Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-06-26
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 26/06/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Athens hosts socialist ECOFIN ministers
- FYROM lack of will on name issue - Athens
- Athens reacts to Turkish statements
- Cyprus president to visit Athens
- FM Pangalos in Malaysia
- Norway urges a democratic Turkey
- Ministry delegation to Romania
- Five arrested in drug haul
- National Bank posts profits of 61.4 bln
- OA sets up new charter company
- High level of cooperation in Greek-Yugoslav relations
- EU auditor welcomes Greece's use of Community funds
- WEATHER
- FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEWS IN DETAIL
Athens hosts socialist ECOFIN ministers
Socialist finance ministers from European Union member-states will meet in
Athens this weekend to discuss the strengthening of the social state,
acceleration of growth and boosting employment in the EU.
The meeting has been organised by National Economy and Finance Minister
Yiannos Papantoniou and will be attended by Prime Minister Costas
Simitis.
FYROM lack of will on name issue - Athens
The government today attributed a recent proposal submitted by Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) President Kiro Gligorov to UN
mediator Cyrus Vance to ''a lack of will'' on the part of Skopje to find a
mutually acceptable solution to the issue of the neighbouring state's
name.
Replying to reporters' questions, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said
that according to the government's information, Gligorov had submitted a
proposal which was in effect a reiteration of its original position that
his country should adopt the name which it currently uses, the ''Republic
of Macedonia''.
Due to this stance on the part of Skopje, Reppas said, a problem has arisen
because FYROM is not displaying the appropriate will to find a solution to
the dispute between the two countries on the basis of their interim
agreement.
Asked to comment on reports that Gligorov had been accused in FYROM of
attempting to compromise with Greece, Reppas said the government did not
intend to get involved in the domestic political disputes of the neighbouring
country.
Athens reacts to Turkish statements
The government reacted strongly today to statements by Turkish Foreign
Undersecretary Onur Oymen who was reported saying that in Greece, there are
people who ''get upset'' with the idea of dialogue between Athens and
Ankara.
Stressing that Turkey was currently in a phase of ''searching for
balances'', Reppas described Oymen's statements as ''rash, imprudent and
harmful for the two countries' relations''.
''The famous Mr. Oymen, with his statements is putting his government up
for ridicule and compromising his country which appears not to respect
international law and international treaties,'' Reppas said.
Cyprus president to visit Athens
Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides will visit Athens ''in the first days of
July'' for talks with Greece's political leadership prior to his direct
talks in New York with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash under the
auspices of the United Nations, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said
today.
The spokesman did not specify the exact date of Clerides' visit.
FM Pangalos in Malaysia
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will pay a two-day official visit to
Kuala Lumpur beginning tomorrow, the foreign ministry announced on
Thursday.
On Sunday, Pangalos will fly on to Hong Kong to attend events marking the
British handover of the city to China.
On July 2, Pangalos will pay a two-day official visit to Alma-Ata, the
capital of Kazakhstan, for talks with the country's political leadership.
Norway urges a democratic Turkey
Norway's visiting Parliament President, Kirsti Grondahl, today stressed the
importance Oslo attaches to democratisation in Turkey and respect for the
principles of international law and treaties governing relations between
states.
Gronhdahl, who arrived here yesterday on a four-day official visit, was
speaking to reporters after talks with her Greek counterpart, Apostolos
Kaklamanis.
During the talks, Kaklamanis briefed Grondahl on the situation in the
Balkans, Greek-Turkish relations and the ongoing Cyprus problem.
''The participation of our country in the peace force in Cyprus and in
other peacekeeping missions in the Balkans and elsewhere constitute the
practical expression of Norway's dedication and respect for the principles
enshrined in the Charter and resolutions of the United Nations concerning
peace, stability and security in the world,'' Grondahl said.
On the Cyprus problem, Grondahl asked Kaklamanis how he viewed the mission
of newly appointed US presidential envoy for the issue, Richard Holbrooke.
Kaklamanis said all initiatives aimed at finding a settlement of the Cyprus
problem were welcome, while stressing the need for a more active role by
Europe in this direction.
