NEWS IN DETAIL

Simitis voices hope that Ankara will respond to Greek initiatives

"We follow a policy that proves self-restraint, we call on Turkey to engage in a step-by-step approach to resolve problems on the basis of international law. We hope that Turkey will respond positively to these initiatives," Mr. Simitis told a two-day Socialist International council meeting in the Italian capital.

Mr. Simitis' speech focused on the Cyprus problem, Greek-Turkish relations, the Balkans and Middle East peace efforts.

EU should play carrot and stick with Turkey: Greece says

"Turkey wants to move closer to Europe. Europe therefore has a strong weapon by saying (to Turkey) 'your relations will improve if you accept a just and viable solution to Cyprus'," Yiannos Kranidiotis told Reuters in an interview in Rome.

"It's pressure towards Turkey but at the same time it's a carrot - a carrot and stick approach," said Mr. Kranidiotis, who was attending a meeting of international socialist groups.

Turkey signed a key customs union with the European Union in 1996 as a prelude to possible full membership but Greece succeeded in blocking funds to Ankara due to flow from the pact.

Diplomats say Ankara is increasingly hinting that it could now block plans to expand NATO into eastern Europe unless the EU delivers on its promises of closer ties.

Mr. Kranidiotis said he thought the time was now right for an international push to solve the Cyprus problem, but said talks on the island's accession to the European Union, due to start six months after the EU concludes this year's treaty review, shou ld not be made conditional on a solution having been found.

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said on Monday that Cyprus should not join until the dispute was settled.

"The solution is not a prerequisite for the accession of Cyprus but the accession could serve as the catalyst for finding the solution," Mr. Kranidiotis said.

Ancient Lyceum in urgent need of protection

The palaestra was discovered during works for the planned Goulandris museum of modern art, with the 15-member Council agreeing in principle on the display of findings from the site in the basement of the future museum as the best solution.

However, they expressed the view that further construction for the museum will have to be suspended, as they would also damage the findings.

There are fears that a sudden heavy rain may cover the entire site in mud, especially given that it is next to downsloped Rigillis Street.

EU to aid in restoration of neolithic settlement on Kastoria Lake

The settlement was discovered by a team of archaeologists headed by Aristoteleion University professor Georgios Hourmouziadis.

The project envisages the settlement's partial restoration on a natural scale, including nearby forest and lakeside vegetation. It also includes proposed hiking trails and observation posts.

Top US military officer on official visit

Lt.-Gen. Montgomery will visit Souda Bay today, while tomorrow he will visit the 1st Army and 3rd Army Corps before leaving for Brussels. During his stay in Greece, Lt.-Gen. Montgomery will also visit archaeological sites.

Simitis to meet with Kohl during private visit to Germany

The same sources said Mr. Simitis will visit Germany on April 24 to attend a special ceremony to mark his proclamation as an honorary lecturer at the Marbourg University. During his visit he will meet with Chancellor Kohl in Bonn for political consultations.

Meanwhile, the president of the German Republic, Roman Herzog, will visit Athens on March 11 to attend a ceremony marking his proclamation as honorary lecturer at the Athens Law School. President Herzog will have unofficial meetings during his stay in A thens with President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Mr. Simitis.

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos is also expected to visit Germany on Feb. 17 for talks with his German counterpart Faulker Rie, focusing on Greece's armament programme, even though the German side considers the visit as "primarily political."

Optimism over resolution of Greece, FYROM dispute

"During this time we have had many fruitful discussions and many things have happened," he said in response to a question.

After two-hour talks between Greece's permanent representative at the UN, Christos Zacharakis, and FYROM`s representative, Ivan Tosefski, Mr. Vance said that a new meeting will take at the end of February.

Simitis still has strong lead over opposition, polls show

The poll showed 54.2 percent in favour of Mr. Simitis over 20.8 percent for New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert and 23 percent satisfied with the government against 10 percent satisfied with the manner in which the New Democracy party was exercising op position.

Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Constantopoulos received the most favourable votes, with 63.5 percent, while Democratic Social Movement leader DImitris Tsovolas received 41.2 percent and Communist party head Aleka Papariga 24.1.

Gov`t hopes for PNO goodwill to end seamen`s strike

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas expressed the hope that the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO), which called the strike, would eventually "show good will" so that a solution might be found.

Merchant seamen and dockworkers on Monday decided to extend their strike for a further 48 hours until 6 a.m. tomorrow. The strike, which marked its 10th consecutive day yesterday, was originally scheduled to end early yesterday morning.

Strikers' main demand is preservation of a special tax status applied to them since 1955. The government has introduced changes to this status in its new tax legislation.

A Piraeus court on Friday ruled that extension of the strike was "illegal and abusive."

Jewish group to ask for nazi criminal`s extradition

Committee president Nissim Mais said the group had requested the intervention of the Greek government on the issue in 1985 and 1986, although Athens replied at the time that it had ceded its rights to West Germany in 1959 concerning the pursuit of nazi war criminals.

Syria has repeatedly denied that Brunner lives in the Middle Eastern country.

The Austrian-born Brunner, an aide to notorious nazi Adolf Eichmann, was located by nazi hunter Simon Weisenthal in Syria in the 1950s, and later by French lawyer Serge Klarsfeld in 1982.

He is considered responsible for the deportation of 52,000 Jews from Thessaloniki during the war.

Meanwhile, the head of Thessaloniki's Jewish community, Andreas Sefiha, told AFP that he hoped this time efforts will bear fruit, as he said Greece is the only member of the European Union on good terms with Syria.

His extradition was requested by Austria in 1961, (West) Germany in 1984 and France in 1989.

New ATE governor outlines bank's short, medium-term goals

Speaking at a press conference in the presence of ATE's two deputy governors Thanasis Papageorgiou and Dimitris Santixis yesterday, new ATE Governor Christos Papathanasiou outlined the administration's short and medium-term targets which, he said, will have to be achieved in the next 4- 5 years.

The administration's specific targets include restructuring the treasury, the bank's capital restructuring, its reorganisation, operational and technological modernisation, expanding the economy to the non-agricultural sector and internationalisation of its activities.

He said agricultural cooperative organisations which continue to be problematic despite settlements and write-offs of their debts will have to be sold to other healthy cooperatives or to private citizens, if not they will close.

Anothger aim, he said, will be to intensify cooperation with similar European banks such as Credit Agricole, Deutsche Genossenschaft, Rabobank and others, as well as extending work in the Balkans and countries in eastern Europe. The ATE property holdings company will preoccupy itself with more effective utilisation of its fixed assets (buildings, land and farmland) worth tens of billions of drachmas, Mr. Papathanasiou said.

Crime in Greece on the increase

In contrast, there was a decrease in the number of cases of petty theft reported.

The ministry released tables containing detailed figures for each category of criminal activity. Public Order Minister George Romeos said additional policing measures would be taken to combat those crimes which are on the increase.

Free transport, reduced fares announced for handicapped

Handicapped individuals living permanently in Athens and Thessaloniki are entitled to free transport on OASA and OASTH buses on the condition that their annual gross individual income does not exceed 3.5 million drachmas or their family income 5.5 milli on drachmas. On KTEL and OSE routes they will be entitled to a 50 per cent discount.

The measure concerns about 180,000 people and the cost, amounting to 3.8 billion drachmas, will be shouldered by the ministry.

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