Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-05-16
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 16/05/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Greece awaits UN initiative on Cyprus problem
- G. Papandreou: No negotiation of Greek sovereign rights
- Gov't denies US moratorium on arms deliveries
- Greece reacts to latest tension in Albania
- Former ND premier praises Simitis' policies
- Tobacco traders urged to honour contracts with producers
- Europarliament's Fisheries Committee to visit Kos, Kalymnos
- Athens mayor to address Amsterdam meeting
- Ian Holm as king Lear in Thessaloniki theatre
- Garbage strike continues
- Gov't to support airline co. to be formed by tour operators
- Ionian Bank 'treasure' surfaces
- Greece elected to vice-presidency of UNESCO committee
- Special stamp series for IAAF championships in Athens
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Greece awaits UN initiative on Cyprus problem
Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday chaired a meeting attended by the
leadership of the foreign and defence ministries that focused on the latest
developments on the Cyprus question as well as issues concerning the
"committee of experts" and Greek-Turkish relations.
On the question of Cyprus, reports said the government is awaiting an
initiative by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who intends to invite Cyprus
President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash over
the summer for a start to direct talks.
On Monday, the UN secretary general's envoy, Sir Kieran Prendergast, will
visit Athens for talks with Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou
and Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis. Sir Kieran will also visit
Turkey.
The Greek side of the "committee of experts" has already started work to
prepare the document it will send to the European Union's Dutch presidency,
with Turkey doing likewise.
An in-depth discussion was held on Greek-Turkish relations and, according
to sources, extensive reference was made to NATO's involvement in the
creation of confidence-building measures between Greece and Turkey.
Satisfaction was expressed over figures gathered by NATO in connection with
national airspace violations by Turkish aircraft.
NATO headquarters in Naples had been receiving a Reconnaissance Aircraft
Projector (RAP) image of the Aegean for about three months with the consent
of both Greece and Turkey. Reports reveal that collected information
absolutely vindicates Greece, which had pointed out the Turkish violations
long ago. It is noteworthy that about 80 per cent of these violations take
place even further than six miles inside Greek airspace.
According to reliable sources, the government intends to call on NATO to
exert pressure on Turkey to stop airspace violations.
G. Papandreou: No negotiation of Greek sovereign rights
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou yesterday reiterated Athens'
firm position not to negotiate any of its sovereign rights, saying the
government never fails to clearly state Greek positions during international
contacts.
He made the statement in response to a tabled Parliament question by main
opposition New Democracy deputy Ioannis Varvitsiotis regarding recent
meetings by the foreign ministry's political leadership with their Turkish
counterparts, as well as the "committee of experts" Athens and Ankara
recently agreed to form.
Noting what he called a "provocative Turkish stance," Mr. Varvitsiotis said
"the government was sliding into a Greek-Turkish dialogue without
conditions and terms."
Mr. Papandreou said Athens had reacted immediately to the "unacceptable
statements" of the Turkish Foreign Undersecretary Inal Batu, regarding the
sovereignty of the island of Gavdos (south of Crete) with demarches and
briefings to foreign governments.
Mr. Papandreou said "there is no negotiation of our national sovereign
rights. At the meetings with our counterparts," he added, "we reiterate the
clear Greek positions." "This dialogue cannot be confused with negotiations
of our sovereign rights," he said.
Gov't denies US moratorium on arms deliveries
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas has denied as "absolutely false" press
reports of a delay in the delivery of weapons systems to Greece from the
United States.
"These reports have nothing to do with reality," he said.
Referring to weapons systems scheduled to be ordered, Mr. Reppas said a
study of these systems is being completed but no contact has been made with
anyone so far, either a government or agent. He added that very often
certain reports on the issue reflect the aims of interested third
parties.
Greece reacts to latest tension in Albania
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos has taken steps to aid in the defusing
of tension created in Albania due to the voting of a controversial
electoral law backed by embattled Albanian President Sali Berisha.
Opposition parties in Albania and several western countries have expressed
objections to the new electoral law.
Mr. Pangalos last night spoke with Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) special envoy Franz Vranitzky, Italian Foreign Minsiter
Lamberto Dini, NATO Secretary General Javier Solana and Mr. Berisha.
He called on all to undertake efforts in order for elections in the
neighbouring country to be held as stated at the end of June.
According to reports, Mr. Pangalos asked the Albanian president not to lead
his country into the elections under the law, which was passed on Tuesday,
and to accept a compromise that would satisfy all sides.
Former ND premier praises Simitis' policies
The government yesterday welcomed comments from a former ND prime minister
that Prime Minister Costas Simitis' policies would make the country
prosperous.
"It is good that support is offered from rivals to the prime minister in
his effort to further improve the country's position," government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas said yesterday when asked to comment on a statement by
former New Democracy prime minist er George Rallis.
Mr. Rallis surprised those attending the official launching of the archives
of former president Constantine Karamanlis on Wednesday night by saying
that if "(late PASOK founder and former prime minister) Andreas Papandreou...had
followed the policy that Costas Simitis is following today, then Greece
would have been a prospering country".
The comments caused dissatisfaction and discontent in the main opposition
New Democracy party.
Tobacco traders urged to honour contracts with producers
Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas yesterday appealed to wholesale
tobacco traders and tobacco manufacturers to honour contracts they signed
with producers last year and to receive tobacco shipments within the new
deadline obtained from the European Union.
Speaking to reporters during his visit to the 14th DETROP exhibition in
Thessaloniki, Mr. Tzoumakas reminded that contracts constitute an
institutional element for the EU, adding that whoever violates them will
face sanctions.
"Our position is clear. If they do not receive the tobacco by the last day
of the deadline, which after the new extension comes to an end seven days
from today, then there will be sanctions and even a black list for the next
year," Mr. Tzoumakas warned,adding that "some will not be able to buy even
a kilo."
In another development, an announcement by the General Confederation of
Agricultural Unions of Greece called for government intervention to enable
the sale of large quantities of tobacco, which have remained unsold since
the deadline for trade deals end ed yesterday.
Europarliament's Fisheries Committee to visit Kos, Kalymnos
An eight-member delegation of the Europarliament's Fisheries Committee,
adopting a proposal by Greek Eurodeputy Ioannis Roubatis, is to visit the
Aegean islands of Kos and Kalymnos over the weekend in order to be briefed
on the problems of coastal fishing , fish farming and of traditional sponge
gathering.
The delegation is to meet with officials in the agriculture and merchant
marine ministries, local self-administration officials in the Dodecanese
and the representatives of the region's fishermen's trade unions.
Athens mayor to address Amsterdam meeting
Athens Mayor and president of the Central Union of Municipalities and
Communities of Greece (KEDKE), Dimitris Avramopoulos, will leave for
Amsterdam today at the head of a delegation of local administration
officials to attend one of the more crucial meet ings focusing on policy of
European local administration organisations after the Maastricht Treaty.
Mr. Avramopoulos will be one of three speakers on the issue of "Regions and
Cities, a Key Role in Employment."
Ian Holm as King Lear in Thessaloniki theatre
Internationally-renowned British actor Ian Holm appears as King Lear in the
British Royal National Theatre production in Thessaloniki, in the framework
of the city's 1997 Cultural Capital of Europe events.
The performances, to be held on May 28, 29, 30 and 31, have been organised
in cooperation with the British Council and the Cultural Capital Organisation.
Garbage strike continues
The mounds of garbage already piled up in street corners in Athens will
probably grow higher in the coming days, as municipal workers last night
decided to extend their strike indefinitely, while also keeping the Ano
Liosia landfill closed.
The decision came after an amendment under which part-time municipal
workers would have received full-time contracts was withdrawn in Parliament,
following objections by ruling PASOK party deputies.
Workers at the landfill are scheduled to meet today in order to decide upon
the further extention of strike action.
Gov't to support airline co. to be formed by tour operators
Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) Secretary General Nikos Skoulas
said yesterday that the government will fully support Greek tour operators
if they go ahead with the appropriate establishment of a combined
shareholding airline company, in order to reduce the dependence of Greek
tourism on foreign tour operators.
Currently, 82 per cent of tourists arrive in Greece by plane, most of them
using charter flights.
Mr. Skoulas made the statement during a meeting between the heads of all
hoteliers' associations in the country, called by the Panhellenic Hoteliers
Association.
During the meeting, the majority vote decision was confirmed to not submit
to pressures from foreign tour operators calling for price reductions in
Greek hotels by up to 10 per cent for 1998.
Hoteliers decided to increase their prices by a maximun of 5 per cent in
relation to this year.
Ionian Bank `treasure` surfaces
A large cache of ancient coins have apparently surfaced in the vault of
Ionian Bank headquarters in Athens.
The find was publicised by the Ionian Bank employees' trade union
newsletter, which said a Greek national had deposited about 40 years ago a
large box, roughly the size of a desk, full of ancient coins and had not
returned since.
According to the publication, "during the current decade, the bank, while
clearing pending issues in the central safety deposit boxes, through
completely legal channels, appropriated the contents of safes which
included the box in question, the contents of which are estimated to be
worth more than 10 billion drachmas."
The bank refused to give any details of the coin collection, citing
customer confidentiality. "According to Greek legislation, various articles
periodically become the property or fall into the possession of the banks,"
it added.
Greece elected to vice-presidency of UNESCO committee
Greece was yesterday elected to the vice-presidency of the UNESCO inter-
governmental committee responsible for the international campaign to
establish a Museum of Nubian Civilisation in Aswan and a National Museum of
Egyptian Civilisation in Cairo.
The committee, which convened yesterday in Aswan, was established by the
UNESCO General Assembly to fulfil a consultative role in the planning,
execution and operation of the two museums. Eleni Methodiou, consultant on
cultural issues to the UNESCO permanent representation, and Niki Tselenti,
an archaeologist at the culture ministry, will sit on the committee.
Special stamp series for IAAF championships in Athens
Designs for a special series of stamps commemorating the International
Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Championships in Athens was
presented yesterday during a meeting of the organising committee. The IAAF
championships are to be held in Athens between Aug. 1-10. The stamps will
all bear the logo of the championships as a background, and will present
various scenes from ancient and modern track and field events. The design
of the medals to be awarded to athletes and commemorative medals to be sold
to the public has been assigned to artist Panayiotis Gravvalos.
WEATHER
Fine weather is forecast for most parts of Greece today, except in the
south and north where there will be scattered clouds. Winds will be
northerly, light to moderate, turning strong in the Aegean Sea. Athens will
be sunny and hot with temperatures between 19-30C. Thessaloniki will also
be sunny with some local clouds and temperatures from 15-29C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Thursday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 267.900
Pound sterling 439.238 Cyprus pd 531.712
French franc 47.060 Swiss franc 187.751
German mark 158.462 Italian lira (100) 16.106
Yen (100) 231.910 Canadian dlr. 193.142
Australian dlr. 207.923 Irish Punt 410.589
Belgian franc 7.682 Finnish mark 52.467
Dutch guilder 141.062 Danish kr. 41.654
Swedish kr. 35.448 Norwegian kr. 38.152
Austrian sch. 22.536 Spanish peseta 1.878
Port. Escudo 1.573
(C.E.)
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