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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 02-09-25Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>September 25, 2002CONTENTS
[01] PM comments on Iraq, results of EU-Asia summitCOPENHAGEN 25/09/2002 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)Greece was against any form of unilateral action against Iraq, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Tuesday following a two-day meeting between European Union and Asian leaders in Copenhagen (ASEM).He also stressed that the United Nations should have a primary role in efforts to defuse the tension. The Greek premier said that the situation in Iraq had been among the subjects discussed at the EU-Asia meeting and admitted that there were differences of opinion on this issue within Europe, with some sides supporting that unilateral engagement in Iraq could be justified and others opposed. Greece was among those countries, such as France and China, that believed unilateral action boded serious dangers for the future, he added. Simitis said it was positive that all countries at the Copenhagen meeting had agreed on the need to support the efforts of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to find a peaceful solution in the present phase. Regarding a report presented by the British government on Saddam's military capability, Simitis said the Greek government was still in the process of examining this. Other major issues that had occupied the meeting had been the development of European-Asian relations, which Simitis described as particularly important for Greece and other Mediterranean countries. ''The Asian countries are moving toward the creation of a single market made up of 1.5 billion people and this shows how urgent it is to rapidly complete European enlargement so that it can respond to the new conditions and develop its investments,'' the Greek premier stressed. He added that an opportunity to cement European-Asian cultural ties was the Cultural Olympiad in the run-up to the 2004 Games in Athens. Another topic touched on at the meeting was the imposition of a tax on international stock market transactions, which would raise revenue for developing countries. [02] Iraq, the Balkans & terrorism at the focus of NATO's DM meeting in WarsawWARSAW 25/09/2002 (ANA)NATO's defense ministers' meeting here focused on Iraq, the Balkans and more particularly the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and the upgrade of the alliance's capabilities to confront terrorism, Greek Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou told journalists after the first day's meetings here on Tuesday.Responding to questions, Papantoniou said that the U.S. and British defense ministers presented reports according to which Iraq maintains and develops weapons of mass destruction, adding, however, that as the reports were classified the sources of information could not be assessed. ''In any event we, as Greece and as the European Union, would evaluate the conclusions of the two reports before expressing substantial judgment on them,'' Papantoniou said, noting that ''the discussion on the possibility of an American military strike in Iraq, did not take place yet, it may take place during the evening or tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and then I will be able to provide for you the exact climate which will dominate." "From my talks with my U.S. and British counterparts I gather that it is not improbable that such an U.S. strike could take place," he added. ''In any event Greece's position is that such initiatives should be cloaked by collective decisions and the United Nations processes should be adhered to,'' he said. ''There will not be a clear European reaction before the official American initiative is expressed... Greece has not made a decision and has not tabled the issue, since the issue was not tabled officially by the United States. Additionally, as the presiding member-state of the European Union on security issues surely (Greece) will coordinate its decisions and its stance with the stance of the rest of the EU member-states,'' the Greek minister said. Papantoniou stressed that the defense ministers' meeting also dealt with the peacekeeping force of NATO in FYROM, extending its stay in that Balkan country until December allowing time to decide whether that force will be replaced by a contingent of the European Union, in accordance with the EU Barcelona Summit decisions. ''Greece agreed with that extension, since we have every interest to maintain conditions of stability and security in a neighboring country, from which, in the past, we had several problems concerning our own security and our own borders in regards to illegal immigration,'' Papantoniou said. The third and final subject of the meeting, Papantoniou said, was that of the upgrading of NATO capabilities in dealing with terrorism, while ''developing a rapid reaction force to intervene - through a system of collective decisions - in cases where societies or citizens are in danger due to terrorist actions''. Protopapas on Iraq crisis: Athens on Tuesday again touched on the ongoing Iraq crisis, with the government spokesman noting that “Greece does not want war; it believes a solution can be found through UN resolutions”. Spokesman Christos Protopapas made the statement in reply to questions during his regular press briefing. In answer to a query about a scheduled rally by peace activists on Thursday in downtown Athens to protest military action against Iraq, Protopapas said such events are independent initiatives. [03] Gov't: reports of UN document for Cyprus not confirmed by de SotoAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Reports that the United Nations had submitted a document regarding the Cyprus issue were not confirmed during a visit to Athens by the UN Secretary-General's envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said on Tuesday.Protopapas said de Soto had made a general review of the situation regarding the Cyprus problem during his talks in Athens, while noting that Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had not shifted from his known positions. Greece was also standing fast on its position that a solution to the Cyprus problem should move within the framework of UN resolutions, he added. Regarding Cyprus' accession to the European Union, the spokesman said that Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister George Papandreou would be having successive meetings with their EU counterparts in order to prepare for the island republic's entry into the EU in the best possible way. Asked to comment on provocative statements by Turkey regarding the prospect of Cyprus joining the EU, Protopapas said the Greek government was responding to these calmly, steadily and by doing a lot of work to make sure that commitments to the EU were met. [04] UK ambassador hands FM report on IraqAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)British Ambassador to Athens David Madden on Tuesday handed to Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou a file with the British positions on the issue of Iraq.In statements to the press Madden said that the problem of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction concerns everyone and should be discussed by all so as to be resolved. Foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis, in a press release, confirmed that Madden handed over to Papandreou a report of the British authorities, which was submitted on Tuesday to the House of Commons, concerning the possession of arms of mass destruction by Iraq, as well as a letter by British Secretary for Foreign Affairs Jack Straw. On his part, Papandreou reaffirmed the position of the Greek government for the necessity to respect the decisions of the United Nations by Iraq and also efforts to exhaust all capabilities in the search for a diplomatic solution, through the processes of the UN Security Council. According to ministry sources, the British report will be the subject of a study of all relevant ministries. [05] Gov't reiterates call for upgrade of Greece's FAA rankingAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Athens on Tuesday again called on the US government’s influential Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to upgrade Greece’s civil aviation status as pertaining to flight safety to level I, its highest ranking.The issue dominated a meeting in the Greek capital between Transport Minister Christos Verelis and US ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller, as the former presented the US envoy with the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) report outlining recent measures taken by Greece’s civil aviation authority (YPA) regarding flight safety. According to reports, Verelis conveyed to Miller Athens’ request for an official FAA visit Greece in order to verify it’s upgraded flight safety standards. Currently, the FAA considers Greece in level II. In response to press questions, Miller again said he feels completely safe in Greece, noting that he regularly recommends travel here to friends and acquaintances in America. He also expressed a hope that a FAA inspection team will arrive in Greece as soon as possible to focus on the southeast Mediterranean country’s civil aviation ranking. According to a May 2000 ICAO report, 36 points were brought to the attention of Greece’s civil aviation authority for improvement, whereas a subsequent ICAO inspection in March 2002 verified whether specific improvements and changes were made. Seven out of the original 36 points cited -- mostly bureaucratic and civil aviation legislation issues -- remain pending, although the local civil aviation authority has committed to pushing through reforms by no later than March 2003. [06] Gov't offers clarifications on law aimed at 'cyber, video' gamblingAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The government on Tuesday provided a series of clarifications over its recently tabled legislation governing video arcade games and high-profile efforts to stamp out illegal “cyber gambling”, in the wake of local and even international media speculation that all electronic games in Greece will supposedly be banned in public.In a press release, the finance ministry emphasized that the controversial law – 3037/2002 – aims only to effectively discourage and target illegal revenues from gambling via the Internet or video games-turned-electronic slot machines -- a problem that more-or-less dominated the national spotlight earlier in the year after a high-profile TV expose revealed dozens of instances of arcades being used as ‘fronts’ for gambling parlors. The finance ministry clarified that electronic or video games, relevant computer software and various table-top games do not, by themselves, constitute ‘games of chances’ when no monetary stake exists, either between competing players, or between players and a third party (i.e. an arcade proprietor). Tuesday’s announcement comes after a series of reports, including ones by international wire services and radio news programs, speculating whether the relevant law would, on paper at least, outlaw everything from chess to Subbuteo to “Playstation” in public. The ministry also ridiculed reports that individual hand-held video games (Gameboy, X-Box etc.) were a “target”. Moreover, the finance ministry stressed that the manufacture, import and sale of such arcade games and computer programs is most definitely still legal, while also emphasizing that absolutely no penalties are foreseen in Greek law for individuals playing such games in public. Additionally, the ministry said nary a provision in the law affects private non-commercial dwellings (residences). The exception would be if a private residence is turned into a “gambling parlor” with electronic or mechanical slots and video games. [07] Turk remanded in custody on espionage chargesAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The investigating magistrate and the misdemeanor prosecutor of the Aegean island of Lesvos on Tuesday unanimously decided on remanding in custody a Turkish man arrested last Friday on espionage charges.The suspect, identified as Mehmet Murat Pekinel was arrested Friday afternoon while allegedly photographing military installations on the northeastern Greek island of Limnos, which lies near the Dardanelles Straits. According to reports, 57 rolls of film were confiscated on the man, along with maps of various Greek Aegean isles. In his initial statement to police, Pekinel denied the espionage charges and claimed the photographs were for his personal use, while on Tuesday a comparable statement was also made by his attorney who claimed that his client, who on Wednesday will be taken to the judicial jail on the island of Chios, “is innocent”. Both islands of Lesvos and Limnos lie off the densely populated western Turkish coast. [08] Main opposition urges voters to 'send a message' in local pollsAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Main opposition New Democracy on Tuesday asked the electorate to send the government a strong message through their votes in municipal and prefectural elections, kicking off its campaign to insert a more political tone in the run up to October's local polls.ND spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said the 'send a message' slogan would be the backbone of ND's pre-election campaign for the Attica super-prefecture and the rest of Greece, in accordance with the proposals made by political planning secretary George Souflias. Responding to questions, meanwhile, he denied plans for a meeting between ND leader Costas Karamanlis and Archbishop Christodoulos in the wake of controversial statements about the Church by ND's candidate for the Attica super-prefecture Yiannis Tzanetakos. According to the spokesman, a meeting by ND party coordinators chaired by Karamanlis on Tuesday morning had strongly criticized the government's economic record, citing delays in structural reforms, the selling off state enterprises in ''cut-price'' privatizations to raise cash and timid measures, calling for an urgent change in economic policy. ND coordinator George Alogoskoufis stressed that the Greek economy was a straggler in Europe in terms of competitiveness, ranking 16th in an EU report that also included the 25 OECD countries. In terms of attracting foreign investment, meanwhile, he noted that Greece had slipped to 125th place in a United Nations report, down from 45th place 10 years ago. [09] Sixth round of Greek-Turkish talks starts on WednesdayAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The 6th round of exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey will take place on Wednesday afternoon at the foreign ministry with a meeting between Foreign Ministry Secretary General Anastasios Skopelitis and his Turkish counterpart Ambassador Ugur Ziyal.After the meeting, Ziyal will be received by Foreign Minister George Papandreou. Earlier on Wednesday, Papandreou will also receive the U.S. Ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller and later will meet with the President of the Cyprus House of Representatives and Secretary General of the Cypriot AKEL left-wing party Dimitris Christofias, who is here on a visit. [10] Europarliament mandates compensation to victims of crime, terrorismSTRASBOURG 25/09/2002 (ANA/O.Tsipira)The Europarliament's plenum on Tuesday by adopting the Agnelilli report, gave the green light to drafting legislation for the provision of compensation to victims of crime.According to the report, all member-states will have to draft programs for the provision of compensation to victims of crime, placing special emphasis on cases concerning victims of terrorism. The compensation would be paid by the culprits or via other means. The establishment of these systems, would not prohibit the establishment of additional regulations, than those proposed by the European Commissions Green Bible. The report also proposed the drafting of lists with criminal actions that would demand payment of compensation to victims. The payment of compensation would be made to the surviving victims themselves or to relatives, as well as to persons that attempted to help the victims and were injured. [11] Witnesses give evidence in N17 caseAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Former minister Ioannis Paleokrassas and businessman Vardis Vardinoyiannis on Tuesday gave evidence regarding attacks against them by the terrorist group "November 17" to the special examining magistrate Leonidas Zervobeakos, the appeals court justice assigned to the case.The terrorists had fired a rocket against Paleokrassas' car in central Athens on July 14, 1992, when he finance minister for the then New Democracy government, while Vardinoyiannis had also been the victim of a rocket attack by the group on February 3, 1990. The rocket fired against Paleokrassas had caused the death of passer-by Thanos Axarlian. [12] Sotiropoulou's request for temporary restraining order on TV stations refusedAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)An Athens court on Tuesday refused a request by "November 17" suspect Angeliki Sotiropoulou, the first woman held in connection with the terrorist group's activities, for a temporary ban on media reports concerning the private lives of herself, her family and her underage son.The 40-year-old mother of one has filed for restraining orders against the majority of the country's larger television stations, including state TV, and wanted a temporary ban in place until the hearing, which has been set for November 29. The TV stations named by Sotiropoulou included Alter, NET, Alpha, Ant1, Mega, Star and ET1. She had also asked for restraining orders against individual journalists Nikos Kakaounakis, Fotini Pipili, Georgios Tragas and Anna Panagiotarea in person. Among her demands are the departure of TV crews stationed outside her house, a ban on all references to her private life and to her son and a ban on the publication of past photos of herself and her family. Asked to comment on the suit filed by Sotiropoulou earlier on Tuesday, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said the N17's differences with the media were issues for the courts and not for the government. [13] Greece to send humanitarian aid to Albania's flood victimsAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Greece's Civil Defense General Secretariat will send humanitarian aid to Albania, which recently suffered serious problems due to flooding, the Greek foreign ministry announced on Tuesday.The effort of the Civil Defense General Secretariat will be supported by the foreign ministry, the Armed Forces General Staff, the fire brigade and the health and welfare ministry. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou contacted his Albanian counterpart Ilir Meta and expressed the willingness of the Greek government to send help, while Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos remains in constant contact with Meta to work out the details, the ministry's announcement added. [14] Amnesty International alleges human rights violations in GreeceAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Amnesty International's latest report to the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights issued on Tuesday alleged that the persistence of ill treatment against gypsies, detainees and immigrants in Greece is mainly owed to impunity.At a press conference, spokespersons of the organizations said that instances of unlawful or disputed shootings by police and border guards were documented in the report, which also examined the factors that have contributed to effective impunity for the perpetrators of the abuses. The spokespersons said that the ill treatment of detainees during arrest and in police custody in Greece included slapping, punching, kicking and verbal abuse. In seven occasions law enforcement officials allegedly misused firearms shooting and fatally wounding the victims, while in four other occasions policemen and border-patrol guards shot and wounded Albanian citizens attempting to enter the country illegally, the spokespersons said. Amnesty International spokeswoman Melani Anderson said that although Greece has a particular sensitivity to human rights issues, in practice it has not secured the consistent implementation of the relative safeguards. According to an ANA dispatch from Brussels, Amnesty International addressed an urgent telegraph to the European Commission, the Danish Presidency and the International Federation for Human Rights, criticizing Greece for ill-treatment of detainees and excessive use of violence by law enforcement officers. The Amnesty International report documented 66 cases of alleged human rights violations and concluded that the ill treatment of detainees during arrest in Greece is relatively commonplace and at times so severe that it amounts to torture. In the same telegraph, Amnesty International asked the Danish presidency to take necessary action regarding the situation with the human rights in Greece and to start a process for the development of a system for actual recording of human-rights violations within the European Union. [15] Gov’t announces measures aimed to contain pricesAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Greece's National Committee on the euro on Tuesday announced four measures aimed to contain prices in the domestic market, including an information campaign on the value of small euro coins and imposition of penalties to businesses overcharging customers.A committee meeting, chaired by Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and attended by Bank of Greece governor Nikos Garganas and representatives of employers and workers unions, approved a package of measures envisaging: a) greater transparency in pricing policies, b) imposing penalties to businesses found guilty of overcharging, c) launching an information campaign on the euro and focusing on the value of small euro coins and d) demanding that commercial banks supply consumers with 10 and five euros banknotes. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Christodoulakis said that recent phenomena of overcharging have burdened the consumer price index by 0.1 to 0.3 percentage points. [16] Greece differs on proposals for EU farm policy revisionBRUSSELS 25/09/2002 (ANA/G.Zitouniati)Agriculture Minister George Drys on Tuesday told the European Union that the government disagreed in part with proposals by Denmark, the European Union's rotating president, on an interim revision of the 15-nation bloc's farm policy.Among the proposals were a five percent cut in the intervention price for wheat, the abolition of monthly surcharges and rye intervention. A number of points in the proposals could have an adverse impact on balanced growth in the EU's regions, Drys told an EU agriculture ministers' meeting in the Belgian capital. Denmark had sought the opinion of member states on the proposals, and debate will continue. [17] Greece seeks EU help for farm losses due to heavy rainBRUSSELS 25/09/2002 (ANA/G.Zitouniati)Agriculture Minister George Drys on Tuesday asked the European Union for funds to help meet losses incurred by farmers in torrential rains in August and September.Hardest hit were grapes, raisins, market garden produce, and farming infrastructure and raw materials, Drys told an EU agriculture ministers' meeting in the Belgian capital. Greece and other countries that asked for help were asked to submit data on the extent of damage and losses. [18] EU approves 12 pct rise in subsidies to Greek olive oil producersAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The European Union's olive oil management commission on Tuesday approved a 12 percent increase in advance payment of community support funds to Greek olive oil producers for the period 2001/2002.The EU commission said Greek olive oil producers would receive 400 drachmas per kilo, up from 356 drachmas per kilo paid by the EU in the 2000/2001 period, on the precondition that EU authorities verified Greece's total olive oil production (estimated at around 357,328 tones). The EU commission also approved similar increased advance payments to olive oil producers in France and Portugal, but lower financial support to olive oil producers in Spain and Italy because of overproduction figures in the two countries. [19] Street-market vendors and producers strike next TuesdayAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Street market producers and vendors are staging an indefinite strike starting next Tuesday, to protest the enforcement of a law mandating the use of cash-registers, as well to pressure for production cost reductions.The unions of street markets produce vendors and producers have jointly decided on separate rallies to be held at the location of the national road toll-booths located at Bogiati, northern Attica and Elefsis, southern Attica, starting on Monday, 30 September. [20] Global airlines body sees slight upturn in passenger movementAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Airline representatives said on Tuesday that data showed a slow but steady upturn in passenger air travel, which had slumped after terrorist attacks in the US on September 11.Officials of IATA, the global airlines body, forecast that passenger movement would rise by 6-7 percent in 2003. The officials were speaking at a world airlines growth conference held in Athens, sponsored by the Eleftherios Venizelos international airport. [21] Truck owners to launch indefinite strike on September 29Athens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Truck owners are to begin an indefinite strike on September 29 to protest what they say is a failure by the government to keep to its pledges for the sector.The strike will have an adverse impact on all sectors of the economy, the truck owners' union said in a statement on Tuesday. [22] Alternate FM meets with GSEE presidiumAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis on Tuesday met with the presidium of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) to brief them on issues concerning the Greece's EU presidency.Those issues included the European Union's enlargement, the Middle East, Iraq, problems in the Balkans and others, as well as the Greek presidency's general aims. Yiannitsis and the GSEE presidium also discussed the support the foreign ministry can provide to the confederation concerning political issues they may confront on a European level. [23] Thessaloniki presents Expo 2008 bidAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)A Greek delegation led by Macedonia-Thrace Minister George Paschalidis presented Thessaloniki's bid to host the Expo 2008 international trade fair.The presentation was made on the sidelines of a conference in Seville, Spain that was held to mark the trade fair's 10th birthday. Also hoping to host Expo 2008 are Saragosa, Spain and Trieste, Italy. [24] Greek stocks end 1.91 pct lower on TuesdayAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)Greek stocks continued their free-fall for one more session in the Athens Stock Exchange, with sentiment undermined by a negative climate in international markets.The general index ended 1.91 percent lower at 1,818.58 points, finding short-term support at the 1,800 level. Turnover was a low 96 million euros. The Holdings, Insurance, Textile and Construction sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (5.24 percent, 4.22 percent, 4.13 percent and 3.96 percent, respectively), while Banks and Cement the lowest percentage losses (0.77 percent and 0.73 percent, respectively). The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks dropped 1.41 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 3.41 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index fell 3.09 percent. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 307 to 31 with another 19 issues unchanged. The most heavily traded stocks in value were Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Commercial Bank of Greece, Sex Form, and Informatics. Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 105.9 mln euros Tuesday Equity Index Futures: Stock Futures: Day's Market Turnover: 105.9 mln euros Bond Market Close: Turnover hits record 5.3 bln euros on Tuesday Greek Benchmark 10-Year Bond [25] Top IAAF delegation pleased with Athens 2004 progressAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) general-secretary Istvan Gyulai, who headed an IAAF delegation’s two-day tour of Olympic venues and talks with Athens 2004 organizing committee (ATHOC) officials this week, on Tuesday expressed his satisfaction over progress for the upcoming Games.“We’re very satisfied from the briefing and from the progress made in all sectors. Our cooperation does not stop here, it will continue and be completed only when the Games end,” the Hungarian IAAF executive said. Besides sports venues, the IAAF delegation also toured the under-construction “Olympic Village”, as well as several Athens-area hotels expected to host IAAF’s delegates in August 2004. [26] Greece seeks lower tax for tickets in 2004 OlympicsAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The government is to ask the European Union for permission to lower a tax on tickets to events in the Athens 2004 Olympics, contravening a rule of the 15-nation bloc.Organizers of the games have sought a 4.0 percent tax on tickets against an EU-ordained 8.0 percent for all events except theatrical performances. ''All we can do is to put the matter to the EU's finance ministers,'' Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis told reporters. Tickets for the games have to be available in May, 2003 in order to comply with regulations. [27] Greek Cultural Foundation literary translation prizeLONDON 25/09/2002 (ANA)The Greek Cultural Foundation (EIP) literary translation prize was awarded on Monday during a ceremony at London’s South Bank Center to Leo Marshal for his translation of Greek author Sotiris Dimitriou’s book “May Your Name Be Blessed”.Awarded for the first time this year, the EIP literary translation prize will be awarded every two years to works circulated in the English language within the five-year period preceding the award. The prize on the Greek side will be awarded along with the ones for France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy by the chief editor of the Times Literary Supplement and the participation of the popular U.S. author Susan Sontag. [28] Bank of Greece to organize Greek painters exhibition in WashingtonAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The Bank of Greece, the country's regulatory body, announced that it is organizing an exhibition of Greek painters in Washington D.C. at the Federal Reserve System's central building.Thirty-nine works of Greek painters from 1830 to 1930 will be showcased between Sept. 30 and Dec. 3. [29] Technical Chamber organizes conference on new technologies for AthensAthens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) on Tuesday organized a one-day conference, with the participation of three of Athens' six mayoral candidates, focusing on the need for the city's modernization through the use of computer systems.The aim of the TEE in organizing the conference was to be included along with other agencies in the discussion for the drafting of a bill concerning the ''information society'', which is to be submitted in Parliament soon. Ruling PASOK party candidate Christos Papoutsis, main opposition New Democracy (ND) candidate Dora Bakoyianni and Communist Party of Greece (KKE) candidate Spiros Halvatzis participated in the conference. [30] Free entry into museums, sites for European 'culture weekend'Athens, 25/09/2002 (ANA)The public will be able to visit all museums and archaeological sites in the European Union free of charge this coming weekend, from September 27-29, which celebrates European Culture Heritage.The 'culture weekend' will be devoted to the monuments and their conservation and was an idea originally put forward in France that was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1991. This year's theme in Greece will be economic transaction of the past, with the title ''From exchanges of goods to transactions on the Internet'' and will culminate at the ancient agora in Athens, which was the 'heart' of the city's political, economic, religious and social life in antiquity. [31] PACE recommends measures against TurkeySTRASBOURG 25/09/2002 (CNA/ANA)The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has called on the Committee of Ministers to consider seizure of Turkey's contribution to the Council and imposing a daily fine on Ankara, if the Turkish government continues to refuse to comply with a European Court of Human Rights decision, with regard to a human rights case a Greek Cypriot brought before the Court against Turkey.Expressing ''grave concern'' about Turkey's continued refusal to respect the