Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 04-04-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN Secretary-General Annan urges Cypriots to accept 'fair plan'

[02] PM Karamanlis says it is up to the Cypriot people 'to finally decide'

[03] Gov't says chances of agreed solution for Cyprus are slim

[04] PM meets UN chief to discuss Cyprus plan

[05] Papadopoulos says Annan's final plan does not satisfy Greek Cypriot side

[06] Cyprus party leaders urge Cypriot people to remain calm

[07] Prodi says EU will accept some derogations in final Cyprus solution

[08] The Olympic Flame arrives in Athens

[09] Armed Forces General Staff and NATO discuss Olympic security

[10] New Olympic work group to coordinate ministries' efforts

[11] Health minister discusses health care during Olympics with foreign ambassadors

[12] Parliament speaker pays courtesy visit to President Stephanopoulos

[13] Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR, violate national airspace

[14] Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarch recognized by Israel

[15] Trade unions report large turnout for Wednesday's strike

[16] Greece, Moldova seek ways to boost bilateral business ties

[17] Economic team discusses absorption of EU funds

[18] Greek per capita GDP up 6.9 pct in 2002

[19] Agricultural development and foods minister meets Spanish counterpart

[20] Greece suspends listing of Hellenic Touristic Real Estate SA

[21] Greece's trade deficit up 26.4 pct in 2003

[22] Car registrations up 10.4 pct in Jan-Feb, yr/yr

[23] Private schools demand 6-8 pct increase in tuition fees

[24] Oswald pleased with Iraklio's Olympic preparations

[25] Oswald, Prince Albert express satisfaction with new velodrome roof

[26] Cuban sports minister Juantorena tours Peristeri district

[27] Greece beats Switzerland 1-0 in soccer friendly in Crete

[28] Deputy culture minister presses for completion of Delphi museum

[29] Athens mayor meets with alternate culture minister

[01] UN Secretary-General Annan urges Cypriots to accept 'fair plan'

BURGENSTOCK 1/4/2004 (ANA/F. Karaviti)

''The plan inevitably is a compromise,'' he said and warned that the choice before the leaders and the people is between this settlement and no settlement.

Addressing the representatives of the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides, Greece and Turkey, Annan said that ''no one says that reunification would be easy'' and pointed out that at the end of the day it did not matter what he personally thought but what the people would decide.''I am certain that my settlement plan offers the best and fairest chance of peace, prosperity and stability that is ever likely to be on offer,'' he said.

''There have been too many missed opportunities in the past, for the sake of all of you I urge you not to make the same mistake again,'' Annan said.

Annan presented the plan after a week long of talks between the two sides in Cyprus in the presence of Greece and Turkey.

The plan would be put to a referendum on April 24 in both communities in Cyprus.

[02] PM Karamanlis says it is up to the Cypriot people 'to finally decide'

BURGENSTOCK 1/4/2004 (ANA / A. Pana gopoulos)

''Unfortunately, it was not possible to arrive at an agreed solution. It belongs to the people of Cyprus to finally decide,'' Karamanlis told a news conference here early Thursday morning after the submittal of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan to the interested parties involved.

Karamanlis, who made statements immediately after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, underlined that the Cypriot people and its political leadership will decide what they will do in the referenda on April 24.

The Greek premier further underlined that his government followed the binding procedure which had been agreed in New York on February 13. Karamanlis and his New Democracy party won general elections on March 7.

Karamanlis stated that the aim was for the reaching of a solution to the Cyprus issue, noting that efforts were made to improve the plan with respect to the fundamental principles of the European Union.

He noted that he responded immediately to Annan's invitation and that he had close cooperation during the talks with Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and with the members of the Cypriot delegation.

The Greek premier referred to the meetings he had with Erdogan, underlining that in his talks the will was confirmed for bilateral relations to be improved.

The Greek delegation will study Annan's final plan on the flight back to Athens, given that in essence it received it ten minutes before Karamanlis' statements, as the UN Secretary-General included in it certain of the amendments which he had proposed earlier in the afternoon to the Cypriot president.

