Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-06-02
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 02/06/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Premier congratulates Jospin on his election victory
- Government expressed satisfaction over IGC draft decision
- Low-cost solar energy system launched
- George Livanos dies
- New forest areas to be declared
- Premier pleased with course of major projects in Epirus
- Premier comments on political situation in Albania
- Mediterranean news agencies air prospects in new communication
era
- Karamanlis criticises government's policies
- Samaras re-elected president at first Pol.An congress
- Premier to visit Sweden tomorrow
- High-ranking Greek delegation at EU council
- Japanese delegation at Thessaloniki Cultural Capital events
- Weather
- Foreign exchange in drachmas
NEWS IN DETAIL
Premier congratulates Jospin on his election victory
Prime Minister Costas Simitis today congratulated French Socialist leader
Lionel Jospin on his election victory, saying it heralded "new possibilities
and prospects for all the Socialists of Europe."
"The choice of the Socialists today will be the choice of Europe tomorrow,"
Simitis told Jospin in a congratulatory telegramme.
Speaking meanwhile in Thessaloniki, Development Minister Vasso Papandreou
described Jospin's victory yesterday as "a very positive development, not
only for France but also for Greece and the European Union."
"The political map of Europe is changing and we are more optimistic that
the integration of the European Union will take place with a more social
and human face, given that the forces of the centre-left constitute a
majority in the Community," Papandreou said.
Replying to reporters' questions, Papandreou said Jospin's victory was
particularly important for Greece "because there will be greater cooperation."
"There is a convergence of views and policies and therefore, within the
framework of the EU, there will be greater possibilities for our views too,
given that in general our views are centre-left," Papandreou said.
"The victory of the centre-left in France gives fresh impetus to the
progressive side of the political spectrum in Europe," government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas said.
"This could reinforce social gains to the benefit of workerrs," Reppas
added.
Regarding the possibility of a shift in positions within the framework of
the intergovernmental conference (IGC), Reppas said it would be advisable
to wait until the new French government has stated its positions.
Coalition of the Left and Progress leader Nikos Konstantopoulos said "the
great victory of the French left has sent a strong and many-sided message
to all of Europe."
Konstantopoulos said Jospin's victory was an important step in efforts for
the revision of the Maastricht Treaty "with the strengthening of the social
and democratic characteristics of the EU."
Government expresses satisfaction over IGC draft decision
The government yesterday expressed satisfaction at the draft decision for
the intergovernmental conference (IGC) which is to be discussed at the
European Union summit in Amsterdam, saying it contained "positive
references" to the issue of the common defence and security policy and to
development.
According to the draft text, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said,
peace and security must be pursued in accordance with the principles of the
United Nations, the Helsinki Agreement, the Paris Charter and principles
such as respect for the external borders of the EU.
"This is a very positive development and will be an important achievement
if these positions are adopted," Reppas said.
The spokesman noted also that the chapter on development emphasized the the
problem of lesser developed regions, with particular reference to the
islands.
"These are principles which further safeguard our interests," Reppas said,
while adding that it was not certain that they would eventually be adopted
''but there is a good possibility''.
Reppas did not rule out the possibility of the changes of government in
Britain and France affecting the time schedule for the final shaping of the
IGC text.
Low-cost solar energy system launched
Greek Environment Minister Costas Laliotis on Monday launched a low-cost
solar energy system in a state school near Piraeus, the first of a
nationwide network due for construction over the next two years.
"Our aim is to have around 50 schools around the country operating the same
system over two years," said Laliotis, whose portfolio also includes public
works and town planning.
Greenpeace, an international environmental group, proposed installation of
the electricity generating system, and will provide technical support. The
project will be funded by the environment and education ministries.
The photo-electric solar system will feed the Public Power Corporation's
network during sunlight, and the school's section of the national grid will
store the energy for nightime use.
George Livanos dies
George Livanos, a leading shipowner and one of Greece' wealthiest men, died
yesterday of cancer at the age of 71.
Livanos, a member of the eminent shipping family from the Aegean island of
Hios, was born in New Orleans in 1926 and studied public administration at
Hofstra University.
He founded the Greek hydrofoil company 'Ceres' which now has a fleet of 110
vessels, all under the Greek flag.
In 1982, he set up the Greek Society for the Protection of the Marine
Environment, HELMEPA.
His funeral will be held today.
New forest areas to be declared
The Agriculture Ministry has decided to create new expanses of protected
forest land of various categories in order to increase the percentage of
such areas in the country's total forest coverage.
The ultimate objective of the ministry is for the protected areas to
account for 10 per cent of total forest land, compared to the present 3-4
per cent.
The initiative was taken within the framework of the government's policy
for the protection of nature and will be implemented on the basis of the
Natura 2000 list of sensitive areas.
Initially, the General Secretariat for Forests and the Natural Environment
will push forward a presidential decree establishing the Dadia forest as a
protected area.
Meanwhile, the ministry and the general secretariat have expressed interest
in cooperating with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and agencies at a local
level in order to protect and improve Mt. Pendeli.
Premier pleased with course of major projects in Epirus
Prime Minister Costas Simitis expressed satisfaction over his three-day
tour of Epirus, which ended yesterday saying he was pleased with the course
of infrastructure projects in the border region, which would put an end to
Epirus' isolation.
"The region's development is not aided by incentives, which are wasted
money if there is no possibility for any economic activity in the region to
have an effect," he said. "What the area needs in order to achieve its goal
is infrastructure, and these are created and are the access roads which
will provide Epirus with the ability to communicate with the rest of the
country and with the neighbouring northern countries. The same is true of
its connection via the sea with Europe, which will be achieved by upgrading
the port of Igoumenitsa."
Mr. Simitis met with the district official of Leivadia, a southern Albanian
region comprised of 15 villages, 12 of which are predominately populated by
ethnic Greeks.
In his speech in Preveza on Saturday, the premier warned those receiving
subsidies that the money must be used to create development, and not "to be
pocketed without anything being done, as has occurred on numerous occasions
in Thrace."
He also spoke of the need for Greece to follow its course towards Europe,
saying that not to do so would have dramatic consequences on the country's
politics and economy, as Greece's position would be weakened, both
internationally and in the face of the Turkish threat.
He said the Greek economy was more effective today than it has ever been in
the post-junta era, adding that the government had achieved this while
implementing a social policy.
"No one can dispute this," he said.
The prime minister also referred to Greece's place in international
developments. The country, he said, cannot close its borders in an effort
to stop other countries' problems from entering Greek society.
Greece's integration into European unification, he added, "constitutes an
important goal for our national strategy, aimed at making Greece competitive
in the international division of the labour market."
Mr. Simitis also referred to Greece's role in the Balkans.
He said this role was aimed at helping these countries overcome their
problems and complete the process of their countries' institutional
reforms.
Premier comments on political situation in Albania
Prime Minister Costas Simitis, commenting on the situation in Albania, said
current efforts to find a political solution were the result of Athens'
initiatives.
"We have ensured the presence of the United Nations and of the Organisation
for Security and Cooperation in Europe and of the European Union," the
premier said.
He added that his government had helped in the direction of the solution,
hoping that this would be implemented over the next few months.
"If things evolved in a different way, then we would be swarmed by a
tremendous wave of refugees, while ethnic Greek minority rights could run
the risk of being restricted," he noted.
Mediterranean news agencies air prospects in new communication
era
An Athens News Agency-organised two-day seminar for Mediterranean news
agencies on the theme of "National News Agencies in the New Communiucation
Era" wound up its two-day sessions yesterday, with a discussion on
marketing strategies for news agencies in the new information era,
transmission of visual images among national news agencies as well as the
challenge posed by Internet.
The seminar, which began on Saturday, also discussed the issues of news
agencies' role in an information society, with diversification as a
strategy for survival, subscribers' expectations from a national news
agency, tailored services such as sports, finance and video news, as well
as on-line databases and CD-ROM.
The seminar, sponsored by the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation
(OTE) and its subsidiary OTEnet, was opened by Press and Media Minister
Dimitris Reppas.
Summing up the results of the seminar, ANA General Director Andreas
Christodoulides said the level of participants and interest from Mediterranean
news agencies had indicated the need to discuss the issues involved with
operating in a new era.
"I think we have touched on all the problems being faced by the media these
days, particularly by the national news agencies," he said.
