Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-09-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis: Gov't has clear mandate to govern until 2004

[02] Gov't comments on prospect of PM officially visiting US

[03] Greece dismisses FYROM president's statements on name issue

[04] Papandreou and Hasikos discuss security issues in Athens

[05] Church delegation covers ID issue with Papariga, Tsovolas

[06] Greek Army chief of staff to pay official visit to Romania

[07] United EU front on slavery, Israel at UN racism forum, Papazoi says

[08] Palestinians and Greek peace activists rally in Thessaloniki

[09] Greek gov’t to spend 62 billion drachmas on SMEs

[10] Hellenic Stock Exchanges records lower first-half profit

[11] Municipality in Rhodes remains tense following Greek-Albanian clash

[12] Sola Luna festival on island of Samothraki

[13] Winners named in tender for Athens Olympics merchandise

[14] President Clerides receives UN envoy Alvaro de Soto

[15] Government says Denktash is trying to force the Greek Cypriot side to make the wrong moves

[01] Simitis: Gov't has clear mandate to govern until 2004

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

“This is a clear mandate to consolidate the country’s European prospects through the implementation of clear goals,” Simitis said, while stressing in his address to PASOK’s delegates that his government’s choices are determined by “popular mandate.”

He later outlined three primary goals for the country, namely, continued economic development, creation of a ‘social state’, and the strengthening of the country’s international position.

In terms of the first goal, Simitis said economic growth should proceed in a manner that guarantees and increases social development and cohesion as well.

“Greece did not become nor will it become the euro-zone’s trouble spot; nor will it (Greece) ever digress into a second- or third-tier status within the European Union,” he said.

Along these lines, he pointed to the significant effect of upcoming the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF) funds for the Greek economy as well as the 2004 Games in Athens.

In stressing the need for a social state, Simitis emphasized that economic growth is a precondition for social spending, and vice-versa. He also noted that the modern social state featured two sides: the avoidance of social exclusion along with supporting the weaker social strata, as well as the state’s relationship with the vast majority of Greek citizens.

“All of these initiatives aim at ensuring a quality of living standards that is constantly improving ... to ensure solidarity ... to have a minimum social income,” he said.

As far as strengthening the country’s international standing, Simitis said Athens’ efforts in the coming years will focus on ensuring that a climate of peace and security evolves in the region.

Additionally, he cited Greece’s assumption of the EU rotating presidency in 2003.

In order to achieve these goals, Simitis said two principles must be followed -- with the first being that ruling PASOK must re-main a ‘force of change’ within society. As an example, he cited the contentious social security reform issue that caused a furor last spring, saying that changes will take place “with the people, their contribution and participation. This applies particularly to the social security issue”.

As a second principle he pointed to a “redistribution of wealth that supports social cohesion.”

“We say ‘no’ to (state) benefits without value; ‘no’ to benefits that mortgage our people’s future. Our economic policy must have a visible social design,” he added.

Internal PASOK situation: Regarding the ruling party’s internal developments, Simitis identified three “institutional principles” for the party's smooth operation, as he said, namely, a party open to society; PASOK’s political initiative, and the social intervention that it will pursue.

“I believe in the need for criticism, but this must contribute and not be part of a personal strategy. Society asks us for an end to personal aims,” he said.

Simitis also said that the stepped up PASOK congress in October would be the beginning of a major political campaign on the part of the ruling party, while charging that main opposition New Democracy offers neither a political proposal nor a contribution. He also accused ND of personifying Greece’s “political revanchism”, national retardation and social standstill.

Karamanlis: In a reply, main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis countered that that the prime minister is pursuing a “divisive policy”.

He also called Simitis a premier that governs with an arrogant style and one, who widens inequity, refuses the option of dialogue, retains the support of the few, and turns Greece back in time with “sermons of intolerance”.

“New Democracy’s vision unites all Greeks. The government etched out artificial dividing lines and condemned ND for the country’s European Union accession. We are the guarantors of the country’s European course. The reference to ‘vested interests’ is comical, everyone knows who serves these interests, and everyone knows who the prime minister of the vested interests is,” Karamanlis added.

[02] Gov't comments on prospect of PM officially visiting US

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

However, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas noted that no formal invitation has as yet been issued, although a visit by the Greek premier to Washington will probably occur in the “upcoming period on dates that have not, as yet, been determined”.

Asked during a regular press briefing about a recent statement by US President George W. Bush regarding the Cyprus issue, the spokesman said Athens is particularly interested in the US administration’s stance vis-a-vis the UN’s efforts at helping resolve the long-standing problem.

Finally, he termed Moscow’s position on the same issue – as enunciated by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov -- as “positive”.

[03] Greece dismisses FYROM president's statements on name issue

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

Trajkovski, according to the newspaper, said that he had assurances by US President George Bush and by other European senior officials that his country would soon be recognized as the "Republic of Macedonia".

The diplomatic sources in Athens assured that there was no such commitment on the part of the international community on the name issue.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis said that "following the signing of the peace agreement (in Skopje), Athens views that the conditions are ripe for a final negotiation for a settlement of the name issue, something that it has stated to the government of FYROM and to its European Union and US partners."

[04] Papandreou and Hasikos discuss security issues in Athens

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

They added that both Greece and Cyprus were working together closely and taking all possible steps to avoid that outcome.

In statements after the meeting, Papandreou predicted important developments over the Cyprus issue in the near future, though he conceded that the latest initiative by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had not produced "palpable evidence of progress."

He also reiterated that reinforcing Cyprus defense capability under the joint defense dogma was standing policy for Greece and Cyprus.

Regarding Turkey's prospects of EU entry, Papandreou replied that the terms for this had been frankly laid out and it was now up to Turkey itself to do what was necessary.

Hasikos said his meeting with Papandreou had focused on defense and security issues within Europe's common foreign and defense policy and that they had agreed there should be closer communication and contact between the foreign and defense ministries in Cyprus and Greece.

Asked about his statements regarding a possible clash with Turkey in view of Cyprus' EU accession, Hasikos said the Cyprus government believes that Turkey will seek to send a 'message' to the EU in this way to show that the Cyprus problem has not gone away.

Papandreou, meanwhile, noted that Greece and Cyprus were prepared 'for all outcomes' but wanted relations with Turkey to develop within the framework of international law.

Asked about a proposal that Greece and Turkey jointly host the 'Euro 2008' football championships, which has caused negative reactions in Cyprus, Papandreou said that initiatives such as these 'highlight the paradox and senselessness of the continued occupation of Cyprus'.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the northern part of the island, setting up an illegal Turkish-Cypriot regime now led by Rauf Denktash. The regime is only recognized by Turkey.

[05] Church delegation covers ID issue with Papariga, Tsovolas

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece delegation was received by Communist Party of Greece (KKE) general secretary Aleka Papariga, who afterwards cited an effort over the past few days to “divide individuals into conservatives, reactionaries – because they want religious preference listed on IDs – and progressives, who do not want this division to be fake and superficial.”

According to Papariga, certain political party factions within the other parties themselves are at odds with each other, although in essence, as she said, they express the same policy direction.

“They are the ones who maintain that the Church and religion should be exploited for the political use of workers, and those who want to replace this with the adoption of a new dogma, one religion – the religion of capital,” she explained.

She subsequently called on both the government and the Church’s hierarchy to take steps to defuse the ongoing ID crisis, with subsequent discussions turning to the issue of the separation of Church and state instead.

Finally, Papariga reiterated KKE’s long-standing position in favor of police-issued IDs sans the religious affiliation listing, “because a citizen’s status should not be determined either by his religious conviction, his philosophical orientation, or by his political and party beliefs.”

The same ecclesiastical delegation also met on Friday with Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader and one-time PASOK minister Dimitris Tsovolas, who said afterwards that his party fully backs this week’s announcement by President Kostis Stephanopoulos over the ID referendum issue.

The Greek president announced that he doesn’t believe the conditions for holding such a referendum were met by the Church’s massive signature petition drive.

Tsovolas also called on both sides – the government and the Church – to contribute towards an end to the tension.

Skandalidis pronounces ID issue 'closed' after meeting with clerics: The decision of the Council of State and the stance of the President of the Republic have closed the identity card issue once and for all, PASOK Central Committee Secretary Costas Skandalidis said on Friday, after a meeting with a delegation from the Orthodox Church of Greece that presented the Church's positions.

The three-member delegation handed Skandalidis a resolution and memorandum drafted by the Church for the political parties, after it had collected three-million-plus signatures in support of holding a referendum to decide whether a holder's religion could be recorded on police-issued identity cards on an optional basis.

"From now on," Skandalidis added, "I believe there can be no other development (on the ID-card issue), apart from efforts to make it possible to restore the climate in Church-State relations."

Skandalidis also attacked main opposition New Democracy, saying it was unable to adopt a modern, progressive view on similar problems that conflicted with conservative ideologies.

On Wednesday, after receiving Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece and hearing the Church's positions, President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos issued a statement saying that the conditions for holding a referendum as requested by the Church did not exist and that all sides had to adhere to the rules of law.

“...the collection of signatures outside the margins of the stated legal procedure cannot possibly reverse the Constitution’s provisions,” the statement said.

The record of religion on IDs, either optionally or otherwise, has also been ruled unconstitutional under current laws by the Council of State, Greece's supreme administrative court.

The Church objects to a government decision, in force since mid-2000, to abolish all record of the holder's religion on police-issued identity cards to conform to privacy and personal data

laws. It wants a nationwide referendum to decide whether record of religion should be allowed on an optional basis.

[06] Greek Army chief of staff to pay official visit to Romania

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

During his stay, the Greek Chief of Staff will meet with the leadership of the Romanian army, be taken on a tour of military installations and hold talks with the Romanian Patriarch.

[07] United EU front on slavery, Israel at UN racism forum, Papazoi says

DURBAN 1/09/2001 (ANA - A. Makridis)

Papazoi is currently in South Africa at the head of a Greek delegation attending a UN World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia and related intolerances that began in Durban on Friday.

"We believe that achieving some agreement would be better than a lack of unanimity, which would lead to texts being adopted by minorities at the forum," she said.

The minister also commented on the controversy that has cast a cloud over the meeting as a result of the two demands, objected to by Israel and the US.

"I don't think it will help our central goal if the conference takes such as decision in the absence of the US, increasing the distance between the US and the international community. A second US absence after Kyoto is not in our interest," Papazoi said. Israel has boycotted the gathering in Durban, while the US has sent only a low-level delegation. The US has announced that Secretary of State Colin Powell would be staying away, while Canada's foreign minister John Manley followed suit on Thursday.

The US may take no official part in the debate at all unless the wording of draft texts branding Israel as racist is changed.

The US and European countries are also concerned about references to colonial racism and slavery, for which many African countries are demanding an apology and possible reparations.

Both have firmly ruled out anything that might expose them to expensive lawsuits.

[08] Palestinians and Greek peace activists rally in Thessaloniki

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

The demonstrators, chanting various slogans such as "long live the heroic intifada", assembled at Kamaras Square and then marched to the US Consulate where they shouted slogans against the US and Israel. They then dispersed peacefully.

The speakers at the demonstration denounced what they termed "the genocide attempted by the government of Israel with the tolerance of the US against the Palestinian element."

[09] Greek gov’t to spend 62 billion drachmas on SMEs

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

Under the program, to begin in September, subsidy funds could cover up to 40 percent of a company's budget. The second phase of the program is expected to begin in late 2002.

Eligible for subsidies are all small- and medium-sized enterprises employing up to 50 workers, with an average annual turnover larger than 25 million drachmas and smaller than 2.3 billion drachmas in the last three years.

Companies showing losses in that period are not eligible for funding.

[10] Hellenic Stock Exchanges records lower first-half profit

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

Consolidated turnover totalled 12.6 billion drachmas, down 60 percent from 32.3 billion drachmas in the first half of 2000, Hellenic said in a statement.

Net consolidated earnings before tax slumped by 81 percent to total 3.8 billion drachmas in the first half from 20.4 billion drachmas a year earlier.

The parent company showed net pre-tax profits of 12.2 billion drachmas.

Management attributed the decline in profits to a downturn in global and domestic markets, which lowered turnover, and therefore earnings, the statement said.

On the domestic market, the value of transactions dropped by 66 percent, and the capitalization of quoted firms fell by 34 percent.

Greek stocks end the week 0.6 percent higher: The Greek market left behind its summer lull and focused again on significant economic and corporate news during the week under review which saw the general index of the Athens Stock Exchange end 0.6 percent higher, reducing its losses for the year to 17.7 percent.

National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou expressed his optimism over the course of the Greek economy and stressed that "Greece has won the bet in the post-EMU entry period. In 2002, our growth rate will be double the average EU rate, the public debt will fall and inflation will be contained to low levels."

Meanwhile, official figures showed that this year's budget was implemented satisfactorily, with revenues up 9.0 percent in the first seven months of 2001, exceeding the budget's target of 8.0 percent.

The government plans to submit its new budget draft in the first Tuesday of October to parliament.

Latsis Group of Companies surprised markets, once again, bid-ding jointly with Russian group Lukoil in a tender to buy a 30 percent equity stake in Hellenic Petroleum. The two other candidates were Austrian group OMV and Russia's Yukos.

Greece's Public Power Corporation and Italian Telecoms Company Wind plan to spend 300 billion drachmas to begin offering full telecommunications services in the country in the next six months. The combined group plans to offer broadband telecoms services aiming to create Greece's second largest fixed telephony operator.

Greek stocks end off lows helped by blue chip buying: A wave of buying for blue chip stocks, like Alpha Bank and Hellenic Telecoms, in the last five minutes of trading helped Greek stocks end off their day's lows on the Athens Stock Exchange on Friday.

The market was under strong pressure for most part of the session following sharp falls in international markets on Thursday.

The banks and telecoms indices were the only to score gains, with Alpha Bank rising 2.46 percent in heavy turnover.

