Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 06-04-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Rice visit to Athens possibly on April 27; confirmation pending

[02] PM and interior minister discuss revising Constitution

[03] PASOK leader Papandreou visits Skopje, meets FYROM Premier Buckovski

[04] Papandreou addresses event in Skopje marking 15th anniversary of SDSM

[05] Athens again comments on Turkey's EU course

[06] Athens on Iran's nuclear program; condemns threat to use force

[07] Foreign ministry regarding reports of documents found in refuse

[08] Deputy FM Kassimis at Jerusalem Holy Light ceremony

[09] DM visits Greek mission in Kosovo

[10] President Papoulias to visit Ioannina, Alexandroupoli

[11] Archbishop Christodoulos on mosque in Athens

[12] Christian Coptic Egyptians stage protest march in central Athens

[13] Greece to present plan on Fourth Community Support Framework in June

[14] FinMin accuses main opposition of trying to 'distort' fiscal audit

[15] Development Minister Sioufas meets Civil Servants' board

[16] Greek economic sentiment index sharply up in March

[17] Merchant marine minister inspects Piraeus port ahead of Easter mass exodus

[18] State to act as guarantor for bird flu loans

[19] Commission refers Greece, other EU countries, to European Court for violating an EU legislation

[20] SYN says privatization of the Greek Post Office would be 'a national crime'

[21] Zakynthos featured in gov't tourism campaign

[22] EU approves broadband funding

[23] Record Greek participation in Romanian trade fair

[24] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise, tracking markets abroad

[25] New quake rocks western Greece

[26] EU warns Greece over non-recognition of qualifications for architects

[27] More antiquities found in Schinoussa villa

[28] Eurovision sponsor OA to offer 10 free tickets to song contest

[29] Cypriot Spokesman: Turkey should implement all commitments towards EU

[30] Russia and UN discuss Cyprus problem in Moscow

[31] CMP project proposal finalized

[32] EAC to supply T/C side with power

[33] Armenians of Cyprus demand Turkey recognizes Armenian genocide

[01] Rice visit to Athens possibly on April 27; confirmation pending

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Bakoyannis made the announcement in response to a question by Papoulias, during his greeting of the foreign minister at the presidential mansion when she arrived to brief him on foreign policy issues. She said that Athens was waiting for office hours to begin in America, where it was still night, in order to confirm the arrangements.

The minister also pointed out that Rice's possible visit here will partly coincide with a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Sofia on April 27-28.

Speaking to reporters after her meeting with the president, Bakoyannis stressed that she was not yet in a position to make an official announcement.

"Our information is that she will come but her program has not been settled yet," she said, noting that the press would be informed as soon as the visit was definite.

Bakoyannis also dismissed any concerns over protests against Rice's visit, while citing traditionally good Greek-US relations.

On his part, foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos told reporters that an invitation was issued and accepted in Washington late last month during Bakoyannis' official visit to the United States.

He emphasized, however, that the exact date and itinerary will have to be confirmed via diplomatic channels by the country accepting the invitation, while Rice's itinerary might be affected by several factors that only Washington could know.

He was also reassuring about threatened demonstrations against the visit, stressing that Greece was a "mature, modern, European democracy where there was absolute freedom of expression" and that the government was not concerned.

Following rumors that a visit by Rice was impending, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on Tuesday issued an announcement in which it termed the visit "undesirable" and warned of a protest outside the gates of Athens University next Thursday. The Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos), meanwhile, termed Rice the "chief expressor of Bush's warlike policies".

[02] PM and interior minister discuss revising Constitution

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Pavlopoulos said that ruling New Democracy's proposal is due to be presented immediately after Easter.

The minister also noted that two codes for municipal and community authorities and one for the civil service will have been passed before the present Parliament disbands for the summer.

Earlier, Karamanlis met ND Central Committee Secretary Lefteris Zagoritis.

Zagoritis was repeatedly questioned about statements made on Tuesday by former deputy minister George Salagoudis but refused to answer, noting that the person responsible for such issues was the secretary of ND's Parliamentary Group Apostolos Stavrou.

[03] PASOK leader Papandreou visits Skopje, meets FYROM Premier Buckovski

SKOPJE, FYROM, 20/4/2006 (ANA-MPA/N. Fragopoulos)

Papandreou said they discussed, among other things, the cooperation between PASOK and the SDSM, in the context of Socialist International, FYROM's European prospects, developments related to the future status of Kosovo and the pending issue of FYROM's name.

The PASOK leader added that the two parties will set up a working group for strengthening FYROM's European prospects.

