Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 03-12-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM flatly dismisses latest round of succession rumors

[02] PM Simitis chairs meeting on Athens Olympic Games security

[03] ND leader arrives in Paris to attend EPP summit

[04] FM Papandreou says justice given in Loizidou case

[05] Alternate FM Yiannitsis comments on Euro-Med summit in Naples

[06] US Ambassador Miller visits Ministerial Council Secretary Kosmidis

[07] Ecumenical Patriarchate rejects Greek Church decision on 'new territories'

[08] ND leader Karamanlis confers with mayor Bakoyianni 'on all issues'

[09] Initiative for the Rallying of the Left founding declaration presented

[10] Environmentalists, real estate coops slam bill for forests as harmful

[11] Athens mayor inaugurates 'Network Athens' system

[12] Greek export growth rate exceeded import rate in Jan-Sept

[13] Privatization the only solution for OA, EU Commissioner stresses

[14] Business forum held in Athens

[15] Finance ministry strikers to have pay docked, sources say

[16] Greek mutual funds' assets eased 0.31 pct in November

[17] Greek stocks hit 2,200-point level on Wednesday

[18] Pakistani authorities to release 'Tasman Spirit' crew from house arrest

[19] Port authority evacuates passenger ship for fear of bomb

[20] SAE undertakes operation of Orthodox medical centre 'Evangelismos' in S. Albania

[21] Greece to be the honored country of the Arco artistic event in Spain

[22] Greek UNICEF Committee undertakes activities against xenophobia and racism

[23] Vienna residences of Greek personages discovered

[24] Diamantopoulou reviews European year of the handicapped initiative

[25] Confederation for disabled submits 2003 report to Parliament

[26] Conference on equality of the genders held in Athens

[27] Commissioner Verheugen defends Annan Plan

[28] Loizidou case must be implemented in full, say lawyer and Loizidou

[01] PM flatly dismisses latest round of succession rumors

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

Simitis spoke at a press luncheon hosted by the Athens-based Foreign Press Association of Greece, where he appeared confident PASOK will win a third consecutive four-year term.

He again said elections will take place in either April or May without providing a specific date -- as the spring of 2003 essentially exhausts the current government's mandate.

Moreover, he clarified that he is not interested in a possible move to a European position, ''I will remain in the country.''

In citing two major goals of his government, Simitis pointed to the successful hosting of the 2004 Olympics in Athens next year as well as a viable and fair solution to the Cyprus problem, also in 2004.

Furthermore, he dismissed any notion that another consecutive victory by PASOK smacks of a ''regime-like development'', saying Helmut Kohl in Germany, Margaret Thatcher in Britain and the Social Democrats in Sweden were elected to multiple consecutive terms in office.

Referring to the main opposition New Democracy party, he said the party demonstrated aggressiveness vis-a-vis Turkey and still does not want to touch the issue of the Aegean's continental shelf. He also said ND has offered nothing new, especially in terms of income redistribution or doing away with inequities.

Asked about the course of the Greek economy, he reiterated that GDP stands at around 4 percent annually, amongst the highest in a still recession-plagued European Union. Moreover, he said unemployment remains the number one social problem in the country, even despite a decrease of 3 percent in the joblessness figure.

He also reiterated his government’s goal of real convergence with the rest of the EU, saying this can be achieved because more resources for development are now available.

Turning to a standing Greek foreign policy concern, Simitis said so-called “elections” in Turkish-occupied Cyprus offer the population in the occupied territories a chance to “decide its fate”.

“Whatever the result is after the election, a discussion on a solution to the Cyprus problem based on the Annan plan must take place. The international community has accepted the fact that the Cyprus solution must be solved on the basis of UN resolutions. This realization also holds true for Turkey, as well as for whatever (T/C) leadership emerges from the ‘elections’,” Simitis said, adding: “In fact, the election results will affect Turkey’s European prospects as well.”

In reference to the long-awaited 1.1-million-dollar damage finally paid a day earlier by Turkey to a Greek Cypriot defendant (Titina Loizidou) who successfully sued Ankara in the European Court of Human Rights for depriving her of the right to enjoy and exploit her property (Kyrenia) in the occupied territory of Cyprus, Simitis said Greece and the Nicosia government disagreed with a CoE decision, insisting that the ECHR’s ruling be fully, and not partially, implemented.

However, he said the positive aspects from the decision demonstrate that the break-away T/C pseudo-state is administratively dependent on Turkey, and that “Turkey is seen as responsible by the world for the occupied territories”.

Queried about recent high-profile discussions regarding Europe’s defense prospects, the Greek PM said his assessment was positive, noting that he will take up the matter next week during his talks in Rome with Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi, followed by talks with Tony Blair in London.

Asked about the closely watched issue of security for next year’s 2004 Olympics, Simitis said “everything possible is being done so we can prevent any type of threat. All possibilities must be taken into consideration in our plans. There’s already international cooperation with seven nations, and we’re working well with them ... the Olympics will be safe,” he stressed.

In opening the question and answer portion of the luncheon, he noted that Greece backed the Commission on the issue of excessive fiscal deficits by France and Germany, adding that Athens had to ''evaluate, however, if the Council (Ecofin) would conclude without a result, or if it had to provide some result. Therefore, it (Greece) voted for the presidency’s proposal. Greece backs the Stability Pact and wants a common stance.”

He added that he recently discussed the issue here with visiting Commission President Romano Prodi. Regarding the same issue, Simitis said it is nevertheless self-evident that emergencies (i.e. natural disasters) can justify deviations from the Pact.

Finally, he again stressed that Athens has disagreed with the notion of abandoning the pact’s principles, although it believes that its operation must be safeguarded.

ND reaction: In a terse reply to the premier's earlier statements, a ND spokesman noted that ''with all that he said, Mr. Simitis simply confirmed the end of his government. The people will judge him. Greek citizens will bring ND to power, a government that will unite all Greeks for a better Greece.''

[02] PM Simitis chairs meeting on Athens Olympic Games security

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

Floridis, as well as Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, said Russia has been added to the already existing ''Olympic Coordinating Group'' composed of the United States, Britain, Israel, Germany, France and Australia.

''We are facing the issue of Olympic security as an international problem, since we are organizing an international event of great dimensions,'' Venizelos said.

''We are moving on the issue of both the country's security and that of security for the Games on the way towards the Olympics and throughout their duration,'' he also said, adding that ''the government is handling the country's security in the framework of the country's legal order and the existing military security planning is being implemented by the Greek armed forces, always taking into consideration the simple fact that the country is a member of NATO and, consequently, Greek military planning takes into consideration NATO's general planning.''

Venizelos went on to say ''we have been implementing a system of sincere and open international cooperation for some time at the level of security for the Games and the 'Olympic Coordinating Group' will be utilized in the best possible way from the point of view of know-how, through informatics as well.''

The culture minister stressed that all available data has been included in the planning, including those resulting from the recent terrorist attack in Istanbul.

Referring to the task of the joint venture undertaking security systems, Venizelos said ''we would like greater response to exist, greater speed and better cooperation inside the joint venture.''

Foreign Minister George Papandreou said while leaving the meeting that ''we must not understand international cooperation on security issues regarding the Olympic Games as pressure on Greece, because before all us Greeks desire safe Games.''

[03] ND leader arrives in Paris to attend EPP summit

PARIS 04/12/2003 (ANA/A. Panagopoulos)

Karamanlis will participate in a dinner on Thursday to which prime ministers and opposition party leaders of the European centre-right have been invited, while he might also have contacts with European prime ministers on the sidelines.

ND attributes great importance to decisions to be taken since leaders will be turning up at next week's summit on the new European constitution with these positions.

Karamanlis was briefed by his associates on the interview given in Athens by Prime Minister Costas Simitis and made no comment.

However, leading ND officials believe that political developments might take place in January and do not rule out the possibility of early elections in February or March.

[04] FM Papandreou says justice given in Loizidou case

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

Loizidou had demanded compensation from Turkey for depriving her of the enjoyment of her property after it invaded and occupied northern Cyprus in the summer of 1974.

''This decision is important because, precisely, it recognizes the right not only of Mrs. Loizidou but also of many others who have lost their property,'' he said, adding that it was also the result of the coordinated efforts of Greece and Cyprus over the past five years.

The foreign minister expressed hope that the new year will be the year in which a solution will be found for the issue of Cyprus, in accordance with UN resolutions and on the basis of negotiations on the Annan plan, while there will also be the political will enabling this to become reality.

Papandreou further said the Greek government has supported Turkey's European course and added that this course means respect for human rights and for the rules of the European Union and the Council of Europe.

[05] Alternate FM Yiannitsis comments on Euro-Med summit in Naples

NAPLES 04/12/2003 (ANA – F. Karaviti)

The envisioned body would retain 240 members -- 120 from national legislatures on the sea’s southern rim and 120 from the EU. It will also ostensibly convene once a year.

Meanwhile, according to Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis, who represented Athens at the summit, the dominant issue on the agenda was the Mideast, with the consensus citing a lack of progress in peace efforts, whereas the frequently touted “road map” was termed as the “only choice” for normalizing the region.

[06] US Ambassador Miller visits Ministerial Council Secretary Kosmidis

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

According to clarifications by Miller, the purpose of his visit was to offer his best wishes to Kosmidis in view of the Christmas holidays.

''I have many friends here. These are days of Christmas and I came to wish a merry Christmas,'' the ambassador stated.

[07] Ecumenical Patriarchate rejects Greek Church decision on 'new territories'

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

This is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between Phanar and Athens that erupted over the summer, which pivots mainly on the election of bishops in northern Greece.

The Patriarchate's emissary stayed 15 minutes and refused to make any statements on his departure, saying he was not authorized to enter into talks with Archbishop Christodoulos, head of the Church of Greece.

After receiving the letter, the Athens Archiepiscopate issued an announcement insisting on its position and saying it would examine the letter with ''due attention'' and judge its contents with the ''respect incumbent to the Patriarchate, alongside the dominant sense of responsibility toward the Autocephalous and Self-governing Church of Greece''.

The announcement ended, however, with an appeal to let the faithful concentrate on the upcoming Christmas holiday undistracted and for all sides to ''work so that Christ's message of love and peace will fill the hearts of all''.

The dispute between the Patriarchate and the Church of Greece was also the focus of a government meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis and attended by Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Education and Religious Affairs Minister Petros Efthymiou and General Secretary for Religious Affairs Yiannis Konidaris.

After the meeting, Efthymiou said that the government's position on the issue was unchanged from the start.

''The two chief institutions of Orthodoxy must relate with understanding, dialogue and perfect cooperation,'' he stressed.

He ruled out any legislative intervention by the government, unless the two sides were in full agreement and jointly requested this from the Greek state.

Papandreou reiterated the government's position on the issue and said the government was taking all steps that ''might contribute to the climate required for this dialogue and a final understanding''.

[08] ND leader Karamanlis confers with mayor Bakoyianni 'on all issues'

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

During the 90-minute meeting, they discussed political developments and ND's course to the upcoming general elections, although they did not discuss organizational matters or whether Bakoyianni would sit on the ND election campaign committee.

No statements were made after the meeting.

Main opposition leader visits centre for children with special needs: Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis on Wednesday visited the Centre for the Recovery and Rehabilitation of Children in Voula and was briefed on the problems faced by the centre by the staff.

According to Karamanlis, the 120 children currently staying at the centre are not receiving due support from the state, since the centre lacked key personnel.

He also noted that the building had suffered damage from the earthquake in 1981.

Karamanlis stressed that children with developmental disorders were "Greek citizens of equal standing" and had to be treated as such, noting that ND's program included the founding of a developmental rehabilitation centre focusing on early diagnosis and care and modern therapeutic methods.

[09] Initiative for the Rallying of the Left founding declaration presented

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

The ''Initiative for the Rallying of the Left'', and its founding proclamation, were presented at a press conference by its founding members, all prominent personalities of the Left heading small groupings, who include Manolis Glezos, Yannis Banias, A. Davanelos, T. Christodoulopoulou, and Y. Theonas.

Two of the fundamental elements of the proclamation are the cooperation of these forces in light of the upcoming general elections, and the initiative's strong anti-European character.

In an extensive reference to the EU, the proclamation said that ''this Europe is not the Europe envisioned by the people'', and that ''we are opposed to this Europe''. It elaborated the Initiative's positions on a variety of issues, such as the war in Iraq, the downgrading of social rights, and the problems of racism and xenophobia, stressing that the Initiative's vision was ''a Europe of Democracy, popular prosperity, rights and freedoms for all'', and called for rejection of the European Constitution.

[10] Environmentalists, real estate coops slam bill for forests as harmful

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

The bill is currently being discussed before parliamentary committee.

Members of real estate cooperatives, forestry students and the groups Social Action for Forests and Ecologist Greens gathered outside Parliament on Wednesday morning and presented a resolution to the Parliament's presidency.

They said the bill declassified millions of acres of forest and that the government's aim appeared to be to turn forests into commodities.

In the resolution, the protestors said they were fighting so that forests and the natural environment would remain in the public domain.

The Ecologist Greens, meanwhile, stressed that the bill only addressed the problems of squatting and those seeking to illegally occupy forests, in a bid to ''buy votes and consciences'' before the elections.

[11] Athens mayor inaugurates 'Network Athens' system

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

''Network Athens'' is the first integrated and comprehensive system serving local residents, consisting of the municipality's seven CSCs and a special ''Municipal citizens - 195'' phone line offering services to local residents over the phone.

The network will also provide information on all upcoming e-vents organized by the Athens municipality and give an immediate response to complaints, reports and observations.

According to Bakoyianni, the aim of the network is to create a direct and open channel of communication with the public in the Athens municipality.

[12] Greek export growth rate exceeded import rate in Jan-Sept

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

The council meeting, chaired by Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, also approved a package of 15 measures aimed to facilitate and promote exports along with seven strategy surveys and export growth programs.

The export-support measures envisage simpler procedures of VAT return to exporters and registration procedures to a special exporters' registry, the abolition of a letter of guarantee for fresh farm produce exporters, modernization of customs, restructuring of an Export Promotion Organization and supporting competitiveness of exporting companies.

The new export strategy includes plans to promote exports to the US, China, Canada and Turkey through a combined promotion campaign of Greek tourism and Greek products, particularly olive oil.

The council's report stressed that implementing a new outgoing export policy was an ambitious and realistic goal. The new policy envisages raising the participation of exports to the country's Gross Domestic Product by three percentage points in the next four years, aiming to gradually reduce the country's trade deficit.

The National Export Council is also promoting a program aimed to fully exploit the Athens 2004 Olympic Games by maximizing economic benefit from the Games.

The plan aims to become Greece a "destination country" for commerce, investments and tourism.

[13] Privatization the only solution for OA, EU Commissioner stresses

BRUSSELS 04/12/2003 (ANA - V. Demiris)

Responding to questions during the regular press briefing, the Commissioner said that the privatization process for OA must fully respect Community law and said the Commission was waiting to receive all the relevant information from Greek authorities before it adopted a position.

According to sources, the documents sent by Greek authorities to the Commission are now in the process of being translated, which should be completed by the start of next year.

[14] Business forum held in Athens

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

Mr Tsohatzopoulos stressed that the implementation of a government-sponsored program, called "Competitiveness", "the government is achieving its goals with around 18,000 businesses already participating in the program."

Commenting on a recent decision by the European Union to fund 56 infrastructure projects in the energy sector, the Greek minister said that "in periods of economic slowdown one cannot remain idle, we must find escape channels and state investments is one of these channels."

Professor Gkikas-Hardouvelis, chief financial advisor to the Prime Minister's office, addressing the forum stressed that today's world was most accessible by small- and medium-sized enterprises. "Markets are more open because developed-nation governments have lowered their protectionism barriers and because technology has brought consumers closer to producers".

Mr Hardouvelis stressed that new businesses' growth rate reached 11 percent annually in Greece, slightly higher compared with the US (10.2 percent) and 10 out of the EU-15 states.

[15] Finance ministry strikers to have pay docked, sources say

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

At the same time, the finance ministry is expected to launch a new initiative with strikers in a bid to end the walkout, the same sources said.

The GNSS is a department of the ministry.

[16] Greek mutual funds' assets eased 0.31 pct in November

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

A monthly report by the Union of Institutional Investors said, however, that the market's asset value was up 18.10 percent so far this year, while the number of mutual funds in the domestic market fell to 261 in November from 263 in October reflecting two mergers in the sector.

Domestic equity funds reported a 3.29 percent rise in assets in November with their average return rising to 18.75 percent from 17 percent in October. The report said that 59 out of the total 68 funds in the category reported returns more than 10 percent in November, while 18 funds' returns exceeded ASE's general index performance (up 24.11 percent so far this year).

Foreign and international equity funds reported high average returns, while domestic bond funds recorded a 2.49 percent decline in assets along with foreign bond funds (-6.14 percent), while international bond funds recorded an 11.32 percent rise in assets in the month.

Domestic money management funds reported a 0.79 percent drop in assets and an average return of 1.98 percent so far in 2003.

Combined funds reported insignificant changes in November, while domestic combined funds recorded an average return of 9.95 percent so far this year.

Bond mutual funds saw their market share falling to 21.77 percent in November from 22.08 percent in October.

Domestic bond funds' assets fell 2.49 percent to 5.16 billion euros, with net outflows of 127.94 million euros and an average return of 1.86 percent in 2003.

Foreign bond funds' assets fell by 6.14 percent to 726.36 million euros with the sub-category's average return totalling -1.39 percent in November.

International bond funds' assets rose 11.32 percent to 642.93 million euros with an average return of -1.51 percent.

Money management mutual funds saw their market share easing to 52.01 percent in November from 52.25 percent in October.

Domestic funds' assets fell by 0.79 percent to 15.44 billion euros, with a net average return of 1.98 percent so far this year.

International funds' assets rose 2.23 percent to 150 million euros and an average return of -2.07 percent.

Equity mutual funds saw their market share rising to 15.60 percent in November from 15.13 percent in the previous month.

Domestic equity funds' assets rose 3.29 percent to 4.03 billion euros, with an average return of 18.75 percent in 2003.

Foreign equity funds' assets rose 0.65 percent to 590.31 million euros and an average return of 9.95 percent so far this year.

International funds' assets fell 6.97 percent to 55.06 million euros and an average return of 12.54 percent.

Combined mutual funds saw their market share rising to 10.61 percent in November from 10.54 percent in October.

Domestic funds' assets rose 0.53 percent to 3.02 billion euros, with an average return of 9.95 percent in the year.

Foreign funds' assets increased by 13.89 percent to 8.51 million euros and an average return of 3.15 percent so far in 2003.

International funds' assets fell 3.10 percent to 151.57 million euros, with an average return of 1.25 percent over the same period.

[17] Greek stocks hit 2,200-point level on Wednesday

Athens, 04/12/2003 (ANA)

The index finally ended at 2,197.74 points, up 0.79 percent with turnover a heavy 251.1 million euros.

The Publication and Construction sectors were the only ones to suffer losses (0.79 percent and 0.09 percent, respectively), while the Insurance (2.29 percent), Food-Beverage (2.13 percent) and Telecommunications (1.53 percent) sectors scored the biggest percentage gains.

Telecommunications stocks were at the focus of buying activity and the biggest movers of the day, with trading in Hellenic Telecoms, Panafon and Cosmote accounting for more than 50 percent of the day's turnover.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.99 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.62 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index jumped 1.29 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 202 to 97 with another 60 issues unchanged.

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