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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-11-27

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, 27/11/1997 (ANA)


MAIN HEADLINES

  • Pangalos interviewed on BBC
  • Papandreou talks to Denktash on CNN
  • Cyprus mediators meet in Paris
  • Greek satellite, armaments top Defence Minister's agenda in China
  • 4.3 trillion drachmas for public works until the year 2000
  • Greek role in Balkans on agenda of Simitis-Blair meeting
  • Earthquakes off western Peloponnese
  • Metro-mouse reaches Syntagma Square
  • Onassis' Foundation accuses Roussel of fabricating kidnap plot
  • Greece to aid in construction of Albanian prison
  • Piraeus hosts 15th international shipping conference
  • Weather
  • Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Pangalos interviewed on BBC

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos repeated yesterday that the European Union should begin talks simultaneously with 11 countries seeking to join the 15-nation bloc.

"When the decision is taken on enlargement negotiations, it should concern all candidate countries, " Pangalos told the BBC in an interview.

The EU's executive Commission recommended in July that Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Estonia, five of 10 eastern European candidates, could begin accession talks in April 1998 along with Cyprus.

But it said the other five candidates -- Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania -- still had much ground to cover in the transition to a market economy and should await a second round of enlargement talks.

"Regardless of whether there are two speeds for accession, Greece believes that positive political messages should also be given to Bulgaria and Romania, that they, too, will become members," Pangalos said.

Difficulties could arise from enlargement, mainly stemming from the economic cost of accession, although the prospects would improve for trade and communications.

Brushing off a question on a possible reduction of net benefits from EU funds due to enlargement, Pangalos said equality among member states was the primary issue, and all would continue to benefit from EU funds.

Asked whether Greece would veto the membership of other candidates, such as Hungary, over hitches in Cyprus' accession, Pangalos said the EU had already set a date for the start of talks with Cyprus, which was ready to take part in economic and monetary union.

Papandreou talks to Denktash on CNN

Viewers phoning in with questions for Deputy Foreign Minister George Papandreou on CNN's Q and A programme last night included Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Papandreou, currently in London with Prime Minister Costas Simitis, was a guest on the show which is hosted live by CNN anchorman Riz Khan from Atlanta.

Focus of discussion was the Cyprus issue, Greek-Turkish relations and Cyprus' accession to the European Union. Papandreou called for the cooperation of Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus' accession to the EU.

Denktash, who phoned from Istanbul, reiterated Turkey's stance that the Cyprus problem should be resolved before the island republic joined the EU. He also said that the reason for the Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern part of Cyprus could be traced back to events in 1963.

Papandreou replied that from 1963 to 1997 was a long time and that "we see the future in very different ways".

Cyprus' accession to the EU, he added, was very much in the interests of the Turkish Cypriots, as they themselves had asked to be a part of this process.

"This is the important question which the Turkish Cypriots have to answer," said Papandreou, adding that as long as the troops remained on the island, the legitimate government of Cyprus, recognised by the United Nations and by all states except Turkey, was the one to negotiate (for membership). He referred to Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides' proposal regarding the participation of Turkish Cypriots in the accession talks.

Denktash countered by reiterating that Cyprus had essentially been divided since 1963, and that for the Turkish Cypriots to participate in accession talks, their self-proclaimed state should first be recognised as an independent entity.

Papandreou countered with the view that he belonged to a different generation, one which wanted a united Cyprus.

"The challenge for the Turkish Cypriots is to choose whether they want to participate," he said.

Cyprus mediators meet in Paris

A meeting of international mediators on the Cyprus issue took place in Paris yesterday with the participation of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's special envoy Diego Cordovez and US presidential emissary Richard Holbrooke, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas confirmed today.

He said he had no further details as to what was discussed. The important thing for Greece, he observed, was that there was activity on the issue.