Commenting on Greece's stabilising role in the Balkans, Kaklamanis
underlined that the only problem in the country's foreign relations was
with Turkey, as a result of Ankara's expansionist policy at Greece's
expense, with repeated provocations in the Aegean and Thrace.
The talks between Grondahl and Kaklamanis also centred on bilateral
economic and cultural cooperation as well as the functioning of the two
countries' parliaments.
Both sides confirmed their desire to further develop relations through
contacts at all levels.
Within this framework, Grondahl invited Kaklamanis to pay an official visit
Oslo at the head of a parliamentary delegation.
Kaklamanis accepted the invitation.
Ministry delegation to Romania
A delegation of the inter-Balkan co-operation section of the Macedonia-
Thrace Ministry will visit Romania on Sunday to promote new flexible
policies and create a strong framework for economic, business, commercial
and cultural co-operation with a developmental dimension.
The delegation will be headed by ministry general secretary, Chryssa
Manolia, and will include representatives of economic and productive
agencies of northern Greece.
The mission is within the framework of initiatives being undertaken by
Greece for the development of a climate of peace and cooperation between
the peoples of the region and is the first in a series of planned visits to
the Balkan countries by the Inter-Balkan Co-operation Committee.
During the visit to Bucharest, Manolia will have talks with her counterparts
at the Romanian ministries of reform, industry and energy, culture and
tourism.
Five arrested in drug haul
Police have arrested five Albanians alleged to be members of a gang which
smuggled large quantities of heroin and cocaine into Greece.
They also seized 1.7 kilos of heroin and 20 grams of cocaine which was
found in their possession.
The five were named (phonetic spellings) as Afrim Barhi, 26, Atzim Barta,
34, Julio Riva, 27, Tetzial Bukari, 45 and Antalatik Antzi, 27.
During a search of their Athens apartment the police also found and
confiscated 5 million drachmas, three bank books, a precision scale and a
motorbike.
The police, who were acting on information received, believe that the five
have smuggled large quantities of narcotics into Greece in the past.
Meanwhile, Athens police arrested a further four Albanians believed to be
members of another narcotics trafficking gang.
The four were named as Spyros Gizgopouli, 28, his cousin, Lazar Gizgopouli,
44, Ardian Moka, 42 and Giorgi Exorchi, 26 (phonetic spellings).
The four were arrested near the Pedion tou Areos park in central Athens
after being found in possession of 800 grams of heroin. The police also
seized 15 million drachmas and two bank books for accounts containing 10
million drachmas.
According to the police, the four were responsible for smuggling five kilos
of heroin into Greece during the last three months, which they allegedly
sold for a total of 25 million drachmas.
National Bank posts profits of 61.4 bln
The National Bank of Greece's net profits before provisions rose to 61.4
billion drachmas in 1996 from 53.5 billion in 1995, marking a 14.2 percent
increase, the bank's chairman Theodoros Karatzas said today.
Presenting last year's results to the annual shareholders meeting, Karatzas
said that consolidated net profits were 127.3 billion drachmas from 93.3
billion the year before, up 36.4 percent.
The bank's share price jumped 145 percent since the start of the year
compared with a 92 percent rise of the banking index on the Athens Stock
Exchange, Karatzas said.
National Bank of Greece's pre-tax profits almost doubled in the first five
months of 1997 totalling 24.1 billion drachmas from 12.1 billion in the
corresponding period last year.
Karatzas said the bank had changed since last year due to modernisation and
major cuts in operating expenses.
The bank's workforce shrank to 14,832 in 1996 from from 15,178 in late 1995,
he said
National Bank will hold a share capital increase by the end of the year in
order to boost its capital base and increase its solvency rating to 14
percent from 9-10 percent.
The bank also plans to open new branches in Sofia, Bucharest and Tirana and
launch a new round of expansion in the Balkans focusing on Skopje and
Belgrade.
Karatzas also said the bank wouldn't hesitate to ease interest rates
further, conditions allowing. He expressed satisfaction over progress in
the economy, and optimism over the Greek stock market's future.