FYROM Prime Minister Buckovski said that developments in the matter of the FYROM name issue is not expected in view of the parliamentary elections which will be held in the country on July 5.

Papandreou also met with Albania's Socialist Party chairman and Tirana Mayor Edi Rama.

Later in the evening, the PASOK leader was to address an SDSM event marking the 15th anniversary of its foundation.

SDSM is a member of Socialist International.

[04] Papandreou addresses event in Skopje marking 15th anniversary of SDSM

SKOPJE, FYROM, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

In his address, Papandreou said "the finding of a mutually acceptable solution" to the pending issue of the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) "which will correspond to the historic and geographic reality of the region and will respect the sensitivities of both sides, is to the benefit of both countries."

The PASOK leader noted:"I believe that within the context of the European prospects, we can seek and find a mutually acceptable solution which will correspond to the historic and geographic reality of the region. Political will is required. Not only for us to find a solution, but for the political forces of both the countries to contribute, so that in the end, for us to be able to leave behind any bitterness and extremities which existed and for the two peoples to feel proud of the solution. In the end, the name should unite us and not divide us."

Papandreou supported the equal accession to the European Union of all the Balkan countries but spoke against the seeking of other models of special relations with the countries of the region.

"Our message is clear. The position of the Balkans is in the European Union. The Balkans are part of European history, but also of our common European future," Papandreou said.

The PASOK leader further stressed that the need exists for there to be close cooperation between the two countries on developments which are being currently discussed concerning the future status of Kosovo and for other regions of former Yugoslavia.

[05] Athens again comments on Turkey's EU course

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

"There is a general assessment by the EU of 'reform fatigue' in Turkey," foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said, adding:

"If Turkey smoothly continues on its European course and meets all that is required of it then it should become a full member of the European Union … however, requirements, criteria and the ordeal of pre-accession negotiations is a process that all candidate-countries have endured, and it would be wrong for a candidate-country to believe that it (process) is against it. This process is not hostile to Turkey".

Moreover, the spokesman referred to concern, not only in Greece and Cyprus, but in the rest of Europe as well, over Ankara's commitment to the process so far.

[06] Athens on Iran's nuclear program; condemns threat to use force

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

At the same time, Koumoutsakos underlined that the decisions of the United Nations had to be upheld so that any action on the part of the international community had the required legitimacy.

Athens believes that all the possibilities for a peaceful resolution of the problem must first be exhausted, the spokesman added.

Koumoutsakos additionally pointed out that the five permanent UN Security Council members had agreed during a recent exchange of views on the issue that Iran should be given until April 28 to suspend its nuclear program.

Greece is currently one of the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

KKE on US and Iran: The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) harshly criticized the United States for its stance against Iran in a statement it issued on Wednesday.

It described US President George W. Bush's statement that "all possibilities are on the table" as "a vulgar terrorist act."

KKE called on ruling New Democracy and main opposition PASOK to take a stance against the US' threat to go to war with Iran.

Finally, it urged Greek citizens to take part in the demonstration in front of the US embassy in Athens on April 27, when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to visit the Greek capital.

[07] Foreign ministry regarding reports of documents found in refuse

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The spokesman was commenting on press reports that intact foreign ministry documents had been found in ordinary refuse and noted that there was a statement by citizens to this effect.

He also stressed, however, that the way in which the incident was later exploited was also unacceptable.

In comments regarding the same issue on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis told reporters she had asked justice to carry out "an investigation in two directions" that would also look into the "matter of the publication of false reports that harm the country".

[08] Deputy FM Kassimis at Jerusalem Holy Light ceremony

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Kassimis form part of the official mission that will receive the Holy Light from Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and bring it to Athens the same day, along with the Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Athens, Metropolitan Theophanis, a member of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and four members of the presidential guard.

According to an announcement by Olympic Airlines (OA), meanwhile, a special flight will be chartered to carry the Holy Light from Jerusalem to Athens as is the case every year.

It will then be transported to cathedrals throughout Greece on 17 OA flights on Saturday night - whose departure times have been modified accordingly - as well as to Larissa in a military transport plane and to the islands of Syros, Kea, Patmos, Leros and Leipsous with a night-flying helicopter.

[09] DM visits Greek mission in Kosovo

20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Meimarakis met with the members of the Greek peace-keeping force in Urosevac and Mitrovica and wished them a Happy Easter.

"Greece is not and should not be isolated from developments unfolding in the broader region," he said, noting that the stabilizing role Greece and its armed forces are playing in the region is being recognized by friends and allies.

Meimarakis also visited the Armenian officers stationed at the same camp as the Greek force in Urosevac.