[03] Gov't says chances of agreed solution for Cyprus are slim

BURGENSTOCK 1/4/2004 (ANA - A. Panagopoulos)

In statements at the Swiss Alpine resort of Burgenstock near Lake Lucerne where the talks are taking place, Greek government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos stressed that ''the margins for finding an agreed solution at this time are not great''.

Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis has briefed President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, the political party leaders and former premiers Costas Simitis and Constantine Mitsotakis on the latest developments and has met with ''general consensus,'' according to Greek diplomatic sources.

The Greek side is also coming under intense pressure to accept an agreement, however, beginning on Wednesday morning with a telephone call from British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to Molyviatis, followed by a call from US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Both men expressed their interest in an agreed solution.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis requested a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday morning, during which he again expressed the Greek side's desire for improvements to the new plan, chiefly with respect to security issues and accommodating Community law, so as to increase the chances of an agreed solution.

Greek diplomatic sources described the margins for such an agreed solution as tight, while adding that hope dies last. The same sources said they hoped and believed that relations between Greece and Turkey will continue to be good.

The Greek side's estimates were arrived at in consultation with the Cyprus government, they added.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway in Burgenstock for the ceremony where the finalized UN plan will be presented but it is still unclear when Annan will consider the talks to have ended and in what way and what time he will present the final text.

[04] PM meets UN chief to discuss Cyprus plan

BURGENSTOCK 1/4/2004 (ANA - A. Panagopoulos)

This is the last day of the UN-sponsored negotiations and a final version of the plan is to be presented by Annan later in the day.

The meeting was sought by the Greek premier and comes after a round of repeated contacts between the UN and the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot negotiating teams regarding modifications to the fourth revised plan presented to the parties on Monday.

According to statements by a top diplomatic source around dawn when this round of contacts ended, however, the chances of an agreed solution are slim.

Greek main opposition leader rejects latest Annan plan in talks with UN envoy:

Greece's main opposition leader George Papandreou, president of the PASOK party, contacted United Nations envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and expressed profound disagreement with the newest version of the UN peace plan for Cyprus, saying it could not be accepted by either the Greek or the Greek-Cypriot sides in its present form.

According to the PASOK president's aides, Papandreou had a lengthy and at times heated conversation with de Soto over the phone on Tuesday night lasting roughly half an hour, during which he asked for significant changes to the revised plan presented to the parties by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday and stressed that a negative answer was virtually inevitable and would lead the entire process to failure unless the changes were made.

He also noted that the United Nations and the secretary-general would be historically responsible and were jeopardizing the organization’s prestige and credibility with respect to regional conflicts.

Papandreou also spoke with Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos on Tuesday night, who briefed him on the points in the new plan that he had asked the UN chief to change.

Opposition parties comment on the Cyprus issue:''All the Annan plans are based on the negative philosophy of the first and basic plan. We only wish one thing: That we are proven wrong in predicting a negative development of the Cyprus issue,'' said Communist Party of Greece Secretary General Aleka Papariga on Wednesday.

Coalition of the Left Movements and Ecology (SYN) Nikos Constantopoulos, said that the Cypriot government, which is

trying to find a solution to the Cyprus issue in accordance with International Law and European principles, is being subject to ''provocative and inconceivable'' pressure.

''The Annan plan and the New York decision were not created in order to facilitate diplomatic and political blackmail,'' he noted.

According to Constantopoulos, tough negotiations, strong resistance, and support to the end for a functional, viable and fair solution to the Cyprus issue that does not violate principles of European civilization are imperative.

[05] Papadopoulos says Annan's final plan does not satisfy Greek Cypriot side

BURGENSTOCK 1/4/2004 (ANA/F. Karaviti)

The spokesman announced that Annan had called Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos earlier in the day and briefed him on the final changes he aims to introduce to his plan.

''The president expressed the opinion that they are not satisfactory and discussed with Mr. Annan the positions which the Greek Cypriot side had submitted and were not adopted. He explained the reasons why his positions should have been taken into consideration,'' Chrysostomides said.

UN chief Annan meets Greek and Turkish premiers : UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan met with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the presence of the two countries' foreign ministers, in Burgenstock, Switzerland, late Wednesday evening shortly before he was due to hand to the sides involved in the Cyprus talks the final version of his plan on a comprehensive settlement.

According to sources, they discussed the further procedures for the handing over of the texts and of the accompanying letters.

Annan asked of the two prime ministers to be in touch for the next stages of the procedure.

[06] Cyprus party leaders urge Cypriot people to remain calm

BURGENSTOCK 1/4/2004 (ANA)

''We must tell the people the result of the analysis of the plan, weighing with calm and responsibility matters of the past and of the future,'' Christofias said in statements prior to the delivery of the UN chief's final plan.

''When we return we will see what the UN Secretary-General's final text includes and we will study it objectively,'' the AKEL leader added.

On his part, Democratic Rally (DISY) leader Nicos Anastasiades stated that Annan's proposal ''is a product of compromise which we definitely had in mind would be painful.''

Likewise, Anastasiades also called for cool-headedness and sobriety ''particularly at this time when everyone is called on to assume historic responsibilities.''

Concluding, the DISY party president said ''the battle which should have been given by the Greek Cypriot side was given in the best possible manner.''

[07] Prodi says EU will accept some derogations in final Cyprus solution

European Commission President Romano Prodi on Wednesday said that the European Union was willing to accept certain derogations in order to accommodate a final Cyprus solution, provided that Community law was substantially respected.

Speaking during a joint press conference in Strasbourg, Prodi said that exceptions lasting a specific time had been permitted for other countries joining the EU during its enlargement.

''It is a tradition, we have made exceptions lasting for a specific time period, not permanent derogations, but we have done this before for a lot of other countries," he said.

While noting that some permanent exceptions had been allowed in the past, such as for property purchasing in Malta, he said that the Commission wanted to avoid permanent derogations would raise the prospect of a complex and lengthy EU ratification process.

Saying that a true possibility of achieving a Cyprus solution within the bounds of Community law was apparent for the first time, the head of the Commission appealed to the two sides on Cyprus not to miss this "historic opportunity" to unify the island. He underlined the Community's support for United Nations mediating efforts but also stressed that any departures from EU laws and rules should not go too far:

"We are just at the disposal of the UN Secretary General [Kofi Annan], as Enlargement Commissioner Verheugen is in Switzerland because we want the acquis communautaire to be respected and we do not want any exceptions to be made that go beyond the rules of the acquis,'' he said.

Prodi pointed out that the Commission was doing this ''to help the negotiations in such a way that the acquis communautaire is substantially respected and we can avoid any long, lengthy ratification process and all that can take place coming under classic European legislation.''

Asked why the Greek Cypriots should vote in favor of the Annan Plan at a referendum, Prodi said the plan ''is constructed in such a way that both communities should feel reassured and beneficiaries of this agreement,'' noting it is ''a very complicated

agreement and there is a whole series of technical, specific details, concerning the life of the two communities.''

[08] The Olympic Flame arrives in Athens

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Thanou placed the flame at the altar which stood in front of Kostis Stephanopoulos, President of the Hellenic Republic.

Hellenic Olympic Committee President Lambis Nikolaou escorted by Greek Olympic champions Leonidas Kokkas, Dimosthenes Tampakos, and Voula Patoulidou entered the arena and received the torch High Priestess Thalia Prokopiou had previously lit.

''I am convinced that despite the difficult times facing humanity today due to 'random' violence and the resurgence of religious and other types of fanaticism, the Olympic Flame, which until today has managed to preserve its symbolic character intact, will succeed in reviving people's faith in ideals and renewing their love for timeless principles and values,'' Nikolaou said.

''It is at this sacred and symbolic moment, with the arrival of the Flame to Athens, that Greece links the past, present, and future of the Olympic Games and provides an indication of the unique Olympic Games that we are organizing,'' Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (ATHOC)President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki said after receiving the flame from Nikolaou.

The ceremony began after the arrival of the Greek President with a short speech by Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni who sent a message of peace to the world and invited all those believing in the ideals of sport to come to Greece and celebrate the Olympic Games.

