Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-10-09
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 09/10/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Simitis: 'step-by-step' approach to guide policy towards Ankara
- Defence minister: Greece ready to discuss problems with Turkey
- Greece's Georgiou elected president of A.T.A.
- Greece condemns Turkish policy of continuous demands
- ELBO unveils new armoured vehicle
- Holbrooke: Greek-Turkish impasse won't affect US effort on Cyprus
- No extra cash for Athens metro contractors, minister says
- More EIB funding for Egnatia Motorway project acquired
- OA discounts on European destinations
- Elderly in Greece show high chronic depression rates
- Greek state telecom orders Dr 70 bln of supplies
- Athens conference on public administration in Central/Eastern Europe
- Ergo mutual funds perform above average
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Simitis: 'Step-by-step' approach to guide policy towards Ankara
Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday reiterated Greece's insistence that
a step-by-step approach, involving international adjudication, was the way
forward in solving differences with Turkey.
"Only if Turkey adapts its policy to fall in line with international rules
and international law will it find support from Greece in its course
towards Europe," Mr. Simitis said in an address to the ruling PASOK party's
Parliamentary group.
Greece, he added, insisted on the principles of the joint communique signed
by Athens and Ankara in Madrid over the summer,as well as on the "step-by-
step" rapprochement of the two countries, starting from a referral of the
Turkish claim on the eastern Aegean Imia islets to the International Court
at The Hague.
"If this does not happen, it is not possible to free financial aid to
Turkey by the EU," he said.
The premier said Greece would never allow its sovereign rights to be the
subject of any dialogue nor to be disputed.
The premier stressed that the promotion of friendship and cooperation were
in the interests of both Greece and Turkey, while noting that "short
reckoning makes long friends".
Defence minister: Greece ready to discuss problems with Turkey
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said Greece was prepared to
discuss bilateral problems with Turkey, but cautioned that "the logic of
compromise and appeasement" does not lead to the attainment of national
aims.
"Greece is prepared to discuss the problems existing between the two
countries, but remains steadfast on the basic pre-conditions, that is, that
international law and treaties apply in the Aegean region, and there is
nothing for negotiation. Turkey must understand that we cannot formulate
our relations on the basis of the supposed problems existing between the
two countries," he stated in Thessaloniki.
He called on Turkey "to stop functioning as a destabilising factor in the
region".
Commenting on Turkey's absence from NATO's "Dynamic Mix" military exercise
in various parts of Greece last week, he said:
"For decades Greece's participation in NATO exercises was not possible
because Turkey managed to mobilise the majority in directions which in the
end blocked our own participation. I think it has become understood this
time, with a steady position on ou r part and without high tones, but with
resoluteness and insistence on certain principles, that there can be
cooperation between NATO membes and exercises held in the broader region of
the eastern Mediterranean in the measure that Greece's contribution is
evaluated as basic. We have proved this, it is a fact."
Greece's Georgiou elected president of A.T.A.
Greek Atlantic and European Cooperation Association President Theodossis
Georgiou is the new President of the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA),
elected to the post by absolute majority at the final session of the ATA
General Assembly in Sofia.
He replaces Haluk Bayulken, a Turkish career diplomat. ATA also has three
new vice presidents - Alan Lee Williams of the UK, Jean-Antoine Giansily of
France, and Troels Froling of Denmark.
ATA Secretary General Alfred Cahen and Vice President Solomon Passi
retained their posts as they were elected only a year ago.
ATA will persevere in establishing a radically new organization that will
obliterate the bitter memories of the Cold War, Mr. Georgiou told the
delegates after his election.
Greece condemns Turkish policy of continuous demands
Greece's permanent representative to the United Nations has expressed
regret at Turkey's tactic of continually presenting demands aimed at
changing the status quo in the Aegean.
"Nevertheless, it is a fact, and not propaganda, that Turkey has presented
since 1974 an open-ended agenda of claims that converge into the single
objective of revising the existing status quo in the Aegean," he said.
Replying to statements by his Turkish counterpart on October 3, he said
that in its attempts to lay claim to the Imia islet and the island of
Gavdos last year, as well as its references to "grey areas" in the Aegean,
Turkey was distorting the truth.
"In order to deny these facts, my colleague has distorted realities," he
said.
"Turkey maintains that all its claims against Greece can be solved through
dialogueIwithout any reference to international law," the diplomat said,
adding that no country would accept such a dialogue that would legalise
claims that had no basis in inter national law.
"One cannot begin a dialogue with a neighbour who wants to take away part
of one's sovereignty," he said.
"Turkey asserts that the whole range of arbitrary claims that she has put
forward concerning Greek sovereignty or sovereign rights in the Aegean
should be resolved through dialogue, a convenient codeword for negotiations
without reference to the rules a nd principles of International Law. Such a
dialogue is unacceptable for any country because it would legitimise claims
that have no foundation in International Law. You cannot conduct a dialogue
with a neighbour that intends to acquire parts of your sover eign territory,
" he added.
ELBO unveils new armoured vehicle model
A new type of armoured vehicle has been unveiled by the Hellenic Vehicles
Industry (ELBO) for potential use by the Greek armed forces, ELBO president
Lycourgos Sakelaris announced yesterday.
At an event attended by National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Mr.
Sakelaris said that the "Centaur" model is slightly larger than the
armoured personnel carrier "Leonidas" and features a gun and machine
gun.
It is a tracked vehicle which can reach a speed of up to 70km per hour and
will be used to support infantry units. Armed forces officers will be shown
the plans for the vehicle in Athens in a fortnight to decide if it is worth
producing.
ELBO is to undertake a 90 billion drachma programme on behalf of the Greek
armed forces for the manufacture of land vehicles.
This was announced by Mr. Tsohatzopoulos who said that ELBO would be
commissioned to undertake the programme within the next three to four
months. The procurement includes 2,000 large- and medium- size trucks, 611
multi-purpose vehicles, 88 military buses and dozens of jeeps. "
During a visit to ELBO's installations yesterday, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos signed
an agreement on behalf of the national defence ministry for the procurement
of 57 Leonidas-type armoured personnel carriers at a cost of 19 billion
drachmas.
Holbrooke: Greek-Turkish impasse won't affect US effort on Cyprus
The recent failure of a US effort to record progress in Greek-Turkish
relations will not affect Washington's efforts on the Cyprus issue, special
US presidential emissary on the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke said
yesterday.
After a meeting at the Greek embassy with ethnic Greek residents in the US,
Mr. Holbrooke said he planned to visit Athens, Ankara and Nicosia but did
not know exactly when.
He said that at this point he would concentrate his efforts on economic
cooperation between Greek and Turkish businessmen and on promoting economic
ties between the two communities on Cyprus.
No extra cash for Athens metro contractors, minister says
Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis
yesterday criticised the international consortium building the Athens metro
over its attitude to geological problems uncovered in central Athens during
construction. Mr. Laliotis said Olympic Metro, the projec t's contractor,
comprising more than 20 firms from Greece and abroad, was fully responsible
for assessing geological data and selecting the method of digging
underground tunnels.
"The Olympic Metro consortium is fully responsible and the ministry will
not earmark any more funds to deal with the new problems," he told
reporters.
Mr. Laliotis was responding to hints by a representative of the consortium
over the need for extra funds for the additional works required.
More EIB funding for Egnatia Motorway project acquired
Completion of the eastern part of the Egnatia Motorway project will now
proceed after a contract for the first installement of a European
Investment Bank (EIB) loan of 70 billion drachmas was signed yesterday in
Thessaloniki.
The contract was signed by Environment, Town Planning and Public Works
Minister Costas Laliotis and EIB vice-president Panagiotis Gennimatas.
Egnatia will span the breadth of northern Greece when completed, connecting
the Ionian port of Igoumenitsa with the Greek-Turkish border.
The eastern part of Egnatia relates to the Kavala by-pass and Komotini-
Kipoi stretch.
Mr. Gennimatas said that though the Komitini-Kipoi road will be of "low
return", it will be funded by the EIB because it serves the economic
development of Thrace. He added that the construction of the Egnatia
Motorway "signalled the open proposals for cooperation and strengthening of
economic ties with the other side (Turkey)."
Mr. Gennimatas announced that next month he will travel to Turkey in order
to hold discussions on a proposal for the extension of Egnatia as far as
Istanbul, the construction of which will probably be co-funded by the two
countries.
OA discounts on European destinations
Olympic Airways is reducing its fares by up to 35 per cent as of October 1,
to 15 destinations in Europe from Athens and Thessaloniki. The fares apply
to the entire winter season.
The return fare from Athens and Thessaloniki to London drops from 169,000
to 92,000 drachmas, Brussels from 186,000 to 89,000 drachmas and to
Dusseldorf from 161,400 to 77,000 drachmas.
Elderly in Greece show high chronic depression rates
More than 200,000 elderly Greeks suffer from chronic depression, the Greek
Gerontological and Geriatric Association said yesterday.
In an announcement for a seminar on the issue on Monday in Thessaloniki,
the association said that 8 per cent of the total population experiences a
depression crisis at least once a year.
The percentage of younger people was lower, while 20 per cent of senior
citizens suffered from chronic depression, experts said, with more men
affected.
Therapy could obliterate the problem, they said, but most people didn't
even know they were suffering from the disorder.
The association said the aged showed a higher rate of affliction mainly
because most are no longer part of the labour force and felt they were
useless to society, even if they lived with their children's families.
Greek state telecom orders Dr 70 bln of supplies
Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (EOT) will sign a series of
contracts worth 70 billion drachmas for supplies over the next five years,
its board said yesterday.
The state telecom's board also decided to appeal to the Council of State,
the country's highest administrative court, over a decision to abolish a
decision by the national telecommunications committee allowing higher
connection fees in the mobile teleph one network.
Athens conference on public administration in Central/Eastern Europe
Greece is ready to give countries of central and eastern Europe the benefit
of its experience in reshaping public administration.
"This will contribute decisively to the task of administrative reorganisation,
" Public Administration Undersecretary Stavros Benos told the first day of
a seminar for civil servants in the region, yesterday.
The government was aware of the difficulties facing administrators in
central and eastern Europe in adapting to unification of the European Union,
and the role of public administration in achieving unity was crucial, Mr.
Benos said. Greece has devised a scheme to reform local government, which
has yet to be voted by parl iament, and is trying to streamline operations
in state services. The three-day seminar on adminstration and European
unification is being held under Sigma, a programme run by the Organisation
of Economic Cooperation and Development.
Hosting the event are Greece's interior, public administration and
decentralisation ministry with the National Centre for Public Administration.
Ergo mutual funds perform above average
Total assets for Ergobank mutual funds totalled 601 billion drachmas on
Sept. 30, achieving an 82.86 per cent increase against the corresponding
period last year.
During January-September 1997, the corresponding increase is 62.6 per cent,
or 231 billion drachmas.
Assets for Ergobank Anaptyxiako mutual funds totalled 15.8 billion drachmas,
an increase of 1.46 per cent since the beginning of the year. Its total
return of 79.72 per cent since the beginning of the year places it at the
top level in its category and is considerably higher than the average in
that category (75.26 per cent).
Increases were also registered in assets of other categories of Ergo mutual
funds.
WEATHER
Fine weather, with some humidity in most parts of the country today, with
local clouds and possible rain in the western parts. Winds light. Athens
will be sunny with temperatures between 14-24C. Thessaloniki partly cloudy
with light northerly winds and temperatures from 11-21C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Tuesday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 275.940
Pound sterling 447.653 Cyprus pd 531.202
French franc 46.803 Swiss franc 191.065
German mark 157.327 Italian lira (100) 16.000
Yen (100) 226.698 Canadian dlr. 200.935
Australian dlr. 199.505 Irish Punt 402.788
Belgian franc 7.624 Finnish mark 52.402
Dutch guilder 139.695 Danish kr. 41.334
Swedish kr. 36.588 Norwegian kr. 39.148
Austrian sch. 22.345 Spanish peseta 1.863
Port. Escudo 1.541
(C.E.)
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