NEWS IN DETAIL

PM denies US involvement in coordination of Aegean exercises

Replying to a question tabled by main opposition New Democracy party deputy Alekos Papadogonas, Simitis said that the issue which arose when recent Greek and Turkish exercises coincided in the same area between Chios and Samos at the same time was resolved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in cooperation with the General Air Staff.

''In cases when the location (for separate Greek and Turkish exercises) is the same, an effort is made by the CAA to find some mutually acceptable solution. In the case in question, there was a coincidence as far as the location was concerned,'' Simitis said.

The premier added that it was eventually agreed that the Greek and Turkish exercises should take place at different times ''within the framework of what is a common practice''.

Exports outlook good but no room for complacency

The result, according to the council, was that better coordination was needed between state services and Greek businessmen in order to chart a more effective and uniform strategy for promoting Greek products in foreign markets.

The plenary meeting, the first for two years, was held with the participation of dozens of representatives of the producer classes and agencies directly or indirectly involved in the country's foreign trade.

National Economy Undersecretary Alexandros Baltas said exports increased by 18 per cent in the first half of 1996, compared to the same period of 1995, thanks to a number of favourable developments such as improvements in the relevant institutional framework and cheaper and easier financing.

Baltas acknowledged however that disincentives still remained and were impeding export efforts. The government, he added, would do all it could to resolve this problem.

He also announced the simplification and a ''different philosophy'' concerning the system of export credits to various states ''which has not been as effective as we had believed''.

At present, he went on, export credit lines have been opened for Romania, Georgia and Moldova, while others, namely for Ukraine, Krasnodar in Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, were being negotiated or, in the case of China, Vietnam and Yugoslavia, at the planning stage.

The aim of the Greek government, Baltas said, was on the one hand to support the export of Greek capital equipment and technical know-how for the promotion of investment programmes abroad, while on the other, facilitating access to these markets for Greek small- and medium-size enterprises.

Alternate FM in Sofia to offer EU's help

New Patriarch elected for Alexandria and All Africa

The Holy Synod of the Alexandria Patriarchate elected Papapetrou from a shortlist of three metropolitans, or archbishops, from an original seventeen bishops and archbishops from around Africa.

The new patriarch succeeds the late Parthenios, who died while on holiday on the Greek island of Amorgos in July last year at the age of 77.

Parapetrou, born in the northern Cypriot town of Kyrenia in 1949, speaks English, French and Arabic and has represented the Patriarchate of Alexandria at numerous ecumenical meetings.

New international airport to be built at Meteora

A master plan for the airport, whose 2,450m runway is scheduled to open for air traffic in 2000, is to be presented in Meteora on Sunday by the construction companies Meteora Airport S.A., Daimler-Benz Airport Systems and Faulenbach Da Costa Airport Consulting. The plan includes a modern cargo centre for the transport of Thessaly's agricultural produce, a pilot training centre, and facilities for international exhibitions, conferences and air-shows.

Companies participating in the project include Dornier GmbH, the Hellenic Aerospace Inudstry (EAB), AGET Heracles and the International Commerce and Financing Corp.

Premier optimistic major works will be completed on schedule

Speaking to reporters at the environment, town planning and public works ministry after a two-hour meeting with the ministry's political leadership, Mr. Simitis said he was satisfied by the progress of works despite certain difficulties and "friction".

For most of the approximately 7,000 works in progress, Mr. Simitis said funding, estimated at 4.2 trillion drachmas, has already been secured. In those cases where available finances remained inadequate the necessary funds will be raised in cooperation with the environment,town planning and public works ministry and the national economy ministry, he added.

The premier did not rule out participation of the private sector in the financing of major works.

"It is an issue which has been discussed by the cabinet and inner cabinet. But we must find ways to ensure that it would be to the benefit of the works and not increase their cost," he said.

Holbrooke arrives Monday on unofficial visit

Kati Marton will be honoured for her work as president of the International Committee for Protection of Journalists by the Costas Kyriazis International Centre. Her group has been particularly active in pressing for the safety of reporters in Turkey and former Yugoslavia, according to the centre.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas has confirmed that the ex-State Department official will visit Athens, but said he did not know of any scheduled meetings with Greek officials.

Iran offers to mediate between Greece, Turkey

The press release referred to the visit to Athens this week by Iranian First Vice-President Hassan Habibi, saying that the aim of the three-day visit was to examine forms of widening cooperation between Tehran and Athens in various fields.

Iran's Alternate Foreign Minister for European and US affairs Mahmoud Vaezi told IRNA, the state news agency, that strengthening Greek-Iranian relations was not directed against any other nation, specifically not Turkey.

Jan-Oct 1996 current accounts deficit rises

In October 1986, the current accounts deficit reached $646 million, compared to $627 million in the same month of 1995.

OTE to unveil new mobile phone in September

Making the announcement yesterday, OTE president Dimitris Papoulias said that a subsidiary - COSMO-OTE - had already been set up and would be responsible for the organisation's cellular phone activities.

Mr. Papoulias said the subsidiary's share capital would total 100 billion drachmas, of which half would be paid in from OTE's own capital while the remainder would be borrowed funds. OTE will be entering the Greek mobile phone market with a par tner, to be selected after evaluation of offers from three companies - Airtats, Telenor and Orange.

The offers, he added, would be submitted by the deadline of February 28 and the competent evaluation committee would convene prior to March 10 and give its recommendation to OTE's board of directors. The successful bidding company will purchase 30 per cent of COSMO-OTE's shares. The mobile phone market in Greece is currently divided between two companies -Telestet and Panafon.

Australian Greek, FYROM communitites agree to disagree

According to an ANA despatch from Melbourne, the two communities agreed on Tuesday to tone down their antagonism and discontinue pending legal action concerning a defamatory letter against ethnic Greeks of the Black Sea region.

Representatives of the FYROM community had sent the letter to then Australian premier Paul Keating.

After agreement was reached with representatives of the Greek Council and the Association of Ethnic Greeks of the Black Sea, representatives of the FYROM community in Australia issued an announcement recognizing the sacrifices of the Greek people during the Second World War.

According to the announcement, the letter was not intended to question the struggle of the Greek people against fascism.

''If our letter unintentionally offended you, then we apologize and sincerely hope that our two communities can co-exist in peace, both in the Balkans and in Australia,'' the announcement said.

In the letter, the FYROM community had accused the ethnic Greeks of the Black Sea region of collaborating with the Nazis.

Ten illegal immigrants arrested

Procedures are already under way for their deportation.

Meanwhile, the police and army have increased measures along the entire Greek-Bulgarian border, from Serres to Evros, to prevent a mass wave of illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country.

According to unconfirmed reports from northern Greece, hundreds and perhaps thousands of Bulgarians are waiting for the opportunity to cross into Greece illegally.

Fishermen net ancient bronze statue

The skipper of the boat, Michail Koufakis, told the harbour authorities that he had ''caught'' the head and other pieces of bronze while fishing yesterday off the northwest coast of the island of Kalymnos.

The harbour authorities have already informed the competent marine archaeology department about the find.

WEATHER

SPORTS

Athens among 2004 Olympics favourites

The IOC will announce a short-list of four or five Olympic contenders in Lausanne on March 7.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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