Helicopter repair centre at Hellenicon airport
NEWS IN DETAIL
Pangalos, Kranidiotis in Albania Friday
Greece will dispatch Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Foreign
Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis to Tirana tomorrow as part of a
mediation effort to defuse the explosive situation in Albania, Prime
Minister Costas Simitis announced during a televised interview last
night.
"Greece will seek to avert confrontation and bloodshed, which would,
besides other things, create a wave of refugees that we would not be able
to deal with," he said, adding that the foreign minister will also meet
with insurgents' leaders in southern Albania.
The premier denied speculation about Greek-Italian antagonism concerning
the Albanian crisis, stressing that he was in contact with his Italian
counterpart Romano Prodi, while Mr. Pangalos spoke with his counterpart
Lamberto Dini, in order to promote the common aim of averting bloodshed in
favour of a political solution.
Pangalos on military intervention
Mr. Pangalos said yesterday expressed the hope that military intervention,
even in the form of a peacekeeping force, would not be required in the
neighbouring Albania since this would signal a general conflict in the
region."
Mr. Pangalos told Parliament's external affairs committee that Athens had
held and continues to hold open communication channels with all opposing
sides in neighbouring Albania, Mr. Pangalos denied accusations claiming
that the government had given excessive support to Albanian President Sali
Berisha .
Saying that he believed the international community and the United States
would soon lift their confidence in the Albanian president, the Greek
minister expressed reserved optimism for a quick solution to the Albanian
problem, "because the domestic environment in Albania is unstable."
Meanwhile, an AFP dispatch from Rome reported that Italian Foreign Minister
Dini yesterday had a telephone conversation with Mr. Pangalos in order for
the two countries to coordinate their actions on the Albania issue.
"The conversation confirmed the complete agreement and identical points of
view regarding the Albanian crisis," Mr. Dini noted, according to an
Italian foreign ministry announcement. Italy and Greece are in the "front
line" to attempt to solve the Albanian crisis, the announcement added.
WEU parliamentarians discuss events in Albania
Addressing the Western European Union's (WEU) parliamentary conference in
Athens yesterday, Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou said Greece
and its European Union partners understood the need for immediate action in
the neighbouring country.
Delegates during yesterday's session focused on developments in Albania.
"There is hope that the crisis will be resolved without weapons," Mr.
Papandreou said, warning that destabilisation harbours dangers not only for
Albania but also for its neighbours.
Regarding NATO and WEU relations and the future of the WEU in view of
expected enlargements in both organisations, Mr. Papandreou said that NATO,
the Western European Union and the European Union participated equally in
building Europe's new security structure.
Referring to WEU's enlargement, National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos
said it was not possible for all NATO members to become WEU members
"because in this case there would be no differentiation between the two
organisations."
Efforts for EU humanitarian aid to Albania, Bulgaria
Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas is making efforts to guarantee 12
billion drachmas-worth of food aid for Albania and Bulgaria from the
European Union.
In a letter to EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler, Mr. Tzoumakas
requested that the issue be included in the agenda of the Council of
Agriculture Ministers, which is due to convene in Brussels next week.
In his letter, Mr. Tzoumakas said the two Balkan countries are in urgent
need of food aid as their economies are collapsing due to a lack of
administration and organisation during their switch to a market economy.
He added that both countries are facing severe shortages of basic
foodstuffs such as bread and milk, and that the EU has significant funds
for food aid.
Premier defends modernisation policy
Prime Minister Costas Simitis said a modernisation policy being implemented
by the government is a "leftwing policy".
In an interview with the private Mega and Antenna television stations as
well as the state-run ET-1 network late last night and in Mr. Simitis said
this policy serves the entire population and not those who "have and own"
and that objections to the contrary are unsubstantiated.
Mr. Simitis said debts in the public sector were created by past governments
and that an effort is being made to increase revenues from sources which
did not yield revenues in the past.
He said the imposition of new taxes after the elections, such as the tax on
real estate, and taxation of state securities did not increase income tax
but deals a blow at those "who have and own".
On the question of absorption of European Union funds, Mr. Simitis said
that despite the fact that absorption currently amounts to 65-70 per cent,
he is pressuring ministers to achieve a better performance.
Simitis on Greek policy towards Turkey
In the same interview Mr. Simitis said that Athens' policy concerning Greek-
Turkish relations was based on the pursuit of peace and stability in the
region.
"We pursue peace not only because a (military) adventure would be negative
and will have a cost in human lives but also because any war would lead
Greece to the negotiating table, which it does not want."
Mr. Simitis said Greece does not want Turkey to be excluded from Europe,
adding that Athens would stand to benefit from the development of Euro-
Turkish relations on the condition that the political problem created by
Turkey's territorial claim sagainst Greece will be resolved.
He reiterated that Turkey must raise whatever claims it had at the
International Court at The Hague.
Greel-Austrian cooperation in defence sector
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and his Austrian counterpart
Werner Fasslabend yesterday expressed certainty regarding the expansion of
the two countries' cooperation in the defence sector, during a visit to the
installations of the Hellenic Vehicles Industry (ELBO) in Thessaloniki.
ELBO makes armoured personnel carriers, military and civilian trucks, fire
engines, buses and other equipment.
ELBO president Lykourgos Sakellaris referred to the company's cooperation
with the Austria-based Stayer company, stressing that it would be expanded,
and that ELBO was in a position to respond to the requirements of the Greek
armed forces.
Stephanopoulos, Herzog meet
President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos yesterday met with visiting
German President Roman Herzog, who is in Greece on a private visit.
Mr. Herzog on Tuesday received an honorary doctorate from the Athens
University Law School. The two presidents exchanged views on bilateral
relations and the international situation, with emphasis on the Balkans and
the Albanian crisis and Greek-Turkish relations and Cyprus.
Report says Athens' environment will dramatically improve by 2004
A report commissioned by the Athens 2004 Olympics committee has concluded
that the Greek capital in 2004 "will be a clean city, without air pollution
or traffic problems and with more green spaces."
The report, conducted by Greek and foreign researchers, concerns the
repercussions of major public works projects and was released yesterday.
The report asserts that the public works projects currently underway will
significantly improve the quality of life in the Greek capital in time for
the 2004 Olympic Games, which Athens hopes to host.
The International Olympic Committee recently put Athens alongside Rome as
front-runners for the 2004 Games, but stressed that Athens' suffocating air
pollution is the greatest obstacle to the Greek capital's bid.
The report noted that since 1990 smog levels in the greater Athens area
have shown a gradual reduction and that the completion of the underground
metro system, the international airport at Spata, construction of a number
of major road axes and the introduction of natural gas in industry will
contribute significantly in further reducing air and noise pollution.
Greek participation at New York trade exhibition
The Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO) announced a Greek participation in
the international foodstuffs and beverages exhibition "International Fancy
Food and Confection Show" in New York, from June 29 to July 2. The products
to be displayed at the exhibition will include dairy products, pasta, honey,
olive oil, olives, wines, mineral water, marmalade, specialties, confectionery
products and canned goods.
For more information call 99.82.204.
Simitis to meet shipowners board on Monday
Prime Minister Costas Simitis will have a meeting on Monday with the
presidium of the Greek Shipowners Union. Merchant Marine Minister Stavros
Soumakis will attend the meeting. Speaking to the press, Mr. Soumakis said
yesterday the meeting will focus on measures to reinforce the competitiveness
of the Greek merchant fleet as well as employment issues.
Mutual funds' total assets increased
Total assets of mutual funds increased by 60.8 per cent in 1996 compared to
1995 and amounted to 3.9 trillion drachmas by Dec. 31, 1996.
Four new mutual fund management companies were added to the mutual fund
sector, as well as 29 new mutual funds of various categories, and as a
result the number of mutual fund management companies amounted to 30 at the
end of 1996 and the numb er of mutual funds to 150.
The above figures were released by the Union of Institutional Investors.
According to the data, amounts invested in mutual funds as of Dec. 31, 1996
constituted about 24 per cent of deposits made with banks by private
persons, compared to 16.3 per cent as of Dec. 31, 1995.
Helicopter repair centre at Hellenikon
Olympic Aerospace will acquire a helicopter repair centre at Hellenikon's
western airport in a year's time.
According to a contract signed yesterday by representatives of Olympic
Aerospace and Eurocopter, the investment will amount to 200 million
drachmas in the initial stage, and aims at the repair and maintenance of
helicopters from Greece, Bulgaria, the Fo rmer Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia (FYROM), Cyprus and Malta.
The company also intends to transfer to Thessaloniki in the future.
WEATHER
Sunny weather is forecast for most parts of Greece today, except for some
local cloudiness and possible showers in Crete and the Dodecanese islands.
Strong winds in thre Aegean sea will gradually subside and the weather will
improve later in the day. Athens and Thessaloniki will be mostly sunny with
temperatures between 6-15C in the former and 2-13C in the latter.
SPORTS
IAAF council slated for Athens in May
The International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) council is to be held
in Athens on May 28-29, IAAF Secretary General Istvan Gulai told members of
the "Athens '97" organising committee and the Greek Amateur Athletics
Association (SEGAS) during their meeting yesterday.
Representatives of the organising committee said that on the first day of
the World Athletics Championships, due to be held in Athens between Aug. 1-
10, a comemorative stamp for the event will be issued.
In a related development, representatives of 10 foreign broadcasting
networks were briefed on the world championships, about the programme of
events, camera positioning and commentator boxes, among others. The
television press centre will open on July 26.
The US television network NBC, the German ZDF and ARD and the Japanese TBS
have requested the use of a total of 1,500 square metres for coverage. The
two German channels are to send 150 sports reporters and technicians, with
NBC sending 100 and the BBC and TBS sending 70 each.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Wednesday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 265.439
Pound sterling 422.354 Cyprus pd 520.800
French franc 46.128 Swiss franc 180.053
German mark 155.565 Italian lira (100) 15.632
Yen (100) 216.345 Canadian dlr. 194.234
Australian dlr. 211.053 Irish Punt 411.918
Belgian franc 7.540 Finnish mark 52.064
Dutch guilder 138.210 Danish kr. 40.769
Swedish kr. 34.583 Norwegian kr. 38.972
Austrian sch. 22.103 Spanish peseta 1.834
Portuguese escudo 1.550
(C.E.)
