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Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-12-14Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] NATO-FMs meeting-Turkey-reactions14/12/2000 21:53:42BRUSSELS (ANA B. Demiris) Turkey on Thursday blocked a joint statement of NATO foreign ministers on the future cooperation with the European Union, as it insisted in participating at the decision making process of the EU on defence issues, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said. He added that the Turkish delegation failed to submit a compromise proposal to lead talks out of the impasse, stressing that Turkey continued to have objections in allowing the EU rapid reaction force to use NATOs infrastructures for military operations directed by the EU. On his part, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said that one or two NATO member-states raised objections, which blocked the attainment of an agreement for the defence cooperation between the EU and NATO. [02] Avramopoulos-New party-Announcement14/12/2000 21:53:35Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos on Thursday evening announced his decision to proceed with the creation of his own political party, during a televised message delivered from his office at the Athens City Hall. Avramopoulos claimed that the crisis plaguing the political system, mistrust of citizens toward the system, the contrast between the needs of society and the priorities of political parties and the institutional inadequacy led to the expectation of an initiative for change and renewal, optimism and a dynamic move forward. [03] Express Samina-Shipwreck-wrong identification of victim14/12/2000 20:36:25Fate and confusion led to a morbid and bizarre event, during the first hours after the ?Express Samina? shipwreck in late September that cost the lives of more than eighty people. The lifeless body of Paraskevi Triantafyllou was recongised as that of Kalliopi Kontou and traveled to Canada for burial by the relatives of Kontou. Apparently the two elderly women looked very much alike and the relative of Triantafyllou who was also on the ship during the shipwreck made the morbid mistake. Once the body of Triantafyllou reached Canada, the relatives of Kontou realised the mistake and sent the body back, where it was positively recongised by the daughter of the victim and then buried in the cemetery of a Samos village. [04] Gov't-Attica-Hotels-Olympics14/12/2000 19:59:35The government on Thursday lifted a ban on the creation of luxury and A Class hotels in parts of Attica previously classed as saturated. The decree by the development ministry, which does not include islands in Attica, was published in the Government Gazette and takes immediate effect. The move follows estimates that current hotels will be too few to house an inrush of visitors for the 2004 Olympic Games to be hosted by Athens. Investment proposals for new hotels must be submitted to the development ministry by February 14, 2001. [05] Weather Forecast-Friday14/12/2000 18:59:03Scattered cloud is forecast throughout Greece on Friday, turning to showers in the Ionian, Epirus, western Macedonia and the country's western central mainland. Early morning visibility will be restricted. Winds west-southwesterly, moderate to strong, turning very strong at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from 2C to 17C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 5C to 19C; and in the Aegean islands from 9C to 21C. Temperatures in Athens between 9C and 19C; and in Thessaloniki from 6C to 17C. [06] PM - press conference - Papantoniou - privatisations14/12/2000 18:33:09Prime Minister Costas Simitis denied all plans to take the finance and economy portfolios from current minister Yiannos Papantoniou on Thursday, speaking at a press conference for foreign correspondents in Athens. "I am not contemplating any changes to the government's economic team," he said unequivocally, in response to questions regarding the minister's future. Commenting on the recent weak performance of the Athens Stock Exchange, he said that its performance long-term would be determined by the "course of the Greek economy, which is positive". Responding to questions regarding the government's privatisation programme, Simitis said that the government was determined to push through the structural reforms it had set in motion. [07] PM - press conference - terrorism14/12/2000 17:29:32Greece is constantly at war against terrorism, Prime Minister Costas Simitis told foreign correspondents on Thursday, adding that the government both condemned terrorism and did everything in its power to eradicate it. "Terrorism is arbitrary and an act of violence because it shows disregard for people," he said. Simitis was speaking after a dinner given in his honour by the Foreign Press Association in an Athens hotel, which was followed by a press conference. The prime minister announced that a bill would be prepared at the start of the new year, which would speed up procedures and protect citizens' rights in cases of terrorism. He said that Greece was cooperating closely with the US and Britain on the issue of terrorism, while in response to questions regarding the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 he noted that these would be carried out in absolute safety. He also noted that the Olympic Games in Barcelona had taken place without problems, despite Spain's problems with the Basques to the north, while a terrorist attack had occurred at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, where there had been no cause for concern. [08] Athens bourse (ASE) - close14/12/2000 15:12:38The ASE general index finished 2.58 percent higher on Thursday at 3588.84 points, with turnover at 115.71 billion drachmas. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks closed 2.36 percent up, while the FTSE/ASE 40 index for medium capitalisation shares rose by 2.36 percent. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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