Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-09-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM outlines foreign policy, domestic goals to German press

[02] President Stephanopoulos begins official visit to Spain on Tuesday

[03] Finance minister says economy converging rapidly with Europe

[04] Defense minister attends delivery of two radar aircraft

[05] Gov't denies atomic reactor shutdown due to terrorism threat

[06] PASOK party's Women's Sector focuses on political life

[07] ND calls for Papazoi's resignation over island house scandal

[08] Israel derides claims over WTC intelligence

[09] Gov't to debate contingency plan for 2002 budget

[10] Giannitsis presents mid-year social budget

[11] Europeans better informed on euro

[12] Onassis Foundation donates 500,000 dollars to US families

[13] Athens to vie for 2003 World Tourism Organization event

[14] Stocks rise, tracking world markets

[15] IOC President Rogge arrives in Athens on Tuesday

[16] Period considered of 'archaeological interest' extended to later times

[17] Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Athens, Thessaloniki

[18] Photographic exhibition on the Aegean presented in Brussels

[19] House President expresses support for EU decisions regarding terrorism

[20] PACE president says ECHR rulings should be implemented

[01] PM outlines foreign policy, domestic goals to German press

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

Speaking to a group of visiting German journalists, Simitis also cited Athens’ keen interest in contributing to the often strife-torn Balkans’ transformation into a region of “peace, cooperation and respect of human rights”.

Turning to internal Greek issues, Simitis said his government’s priority is to increase employment and to establish a viable and effective social state. Along those lines, he pointed to reform of Greece’s bloated social security system – a contentious issue that caused a firestorm of reaction last April – as well as improving healthcare services and integrating non-EU foreign workers and their families, estimated at some 10 percent of the nation’s population at present.

The Greek prime minister -- who studied law at the University of Marburg in Germany and was later appointed as a lecturer first at the University of Kostanz in 1971 before teaching at the University of Gissen until 1975 -- noted that Greece desires convergence with the rest of the EU societies on all levels, something he said that comprises the cornerstone of the government’s economic policies.

Terrorism: Regarding the dastardly terrorist attacks in the United States last week as well as the EU’s stance, Simitis said:

“Along with our European partners and NATO allies, we are determined to defend our way of life, something which is an expression of the principles that our civilization is based on; principles for whom the peoples of Europe have repeatedly struggled," he stressed.

[02] President Stephanopoulos begins official visit to Spain on Tuesday

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

President Stephanopoulos will meet the Spanish royal couple at noon on Tuesday and will be meeting the country's political leaders later on in the day.

On Wednesday he will lay a wreath at the Plaza de la Lealtad monument and will be going to the Senate for a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. He will also be visiting the Chamber of Industry in the afternoon to inaugurate the economic forum and the Greek Jewellery Exhibition.

President Stephanopoulos will call at the famous Prado museum on Thursday morning and at noon he will visit Toledo where the great painter Dominikos Theotokopoulos (otherwise known as "El Greco") worked and died (1541-1614).

[03] Finance minister says economy converging rapidly with Europe

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

"The problem is for us to succeed in maintaining this relation to enable us to reach 100 percent of the European average at the end of the decade," he said.

Papantoniou also referred to the possible repercussions from the recent terrorist attack in the United States.

"There will be a shock due to the terrorist events, but if the American response does not create further destabilization and prudence is shown the prospects of the European economy will not be affected in the medium term," Papantoniou said.

He further said a trend for the restoration of higher development rates will occur at the end of 2002 and there is no reason to revise the Stability and Development Pact.

"Whatever slump there may be in the development rate, and even if we slip slightly, again we shall maintain the difference from the European average. Indeed, we might even widen it," he said, adding that "this government has equipped the country to enable it to withstand whatever crisis."

Papantoniou also said that during the transition to the new euro currency the government avoided the temptation to burden taxpayers and, on the contrary, "it is rounding off all taxes downwards."

[04] Defense minister attends delivery of two radar aircraft

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

The flying radar aircraft are being provided for the Air Force until the completion of the program for four EMPRAER worth 173 billion drachmas in 2004.

Tsohatzopoulos said the joining of the two new flying radars further upgrades the Air Force's operational capacity.

Replying to a questioner, Tsohatzopoulos said facilities to be provided for the U.S. in the war it has announced against terrorism are being discussed at European Union and NATO levels.

Similar discussions are also taking place at bilateral level between Greece and the U.S., while decisions will be taken in the days to come.

[05] Gov't denies atomic reactor shutdown due to terrorism threat

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said annual maintenance work on the reactor led to the shutdown.

The Democritos Atomic Energy Research Laboratory is located in a more-or-less densely populated residential area of the northeast Athens suburb of Aghia Paraskevi.

Meanwhile, Reppas again reiterated that Athens would meet all of its alliance commitments, to the letter, in an expected US-led crusade against international terrorism.

He added the country’s interests and the “defense of democracy, freedom and the respect of citizens’ rights” would not allow for anything less.

[06] PASOK party's Women's Sector focuses on political life

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

An across-the board assessment of reality was made in the wake of new developments following the terrorist attacks in the U.S., while speakers took the opportunity to refer to the role women could play in decision-making centers to safeguard peace and probe the causes of terrorism.