OA sets up new charter company
Olympic Airways, Greece's national carrier, will set up a charter flights
company with Macedonian Airways and Olympic Aviation, Transport and
Communications Minister Haris Kastanidis said.
Speaking at an inauguration ceremony for new facilities at Macedonia
airport in Thessaloniki, Kastanidis said the new charter firm would be a
subsidiary of the Olympic Airways Group.
State-run Olympic Airways would improve services by launching a two-year
restructuring programme in the autumn, he said.
The four-billion drachma project at Macedonia airport includes extension of
the main passenger lounge and arrivals and departure halls, and facilities
for handicapped people.
Scheduled for tendering by end-year are 11 billion drachmas of projects.
They include runway improvements and extension of the airport's main
building to incorporate the control tower and house the new charter
subsidiary, Kastanidis said.
The projects would help to transform Macedonia into an international
airport, he said.
High level of cooperation in Greek-Yugoslav relations
Prime Minister Costas Simitis and visiting Yugoslav counterpart Radoje
Kontic expressed their satisfaction at the level of coop- eration between
the two countries after their meeting yesterday.
Mr. Simitis said the recent investment by the Greek public telecoms
organisation OTE in Yugoslavia and other investments in mining operations
in Kossovo were an example of "very good cooperation".
He said the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was supportive of Greece's
proposal to convene a summit of Balkan countries towards the end of the
year, adding however, that all Balkan countries should participate in this
meeting. "Relations (between Balk an countries) have to be normalised as
soon as possible," the Greek premier said.
Mr. Simitis said that the European Union had to develop a Balkan policy and
that Greece should play a leading role towards achieving this goal.
"Greece is obliged to take initiatives for peace in the Balkans," he
said.
On his part, Mr. Kontic said the "sincere, friendly and construc- tive"
talks focused on promoting bilateral relations, multilateral Balkan
cooperation, the reintegration of Yugoslavia into internat- ional
organisations and peace procedures.
He said he had extended an invitation to Mr. Simitis to visit Belgrade and
that the Greek prime minister had given in principle his agreement for
Yugoslavia's increased use of the port of Thessaloniki, following the
signing of relevant agreements by the chambers of commerce in both
nations.
Mr. Kontic said trade between the two countries was projected at US$500
million for the next year and thanked Mr. Simitis and the Greek government
for working to reintegrate Yugoslavia and to lift obstacles to its
relations with other countries.
EU auditor welcomes Greece's use of Community funds
European Audit Department chairman Bernard Freeman yesterday expressed
satisfaction with Greece's use of EU funds.
"We are particularly happy with the use of structural funds by Greece," Mr.
Freeman told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas
Simitis.
Greece had received almost 5 billion Ecus in structural funds over the last
few years, he said.
Commenting on the socialist government's economic policies, Mr. Freeman
welcomed a decline in inflation, interest rates and the public debt. "(We
are also satisfied with) the fact that the premier and the Greek government
will continue privatisation in order to boost the productivity of the Greek
economy", Mr. Freeman added.
WEATHER
Partly cloudy weather is forecast in central and northern Greece today with
the possibility of intermittent rain or storms in eastern Macedonia and
Thrace in the afternoon. Almost fine weather is expected in the rest of the
country. Winds will be variable, moderate to strong. Temperatures in Athens
will range between 19-32C, while in Thessaloniki from 18-30C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Wednesday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 269.705
Pound sterling 449.594 Cyprus pd 529.133
French franc 46.404 Swiss franc 187.478
German mark 156.637 Italian lira (100) 16.025
Yen (100) 236.969 Canadian dlr. 193.698
Australian dlr. 202.591 Irish Punt 410.113
Belgian franc 7.590 Finnish mark 52.229
Dutch guilder 139.192 Danish kr. 41.128
Swedish kr. 35.022 Norwegian kr. 37.196
Austrian sch. 22.253 Spanish peseta 1.856
Port. Escudo 1.553
(M.P.)
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