Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 02-11-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Stephanopoulos briefed on contents of Annan plan

[02] FM presents copies of UN Cyprus plan to opposition party leaders

[03] Gov't to confer with parties on the UN plan for Cyprus next week

[04] Gov't meeting at prime ministers' office on Cyprus issue

[05] Main opposition expresses reservations over UN plan for Cyprus

[06] Annan plan for Cyprus 'balanced', EU Commissioner says

[07] Europarliament president calls Annan Cyprus plan "a unique opportunity"

[08] State Department urges two sides to work urgently with Annan

[09] Alternate FM interviewed by Turkish television channel

[10] DM attends launching of navy's new missile boat

[11] Deputy public order minister to attend Adriatic & Ionian Seas' initiative

[12] Alternate FM Yiannitsis meets OSCE officials

[13] Deputy FM meets with Cuban, Bosnian ambassadors

[14] 2003 budget to be submitted Tuesday, Nov 19

[15] Finance minister and DM discuss defense ministry's budget

[16] Budget revenues up 8.2 percent in Jan-Oct

[17] Greek companies have advantage in Balkan expansion

[18] Greek GDP rises 3.4 percent in 3rd quarter, yr/yr

[19] EU: Greek labor market rigid in public sector, flexible in private sector

[20] De Palacio to visit Athens November 14-15

[21] Minister briefs committee on structural programs

[22] CSF programs to be activated by year end, gov’t says

[23] Greek-Turkish Chamber sees benefits of political solution for Cyprus

[24] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks slip in volatile trade

[25] IOC president says that Athens 2004 progress is great

[26] Book by Turkish Cypriot journalist presented in Athens

[27] Extradition of alleged robber to Greece from Turkey delayed

[28] Public order minister announces new legislation on police gun use and possession

[29] Groups protesting alleged "N17" members' incarceration conditions to stage rally

[30] National Council to meet Nov. 18 to give final position on Annan document

[31] UN plan aims at signing of agreement in Copenhagen

[01] President Stephanopoulos briefed on contents of Annan plan

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

After the meeting, Simitis reiterated that the proposals were a starting point for negotiations and stressed that the text was now being examined closely by the Greek and Greek-Cypriot sides.

Many of the points contained within the set of proposals would be discussed with the other side and the United Nations, he noted, while stressing that all the negotiations would be carried out by the Cypriot leadership.

The Greek government and Greek people would support Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and help in the negotiations he would carry out, the prime minister added.

Simitis said the government had briefed the political parties earlier on Tuesday and given them copies of the UN chief's proposals. He also announced that he would arrange meetings with the political party leaders next week to hear their views on the issue.

In order for negotiations to be held and for Greece to support these, specific views and positions were needed, he added.

Simitis pointed out that the Cyprus problem had remained unsolved for decades, during which successive Greek governments had pressed for a UN proposal, such as the one submitted now.

For this reason, he said, it was very important for the Greek and Greek-Cypriot side to try to use this opportunity to achieve a solution to the problem through negotiations.

Responding to questions, the prime minister also reiterated once again that Cyprus' accession to the European Union was in no way linked to solving the political problem on the island.

[02] FM presents copies of UN Cyprus plan to opposition party leaders

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Papandreou visited the office of main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis and presented him with the plan.

''New Democracy will study the document and take a position based on the interests of Hellenism,'' ND spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said in a press release issued after the Karamanlis-Papandreou meeting.

According to sources, the meeting between Papandreou and Karamanlis lasted only nine minutes and the ND leader asked the foreign minister whether there were any timetables set by the UN.

Karamanlis did not wish for further clarifications, concerning the text, by the legal councilors of the foreign ministry, as was suggested by Papandreou, but stressed that ND would study the text and then respond.

The meeting took place in a climate created by the government's decision to delay the submittal of the plan's copies to opposition parties, due to an agreement with the government of Cyprus.

''The delay of the government to submit the text to the parties of the opposition was a mistake, on which I will make no further comments,'' ND spokesman Roussopoulos said.

''We reiterate that this is the moment of grand decisions. Now is the time of the highest national understanding. For this reason we reiterate the proposal for the convening of the council of political leaders under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic,'' he concluded.

On his part, Papandreou said that the government wished for the widest possible consensus, expressing the wish and hope that it will materialize, while it did not rule out the possibility for the convening of the council of political leaders under the chairman-ship of the President of the Republic.

