illegal immigrants arrested, others deported
NEWS IN DETAIL
'Grey Wolves' threaten to settle occupied Cypriot town
The Turkish 'Grey Wolves' terrorist organisation, implicated in the murder
of two Greek Cypriots last summer, has threatened to "settle" the town of
Famagusta, which has been uninhabited since the 1974 Turkish invasion of
Cyprus.
The threats were made through a paid advertisement which appeared in
Turkish Cypriot newspapers on Saturday, as three Turkish warships sailed on
Saturday from Turkey to the port of Famagusta on the eastern coast of
Cyprus, ostensibly for a "peaceful" vi sit.
The Grey Wolves' leader in the northern occupied part of Cyprus, Mehmet
Aslan, who has been accused of murdering Greek-Cypriot Tassos Isaac during
protests last summer, also repeated that a large march to Famagusta is
being prepared and will take place next month.
He added that the events being organised by the 'Grey Wolves' to be held at
the begining of February aim to bring the issue of the settling of
Famagusta to the forefront.
A paid advertisement signed by Mehmet Aslan described as "unfortunate" the
fact that the joint communique issued by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel
and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash does not mention the settlement of
Famagusta.
It added that the 'Grey Wolves' will ceaselessly campaign for the town's
settlement.
Turkish warships visit Famagusta
Three warships are visiting the Turkish-occupied port of Famagusta on the
eastern coast of Cyprus and according to the Turkish Cypriot press, Turkish
defence minister, Turhan Tayan claimed this is a "peaceful visit", while
Turkish Cypriot daily "Kibris" says the visit is an answer to Greek Cypriot
armaments.
The Turkish warships will remain in the occupied Famagusta port until
Wednesday, January 29.
Turkish high ranking officials, including President Suleyman Demirel and
Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller have recently expressed threats against
Cyprus after the government concluded an agreement for the purchase of
Russian anti-aircraft missiles S-300.
Turkey invaded the island in 1974 and still occupies 37 per cent of its
territory.
Greece promises support for EU-Malta cooperation
Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, in Malta on a two-day visit,
said that Greece would be "very happy" if Malta wants to join the European
Union, but had to respect the Maltese people's decision.
Mr. Pangalos, after talks with Foreign Minister George Vella, was referring
to the new Maltese Labour government's decision to put on hold the island's
application for EU membership and seek instead a special contractural
agreement covering free trade and cooperation, including security.
Mr. Pangalos, who said Malta and Greece would now be holding regular
meetings to discuss bilateral and other issues, added that Greece would do
its utmost to help Malta to cooperate more closely with the EU.
He explained that the Maltese government's decision not to pursue the
membership option in no way affected the candidacy of Cyprus, which Greece
champions.
"There has never been a linkage between the two islands' applications," he
stressed.
Questioned about the latest tension on Cyprus, Mr. Pangalos said it was up
to the Cyprus government, which was recognised by all countries except
Turkey, to react to Turkey's decision to send naval vessels into the
northern Cypriot port of Famagusta.
Mr. Pangalos and Mr. Vella also discussed closer cooperation between the
two countries against illegal traffic in arms, drugs and refugees.
Mr. Pangalos said Olympic Airways would be having talks with Air Malta,
which already operates a regular service to Athens, to increase communications
between the two countries.
Inauguration of Thessaloniki as European Cultural Capital
Greece's president and prime minister will be joined by forty international
representations at the official inauguration of Thessaloniki as Cultural
Capital of Europe for 1997 this coming Saturday.
The inauguration will be attended by President of the Republic, Kostis
Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis, members of the Cabinet,
forty international representations and other officials.
Four days of cultural events beginning Thursday and featuring concerts,
plays and symposiums will mark the inauguration.
"Hellenism has the advantage: It should not be lost as an opportunity and
as an ability," Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos told a press
conference to announce the inauguration programme yesterday afternoon.
Balkan culture ministers will meet within the framework of events, in
Thessaloniki on Thursday, to discuss the creation of an Interbalkan
Cultural Network. Black Sea Cooperation culture ministers will also meet on
the same day to discuss cultural-relate d issues.
On Friday, culture ministers of the Mediterranean countries will come
together to discuss Euro-Mediter-ranean cooperation.
European cultural ministers meeting on the same day will discuss the
introduction of the principle of EU member-states' cultural equality.
Proposals on radical education changes welcomed
Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis on Saturday proposed wide-reaching
changes to the education system to begin as of the next academic year and
leading to the abolition of university and further education entrance
examinations by the year 2000.
Mr. Arsenis was speaking after a meeting with university rectors in Delphi
on Saturday.
Under the changes, students will be allowed to follow a series of courses
and gain the equivalent of a university degree on their completion. Those
over the age of 25 taking these courses may have to pay tuition fees, while
scholarships will be given to those under 25.
An open university is to open in September 1997 for any person who wishes
to take courses. Tuition fees will probably have to be paid.
The most important change concerns the abolition of university entrance
examinations, to come into effect in the year 2000. Students will enter
universities and higher education institutions based on their grades from
the last three years of senior high school, the results of an examination
to be held on a regional or national basis and their grades of their
national high-school leaving certificate. There will be no tuition fees in
universities.
Mr. Arsenis has suggested that radical changes in high schools should come
into effect as of September this year in order to prepare for the new
system in 2000.
Teachers' strike continues
The country's high school teachers have decided to continue their strike
action for another week, even though a meeting between representatives of
the teachers' federation, OLME, and Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis is
scheduled to take place today.
Primary school and kindergarten teachers will also go on strike as of
February 3.
Gov`t vows to avert new farmers' blockade
In view of a fresh round of planned-protest action on the part of the
farmers this coming week, Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas has not
ruled out the possibility of judicial measures being taken against farmers
if they recommence a blocka de of national roads.
"The government's position is clear. The national road network will not be
allowed to remain closed," he said, speaking at the end of meetings held
over two days in Lamia and Atalanti by the Panhellenic Confederation of
Agricultural Cooperatives (PASEGES) and farmers' unions in the Fthiotida
prefecture.
Mr. Tzoumakas accused the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) of being behind
the mobilisations, saying that "there is a particular group of members in
the agricultural sector which wants to exercise specific policies."
Similar action by farmers in December caused serious disruption to
transport and the movement of goods, dealing a heavy blow to the national
economy.
Illegal immigrants arrested, others deported
Forty-two Iraqi illegal immigrants of Kurdish origin are being held at Hios
island police station after being arrested at dawn on Saturday by the coast
guard at the Pasa islet.
The illegal immigrants (30 men, seven women and five children) said that a
Turk had transported them to the Greek islet in his speed boat for the sum
of $1,500 each.
Greek army posts in the Dodecanese islands have also stepped up security
measures, particularly following an incident last week in which a Greek
soldier was slightly wounded when shots were traded between the Greek coast
guard and Turkish illegal immigrant smugglers.
Meanwhile, 22 Indian illegal immigrants, detained in Greece after surviving
a shipwreck off Malta last month, were put on an Olympic Airways flight for
New Delhi.
The 22 had claimed to authorities that two boats carrying illegal
immigrants had collided on Christmas Eve, resulting in the loss of 283
people.
Kidnapped six-year-old found
Police said yesterday they had found a six-year-old girl kidnapped from her
primary school on the island of Crete on Friday.
At press-time, no details had yet been released of how the girl, Eleni
Loulaki, had been recovered.
Eleni's father, the director of the Ford car company in Iraklion, received
two telephone calls after the abduction, one demanding a ransom of 120
million drachmas, and the second warning that the child would be killed if
anyone was notified.
WEATHER
Low temperatures with light rain, snawfalls and sleet in most parts of
Greece. Strong northerly winds across the country turning to gale force.
Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Crete and the Cyclades islands will be
cloudy with local rain and snow in the montains. Athens will be partly
cloudy and windy with temnperatures between 4-7C. Thessaloniki will be
locally cloudy with temperatures between 1-5C.
SPORTS
Greek First Division soccer championship soccer results: Olympiakos-
Kastoria 3 - 0 Kalamata - Panathinaikos 1 - 0
AEK - Kavala 2 - 1 Xanthi - Pyrgos 1 - 0
Apollon - Ionikos 0 - 1 Panahaiki - Edessa 3 - 2
PAOK - OFI 2-1 Athinaikos - Aris (postponed)
Veria - Heraklis to be played today
Standings:
Olympiakos 42 AEK 39 18
Panathinaikos 39 OFI 34
Pyrgos 27 Ionikos 27
Kavala 25 Veria 25
Kalamata 25 Panahaiki 24
PAOK 23
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 253.952
Pound sterling 413.922 Cyprus pd 517.923
French franc 46.112 Swiss franc 179.671
German mark 155.486 Italian lira (100) 15.952
Yen (100) 213.320 Canadian dlr. 187.726
Australian dlr. 195.553 Irish Punt 406.621
Belgian franc 7.544 Finnish mark 52.328
Dutch guilder 138.528 Danish kr. 40.769
Swedish kr. 35.319 Norwegian kr. 38.757
Austrian sh. 22.102 Spanish peseta 1.847
Portuguese escudo 1.552
(C.E.)