[09] Armed Forces General Staff and NATO discuss Olympic security

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Greece is requesting the following from NATO:

- AWACS planes for air policing and for dealing with a possible air strike;

- The Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) to patrol extra-territorial waters around Greece's borders;

- The NATO multinational force of nuclear and biochemical defense, currently based in the Czech Republic, to contribute forces in case of an extensive terrorist, chemical, or biological attack;

- NATO to provide information in order to reinforce the Armed Forces General Staff's information gathering and processing.

The Armed Forces General Staff and NATO will cooperate continuously until the end of the Olympic Games.

[10] New Olympic work group to coordinate ministries' efforts

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

The decision was taken during meeting attended by Public Works Minister George Souflias, Transport and Communications Minister Mihalis Liapis, Alternate Culture Minister Fani Palli-Petralia as well as the president of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (ATHOC), Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki.

Accelerated preparations on the government side are being broadly divided into two categories: still under-construction venues and infrastructure, and on the other hand, the operational portion of the Games themselves.

Overlapping responsibilities amongst certain ministries over a handful of projects reportedly necessitated today’s development.

Finally, the culture ministry’s new general secretary for the Olympic Games, Spyros Capralos (until recently an executive director at ATHOC) will head the new work group, comprised of representatives from ministries and other relevant bodies.

[11] Health minister discusses health care during Olympics with foreign ambassadors

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Kaklamanis later received Israeli Ambassador to Athens Ram Aviram to discuss issues concerning his ministry during the Games.

[12] Parliament speaker pays courtesy visit to President Stephanopoulos

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Benaki thanked Stephanopoulos, expressing hope that she would be able to live up to the legacy of her predecessors and make her own mark on the Greek Parliament.

[13] Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR, violate national airspace

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

In all cases, the 17 Turkish aircraft were recognized and intercepted by Greek jets, while in five cases the interception process developed into a mock engagement.

It was reported that five of the Turkish warplanes recognized and intercepted were armed.

[14] Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarch recognized by Israel

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

The document of the government's recognition was given to Irineos by Israeli Interior Minister Abraham Poraz.

[15] Trade unions report large turnout for Wednesday's strike

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

The strike brought Athens to a virtual halt on Wednesday morning, as a universal public transport strike forced commuters to take their cars into the city and brave successions of snarling traffic jams.

The strike was also left several state-run banks, public utilities and municipal services short-staffed, while disrupting the operation of private-sector firms whose staff was unable to get to work.

The 24-hour strike was called by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), Greece's largest umbrella trade union organization, to support demands for an 8 per cent rise in wages, a shorter working week and permanency for public-sector workers with temporary contracts.

Speaking at a rally at Pedion tou Areos, GSEE president Christos Polyzogopoulos said the large turnout was a message to employers to continue negotiations for a general collective agreement for 2004, warning that they would bear a share of the responsibility if the clash continued.

He said it was also a message to the government to adopt a clear-cut stance on the major issue of pay rises and to the ''technocrats'' at the Bank of Greece and their recommendations for tougher deals on labor relations, wages and pensions.

Polyzogopoulos, who heads the PASOK-affiliated PASKE faction within GSEE, insisted on a demand for a substantial and continued increases in the basic wage, of which the 8 per cent rise was only the start, so that there was true economic convergence with the EU within five years.

He also insisted on an immediate reduction in the working week to 39 hours with prospects of further reductions to 35 hours.

Finally, he called on the government to ''implement its pre-election pledges'' and give job security to public sector workers with temporary contracts, converting these to indefinite contracts in accordance with EU directives.

The rally was also addressed by other groups within GSEE affiliated to the other political parties, including a representative of PAME, affiliated to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

In a rare show of unity, PAME decided to join the general GSEE rally at Pedion tou Areos, boosting an initially modest turnout when the rally began at 11:00. According to trade unionists, the universal public transport strike had greatly enhanced the impact of the strike but had also prevented workers from coming to the rally.

The rally was followed by a march to Syntagma Square, opposite Parliament, and the offices of the Union of Greek Industry (SEB), one of the largest employer unions.

[16] Greece, Moldova seek ways to boost bilateral business ties

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

A delegation of Greek Industries Union (SEB) met with their Moldovan counterparts and agreed to create a network to exchange practical information, to link websites, to highlight partnership opportunities and to organize technical assistance programs for business groups and Moldovan enterprises within the framework of community programs.

