Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-08-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] KYSEA names new Chief of Police

[02] Sasson returns as Israeli ambassador to Greece

[03] Current account deficit narrows Jan-May

[04] Black Sea Bank to hold conference on September 10

[05] Greece ranked ninth among favored destination by Japanese

[06] Ministers meet northern industrialists for talks on cooperation

[07] Samos officials call on government to allow "R-R" to travel to their island

[08] Ministry rejects engineers' claim that ferry fleet is 'aged'

[09] Stocks rise again, retaking 2,800 pts

[10] Police trace second suspected criminal to flat used by Passaris

[11] Improving prospects for Greek film industry

[12] Anti-occupation rally to be held on the southern outskirts of Famagusta on Saturday

[01] KYSEA names new Chief of Police

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

The Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) met on Friday to select a replacement for Georgakopoulos, who resigned on Wednesday.

Passaris killed two police escorts and injured a prison guard during a dramatic escape six months ago from an Athens hospital, where he had been taken for medical tests. He managed to evade capture once again earlier this week after walking into a police ambush set up in the apartment of a suspected accomplice in Athens.

Announcing KYSEA's decision, Public Order minister Michalis Chrysohoidis said the new police chief was a former head of the anti-terrorist squad, while he also pledged wide-ranging changes in the upper echelons of the police force that would improve its effective-ness and organization.

Chrysohoidis also announced that a new government bill was in the wings that would upgrade the efficiency of the force and its organization prior to the Olympic Games in 2004.

The minister rejected claims of party political bias in the police made Thursday by the main opposition, while he said that criticism of the failed police operation had been "excessive".

In addition to Nasiakos' promotion, four top-rank police officers have been retired from the force, and further changes are due at the regular assessments in March.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who chaired the KYSEA meeting, was scathing about Passaris' escape during a meeting with Chrysohoidis and other members of the cabinet, saying that the police had acted without proper planning and coordination with the resulting negative consequences.

Three police major-generals promoted to lieutenant-generals: The police promotions and retirements council convened on Friday under the chairmanship of newly-appointed police chief Fotis Nasiakos and promoted three major-generals to the rank of lieutenant-general to replace three lieutenant-generals placed in retirement.

The three officers promoted are Spyros Tsakos, Yiannis Panigyrakis and Haralambos Christofareizis. They were appointed to the posts of deputy police chief, police general inspector and headquarters chief of staff respectively.

Attica police chief Yiannis Panagopoulos and the general inspector of central Greece Christos Livanos will be placed in retirement. Promotions will be considered for brigadiers on Saturday to fill in vacant major-general posts.

[02] Sasson returns as Israeli ambassador to Greece

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

Sasson, who served in the same post for six years during the critical 1990-1996 period during which bilateral diplomatic and political relations between Greece and Israel were fully established, resumed his ambassadorial duties in Athens on Thursday.

David Sasson joined the Israeli foreign ministry in 1963, and has served in several important posts throughout his career, including Israeli ambassador to Belgrade (1996-99) and Israeli foreign ministry alternate secretary (1988-1990), while he has also served at the Israeli embassies in Paris (1974-79) and Cyprus (1965-69).

The returning ambassador is a graduate of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, specializing in International Relations, and speaks English, French, Arabic and Hebrew fluently.

He has three children.

Due to the immense experience he acquired during the many years he served in the region, Sasson is considered an expert on political developments in Greece and the neighboring countries (Balkans, Cyprus), according to an Israeli embassy announcement.

Archbishop and newly appointed Israeli ambassador discuss developments in region: Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos met with newly-appointed Israeli Ambassador to Athens David Sasson on Friday and discussed developments in the region and exchanged views on the issue of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The lifting of write-offs for candidates to the Patriarchal throne of Jerusalem by Israeli authorities was confirmed during the meeting between the two men, who have been acquainted since the time of Sassoon’s first appointment as Israeli ambassador to Athens.