He said, however, that the convening of the council may take place after the completion of Prime Minister Costas Simitis' contacts with the political leaders next week, and the visit of Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides on Saturday, and of course if the discussions have progressed and the decisions for negotiations have been taken.

Papandreou recognized that there are issues that are negative in the plan, concerning the viability and functionality of the resolution, adding, however, that these issues should not be discussed in public, alluding that these issues will be part of the negotiations.

According to sources, Papandreou said to Karamanlis that the negotiations on the Annan plan will take place either in a ''proximity talks'' fashion or through UN envoy Alvaro de Soto.

He added that Cyprus appears to be positive concerning the possibility of negotiations, while Ankara maintains low tones and for this reason Athens should not appear negative toward the plan, the sources said.

Later, Papandreou handed the plan to Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga, who said, in statements after the meeting that there is a tight timetable for the conclusion of negotiations.

She added that the plan presented a ''blackmailing dilemma, either agreement or chaos'', while she expressed the opinion, that there may be pre-agreed facts. She also said that the Annan plan was not within UN resolutions.

The foreign minister also presented the plan to Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos, who said that ''we should set aside the party interests and act not with our eyes set on the next elections, but based on the national interest''.

Papandreou also on Tuesday visited Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis and presented him with a copy of the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

According to Kaklamanis the plan will be discussed in the Parliament's foreign and defense affairs' committee on Thursday, while the plan will be distributed to all parliament deputies on Wednesday.

[03] Gov't to confer with parties on the UN plan for Cyprus next week

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

He said this would be decided in meetings between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and the party leaders next Monday and Tuesday to ascertain their initial response to the set of proposals submitted to the two sides by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The political party leaders would also have an opportunity to talk with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, who had arranged to meet with the Greek opposition parties as well as the government when he visited Athens on Saturday, the spokesman noted.

At this stage, Protopapas stressed, the government was mainly interested in making arrangements that would help the country adopt a united stance, while it was also anxious to allow the Cypriot side to have the first say, since the Cyprus government would bear the final responsibility for the choices that were made.

''We will work with and support President Clerides,'' he emphasized.

Responding to complaints from the opposition parties that they had not received the Annan plan on Monday, along with the government, Protopapas said the complaints were 'unfair' and pointed out that the proposed plan had to first be presented to the political parties on Cyprus.

''For reasons of propriety and etiquette, we have to present the plan to political party leaders after Cyprus' National Council has convened,'' he stressed.

Regarding Athens' initial stance to the Annan proposals, Protopapas reiterated that the Annan document was a ''starting point for negotiations'' and that finding a solution on Cyprus after 28 years favored Greek interests.

''The voices calling for us to stay away from negotiations are leading us down dangerous paths, those of de facto division,'' he added.

Asked about the one-week deadline set by Annan for the two sides to respond to his proposals, Protopapas said that it was feasible for the two sides to decide on a framework of an agreement before the EU summit in Copenhagen but that this would not be a condition for Cyprus' EU accession.

He particularly stressed that Cyprus' EU accession and a solution to the Cyprus issue should not be seen as linked in any way and also that EU enlargement could not go ahead without Cyprus.

Earlier on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis had noted that the one-week time frame given by Annan was not a deadline but the time needed to study and process the 135-page UN document so that negotiations between the two sides could begin.

He also reiterated that the UN plan was seen by Athens as the basis and starting point of further negotiations.

According to Beglitis, the only target date within the plan was March 30, 2003, so that if a solution was achieved the electorate could be given a final say in a national referendum.

He announced that Foreign Minister George Papandreou would begin a round of meetings with European Union ministers and officials to assess whether the plan was workable and compatible with European laws and regulations, beginning with his German counterpart Joschka Fischer, EU common foreign policy and defense policy chief Javier Solana and EU Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen.

He said the meetings sought to ensure that the EU would act in a supportive and advisory way so that the plan was in the interests of both communities but also the EU itself, in order to avoid problems.

Beglitis particularly stressed that negotiations on Annan's plan would continue as long as was necessary and that the two dates mentioned within it - the start of the EU summit in Copenhagen on December 12 and the signature of treaties for the new EU member-states on April 16 2003 in Athens - were not binding.