A business forum held in Moldova stressed that bilateral trade was at very low levels due to limitations of the local economy, currently in its first stages of development as a market economy.

Moldovan enterprises showed interest in setting up joint ventures with Greek businesses in farm-sector processing and packaging, bottling of mineral water and alcohol, dairy products, light manufacturing products, home appliances and infrastructure construction projects.

[17] Economic team discusses absorption of EU funds

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Addressing a meeting of the government's economic team, Mr Alogoskoufis emphasized on the need to speed-up absorption rates of EU funds since updated business programs (by government ministries and regional authorities) have not been submitted with the European Commission yet.

The ministry was originally scheduled to submit updated programs by March 31, 2004 for approval and funding, but submission was agreed to be delayed due to the March 7 general elections in Greece.

Mr Alogoskoufis has established weekly coordinating meetings with its economic team to review progress in absorbing Third Community Support Framework program funds.

[18] Greek per capita GDP up 6.9 pct in 2002

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Central Greece, the Southern Aegean and Attica recorded the highest per capita GDP, while Western Greece, Eastern Macedonia-Thrace and Epirus recorded the lowest per capita GDP, NSS said in its report.

The statistics service said per capita GDP in Central Greece totalled 18,432 euros in 2002 (up from 16,999 euros in the previous year), while in southern Aegean was 14,390 euros (from 13,472 euros in 2001). Per capita GDP in Attica totalled 13,571 euros, up from 12,643 euros in the previous year. Per capita GDP in Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Western Greece and Epirus was 10,158 euros, 10,078 euros and 10,271 euros, respectively, in 2002.

The Attica and Central Macedonia regions accounted for 55.1 percent of total Gross Domestic Product in the country, with the Attica region alone accounting for 37.7 percent of Greek GDP.

The statistics service said that gross value added rose 8.1 percent in Greece in 2002 from the previous year, with the western and central Greece regions recording significant increases in the primary sector and the Northern Aegean and Central Macedonia recording the biggest increases in the secondary sector.

[19] Agricultural development and foods minister meets Spanish counterpart

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

The meeting marked the beginning of the new cycle of cooperation Tsitouridis will be having with his European Union counterparts for the revision of the Common Agricultural Policy on Mediterranean products.

As announced, there was mutual awareness by the two sides (Greece, Spain) with regard to the unfavorable handling awaiting Mediterranean products, namely olive oil, cotton and tobacco, from the Commission's proposals.

Tsitouridis will meet in the coming days with his Italian, Portuguese and French counterparts.

[20] Greece suspends listing of Hellenic Touristic Real Estate SA

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

A ministry announcement said the new company's aim would be the more efficient management of state assets within the framework of a "new and transparent strategy for the country's development".

The decision to suspend listing was taken after a meeting between Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis and Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos.

The meeting also agreed to the formation of a coordinating body to prepare joint policy recommendations.

[21] Greece's trade deficit up 26.4 pct in 2003

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

24.695 billion euros from 19.538 billion euros in 2002, the National Statistics Service said on Wednesday.

NSS, in its monthly report, said the trade deficit also rose by 26.4 percent, excluding trade in oil products. The statistics service attributed the worsening trade balance to a continuing trend of higher imports in the country.

Imports-arrivals totalled 36.465 billion euros in 2003, from 30.484 billion euros in the previous year, an increase of 19.6 percent, while exports totalled 11.770 billion euros from 10.945 billion euros, up 7.5 percent over the same period, respectively.

[22] Car registrations up 10.4 pct in Jan-Feb, yr/yr

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

NSS said new car registrations were up 10.4 percent compared with the same period in 2003.

New motorcycle registrations totalled 6,699 units in January-February, up 2.9 percent from the previous year.

[23] Private schools demand 6-8 pct increase in tuition fees

Athens 1/4/2004 (ANA)

Representatives of the sector made the demands during a meeting with Deputy Development Minister Yiannis Papathanasiou. The minister pledged that he would not take any surprise decisions on the issue and that he would continue consultations.

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