Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 02-08-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Police begins second phase of dismantling ''November 17''

[02] No evidence that 'N17' hit man Koufontinas is hiding in Cyprus

[03] Chytiris calls on ND to abandon double talk on terrorism

[04] Deputy defense minister meets with Chinese delegation

[05] ND leader back to work from short summer break

[06] Gov't doubles tax checks in January-July vs. previous year

[07] GNTO seeks to host world tourism conference

[08] Stocks nose up in move to consolidate

[09] First 'test event' for 2004 Games this month. Sailing to inaugurate test events schedule

[10] Culture minister on two years before 2004 Athens Olympics

[11] Cyprus asks for support in case of jailed Turkish Cypriots

[01] Police begins second phase of dismantling ''November 17''

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

The same sources said that the officials have identified three persons, who fit the criteria and have begun investigations to locate them and arrest them.

Police has their photographs, but has not yet made positive identification of the three persons nor has it collected all the evidence necessary to move on with the actual arrests.

These photographs were shown to arrested alleged ''November 17'' member Savvas Xiros and to two persons connected with other arrested members of the murderous organization. According to the same sources, all questioned said they did not recognize the persons pictured in the photographs.

Police believes that the three suspects belong to the circles of alleged ''November 17'' ring leader Alexandros Giotopoulos and they may have kept their distances since 1983 and may have had a more academic participation.

A police officer, however, said that the arrest of the three was considered a must, before investigations moved onward to the other domestic terrorist groups such as ELA, ''May 1st'' and other smaller groups.

Police sources also said that the unofficial deadline for the closing of the ''November 17'' arrests' phase was set for August 25 and then the investigations will move on to the other terrorist groups.

Meanwhile, police is still conducting a manhunt to locate and arrest fugitive Dimitris Koufontinas, an allegedly high-ranking member of ''November 17''.

[02] No evidence that 'N17' hit man Koufontinas is hiding in Cyprus

NICOSIA, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

The minister said that the only information that the Cyprus police have is what the Greek police and Interpol have forwarded to all the countries that are participating in the effort to capture Koufontinas.

The Cyprus police will continue to be on the alert and help their counterparts in Greece and in other countries to track him down, the minister said.

[03] Chytiris calls on ND to abandon double talk on terrorism

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

Chytiris, responding to comments by ND cadre Vyron Polydoras - who said that the whole affair of arrests of terrorists was a set up - said that ''it is time the gentlemen of ND come to an agreement among themselves on such an important issue''.

''It is not possible for Mr. Polydoras, who is his party's responsible person for this issue, to say one thing and (ND deputy Vaggelis) Meimarakis, as well as other ND cadres to say another every day on TV,'' Chytiris said.

Relatives again visit jailed 'N17' suspects: Several "November 17" suspects being held in a maximum-security cellblock at an Athens-area prison were again visited by relatives on Monday, as a routine visiting schedule appears to have been finalized in the short term.

Most of the suspects' relatives, including the mother of the two Xiros brothers -- Christodoulos and Vassilis -- carried clothes, food items and books for the more than dozen jailed suspects connected to the notorious urban terrorism group.

Only the wife of one of the men, Theologos Psaradellis' spouse Nadia, made comments to the press. She called conditions at the Korydallos prison unacceptable, while again stressing that her husband participated in only one "operation" blamed on "N17", namely, a bank robbery.

[04] Deputy defense minister meets with Chinese delegation

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

Apostolidis said that China has the "right to play an important role" in the formulation of the new international complex world. He also spoke of the political willingness of Greece to cultivate closer relations with China on a bilateral basis.

[05] ND leader back to work from short summer break

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

On his first day back from a short summer break, Karamanlis met with ND Press spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos and the party's Central Committee Secretary Vangelis Meimarakis to discuss terrorism-related developments and the upcoming municipal elections.

Karamanlis also met with ND deputy Spilios Spiliotopoulos to discuss developments over an incident in late July involving the theft of weapons from a military depot on the Dodecannese island of Kos.

Sources said that the ND leader expressed concern over prevailing conditions in the Greek armed forces.

[06] Gov't doubles tax checks in January-July vs. previous year

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

Handled were 9,661 cases. The National Auditing Center, which is responsible for large enterprises, conducted 412 checks, the ministry said in a statement.

[07] GNTO seeks to host world tourism conference

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

The Geneva-based AIEST trade group's conference is to focus on sport and tourism, a timely theme ahead of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

AIEST acts as a consultant on the tourism industry to the European Union and UNESCO.

[08] Stocks nose up in move to consolidate

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

The general share index gained 0.21 percent to end at 2,136.20 points. Turnover was 51.0 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.11 percent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.27 percent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities 0.58 percent up.

Of 349 stocks traded, declines led advances at 147 to 122 with 80 issues remaining unchanged.

The most heavily traded stocks in value were Hellenic Telecoms, National Bank of Greece, Football Pools and Alpha Bank.

Derivatives Market Close: Equity index futures trade at small discount: Equity index futures on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished lower in slim trade on Friday, showing a minor discount in higher turnover than the main market.

Turnover was 83.4 million euros.

The underlying FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.11 percent down; and the underlying FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.27 percent lower.

Among stock futures, Intracom and Alpha Bank drew the highest turnover.

Bond Market Close: Prices nose up in slim trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished around 30 basis points higher in thin trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of around 4.92 percent, and the spread over the corresponding German bund was 35 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system was low.

[09] First 'test event' for 2004 Games this month. Sailing to inaugurate test events schedule

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

The sailing event at the Aghios Kosmas complex, off a popular Athens beachfront, comes almost two years to the day (Aug. 13) before the next Olympics commence in the Greek capital, the site of the first modern Games in 1896.

More than 550 athletes with some 361 sailing craft, and representing 43 countries, will participate.

"With this first test event in sailing the Olympic Games essentially begin. This event is taking place so we can learn to work with each other, and also, for athletes to better learn about conditions for the Olympics," Athens 2004 organizing committee (ATHOC) official Marton Simicek said during a press conference at the sailing center.

''The organizing of the Regatta at the Olympic Center of Sailing of Agios Kosmas is the first test event of the Olympic preparations, which brings enthusiasm all over Greece,'' ATHOC President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki said.

''We in Athens 2004 welcome the International Federation of Sailing, the teams and the sailors, the representatives of the mass media, as well as all the members of the Olympic Family who came to us for this event. It will be a great success,'' she concluded.

[10] Culture minister on two years before 2004 Athens Olympics

Athens, 13/08/2002 (ANA)

The culture minister said that all infrastructure projects are underway and advancing on schedule, reiterating that the use of the Olympic installations will go beyond the Games, constituting a "legacy" for the country.

Emphasizing the positive and tangible impact of the Olympic preparations on the Gross National Product, the creation of new jobs and the workers' income, Venizelos added that this was not a time to relax since the Olympic "wager" would not be won on the projects, but on the active and generous involvement of the Greek people.

Finally, the minister said that our entrance into the "final stretch" for the preparations is celebrated with the great achievements of the Greek athletes at the European Championships in Munich last week, as well as with the first "test event" which is the sailing Regatta scheduled to take place at Aghios Kosmas complex from 16 through 23 August.

[11] Cyprus asks for support in case of jailed Turkish Cypriots

NICOSIA, 13/08/2002 (CNA/ANA)

Cyprus' charge d' affaires at the Republic's permanent mission to the UN George Kasoulides has sent protest letters to five such organizations asking for ''support and action.''

In a letter dated August 9, he informs Human Rights Watch, Overseas Press Club, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House and Amnesty International of the ''unacceptable acts committed by the illegal regime against the Turkish Cypriot journalists.''

The letter of protest and condemnation was sent with a view to secure such action from these organizations that would put an end to oppressive measures the regime in occupied Cyprus is applying, aimed at stifling any opposition.

The editor in chief of the daily ''Afrika'', formerly ''Avrupa'', Sener Levent and journalist Memduh Ener were found ''guilty'' of ''libel'' against Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the Turkish occupation army and ''motherland'' Turkey. They were given a six-month ''jail'' sentence each.

In articles they wrote they advocated a peaceful settlement of the Cyprus question and expressed support for the island's accession to the European Union, saying that Denktash is wasting time at the ongoing UN-led peace talks.

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