Asked to comment on statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem regarding a possible plan for a "double accession" to the European Union by Cyprus, with the Turkish Cypriots joining separately, Reppas said:

"Initiatives undertaken by the mediators on the Cyprus issue are within the framework set out in UN resolutions and the summit meetings of 1977 and 1979. Whoever raises issues that do not come under that specific framework only undermine any solution to the Cyprus issue," he said, adding:

"The bizonal-bicommunal solution is that which has been accepted by all sides. Mr. Cem's statements regarding a double accession to the EU only harm the interests of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots."

Greek satellite, armaments top Defence Minister's agenda in China

Athens is proposing cooperation with the People's Republic of China to launch a Greek telecommunications satellite into orbit, an issue brought up in talks National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos had with both the military and civil leaderships in Beijing.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos had a 35-minute discussion with Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng, focusing on possibilities of promoting and strengthening cooperation between the two countries and reviewing the entire spectrum of Sino-Greek relations.

Welcoming Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, the Chinese premier said Greece and China are countries with ancient civilisations and history.

"We have never had feuds between us," he said, adding that "we only have common interests", while he stressed that "the visit is strengthening cooperation between us."

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos thanked the Chinese premier, saying "we came to China for a briefing on developments in Greece and the wider region and to bring proposals to deepen our relations."

During their talks, the men discussed at length possibilities for greater rapprochement at a bilateral level as well as in the framework of international organisations.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos briefed Mr. Li Peng on the Cyprus issue and Greek- Turkish relations. The Chinese official expressed the view that a solution should be found to the Cyprus issue within the framework of the European Union. He also called on Mr. Tsohatzopoulos to convey his assurances to Mr. Simitis that China will support Greece's candidacy for accession to the UN's non-permanent Security Council members over the 1999-2000 period, while congratulating Athens for undertaking the 2004 Olympiad, saying th at China helped in its own way by not submitting its candidacy.

Meanwhile, Mr. Li Peng thanked Mr. Tsohatzopoulos for assistance provided by the Greek armed forces in evacuating Chinese citizens from Durres during the Albanian crisis earlier this year.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos and his aides also had a string of meetings with officials of China's defence industries, examining possibilities of cooperation in the sector.

The main issue of direct interest to Greece is cooperation in space research and activities. Greece intends to proceed with launching its own telecommunications satellite, an undertaking expected to take place in cooperation with China.

Talks will be continued in Athens in the future, since Greece intends to take a final decision on the issue in 1998.

Today is the last day of Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' visit to China, with the Greek defence minister visiting the city of Sen Yian for a round of contacts concerning defence and armaments issues.

Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, who is accompanying Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, met with Chinese government officials on economic cooperation prospects between China and the Balkan and Mediterranean regions through Greece .

The 100 largest companies in the world are already active in Shanghai, and more specifically, in the new industrial zone where the region's new international airport is being built.

The region is developing rapidly, Ms Papandreou said, adding that possibilities are provided for cooperations, initiatives and joint enterprises.

In the framework of Ms Papandreou's meetings with relevant Chinese ministers, the Greek side discussed mediation on China's full accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

However, a precondition for all this and for Greek mediation is the further deregulation of trade conditions (imports) and of a smoother market operation.

According to figures for 1996, Chinese exports to Greece increased by 6 per cent, amounting to US$200 million.

Greek exports to China also increased (almost tripling) in 1996, compared to 1995, totalling US$58 million.

4.3 trillion drachmas for public works until the year 2000

The environment, town planning and public works ministry has secured funds of 4.3 trillion drachmas for all scheduled projects and actions up to the year 2000, Minister Costas Laliotis yesterday told an economic conference organised in Athens by the Hellenic-American Chamber and the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB).

He said the projects and actions to be funded are of vital importance to the country's development, restructuring and economic modernisation, adding that it is of equal importance that private capital be used in the construction of projects, through self-financing and co-funding, and predicted that the positive climate which has been brought about by Greece's cooperation with the EU, international credit organisations and private initiatives will be maintained and boosted in the next few years.

Commenting on the 1998 state budget, the minister said it will be a budget of prudence and perspective, aimed mainly at meeting the required convergence criteria and securing Greece's participation in Economic Monetary Union in 2001.

Greek role in Balkans on agenda of Simitis-Blair meeting

Greece's role in the Balkans will be one of the main issues to be discussed at Prime Minister Costas Simitis's meeting with his British counterpart Tony Blair in London today, according to Labour MP Eddie O'Hara, president of the Interparliamentary Greek-British Friendship Group.

Mr. O'Hara said he believed the Greek prime minister would ask for the British government's support for Greece's positive initiatives in the Balkans. Britain assumes the rotating presidency of the European Union for the first half of 1998.

He said the British perception of Mr. Simitis's government was a positive one, particularly of the way in which he was dealing with Greece's difficult economic problems "with some success".

Earthquakes off western Peloponnese

Two earthquakes jolted western Greece this morning, with their epicentre in the sea region south of the island of Zakynthos, but there were mixed reports on their magnitude.

The Athens Geodynamic Insitute said the first quake at 4:27 a.m. measured 5.2 on the Richter scale and the second quake, at 6:29 a.m., measured 5.3 Richter.

Earlier in the day, the Patras University Seismology Laboratory gave magnitudes of 4.5 and 4.7 Richter respectively for the two quakes.

There were no immediate reports of damage.

The epicentre of the two quakes was in the same region that had produced a 6.6 Richter quake on November 18.

Metro-mouse reaches Syntagma Square

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis yesterday anticipated that the Athens Metro would be completed in 1999, as 62 percent of the entire project and 82 percent of the civil engineering works - tunnels and stations - had already been completed.

Speaking at a ceremony welcoming the arrival of "Jason the Metro-mouse" - the giant French-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) - at Syntagma Square, Mr. Laliotis said construction of 18 (of the total 21) stations had been completed,of which 16 were in the final stages of installation of the basic mechanical equipment.

Traffic circulation had also been restored above nine of the stations, Mr. Laliotis said.

The minister said that in the next 10 days the ministry would announce the specifics on the extensions of Line 2 from Sepolia to Peristeri and Line 3 from Kerameikos to Egaleo. It would also announce at that time how the Line 3 section from Syntagma to Kerameikos would be constructed given the problems there due to unsteady soil and antiquities.

The Sepolia-Peristeri extention provided for 2.5 kilometres of tunnel and three stations, while the Kermeikos-Egaleo extention comprised 3.4 kilometres of tunnel, another three stations, and a depot.

He said 66 percent of the tunnel boring had been completed, representing 12 of the total 18 kilometres of the project, with 50 percent of Line 3's tracks and 16 percent of Line 2's tracks already in place.

Mr. Laliotis said Jason had covered the distance from the Athens Academy station to Syntagma square in a record 22 days without running into problems such as the land subsidence on Panepistimou street that had slowed up the project last month.

After a few days rest for maintenance work, Jason would start boring towards the next station, under archaeological remains at the beginning of Syngrou avenue, Mr. Laliotis said.

Onassis' Foundation accuses Roussel of fabricating kidnap plot

The chairman of the board of trustees managing the Onassis fortune of 12- year-old heiress Athina Roussel today accused the youth's father, Thierry Roussel, and four Swiss lawyers and judges of fabricating rumours of a kidnapping plot.

Stelio Papadimitriou said Mr. Roussel fabricated and then leaked to the international press the existence of such a plot earlier this month, allegedly to be carried out by former Israeli commandos and intelligence agents.

"I am not accusing the Swiss justice system," Mr. Papadimitriou stressed in a three-hour press conference, saying however, that Mr. Roussel and four others, whom he named, plotted against himself and the three other members of the Onassis Foundation - A postolos Zambelas, Pavlos Ioannidis and Theodoros Gavriilidis - all assigned by the late Christina Onassis to administer the trust, along with Mr. Roussel, her divorced husband.

He also accused Mr. Roussel and his associates of trying to wrest management of the vast Onassis fortune from the four other trustees, in what he said was a complete contradiction of the last will and testament of Christina Onassis, and of rulings by the Swiss Supreme Court.

Mr. Papadimitriou said a routine check by the security firm - through which Athina has been insured against abduction - of security arrangements for the heiress had been exploited by Mr. Roussel for his own purposes.

According to Mr. Papadimitriou, Athina had been insured with the international firm Lloyds since 1989, immediately after her mother's death. In 1992, another firm cooperating with Lloyds, Control Risk Group, undertook to check security measures for Athina.

The checks were carried out initially in Mr. Roussel's knowledge on a regular schedule. However, since 1994, when relations between Athina's father and the Onassis Foundation deteriorated, the checks on security measures continued in accordance with the contract but without Mr. Roussel's awareness.

Regarding the results of such a check in 1996, Mr. Papadimitriou said a relevant experts' report was alarming. He said that according to the firm, "when the child's father was away from home, all security guards and bodyguards were in their post working as usual, but when Mr. Roussel was home all measures were disrupted."

He charged that Mr. Roussel had been seen driving off on his motorcycle with Athina riding on the back seat without any security measures, since all personnel stayed back at the residence.

Mr. Papadimitriou said if Athina died the legal beneficiaries would be her father and her sisters and brothers - Mr. Roussel's children from his marriage with his current wife.

The Onassis Foundation, he said, would have no benefit out of such an event but it would not let Mr. Roussel "keep an eye on Athina."

Greece to aid in construction of Albanian prison

Greece will aid in the construction of a 500-bed prison in Albania in order to transfer all Albanian nationals currently held in Greek jails, under a decision reached yesterday by the Justice Ministers of Greece and Albania, Evangelos Yiannopoulos and Thimio Kondi, respectively.

The formation of a committee composed of three Greek and three Albanian officials was also decided in order to promote wider cooperation in legal matters.

Cooperation will focus on providing legal assistance for the drafting of a new Albanian legal system and the training of Albanian judicial officials and lawyers.

Piraeus hosts 15th international shipping conference

The 15th Annual International Shipping Conference was opened in Piraeus yesterday by Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis, organised by the Piraeus Marine Club, and London's City University Business School's shipping and trade department, headed by Professor Costas Grammenos, who is coordinating the conference. Mr. Soumakis referred to the dependence of Greek-flagged ships on the foreign market and international money markets, making them vulnerable to international economic crises. He also mentioned a recent report by the European Commission on sea transport, which he said was based on the same policy as that proposed by Greece, that is the deregulation of maritime services without any unilaterally imposed protectionism.

The minister also emphasised the importance of training in all areas of shipping.

The meeting was addressed by British Ambassador in Athens Sir Michael Llewellyn Smith, Greek Shipowners' Union president Yiannis Lyras and the Rector of the City University Professor Raoul Franklin.

Weather

Local clouds throughout the country with chances of showers in the west and south and local fog in the morning. Local clouds ffor Athens with temperature ranging from 12-17 C. Same for Thessaloniki, with temperature between 8-15 C.

Foreign exchange

Wednesday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 273.633 Pound sterling 457.014 Cyprus pd 531.216 French franc 46.491 Swiss franc 192.815 German mark 155.615 Italian lira (100) 15.880 Yen (100) 215.393 Canadian dlr. 191.873 Australian dlr. 187.185 Irish Punt 405.629 Belgian franc 7.545 Finnish mark 51.550 Dutch guilder 138.091 Danish kr. 40.886 Swedish kr. 35.494 Norwegian kr. 38.132 Austrian sch. 22.113 Spanish peseta 1.842 Port. Escudo 1.524

(Y.B.)


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