Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 02-09-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Economy minister addresses IFM in Washington D.C.

[02] Greek economy minister interviewed by CNN

[03] Simitis visits construction Kakia Skala tunnel construction site

[04] ND leader strongly criticizes gov't, focusing on local elections

[05] MRB poll gives main opposition 7.2 per cent lead over PASOK

[06] EU cannot expand without Cyprus, Parl't speaker reiterates

[07] Greek Deputy Defense Minister arrives in Cyprus

[08] Greek Eurodeputies hold talks in Cyprus

[09] Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch arrives in Athens

[10] Ecumenical Patriarch holds te deum in church in Athens

[11] ND's Petralia elected president of International Organization of Women

[12] Synaspismos leader addresses party's youth festival

[13] Oceania World Council of Hellenes Abroad assembly begins

[14] Amnesty International comes out in support of International Criminal Court

[15] Tsohatzopoulos focuses on Kozloduy nuclear plant in talks in Bulgaria

[16] EU to extend fishing protection zones in Mediterranean

[17] Deal for use of the 'Queen Mary II' in Athens 2004 Olympics

[18] Illegal immigrants intercepted off Samos

[19] UK and EU to decide on Cyprus based on Helsinki decisions

[20] peacefully

[01] Economy minister addresses IFM in Washington D.C.

National Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis on Sunday pointed out the positive course of the Greek economy, during his address to the International Monetary Fund's annual meeting here.

The Greek minister, who is representing the European Union's eurozone countries, stressed that Greece's GDP growth rates will close the year at 3.8 per cent and forecasted a 4.1 per cent for 2003.

He said that inflation in the country remained higher than the eurozone's average, adding that it was a cause for concern.

The Greek minister also said that the fiscal policy conducted by the government over the past few years ''managed to balance the public finances'', outlining the actions of the government over the past few years in the sector of market deregulation.

He stressed that income from privatization of public sector enterprises will exceed 1.5 per cent of GDP in 2002.

Christodoulakis also underlined Greece's role in the reconstruction of the Balkans, while speaking of the international economy he said that ''even though the prospects are positive in general, they include significant dangers''.

[02] Greek economy minister interviewed by CNN

National Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis on Saturday pointed out the positive course of the Greek economy, the prospects for closer cooperation with the most important industrialized nations and the positive effect of the euro's introduction in the country.

During an interview to the Cable New Network, the Greek minister, who is in the US capital for the G7 meeting representing the eurozone, stressed the high rate of the Greek economy's growth compared to the rest of Europe.

He clarified that this growth was based on the Athens 2004 Olympic Games project and the deregulation of critical sectors of the economy over the past few years, as well as in foreign investment.

He added that the higher growth rate of Greece's economy, compared with the rest of Europe, was based on its dynamism and not on the weakness of the rest of the European Union.

Responding to a question on what he would like to hear being discussed during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, he said that he wish for discussions to focus on a better cooperation between industrialized nations and a better understanding for the less developed countries.

In closing, Christodoulakis responded to a question on the recent price hikes in the eurozone, calling the problem a temporary one, as this was a transition period.

[03] Simitis visits construction Kakia Skala tunnel construction site

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

''Greece is changing appearance. It forges ahead due to everyone's work. It is a grand construction site. We put an end to Kakia Skala (i.e. nasty climb). We put an end to a difficult road, that has made trouble for travelers for centuries,'' the premier said.

He noted that one of the two completed tunnels was the widest in Europe with 19 meters in width and stressed the increase in safety and decrease in time needed to travel through the area.

Concluding the premier underlined that because of the know-how gained during the Kakia Skala project, Greece now has the experience to overcome difficulties in future projects planned by the government, adding that the government has drafted a program aiming at high rates of development.

[04] ND leader strongly criticizes gov't, focusing on local elections

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

During a rally in support of the party affiliated candidate for the prefecture, Karamanlis openly criticized the government for audacity, also saying that society does not submit to political minorities, that maintain low expectations and have made their survival in power their political and ideological dogma.