PASOK secretary Costas Skandalidis said the terrorist attack in the U.S. highlighted problems created by globalization and the dilemma "humanity or barbarity."

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis strongly criticized the absence of the party's male cadres from the conference. He said women's representation in Parliament and strengthening's the women's movement is the duty of all.

Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Vasso Papandreou said a conjuncture is currently being experienced in which democracy, as a political system, is being called on to respond convincingly to planetary insecurity.

She added that the development and action of pockets of terrorism in the world finds supporters in impoverished population masses and pointed out that for this reason the state of tremendous inequalities on the planet should continue no more.

Greek European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou referred on her part to barbarism experienced by women in Afghanistan. She said that according to a European Union survey, an estimated average of 5,000 women are killed every year by their husbands without the perpetrators being held accountable. In addition, about 12,000 women die at childbirth due to the lack or prohibition of medical care.

[07] ND calls for Papazoi's resignation over island house scandal

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

The alleged violations were revealed in a report by the Ombudsman's Office (Synigoros tou Politi).

ND spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said the transgressions were a major ethical and political issue, made all the more significant because Papazoi was serving in the government as Deputy Town Planning Minister at the time they were made.

According to the spokesman, this showed the government had double standards, one for ordinary citizens and another for the party's elite.

Commenting on the affair later on Monday, government spokes-man Dimitris Reppas noted that the Ombudsman's report had not reached any conclusion but had referred the matter to the services involved.

No conclusion could safely be drawn until these services had made a decision on the case, he added, and to do so would be unfair to all citizens, no matter what position they held.

Equality before the law and the state should work both ways, he concluded.

Responding to Reppas' statements, Roussopoulos reiterated his call for Papazoi's resignation and criticized the ruling PASOK government, saying it neither wanted nor was able to impose transparency and law in public life.

"Instead of supplying convincing answers...(the government and Papazoi) have come to the point of questioning the Ombudsman's report simply because they don't like it," an ND announcement said.

[08] Israel derides claims over WTC intelligence

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

“... These allegations are simply preposterous. Strangely enough, these absurd accusations are even being propagated by certain personalities, even political ones, in Greece.”

“In light of the terrible human tragedy that struck the civilized World, there is no other way to explain the baseless accusations that Israel withheld information from its dearest friends, the people of America. There is only one word to describe this accusation. A Shame,” the press release concludes.

[09] Gov't to debate contingency plan for 2002 budget

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

He added that terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 would have an adverse impact on most member countries of the European Union, leading to a short-term recession.

Analysts had forecast a slight dip in the rate of growth, followed by a mild recovery towards the end of 2002, if Washington's military and political response to the attacks was limited, and if destabilization was avoided, Papantoniou said.

More concrete information would be available at the end of October when the EU's finance ministers were due to meet, he added.

[10] Giannitsis presents mid-year social budget

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

The minister said that social welfare spending had increased by 10.2 per cent, compared to a 3 per cent increase in inflation and 3.5 per cent increase in GDP - and that there would be a budget surplus in social services.

He also stressed that social spending in 2001 was 20.4 per cent of GDP, up from 20 per cent in 2000 and 18.3 per cent in 1993. Taking inflation into account, he added, an additional 800 billion drachmas was being spent by social services relative to 1993.

Giannitsis predicted that spending on pensions in 2001 would reach 5.417 trillion drachmas, up from 4.942 trillion in 2000. Similarly, spending on health and welfare would also be higher.

He said that social security funds now received 4.59 per cent of their revenue from the state.

Despite the fact that social insurance funds showed a budget surplus overall, the labor minister warned that surpluses were steadily decreasing, as was the ratio of pensioners to workers, which had dropped to 1:1.7 from 1:2.5 in 1990.

[11] Europeans better informed on euro

BRUSSELS, 25/09/2001 (ANA - Y. Zitouniati)

Only 8 percent of respondents (compared to 46 percent in September 2000) said they were unaware of the new currency going into circulation on January 1, 2002, while vague replies such as "in the year 2002" are becoming all the more rare. An average of 63 percent of citizens feel very well or sufficiently informed on the issue.

Greece (which began participating in opinion polls as of January 2001, since previously it had not been an EMU member) and Portugal are last on the list of informed euro zone countries.

According to the survey, 13 percent of Greeks say they do not know the date on which the euro will be introduced and only 26 percent feel well or sufficiently informed.

On the question of the two-month transitional stage of the euro's parallel circulation with national currencies, only 25 percent of Europeans and 14 percent of Greeks replied correctly. However, the percentage was considerably higher than the corresponding one obtained last July.

Public sector prepared for euro, private sector lagging: A national economy ministry official said on Monday that the public sector and financial services companies were on target in preparations for introduction of the euro on January 1, 2002.

But the private sector was lagging, said Ioannis Biris, supervisor of the ministry's European Union division.

He was addressing a seminar on the euro held in Thessaloniki at the northern port city's international trade fair, which the central bank helped to arrange.

