Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-10-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece backs fair play in combatting terrorism

[02] ND leader launches stinging attack against government

[03] Main opposition leader calls for tough line on terrorism

[04] Athens' int'l airport a 'model of security', US former FAA official says

[05] PASOK's new Executive Bureau to be elected on Monday

[06] Nothing will change in Greece-Cyprus joint defense doctrine, deputy DM says

[07] Damanaki criticized at Coalition's Central Committee meeting

[08] Liberals party suspends operation, financial problems cited

[09] Athens hotel occupancy rate slumps 30% in September after terror attacks in US

[10] ICAP branch study sees development of ready-to-wear clothing chains

[11] Forbes, Fortune rank Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki among world's top women managers

[12] Monument for troops who died in Turkish invasion of Cyprus

[13] Military exercise ends

[01] Greece backs fair play in combatting terrorism

BRUSSELS, 22/10/2001 (ANA / G. Zitouniati)

Papandreou was speaking at a European Union summit in the Belgian capital on how the 15-nation bloc should deal with terrorism. Also taking part in the Friday meeting were candidate and affiliate countries of the EU, including Cyprus.

The minister welcomed a pioneering approach by the EU to offering humanitarian aid and resolving regional problems.

"The EU stands as a model, an alternative to the ideology of terrorism," Papandreou said.

"It is pointing the way to co-existence among cultures and should work as a basis for inspiration for other countries. Cyprus could be a model of this co-existence, where Greek Cypriot Orthodox (Christians) and Turkish Cypriot Moslems could live peacefully together within the EU," he noted.

The minister also commended the role of the United Nations, saying that cooperation should be based on Security Council resolutions.

Furthermore, Papandreou said that Greece and Cyprus had coordinated effectively in tackling crime and terrorism, especially in the search for suspects and bank accounts linked to money laundering.

"Greece and Cyprus are cooperating closely in combatting terrorism and have received honorable mentions for their efforts so far," the minister added.

In a joint news conference with Papandreou, Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said that religions should not be blamed for terrorism, which was an act against the whole of civilization.

[02] ND leader launches stinging attack against government

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

Karamanlis said it was the exclusive responsibility of Prime Minister Costas Simitis, "who panic-stricken, is adopting the logic of dividing lines and artificial polarization and with this tactic he consciously is harming the country and its citizens." The ND leader spoke of an "organized plan, which does not only concern the ND" but also "indirectly the Left."

He added that "the really democratic and progressive forces with cool-headedness and a sense of responsibility should give an answer. Our weapon is the truth and it concerns a major issue which concerns the essence and quality of democracy."

Karamanlis said he had no intention of following the government "in this tactic".

He spoke of "an attempt to blackmail society and to establish a regime of impunity," attributing this plan "to efforts to halt the ND's prospects."

Karamanlis called on the ND cadres "not to respond to the insults with similar characterizations but with arguments and responsibility, seriousness and respect towards the citizens."

The ND leader called on the prime minister to accept his proposal for a public debate on all domestic matters and for national cooperation concerning the international crisis.

Karamanlis further said that the ND will be an active main opposition and check with strictness all issues, reminding that a special committee has been set up to observe developments in public works throughout Greece.

The ND's Central Committee meeting came to a close in the afternoon with the vote in favor of the functional regulations of the party's regional organization and the central committee.

In closing statements, the party's Central Committee Secretary Vangelis Meimerakis referred to the ND's strategy for the local government elections, noting that the party should not only win these elections but also find ways of cooperating with social forces of local societies which will be expressed in the prefectural elections.

[03] Main opposition leader calls for tough line on terrorism

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

In addition, Karamanlis said he backed intervention by the European Union in regional crises; and favored enlargement both of the EU and of NATO, moves in which Greece should take an active part.

"The times have left no leeway for passive observers. The victors are those who help to shape events, and Greece can certainly take part on the political and diplomatic levels," he said.

The ND leader was addressing a meeting of the European Women's Union.

He told delegates that incorporation of the principle of gender equality into all EU policy was a gain that should be supported at every opportunity.

[04] Athens' int'l airport a 'model of security', US former FAA official says

NEW YORK, 22/10/2001 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

Quinn was speaking on CNN, during a program Saturday devoted to airport security in the US and Europe.

He said that the in general the security measures taken at the airports in Europe were far superior to those in US airports.

Meanwhile, in Thessaloniki, Greece's culture minister Evangelos Venizelos said the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens were comparatively safer that in any other country of the world "because Greece is the safest of most, if not all, the Western countries".

Replying to press questions, Venizelos said that Greece has "a very good preparation, close international cooperation, and all the measures are being taken".

He added that the measures "are not for flouting in the media, but for application practical application".

"The Olympic Games are an international event. A security problem for the Olympics exists wherever they are organized. We shall see what measures will be taken at the Winter Games in Salt Lake City in the US, and we shall study that experience, too," Venizelos said.

[05] PASOK's new Executive Bureau to be elected on Monday

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

On Tuesday, according to sources, Prime Minister Costas Simitis will announce a cabinet reshuffle.