The leader of ND called on citizens to ''send a message to the government'', stressing that these local elections would be political, sending out political messages.

He also attacked Prime Minister Costas Simitis, saying that ''it is not by chance that the premier states that the (elections) results would not be a pre-cursor (for later developments) and that they are not a plebiscite. This predetermines something and shows something he is afraid to see''.

Main opposition leader ends Thessaly tour in Volos: Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis ended a three-day tour of Thessaly on Sunday with an open meeting and speech in Volos, at the election center of ND's prefectural candidate for Magnesia Yiannis Printzos.

ND's leader said he was absolutely confident about the party's showing in the local polls in October since ND supported candidates that enjoyed respect in their local communities and who were prepared to fight for the good of the country.

Karamanlis was also harshly critical of the government on a number of issues and again extended an invitation to voters from other parties. He urged the electorate to use the local polls to send a strong message of displeasure to the government by casting their vote against PASOK-backed candidates and spoke at length about the problems in farming, presenting his party's policies for dealing with these.

[05] MRB poll gives main opposition 7.2 per cent lead over PASOK

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

In the poll was conducted on ND's behalf between September 16-25 in areas throughout Greece, however, the gap between the two larger parties was seen to have narrowed since the opinion poll conducted by the same company in June, in which ND had gained an 9.4-per-cent lead.

Analytically, 37.2 per cent of those responding said they would vote for ND in the next elections, 30 per cent for PASOK, 5.5 per cent for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), 3.3 per cent for the Coalition of the Left and Progress and 2.2 per cent for the Democratic Socialist Movement (DHKKI), while 14 per cent answered don't know/won't say.

In the question on who was most suitable for prime minister, Karamanlis came first with 40.9 per cent and Simitis second with 38 per cent, while about 18.3 per cent of those responding chose 'neither'. The main opposition leader also swept ahead in popularity, garnering 44 per cent positive opinions compared to 34.7 per cent for Simitis.

ND won hands down on questions about which party was most likely to win an election if one was held immediately - regardless of what respondents would themselves vote for - with 57.8 per cent predicting an ND victory and 28.3 per cent expecting victory for PASOK.

Regarding morale among each party's supporters, ND again came ahead with 90.7 per cent voter unity, while PASOK increased its rating since June but still trailed behind with 73.4 per cent.

Asked to rank the country's problems in order of importance, 59.7 per cent of those responding appeared most concerned about unemployment, 43.9 per cent named health and medical care, 39.9 per cent chose high prices, 32.5 per cent were most concerned about education and 17.4 per cent about the large numbers of foreign immigrants entering Greece.

Culture minister: Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Sunday questioned the logic of conducting an opinion poll about the general elections in the middle of the pre-election campaign for local polls, when asked to comment on the results of the latest MRB poll.

Speaking from Thessaloniki, Venizelos pointed out that the government still had 20 "very creative and challenging" months ahead of it, adding that the entire issue would be re-opened in the spring of 2004 (when the government's term runs out).

He was also sharply critical of ND's candidate for Thessaloniki Panagiotis Psomiadis over controversial statements made by the latter regarding the 1967-1974 junta in Greece.

The poll was also commented on by ND coordinator for trade and industry George Salagoudis, also in Thessaloniki, who said that his party's victory in the next elections had now become established in the "consciousness of the Greek people".

In response to comments about ND candidates for Thessaloniki by government officials, Salagoudis said they had begun a desperate mud-slinging war to avert the certain loss of the prefecture and municipality.

Reactions to opinion poll by gov't, response by ND: Main opposition New Democracy' (ND) lead in the opinion polls elicited reactions from Press and Media Minister Christos Protopapas on Sunday evening, which in turn was answered by ND spokesman Theodoros Rousopoulos.

Protopapas said that the ''conducting of opinion polls at the order of ND for the parliamentary elections, 15 days before the local elections, and more so by a company that is connected with the firm that undertook the pre-election campaign of ND, proves that the leadership of the ND is in total confusion and panic, due to its own mistaken choices''.

