

"While talkativeness over internal party (PASOK) and government fronts dominates, there's a deafening silence over what's happening in our neighboring state and in the international scene," Constantopoulos said.

He also stressed that FYROM's existence was directly linked to stability in the Balkans, as well as of strategic importance to Greece.

[03] Turkish FM threatens retaliatory action against EU if Cyprus enters the Union

BRUSSELS, 28/06/2001 (ANA - Y. Zitouniati)

"The unilateral accession will lead to an unavoidable conflict and radical reaction by Turkey, while it will have negative effects on the Euro-Turkish economic relations as well," Cem said.

Cem spoke of the progress in the relations between his country and the EU over the past few months, stressing that his job was much easier before the Helsinki summit decisions, when he could and did claim that the EU was not objective toward his country.

"Following Helsinki, the responsibility for the Euro-Turkish relations falls on Turkey, since it is obliged to fulfill its obligations it undertook toward the EU," Cem said.

He claimed that Turkey's delay in fulfilling the aquis communautaire stems from its 15-year struggle against "terrorism" and that "Turkey was the vanguard of the western world against the Soviet threat".

He reiterated Turkey's position that Cyprus cannot enter the European Union or any other international organization that all three (Greece, Turkey and Britain) guarantor powers are not members of.

His position was rebutted by Greek Eurodeputies who explained that this is not so as, according to the 1960 constitution, the vice-president of the Cyprus Republic, who is always a Turkish Cypriot, has the right to intervene in foreign affairs, but it is the fault of Turkey that the institutional post of the vice-president is vacant.

They called the positions of Turkey on the issue contradictory, as on one hand they propose the solution of a confederation for the Cyprus problem and on the other hand they call on the 1960 Constitutional provision, which rejects any confederation.

In her response a Belgian Eurodeputy, member of the committee, said that during her visit in the northern occupied territories of Cyprus, she came away with the impression that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash did not express the majority of the Turkish Cypriot community.

[04] U.S. ambassador says US continues to support territorial integrity of FYROM

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Commenting on the situation in FYROM after meeting Minister of Macedonia and Thrace George Paschalidis, in the framework of his farewell visit to Thessaloniki, Burns said it is not good.

Burns said that for this reason Washington has issued a travel advisory which, as he explained, only concerns American citizens who are in or who plan to travel to the country and not U.S. diplomats who remain in FYROM.

He said the armed Albanians are terrorists who should not exist in FYROM.

[05] Tirana protest targets Greek embassy over 'Tsami' claims, UCK slogans heard

TIRANA, 28/06/2001 (ANA - I. Patso)

Demonstrators gathered in a central Tirana square before marching to the Greek embassy, where one speaker demanded that Athens return properties of Tsami claimants -- a southern Albanian clan -- and allow them free access into the European Union member-state. The rally's organizers also attempted to submit a resolution to the Greek embassy setting out their demands to Athens.

The Tirana protest comes on the heels of a widely publicized threat late last month by someone claiming to be the political representative for the extremist "National Liberation Army" (UCK) in strife-torn FYROM. That individual was quoted by an Australian radio network as saying a "Tsamouria Liberation Army" was created with the purpose of taking up arms "for millions of Albanians" in the sparsely populated prefecture of Thesprotia -- in NW Greece, across from the holiday island of Corfu.

However, in an interview with the BBC two days later, UCK representative Ali Mehmeti - who was initially identified as the UCK cadre who made the statement -- said all information regarding "action" in Greece was false and damaging to what he termed the guerrilla faction's "relations" with Athens.

"I never made such statements," he told the BBC, adding: "nor did I ever think to table such issues. I believe, however, that it is a deliberate action of certain circles aimed at establishing obstacles to the democratic process in FYROM and the Balkans."

In the days following the report and as action by Albanian insurgents the neighboring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) heightened, Athens simply reiterated that UCK's "terrorist activities" in FYROM and Kosovo "continue to be a destabilizing factor in the Balkans."

Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo offered a scathing condemnation almost a week later in early June.