The results of the congress determine to a great degree the election of the Secretary and the set up of the Executive Bureau. No one disputes that outgoing Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis will be the next Secretary of the ruling party given that he topped the list of preferences at the congress.

Interest is therefore centered on the composition of the new Executive Bureau. According to sources, the candidates which have the greatest possibility of being elected are: from the previous members of the Executive Bureau, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, Vasso Papandreou, Costas Skandalidis, George Papandreou, Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Evangelos Venizelos. If the election of the above mentioned is considered a foregone conclusion, then five seats remain. According to reports in the Sunday press, those contesting seats will be Michalis Chrysohoidis, Dimitris Reppas, Fofi Gennimata, A. Kotsakas, Tonia Antoniou, Yiannos Papantoniou, Theodoros Pangalos, Alekos Papadopoulos, Christos Papoutsis, Theodoros Tsoukatos and George Daskalakis.

Concerning the government reshuffle, the reports are multiple and the names circulating are in their tens. The key, however, in this case is in the hand of the prime minister, who, following his return from Ghent, Belgium, where he attended the European Union summit, will complete his decisions for the changes which he is expected to announce on Tuesday.

With regard the number of ministers, it is not expected to be reduced, as it is probable that the National Economy and Finance ministries will be unified. As is known, Yiannos Papantoniou held both the ministries' posts.

[06] Nothing will change in Greece-Cyprus joint defense doctrine, deputy DM says

NICOSIA, 22/10/2001 (ANA - G. Leonidas)

In an interview appearing in Sunday's edition of "O Fileleftheros" (The Liberal), Apostolakis said that there was complete coordination between the Greek and Cypriot governments and military staffs.

He said in reply to questions that the decision to deploy the S-300 missiles on the Greek island of Crete served the "long-term political goals of the Cyprus government", referring to the Russian made S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems which were initially purchased by the Republic of Cyprus in 1996 but installed on the island of Crete in 1999 following strong international reactions.

He said there were Greek and Cypriot specialists in Crete manning the missiles, adding that "the missiles have been fully activated and are at our disposal, and indeed very close to you".

Turning to Greek-Turkish affairs, Apostolakis said that Greece's policy, "which is a far-reaching policy with strategic goals", would "oblige Turkey to fulfill the conditions, otherwise it will have to forget its course towards the European Union".

On the international state of affairs, he said it appeared that the Americans would possibly seek to gradually withdraw from the Balkans, and consequently "Greece will inevitably assume a much more serious role in the Balkans".

[07] Damanaki criticized at Coalition's Central Committee meeting

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

The sessions of the Central Committee, which ended on Sunday evening, were characterized by the intense dispute between Coalition leader Nikos Constantopoulos and Damanaki, the withdrawal from the meeting by Eurodeputy Michalis Papayiannakis and by another 15 members and the strong criticism which Damanaki received in the Central Committee's decision.

Of the 115 members present, the political decision was approved by 96 votes in favor, 2 against and two blank votes.

The political decision referred to the new phase which the Coalition will promote and to the initiatives to support all the party's decisions.

Concerning Damanaki, the political decision said "anyone who feels that the party's position does not represent him, has every right to express his personal view. In any case the war (in Afghanistan) is a major issue."

The decision charged that Damanaki criticized the party, through the mass media, that it had "identified itself with the positions of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) concerning the war in Afghanistan and that the Coalition did not have a clear front concerning terrorism".

[08] Liberals party suspends operation, financial problems cited

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

The reasons Manos cited for suspending the party's operation include the Liberals' electoral performance and serious financial problems, since the party received no state subsidy.

Manos said that the party would not run in the next general elections, nor would he himself seek a seat in parliament, adding that he and a second Liberals MP currently serving in parliament under an electoral collaboration with main opposition New Democracy would serve out the remainder of the present House's term.

Manos, a former New Democracy minister, in late April 1999 announced the founding of a new political party, the "The Liberals", in late April 1999, just 14 months after he was expelled by the ND disciplinary council in February 1998 for failing to attend a parliamentary vote on an amendment introduced by the PASOK government to the law on the restructuring of public utilities and enterprises, and remained in parliament as an independent deputy.

Manos, 62, was first elected deputy for Athens with the now main opposition New Democracy party in 1977. During his political career, he has held a number of portfolios including Environment, Industry, National Economy and Finance.

In the April 2000 general elections, Manos was elected as an MP for Athens in an electoral collaboration between the Liberals and ND, while Liberals cadre George Psaharopoulos was placed sixth on New Democracy's state deputy election list, a position that guaranteed entry into the 300-member Parliament.

Prominent New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyianni, commenting on the Liberals' decision to suspend the party's activities, said that Stephanos Manos had a place in ND and expressed hope that he would join the main opposition party in "again waging together the battle in the coming general elections, just as in the previous elections".

ND former leader and MP Miltiades Evert called for Manos' return to New Democracy, adding that the suspension of the Liberals' operation was "not a pleasant development", while ND party spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos called the suspension a "sad event", adding that ND had and would continue to stress in parliament the need for adequate funding for the smaller parties to enable them to operate.

Commenting on Manos' decision, former ND deputy George Souflias, who was expelled from ND together with Manos but rejoined the party in April this year during the ND Congress after an invitation from ND leader Costas Karamanlis, said "another voice in public life is always useful".

Souflias wondered why Manos declared at this time that he would not run in the next general elections, noting that there was still a lot of time before the next polls.

[09] Athens hotel occupancy rate slumps 30% in September after terror attacks in US

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

The survey showed that occupancy in Athens hotels dived 30 percent after the September 11 hijacked airplane attacks in New York and Washington D.C., against September 2000, with the hardest hit being the hotels that specialize in conference tourism.

Reservations for the winter season were also down, the survey said.

It said the average income per room offered fell by 16 percent, adding that the Athenian hotel market relied 30 percent on the US market and 7 percent on the Asian market, thus explaining the steep decline.

Dimitris Spanos, head of the Arthur Andersen "Hospitality" division in Greece, said that the Greek market had the prerequisites to be designated a "safe destination: in relation with the basic competition, and to win a share of the market, "but coordinated moves are required to project this efficiently in the European markets".

Arthur Andersen experts predict that when a relative normality was restored, or just before, a wave of mergers and buyouts should be anticipated, resulting in the emergence of a stronger hotel industry that was more withstanding and had a greater inter-state character.

The companies that will not be able to weather the crisis are those that today are characterized by major dependence on the American and Asian market, lack of devoted, regular clients, high borrowing, and management that lacked vision, Spanos said.

Arthur Andersen anticipates a further introduction of new and drastic procedures in hotel units, such as new technologies to improve operational cost, investments in the security sector, and corresponding training of staff, as well as further rationalization of the hotel operations.

According to an earlier survey by Arthur Andersen, the average occupancy rate in Athens hotels dropped by 7.4 percent in the first half of 2001 versus the same period of last year. According to the earlier survey, the occupancy rate was 66.5 percent, down from 71.9 percent in the same period of 2000 and was close to the European average of 66.8 percent.

[10] ICAP branch study sees development of ready-to-wear clothing chains

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

According to the study, the majority of chains were planning the development of new outlets via franchising, while individual outlets of ready-to-war clothing would continue to gradually lose their share of the market.

The domestic market of clothing store chains, according to assessments contained in the study, was expected to rise 8 percent in 2001 against 2000. The average rate of increase in the next two years (2002-2003) was expected to fluctuate at about 6-8 percent.

The overall size of the domestic market of retail clothing store chains, including contingent goods such as footwear, accessories, etc.) presented an average annual rate of increase of 24 percent in the period 1996-2000.

The development of such chains was focused mainly in the greater Athens area and the urban centers. The wider familiarity with the chains' brand names and the consumers' increasing preference for brand-name products was conducive to the development of such chains in the specific regions.

Indeed, about 60 percent of chain outlets were concentrated in the greater Athens area.

[11] Forbes, Fortune rank Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki among world's top women managers

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

Taking 46th place, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki managed to persuade the International Olympic Committee to trust Greece as host for the Games; and she manages about 2.0 billion US dollars in funds, the magazines said.

[12] Monument for troops who died in Turkish invasion of Cyprus

Athens, 22/10/2001 (ANA)

Also present were Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, Cyprus Education Minister Ouranios Ioannides, Cyprus Ambassador to Greece Christodoulos Pasiardis, Mayor of Peristeri Theodoros Dimitrakopoulos and political party deputies.

Stephanopoulos noted that "our soldiers, abandoned from the then leadership, were alone and disorganized, even when we were in a position to confront the attack. What should have happened did not happen. On the contrary, there are individuals responsible in both Cyprus and Greece."

[13] Military exercise ends

NICOSIA, 22/10/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking after Saturday night's phase of the annual military exercise code-named "Nikiforos 2001" (the victory bearer), with the use of live ammunition, Hasikos said any lack of technology in the Cyprus' armed forces will be dealt with various plans the government will ask the House of Representatives (Cyprus' Parliament) to approve.

On his part Greece's Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Apostolakis, who also watched the exercise said Saturday night's phase of the exercise was "impressive", and under-lined the "great ability of Cyprus' armed forces to fight under any conditions."

National Guard Commander, Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis and Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Defense Committee Antonis Karas congratulated the military personnel of all arms.

Armenia's Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Mikael Grigoryan also watched the last phase of the exercise.

A number of units and weapons took part in Saturday night's exercise with the use of live ammunition.

The six-day "Nikiforos" with the participation of thousands of reservists ended on Sunday.

President Clerides: Saturday's "impressive phase" of the annual military exercise code-named "Nikiforos 2001" has proved the armed forces' readiness to defend the freedom of Cyprus, President Glafcos Clerides stated after watching the maneuvers with the use of live ammunition.

Invited to comment on the absence of Greek warplanes in this year's exercise, the president explained that the non-participation of Greece's air force and navy was jointly decided by the two governments because of international developments. "No one claims that because of Greece's non-participation in this exercise, Greece is not standing by our side," President Clerides remarked.

The president clarified that the exercise code-named "Toxotis", which was Greece's participation in the National Guard exercise "Nikiforos", was not cancelled but it would take place at a later stage.

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