"The two-way relationship emerging from the development of the various
communication networks, the large number of options offered to users and
the possibilities they have to determine the shape and form of the
information accessed (according to volume, to depth and to type, such as
text, photograph, graphics, video or a blend of all these) are some of the
characteristics of the new era," he said.
"Sources have multiplied along with fears as to the credibility of
information reaching users. Thus, the role of the news agencies is a
decisive one, since to a great extent they are a 'tried and true' factor in
the news business".
News agencies will have to adapt to the new technological methods of
collecting, editing and distributing news and information in order to meet
changing needs as well as new aesthetic standards, Mr. Christodoulides
said.
"Here, we will be facing new competitors - perhaps even with those who were
until recently our own subscribers - and we will have to realise that
gradually the comfort offered to many agencies by the state will disappear,
" he said.
"We have to come out of the wings, onto the stage of the media and to offer
services aimed at individuals and their specialised needs. Developments are
expected to be so rapid that indeed, as Socrates said 2,500 years ago 'We
know that we know nothing', " he said.
The next meeting of Mediterranean news agencies will be the general
assembly in Cairo, Egypt on June 22-24.
Karamanlis criticises government's policies
Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis has strongly
criticised the government's policies concerning national issues and the
economy.
Speaking to the party's central committee, Mr. Karamanlis said the attempt
to achieve nominal convergence was not enough, and criticised the
government for not proceeding with structural changes.
"Any developments in the economy are futile. The final conclusions are that
nothing advances, while on the contrary, everything is happening for the
party nomenclature to be fed and to maintain the government in its
(political) party area," he said.
The ND leader stressed that the development and progress progamme "is
connected to permanent ruptures in the establishment which is holding the
government hostage to its past."
Referring to Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Karamanlis said the procedure of
dialogue could prove to be dangerous due to its unspecific and vague
nature. He added that dialogue may fail, which could lead to a crisis or to
concessions in order to keep the dialogue alive.
Samaras re-elected president at first Pol.An congress
Political Spring (Pol.An) party and founder leader Antonis Samaras was
elected for another term as party president during Pol.An's first
congress.
Mr. Samaras described the congress as being one of "substance, political
speech, proposal and position."
He also called on the government to rally the forces which are seeking "a
Maastricht with a more social face" which would safeguard European
solidarity and protect the EU member-countries' external borders.
Premier to visit Sweden tomorrow
Prime Minister Costas Simitis will visit Sweden tomorrow afternoon for a
working visit, following an invitation extended by his Swedish counterpart
Goran Persson.
He is due to leave for Malmo on Thursday in order to participate in a
conference of European socialist and social democratic parties.
High-ranking Greek delegation at EU council
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Alternate Foreign Minister George
Papandreou and EU Affairs Secretary General Stelios Perrakis are to attend
the last council before the EU Summit Council. The council begins in
Luxembourg tomorrow.
The EU Summit Council is scheduled to be held in Amsterdam on June 15-
16.
Japanese delegation at Thessaloniki Cultural Capital events
Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos met yesterday with former Japanese
prime minister Toshiro Kaifu, who is currently in Thessaloniki at the head
of a Japanese delegation visiting Cultural Capital of Europe events.
The two discussed Greek-Japanese cultural cooperation, while Mr. Kaifu
expressed particular interest on the institution of the European Cultural
Capital and on the issue of the Parthenon Marbles. The former Japanese
premier called for their return to Greece.
WEATHER
Local cloudiness and intermittent rain and sporadic rainstorms are forecast
for most parts of Greece today, especially in the mainland, the Ionion
islands and the northern Aegean Sea, gradually improving in the evening.
Winds southernly, moderate to gale force. Athens will be partly cloudy with
temperatures between 15-28C. Thessaloniki will be overcast and rainy with
temperatures between 12-23C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE IN DRACHMAS
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 269.080
Pound sterling 442.015 Cyprus pd 531.712
French franc 46.920 Swiss franc 191.208
German mark 158.656 Italian lira (100) 15.965
Yen (100) 231.890 Canadian dlr. 195.067
Australian dlr. 205.126 Irish Punt 407.692
Belgian franc 7.682 Finnish mark 52.534
Dutch guilder 140.973 Danish kr. 41.662
Swedish kr. 34.916 Norwegian kr. 37.970
Austrian sch. 22.542 Spanish peseta 1.874
Port. Escudo 1.566
(M.P.)
(M.S.)
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