[04] Gov't meeting at prime ministers' office on Cyprus issue

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Commenting afterward, Papandreou said the meeting had focused on the next steps that had to be taken after the Annan plan was presented, with the most important being to brief the political parties and state institutions.

The president of the republic had already been briefed earlier in the day by the prime minister, he noted, while he would brief the political leaders himself later on Tuesday.

The government also intended to keep the public as highly informed as possible on all aspects of the issue and to jointly decide on a position with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

According to Papandreou, the aim was to achieve as broad a consensus as possible. To this end, he announced that he would also brief the Greek Parliament and former foreign ministers.

Asked if there would be a party leaders' summit chaired by the president, Papandreou said this was initially viewed positively as a means of achieving the greatest possible agreement.

Following the briefing by himself and the prime minister's meeting with Clerides, the prime minister would then meet with each of the party leaders individually and a decision on whether there would be a meeting together would be taken at that time, he added.

[05] Main opposition expresses reservations over UN plan for Cyprus

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

The party said it was concerned about a series of issues contained within the document presented on Monday by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Top ND official George Souflias said the party would present its positions officially once it had been given an opportunity to examine the Annan proposals in depth, which Foreign Minister George Papandreou was due to deliver on Tuesday afternoon.

ND leader Costas Karamanlis has been in meetings with aides and officials on this issue since Tuesday morning, while the party may convene its political council over the coming week.

Karamanlis hopes to have the party's official position ready by Thursday or by Saturday at the latest, to coincide with the visit by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides to Athens.

[06] Annan plan for Cyprus 'balanced', EU Commissioner says

BRUSSELS 13/11/2002 (ANA - V. Demiris)

At the same time, however, Verheugen noted that the European Commission would have to examine the text in depth before it announced its views.

Speaking at the Centre for European Policy in Brussels, Verheugen also described Annan's plan as a "courageous and important step" and said that it could bring about the peaceful coexistence of the two communities on Cyprus if they agreed to it.

Verheugen noted that the Commission would prefer that Cyprus join the EU reunited - though this was not a condition for accession which would proceed regardless - and he urged Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to "seize the opportunity" to reach an agreement before the end of the year.

With respect to glitches regarding European laws and regulations, he said the EU would discuss the imposition of transitional regulations and periods with the United Nations if this was judged necessary, similar to those imposed in previous enlargements, which imposed restrictions on the free movement of persons, capital and the right to buy real estate.

[07] Europarliament president calls Annan Cyprus plan "a unique opportunity"

BRUSSELS 13/11/2002 (ANA - B. Demiris)

In a written statement, here, Cox said that the proposals tabled by Annan constitute a ''unique opportunity for our times'' to resolve the Cyprus issue and the ''best opportunity, after decades of impasse, for the accession of a reunified Cyprus to the European Union''.

''The leaders of the two communities should take advantage of this unique opportunity, so as to realize a solution of the problem before the Copenhagen Summit,'' he said.

[08] State Department urges two sides to work urgently with Annan

WASHINGTON 13/11/2002 (ANA/T.Ellis)

In a statement released after the UN presented Cyprus President

Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash with a proposal for a Cyprus settlement Monday, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher expressed Washington's full support to the ongoing UN efforts to find a just and durable settlement to the problem.

"The United States strongly welcomes the initiative of the Secretary-General Kofi Annan to present a proposal for a comprehensive settlement to the two Cypriot leaders as a basis for an agreement," he said.

"We fully support this step and the ongoing efforts by the Secretary-General, his Special Advisor Alvaro De Soto and the Good Offices Mission to find a just and durable solution to the long-standing division of the island", the State Department spokesman noted.

"We encourage the two sides to study the settlement proposal carefully, to provide their considered responses and to work urgently with the Secretary-General to achieve a settlement by seizing the historic opportunity that exists before the European Union makes its decisions on enlargement in Copenhagen in December,'' Boucher added.

[09] Alternate FM interviewed by Turkish television channel

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

''I believe the greatest priority requiring a great decision is that my government has accepted the idea that whatever progress in Cyprus is linked to a compromise. A compromise which can be acceptable to all sides and we believe it will provide a very beneficial prospect for all parties involved,'' he said.

Yiannitsis also said everything depends on some big ''ifs.'' If what is required is a better future for Cyprus and if someone is determined to make concessions to achieve this target.

''Of course, what comes first is the establishment of a workable and effective state which will be able to function inside the European Union. These are the basic principles of our rapprochement,'' he added.

Yiannitsis stressed that Greece and Turkey currently have the opportunity to benefit from the transition to strategies of closer cooperation.

[10] DM attends launching of navy's new missile boat

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

The cost of the program for building the first three missile boats amounts to 440 million euros.

Papantoniou said the Government Council of Foreign and Defense Affairs (KYSEA) will convene soon to decide on the purchase of corvettes to further strengthen the fleet.

He further said the government is securing conditions of healthy competition regarding the awarding of armed forces orders.

He also reiterated that the government intends to increase the percentage of the Greek defense industry's participation in orders for weaponry systems from 12 percent at present to 20 percent.

The defense minister referred to measures being taken to modernize the armed forces to enable them to become even more reliable, capable and effective.

[11] Deputy public order minister to attend Adriatic & Ionian Seas' initiative

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

The meeting will be attended by ministers from Greece, Italy, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and Yugoslavia, while ministers from Cyprus, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Turkey and Bulgaria will seat in as observers.

[12] Alternate FM Yiannitsis meets OSCE officials

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

British parliamentarian Bruce George, who headed the delegation, expressed the hope that the plan's proposals will be studied with sincerity and positively by all sides for the achievement of an agreement.

They also discussed issues related to security and stability in the broader region of the Mediterranean and the Balkans.

[13] Deputy FM meets with Cuban, Bosnian ambassadors

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

They also discussed bilateral relations and the promotion of development aid from Greece to Cuba to the tune of 1.5 billion euros.

The Greek Minister also met with Bosnia's Ambassador to Athens L. Zukovic and discussed issues related to the Greek Balkan Reconstruction plan.

The two men focused on the reconstruction of the Sarajevo Common Institutions building. Greece undertook the reconstruction of this building as Bosnia submitted a comprehensive plan for it.

Zukovic thanked the minister for Greece's aid and said that his country would submit further plans for funding.

[14] 2003 budget to be submitted Tuesday, Nov 19

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis to discuss budget issues, Mr Christodoulakis said that incomes policy for 2003 would be based on inflation projections and stressed that the government's aim was to support workers' income.

The Greek minister noted that next year's budget would also aim to contain public spending and seek balancing of spending the revenues.

Mr Christodoulakis also announced that the economy and finance ministry was drafting a special bill, to be submitted to parliament after the 2003 budget, setting spending evaluation rules.

[15] Finance minister and DM discuss defense ministry's budget

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Papantoniou said there is nothing immediate concerning privatizations in the defense industry sector, but added that the general direction is reorganization, privatization and international cooperation in these companies.

Christodoulakis said issues concerning the financing of defense and the reorganization of several defense industry sectors were discussed.

He added that defense industries can be orientated better to enable local participation in the country's armaments programs to increase.

Asked whether the new budget will contain austerity measures, particularly in the expenditures sector, Christodoulakis said that since 1994 when Greece started to enter a fiscal stability and convergence course in a reliable and systematic way the word austerity has been abandoned.

[16] Budget revenues up 8.2 percent in Jan-Oct

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

VAT revenues jumped 11.7 percent in the January-October period, income tax revenues rose 4.9 percent, while other revenues rose 13.3 percent over the same period. Securities' transaction tax revenues, however, dropped 46.1 percent in the January-October period.

[17] Greek companies have advantage in Balkan expansion

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Addressing a meeting, organized by the Northern Greece's Industry Union (SBBE) and the Greek-Holland Trade and Industry Union, Mr Bruinsma referred to problems facing the global economy and their impact on his country's economy.

Mr Bruinsma stressed that economic growth in the Netherlands fell to 0.5 percent this year, from 1.3 percent in 2001 and 3.3 percent in 2000, and that the government budget would show a deficit this year and in 2003 after recording surpluses in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

A process of stabilization and democratization in the Balkan states ensured improved trade relations with the rest of the world, Mr Bruinsma said and added that Greece was a gate towards the Balkans.

Mr Bruinsma noted that companies from Holland would benefit from an expected expansion of the European Union as his country was one of the three biggest trade partners of all candidate countries, a relation that could improve further after the expansion.

