Papandreou callsfor cuts in EU staff
NEWS IN DETAIL
Respect of UN resolutions before any initiative on Cyprus problem
The Cyprus problem remains an international issue and Greece favours
initiatives for its resolution, on the condition they respect UN resolutions
and the basic principles currently applied in the international community,
Foreign Minister Theodoros Panagalos said yesterday.
"The basic framework for the Cyprus problem is the UN. Greece does not
disapprove of any international initiative, wherever it may come from," he
told reporters after the first-ever discussion of foreign policy issues by
a PASOK executive bureau session .
"There was general agreement that the issue remains an international one,"
he added.
"Greece includes Cyprus in its total national planning. Nothing that
concerns Cyprus is alien to Greece," he stressed.
Regarding a US-proposed moratorium of military flights over Cyprus, the
foreign minister said the issue was not discussed at the session, but was a
tactical matter and was being considered by the competent ministries.
"We have a full identity of views between the defence and foreign
ministries, and of course, the Cypriot leadership is also in agreement," he
said, adding that he disliked the term "moratorium", preferring "suspension
of (military) flights" over Cyprus.
Meeting in Larisa to focus on PfP exercise in Ukraine
A multi-national exercise code-named "Cooperative Neighbour '97" will be
held in Lviv, Ukraine, from July 1-14 within the framework of the
Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme.
The purpose of the exercise is to develop cooperation between NATO member-
states and the countries included in the programme.
As of today and until Jan. 30, meetings will be held at the headquarters of
the 1st Army Corps in Larisa on the planning of the exercise,, with the
participation of representatives from the US, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia,
Estonia, Moldova, the Former Yu goslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the
Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia as well as officers from the NATO
headquarters in Brussels and in Naples.
The exercise is being planned by the commander of NATO's southern wing, and
will be coordinated and directed by the commander of the 1st Army
Corps.
Turkish minister: Claims on Greek islands contrary to int`l accords
Turkish Minister of State Abdullah Gyul reportedly stated in an interview
that possible claims against Greek islands are contrary to international
agreements.
Mr. Gyul, dubbed the "shadow foreign minister", gave the interview to the
Turkish magazine "GORUS", a publication of the union of Turkish industries
(TUSIAD).
"One can swim to the Dodecanese from Turkey, while from Greece transport is
carried out through the air," according to Mr. Gyul, a leading member of
the Welfare Party and a close associate of Islamist Prime Minister
Necmettin Erbakan.
"This situation is due to mistakes by Turkish governments in the '40s.
However, there is no question of claims being made again today, something
which is contrary to international agreements," he added.
"Despite the fact that we see the historical mistake concerning the islands
under our noses, we say they are Greek islands," he said.
Mitsotakis, Papandreou awarded Ipekci Awards
Former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, Alternate Foreign Minister
George Papandreou and Coalition of the Left and Progress Eurodeputy
Michalis Papayiannakis are among this year's winners of the bi-annual "Abdi
Ipekci" awards, it was announced in At hens yesterday.
The awards committee said Mr. Mitsotakis, Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Papayiannakis
should receive an Ipekci Award for their work regarding Greek-Turkish
rapproachement, friendship and cooperation.
The awards were set up on a Greek initiative immediately after the murder
of Ipekci, a prominent Turkish reporter on Feb. 1, 1979, and are awarded
for contributions to promoting Greek-Turkish friendship.
Mr. Mitsotakis will receive the highest "Award for Peace and Friendship
Abdi Ipekci" for his work over the past two decades regarding Greek-Turkish
rapproachment.
Mr. Papandreou will receive the "Special Ipekci Award" for his proposal to
extend the awards to include nominations from students at Greece's
elementary and high schools. He made the proposal as education minister in
the previous PASOK government.
Mr. Papayiannakis will also receive a special award for "the cool-headed
and objective way that he deals with Greek-Turkish relations."
Europol report points to Turkey as primary transit route for heroin
An EDU/EUROPOL report on illegal narcotics has adopted all the views
expressed by the Greek delegation, which stated that 80 to 90 per cent of
heroin confiscated in the European Union comes from southeast Asia and is
transported primarily by Turkish drug smugglers.
According to a public order ministry announcement, more than 1,100 Turkish
nationals were arrested in the EU for heroin smuggling in 1995.
The report states that Turkey-based smuggling rings have full control over
the trafficking of heroin through the Balkans to the countries of the west,
cooperating closely with other groups with which they have political or
religious ties, adding that sm uggling rings fully utilise Turkish
minorities in EU countries, while their operations also function along
family ties.
As Turkey does not have legislation regarding money laundering, income from
the drug trade is also invested in legitimate businesses in that country,
the announcement reads.
Additionally, chemicals and raw materials needed for the production of
synthetic narcotics are shipped to Turkey from the west.
Gov't response
Speaking on the issue, Public Order Minister George Romeos said that Greece
"has repeatedly stressed the role of Turkey in the production and
trafficking of heroin to Europe, and it is time for there to be direct
control mechanisms and the imposition of s anctions on that country.
"Greece will continue to inform international communities, it will
contribute to the break up of the rings attempting to smuggle heroin, while
it has significant successes in the arrest of smugglersIwhich has forced
Turkish smugglers to change their her oin routes to the north of our
country."
Mr. Romeos added that "the European Union member-countries, with great
delay, finally realised the severity of the problem."
The remarks by the French judge come just one week after similar allegations
by a Frankfurt judge.
Gov`t reiterates intention to prevent new farmers` blockades
The government said yesterday it would not remain indifferent but would
take "all preventive measures" to deal with any fresh round of protest
action pla nned by farmers.
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas reiterated that the plan-ned protest
action was both "inopportune and unjustified".
Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas has said that the government will
not allow national roads to be blocked.
Farmers' coordinating committees decided on Sunday in Larisa to begin their
renewed protests in Karditsa today with a farmers' rally, to coincide with
the trial of farmers who participated in a previous protest action. At the
same time, tractors are to gather in village squares over four prefectures.
On Wednesday morning, rallies will be held in Larisa and Trikala,
culminating in a blockade of public buildings. There are plans to block the
Athens-Thessaloniki railway line on Thursday, and the Tempe and Monohori
tollposts on Friday.
Macedonian farmers are to close off the entrance to the Thessaloniki
International Fair ground on Wednesday, when the agricultural exhibition
"Agrotica '97" is to open.
Greece expresses objecctions to EU funding for FYROM
National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou yesterday
expressed Greece's objections to European Union macro-economic aid toward
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), during a meeting of the
Council of ECOFIN Ministers.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Mr. Papantoniou said Athens' reservations
concern both the technical aspects of the issue as well as the political
issues, since "the development of economic relations between the EU and
FYROM is unavoidably linked to the political relationship between Greece
and FYROM."
Athens also said an explanation is necessary concerning the issue of paying
off previous debts owed to the EU by FYROM (US$34 million), before any
decision is taken on granting a new loan.
The loan FYROM is seeking from the EU is in the range of about US$50
million.
China flatly denies missile deal with Turkey
There is no "secret agreement between China and Turkey for the construction
of ground-to-ground missiles, Vice-President and Foreign Minister Chian
Chiseng in Beijing yesterday.
Mr. Chian made the statement during a meeting with the members of a
visiting Greek delegation headed by former PASOK minister Karolos
Papoulias.
According to a Turkish press report earlier this month, Turkey and China
have signed an agreement for construction of Chinese-made WS-1 missiles.
The president of China's Peoples National Assembly, Chou Lang, also
dismissed the report, published in the Turkish daily "Milliet," on Jan. 20
describing it as "unfounded," and "serving other purposes."
Earlier in the day the two committees met to discuss issues related to the
development of Greek-Chinese relations.
The Greek representation is visiting Beiging at the invitation of the
Standing Committee of the Chinese Peoples Congress (NPC). The representation
members will stay in China for a week.
Slight improvement in trade deficit with Austria
A joint Greek-Austrian economic cooperation committee ascertained an
improvement in the trade balance between the two countries in favour of
Greece.
The trade balance continues to show a deficit against Greece, but Greek
exports to Austria are increasing at a faster rate than Greek imports from
Austria.
During the committee's discussions in Vienna, the Greek side stressed the
comparative advantages Greece has in the wider region, on the one hand due
to its geographical position and on the other because it is the sole EU
member-state in the Balkan region. It was agreed that a trade mission
composed of Austrian businessmen and representatives of construction
companies visit Greece in order to make investments both in Greece and with
joint Greek-Austrian enterprises in third countries in the Balkans, the
Black Sea region and the Mediterranean.
On the other hand, it was agreed that a Greek mission composed of
businessmen will visit Austria.
A timetable already exists for implementing these agreements, while an
Austrian mission is expected to visit Greece in the framework of Europartenariat,
due to be organised in Piraeus in June with the participation of more than
4,000 small- and medium-size enterprises from across Europe.
Cultural Capital '97 to officially open on Saturday
Thessaloniki will officially assume the title of Cultural Capital of Europe
in an opening ceremony held over three days and starting on Thursday, while
President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will inaugurate the
Cultural Capital on Saturday.
The three-day events begin Thursday evening with a concert by the Vienna
Symphony Orchestra and solist Agnes Baltsa. On Friday, the Vienna Symphony
Orchestra, conducted by D. R. Davis, will play a Schubert symphony.
On Saturday, an oratorio is to be presented, conducted by Mr. Mikroutsikos,
on the life and works of Nikos Gavrieil Pendziki, with the participation of
a Byzantine music choir.
The Cultural Capital will be officially opened during a ceremony on
Satruday, which will include speeches and a show describing the city's
history.
Papandreou calls for cuts in EU staff in Brussels
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou has called on competent
ministers to "gradually decrease as much as possible the number of ministry
staff serving at Greece's permanent representation to the European Union,
in what he termed as "an effort to rationalise the size of the representation."
Mr. Papandreou sent the letter to the ministers of national economy and
finance, interior, development, environment, town planning and public works,
labour, culture, merchant marine, public order and transport.
WEATHER
Fair to partly cloudy in most parts of Greece, with winds moderate to
strong gradually subsiding. Eastern and southern Greece will be partly
cloudy. Athens will be mostly sunny with temperatures ranging from 2-11C.
Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures between -2 and 5C.
SPORTS
Torch for Special Winter Olympics
A torch lighting ceremony for the sixth Special Winter Olympics, due to be
held next month in Toronto took place in Zappeion Hall yesterday, where the
flame was handed to the president of the Games' organising committee.
A message from IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch was read out during the
ceremony.
The Toronto Special Winter Olympics are to be held from Feb. 1-9, with the
participation of 94 countries. Greece is sending a team of 35 athletes.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Closing rates - buying US dlr. 254.269
Pound sterling 412.950 Cyprus pd 518.816
French franc 46.063 Swiss franc 179.636
German mark 155.308 Italian lira (100) 15.946
Yen (100) 213.101 Canadian dlr. 189.155
Australian dlr. 196.406 Irish Punt 407.216
Belgian franc 7.533 Finnish mark 52.489
Dutch guilder 138.265 Danish kr. 40.739
Swedish kr. 35.077 Norwegian kr. 39.134
Austrian sh. 22.082 Spanish peseta 1.846
Portuguese escudo 1.554
(C.E.)
