Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-03

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 03/06/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Athens ready to increase peacekeeping force for Albanian elections
• Pangalos condemns Turkey's incursion of northern Iraq
• Court rules transfer of former royal family's property to the state
• Kaklamanis holds talks with People's Republic of China's Li Ruihuan
• Comprehensive study of air pollution in Thessaloniki, Athens areas
• Mount Athos representatives object to Schengen accord
• Patras International Festival programme
• Stock market rebounds, drachma stable
• SATO to sell Dauphin products in the Balkans
• Greek participation in Polish trade fair
• Greek firm tapped for consultancy contract with Austrian gov't
• V. Papandreou discusses gas and oil pipeline proposals
• Greek-Israeli economic ties improve
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Greece is willing to increase the number of Greek soldiers participating in the multinational peacekeeping force in Albania, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said in Luxembourg yesterday.

Speaking to the press following a meeting of the EU General Affairs Council, also attended by Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Mr. Pangalos said "there is a tendency to augment the international presence (in Albania) in order to guarantee free and indisputable elections."

The Greek foreign minister, who is expected in Albania today for talks with top government officials, said Greece would be willing, within its abilities, to provide observers and possibly additional troops.

Referring to former Yugoslavia, Mr. Pangalos said that Greece supported the Dayton peace agreements and assisted in efforts to create institutions that were in accord with the agreement.

He pointed out that the 15 EU members were reserved in sending off military forces and funds.

"It's characteristic that many countries have not even contributed yet to the process of funding municipal elections in Bosnia," he said, adding that Greece had already contributed US$500,000.

Pangalos condemns Turkey's incursion of northern Iraq

Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos has condemned Turkey's invasion into northern Iraq, saying that the way the EU has condemned Turkish attacks against the Kurdish population in the area was moderate and inadequate.

Referring to Turkey, Mr. Pangalos said that a stable government would perhaps be able to revise some Turkish [foreign policy] positions, but "the possibility of Ms (Tansu) Ciller's assuming the prime minister's position will not solve any of Turkey's problems".

Turkey's problem is deeper, he said, citing the issues of democratic institutions and social reform.

Asked for the date the Dutch presidency of the EU would present the report by Greek and Turkish experts on the differences between the two countries, Mr. Pangalos said that the Dutch presidency had been disappointed. "There must be someone they can talk with", he said.

Court rules transfer of former royal family's property to the state

A Special Higher Court majority yesterday upheld as constitutional a law transferring all of the former royal family's to the state, thereby irrevocably settling the dispute.

The Court had been called upon to rule on two earlier contradictory decisions by the Supreme Court and the Council of State.

Its decision is to be published within June.

Kaklamanis holds talks with People's Republic of China's Li Ruihuan

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis held talks with the President of the People's Consultative Conference of the People's Republic of China, Li Ruihuan, yesterday, confirming prospects for the further development of friendly relations between Athens and Beijing.

Mr. Ruihuan stressed that Sino-Greek relations are based on the principles of understanding and cooperation which inspire and direct bilateral contacts.

Mr. Kaklamanis referred to various issues such as Greece's role as the sole stabilising factor in the Balkans and expressed concern over the 23 years of illegal occupation of 37 per cent of the territory of Cyprus by Turkey.

He also referred to Turkey's provocativeness in Thrace, where Ankara is creating problems in the region by exploiting the Moslem minority.

Mr. Ruihuan said Turkey also showed similar provocativeness in the region of his country where a Moslem minority has showed secessionist tendencies.

Comprehensive study of air pollution in Thessaloniki, Athens areas

The most widespread examination of atmospheric pollution in Greece by air will begin in Athens today with the arrival of a special "Falcon" research aircraft from Germany.

The aircraft will be used in the framework of research to be conducted by professors Themistocles Kouimtzis, Nikolaos Mousiopoulos and Demosthenis Asimakopoulos, and involves a study of atmospheric pollution over the wider region of Thessaloniki and the influence of pollution on the industrial region of Eordaia, as well as the photochemistry of smog over Athens.

The professors told a press conference in Thessaloniki that it will be the first time that an attempt will be made to provide, answer and collect accurate data on the question on whether atmospheric pollution is conveyed to the wider region of Thessaloniki from the areas of Kozani and Ptolemaida. At the same time, scientists will be given the opportunity to examine the quality of the atmosphere over the region between Thessaloniki and Eordaia.

The Falcon aircraft, belonging to a German research centre, will be based at Athens airport.

Researchers said the photochemical composition of smog in Athens will be examined as well as its movement. They said research will be conducted over a wide region, including all the islands of the Saronic Gulf.

The aircraft will be funded by the European Union for its flights in Greece in the framework of two research programmes.

Mount Athos representatives object to Schengen accord

Representatives of the all-male monastic community of Mount Athos yesterday reiterated their opposition to the content of the Schengen Agreement, saying it paved the way for violation of individuals' privacy.

Representatives from 20 monasteries of Mount Athos yesterday held an extraordinary meeting to express their views prior to Parliamentary debate this month on ratification of the Schengen Agreement.

The agreement, named after the Luxembourg hamlet in which it was signed, came into effect in March 1995. Already ratified by a number of European Union member-states, the agreement foresees removal of border controls between participating EU members' citizens, and closer cooperation on police matters with the creation of vast computer databases.

In an announcement, the monks called on Greek deputies not to ratify the agreement and to revoke a law already passed "on the protection of the citizen against the computer processing of data of a personal nature" which, they said, should be replaced "by a corresponding law which affords real, rather than bogus protection."

If Athens attempted to implement the agreement, the monks stressed, the state would find itself up against all of Mount Athos' monks "as conscientious objectors."

According to the monks, the Schengen Agreement completes the legislative framework for the creation of computer files concerning individual citizens on a European-wide, "and perhaps later, a world level."

They claim that this could lead to violations of privacy and "the monitoring of every free person... (thus) abolishing the presumption of a citizen's innocence."

Patras International Festival programme

The programme for the Patras International Festival was presented to the public yesterday.

The festival begins on June 25 and will end on September 14 and is based on four themes: a dedication to composer Mikis Theodorakis and poet George Seferis; the Balkan forum for musical cooperation; a dedication to Greek composers such as Xenakis, Antoniou and Christou; and a dedication to 401 years of opera in Europe and Maria Callas.

There will also be special jazz events with performances by Greek and foreign musicians.

The Karolos Koun Theatre, Anna Synodinou troupe and theatrical groups from Thessaly, Volos and Cyprus will also perform as will the ERT Symphonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of Colours, the Camerata and the State Greek Music Orchestra.

Stock market rebounds, drachma stable

Share prices ended higher in nervous trade on the Athens Stock Exchange reflecting investors' contradicting views on the short-term course of the market. The general index closed 1.08 percent higher at 1,652.99 points, reversing an earlier 2.40 percent dr op. Most sector indices scored gains. Banks rose 0.32 percent, Leasing was 1.02 percent up, Investment increased 0.09 percent, Industrials ended 0.69 percent higher, Holding rose 1.85 percent and Miscelleaneous edged up 0.96 percent. Insurance and Constru ction bucked the trend to end 0.28 and 0.87 percent lower respectively.

Trading was heavy at 27.3 billion drachmas. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 111 to 104 with another 25 issues unchanged. Viohalko, Elviemek, Oerlikon, Avax and Benroubi sc ored the biggest gains, while Bank of Athens, Sportsman, Allatini and Keranis suffered the heaviest losses. Shares of Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) were the highlight of the session rising 5.9 percent to close at 7,200 drachmas. In the domestic foreign currency market the drachma rebounded against the ECU to close at 310.81 drachmas at the central bank's daily fix from 311 on Friday. Money market trade was uneventful after turbulence last week. The US dollar however ended significantly higher against the drachma reflecting the greenback's substantial rise on international markets.

SATO to sell Dauphin products in the Balkans

SATO SA, a Greek office furniture company, finalised an agreement for exclusive production and distribution rights to Dauphin products in Greece and other Balkan states. Dauphin is the biggest office seating manufacturer in Europe. The agreement between t he two companies provides SATO with a licence agreement for the production of Dauphin's product line and manufacture of specific components for the firm. SATO will continue production of its own line of office seat products.

Greek participation in Polish trade fair

The Hellenic Exports Promotion Organisation (OPE) is organising Greece's participation in an international consumer trade fair, "DOMEXPO Autumn Consumer Fair" to be held in Poznan, Poland on October 21-24.

Products to be exhibited include electronics, electrical appliances, air conditioning, tableware, kitchenware, building materials, bathroom fixtures, home furniture, office and hotel furniture and upholstery.

Greek firm tapped for consultancy contract with Austrian gov't

The Greek firm Euroconsultants S.A. has won an international tender called by the Austrian government to find an evaluation consultant for its Community Support Framework programme.

It will be the first time a Greek firm acts as consultant to another European Union member-state.

Euroconsultants will work with the Austrian firm Regional Consulting on projects in agricultural regions and Leader II programmes being handled by the country's town planning and regional policy ministry.

Evaluation is set to begin in Vienna in July and the two firms' contract expires in Dec. 1999, at the end of the Community Support Framework's duration.

V. Papandreou discusses gas and oil pipeline proposals

The condition of the pipeline transporting natural gas from Russia to Greece was one of the issues discussed by Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and the president of Bulgaria's energy commitee Georgi Stoilov, The Bulgarian News Agency disclosed yesterday.

The meeting was held on May 27 in Brussels, on the sidelines of a European Union and associate members' meeting on energy.

The two officials also discussed the proposed Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline as well as the issue of radioactive waste disposal, while Ms Papandreou said Athens did not favour the idea that disposal areas be located in southern Bulgaria.

Greek-Israeli economic ties improve

Israeli ambassador to Athens Ran Curiel yesterday said Greek-Israeli commercial and economic relations have shown a rapid improvement over the past years due to the goodwill existing on the part of both countries.

He spoke at an event organised by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA) in cooperation with the Israeli embassy's commercial department.

Mr. Curiel said the geographical position of Greece and Israel provides comparative advantages for the import of the two countries' products in the wider Balkan and Mediterranean region.

Greece's exports to Israel amounted to US$126 million in 1995, according to a bulletin issued by EBEA, increasing by 16 per cent compared to 1994. Imports in the same year increased 47 per cent as against 1994 and totalled US$128 million.

The main products Greece exports to Israel are building materials, metallurgical products, foodstuffs, textiles, paper products, clothing, electrical products, marble and sanitary equipment.

Greece's main imports from Israel are chemical fertilizers, pesticides, plastics, air conditioning systems, optics and high technology products.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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