[18] Greek GDP rises 3.4 percent in 3rd quarter, yr/yr

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

NSS said that based on this performance the Greek economy could achieve a target for a 3.8 percent growth rate this year.

The 3.4 percent growth rate in the July-September period reflected, a 2.2 percent increase in spending on final consumption which resulted to a 1.4 percent rise in total demand, an 8.6 percent increase in investments, and 1.7 percent rise in exports and a 2.8 percent increase in imports, compared with the same quarter in 2001.

[19] EU: Greek labor market rigid in public sector, flexible in private sector

BRUSSELS 13/11/2002 (ANA/G.Zitouniati)

EU Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou, who handles social affairs, authored the report on the labor market in the 15-nation bloc.

The report showed that the Greek economy grew by 4.1 percent in 2001 while employment fell by 0.3 percent; and its main structural problems remained.

A low rate of employment at 55.4 percent lagged the EU average, and the figure was lower for women at 40.9 percent and for young people at 26.0 percent, the report said.

Unemployment had dropped from a peak of 11.9 percent in 1999 to 10.5 percent in 2001, with downward pressure seen to below 10.0 percent, which was nevertheless still higher than the EU average.

Main targets of Greek policy in the sector were a rise in the percentage of employment, improvement in the quality of labor, and combatting joblessness and distortions in the labor market.

Recent action in Greece had focused on the adoption of new measures that aimed to tone up the labor market, revise legislation on redundancy procedures, and provide more incentives for part-time work.

The report noted that Greece had introduced active equal opportunity policies, and that more action was required to speed up reform of state employment services.

Some of the steps taken to boost business activity were on the right track, including tax incentives, simplification of administration, and support for new businesses and firms set up by women, the report added.

[20] De Palacio to visit Athens November 14-15

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

The conference is a Greek initiative aimed to promote an electricity market in the region, under common rules and operation framework, to be gradually included in a community energy market. The conference will include Albania, Yugoslavia, FYROM, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Italy and Hungary will participate as observers, while Turkey and Moldavia have asked to become members in the initiative. Russia will also participate.

Mrs. De Palacio will meet with the President of the Republic, Mr Costis Stephanopoulos, Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Transport Minister Christos Verelis to discuss issues related with the Greek EU presidency, starting January 1, 2003.

[21] Minister briefs committee on structural programs

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Christodoulakis said he himself favors the view that candidate countries should have the same handling as Greece had when it joined the European Union since such a thing, as he said, will contribute to the EU having more cohesion.

Referring to issues to be examined by the Greek EU presidency in the economic sector, in the first half of 2003, Christodoulakis focused on the effort to coordinate individual national economic policies and the need for mutual cooperation and information on individual employment policies and taxation issues.

The finance minister also said Greece is preparing a program on the Greek presidency's priorities in the economic sector and notified the committee that the informal meeting of finance ministers will take place in the city of Hania, Crete, in April.

[22] CSF programs to be activated by year end, gov’t says

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters in a regular briefing over the course of the program, Mr Pahtas said that already three-fourth of the program's total budget have been activated and stressed that "we are currently in a mature phase of implementing the program."

The Greek minister said that community funds' inflows total 3.5 billion euros, more than 100 percent of last year's contribution and stressed the figure ensured funds until 2004.

Mr Pahtas said he expected inflows totalling 1.5 billion euros to be completed in the first two months of 2003.

[23] Greek-Turkish Chamber sees benefits of political solution for Cyprus

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

''Resolution of the Cyprus issue through a just and viable solution would greatly help Greece and Turkey, apart from the Cypriot people,'' the chamber's president, Panayotis Koutsikos, told reporters.

A solution would allow Greece freely to exercise European policy in the region, and Turkey would demonstrate in practice the genuineness of its intentions concerning a European orientation, Koutsikos said.

He was asked to comment on proposals for Cyprus by UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

[24] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks slip in volatile trade

Athens, 13/11/2002 (ANA)

The general share index shed 0.21 percent to end at 1,828.23 points. Turnover was 84 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.46 percent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.26 percent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities 0.34 percent up.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 152 to 136 with 72 issues remaining unchanged.

The most heavily traded stocks in value were Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Informatics, Hellenic Technodomiki, Spider, and Vardas.

Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 70.6 mln euros Tuesday

Equity Index Futures: