NEWS IN DETAIL

ASE open for business as usual today as clean-up operation begins

Meetings had been held over the weekend between the Union of Stock Exchange Members (SMEXA) with the national economy ministry after the situation that arose Friday when Delta Brokerage S.A was unable to cover cash obligations to the Titles Depository.

Proceedings have been initiated against Delta representatives after an urgent preliminary investigation.

Mr. Fotiadis stressed that the Athens Stock Exchange would be open for business as usual on Monday and called for a strict inspection of all brokerage companies.

He added that Delta had not been the only company guilty of failing to meet its obligations and which had had to be bailed out.

In future, he said, any company that broke the rules would be forced to discontinue transactions and would be fined 50 million drachmas.

According to reports on Saturday, the Titles Depository has agreed to guarantee transactions and will cover Delta's debt, estimated at almost three billion drachmas.

Meanwhile, it was also reported that the brokers have no objection to having part of the debt covered by the joint-surety fund (1.2 billion drachmas), on the condition that transactions be covered by a legislative amendment prohibiting cash being transferred to brokerage firms owing titles.

Foreign Minister: NATO must establish procedures for disputes between members

Mr. Pangalos was speaking in Patras yesterday in response to a question regarding a letter he sent recently to NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana.

Now that the alliance was expanding and changing direction, he explained, Greece should demand such a procedure.

He drew attention to the fact that past governments (under Constantine Karamanlis, George Rallis and Andreas Papandreou) had maintained that it was not possible for NATO to concern itself with the problems of the world and to be indifferent to its own m ember states' problems.

Mr. Pangalos also accused main opposition New Democracy party leader Militades Evert of "igno-rance and bad faith" in statements he had made on the issue both before and after last September's elections.

Meanwhile, with regard to a possible initiative by the United States on the Cyprus issue, the minister said he felt this was unlikely before January, given that the composition of the new adminstration in Washington had not yet been finalised.

However, he drew attention to campaign promises made by US President Bill Clinton on the issue, characterising the problem as an international one, as well as the implementation of United Nations resolutions.

Mr. Pangalos is to visit the United States in late January or early February, accompanied by Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, responsible for expatriate Greek affairs.

Bertolucci in Thessaloniki for the International Film Festival

Mr. Bertolucci, who is a guest of honour at the 37th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, which will screen a retrospective of his films, spoke of his long experience in the film world.

Mr. Bertolucci spoke of almost all his films, but singled out the film "1900" which he said is something like a study of the civilisations of the earth.

Crucial decisions on ND party congress to be taken this week

In an interview with the "Kyriakatiki Eleftherotypia" newspaper, Mr. Varvitsiotis said that ND leader Miltiades Evert and his main contender George Souflias have a different conception of increasing the number of delegates to the conference and explaine d that criteria for widening the electoral base will be objective and fair.

"My responsibility is grave and I believe that all will consider the crucial nature of the situation and will accept my proposal," he said.

Meanwhile, statements by party cadres disputing decisions taken by the Political Council and the party's charter have met with reaction by Mr. Evert.

The Political Council will hold a special session at noon tomorrow. An announcement issued by the party said "the situation created by the attitude of certain deputies who question, either directly or indirectly and in fact publicly, both the recent dec ision taken by the Political Council on holding the congress and clauses contained in the party's charter will be examined during this meeting."

The announcement said the Political Council meeting was considered necessary because the attitude of these deputies "deals a blow at the unity and effectiveness of ND as a main opposition party at a time when problems faced by the Greek people have take n on explosive dimensions".

In recent days ND Deputies Petros Tatoulis and Dora Bakoyianni have directly or indirectly requested that Mr. Evert should be replaced as party leader.

In another development, Mr. Souflias stressed the view that there are no dissenters in ND, shortly before returning to Athens yesterday afternoon after visiting the Pieria prefecture, replying to an interview ND Deputy Yiannis Kefaloyiannis gave to Kyri akatiki Eleftherotypia newspaper.

"There are no dissenters. There are deputies who express their views. We should not speak of expulsions. Everyone has the right to express his view with the sole difference being that views can be expressed with arguments, without adjectival terms and i n a simple way which can help the party," Mr. Souflias said.

Replying to questions put to him by journalists at Macedonia airport on the interview given by Ms Bakoyianni, Mr. Souflias said he had not read newspapers and would not comment on statements by ND cadres.

Asked to comment on Mr. Evert, he said he did not want to repeat the same things on whether or not he should resign.

On the question of whether ND should go to the congress with Mr. Evert as its leader, Mr. Souflias said "what is necessary is that the congress should be fair and representative."

Euro-Mediterranean Group accepts Kaklamanis proposal for expanded Mediterranean parliaments meeting

Apart from the five members of the Euro-Mediterranean group, invitations will be extended to Parliament Speakers of the remaining 12 countries around the Mediterranean, the European Parliament, an observer from the European Commission and the President of the Maghreb (association of nations on the north African coast).

The theme of the Athens meeting will be the balance between the European Union's North and South, the contribution of European Parliaments to the construction of the European edifice, as well as Mediterranean cooperation in promoting peace, stability, d emocratic institutions and human rights.

In his address to the Palermo meeting, Mr. Kaklamanis emphasised the need for renewed interest in the region following the radical changes in eastern Europe, the review of the European Union charter, as well as the expansion of the EU within the frame work of the Intergovernmental Conference.

The idea of Mediterranean cooperation began at the EU summit on Corfu in 1994 and was further developed with the signing of the Barcelona Declaration in November 1995.

Ministry cars targeted by terrorist group

An unidentified caller telephoned the Skai radio and TV network afterwards, claiming responsibility for the blasts on behalf of the ``Struggle against Authority`` terrorist organisation.

Police said the explosive devices were gas cannisters which caused damage to both cars and to a privately-owned car parked nearby.

Two crew members of Ukraine-flag yacht flee coastguard inspection

The 9.5 metre "Antares", which according to initial reports belongs to Andrei Tortsilov, a ship's master from Rostov, was spotted by the coastguard vessel early on Saturday morning near the Peace and Friendship Stadium not far from Piraeus central harbour.

Considering the yacht to be suspicious, the coastguard vessel ordered the yacht to follow it into Piraeus harbour for an inspection.

As the yacht approached the jetty of the harbour, its two crew members jumped off onto a moored vessel, climbed onto the jetty and ran off.

Coastguard officers who later searched the vessel found 2,230 cartons of cigarettes on board.

The Antares has been impounded and the Piraeus Coastguard Authority is conducting an investigation.

SPORTS

Soccer-Greece stay top after draw with Croatia

The Greeks stunned the hosts by taking the lead in the ninth minute when Demis Nikolaidis fired home from the edge of the penalty area.

Alen Boksic volleyed against a post but the Croats finally equalised just before halftime when Davor Suker pounced on a loose ball and found a gap between two Greek defenders and the goalkeeper.

Another Suker effort was disallowed for offside and Boksic's low left- footer shaved a post minutes later.

Soccer-Greece beat Croatia 1-0 in Euro under-21 qualifier

Scorer: Nicolaos Lymperopoulos 60

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE (Buying)

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