Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 04-02-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU finance ministers back Greek stability plan

[02] Parliament ratifies EU enlargement treaty, PM hails accession of Cyprus Republic

[03] Flurry of consultations in NY ahead of resumption of UN-brokered Cyprus talks

[04] Cyprus pres. Papadopoulos: EU accession wouldn't have been possible without Greece

[05] US reaffirms it will do everything possible to aid success of Cyprus effort

[06] Visit to Cyprus by PASOK leader announced officially

[07] Manos, Andrianopoulos respond positively to call to join PASOK party

[08] ND to cooperate with Papathemelis' Democratic Renaissance party

[09] PASOK leader Papandreou meets civil servants council

[10] KKE calls for televised debate in which all parties take part

[11] Constantopoulos criticizes Papandreou's statements on education

[12] Government announces names of two new ministers to assume election period duties

[13] Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR

[14] Communist party leader says KKE will fight against EU's anti-worker policies

[15] Greek inflation slows further to 2.9 pct in January, yr/yr

[16] FM and PASOK party leader George Papandreou visits farmers' cooperative union

[17] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in higher turnover

[18] Greek Olympic Committee to announce name of Olympic torch carrier on Wednesday

[19] Defendants in ELA trial make their plea

[20] President visits Greek Literary and Historic Archives (ELIA)

[21] PM launches national radio wave management system

[22] Eckhard announces schedule of talks

[23] De Soto meets Papadopoulos

[01] EU finance ministers back Greek stability plan

BRUSSELS 11/02/2004 (ANA/V.Demiris)

At the same time, Greek economic policy should better align with the bloc's basic orientation, the ministers said in a statement adopting the country's 2003-2006 stability plan that was released in the Belgian capital.

''The updated program complies to a very great degree with requirements of the revised behavior code in terms of the content and form that stability and convergence programs should have,'' the statement said.

''An update of the analysis of the long-term viability of public finances would be useful in light of the previous evaluation that was made, placing emphasis on the danger of long-term imbalances,'' it noted.

The EU ministers said that Greece's fiscal position in the plan was based on maintenance of high primary surpluses throughout its duration, which was in line with a reduction in the proportion of spending and an accelerated decline in the proportion of debt.

Simultaneously, expected was the implementation of a major public investments program.

The updated stability program anticipates an acceleration of the rate of increase in real gross domestic product from a calculated percentage of 4.0 percent in 2003 to 4.2 per cent in 2004; coupled with an ensuing decline in that rate to stabilize at an average 4.0 per cent in 2004 to 2006 against an anticipated average rate of increase of 3.8 per cent in the previous updated program in 2002.

The rate of increase for unemployment is forecast to slow gradually to an average 1.2 per cent in 2005-2006 from 1.7 per cent in 2004. Inflation should gradually decline.

The plan aims at a general government deficit of 1.2 per cent of gross domestic product in 2004 against an anticipated 1.4 per cent in 2003.

Finally, the ministers said that lower primary spending after the Athens 2004 Olympics would contribute to a reduction of deficits.

Nevertheless, on the basis of likely macroeconomic and fiscal data, the mid-term goal in the growth and stability pact for a balanced budget or a budgetary surplus will not be attained in the period in question, the statement concluded.

Greece welcomes EU ministers' acceptance of plan: Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, who attended the EU ministers' meeting, welcomed acceptance of the Greek plan.

Christodoulakis underlined positive comments the country's stability program had attracted on rates of growth and on a rise in productivity, one of the highest rates in Europe.

''The rise in the deficit is largely justified by higher state spending due to the Olympic Games that will be hosted by Athens,'' he noted.

At the same time, the minister acknowledged that the economy showed weaknesses in sectors including the labor market, and a slow adaptation of Greek law to the EU on a free internal market.

FinMin comments on Commission's fiscal plans: The European Commission's fiscal recommendations for an expanded European Union, covering the period 2007-2013, are logical, clever and realistic, Greece's Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, ahead of an ECOFIN council meeting in Brussels, Mr Christodoulakis said that the Greek government has worked intensively with EU Commissioner Mr Diamantopoulou on renewing the dimension of community policy on social cohesion.

The Greek minister sounded satisfied with EU funds' earmarked for Greece in the program at a time when Portugal and Spain would end up receiving less money in the period 2007-2013.

[02] Parliament ratifies EU enlargement treaty, PM hails accession of Cyprus Republic

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

Voting for the treaty were ruling PASOK deputies, main opposition New Democracy party deputies and Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology party (Synaspismos) deputies, while the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) voted against.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis termed the ratification a historic landmark in the course of Hellenism, as well as for the EU's development.

''The accession of the Republic of Cyprus constitutes the vindication of the efforts of the Cypriot and Greek people, as they were expressed by their leaderships and the overwhelming majority of their political forces,'' Simitis said, expressing confidence that the acquis communautaire will be implemented in Cyprus.

Referring to negotiations under the auspices of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the prime minister said ''we shall contribute to their success with the Republic of Cyprus, to enable Cyprus to join on May 1 reunified.''

Simitis further said Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot leadership made verbal maneuvers to avoid the solution based on the Annan plan, reiterating that ''the green line in Nicosia separates Ankara from Brussels.''

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis, referring to the same issue, said the ratification of the enlargement treaty was a historic landmark in the history of Europe.

Karamanlis also praised the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU, saying ''the ratification of the accession of Cyprus to the European Union is a historic moment for Hellenism.''

The ND leader also said Greece had contributed in this direction effectively since 1990 and that both the government and the opposition had contributed in this respect.

''New Democracy paved the way for the accession of Cyprus with the agreement between the Greek and Cypriot government in 1990, which was ratified by all Greek parties,'' Karamanlis said.

He added that ND recognizes and honors the contribution of all to the issue of the accession of Cyprus to the EU and warmly congratulates the Cypriots and all the Cypriot political forces which succeeded in fulfilling conditions for accession and having a vision for the future.

Foreign Minister and PASOK party leader George Papandreou, termed the day a ''historic vindication of a worthy people.''

Papandreou also indicated the accession of Cyprus to the EU also vindicated the correctness of the policy he has followed in past years as the head of Greek diplomacy.

''The positive developments on the issue of Cyprus are the result of a strategy which we have followed in past years,'' Papandreou said.

''Our policy provided a deep feeling of security for the people of Cyprus. Nobody can have designs against Cyprus now and threaten with new Attilas (Attila was the codename given to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974),'' he also said and added that ''Cyprus is joining the EU without the casus belli announced in advance being implemented.''

Papandreou said 2004 will be a crucial year for the Cyprus issue and noted that ''it might be the year in which the issue of Cyprus will be solved, based of course on the resolutions of the UN and the acquis communautaire.''

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga said her party votes against the enlargement treaty, adding that the accession of the 10 new countries is taking place under ''much worse conditions than those of the accession, for example, of Greece''.

Papariga said enlargement does not signal the overcoming of the division of Europe but the intense expansionism of European capital.

Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology party leader Nikos Constantopoulos, referring to the issue of Cyprus during the ratification of the enlargement treaty, said that ''pressures and tight timetables for referendums capable of annulling the negotiating process for a quick solution can lead to a non-viable solution which will worsen instead of improving matters.''

[03] Flurry of consultations in NY ahead of resumption of UN-brokered Cyprus talks

NEW YORK 11/02/2004 (ANA-P. Panayiotou)

Annan's joint meeting with Papadopoulos and Denktash, originally scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (Greek time) at the UN headquarters has been pushed back to 11:00 p.m. (Greek time).

Although it has not been officially announced by the UN Secretariat General -- following the insistence of Denktash -- Annan also intends to have brief separate meetings with Papadopoulos and Denktash prior to commencement of the joint talks. Consequently, he was slated to receive Papadopoulos at his office at 10:30 p.m. (Greek time), and with Denktash at 10:45 p.m. (Greek time), before the 11:00 p.m. (Greek time) joint meeting.

Annan's special advisor on the Cyprus issue, Alvaro de Soto, met Monday night with Denktash, but was unable to hold a similar meeting with Papadopoulos, whose flight to New York was delayed, and therefore that meeting was rescheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (Greek time), resulting in the postponement, for a few hours, of the joint negotiations. It is De Soto's usual practice to hold separate talks with all sides involved before the commencement of a negotiations procedure, according to UN sources. The sources further said that Denktash maintained reservations and objections on Annan's conditions, while Annan reiterated that he insisted on the timetables and conditions he has set out for resumption of the Cyprus negotiations.

Also, the US State Department special coordinator on the Cyprus issue, Tom Weston, was also due to hold separate talks on Tuesday with Papadopoulos and Denktash. Weston and his team were in New York for the Annan-brokered Cyprus negotiations, although they would not be participating in the talks but were attending as observers.

Replying to reporters' questions Monday night, on the procedure of the negotiations, after briefing the members of the UN Security Council, Annan promised that there would be a briefing as soon as the program was formulated.

Regarding the condition for referenda in the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, as set out in the so-called Annan plan that will serve as the basis for the negotiations, the UN chief said that ''that is part of the plan, and we will discuss all these with the interested sides''. He declined to proceed to details ahead of the commencement of the talks.

To another question on whether there would be alternative proposals to the two sides, Annan said ''the plan is very well known, it is the plan that is on the negotiations table and it is a basis for the negotiations''.

As to the prospect of changes being made to the plan, Annan explained: ''The interested sides could mutually agree to changes. If they agree to change it, then naturally we will accept that''.

Annan also replied in the affirmative to a question on whether the talks would be in the form of ''direct'' negotiations.

During the Security Council meeting on Monday, the members expressed their full support for Annan's initiatives. No written statement was issued by the Security Council president (for the month of February), Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, while diplomatic circles at the UN said that the Turkish side had asked the intercession of the US government with the Security Council so that no written statement would be issued.

In an oral statement on the Cyprus issue, Ambassador Wang referred to Annan's short briefing of the Security Council regarding his decision to invite the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to talks in New York.

US permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador John Negreponte, said that Annan's briefing had focused on the timetable for the negotiations, and the hope of achieving an agreement March 26, followed by referenda in April, so that a united Cyprus could access the European Union on May 1.

[04] Cyprus pres. Papadopoulos: EU accession wouldn't have been possible without Greece

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

He called Cyprus' EU accession as ''the biggest achievement and most significant moment of Cyprus after the declaration of the Republic of Cyprus".

According to a parliament press release, Papadopoulos expressed "deepest grateful thanks" to parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis and the 300 members of the House for their firm and decisive assistance.

"I refer to the Parliament of the Hellenes because, discreetly, but with determination and consistency it rendered a condition to ratification of the EU Accession Treaty the inclusion of Cyprus among the 10 countries. I have no reservation in saying that without Greece's assistance, regardless of any achievements, economic and other, we had achieved in Cyprus, regardless of the diplomatic flexibility we may have displayed, Cyprus' accession into the EU would not have been possible," Papadopoulos said.

On Cyprus' role in the European family, Papadopoulos stressed that "we want to be a constructive partner, and not a bothersome member, to contribute to Europe and not only take from Europe. And this will be achieved if we succeed in finding a viable, functional solution to the Cyprus issue so that a re-united Cyprus can accede the EU on May 1 in order that the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots may enjoy the benefits from accession".

[05] US reaffirms it will do everything possible to aid success of Cyprus effort

The United States will do everything possible to contribute to a successful outcome of UN secretary general Kofi Annan's efforts on the Cyprus problem, US state department spokesman Richard Boucher told a regular press briefing on Monday (US time), and noted President George Bush's recent statement concerning a personal involvement in the matter by secretary of state Colin Powell.

Replying to questions, Boucher pointed out that State Department special coordinator for the Cyprus issue, Tom Weston, was in New York with his team for the Annan-brokered talks between Cyprus president Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash due to resume later Tuesday, although, he clarified, Weston would not be taking part in the talks themselves but was attending as an "observer".

Weston will be "attending the meetings as an observer. He won't be a participant and he'll be meeting with the parties in New York. But that's where you need to start: with the basics. The parties are coming to New York. They've accepted the Secretary General's invitation, we understand. Meetings will begin Tuesday under the auspices of the Secretary General," Boucher said.

"First, they'll be talking about procedures and the next steps in the process. We hope that leads to agreement to following the basis of the Secretary General's plans to move forward. We're glad the parties are attending. We urge them to negotiate seriously," he added.

Boucher further noted that Powell had spoken with Turkish foreign minister by phone on Friday "about the upcoming talks", and had also "talked to his other interlocutors, the Secretary General on Friday and again in a phone call yesterday (Sunday), about Cyprus and about how we can all support the Secretary General's efforts".

"It's been, obviously, a subject of discussion also with the French Foreign Minister on Friday and the Netherlands Foreign Minister today (Monday), because we recognize the important role the Europeans and the European Union have to play. And as the President, I think, promised, that we would be doing what we can, everything we can, to support the efforts with our diplomacy and with Secretary Powell's personal involvement in trying to support the effort the Secretary General is making right now," Boucher added..

[06] Visit to Cyprus by PASOK leader announced officially

NICOSIA 11/02/2004 (ANA - G. Leonidas)

In its announcement on Tuesday, it says that Papandreou will arrive at Paphos airport on Thursday and address a gathering of Greeks and repatriated Black Sea Greeks outside the Paphos town hall.

Papandreou will then address a political event organized by the local PASOK committee in Nicosia at 20:00 in the evening.

[07] Manos, Andrianopoulos respond positively to call to join PASOK party

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

Manos said in his statement ''we are ready to respond to the invitation by George Papandreou to participate in the effort for Greece to change, to prepare for the difficult, competitive and full of opportunities world which is coming. For the first time the hope is appearing for the division between left and right to break and for something new to be created.''

Andrianopoulos said on his part ''maintaining my political autonomy, as well as my ideological identity, I feel ready to respond to the call by George Papandreou for us to change many things in modern-day Greece and for us to walk towards the future with confidence.''

[08] ND to cooperate with Papathemelis' Democratic Renaissance party

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

''We want it the way it is, we do not want to change it and we respect it because we believe in the pluralism of ideas,'' he said.

Papathemelis said Karamanlis was a new, uncorrupted politician and noted that his departure from ruling PASOK had been prompted by disagreement with government policies that led to unemployment, poverty, corruption and graft.

He stressed that his cooperation with ND was strictly for the elections and that the Democratic Renaissance party would remain strictly independent as a party of the political center.

Papathemelis will be standing in the 1st constituency of Thessaloniki, while the names of members of his party that will join ND election tickets will be announced on Wednesday.

[09] PASOK leader Papandreou meets civil servants council

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

Papandreou left open the eventuality of improved adjustments in social insurance and salary issues concerning public sector employees.

The PASOK president underlined his objective for civil servants to play an active role in the venture ''for upgrading the functioning of public administration, the consolidation of transparency and the combatting of corruption.''

On his part, ADEDY President Spyros Papaspyros said that the trade unionists briefed Papandreou on the problems faced by civil servants and their positions for the modernization and upgrading of the operation of public administration.

Papaspyros also said that during the meeting, the ADEDY representatives stressed the need for the consolidation of meritocracy, decentralization, the independence of public administration and the upgrading of services towards the public.

[10] KKE calls for televised debate in which all parties take part

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

It accused the two main parties of arguing over the procedure for the debates so that they could find an excuse not to have them at

[11] Constantopoulos criticizes Papandreou's statements on education

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

Referring to Papandreou's proclamations that changes would be made in the ruling PASOK party, Constantopoulos said that ''each day that passes, he announces a different transformation of his party's political image.''

Arguing that Papandreou ''was holding education hostage of the market,'' Constantopoulos added that ''progressive people do not want neo-liberal choices but want progressive modernization, radical changes and structural changes.''

[12] Government announces names of two new ministers to assume election period duties

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

Former Eurodeputy and minister George Romeos will become Press and Mass Media minister.

[13] Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

The ten Turkish aircraft were recognized and intercepted by Greek warplanes, while in two cases the interception process developed into an engagement.

The reports said two of the Turkish aircraft were armed.

[14] Communist party leader says KKE will fight against EU's anti-worker policies

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

She urged the electorate to support her party as the only one that had no political or ethical commitment to promoting EU decisions.

Papariga said that workers should not have any faith in the positions of ruling PASOK or main opposition New Democracy, nor any other party that had helped bring about the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty and the federalization of the EU.

She particularly slammed new PASOK leader George Papandreou for his references to workers in a speech at Korydallos on Monday. She accused him of showing gall, since PASOK governments had made conditions for workers even harder.

[15] Greek inflation slows further to 2.9 pct in January, yr/yr

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

NSS said that the inflation rate was running at 3.1 percent in January 2003.

The consumer price index eased 0.7 percent in January from the previous month.

NSS said that the 2.9 percent increase in the January annual consumer price index reflected: a 3.5 percent rise in food and beverage prices, a 7.1 percent jump in alcohol and tobacco prices, a 4.5 percent increase in clothing and footwear, a 3.5 percent rise in healthcare prices, a 4.4 percent increase in education and 3.1 percent rise in entertainment prices.

The monthly drop in the consumer price index reflected rises of 1.6 percent and 0.9 percent in food-beverage and housing prices, respectively, and declines of 8.2 percent and 3.0 percent in clothing-footwear and durable goods prices, respectively.

[16] FM and PASOK party leader George Papandreou visits farmers' cooperative union

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

Speaking on arrival at the offices of PASEGES, Papandreou said he considered it his duty, after visiting the town of Kileler, to meet with the representatives of all Greek farmers to convey his support for the agricultural sector which plays a significant role.

In a statement after holding talks with the organization’s President Tzanetos Karamihas and members of the directorate, Papandreou said the proposal by PASEGES for an exclusive educational agency for the agricultural sector, which could be implemented in the framework of his proposal for universities not run by the state, was interesting.

The foreign minister said the priority of the party and of the government over the next four years will be placed on young farmers, their education and their briefing.

Karamihas on his part said ''the presence of Mr. Papandreou here is a great honor for us, for the cooperatives, for the hundreds of thousands of our members and for the Greek farmer. This visit has a particular symbolism for PASEGES, but primarily for the role of the cooperative organizations.''

He further said ''we explained to PASOK's president that the development of the agricultural sector passes through healthy cooperatives with entrepreneurial momentum and economic extroversion. The cooperatives are institutions of local and regional development, they are agencies reallocating income for the farmer's benefit and, ultimately, a means of protecting the consumer.''

Karamihas also noted that ''it is the first time that the leader of a ruling party, a party in power, visits us at our offices to discuss problems and listen to our demands.''

[17] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in higher turnover

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

The general share index gained 0.62 percent to end at 2,432.67 points. Turnover was 157.4 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.52 per cent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.31 per cent higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 0.87 percent.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 143 to 137 with 74 issues remaining unchanged.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Closing rates of February 10 2004

Parities in euro

For. Exchange Buying Selling

US Dollar 1,286 1,257

[18] Greek Olympic Committee to announce name of Olympic torch carrier on Wednesday

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

The Olympic torch will travel all over the world before reaching the Athens Olympic stadium on August 13.

The name of the last Olympic torch carrier of the first part of the torch's travels, who will be entering the Panathenian stadium on March 31, will also be announced immediately afterwards.

[19] Defendants in ELA trial make their plea

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

First to address the Three-Member Criminal Appeals Court was Christos Tsigaridas, who said he undertook political responsibility for his participation in ELA up until 1990 but denied the charges against him for specific acts attributed to the group.

Asked by presiding judge Elisavet Brilli to explain the phrase ''the struggle continues'' at the end of ELA's last proclamation in 1995, Tsigaridas said this was a catchphrase often appended to proclamations, noting that the same phrase had been used by the Coordinating Committee of the Polytechnic uprising.

The defendant Costas Agapiou denied all the charges against him and asked the court to read out notes in which he said that his arrest was unconstitutional, since there had been no warrant and insufficient grounds.

In the text, Agapiou claimed that there had been a deliberate attempt to persuade public opinion of his guilt through the use of phrases such as ''criminal personality'' and that the trial and the charges against him were part of a systematic operation against him.

He further claimed that this operation had also targeted his fellow defendant Irene Athanasaki, simply because she was acquainted with him and had refused to cooperate with attempts to attack him.

Regarding the defendant Aggeletos Kanas, he said authorities were trying to implicate the latter with false evidence, while Mihalis Kassimis had only been involved because of his name.

On his part, Kanas told the court that he was innocent and denied the specific charges against him, saying that he had first laid eyes on Athanasaki and Agapiou at the public prosecutor's office the previous year and Kassimis for the first time in the courtroom.

He said he had known Tsigaridas for the past 20 years and had business dealings with him but had never once suspected that the former was involved in any criminal organization.

Athanasaki reiterated that she was innocent and only acquainted with Agapiou among the defendants.

Finally, the lawyer representing Kassimis - who was absent from the courtroom in order to undergo emergency surgery - said his client absolutely denied the charges, which were incompatible with his political beliefs.

According to Kassimis, the charges against him were based on the fact that he was a relative of Christos Kassimis, who was murdered in 1977.

[20] President visits Greek Literary and Historic Archives (ELIA)

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

After the tour, the president was presented with the second volume of ''Greek Shipping'' published by ELIA, a volume of love poems by Cavafy translated into Latin and an album produced by the Aegean Naval Museum based on Mykonos.

[21] PM launches national radio wave management system

Athens, 11/02/2004 (ANA)

The new system will be key to the Athens 2004 Olympics, where demand will be high, Simitis told reporters.

[22] Eckhard announces schedule of talks

UNITED NATIONS 11/02/2004 (CNA/ANA)

In his daily briefing, the spokesman outlined the meetings that would be held on Tuesday, the joint meeting at 16:00 local time of the Greek Cypriot side and the Turkish Cypriot side with the Secretary-General, adding they will go on as long as the parties feel it is useful to talk.

Prior to that, he added, ''there will be brief separate calls by the leaders on the Secretary-General, at 3.30 pm the Greek Cypriot side and at 3.45 pm the Turkish Cypriot side."

Asked if the conditions the Secretary-General had previously put down for the resumption of these talks, which included a commitment by both parties to a referendum, are still seen as a precondition for the continuation of the talks, Eckhard replied, ''let's not kill these talks before they've started."

He said he would prefer ''not to talk about conditions to the talks resuming a few hours before they are about to resume."

''What we hope to establish in the meeting that will take place this afternoon is the commitment of the two parties to reach an agreement.

If that commitment is forthcoming, the assumption is that detailed technical talks would resume as soon as possible involving both sides," he added.

To a question how the guarantor nations will become involved, Eckhard replied that the representatives of the guarantor states, that is the UK, Greece, and Turkey are present at the Secretary-General's suggestion, stressing ''they will not be in the meetings, they will be in the margins ready to play a supporting role as might be required."

Invited to explain what the reason was for the delay in the announcement of the talks, the UN spokesman said Kofi Annan's Special Advisor on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto ''wanted to meet with both delegations to discuss the details for the talks, when they would take place, how many would participate etc."

He said the meetings were purely technical and de Soto did not give ''anything of a substantive nature that came out of them."

Asked if the talks will continue in New York or be moved to Cyprus, Eckhard said it was ''hard to predict," adding that ''it's our assumption that following a single session with the Secretary-General here in New York that as I said earlier the detailed nuts and bolts negotiations could begin with Alvaro de Soto representing the Secretary-General in a Good Offices function and where that would take place I don't think we are ready to say, they may announce it at the end of today."

''The EU accession date of the 1st of May provides motivation for the parties to restart talks in a serious way. They have indicated to the Secretary-General that they are prepared to do that, so I think everyone's working assumption is that what they are beginning to undertake today is with a view to concluding by the 1st of May," he said.

Asked if there will be another session on Wednesday, Eckhard replied, ''Not to my knowledge."

[23] De Soto meets Papadopoulos

UNITED NATIONS 11/02/2004 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking after the hour-long meeting, de Soto confirmed that the meetings with the Secretary-General were scheduled to take place later in the day, with two brief separate meetings of Annan with Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash prior to their common meeting.

He described his discussions with President Papadopoulos on Tuesday and with Rauf Denktash on Monday as ''very pleasant.''

Asked if they will continue the meetings in New York, de Soto said he did not know, adding ''we will see this afternoon, whether this can be dealt with quickly. If more time is needed, more time will be provided,'' he added.

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