"Ideas related to the existence or creation of a so-called 'Tsamouria Liberation Army' are the product, unfortunately, of sick Albanian minds outside the Albanian state ... (minds) that create the appearance that Albanians are a destabilizing element in the Balkans. For this reason they should be condemned and isolated by all countries".

A few thousand Tsami Albanians did, in fact, live in Thesprotia prefecture before World War II, only to be driven out of the country by wartime partisans for collaborating with Axis forces then occupying allied Greece (1941-44).

Various Greek governments over the past decade have also made it clear to Tirana's leadership on several occasions that the issue - compensation for expelled collaborators' seized property, re-admission etc. - is unacceptable and off any agenda of talks.

[06] Coalition party says sending of Milosevic to international court methodized by EU, U.S. and NATO

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

It added that the etherisation is being carried out through intolerable pressures and economic extortions to have the former Yugoslav president referred to an "organ serving their political plans and of proven selective sensitivity regarding those responsible for the bloodshed of the peoples of Yugoslavia".

In a related development, dozens of members of the Committee for International Detente and Peace staged a protest rally in front of the Yugoslav consulate in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on Wednesday night against the impending extradition of Milosevic.

The demonstrators called on the Yugoslav authorities not to extradite Milosevic to the international court, which they termed "rigged", and to release him from prison.

[07] Palestinian leader calls on Greek government to support Mitchell plan

JERUSALEM, 28/06/2001 (ANA - A. Makridis)

Completing his visit to the region, Skandalidis visited a refugee camp in Palestinian territory for a close view of Palestinian refugees' living conditions, before seeing Arafat.

In a statement after the meeting, Arafat expressed his emotion over Greece's solidarity for the Palestinian people and their struggle, reminding that the Palestinians' historical origins in ancient Crete.

Asked whether the visit by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is an omen of substantive developments to resolve the conflict, and particularly the controversial issue of the presence of Israeli settlers in Palestinian territory, Arafat said such a thing is also the wish of the Palestinian side.

On his part, Skandalidis said ties between PASOK, the Greek people and Greece with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians "remain unaltered through time."

"We consider it our obligation and our paramount honor and duty to make struggles together both now and in the future for a just peace to prevail in the region," Skandalidis said.

[08] Simitis confers with ministers regarding cabinet meeting on drugs

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

The ministers attending were Justice Minister Michalis Stathopoulos, Education Minister Petros Efthymiou, Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysohoidis, Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos, Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis, Deputy Health Minister Christina Spyraki and Psychiatry professor Costas Stefanis.

No statements were made after the meeting.

[09] Agriculture bill decentralizes responsibilities to local authorities

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

The dill decentralizes the administrative function of redistribution over quartered farmland, which usually happens as farmland passes from one generation to the next. This function will be handed over to the prefectures, which will be allowed to hire private firms that will undertake land redistribution on a local level.

Until now the ministry itself had a section dealing with all land redistribution throughout the country, and this centralized administrative control led to many years of delay in land redistribution, while this section had to spend considerable time in acquiring the necessary data concerning every local region where redistribution was necessary.

The bill prescribes the handing over of city parks to local municipalities, as up to now responsibilities even for sidewalk trees were part of the ministry's administrative functions.

The bill establishes a unified farm products insurance system, supported by the state, but allowing for private insurance companies to participate in insuring farm production.

The minister also announced that the bill prescribes for the establishment of a complete subsidy management system, which will pay subsidies to individual farmers, canceling all previous complex and product specific agencies that paid subsidies to farmers.

The bill also establishes a company to be named "AGROGI SA" which will function as a private firm and will be responsible for restructuring and improving farm practices and land use and functioning as a land bank as well. In this way the ministry will have no direct involvement in land banking, except in a regulatory way.

In concluding Anomeritis stressed that the farmers' television channel "Dimitra", which will be established under this new bill, will be fully owned by the state.

[10] Council of State rules for exclusion of religion from police ID cards

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

About a year after the government's decision to also delete religious affiliation that caused an ongoing Church-state feud, the court ruled that the listing of religious affiliation was against Article 13 of the Greek Constitution, as its would force the public statement of citizens regarding personal beliefs.

The court, however, ruled against the exclusion of citizenship from new police-issued identification cards, listing among its reasons the need for Greece's compliance with European Union regulations regarding travel documents.

