Compact version |
|
Monday, 23 December 2024 | ||
|
Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-12-08Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>NEWS IN ENGLISHAthens, Greece, 08/12/1999 (ANA)MAIN HEADLINES
NEWS IN DETAILPM calls for clarity in EU-Turkish relationsPrime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday called for "clarity" in relations between Turkey and the European Union and Turkey and Greece, as the 15-member bloc prepared to discuss Turkey's bid for candidacy. "It is necessary that there be clear positions in regards to the ways and the rules of behaviour of all the participants, our European partners, Greece, Turkey, so that we can be led to solutions and not to impasses with the new relations of Turkey with the European Union," Simitis said after chairing an inner cabinet meeting. The meeting was called to discuss Greece's position on Turkey's bid for candidacy for the European Union, to be discussed at the Helsinki summit on Friday. EU stance key to Greece position at summit The stance Greece will take at this weekend's EU summit depends more on the actions of the European Union and less on Turkey, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Wednesday. Greece's decision on Turkey's bid for EU candidacy will be led by national interests and the stance on existing problems, he said. He said talks were continuing at a number of levels, but he stressed that the Cyprus issue remained of paramount importance. The policy Greece takes at Helsinki will also be affected by the Cyprus issue, he said. Turkish FM cited for Ipekci prize A prestigious Greek-Turkish friendship group has said it has proposed Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem for a special prize, after he said that Turkey was committed to falling into line with EU norms on resolving border disputes. The secretariat of the Ipekci Award took the decision unanimously to propose Cem for the 'Special Abdi Ipekci peace and friendship prize". A statement from the Ipekci secretariat said it was responding positively to statements from Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou who said that Cem's "efforts and activity" should be rewarded, regardless of the outcome of Friday's EU summit in Helsinki, which will discuss Turkey's bid to become a candidate member. President enjoys wide popularity President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos' enjoys sweeping popularity, just a few months before Presidential elections were due in parliament, according to a recent opinion poll the results of which appeared Wednesday in the Athens press. A poll conducted by the firm "Metron Analysis", which was conducted before his much-lauded address at the dinner in honour of US president Bill Clinton who briefly visited Athens last month as part of a wider Balkan tour, a sweeping majority of 88.5 percent considered Stephanopoulos' presidency a success. Asked to choose their favorite for President between Stephanopoulos and Athens' popular mayor, Dimitris Avramopoulos, an overwhelming 66.3 percent of the respondents preferred the current president against 23.7 percent who opted for Avramopoulos. Inflation will not affect convergence - finmin The recent rise in inflation due to increases in world oil prices, will not overturn the necessary convergence of interest rates, national economy and finance minister Yannos Papantoniou said Wednesday, adding that the timetable for de-escalation of interest rested largely with the Bank of Greece. Addressing the second day of a conference on "The Hour of the Greek Economy" organised by the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce (AHCC), Papantoniou predicted that inflation would remain at the present levels over the next two months. He also said that the eventuality of early general elections would not affect Greece's application to join the European Union's economic and monetary union (EMU), which was slated for submission in March. Public debt reduction economic focus A strategy of reducing the public debt will continue to be the touchstone for the Greek economy, Deputy Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said on Wednesday. Christodoulakis, speaking to a conference on the Greek economy organised by the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, said that the issuing of a 20-year bond in the new year would be attractive for portfolios wanting long-term investment. The Greek bond market, he said, has become a tool for investment selection. British Museum loser in recent Marbles meet Greece said on Wednesday that the British Museum had been the loser in a recent symposium held in London to discuss the condition of the Parthenon Marbles. Speaking at a news conference, Culture Minister Elizabeth Papazoi said that Greece had "gained new friends" following its presentation of the facts at the symposium, contrary to what appeared to be the aim. "It is obvious that this was a symposium with a pre-defined aim," she said. She said that British historian William St Clair, who revealed the damage done to the Marbles during cleaning attempts in the 1930s, had been targeted by the symposium. WEATHEROvercast weather will prevail in most parts of Greece today with rain or storms in eastern and southern Greece, Crete and the Dodecanese islands. Winds variable, light to moderate, turning strong in the Aegean Sea. Mostly sunny in Athens with a few clouds and temperatures between 8-17C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 5-12C.FOREIGN EXCHANGEWednesday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 318.333 Pound sterling 517.268 Japanese yen (100) 309.534 French franc 49.677 German mark 166.610 Italian lira (100) 16.829 Irish Punt 413.759 Belgian franc 8.078 Finnish mark 54.806 Dutch guilder 147.869 Danish kr. 43.809 Austrian sch. 23.681 Spanish peseta 1.958 Swedish kr. 37.791 Norwegian kr. 40.057 Swiss franc 203.568 Port. Escudo 1.626 Can. dollar 215.859 Aus. dollar 202.269 Cyprus pound 565.757 Euro 325.862(M.P.) Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |