Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-10-06

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 06/10/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Simitis-Yilmaz meeting may change course of Greek-Turkish relations
• Athens criticises new Observer allegations
• Greece supports reduction in working hours
• Greece, Ukraine sign cooperation agreement
• President to visit Mount Athos
• Transport Minister in Luxembourg for EU meeting
• Greek stocks end flat after hitting 1,800 barrier
• Simitis: Stability and peace essential for Mediterranean prosperity
• Veteran ND politician Tsaldaris' funeral today
• Bill on streamlining local gov't to be tabled on Friday
• Greek First Division soccer results
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Greece said today that it was awaiting the visit of Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, in the hope that a meeting with the Greek political leadership might change the climate in relations between the two countries which had remained since recent talks in New York.

Yilmaz and Cem will visit Greece in early November to attend the Balkan summit on Crete.

In statements today, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said "what remained from New York is the ineffectiveness of the approach since, on the sole responsibility of Turkey, there was no possibility (for success)".

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos had talks recently on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Reppas expressed the hope that something would change in Turkey's policy so as to make the Crete meeting "effective".

Communication between both sides continues to exist, the spokesman said, adding that both countries were quite able to formulate their respective policies.

Reppas attributed the recent tension in Greek-Turkish relations to the stance adopted by Ankara in New York, saying that talks between Turkish officials and representatives of Greece and the United States had led to Pangalos expressing his outrage.

Athens criticises new Observer allegations

Greece today termed "unacceptable" a second article in the British newspaper "The Observer" claiming links between Athens and Kurdish terrorists, while noting that it was not as provocative as the first one.

The first article, based on the claims of Kurd Seydo Hazar, alleged that Greece was harbouring and abetting Kurdish terrorists, appeared in last Sunday's edition of the newspaper.

The claims were vehemently rejected by Athens. The second article was published in yesterday's issue.

The first article drew severe criticism from prominent British personalities, including playwright Harold Pinter and Lord Avebury.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said today that the newspaper had treated the protest letters with disdain, adding that the government was examining all the political and legal procedures in order to respond in a manner and at a time which it would choose "in order for the truth to shine".

Reppas said Greece firmly believed in its policy and saw no need to "embellish" it through the allocation of funds.

"This is necessary only with respect to the policies of other countries which do no respect international law and international conventions," he said.

Greece supports reduction in working hours

The Greek government said today that in general it viewed as positive the French and Italian proposal for a reduction in working hours.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said the government would announce its decisions "in due course" after completion of discussions on the formulation of economic policy.

Reppas said the Greek government had from the outset figured prominently in urging the European Union to deal with the issue of employment.

"As far as the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) is concerned, there is no question of abolishing the 8-hour working day. I do not believe there will be such a development," GSEE president Christos Polyzogopoulos said later.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a Euro-Mediterranean Industry Conference with respect to the government's intention to include in the ongoing social dialogue issues such as greater flexibility in working schedules and the encouragement of part-time employment.

Replying to reporters' questions, Polyzogopoulos said GSEE had submitted a proposal for a 35-hour working week.

"If this proposal is accepted, we could then discuss specific issues concerning its actual implementation," he added.

Federation of Greek Industry (SEB) Vice President Nikos Analytis said the need for flexibility in the labour market was a given fact.

"It is quite clear that we are lagging far behind the others, something which we will pay dearly for, because we will have lower development and increased unemployment," he said.

"As far as we are concerned, the issue is not whether we have an 8-hour working day or not, but the flexible arrangement of working time... Working hours should reflect the economic operation of undertakings," Analytis added.

Greece, Ukraine sign cooperation agreement

The defence ministers of Greece and Ukraine, Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Olexander Kuzmuk, today signed a bilateral defence co-operation agreement.

The agreement covers issues such as armaments, the participation of the two countries in exercises within the framework of the Partnership for Peace and co-operation between defence manufacturing companies in the two countries.

Greece accepted a Ukrainian proposal for the participation of Greek forces in a Partnership for Peace exercise in Ukraine scheduled for next year.

During a meeting this morning, Tsohatzopoulos and Kuzmuk ascertained an identity of views on matters relating to European security.

Stressing the important role played by Ukraine and Russia in forging European security, Tsohatzopoulos reiterated Greece's position that the participation of all countries, without exception, would be necessary to ensure security in Europe.

Kuzmuk said his first official visit to Greece confirmed the will and readiness of both countries to further promote bilateral co-operation.

President to visit Mount Athos

President Kostis Stephanopoulos will pay a three-day visit to the all-male monastic community of Mount Athos early next week after attending events marking the bloody Kileler farmers' uprising in 1910.

Stephanopoulos will begin his tour at Karyes on Monday morning. During his stay, he will visit several monasteries and have talks with representatives of the holy community' civil administration.

It will be Stephanopoulos' first visit to Mount Athos since becoming president of the republic.

After Mount Athos, Stephanopoulos will travel by helicopter to Veria to attend events marking the town's liberation from the Turks.

Transport Minister in Luxembourg for EU meeting

Transport and Communications Minister Tassos Mantelis leaves on Wednesday for Luxembourg to participate in a meeting of EU transport ministers.

The meeting, on Thursday, will focus on the implementation of competition rules in air transport and the joint financing of works related to the European transport network by the public and private sectors.

Greek stocks end flat after hitting 1,800 barrier

Greek equities ended flat after showing upward momentum during trade and briefly breaking key resistance at 1,800 points.

Showing signs of consolidation, the Athens general share index finished at 1,779.64 points, up 0.02 percent. Turnover was high at 48.8 billion drachmas, boosted by block trades.

Sentiment still was upbeat on Friday's news of a substantial drop in consumer price inflation in September to 4.9 percent, paving the way for further interest rates declines.

Robust first-half corporate profits and forecasts for the year also also acted a backdrop to the encouraging news on inflation.

The bourse set three new record highs last week, straining towards the stubborn resistance level, which it had failed to touch until today's trade.

Most sector indices scored gains. Banks rose 0.61 percent, Leasing increased 0.76 percent, Insurance fell 0.74 percent, Investment jumped 1.92 percent, Industrials were 0.54 percent down, Construction slumped 1.18 percent, Holding was 1.00 percent up and Miscellaneous rose 0.59 percent.

The parallel market index for small cap companies finished 0.46 percent higher.

Advances led declines by 123 to 102 with another 25 issues unchanged of 250 equities traded.

Among the highest percentage gainers to finish at the daily eight percent upper volatility limit were Boutaris (preferred), Intertek, Iliofin (common), Aeolian, Evropaiki Pisti (common), Aspis Pronia (preferred) and Commercial Investment.

The largest percentage losers were Ridenco (-7.6), Mohlos (-7.4 percent), Bank of Central Greece (common, -6.7 percent), and Bank of Central Greece (preferred, -6.5 percent).

National Bank of Greece ended at 34,950 drachmas, Ergobank at 19,700, Alpha Credit Bank at 20,400, Delta Dairy at 4,290, Titan Cement at 17,000, Intracom at 14,900 and Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 6, 460.

Simitis: Stability and peace essential for Mediterranean prosperity

Political tension and obstacles to peace in the Middle East, and other regional tensions prevailing in the greater Mediterranean area, make the search for factors of constancy an imperative, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said yesterday.

In a message to the Third Euro-Mediterranean Industry Conference opening in Athens today, Mr. Simitis said that stability and peace in the area were the basic components in a strategy for socio-economic development and prosperity.

In order for peace and development in the area to attain historical permanence and political depth, Mr. Simitis added, they should rest on a dynamic balance created by common interest and economic relations based on partnership.

The prime minister pointed out that, through a global business relationship between the European Union and its Mediterranean partners, Euro-Mediterranean cooperation would allow the basin to become an area of strengthened political dialogue, exchange and cooperation in a manner that would guarantee peace, stability and prosperity.

In terms of Greece itself, Mr. Simitis noted, this cooperation was of special significance, not only in terms of its advantageous geographical position, but historically as well.

Veteran ND politician Tsaldaris' funeral today

Athanasios Tsaldaris, a veteran politician, member of parliament with the main opposition New Democracy party and a former president of the Greek Parliament, died of cancer late on Saturday night. He was 76. His funeral will be held today at 3 p.m. at the Athens First Cemetery following a service at the Athens Cathedral.

His seat in Parliament will be taken by Maria Konstantopoulou.

Bill on streamlining local gov't to be tabled on Friday

The bill containing the government's plan to streamline local government through the compulsory merger of small communities and municipalities is expected to be tabled in Parliament by October 10.

The "Ioannis Capodistrias" plan, which provides for the transformation of 5, 775 communities and municipalities into less than 1,000 local government organisations, has provoked opposition in various parts of the country in recent months.

On Saturday it was the turn of residents from three communities in northern Greece who protested the plan by blocking the Thessaloniki-Athens railway line near the village of Adrendron in the prefecture of Thessaloniki for one hour.

The protesters, who placed harvesting machines on the tracks, said their action was intended as a warning, and that more dynamic protests would follow.

The government has responded to the protests stressing that favourable provisions in force for the residents of small local government organisations will be preserved.

It has also underlined the benefits following implementation of the plan, including the ability of all citizens to request certificates and other documents issued by the State by telephone, thus avoiding often complex bureaucracy.

Rights and facilities related to tax and insurance currently enjoyed by residents of communities to be merged will also be maintained, irrespective of the size of the newly-formed munincipalities.

Greek First Division soccer results

Ethnikos - Panathinaikos 0-2 Athinaikos - Ionikos 0-1 Olympiakos - Xanthi 6-1 Kavala - OFI 3-3 Proodeftiki - PAOK 3-3 Kalamata - Apollon 0-1 Panahaiki - Panionios 3-2 Veria - Pyrgos 3-1 Heraklis-AEK Athens play today Standings: Ionikos, Panathinaikos 15 points, Olympiakos, 12 Heraklis, AEK 10, Apollon 9, Xanthi 8, PAOK, Pyrgos, Veria 6, OFI, Proodeftiki 5

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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