judgments of the Court, and in particular in the case of Titina Loizidou, the Assembly asked Ankara to pay without delay and warned that if there is no compliance with the Court decision, it will consider the repercussions of this refusal at its April session, next year. The Assembly has also urged Turkey to adopt concrete measures with regard to the Court judgment in the interstate application of Cyprus against Turkey and to stop ongoing human rights violations of Greek Cypriots in the areas it occupies since its troops invaded the island in 1974. Following Monday night's long discussion, the Assembly adopted a resolution and a recommendation in which it reiterates its calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure rapidly that ''concrete measures are adopted in the case of Cyprus v Turkey, notably to deal with the problems of missing persons in a manner respecting the Convention (European Convention on Human Rights) and to stop the ongoing violations of the rights of the Greek Cypriots in northern Cyprus''. In its recommendation, the PACE ''urges the Committee of Ministers to take all necessary measures to ensure the execution of the Court's decisions without delay.'' The Assembly drew up a list of the oldest and/or more important cases still unsolved which raised issues relating to respect for life and prohibition of torture, freedom of expression and unfair trial. This list included the Cyprus v Turkey case. The list also included the Loizidou case against Turkey, which is required to allow Loizidou access to her property in Turkish occupied Cyprus and pay her some 900,000 US dollars in compensation. In this hotly contested case, the Court said Loizidou is and remains the legal owner of her property and described the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus, which Ankara maintains, as subordinate local administration. The Assembly, as the resolution reads, noting Turkey's continued refusal to respect the Court's judgments in the Loizidou case, ''it finds with the Committee of Ministers that this refusal demonstrates a manifest disregard by Turkey for its international obligations, both as a High Contracting Party to the Convention and as a member state of the Council of Europe.'' The Assembly therefore invites Turkey ''to ensure payment of the just satisfaction owed to the applicant without any further delay. In case this request is not satisfied, the Assembly will consider the consequences of such a continuing refusal at its session in April 2003.'' In case Turkey refuses or continues to delay payment of the just satisfaction, the Assembly ''recommends to the Committee of Ministers to consider taking all the necessary measures, including the seizure of the corresponding sum on Turkey's contribution to the Council of Europe and the application of a daily fine.'' The resolution says that the Assembly, ''welcomes the constitutional and legal changes which have recently taken place in Turkey, which will contribute to prevent the repetition of violations of the ECHR in the future.'' The PACE notes the changes relating to the scope of freedom of expression and freedom of association, in particular those relating to the activities of political parties, but ''it stresses, however, the need to go further and the importance attaching to the courts, and in the first place the highest courts, effectively applying the new provisions in such a way that Turkey respects the ECHR in general and the judgments of the European Court in particular.'' Despite the progress recently achieved, according to the resolution, ''the Assembly cannot but regret that a number of important problems remain outstanding'' and it calls upon the Turkish authorities to ensure that the modalities of payment of just satisfaction respect the judgments of the Court in 90 cases. The Assembly calls upon Turkey to restore the applicants' civil and political rights in 18 cases of freedom of expression and that further legislative action is rapidly taken to ensure respect for freedom of expression, notably in the application of the anti-terror legislation. The Assembly expresses its ''deeply regrets that the new legislation on reopening of proceedings adopted by Turkey in August 2002 expressly excludes any possibility of complying with the Court's judgment in the Sadak, Zana, Dicle and Dogan case, so that the four applicants will continue to serve their 15-year prison sentences imposed following an unfair trial.'' [32] UN peace talks continueNICOSIA 25/09/2002 (CNA/ANA)Another meeting, of just over two hours, took place on Tuesday in the context of the UN-led peace talks, between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.The meeting, in the presence of UN Secretary General's special adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and the advisers of the two leaders, is the last but one before the talks move to New York, for next week's encounters. Another meeting is scheduled for Thursday. Later the same day, Alvaro de Soto was expected to leave for Turkey to have talks with Turkish officials. He held similar discussions in Athens on Monday. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has invited Clerides and Denktash to New York to review progress in the ongoing peace negotiations, since the last time he talked to them in early September in Paris. The talks, which began in mid January, have yet to produce any substantive progress on the core issues under discussion (governance, security, territory and property). The main stumbling block is Denktash's insistence on the creation of two separate states, which would come to an arrangement to cooperate under some kind of central administration. President Clerides advocates what the UN resolutions provide for Cyprus, a bizonal, bicommunal federation with a single sovereignty, single citizenship and one international personality. The president leaves next week for New York. His aides are expected to be in New York as well for the meetings with Annan. [33] Kasoulides calls for implementation of UN resolutions on IraqNICOSIA 25/09/2002 (CNA/ANA)Minister of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Kasoulides said on Tuesday that Cyprus supports the implementation of all UN resolutions on Iraq, without prejudice.Earlier in the day, Britain's High Commissioner to Cyprus, Lyn Parker, handed Kasoulides a Foreign Office dossier including evidence and facts about Iraq's programs to acquire weapons of mass destruction. A letter accompanied the dossier from British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. ''Cyprus is a victim of non-implementation of UN resolutions. We consider that peace, security and international legality can only be achieved with the implementation of Security Council resolutions'', he said. He pointed out that in Iraq's case, Cyprus is especially sensitive because it is directly affected if in the area UN resolutions are being violated with the existence or production of weapons, which might eventually be used against a neighboring country. ''At the same time we wish to see UN resolutions being implemented to avoid the use of force, and hope that a war which will have economic repercussions will be avoided in our area'', he said. Commenting on a statement in the dossier, which explicitly says Iraq maintains weapons that might target the British Bases in Cyprus, Kasoulides pointed out that the statement says the weapons ''could reach Cyprus''. The best prevention, Kasoulides said, is the cooperation of all members of the international community in implementing UN resolutions. Stuart Summers, spokesman of the British High Commission, told CNA ''the dossier speaks for itself, it demonstrates Iraq's capacity to threaten not only the immediate neighborhood but also further a field, including the borders of Europe''. ''The whole of the Eastern Mediterranean falls within range of missiles which the dossier assesses Saddam Hussein as possessing or seeking to develop'', he added. He further said the reference in the dossier ''is not only to Cyprus, but also to Greece, Turkey and Iraq's Gulf neighbors and Israel''. ''Furthermore, Saddam Hussein has had missile capability since before the Gulf War'', he added. [34] AKEL and RTK call for Cyprus settlementNICOSIA 25/09/2002 (CNA/ANA)Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political party leaders on Tuesday outlined the necessity for a Cyprus settlement before the island's accession to the European Union.AKEL General Secretary Demetris Christofias and Turkish Republican Party leader Mehmet Ali Talat pledged to continue meetings. Christofias said the two reviewed the latest developments on Cyprus, in view of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's meeting in New York with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on October 3 and 4. ''We agreed that a solution is more than necessary'', Christofias said, adding that ''both parties support a peaceful settlement through negotiations under the auspices of the UN and call on both sides during the negotiations to make statements which will express the good will and help find a viable solution, which will be acceptable by both sides''. Christofias said, ''the foundation is there and it is well known'' and ''we hope that with such an approach a settlement will be found before Cyprus' accession to the EU''. He added that ''this is the desire of both parties''. Talat said ''the Republican Turkish Party believes that the solution of the Cyprus problem would be beneficial not only for the Turkish Cypriots but for the whole of the island and for the region'' and together with Turkey's EU accession process and the enlargement of the European Union, all these issues will contribute to a solution. ''This is the rational way to think. Of course we do not want to see any irrational developments, any tensions in the region, because we believe that the harm will be enormous'', Talat said and called for a decrease in tension, stressing the need for an atmosphere of further cooperation between the parties. RTK, he added, believes the dialogue with the Greek Cypriot parties and political powers must continue so ''we can try to understand and construct some kind of common ground on various issues regarding the Cyprus problem''. Asked what he expects from the meetings in New York in October, Talat said he is optimistic because ''the time is coming to the end'' with the Copenhagen European Council in December, where ''crucial decisions are going to be taken''. Therefore, he said, until that time ''a breakthrough to this Cyprus problem must come, so I think that this meeting in New York will be something very important''. Although he said he does not expect any concrete results or concrete agreement from this meeting, ''it will start to build some kind of bridges between the sides and most probably I think that the framework of a solution is going to appear in this meeting''. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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