He added that ''these are communication tricks of doubtful value without importance ... the response from citizens, ND will receive in the parliamentary elections in the Spring of 2004''.

On his part, Rousopoulos, responding to Protopapas said that ''the government was troubled because the data of this opinion poll, as all those of other opinion polls over the past two years, did not favor it''.

He also said that the government's ''terror against those that insist on doing their job right will not stand'', adding that ND will table in Parliament the issue of the opinion poll companies ''to prove who really forges data and which are the firms subsidized by the state and closely connected with the Maximos Mansion, that attempt to lead the public opinion''.

[06] EU cannot expand without Cyprus, Parl't speaker reiterates

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

He once again stressed that the Greek Parliament would not ratify any enlargement of the EU that did not include Cyprus, stressing that it had a right to join.

Kaklamanis made the statements during a ceremony to name the Kiato 2nd Primary School after Evagoras Pallikaridis, a Cypriot teenager who fought against the British colonial rule and was eventually hanged by the colonial forces in the 1950s.

[07] Greek Deputy Defense Minister arrives in Cyprus

PAPHOS 30/09/2002 (ANA/CNA)

Speaking on arrival at ''Andreas Papandreou'' military airbase in the western coastal town of Paphos, Lotides stressed the need to prove and promote in every way the cooperation of Greece and Cyprus in their common goals to reach a settlement of the Cyprus problem and for the island to accede to the European Union.

He said this cooperation was expressed through the Joint Defense Pact between the two countries.

Lotides noted that Cyprus is at a crucial historical moment and, commenting on Turkish threats for a heated incident if the island acceded to the EU prior to a settlement, he said Greece is monitoring the situation with utmost care, is expressing its views at the EU, and has repeatedly stated that it will use all means and institutional powers through the EU, in order to bring about an unhindered accession of Cyprus to the Union.

He noted that the Greek Cypriot side was participating in UN-led talks to solve the Cyprus problem with good faith and will aimed at reaching a just and viable settlement, while the Turkish side was not.

Lotides expressed hope that the Turkish side would ''understand that it is to its interest to reach a settlement and to contribute towards this direction''.

After a briefing at the airbase, Lotides visited the site where the Bell 206 helicopter carrying National Guard Commander Evangelos Florakis and other four officers crashed on July 10, 2002.

On Sunday night, Lotides was due to travel to Nicosia to attend a dinner given in his honor by Cyprus Defense Minister Socrates Hasikos.

On Monday, the Greek official will be briefed at the National Guard General Staff and will visit the demarcation line dividing the free from the Turkish-occupied areas of the island since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

During his stay, Lotides will be received by President Glafcos Clerides and will meet with the House of Representatives Defense Committee.

On October 1, President Clerides will take the salute of the military parade to mark the island's independence, flanked by Hasikos and Lotides.

The Greek official will return home on October 2.

[08] Greek Eurodeputies hold talks in Cyprus

NICOSIA 30/09/2002 (ANA - G. Leonidas)

PASOK Eurodeputy George Katiforis, who headed the delegation, said that there is adequate support in the Europarliament for Cyprus' accession to the European Union.

Katiforis stressed that Cyprus' accession will be concluded successfully.

KISOS President Yiannakis Omirou, in welcoming the Greek Eurodeputies upon their arrival, said that during their meetings over the weekend they would discuss actions and initiatives to support the final effort of Cyprus to enter the Union.

[09] Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch arrives in Athens

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

Upon his arrival, Vartholomeos expressed his pleasure to be back in Athens, saying that there was a spiritual umbilical cord between the Holy See of Constantinople (Istanbul) and the Church of Greece.

Christodoulos, who met the patriarch at Athens airport at the head of a Holy Synod delegation, expressed the satisfaction and joy of the Church of Greece for the Patriarch's visit.

Vartholomeos has a busy schedule of engagements in Athens before his departure on Wednesday, including meetings with the country's state and political leadership, a ceremony at the Athens Agricultural University on Monday where he is to be made honorary professor and a meeting with UNESCO Good Will Ambassador Marianna Vardinoyiannis shortly before he leaves on Wednesday, during which they will discuss initiatives to help street children and children in Africa, as well as the Patriarch's environmental projects.

[10] Ecumenical Patriarch holds te deum in church in Athens

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

Speaking to the thousands of faithful, he called painful the view of the condition Orthodox Christian churches in Ionia, as they lack the tender care of the faithful, who came to Greece during the population exchange with Turkey in the 1920s.

''We hope and wish that the normalization of relations of the two neighboring peoples (Greeks and Turks) and the absorption of the principles of tolerance - in force now in the European Union - will lead to even greater facilitation of the worship of God in the dedicated churches, many of which have not been used in decades,'' Vartholomeos said.

[11] ND's Petralia elected president of International Organization of Women

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

Petralia was the first ever-Greek woman to be elected to the organization in its conference that took place in Warsaw on Saturday.

[12] Synaspismos leader addresses party's youth festival

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

Speaking at a festival of the party's youth organization, Constantopoulos stressed that citizens should vote without the hang-ups of the two major party system dilemma and with the criteria being the problems and the capabilities of persons in every region.

Constantopoulos expressed his party's opposition to a war in Iraq and called on the government to refuse any participation in any such action or the provision of facilities and forecasted that Europe and Greece will gain nothing from such a war.

[13] Oceania World Council of Hellenes Abroad assembly begins

MELBOURNE 30/09/2002 (ANA - S. Hatzimanolis)

In his speech, Dollis assured the delegates that he would not allow either the SAE or the Church to be questioned as institutions and called for the start of dialogue to smooth over differences and put an end to doubts about bodies and institutions that determined the life and progress of Greeks abroad and their relations with the national center.

Delegates at the conference also passed a resolution in which they underlined the need for Greece's national carrier Olympic Airways to continue flights to Australia, stressing that this had for 20 years been a bridge of communications with Australia and Australia's Greek community.

They urged Greek transport minister Christos Verelis, the Greek government, politicians and OA's management not to implement plans to scrap the Australia flights, calling instead for their increase.

[14] Amnesty International comes out in support of International Criminal Court

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

The international organization began collecting signatures in support of the court, having collected some 40,000 signatures from around the world.

The call for support and the signatures were sent to Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, as well as to the other 14 European Union foreign ministers.

[15] Tsohatzopoulos focuses on Kozloduy nuclear plant in talks in Bulgaria

SOFIA 30/09/2002 (ANA - B. Borisov)

In his meeting with Kovacev, Tsohatzopoulos focused on Greek-Bulgarian cooperation in the energy sector and the developments surrounding the Kozloduy nuclear energy plant.

''We discussed our cooperation in the energy sector, which we had the opportunity to promote recently in Thessaloniki. We also exchanged views on the basic directions of developing the cooperation of the Balkan countries with the European Union,'' Tsohatzopoulos told the ANA.

He stressed the importance of the November 15 international meeting in Athens, which will aim at forging the basic axis of cooperation of Balkan countries with the EU in the energy sector.

''In light of the EU's energy council, next week, we discussed the condition of Kozloduy. I stressed that we are all interested in the safety of the unit, being the priority issue, so that international organizations may be able to confirm this safety,'' Tsohatzopoulos said.

On his part, Kovacev underlined the positive conclusion of the International Atomic Energy Commission concerning the safe operations of the third and fourth reactors of the plant, which was certified last July.

Earlier in the day, Tsohatzopoulos during the Southeastern European ministers' meeting stressed that ''the cooperation of the Southeastern European countries in scientific research and technologies is an important priority for Greece''.

He briefed the ministers and the participating scientists of the Balkan countries on current developments concerning scientific research in the European Union, which decided to increase spending in the sector from the current 1.9 per cent of GDP to 3 per cent of GDP by the year 2010.

''The Sofia meeting, which continued on the fruitful tradition of the previews meetings in Bucharest, Vienna, Ravenna and other places, is a clear indication of the increased interest of the European Union for the countries of the region,'' he noted.

[16] EU to extend fishing protection zones in Mediterranean

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

According to Fischler, EU-member states had decided to take action in response to over fishing by third countries, which were damaging the fishing industries of the four EU states on the Mediterranean, Greece, Spain, France and Italy.

Referring to Greece in particular, Fischler said that the current situation - where Greek fishermen adhered to Community rules while fishermen from other countries over fished their stock - could not continue.

Sources within the foreign ministry confirmed the newspaper's report and said it was a matter of days before the EU positions on this were made public.

[17] Deal for use of the 'Queen Mary II' in Athens 2004 Olympics

MIAMI 30/09/2002 (ANA)

The 800-million-dollar luxury liner, which will have 1,310 cabins, will dock at Piraeus port on August 12 in 2004 and stay until August 30, when the Games end.

ATHOC executive director Spyros Kapralos, who was in Miami for the signature of the cooperation memorandum with Cunard Lines, said that the "Queen Mary 2" would be the centerpiece in an 11-ship flotilla that would host up to 13,280 visitors to the 2004 Games.

''We are delighted that the newest and grandest luxury liner in the world will be the flagship for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,'' he said.

Scheduled to debut in January 2004, the 150,000 ton "Queen Mary 2" will feature a number of luxury features including, according to Cunard Lines, the most lavish suites at sea, the world's first planetarium at sea, a children's area complete with British nannies, a health spa, shops and much more.

[18] Illegal immigrants intercepted off Samos

Athens, 30/09/2002 (ANA)

The migrants were escorted to the Immigrants Reception Center and have revealed that a number of their compatriots are waiting on the opposite shore for passage to the Greek islands.

[19] UK and EU to decide on Cyprus based on Helsinki decisions

LONDON 30/09/2002 (CNA/ANA)

Replying in writing to a question by Labor MP Andrew Love, Hain stressed that the EU had decided in Helsinki that a political settlement of the Cyprus issue would facilitate its accession to the Union.

Hain added that, according to the Helsinki decision, if no settlement has been reached by the completion of accession negotiations, the Council's decision on accession would be made without a solution of the Cyprus problem being a precondition. However, he said, the Council will take into account all relevant factors.

Replying to another question by Andrew Love, Hain said that the framework for the current UN-led direct talks on the Cyprus issue is defined by UN Security Council Resolution 1250 (1999).

This re

[20] LIMASSOL 30/09/2002 (CNA/ANA)

Addressing the demonstrators, House of Representatives President Demetris Christofias said the British authorities should have complied with EU instructions ''to abandon the current installations at the Akrotiri Salt Lake and hand over the very important wetland to Cyprus and its people''.

He added that a US war on Iraq was ''just a matter of time'' and did not rule out the possibility of the British Bases in Cyprus ''being used once again in an unfair war against a neighboring people''. For this reason, he said, ''the British Bases are a hazard to our people and the people of the region''.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Christofias said ''permanent and lasting peace in Cyprus demanded a just and viable solution of the problem'', adding that the peace march was an expression of the people's wish for a settlement that would allow all Cypriots to live in peace and security in their homeland.

With Christofias, political party leaders, MPs, mayors and other public figures leading the way, over a thousand protesters marched from Kolossi Castle in the Limassol district to the Akrotiri wetland, to demonstrate against the erection of the antenna.

The demonstrators were holding placards with their demands and slogans, and were singing to music played by a political party youth band.

The antenna is being installed in the wetland, a unique ecosystem of fresh and saltwater habitats.

The site supports a significant number of rare species, including 13 endemic and rare plant species and 32 bird species specially protected under the European Birds Directive. A number of species of water bird winter on or migrate through the site, including around 6.000 flamingos.

Under the terms of the Ramsar Convention, the British Bases are obliged to promote the conservation and wise use of the Akrotiri Ramsar site.

Britain has retained two military bases in Cyprus since the island gained its independence from British colonial rule in 1960.

The Pancyprian Council of Peace, set up in 1949, focuses its work against ''every injustice and every source which may cause war''.

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