[10] President Papoulias to visit Ioannina, Alexandroupoli

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

On Friday, he will attend a service at Aghios Athanassios Church and the religious gathering at Ioannina's main square.

The president will depart for Alexandroupoli, extreme northeastern Greece, on Saturday morning.

[11] Archbishop Christodoulos on mosque in Athens

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Christodoulos' comment was made in response to related journalists' questions as he exited the Agia Sofia Children's Hospital in Athens, part of his scheduled visits to hospitals ahead of the Easter holiday.

[12] Christian Coptic Egyptians stage protest march in central Athens

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The about 600 demonstrators began their march in Omonia Square, going up Stadiou Street to the Greek Parliament and then to the Egyptian Embassy in Athens, where the protestors submitted their protest in writing.

The protestors called for "an end to the bloodshed in their churches, to the inequalities and discriminations between the citizens of Egypt and of organized terrorism against the Christians."

The protest march was organized by the Egyptian Christian Community of Athens. About 10,000 Egyptian Christian Coptics live in Greece.

[13] Greece to present plan on Fourth Community Support Framework in June

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting of an Inter-ministerial Commission on Coordination and Drafting of a Development Program Policy for the period 2007-2013, the Greek minister said a draft plan would be ready in June.

Alogoskoufis said that a National Benchmark Strategic Framework was a great development opportunity for Greece and said the government was determined to avoid mistakes made in the past. The National Benchmark Strategic Framework will focus on supporting Greek regions, by earmarking 80 percent of EU funds (20.1 bln euros), promoting skills by human resources, and supporting new technologies to boost competitiveness and productivity.

Alogoskoufis said the Greek government would submit a total of 12-13 programs to the EU, of which six or seven would be sectoral and five regional.

Economy and Finance Deputy Minister Christos Folias said a framework on distributing spending would be more transparent.

The Inter-ministerial Commission aims to coordinate procedures of drafting a growth program for the period 2007-2013, to submitting a recommendation on the program, to form alternative plans and to recommend on the necessary institutional, administrative and organizing regulations.

SYN on fourth CSF: Management of community support funds either by previous governments or by the current government over the past two years has resulted in the loss of valuable resources, Panagiotis Lafazanis, member of the Political Secretariat of the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party said on Wednesday, after related statements made by Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis.

"Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any substantial change with the Fourth Community Support Framework. The new highly-concentrated and highly-bureaucratic management model for CSF IV that the government is promoting, signals a 'feast' for major capital interests, an increased lack of transparency and clientele relations in the distribution of funds, continued delays and losses, as well as disproportionate effects on development," Lafazanis, who is also responsible for SYN's Economic and Social Policy, said.

[14] FinMin accuses main opposition of trying to 'distort' fiscal audit

20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

"The European Commission's answer silences PASOK's representatives and knocks down their arguments one by one regarding the recording of military expenditure," Alogoskoufis said.

"The main opposition party should stop exposing itself to the European authorities, and thus stop exposing the country. This comedy has lasted long enough," he added.

PASOK eurodeputies Katerina Batzeli and Nikos Sifounakis had asked the European Commission whether Greece should modify the way in which it recorded military expenses between 2000 and 2003 so that the public deficit does not turn out to be above 3% of GDP, the EU threshold for a country to join the eurozone.

On March 9, Eurostat decided that in the case of military equipment built over many years, the time of government expenditure and thus the impact on government deficit, must be recorded at the time of actual physical delivery of the finished product, not at the time of transfer of ownership, which often occurs during the building process.

PASOK responds: "Mr. Alogoskoufis with the political scam of the so-called audit with which he changed the way military expenses are recorded - the method that Eurostat now imposes on all EU member states - placed the country under supervision and slandered Greece abroad," PASOK's Economy Division responded.

"Under the pretense of the so-called audit, the Karamanlis administration drastically cut down the Public Investment Program, imposed anti-popular measures against workers and pensioners and proceeded with a mass redistribution of income from the many to the few," it added.

[15] Development Minister Sioufas meets Civil Servants' board

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Sioufas held talks with ADEDY president Spyros Papaspyros, General Secretary Ilias Iliopoulos and Social Multicenter president Theodoros Chronopoulos.

During their meeting, they discussed the improvement of competitiveness in public administration and the planning of action in the context of the National Competitiveness Council, with the contribution also of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Ministry, as well as better legislation and the combating of bureaucracy.

Development Minister Sioufas said after the meeting that the "cooperation with ADEDY is continuous and creative for finding solutions for the better service of the citizen and businesses."

On his part, ADEDY president Papaspyros stressed that "the creative cooperation with the development ministry can open roads for the effective functioning of public administration."

[16] Greek economic sentiment index sharply up in March

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

IOBE, in its monthly report, attributed the rise in the index to an improvement of business forecasts, although consumers remained pessimistic with their forecasts down compared with February.

Improved sentiment was noted in the retail sector, constructions and manufacturing, with the service sector reporting slightly slower improvement.

The business expectations index in the manufacturing sector rose in the first quarter of 2006, compared with the corresponding period last year, with March recording a new advance. Greek businesses were more optimistic over new orders and their production levels in the coming months, although expectations were unchanged for the level of their inventories.

In the construction sector, the business expectations index jumped to its highest level since mid-2004, reflecting optimistic forecasts for employment in the sector.

Business sentiment improved significantly in the retail sector pushing the business expectations index to multi-year highs in March, while in the services said the index rose slightly with 54 percent of businesses in the sector saying their business was unchanged.

IOBE said the consumer sentiment index fell by two percentage points in March, reflecting more pessimistic forecasts for economic developments in the country. The report also showed that Greek consumers were slightly more confident in savings for the next 12 months and their forecasts were unchanged for employment. Greek households' expectations for their financial condition in the next 12 months worsened further in March.

[17] Merchant marine minister inspects Piraeus port ahead of Easter mass exodus

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The minister expressed his satisfaction about the smooth carrying out of the shipping routes during the Easter mass exodus and noted the "excellent organization and presence of the Port Authority's personnel."

Kefaloyiannis said that teams of special inspectors are already inspecting all the ships "aimed at the offering of a high standard of services to the passengers".

PASOK's Diamantopoulou deplores state of Greek ports: Main opposition PASOK MP Anna Diamantopoulou on Wednesday deplored the state of the country's sea ports and harbors.

Greece was heading towards the "worst Easter and summer in the ports, to the detriment of its islands and Greek tourism," said the MP, who is in charge of the development, competitiveness and consumer policy sector for PASOK's Political Council.

According to Diamantopoulou the government - "not know what it wants and what it must do" - was now on a collision course with ferry boat owners, seamen and local communities.

[18] State to act as guarantor for bird flu loans

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The decision was approved on Wednesday by Deputy Finance Minister Peter Doukas, his office said in a statement.

The guarantees will be issued to enterprises with turnover of less than one million euros, the statement added.

[19] Commission refers Greece, other EU countries, to European Court for violating an EU legislation

BRUSSELS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The Commission's decision claims that these member-states had not incorporated, as they were obliged to by January 2005, the directive 2002/92/EK for the insurance mediation in their national legislation.

According to the Commission, "Germany, Greece and Portugal informed the Commission that the legislative process is in progress and has not yet been completed."

[20] SYN says privatization of the Greek Post Office would be 'a national crime'

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Lafazanis said that "no government and no consensus can legalize an unprecedented national theft," adding, "the procedures for privatization, advanced by the ND government for the TT and in extension for the ELTA, with the full consensus of PASOK, which in any case opened this road, constitute a major economic and social crime of national dimensions."

[21] Zakynthos featured in gov't tourism campaign

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Beyond television spots arranged by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), more funding for publicity would be allocated for Zakynthos, the minister said during a visit to the Ionian island with the GNTO's head.

The visit aimed at seeking measures to boost tourism there following a string of earthquakes that have caused no injuries or damage.

[22] EU approves broadband funding

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The European Regional Development Fund will allocate 73.5 million euros to the project, the ministry said in a statement.

The project is to strengthen private investment totaling 210 million euros, the statement added.

[23] Record Greek participation in Romanian trade fair

BUCHAREST, 20/4/2006 (ANA-MPA)

"We have never before had such large participation. Greek businesses will have two stands at the fair," Haralambos Kounalakis, economy counselor at the Greek embassy in Bucharest, told the ANA-MPA.

Greek firms had their first taste of the Romanian market on April 11-14 through a business delegation arranged by the embassy.

"Contacts Greek businesses made with their Romanian counterparts - almost 500 a day - were highly successful, which demonstrates increased interest by Greek investors in the Romanian market," Kounalakis added.

[24] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise, tracking markets abroad

ATHENS, 20/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for high capitalization shares ended 0.96% up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium cap stocks closed 0.77% higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap shares finished 1.06% up.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 196 to 79 with 49 remaining unchanged.

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank of Greece, Bank of Cyprus, OPAP, and PPC.

Derivatives Market Close: Intracom top in stock futures trade

Stock Futures: