Greece awaits payment of Iraqi debt
NEWS IN DETAIL
Athens comments on reports of shooting in Cyprus
The government today appeared to discount reports of an exchange of fire
between Turkish and Greek Cypriots in the area of Louroujina near the
buffer zone dividing Cyprus.
Replying to press questions, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that
according to information received by the government, shots were heard
apparently coming from the Turkish Cypriot village of Louroujina at about
2.30 am this morning.
An investigation by the Cyprus National Guard, he added, revealed that no
one was injured.
''There was no movement, no one was injured, no weapon was used,'' Reppas
said.
The spokesman said that the Greek Cypriot side had not responded when it
heard the shots, clarifying also that no Greek Cypriot citizens had been
injured.
FM Pangalos responds to Turkish foreign ministry comments
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos charged today that recent statements by
the Turkish Foreign Ministry disputing Greek sovereignty of a number of
Aegean islands constituted ''a violation of the fundamental rules of
international law''.
Pangalos was commenting on statements yesterday by Turkish Foreign Ministry
spokesman Omer Akbel concerning an interview given by the foreign minister
to a Greek monthly magazine on the Cyprus issue and the possibility of
armed conflict between Greece and Turkey.
Akbel yesterday implied that Pangalos was in favour of conflict.
Commenting on the issue today, Pangalos cited recent statements made by
Akbel one year since the Imia crisis which brought Greece and Turkey to the
brink of war after Ankara disputed Greek sovereignty of the islets.
Pangalos said Akbel had expressed the view that any islet, rock or island
not specifically named in international treaties signed by Turkey are
''disputed'' and Greece must negotiate with Turkey concerning the future of
these territories.
''These statements constitute a violation of the fundamental rules of
international law, firstly because international treaties are not only
binding on the signatories but also on parties which did not sign them, and
secondly because it is a matter of great importance where the islands
referred to by Mr. Akbel are located, how they are used and by whom they
are inhabited,'' Pangalos said.
He added that the international community had taken note of the ''thoughts''
of Akbel and ''his superiors'' and that ''the natural consequences of this
behaviour are already being manifested''.
''What Mr. Akbel has not understood is that Greece will not be subjugated
and will certainly not accept demands put forward in the form of ultimatums,
irrespective of where they come from. (The Turks) have only to study our
history,'' Pangalos said.
Greece supports Slovakia's efforts to join EU
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos today assured his Slovak counterpart
Pavol Hamzik of Greece's support for Slovakia's application to join the
European Union as well as other European and Atlantic institutions.
Hamzik arrived in Athens yesterday on a two-day official visit at the
invitation of Pangalos. He had separate meetings this morning with Prime
Minister Costas Simitis, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis and
Pangalos.
After his meeting with Hamzik, Pangalos praised Slovakia's ''important
achievements'' in the economic sector, noting that there was great margin
for the further development of bilateral relations in all sectors.
Hamzik said the enlargement of the EU and NATO was a matter of political
and economic stability for Europe as a whole, underlining that all European
countries should work towards consolidating this stability.
On his country's bid to join NATO, Hamzik noted that all European countries
should enjoy the same level of security. Slovakia, he added, was in favour
of ''a new architecture'' for European security which would cover all
European states and prevent the creation of new partition lines.
He said discussions on NATO enlargement should be oriented in this
direction, without leaving out ''important countries'' such as Ukraine and
Russia.
Pangalos reiterated Greece's position in favour of the accession to NATO of
all countries wishing to join, but only after ''a detailed discussion on
the future operation and role of the defence organisation''.
''We must not let justifiable suspicions be created in Russia that a broad
rallying of European countries is being created in which it is not
included. Russian concern must be taken into consideration and addressed,''
Pangalos said.
Greece supports Slovakia's efforts to join EU
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos today assured his Slovak counterpart
Pavol Hamzik of Greece's support for Slovakia's application to join the
European Union as well as other European and Atlantic institutions.
Hamzik arrived in Athens yesterday on a two-day official visit at the
invitation of Pangalos. He had separate meetings this morning with Prime
Minister Costas Simitis, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis and
Pangalos.
After his meeting with Hamzik, Pangalos praised Slovakia's ''important
achievements'' in the economic sector, noting that there was great margin
for the further development of bilateral relations in all sectors.
Hamzik said the enlargement of the EU and NATO was a matter of political
and economic stability for Europe as a whole, underlining that all European
countries should work towards consolidating this stability.
On his country's bid to join NATO, Hamzik noted that all European countries
should enjoy the same level of security. Slovakia, he added, was in favour
of ''a new architecture'' for European security which would cover all
European states and prevent the creation of new partition lines.
He said discussions on NATO enlargement should be oriented in this
direction, without leaving out ''important countries'' such as Ukraine and
Russia.
Pangalos reiterated Greece's position in favour of the accession to NATO of
all countries wishing to join, but only after ''a detailed discussion on
the future operation and role of the defence organisation''.
''We must not let justifiable suspicions be created in Russia that a broad
rallying of European countries is being created in which it is not
included. Russian concern must be taken into consideration and addressed,''
Pangalos said.
PM Simitis will talk to farmers if roads clear, gov't says
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas reiterated today that Prime Minister
Costas Simitis would meet with the farmers of Thessaly who have begun a new
round of protest action only if their coordinating committee undertook to
stop blocking roads.
Commenting on the farmers' demand for a meeting with Simitis, the spokesman
wondered whether such a meeting would be worthwhile.