The European Commission has also reportedly favored the listing of citizenship on the new Greek ID cards.

In March, the government-appointed Personal Data Protection Authority clarified, in a press release signed by its chairman, that it had advised against listing citizenship on new IDs in order to avoid a redundancy, as holders of such cards must be Greek citizens. Additionally, the agency's head, Costas Dafermos, justified the exclusion by saying the issuing entity's name - in this case, the "Hellenic Republic" - appears on the ID cards' masthead.

In backtracking from its original position, though, besides pointing to "redundancies" the announcement concludes by saying that the listing of citizenship "does not contravene the spirit and purpose of for which the ruling was issued".

New ID cards, issued at police precincts, have been available for the past nine months, sans the citizenship listing.

The court ruled that citizenship does not constitute 'personal and sensitive' information and that it is a necessary component of any ID used as a travel document.

In terms of the more divisive religious affiliation category, the powerful Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece has collected signatures in nation-wide drive in order to force a referendum on the issue of allowing for the optional listing on ID cards.

[11] US ambassador expresses satisfaction over counter-terrorism measures in Greece

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Speaking in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, he called "absurd" the accusations of terrorist group November 17 that US agents were behind the attempted murder, last year, of main opposition New Democracy (ND) Parliament deputy Vassilis Michaloliakos.

He added that the Greek government has taken important measures over the last 12 months regarding this issue and expressed the hope that the culprits of murders by terrorists will be arrested and will be brought to justice.

[12] US Embassy holds ceremony for 'November 17' victim Capt. Nordeen

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Nordeen was killed by a bomb blast near his house in Kefalari on June 28, 1988, shortly before he was due to leave Greece. The Greek terrorist group 'November 17' later claimed responsibility for the attack.

US Ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns officiated the ceremony, which recalled the life of the man and the injustice of his death:

"In a cold-blooded attack thirteen years ago, the 17 November terrorist group killed Navy officer, husband and father William Nordeen. An explosive device was rigged to a car near his house, and detonated as he passed by on his way to work".

Describing the attack as "senseless", the ambassador said it had achieved nothing other than to cause extensive suffering among members of Captain Nordeen's family and his friends.

"Today's ceremony attests to our commitment to remember the five members of this Embassy community who have been killed by 17 November. We will never forget them. As we remembered Richard Welch in a ceremony on December 23, 2000, the 25th anniversary of his assassination, so we will remember Captain Nordeen, Captain Tsantes, Nicholas Veloutsos and Sargeant Roland Stewart every year on the anniversaries of their cruel murders," Burns continued.

"Working with our partners in the Greek government, we will not rest until the assassins of the 17 November terrorist group have been brought to justice," he concluded.

[13] EU stresses need for reform of Greek social insurance

BRUSSELS, 28/06/2001 (ANA / B. Demiris)

In a report on the social insurance systems of EU countries, the Commission said that the impact of the Greek system on the budget should be taken into account, due to an ageing population and the system's weaknesses, including a low level of contributions and high level of payments.

Public spending on pensions and healthcare in most of the 15-member EU would increase to between 5.0 percent and 8.0 percent of gross domestic product in coming years as a result of the ageing population, the report said.

The increase in spending was expected to be higher in countries including Greece, which created anxiety about the long-term viability of public finances.

The Greek government had launched talks with the social partners this year on streamlining the social insurance system, and it was hoping to present its proposals based on the outcome of the talks probably by the end of the year, the report said.

Fiscal discipline in 2000 was greater in Greece than expected, but caution was needed over the risk of a possible resurgence of inflation. In addition, structural changes to the economy should be accelerated, as well as privatization, the Commission said.

In Greece, the fiscal deficit fell to 0.9 percent of gross domestic product in 2000 from 1.8 percent a year earlier, overtaking a budget projection of a decline to 1.2 percent.

At the same time, the public debt remained high, totalling 103.9 percent of gross domestic product in 2000 in the wake of what the report called a limited decline of 0.7 percent against 1999.

Fiscal discipline should therefore not be allowed to slacken, the report added.

