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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-04-02Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>NEWS IN ENGLISHAthens, Greece, 02/04/1999 (ANA)MAIN HEADLINES
NEWS IN DETAILGreece, Romania: Political solution for Kosovo crisisThe Romanian and Greek defence ministers agreed yesterday in Bucharest that a solution to the Kosovo crisis could only come about through political and diplomatic means, while emphasising that they were opposed to a change in Balkan borders. "No change in existing borders in Yugoslavia and, more generally, Balkan countries is acceptable in the name of autonomy or the protection of the rights of minorities," Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said after talks with his Romanian counterpart, Victor Babiuc. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos arrived in the Romanian capital yesterday. He is expected to travel to Sofia and Skopje today. The protection of human rights and the autonomy of Kosovo is compatible within the existing borders of Yugoslavia, the Greek minister added. Romania, Mr. Babiuc said, "was treating the NATO intervention as a means and not an end in itself." NATO has intervened "to force Milosevic to the negotiating table," he said, adding: "The operations will continue until Milosevic changes stance." Mr. Tsohatzopoulos added that the killing and uprooting of Kosovo's Albanians had to stop. "The developments in Kosovo are of concern to the peace, stability and security of the Balkans and so are an issue for all the countries of the region," Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said. He reiterated Athens' position that Greece, as a neighbouring country, could not participate directly in the offensive because this would be a destabilising factor. Referring to Moscow's intention to send a Russian reconnaissance vessel to the Mediterranean, the Greek defence minister was apprehensive. "In times of crisis, the advent of even more and greater forces in the region only serves to increase tension," he said. "For the time being, it is good to believe the leaders of Russia that their country is not about to become involved in the region's crisis," Mr. Babiuc added. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said Greece would broach the issue of NATO's expansion at the forthcoming Washington summit in April, although he said there was no expectation of a decision. Greece hopes that prospective candidates for NATO membership, such as Romania, will be formally acknowledged. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos later met with acting Prime Minister and Justice Minister Victor Stoika. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos will visit Sofia this morning for talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Ananiev, Foreign Minister Nadezda Mihailova and Prime Minister Ivan Kostov. In the afternoon, he will be in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) for talks with President Kiro Gligorov, Prime Minister Ljupco Georgievski, Foreign Minister Alexander Dimitrov and Defence Minister Nikola Klusev. Greece backs Bonn proposal for conference on Balkan problems Greece yesterday welcomed a German proposal for convening a wide-ranging conference to tackle the broader problems in the Balkans. "We welcome the proposal of the German (EU) presidency for a solution to the broader problem in the Balkans. It is an issue which Greece has raised for some time," said Foreign Minister George Papandreou after the end of an international meeting on the provision of aid to refugees from Kosovo. "It is a comprehensive strategy and a programme which sets rules and relationshi ps securing the peaceful coexistence such as, for instance, respect for borders, and establishing basic terms for democratisation in everyday life, such as respect for human rights. It provides for significant economic aid -a 'mini Marshal Plan' if you like - for the prosperity of the peoples in the area," he added. He stressed Greece's active interest in the promotion of a solution to problems in the Balkans. "We had the opportunity to refer to Greece's activity on the problem of refugees, economic aid, and the creation of organisational centres in Ioannina and Thessaloniki. We stressed the political repercussions which the war has in the area, as well as the special problem with the Greek minority in Albania. We want an active presence of Europe in the area. We want Europe to show its humanitarian face. All countries in the region have reservations regarding the bombings, not just us," the Greek foreign minister said. Mr. Papandreou had a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts of Germany, Albania, FYROM and Bulgaria. The conference was attended by representatives of nine countries bordering on Yugoslavia, the European Union, the United Nations and the OSCE. Mr. Papandreou, who visited Tirana on Wednesday while accompanying humanitarian aid from Athens, told reporters before his departure that Greece had "vital interests in the region" and wanted to see full coordination of action so as to enable the best possible treatment of the humanitarian problem. No Greek troop participation in NATO operations in Kosovo The possibility of Greek troops participating in NATO military operations in Kosovo is not being considered, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday. Mr. Reppas added that "other European governments also do not want their troops to take part in ground operations in Yugoslavia". He reiterated that Greece would not allow any NATO troops heading for Yugoslavia to pass through Greek territory, nor would it allow Turkish warplanes to use Greek air space. Over the past month, some 10,000 NATO troops have used the port and aiport of Thessaloniki in northern Greece to go to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) where they have been deployed in order to be ready to help enforce any peace agreeme nt reached on Kosovo. Commenting on the German government's rejection on Wednesday of a proposal put forward by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou for the suspension of NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia on the Catholic and Orthodox Easter Sundays on April 4 and 11 respectively, Mr. Reppas expressed Athens' regret, saying: "The position adopted by friends and partners to a proposal motivated by humanitarian considerations was negative, and they could have accepted a suspension of the bombing." German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer told a joint news conference with Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping in Bonn on Wednesday that acceptance of Mr. Papandreou's proposal would be tantamount to granting permission to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to continue "ethnic cleansing operations in Kosovo at Easter and this would be inconceivable". Plane loaded with Greek aid lands in FYROM Alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis and Deputy Interior Minister George Floridis left for Skopje yesterday aboard an Hellenic Air Force C- 130 loaded with humanitarian aid for the neighbouring country. The aid, for refugees arriving from war-torn Kosovo, includes 20 tents, 4.5 tons of foodstuff and five tons of pharaceutical supplies. Greece began sending shipments of humanitarian assistance to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) earlier this week. A second C-130 took off for Tirana yesterday with 80 tents and an ambulance. In addition, 50 trucks with supplies departed for Albania yesterday and a further 500 could be ready to leave within the next few days. While in Skopje, Mr. Kranidiotis and Mr. Floridis will have talks with FYROM officials. 