[12] Onassis Foundation donates 500,000 dollars to US families

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

[13] Athens to vie for 2003 World Tourism Organization event

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

In terms of specific Greek interest, the National Tourism Organization (EOT) unveiled its candidacy file to host the next such general assembly in Athens during the autumn of 2003, less than a year before the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

A final decision is expected at a WTO meeting in Osaka over the coming days.

[14] Stocks rise, tracking world markets

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

The general share index gained 2.07 percent to end at 2,149.12 points. Turnover was 148.0 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 1.65 percent higher; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 3.22 percent up; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities increased 3.05 percent.

Advances led declines at 325 to 21 with 11 issues remaining unchanged.

The most heavily traded shares were Intracom, Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Cosmote and Coca Cola.

Equity futures up, tracking main market: Blue chip equity futures on the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Monday finished at a premium, tracking a rise on the main market.

The underlying FTSE/ASE-20 index for heavily traded stocks and blue chips gained 1.65 percent; and the underlying FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization stocks ended 3.22 percent up.

Changing hands were 7,243 contracts on turnover of 38.5 million euros, traders said.

Prices mixed in heavy trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished mixed in heavy trade focusing on 20-year paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.38 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 48 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 1.4 billion euros.

Sell orders accounted for around half of turnover.

[15] IOC President Rogge arrives in Athens on Tuesday

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

The visit however is overshadowed by the terrorist attack on the US on September 11 and top on the agenda of the talks will be the increased security measures for the Games.

IOC’s new Coordinating Committee President Donald Oswald, who succeeded Rogge, will accompany him.

Rogge will meet Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday morning and their talks will center on intensified security measures for the Games in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US.

The IOC president will also meet Athens 2004 Olympic Organizing Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki to discuss progress being made in preparation for the Games.

Oswald, in an interview with the "Ikonomikos Tahidromos" magazine estimated that the budget for security measures alone will cost 200 billion drachmas, stressing that "it is not possible for Greece to carry by itself the burden of the cost of increased security measures," noting that there would be international funding.

[16] Period considered of 'archaeological interest' extended to later times

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

The bill covers all the country's cultural assets from earliest antiquity up to the present day, with those dating before 1830 classified as antiquities.

Previously, only artifacts and monuments dating up to the late Hellenistic and Roman eras were automatically classified as having archaeological interest. The category has now been extended to include Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments and artifacts, while a distinction is made for movable and fixed monuments.

A major issue addressed by the bill is that of ownership, possession and control of ancient artifacts, with different rules applying for movable and fixed monuments.

Movable monuments include artifacts such as, for example, portable Byzantine icons, funereal stele or pottery vessels, large numbers of which are currently in the possession of private individuals.

Under the new laws, all such artifacts dating before 1453 (Byzantine era) are considered monuments and have to be declared and registered.

The law gives tax incentives to owners of monuments, while penalties for failing to properly register an artifact are waived if it is registered within one year of the law's publication.

Post-Byzantine artifacts dating from 1453 to 1830 will automatically be protected as monuments if they are found in excavations, while the remainder may be designated as monuments by administrative decree.

Modern monuments are classified as those dating after 1830.

The bill also introduces very strict penalties for crimes involving monuments, such as theft, concealment, or damage.

[17] Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Athens, Thessaloniki

Athens, 25/09/2001 (ANA)

According to Judith Jamison, the New York-based dance troupe's artistic director, the dancers in the group had to overcome their pain and grief at the tragic events of September 11 in their city before making the journey to Greece.

The group will be perform three ballets, one choreographed by Alvin Ailey based on spirituals, one by Alonzo King and another by Ronald Brown.

[18] Photographic exhibition on the Aegean presented in Brussels

BRUSSELS, 25/09/2001 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

The exhibition, which is titled "Aegean-Pictures of Greece," is being held under the auspices of the Greek Press Ministry and the Greek Embassy in Brussels. It includes 160 color and black and white photographs by 11 photographers.

The photographic exhibition has already been shown in Washington, Paris, Helsinki and Rome.

[19] House President expresses support for EU decisions regarding terrorism

LARNACA, 25/09/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Christofias expressed the view that the Cyprus question will obviously take second place in the attention and interest of the international community and said he hoped that "wisdom and reason prevail".

"The people of Europe and their leadership are acting within the right framework, I believe that the position adopted last week by the EU heads of state is correct and Cyprus should follow suit," Christofias said on his departure for Strasbourg to address on Tuesday for the first time in years the plenary of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

[20] PACE president says ECHR rulings should be implemented

STRASBOURG, 25/09/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking at a press conference, held on the sidelines of the Assembly's autumn session, in Strasbourg (September 24-28), Lord Russell Johnston, invited by CNA to comment on Turkey's refusal to comply with two ECHR rulings pertaining Cyprus, namely the Court's decisions on the Loizidou case and on the 4th inter-state application of Cyprus against Turkey, noted he was well aware of the fact that many countries including Turkey had found some of the decisions "very difficult" and in some cases "publicly unpopular."

He added he did not think that "you can have a court like the Strasbourg Court unless its decisions" are implemented forth-with.

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