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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-06-29

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 29/06/1997 (ANA)


MAIN HEADLINES

  • Greek consulate in Albania attacked by gangs
  • Athens expresses abhor over killing
  • EU socialist finance ministers condlude Athens meeting
  • Delors says european socialists should meet more often
  • Economic policy shall be debated in the Autumn, says Papantoniou
  • President Clerides to visit Athens
  • Presidential decrees on illegal immigrants approved by Cabinet
  • Tourism better, but work still to be done
  • G. Papandreou meets with Australian FM Downer
  • Patriarchate to abstain from Vatican throne celebration
  • Weather
  • Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Greek consulate in Albania attacked by gangs

President Costis Stephanopoulos expressed grief on Sunday at the shooting death of an employee at the Greek consulate in Gjirokaster, Albania after an armed gang attacked the building.

Christos Kolas, 30, an ethnic Greek who lived in Dervine, was fatally wounded on Saturday when he emerged from the building after hearing gunshots. Colleagues who tried to pursue the attackers were met with a hail of gunfire.

Stephanopoulos, who is visiting the town of Serres, declined further comment on the incident.

Also on Saturday, a former official of the Omonia party, which represents ethnic Greeks in Albania, was released by kidnappers.

Theodoros Bezianis, the ex-president of Omonia's Gjirokaster branch, was abducted last week. No details of his release were available.

Athens expresses abhor over killing

Greece's Foreign Ministry on Sunday issued an announcement expressing abhor at the "cowardly," killing of an employee at the Greek consulate in Gjirokaster.

Christos Kolas was shoot to death by an armed gang who attacked the building.

Following the incident, the Greek government strongly demanded more effective protection for the General Consulate in order to ensure its normal function and put an end to a series of assaults by armed gangs.

"The Greek government cannot but express its abhor over such acts, which beyond their criminal nature, oppose efforts by the international community in Albania, in which Greece plays a leading part," the ministry announcement said.

According to the announcement, the Greek government has lodged a number of demarches with authorities in the neighbouring country, over the past four months, requesting effective protection measures for the General Consulate.

At least 1,500 people have been killed in four months of unrest after hundreds of thousands of Albanians lost their life savings when five pyramid investment funds collapsed.

The south remains largely outside government control as armed gangs and youths roam the streets freely. A 7,000-strong international protection force dispatched to help restore order across the country has made little difference, residents say.

EU socialist finance ministers conclude Athens meeting

European Union socialist finance ministers, who gathered in Athens for a two-day conference on economic and social developments, on Sunday announced plans for an Economic Coordination Pact designed to coordinate efforts related to EU economic policy and to counterbalance the German-inspired Stability and Development Pact.

Greek National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, who had taken the initiative for the meeting, told a press conference, today, that the proposed Economic Coordination Pact was intended to cover the current "democratic deficit," which is noted in the making of European Union economic policy.

"It is aimed at abolishing the political vacuum in which the European Central Bank will operate at the risk of following an 'autonomous monetary policy," Papantoniou said.

The EU's socialist finance ministers want to upgrade the Council of National Economy and Finance Ministers (ECOFIN) so that the politicians, and not the bankers and technocrats, will be making the end decisions regarding the Union's economic policy.

Papantoniou said that the proposed Economic Coordination Pact was put together with the decisive contribution of the former European Commission President Jacques Delors who is currently the head of the research group "Our Europe."

He said that Delors would be willing to "exercise his influence with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl," in an effort to convince him to accept the Pact.

Germany's Bundesbank and Kohl's Christian Democratic Union constitute the strongest opposition to plans by the EU's socialist finance ministers to place the European Central Bank under political control.

Papantoniou, however, expressed hope that Germany would finally accept the Economic Coordination Pact.

According to the conference's communique, which was presented by Papantoniou during the press conference, the socialist finance ministers agree to finding more resources in order to finance major infrastructure projects as well as the Union's small-to-middle-size businesses which employ two thirds of Europe's labour force.

The communique also points to the need for "more active policies to boost employment," and "fresh motives" to help the unemployed find new jobs.

The ministers also agreed to strenghtening the social state and creating a "fresh Social Contract" based on economic adjustement and social protection.

Stressing that hopes should not fly high after the Athens conference, Papantoniou went on to say that the fresh european social agenda was merely the start of a difficult, political struggle towards the making of a European Union on the basis of growth, stability and social cohesion.

Delors says european socialists should meet more often

Former European Commission President, Jacques Delors, who attended the European socialist finance ministers' meeting in Athens, told reporters on Saturday that European Union's socialist finance ministers should meet more often in order to exchange views and plan future action.

"European public opinion expects a lot from the socialists, who are now the majority in Europe," Delors said.

Delors, who is currently the president of the research group, "Our Europe," said that in conditions of a globalised economy to which the welfare state needs to be adjusted, european socialists should constantly exchange views and proposal on both national and european levels.

"We had a fruitful discussion but it needs to be followed up," Delors said adding that "further analysis is necessary in order to make a correct assessment of the situation."

"The great challenge for socialists," he said, "is to make the necessary adjustments to the system, without losing the values of freedom, solidarity and personal responsibility."

Economic policy shall be debated in the Autumn, says Papantoniou

Greek National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou on Sunday said that the debate on the 1998 economic policy would begin in the Autumn, stressing his role in the compilation of the 1998 budget as the man holding the top economic policy making post.

The Minister was commenting on the proposals of an economic committee's report released earlier this month, recommending wage increases of 4 per cent in 1998 and 3.5 per cent in 1999 in order to bring inflation down to 2.5 and 2 per cent respectively.

The report, which was prepared by a committee headed by Professor Yiannis Spraos and commissioned by Prime Minister Costas Simitis also calls for the levying of a "one-off" 10 per cent tax on company incomes or, alternatively a lump sum contribution, at the same rate, to a fund dealing with labour issues.

The report has created sensation in the press, but Papantoniou said it was nothing more than a "storm in a tea cup."

He said that "the relevant debate regarding the 1998 economic policy will begin in the Autumn, in the framework of the compilation of the 1998 budget, " adding that economic policy was formulated by the government and especially the National Economy and Finance Minister.

"It is not rational to begin the debate on economic policy now," Papantoniou said.

President Clerides to visit Athens

Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides is due to visit Athens on Monday for talks with the Greek political leadership in view of the start of pending UN-sponsored proximity talks between the Cyprus government and the Turkish Cypriot leadership in New York.

On the first day of his stay, Clerides will meet with President Costis Stephanopoulos, while on Tuesday he will have a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

He is also due to meet with main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis and former premier and honorary New Democracy President Constantine Mitsotakis.

Presidential decrees on illegal immigrants approved by Cabinet

Foreigners and illegal immigrants living and working in Greece will be registered as of September 1, according to two presidential bills approved by the Cabinet on Friday.

The bills were drafted by the labour and social security ministry.

The registration of aliens will take place between September and December of this year, while foreign labourers will be given a temporary residence permit, valid as a work permit also, which will expire on Nov. 30, 1998.

At the same time, an extension period of two months, January to February 1998, will be given for those who need time to submit additional papers.

Following the expiration of the temporary permit and a recommendation by a special prefectural committee, an immigrant will be granted a residence and work permit lasting from one to three years, with the option of renewal every two years.

In order to acquire this second, more lasting card, the decrees call for the following papers: a temporary permit, a passport or other identification, a copy of their work agreement or health insurance booklet, and in cases of special jobs (such as cook ), a health certificate.

According to Labour Minister Miltiadis Papaioannou, there are approximately 450,000 illegal immigrants in Greece today. The measures concern about 200, 000 because labourers originating from countries sharing borders with Greece do not fall under the dec ree. This means an exception for Albanians, Bulgarians, Turks and those from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Cabinet decided to except economic immigrants from neighbouring countries only yesterday, in face of the danger of an influx of refugees. The unstable state in Albania also contributed to this decision, especially in view of the uncertainty in the c oming elections tomorrow.

Following the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Papaioannou said that "the measure's success will depend on its social acceptance". He noted two points especially, that illegal immigrants be convinced to come register and not believe it is a trap, and convince those

Greeks likely to be influenced by xenophobia that these issues cannot be oversimplified.

Tourism better, but work still to be done

Although the Greek National Tourist Organisation (GNTO) is anticipating a 5- 10 per cent increase in foreign tourist arrivals compared to last year, there is no room for complacency due to the structural problems which remain in Greek tourism, GNTO General Secretary Nikos Skoulas said on Friday.

Skoulas was speaking to 300 British reporters, writers and businessmen active in the tourism sector who are participating in a three-day annual conference of the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) which opened on Friday morning.

The GNTO chief assured the conference delegates that ''a new spirit of professionalism'' was now prevailing in Greece, while ''a renewed standard of tourism development'' had been adopted with emphasis on quality rather than low prices.

Skoulas advised tour operators against pressing Greek hoteliers to lower their rates, saying this would only result in a ''vicious circle'' of lower prices-lower quality which in the end left customers unsatisfied.

He also expressed support for the establishment of one or more private Greek airline companies to compete directly with the ''over-protected'' national carrier, Olympic Airways, and urged the speedy liberalisation of airport services, including ground handling.

G. Papandreou meets with Australian FM Downer

Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou yesterday met Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer, who is on an informal visit to Athens.

The two officials discussed international and bilateral issues, including human rights, EU representation at ceremonies to hand over Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China, environmental protection, etc.

Discussion on bilateral issues also focused on the significant role played by the large expatriate Greek community in Australia, especially in the economic sector. An announcement by the foreign ministry said the two men agreed on the need for a further strengthening of economic relations between the two countries.

Mr. Papandreou also briefed the Australian foreign minister on Greek positions regarding the FYROM name issue.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Downer was received by President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

Patriarchate to abstain from Vatican throne celebration

The Ecumenical Patriarchate will not participate this year in the Vatican's celebration of the feast day of the Apostles Peter and Paul on Sunday.

The move underlines the dissatisfaction at the Patriarchate over the Vatican's recent position, which led to the cancellation of the Ecumenical Patriarch's participation in the second European Ecumenical Assembly in Graz, Austria, and the subsequent can cellation of the Patriarch's official visit to Austria.

The Phanar made no comment yesterday over the development which, however, the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Synod had indirectly referred to when it announced the cancellation of the Patriarch's visits to Graz and Vienna on May 30.

The Vatican insisted on organising a meeting between Pope John Paul II and the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexiy in Vienna, at the same time Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos was scheduled to be in Austria, a departure in the protocol anticipate d in such cases.

The meeting between the pope and Alexiy was cancelled at the last moment, while the Catholic press criticised Pope John Paul II over his handling of the issue and the ensuing crisis.

The reasons for which they cancelled the meeting (between the pope and Alexiy) "concern the way with which Roman popism understands its role", according to the newspaper "Il Manifesto" (June 6, 1997), while "Republica" (June 23, 1997) spoke of a "consid erable cooling in relations between Rome and the other churches".

The exchange of visits on the throne celebrations of the two churches, Peter and Paul for Rome and Andrew for Constantinople (Istanbul), were among measures decided when the anathemas between the two churches were lifted and dialogue began.

Weather

Temperatures will rise and the weather will remain fair through most of the country today with light cloud forecast in the northern mainland. Winds moderate to strong. Sunny weather is forecast for Athens with temperatures around 34C. Light cloud is expected in Thessaloniki with temperatures also around 34C.

Foreign exchange

Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 270.816 Pound sterling 452.094 Cyprus pd 529.728 French franc 46.439 Swiss franc 187.900 German mark 156.642 Italian lira (100) 16.005 Yen (100) 236.632 Canadian dlr. 196.277 Australian dlr. 202.988 Irish Punt 409.299 Belgian franc 7.593 Finnish mark 52.618 Dutch guilder 139.197 Danish kr. 41.122 Swedish kr. 35.295 Norwegian kr. 37.254 Austrian sch. 22.268 Spanish peseta 1.853 Port. Escudo 1.550

(M.S.)


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