It also described as "ambitious" growth targets set in the government's stability plan for 2000-2004 that give rates of 5.2 percent in 2002 and 5.5 percent in 2003 and 2004.

[14] EU's 'Habitat Agenda' program to give funds to 60 Greek towns

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

According to Environment Minister Costas Laliotis, mayors and representatives of the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE), the program will provide 7.5 billion drachmas that have been included in this year's national program for the environment.

Laliotis said that 491 Greek municipalities had responded to the ministry's invitation to present proposals for funding under the 'Habitat Agenda' program, of which only 60 had been selected. He added that efforts would be made to fund interesting proposals submitted by other municipalities through other EU programs, such as LIFE, LEADER SAVE, THERMIE, AL-TENER and others.

[15] Subsidies to farmers will not be curtailed due to "mad cow" disease cost, Commissioner says

BRUSSELS, 28/06/2001 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

According to a press release issued by Eurodeputies of the Greek main opposition New Democracy party, European Commissioner David Byrne responded to a question they tabled requesting information on whether subsidies to farmers may be curtailed to cover the increased budgetary needs.

Byrne said that the smaller than expected increase in agricultural products and the euro-dollar parity rate allowed for the cost to be covered without any decreases in farmer subsidies.

[16] EU telecommunications ministers discuss electronic communications

BRUSSELS, 28/06/2001 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

A common position was achieved on the draft directive on universal service and the rights of users and measures adjusting and modernizing existing measures were defined.

Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Alekos Voulgaris, who headed the Greek delegation, stressed the Greek government's sensitivity on the cohesion and solidarity of underprivileged users and users with special social needs.

He added that these groups should be included in a relevant article anticipating the unimpeded provision of universal service to these social groups.

Voulgaris also categorically ruled out any further amendment of fundamental articles concerning the protection of the rights of citizens.

[17] Greek firms hold talks with Turkish, European firms

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

The forum, which was held in Istanbul, aimed to promote links between companies from Turkey and the EU, which Ankara hopes to join, the Association of Northern Greek Exporters said in a statement on Wednesday.

[18] Federation of Greek Industries to participate in social security processing committee

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

He was speaking after meeting the Federation of Greek Industries' (SEB) leadership.

Giannitsis said the period until the congress is held (in October) will be utilized for the technical processing of issues concerning social security reforms and in this sense it can prove to be useful for the ensuing dialogue.

SEB will participate with a representative in the technical committee for processing the social security issue, which has been set up by the labor ministry.

On the other hand, the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) has avoided participation but has placed its technical experts at the ministry's disposal to provide whatever information or view is considered necessary.

Giannitsis added that the conclusion of the congress would allow the government to concentrate unimpeded on completing its policy and in this context to handle the social security issue as well.

[19] Greece to hire int'l consultant for hotel ratings

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

The consultant will have control in all technical and operating standards of the new system and will recommend hotels' ratings to GTO.

Bids will be submitted at the GTO's central offices on August 9, 2001.

[20] Greek stocks end higher in technical rebound

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Traders said domestic institutional investors reappeared in the market during the last half hour of trade, attracted by very low share price levels. Analysts said the Greek market was undoubtedly attractive, currently trading at a 20 percent discount on P/E terms, with an estimated EPS increase of 10.6 percent, more than double the European average.

The general index ended 2.27 percent higher at 2,698.19 points, near the day's highs, with turnover a low 165.310 million euros, or 56.329 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 1,554.21 points, up 2.33 percent, the FTSE/ASE 40 index rose 2.39 percent to 303.68 points, and the Small Cap index ended at 854.60 points, up 2.81 percent.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 256.83 points, up 1.97 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 323 to 24 with another 15 issues unchanged.

Bond prices nose up in moderate trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Wednesday finished slightly higher in moderate trade with players focusing on 10-year paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.47 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 49 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 745 million euros (254.0 billion drachmas).

Buy orders accounted for just over half of turnover.

Equity futures rise in brisk trade: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange posted a rise on Wednesday, tracking brighter sentiment in the main market.

The underlying FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 2.33 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 2.39 percent higher.

Traded were 10,658 contracts on turnover of 71.4 million euros.

[21] Greece first among European countries to establish blood controls for

AIDS is a global problem, which knows no borders and is a clear challenge for the international community, which requires global action, Greece's permanent representative at the UN Ilias Gounaris said, addressing the General Assembly's special session on the devastating repercussions of the disease on Tuesday.

Among others, Gounaris said the cruel reality of this global epidemic necessitates pushing aside personal beliefs and prejudices, while dignified care should be provided for people suffering from AIDS, and sensitive social groups in particular, including refugees and immigrants.

He also said equality between the genders should be promoted, as well as the strengthening of women's social and family status, to avoid attitudes endangering their health.

Poverty should also be contained, he added, because the poor are the most vulnerable and less equipped to handle the epidemic and an international society should be created based on solidarity.

The Health ministry general director and representatives of non-governmental organizations attending the session pointed out that Greece can be considered a pioneer in the struggle against AIDS as it was the first among European countries to establish blood controls since 1985.

[22] Vangelis concert in Athens' spectacular Temple of Olympian Zeus

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Afterwards, French Education Minister Jack Lang will bestow the title of "Chevalier de legion d' honneur" to Vangelis - as he is known outside Greece -- for his contribution to Greek and European culture. The concert is part of events for the four-year "Cultural Olympiad", scheduled in the run-up and during the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

The concert will also be broadcast live for music aficionados without a ticket on a "video wall" set up nearby at the all-marble Panathenian Stadium - a 100,000-seat ancient venue restored in the late 19th century for the holding of the first modern Olympics in 1896.

Vangelis also responded to recent criticism over the lavish production's cost by another Greek musical icon, in this case noted composer Mikis Theodorakis.

[23] Fulbright Foundation awards 45 fellowships to Greeks for study in the US Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

The fellowships were granted to students, artists and researchers under the 2001 Fulbright Fellows program for Greece and includes pursuits in the sciences, humanities, arts and business masters' programs in such universities as Stanford, MIT, Harvard, the University of California at Berkley, Georgia Tech and Georgetown.

"This program, introduced after World War II by the visionary American Senator J. William Fulbright, continues to attract some of the brightest students and researchers in Greece," US Ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns said, during a reception he hosted in honor of the new Fulbright Fellows.

"Since 1948, nearly 4,000 Greek students have been able to study in the US thanks to Fulbright. I am delighted that, thanks to the generosity of the corporate and individual donors, we are able to make so many students' dreams of study in the US a reality," he noted.

[24] Deputy press minister says 2004 Olympiad will have favorable repercussions for country

Athens, 28/06/2001 (ANA)

Hytiris was speaking on the first day of the Olympic Information's second cycle, organized by the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for press representatives.

Hytiris referred to the positive repercussions for the country as a result of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and said all, from volunteers to IOC members and visitors who will watch the games, will become the best propagandists for Greece all over the world.

On his part, main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said the Olympic Games were given to Greece in an effort to upgrade the Olympic Spirit, adding that ND has started a campaign for volunteerism with the first volunteers being ND leader Costas Karamanlis and his wife Natasa.

[25] FM says Turkish threats not going to dent EU's resolve to accept Cyprus

NICOSIA, 28/06/2001 (CNA/ANA)

The minister also said he had some optimistic signals from US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston, whom he met in Brussels in the past couple of days.

"We are not going to follow in Turkey's steps and play along with Ankara the threat game," Kasoulides said on arrival from Brussels, where he participated in a symposium on the future of Europe, when invited to comment on recent remarks by his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem that Cyprus' entry into the EU before a solution would create serious problems to all concerned. Noting that this is not the first time Cem has leveled such threats, the minister said "our resolve to join the EU, with or without a settlement is not going to be shaken and my understanding is that Europe's determination on this matter is not going to be shaken either."

"Turkey's threats have no place in Europe," he said.

The EU decided in Helsinki in 1999 that a political settlement would facilitate Cyprus' accession but it is not a precondition. It also called on Turkey to contribute towards a settlement.

Invited to comment on his discussions with Weston, Kasoulides said he had a working lunch during which Weston briefed him on US efforts to restart the stalled UN-led peace talks, which the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash declared dead last November and has since refused to return to the negotiating table, demanding recognition of his self-styled regime in Turkish occupied Cyprus.

