Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-09-24

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 24/09/1999 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Government pleased with economic performance
• Committees to oversee quake relief efforts
• Government to recoup fraudently gotten monies
• Stock market not discussed at Cabinet meeting
• No early elections, government reiterates
• Black Sea environment ministers confer
• Spanish Premier's wife in Athens
• Defence minister speaks to CNN on Greek-Turk relations
• Weather
• Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The government said on Friday it was pleased with the Greek economy's performance to date with Prime Minister Costas Simitis saying he was confident the economy's performance would improve further and justify the present climate of optimism. The chances of the economy meeting all its targets by the end of the year were "certain or at the least very likely", National Economy and Finance Minister Yannos Papandoniou said after a Cabinet meeting on Friday to review policy. He said Greece would file for inclusion in economic and monetary union in the first ten days of March and expected a response by the end of June.

Committees to oversee quake relief efforts

Prime Minister Costas Simitis revealed his plans to cabinet on Friday to create two committees which would oversee quake relief efforts. One committee would deal with the needs of those left homeless or otherwise adversely affected by the quake, and the other would be charged with overseeing the restoration and rebuilding programme for buildings damaged in the quake, and with the housing needs of the homeless.

Government to recoup fraudently gotten monies

The government said on Friday that anyone who had fradulently received an emergency payment of 200,000 drachmas to buy necessities in the wake of the September 7 earthquake would be asked to pay it back. Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said it appeared that "a relatively large number of people compared to those who truly had a housing problem" had received the payment. This had forced upwards by "some billion drachmas" the budgeted amount for the financial relief. "The government will deal with this," Reppas said. "Whoever has received this benefit for the quake victims without being entitled to it will be asked to return the money."

Stock market not discussed at Cabinet meeting

Friday's Cabinet meeting on economic policy did not discuss developments on the Athens Stock Exchange, National Economy and Finance Minister Yannos Papandoniou said. "The Stock Exchange is not a political issue, it is a market and it is for this reason that nothing related was discussed at today's Cabinet meeting," Papandoniou said on leaving the meeting. Papandoniou said the government believed that the medium-term trend on the Athens bourse would remain positive but said it was not possible to rule out fluctuations which, he said, were part and parcel of the normal operation of a market. The general price index on the Athens bourse ended the week down 5.41 percent at 5,818.37 points, but off the day's lows of 5, 385 points. The market slumped this week in what many analysts have called a normal downward correction. However, some media claim the decline was fuelled by the statements by senior monetary authorities.

No early elections, government reiterates

Prime Minister Costas Simitis has called reports of early elections "senseless" and advised the members of his Cabinet to pay no heed, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Friday. Reppas was speaking after Simitis chaired a Cabinet meeting on economic policy. "The government will continue with the same economic policy with seriousness and responsiblity as the results so far justify all optimism," Reppas said.

Black Sea environment ministers confer

Ministers from the Black Sea Economic Council met in Thessaloniki on Friday in a closed session to try and work out common policies on fighting environmental pollution and disaster. "Environmental issues of mutual concern in our region are the management of natural resources, keeping pollution in check, management of coastal areas, tourist areas and the protection of the Black Sea," Deputy Environment Minister Theodoros Koliopanos said, opening the session. Koliopanos said the meeting was an opportunity for discussion and an exchange of views and experiences on critical issues related to the environment.

Spanish Premier's wife in Athens

Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar's wife, Anna, currently in Athens for the opening of an exhibition, today visited the Acropolis in Athens accompanied by Daphne Simitis, wife of the Greek premier. Mrs. Aznar, on her second visit to Greece, will attend tonight's official inauguration of the "Pablo Picasso-Studies on Guernica" exhibition at the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art in Kolonaki, central Athens. The exhibition comprises a number of pencil drawings made by Picasso in the space of a few weeks in may and June 1937 that led to the creation of his masterpiece, Guernica. The exhibition will run through December 31.

Defence minister speaks to CNN on Greek-Turk relations

Greece is not obstructing Turkey's candidacy for EU membership but, on the contrary, was open to the prospect of Turkey jointing the list of candidate members, defence minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said yesterday in an interview on CNN. Asked whether following the thaw in Greek-Turkish relations after the two countries rushed to each other's assistance when killer earthquakes struck both recently, Tsohatzopoulos replied: "I wouldn't say that Greece is the 'force' that is obstructing Turkey's candidacy for membership in the European Union. Quite the opposite, I would say, Greece is open to Turkey's prospect for inclusion among the candidates for EU membership, which it sees as a positive prospect. We can say that with certainty."

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Friday's rates (buying)
U.S. dollar          310.744
Pound sterling       507.745
Japanese yen (100)   298.671
French franc          49.490
German mark          165.981
Italian lira (100)    16.766
Irish Punt           412.198
Belgian franc          8.047
Finnish mark          54.599
Dutch guilder        147.312
Danish kr.            43.694
Austrian sch.         23.592
Spanish peseta         1.951
Swedish kr.           37.706
Norwegian kr.         39.650
Swiss franc          202.442
Port. Escudo           1.619
Can. dollar          211.098
Aus. dollar          201.192
Cyprus pound         561.988
Euro                 324.632

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