''The prime minister does not give opportunist hand-outs and has repeatedly
stated since December that the government has taken all the measures which
it possibly could bearing in mind circumstances and the country's
international obligations,'' Reppas said.
He added that satisfaction of some of the farmers' demands would dash
efforts being made for Greece's participation in the European Union on an
equal basis with its partners.
The coordinating committee of Thessaly farmers has not said whether it will
continue to block roads after a meeting with Simitis, the spokesman
noted.
''Any meeting under these conditions would be a meeting for appearance's
sake only and the government says no to this,'' Reppas added.
In contrast, he said, the government believes in a meeting which turns to
advantage the proposals put forward at the National Council on Agricultural
Policy and the recent parliamentary debate.
28 arrested in illegal betting round-up
Police arrested 28 people in overnight raids in Athens allegedly involved
in organised illegal betting which is estimated to have cost the state 16
billion drachmas in lost revenue.
Documents found on the premises raided indicate that the companies which
funded and in effect accepted the illegal bets are based in Cyprus.
For this reason, the Greek police are working on the case in cooperation
with Interpol and colleagues in Cyprus.
The police said the arrested organised or were in other ways involved in
illegal betting on football and basketball games, the state-run numbers
lottery and horse races. They estimate the loss in income for the state
football pools organisation (OPAP) at about 16 billion drachmas.
The arrests followed months-long investigations which revealed that the
illegal betting circles had been active since 1994.
Man arrested with 89 kilos of cannabis
Police today arrested a 38-year-old man when he went to collect 89 kilos of
cannabis which he had concealed in a rainwater drainage pipe on the
Igoumenitsa-Preveza national highway.
The man was identified as Theodoros Kallis, a resident of Igoumenitsa in
northern Greece.
The cannabis was packed in seven large sacks.
Greece to launch int'l campaign on national issues
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou said yesterday that Greece
would shortly embark on an international campaign to promote issues of
direct or indirect concern to the country and which are being discussed at
the inter-governmental conference (IGC).
Although the main forum for discussion of the issues will be the IGC, Mr.
Papandreou told a press conference that he would be travelling to many
European Union countries to drum up support for Greece's positions.
His programme will include visits to Rome at the end of February, to Paris
on March 5, to Madrid a few days later and subsequently to the Scandinavian
countries.
Mr. Papandreou said his talks would not be restricted to the revision of
the Maastricht Treaty but would include the latest developments in the
Cyprus problem and Greek-Turkish relations.
The decision of the Dutch presidency to convene the EU-Turkey Association
Council soon does not worry Greece, Mr. Papandreou said, since nothing new
had arisen on the issue.
On the Cyprus problem itself, Mr. Papandreou said the new UN Secretary-
General Kofi Annan strongly wished to make efforts for a settlement. He met
with Mr. Annan last week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland.
Mr. Papandreou also expressed displeasure at the recent meeting in Rome
between the five major EU powers and Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller,
saying that meetings "held outside of the institutions" cannot represent
the EU.
Xiosbank's entry into bancassurance sector examined
The general director of Xiosbank yesterday focused on the private bank's
entry into the insurance sector, and specifically on the bancassurance
sector, through two new products concerning pensioners and children.
G. Pechlivanidis said the bank's profits were very satisfactory in 1996
since, according to preliminary pre-tax data, profits amounted to 2.1
billion drachmas, registering a 20 per cent increase over 1995.
The bank's loans totalled 103 billion drachmas, of which 36 billion
concerned business credit and 67 billion consumer credit, representing a 24
per cent increase from the previous fiscal year. The total amount of
capital handled was 355 billion drachmas
(a 38 per cent increase).
Mr. Pechlivanidis also referred to Xiosbank's scheduled entry into the
Athens Stock Exchange through a public issue, pointing to the first half of
April as the most probably date.
Greece awaits payment of Iraqi debt
The Greek Powder and Cartridge Company (PYRKAL) and the Greek state have
not waived their claims concerning a 53 million dollar debt owed by Iraq,
Defence Undersecretary Dimitris Apostolakis told Parliament today.
Replying to a question tabled by main opposition New Democracy deputy
Dimitris Kostopoulos, Apostolakis said an agreement had been reached for a
settlement of the debt under favourable terms for Greece.
Iraq, he added, has acknowledged its obligations regarding both the main
debt and default interest.
Apostolakis said Iraq had agreed to pay off the debt in cash when the
embargo against Baghdad is lifted, and until then it would be paying
instalments in kind, with crude oil and other products.
WEATHER
Fair with some local clouds and possible showers at night in most parts of
the country. Clouds with the possibility of drizzle is forecast for
southern and eastern Greece and the Aegean islands where temperatures will
rise. Athens will be sunny with few clouds and temperatures between 4-14C.
Same for Thessaloniki with possibe rain in the evening and temperatures
between 11-10C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Closing rates - buying US dlr. 257.236
Pound sterling 417.334 Cyprus pd 519.808
French franc 46.168 Swiss franc 179.840
German mark 156.111 Italian lira (100) 15.823
Yen (100) 208.439 Canadian dlr. 191.238
Australian dlr. 195.672 Irish Punt 411.085
Belgian franc 7.568 Finnish mark 52.437
Dutch guilder 138.989 Danish kr. 40.926
Swedish kr. 34.875 Norwegian kr. 39.829
Austrian sch. 22.188 Spanish peseta 1.844
Portuguese escudo 1.553
(M.P.)