"These efforts are directed towards the Turkish side and Weston appeared somewhat more optimistic than in the past about the prospects for a resumption of the talks," he said, noting that "this does not signal progress in his attempts."

Replying to questions, the minister said the Brussels symposium on the future of Europe, organized by the Royal Institute of International Relations focused on European federalism.

EU members and candidate countries, he explained, have started a public debate about Europe's federal orientation in the future.

"This debate will have to be transferred to Cyprus as well and I hope to do just that in the near future," he concluded.

Spokesman: The Cyprus question is an issue which Turkey will encounter in its accession course to join the European Union as a difficult matter which has to be dealt with and the closer Cyprus gets to its EU membership, the more difficulties this will create for Ankara, government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou has said on Wednesday.

He also said that Turkey is now facing tough questioning of its policies on Cyprus from European quarters, something which in the past was done by Greece.

"It is obvious that no matter how much Turkey tries to rid itself of the Cyprus question and disengage the problem from its accession course, it will be permanently there and will present itself as a precondition for progress towards EU integration," Papapetrou told his daily press briefing, invited to comment on the outcome of Tuesday's EU-Turkey Association Council meeting.

He said there were many specific references to Cyprus during the meeting, not only by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou but also by Commissioner Gunter Verheugen and others, which he described as pressure leverage on Turkey.

Replying to questions, he said the fact that Europeans are now questioning Turkish views and approaches is the result of joint effort by Cyprus and Greece.

"This is a qualitative difference, it is very important and it creates good prospects for the future," he said, noting that now Turkey is being monitored by the EU in its effort to align its legislation with the acquis communautaire.

The EU has called on Turkey to put its house in order as far as human rights are concerned and decided that a solution to the Cyprus problem would facilitate Cyprus' accession but it is not a precondition.

[26] No member of CoE can avoid execution of ECHR judgments, Council SG says

STRASBOURG, 28/06/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking at a press conference, Schwimmer said the execution of the judgment should not wait for a settlement of the Cyprus question and described a third interim resolution on the case adopted by the Committee of Ministers, as "a step to put pressure on a member country to comply with the judgment."

"If a country rejects to execute a judgment, this could lead to political tensions", Schwimmer noted, underlining that a member country of the CoE has to respect fully the European Convention on Human Rights and this includes execution of Court judgments.

He said "the judgment is a purely legal question and not a political matter and has to be executed and not wait for the solution of the Cyprus problem", noting that the Court does not deal with political issues.

Schwimmer revealed he had discussed this issue during a recent meeting with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem, in which he made it clear that Turkey has to execute the judgment.

Referring to the continuing division of Cyprus, he said he does not want to see a country of the Council of Europe divided "especially after the fall of the Berlin wall."

ECHR ruled in December 1996 that Turkey is guilty of continuous violation of the human rights of Loizidou to peacefully enjoy her property in Turkish occupied Cyprus and ordered Ankara to pay compensation and allow Loizidou access to her property.

The Court also said Loizidou must be regarded as the legal owner of the said property and held Turkey responsible for human rights violations in the areas of Cyprus it occupied since its troops invaded in 1974.

[27] Spokesman expresses regret over Denktash's refusal to cooperate on missing persons issue

NICOSIA, 28/06/2001 (CNA/ANA)

"I regret that on matters which we should all consider humanitarian, Denktash once more blocks the way forward and essentially acts against the interests of the relatives of Turkish Cypriot missing persons," the spokesman said, invited to comment on the response from the Turkish Cypriot side to the government appeal.

The spokesman declined to comment further on the issue at this stage.

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides appealed last week to Turkish Cypriots to give blood to help scientists to identify remains, believed to belong to Turkish Cypriot missing, which will be exhumed by an independent foreign team of experts of the Physicians for Human Rights organization.

The government has already unearthed remains from two cemeteries, many of which were found to belong to Greek and Greek Cypriots. Some were listed as missing, others were killed during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and some were civilians killed in the summer of 1974.

The process of exhumation and identification continues.

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