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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-10-21

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, 21/10/1998 (ANA)


MAIN HEADLINES

  • PM vows to carry on with government's mission
  • Simitis appeal to Klima over monies for Turkey
  • Alexandroupolis hosts regional economy conference
  • Police stumble upon 100 kilos of marijuana
  • Greece sells hydrotherapy resorts
  • Justice minister, new prefect clash in court
  • Four foreigners injured in road accident
  • Greek equities end higher yet again
  • Weather
  • Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

PM vows to carry on with government's mission

Prime Minister Costas Simitis said today that he was determined to carry on with his policies leading the Greek economy into European economic and monetary union, despite setbacks in recent local government elections, adding that "our primary concern is the progress of the country, not our image". He told a meeting of the ruling PASOK party's parliamentary group that the country was foing through a phase that "does not allow for games, manoeuvering and petty political expediencies", noting that "anyone who claims that there is another road other than cooperation with the EU is disregarding reality".

Simitis appeal to Klima over monies for Turkey

The government on Wednesday indirectly confirmed reports that Prime Minister Costas Simitis had sent a letter to Austrian Chancellor Viktor Klima protesting an attempt by the European Commission to neutralise Greece's veto of EU funds to Turkey. Stressing that Greece "will protest at all levels", government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that Athens was in constant contact with "all parties", while adding that "it is normal within this framework also for letters to be sent". Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos on Tuesday sent a letter to his Austrian counterpart, Wolfgang Schuessel, asking him to intervene to prevent the adoption of European Commission proposals on the release of Community funds for Turkey, which Athens considers to be legally unfounded. Despite efforts by its EU partners to persuade Greece to lift its veto, Athens has insisted on adherence to decisions taken at the last EU summits in Luxembourg and Cardiff, when Turkey was told that its EU candidacy would depend on whether it improved its human rights record and relations with Athens.

Alexandroupolis hosts regional economy conference

The 3rd International Conference on Mediterranean Cooperation and Development which opens on Thursday in the northern city of Alexandroupoli will focus on prospects for a single economic area spanning the Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Black Sea after the year 2000. The conference, which will end on October 25, will be chaired by Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou. According to previous reports, Prime Minister Costas Simitis will open the conference that will draw officials from 76 countries of the area under discussion, including ministers, ambassadors, trade attaches and bank governors. Among items on the agenda are energy, transport, the modernisation of telecom networks, small and medium- sized enterprises and cultural cooperation. Peace and security in the region will also be discussed.

Police stumble upon 100 kilos of marijuana

Police on Wednesday found five sacks containing 100 kilos of marijuana at the side of the Ioannina-Athens highway. A sack containing 16.5 kilos of marijuana was found by police meanwhile at the side of the Ioannina-Kozani national road. In both cases, the police believe the marijuana was left by Albanian smugglers for accomplices in Greece to pick up. Before taking the sacks, the police placed the two areas under surveillance but no one came for them.

Greece sells hydrotherapy resorts

The National Tourism Organisation of Greece (EOT) is planning to privatise its four hydrotherapy units in the Fthiotis prefecture and will issue an international call for tenders soon. An EOT spokesman told the ANA that the organisation will privatise its four hydrotherapy units at Koniaviti, Thermopylae-Psoroneri, Loutroypatis and Platistomo, all between two and two- and-a-half hour drive from Athens. The deadline for both local and international tenders is April 5, 1999. The privatisation will bring in some 10 billion dr. in private investment, the spokesman said.

Justice minister, new prefect clash in court

Justice minister Evangelos Yannopoulos is suing newly-elected Attica super- prefect Theodore Katrivanos for slander and defamation of character, it was announced today. Yannopoulos' lawyer today filed the suit with Athens criminal prosecutor Isidoros Doyiakos, accusing Katrivanos of slander in recent statements he made on television disputing the minister's national resistance struggles during the Nazi occupation of Greece in World War II. Yannopoulos, a lawyer, has also reserved the right to sue for moral damage. The lawsuit states that Yannopoulos is tentatively suing Katrivanos for 10, 000 dr. (about 35 dollars). The prosecutor will decide on the lawsuit Thursday.

Four foreigners injured in road accident

A Greek woman and her four Albanian passengers, all illegal immigrants, were seriously injured when the woman's car overturned on the Preveza- Neraida road, police said on Wednesday. All five were taken to the Preveza Hospital for treatment. The woman, identified as Panayiotia Kounaki, 43, from Livadia, central Greece, had picked up the four Albanians at the Greek borders and had charged them 100,000 drachmas each to be taken to Athens.

Greek equities end higher yet again

Greek equities ended sharply higher for one more session on the Athens Stock Exchange helped by signs of a significant drop in the inflation rate below 4.8 percent in October, prospects of a successful third flotation in Hellenic Telecoms and a wave of interest rates declines in international markets. The general index ended 1.79 percent higher to 2,087.81 points. Trading was heavy with turnover at 46.2 billion drachmas. Volume was 13,317, 000 shares. Sector indices scored gains. Banks rose 2.33 percent, Insurance ended 2.18 percent up, Investment increased 2.66 percent, Industrials rose 1.17 percent, Construction jumped 5.36 percent, Miscellaneous ended 0.89 percent up and Holding increased 2.48 percent. Leasing bucked the trend to end 3.36 percent off on profit taking following three days of big gains.

WEATHER

Scattered cloud will prevail throughout Greece today with the possibility of showers in the northern Ionian, Epirus, western central Greece, Macedonia and Thrace. Winds variable, light to moderate, turning to strong in the Aegean Sea. Partly cloudy in Athens with temperatures between 16- 25C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 15-20C.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Wednesday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 278.316 British pound 475.168 Japanese yen (100) 237.872 French franc 50.846 German mark 170.480 Italian lira (100) 17.236 Irish Punt 425.568 Belgian franc 8.263 Finnish mark 56.076 Dutch guilder 151.161 Danish kr. 44.832 Austrian sch. 24.229 Spanish peseta 2.007 Swedish kr. 35.627 Norwegian kr. 37.295 Swiss franc 208.985 Port. Escudo 1.662 Aus. dollar 175.227 Can. dollar 179.572 Cyprus pound 578.019

(M.P.)


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