The general index ended 0.25 percent lower at 2,762.12 points, off the day's lows of 2,722.70 points. Turnover was a 134.89 million euros, or 45.96 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 1,551.31 points, up 0.24 percent, the FTSE/ASE 40 index fell 1.17 percent to 308.31 points, and the FTSE/ASE SMALLCAP 80 index ended at 911.87 points, down 1.68 percent.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 272.35 points, off 1.15 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 282 to 57 with another 21 issues unchanged.

Prices end mixed in heavy trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Friday finished mixed in heavy trade with players focusing on 10-paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.23 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 46 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 1.0 billion euros.

Buy orders accounted for just over half of turnover.

Equity futures nose down in jitters: Equity futures on the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Friday ended at a discount in edgy, directionless trade.

The market rebounded slightly towards the end of trade on a rise in the Athens bourse's FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chips and heavily traded stocks, which was spurred by buying in Alpha Bank and Hellenic Telecommunications Organization.

Changing hands were 4,922 contracts on turnover of 35.7 million euros, traders said.

[11] Municipality in Rhodes remains tense following Greek-Albanian clash

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

One of the Albanians sustained such severe injuries that he had to be flown to Athens for medical treatment.

The situation in Ialisos remains tense and Rhodes police have taken stringent security measures to avert the possibility of a repeat of Wednesday's incident.

In a written statement, the mayor of Ialisos, Stergos Stangas noted that "from now on such conduct by foreign Albanians who we have embraced, will not be tolerated and we call on the agencies of the state to henceforth assume their own responsibilities."

Stangas added that "social tranquility will not be disrupted by anyone from now on."

The mayor went on to say that a similar incident had taken place in front of the Ialisos police station ten days ago and that four days ago in front of the central square two Greeks were beaten up by five Albanians who were not arrested.

Stangas attributed responsibility over the incidents to the police, at the same time rejecting any insinuations that there was an issue of racism on the part of Greeks.

Eleven youths were arrested in Wednesday's incident, three of which appeared before the investigator on Friday to testify. They were released after their testimony on condition that they present themselves on the first of the month and make themselves present to the police.

The others who were arrested will testify at a later date.

Rhodes authorities said the incident started on Wednesday evening when a handful of Greek and Albanian nationals clashed with one another for unknown reasons.

The Greek youngsters maintain that they were for no reason attacked by the group of Albanians who they further claim notified their accomplices by cellular phone to join the clash.

[12] Sola Luna festival on island of Samothraki

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

Some 5,000 youths from the European Union are participating in the festival.

The festival, which is scheduled to wrap up on September 2, is organized under the auspices of the general secretariat for youth along with entertainment company New Wave.

The affair will host a series of events dedicated to electronic music as well as present noted names from the global contemporary music scene, and will include approximately 50 music bands and renowned disk jockeys from Greece, France, England, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Denmark and Portugal are expected to take part.

[13] Winners named in tender for Athens Olympics merchandise

Athens, 1/09/2001 (ANA)

Licenses for 16 out of a scheduled 35 categories of products were awarded to domestic companies or consortiums, with the organizing committee expecting 10.3 billion drachmas in revenue, 92 percent more than previously estimated.

Turnover from licensed merchandise is expected to total more than 50 billion drachmas wholesale.

The committee has received at least 75 percent of revenue in the form of bank letters of guarantee.

[14] President Clerides receives UN envoy Alvaro de Soto

NICOSIA 1/09/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Earlier on Friday, de Soto, here for an eight-day visit, met with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

De Soto will give a press conference, prior to his departure on September 5.

UN-led proximity talks that started in December 1999 were interrupted last year, when Denktash, backed by Ankara, withdrew from them, demanding recognition of his self-styled regime in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

[15] Government says Denktash is trying to force the Greek Cypriot side to make the wrong moves

NICOSIA 1/09/2001 (CNA/ANA)

"If Denktash returns to talks on the Cyprus problem, putting forward such ideas and positions, it is more than certain that there will be no progress," Papapetrou told his daily press briefing.

The government spokesman said it was obvious the Turkish Cypriot leader was trying "to force the Greek Cypriot side to make the wrong moves, by putting forward preconditions relating to the process of the talks, something that will facilitate him and will ease international pressure put on him, because he has torpedoed the process of the talks".

"We will not facilitate Denktash" Papapetrou stressed.

The government, he added, aims at full implementation of the acquis and feels in this goal backed by the oral remarks the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan presented to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides at the Geneva talks in November last year.

Annan said in his remarks that "a comprehensive settlement would commit Cyprus to EU membership. It is clearly important that the provisions of the comprehensive settlement should not present an obstacle to such membership nor need to be re-negotiated when the terms of accession are established."

Replying to questions, Papapetrou said that some derogations might be requested on certain non-pivotal issues, noting that this has been the practice with almost all member states.

He added that if Denktash has in mind derogations that oppose the spirit and the letter of the acquis communautaire, which would restrict the freedoms of freedoms of movement and settlement, they will not be accepted.

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