Karamanlis elected new ND leader

Karamanlis, who succeeds Miltiades Evert, was elected in a second round ballot by an overwhelming majority of 2,350 out of 3,398 valid votes (70 per cent) cast by party delegates and deputies, against 1,048 for contender George Souflias. Thirty-eigh t blank ballots were counted.

In a first statement after his election, Karamanlis said that there were no victors nor vanquished. Referring to his chief rival in the race to the party's leadership, George Souflias, the new ND leader stressed his respect for the former minister, adding that had never viewed him as an opponent, "but as a friend and associate."

Addressing the second day of sessions, Karamanlis yesterday called for end to the phenomena of introversion and discriminations in the party.

"An important step has been made in order to put aside all those things that harmed us in the past. If we simply elected a leader only to begin the same things anew, then we shall have lost a unique opportunity," he said in obvious reference to recurrent internal party feuding.

"New Democracy needs all its members," he added.

He described Souflias as "the epitomy of ethos, responsibility, seriousness, and hard work," and praised Evert's "superiority of character".

Karamanlis was born in Athens on Sept. 14, 1956. He studied at Athens University's Law School and at the private Deree college, continuing with postgraduate studies in the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in the United States.

He has been repeatedly elected as a New Democracy deputy for Thessaloniki since 1989. He is unmarried.

Costas Karamanlis continued his education in the US from 1980-84, where he gained a masters degree and a doctorate in political sciences, international relations and diplomatic history.

Karamanlis was elected president of ND's parliamentary work group for foreign affairs in October last year.

Simitis sends congratulatory note to new ND leader

Meanwhile, asked by the press to comment on the election of Karamanlis to the party's highest rank, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleca Papariga said her party had no concern as to who "a party's delegates decide to elect as their new leader."

"I believe that the ND's policy is a given fact. It's a policy which we radically disagree with and I believe that this policy in its basic lines and objectives will not change henceforth," she added.

Contenders wish Karamanlis success in his mission

"Everyone must declare they will support the new leader, and there can be no grace period in this. We must support with faith and resoluteness and without terms and preconditions the unity of the party, which the leader represents," he said.

The runner up in the second round of the leadership contest, Giorgos Souflias, who received the votes of 1,078 congress delegates, compared to 2, 350 for Karamanlis, wished the new leader success in meeting the expectations of the party, the rules, principles and values of which he will continue fighting for.

Former PM Constantinos Mitsotakis also congratulated the new leader, while former national economy minister Stephanos Manos, who had indicated he might leave the party if Evert were re-elected, now stated he will remain.

Communist and labour parties meeting in Athens

Speaking at the conference in Zappeion Hall, Greek Communist Party (KKE) secretary-general Aleka Papariga said yesterday the reorganisation of the international Communist movement was an urgent matter in view of "the policy pursued by the imperialist forces in the Mediterranean and the Middle East".

The conference is attended by Communist and labour party delegations from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Bahrein, Palestine, Syria, and Sudan.

Greece asked to participate in multinational force to Albania

The Greek military attache in the Italian capital was called to the defence ministryon Friday night, and was handed a request for participation. The Greek government is expected to determine the details of that participation until Monday.

European Union foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels on that day to adopt a joint decision on the matter. An Italian force of 1,000 men is reported ready at the port of Brindisi to embark on the mission.

Greeece, Romania to step up cooperation

Prime Minister Costas Simitis and his Romanian counterpart, Viktor Corbea, were speaking at a joint press conference after a second round of talks in Bucharest yesterday.

Simitis, accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, arrived in the Romanian capital on Thursday night for an official two-day visit.

Replying to questions, Simitis announced his intention to visit all Balkan capitals, including Skopje, at the earliest opportunity.

One of the ways Greece and Romania would achieve closer cooperation, Simitis said, was within the framework of a tripartite collaboration between Athens, Bucharest and Sofia, which would enable the participation of more ministries, such as tourism, transport and education.

Simitis announced the signing soon of a bilateral cooperation agreement with Romania covering all sectors. Stressing the need for a common Balkan course, the premier underlined that Greek-Romanian cooperation belonged to the framework of the two countries' common European perspective.

On the prospects of European Union and NATO membership for other Balkan countries, Simitis said the same accession criteria should apply for all candidate states "without differentiations and arrangements which would in effect exclude the Balkan countries."

Relations with the EU "should not be developed at different levels, in other words, closer cooperation with certain countries and looser ties with others, such as the Balkan countries," Simitis said.

He added that the same applied with respect to NATO enlargement, stressing that the relevant arrangements and procedures should not leave certain countries on the fringe, through the adoption of different treatment, discrimination and the creation of sp heres of influence.

Both men discussed Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem, with Simitis expressing satisfaction for what he called the great importance attached by Bucharest to respect for the principles of international law, the settlement of disputes thro ugh recourse to the International Court at the Hague and the implementation of UN resolutions for the settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Corbea noted that Simitis' visit was the first by a foreign leader to Romania since recent elections.

He also linked its significance to the meeting between the presidents of the United States and Russia in Helsinki, underlining the importance of NATO membership for Romania. Corbea agreed with

Simitis that Greek-Romanian trade relations had enormous possibilities for further development, with the aim, echoing statements by the Greek premier on Thursday, of the volume of bilateral trade reaching US$500 million.

Corbea said it had been decided to convene the Greek-Romanian joint economic committee in Bucharest in April to examine prospects for broadening economic cooperation, adding that this would be facilitated by the economic reforms already under way in

Romania. He thanked Simitis for Greece's support in Romania's bid to join the EU and NATO and agreed with the Greek premier that there should be no exclusions or discriminatory treatment of candidate countries.

Replying to reporters' questions, Corbea said the Greek premier had invited him to visit Greece, adding that he would do so after the scheduled visit of Romanian President Emil Constantinescu to Athens in May.

On the crisis in Albania, Simitis stressed that Greece had from the outset insisted on a political solution to the problem in the neighbouring country, which should be provided by all the political forces in Albania.

Noting that Greece had not asked for the removal of Albanian President Sali Berisha, Mr. Simitis underlined that Athens was in favour of a peaceful settlement of the crisis "but does not want to get directly involved in one scenario or another."

Pangalos: Turkey's place is in Europe

"We do not insist on Turkey referring disputes to the International Court at The Hague, an announcement of the decision concerning referral will be sufficient," he said in an interview to the "Yeni Guzgil" newspaper, published on Friday.

"On the issue of the continental shelf, we could, after a certain preparation, ask a third party to examine where justice lies," he added.

He issued an appeal to the Turkish people "not to permit war, and not to be trapped in the aggressive designs of some of its leaders."

"In Ankara, they continuously use the threat of war against Greece as a diplomatic weapon. This is an unacceptable situation," he charged, noting that "we expect a statement from the Turkish foreign ministry, the presidency of the republic, or some other official source, clarifying that there is no issue of war between our two countries".

"We are asking Turkey to confirm it respects international treaties," said Pangalos, noting that in her letter to European foreign ministers, Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller referred to "absence of borders in the Aegean."

"This is a mistaken approach, it is a behaviour disputing Greece's territorial integrity and the borders in the Aegean," he added.

Regarding Cyprus, Pangalos referred to the need "to break the wall erected in Nicosia between the two communities."

"Let's abolish the wall in Cyprus, even before talks beginIEvery Friday (for instance), let people move as they wish. For those in the north, who face the problem of unemployment, the possibility for temporary work could be givenIAt the end of the week, people may get together, dance, or even get married," he said.

He charged that the current European view of Turkey suffered from superficiality, saying characteristically, "this issue of the family photograph is nonsense and it belittles the Turkish people".

"Islam is part of EuropeIwe lived together for years, your culture is part of our culture, and our culture has been united with yours. There can be no issue of accepting a cultural distinction," he said, stressing, "Turkey's final goal must be unification with Europe.

Number of ethnic Greeks from Albania to Greece increases

Two ethnic Greek villages, Tsiouka and Vryssera, in the districts of Sarande and Gjirokaster respectively, were recently abandoned by their inhabitants, following attacks by Albanian criminal elements.

The exodus is also being fuelled by the climate of uncertainty resulting from the current upheaval and the dire economiv situation. Those who remain do so, in their majority,

Europarliament committee praises Athens' latest economic indicators

The committee, which is currently visiting Greece, is headed by its vice- president, PASOK party Eurodeputy George Katiforis.

The Euro-MP noted that according to the competent government ministers with whom the committee has met, the convergence criteria for Greece's participation in Economic and Monetary Union will have been satisfied during 1998.

This would mean that the Greek drachma will join the single European currency P Euro P together with the second group of EU member-states at the latest by the year 2001.

Current accounts deficit soars

The bank said the record deficit was due to a 5.7 increase in the tra-de balance, resulting from a US$872 million rise in imports against a US$32 million drop in exports, compared to 1995.

During the same period of 1996, invisibles also fell by US$812 million , the Bank of Greece said.

Youths throw molotov cocktail

The parcels section of the post office, on the junction of Patision and Derigni streets, was extensively damaged by the fire bomb.

The fire was extinguished by the fire brigade. Police said they were conducting investigations for the capture of the culprits.

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