Archbishop Christodoulos requested respect by all of the ancient status quo governing the life of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and safeguarding its autonomy and self-rule.

Archbishop Christodoulos further referred to the need for the prevalence of peace and security and the avoidance of tensions between the peoples of the region and underlined the necessity for support for the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, based on historic and cultural factors, to enable it to continue to perform its peaceful tasks in a region of various tensions, claims and irregularities.

On his part, the Israeli ambassador referred to the good relations existing between Israel and Greece.

[03] Current account deficit narrows Jan-May

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

The central bank attributed the decline to a drop in the trade deficit to 8.3 billion US dollars from 8.5 billion dollars in the same period of last year; and to a rise in the services account surplus. Converted into euros, the trade deficit rose slightly.

At the end of May, foreign currency reserves stood at 7.8 billion euros (6.4 billion US dollars), the Bank of Greece said.

[04] Black Sea Bank to hold conference on September 10

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

At the event, it is expected that the BSEC and the Inter-Balkan and Black Sea Cooperation Business Center (DIPEK) will sign a cooperation agreement.

The conference, which is expected to include the participation of prominent state officials and regional corporate executives, aims to promote economic relations between the corporate community of the Black Sea and the EU.

[05] Greece ranked ninth among favored destination by Japanese

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

In 1999 Greece was ranked eleventh among favored destinations, last year it ranked thirteenth, while this year it has moved to ninth place, according to the study, which was conducted in April, 2001 and polled 1,360 Japanese over the age of 15

[06] Ministers meet northern industrialists for talks on cooperation

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

The separate talks were held with Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis, Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and Deputy National Economy Minister Christos Pahtas.

[07] Samos officials call on government to allow "R-R" to travel to their island

SAMOS, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

The ferry is needed to transport motor vehicles that are stranded in Piraeus and cannot travel to the island.

Presently there are only two ships that travel to the island of Samos from Piraeus and on account of the summer season and the increased flood of tourists to the island, many automobiles and trucks containing goods cannot be transported and usually remain in the port of Piraeus.

[08] Ministry rejects engineers' claim that ferry fleet is 'aged'

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

The Merchant Marine ministry said in a statement on Friday that Greece was the only country in the EU that had set an age ceiling for passenger ships, which was 35 years at the present and would gradually be reduced to 30 years by 2008.

The ministry was responding to criticism from the Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marine Engineers.

[09] Stocks rise again, retaking 2,800 pts

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

The general share index gained 0.54 percent to end at 2,806.18 points. Turnover was 169.2 million euros.

The market retook 2,800 points in a bid to consolidate after breaking through key resistance at 2,640 points last week.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.75 percent higher; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.90 percent up; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities gained 0.56 percent.

Bond prices nose up in moderate trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Friday finished slightly higher in moderate to heavy trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.39 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 47 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 810 million euros.

Buy orders accounted for more than half of turnover.

Equity futures end lower: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange ended at discount on Friday with players wary despite a slight rise on the main market, traders said.

Changing hands were 5,087 contracts on turnover of 35.5 billion drachmas.

[10] Police trace second suspected criminal to flat used by Passaris

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

Forensic experts reported finding fingerprints of 25-year-old Romanian Mario Raducan, who is wanted on charges of theft and robbery.

Passaris managed to evade capture in the same apartment on Wednesday, after walking into a trap set for him by police.

Polydoropoulos is now in police custody and faces charges of arms dealing, drug dealing and robbery, as well as lesser charges of harboring a known criminal, after a search of his apartment turned up an illegal weapons cache and a number of banknotes marked by an 'ink-bomb' such as those used by banks to trap bank robbers.

[11] Improving prospects for Greek film industry

Athens, 04/08/2001 (ANA)

Costas Kapakas' "Peppermint" made a good impression at the youthful Giffoni film festival in Italy, where it won a top award. Also screened at the Giffoni was Giorgos Tsemberopoulos' "Back Door", while the film "Closed Roads" directed by Stavros Ioannou was screened at the film festival in Jerusalem.

"Closed Roads" is also to appear at the Edinburgh film festival on August 12-26, as will the film "The slow business of going" directed by Rachel Tsaggari. Lakis Lazopoulos' film "My best friend" will be played at a film festival in Hollywood.

Commercial successes for the industry include a recent contract for 20 Greek films with the Israeli television channel YES, and contracts for an additional 20 films for TV networks in the US and Canada.

Clerides says resumption of UN-led peace talks would depend on outcome of Annan-Denktash meeting NICOSIA, 04/08/2001 CNA/ANA)

Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides said on Friday the resumption of UN-led peace talks would depend on the outcome of a meeting later this month between UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Clerides also said he would respond positively to an invitation by Annan to talks.

He was speaking after an official announcement by the UN that Annan will meet Denktash in Salzburg, Austria on August 28.

Asked if the meeting signals the resumption of the talks, the president replied that it would depend on "what is said between the Secretary General and Mr. Denktash."

At the same time, he made clear no demands had been made on the Greek Cypriot side for the resumption of talks, in spite of press reports to this effect. "Our position is that if the Secretary General calls for talks, having met Mr. Denktash, then we shall respond in a positive manner," he added.

Asked if his reply to an invitation to talks would be positive irrespective of the content of the Annan-Denktash meeting, the president said he would be aware of the contents of the Salzburg meeting.

Clerides, who represents the Greek Cypriot side in the UN-led talks, has repeatedly said that what is important is to see what Mr. Denktash will do or say at a fresh round of talks.

He has also stressed that any talks must be within the parameters set out by the UN. Denktash, backed by Ankara, abandoned the UN proximity talks last November, demanding recognition by the international community of his illegal regime in Turkish-occupied Cyprus.

The Turkish Cypriot leader has said he will discuss with Annan "new conditions" under which the peace talks could resume.

[12] Anti-occupation rally to be held on the southern outskirts of Famagusta on Saturday

NICOSIA, 04/08/2001(CNA/ANA)

He also said he has received assurances from London that the Cyprus question is "most certainly a top priority" and that it will not recognize the breakaway Turkish Cypriot regime, and expressed certainty that one day he would go to Famagusta, to celebrate the town's liberation from the 27-year-old Turkish occupation.

Cox was speaking on behalf of a group of about 12 foreign dignitaries, here to participate in Saturday's anti-occupation rally Famagusta Municipality is organizing on the southern outskirts of the town, in Dherynia. Ôhe group was received this morning by President Glafcos Clerides. The British deputy said the group talked with Clerides about developments in the UN peace effort to resume negotiations, Cyprus' accession course to join the European Union, Turkey's influence on the Turkish Cypriots and its attempts to join the EU.

Cox said he would welcome warmly a resumption of the UN proximity talks, which Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, backed by Ankara, abandoned last November, claiming recognition of his self-styled regime in occupied Cyprus.

"If there is going to be meaningful talks, it is high time for Mr. Denktash to fully understand that recognition of the so-called state in occupied Cyprus is just not on any agenda," Cox said after the hour-long meeting.

He expressed concern about calls from Washington for concessions, stressing that the Greek Cypriot side has already made compromises and concessions to facilitate resolution of the problem.

He said London considers Cyprus as a top priority and is very supportive of the Republic's application for EU accession, adding that London assured that it will "under no circumstances" recognize the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime.

Cox said he was in no doubt that one day he would come back to Cyprus to visit Famagusta, on the eastern coast, as a free town.

In his remarks after the meeting, Famagusta Mayor Andreas Pouyiouros referred to the discussion with the President, saying the government is considering developments in the Cyprus question.

He said the President talked about Cyprus' European Union accession prospects and about ways that Turkish threats to annex the occupied areas to mainland Turkey could be dealt with.

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