'November 17' believed behind attack on PASOK headquarters Police said yesterday they believed the "November 17" terrorist group was behind a failed rocket attack against the headquarters of ruling PASOK in downtown Athens late Wednesday night, as the attempt bore the hallmarks of the notorious group. They said a large explosion was heard at 10 minutes before midnight, as police who arrived on the sence found a home-made plastic rocket launcher with two alarm clocks and a 12-volt battery attached to it set up on the wall of an outdoor parking lot behind the building housing the PASOK headquarters in the central Athens district of Exarchia. The rocket struck the first-floor wall of the offices but did not explode and fell onto the balcony of the building next-door. Police said the 2.36-inch rocket was one of a cache of anti-tank rockets stolen by November 17 from the Sikourio army depot near Larissa in 1989. The group has used the rockets in a number of attacks against Greek and foreign targets in Athens. PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis, who arrived on the spot shortly after the attack, said only security personnel were in the building at the time, and they were on the ground floor. In its last attack, "November 17" launched a similar rocket in April 1998 against a CitiBank branch in Athens' residential district of Kypseli. In that attack the rocket made a whole in the wall but did not explode. Simitis' talks with Panamian leader Perez Balladares Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday held talks with visiting Panamanian President Ernesto Perez Balladares centring on shipping and cultural issues. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Mr. Simitis said although the two countries may be geographically distant, they had contacts on many levels regarding issues of common interest, such as shipping and culture. Mr. Simitis expressed a hope that bilateralties would further broadened. President Balladares, whose country takes over the administration of the Panama Canal on Jan. 1, 2000, told the Greek premier that Panama was determined to provide services of an impeccable standard to users of the waterway. He also gave the assurance that Canal dues paid by vessels passing through the waterway would not increase in the slightest and would remain at present levels. AEK soccer team schedules 'solidarity' match in Belgrade The AEK Athens soccer team will play a friendly with Partizan Belgrade in the Yugoslav capital on Wednesday, in a show of solidarity with the Serbian people, it was announced yesterday. "We hope that our initiative will prove that football can help the cause of peace in the Balkans," said AEK head Dimitris Melissanidis. A Yugoslav government statement stressed that "the Serbian people are greatly looking forward to hosting of our Greek brothers in Belgrade..." Both teams are contenders in their respective national leagues, have large and fanatical followings and frequently participate in European competitions. The game will be televised live in Greece and to other countries in Europe, while several channels are reported to have expressed interest. Yugoslavia's ambassador to Athens, Dragomir Vucicevic, is scheduled to meet with AEK officials today. US marine platoon proceeds to Thessaloniki airport Two US air force planes landed in Thessaloniki yesterday with 45 US marines headed for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Sources said the group was part of a marine force charged with protecting the US embassy in Skopje, site of recent vehement anti-NATO demonstrations last week by outraged demonstrators. The force is expected to be made up of 120 marines in total, although the figure may increase. In addition, 37 German "Leopard 2" tanks were unloaded Wednesday night at the port of Thessaloniki. Stocks plunge 7.55 pct on Kosovo woes Fears of a prolonged military crisis in Yugoslavia hit the Athens Stock Exchange yesterday pushing equity prices sharply lower. The general index nosedived 7.55 percent to end at 3,121.39 points, successively breaking support at 3,300 and 3,200 points to close at its lowest levels since January. The index has lost 17.30 percent since the start of NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia. Traders said the market had shrugged off positive economic fundamentals and corporate news that in different circumstances could have elevated the index to 4,000 points. More than 200 shares hit the daily 8.0 percent limit down, and only a handful managed to show gains. Sector indices suffered heavy losses. Banks plunged 7.68 percent, Leasing fell 5.55 percent, Insurance dived 6.79 percent, Investment ended 7.57 percent off, Construction slid 8.0 percent, Industrials ended 7.53 percent down, Miscellaneous ended 6.88 percent off and Holding fell 6.12 percent. The parallel market index for small cap companies ended 7.94 percent lower. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 277 to 9. Turnover was 135.07 billion drachmas and volume 21,357,232 shares. The FTSE/ASE 20 index ended 7.63 percent off at 1,934.16 points. National Bank of Greece, Thessaliki, Chipita and Alpha Credit Bank were them most active stocks. Tasoglou, Orion, Desmos, AB Vassilopoulos, Boutaris, ETVA Leasing, Kekrops, Pavlides and Chipita scored gains. WEATHERUnsettled weather will continue throughout Greece on Friday with spells of sunshine, local showers and storms. Winds will be westerly, light to moderate. Possibility of rain in Athens where temperatures will range between 9-18C. Similar weather in Thessaloniki where temperatures will be from 7-17C.FOREIGN EXCHANGEFriday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 301.161 Pound sterling 484.790 Japanese yen (100) 252.087 French franc 49.437 German mark 165.804 Italian lira (100) 16.748 Irish Punt 411.756 Belgian franc 8.039 Luxembourg franc 8.039 Finnish mark 54.541 Dutch guilder 147.154 Danish kr. 43.636 Austrian sch. 23.567 Spanish peseta 1.949 Swedish kr. 36.456 Norwegian kr. 38.857 Swiss franc 203.196 Port. Escudo 1.618 Aus. dollar 190.717 Can. dollar 199.392 Cyprus pound 560.797 Euro 324.285(L.G.) Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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