Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-09-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government counters main opposition leader

[02] Main opposition leader calls for prudence in tackling terrorism

[03] National council on biological, toxic hazards to meet Thursday

[04] Greece to meet pledge on Olympics security (ADDS Paralympics)

[05] Greece to meet pledge on Olympics security, minister says

[06] PM launches northern electricity plant, dam

[07] Italian aid for Greek church destroyed in NY terrorist attack

[08] Weather Forecast: Warm and sunny on Sunday

[09] Coalition of Left slams wanton violence in terrorism and war

[10] Garbage workers suspend planned strike

[11] Morgan Stanley launches Greek small stocks index

[12] German ornithologist found dead

[13] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Saturday

[14] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[01] Government counters main opposition leader

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said in a statement on Saturday that Greece was promoting growth and the social state while expanding its international presence.

Reppas was responding to a speech by main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

"The vision of the prime minister and of the government for a strong society, a powerful Greece, has encapsulated the goals and desires of all Greeks, regardless of party political affiliation," the statement said.

"It would be useful for the country and for New Democracy itself if the party stopped fault-finding and started contributing, if it can, to better implemenation of that vision," it said.

The crisis triggered by terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 was one more criterion of the country's credibility and the staying power of its economy. Greece was successfully handling the test, Reppas added.

[02] Main opposition leader calls for prudence in tackling terrorism

The leader of the main New Democracy (ND) party said on Saturday that he backed tough measures against global terrorism, but the response should be measured.

"No one should allow fertile ground for terrorists. There should be no tolerance of wanton violence," said Costas Karamanlis in the opposition leader's traditional annual speech at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

"But the response by the world community must be prudent and just. It is necessary to avoid moves that would turn ordinary citizens into casualties, and it is necessary to identify and combat the conditions, causes and hotbeds of terrorism," Karamanlis said in a text released early to media.

The speech was postponed from September 15 when the ND leader was stranded in the US after a flight ban in the wake of terrorist assaults in New York and Washington a few days earlier.

Calling on Greece to stand by the US and overcome party political differences, Karamanlis recalled that New Democracy had lost senior officials to terrorist attacks.

He added that Greece was especially at risk as the only European Union country to have borders exposed to likely waves of migrants.

"No one can ignore the link between terrorists and extremist elements, which is something we saw in Kosovo and Skopje. This is why the greatest possible consensus is needed," Karamanlis said, calling for the creation of councils of foreign policy and security.

Turning to the economy, he criticised the government for delays in carrying out projects linked to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

The ND leader also called the government's attempt to set up a national land register "a fiasco" in the wake of delays and financing problems.

Finally, Karamanlis accused the government of concealing deficits that he claimed represented 3.0 percent of gross domestic product.

He said his party wanted Greece to be strong and secure, displaying social participation, social cohesion and a sense of humanity.

Among specific economic proposals were lower taxes, backing for merchant shipping, and formulation of a national exports policy.

Earlier in the day, Karamanlis told reporters during a visit to a northern tobacco cooperative that ND wanted to see the country adopt an aggressive agricultural policy, and strengthen the regions.

[03] National council on biological, toxic hazards to meet Thursday

A newly created national council on protecting the country from biological and toxic hazards will meet for the first time on Thursday, Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos said.

Speaking in Ioannina on Saturday, the minister told reporters that creation of the group was unconnected to current fears of terrorist attacks involving biological warfare.

"This is just a coincidence that has made it timely," the minister said.

The council to be chaired by Papadoulos was established in March.

[04] Greece to meet pledge on Olympics security (ADDS Paralympics)

Greece will honour the commitment it made to arrange tight security for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Saturday.

"Greece will meet all Olympic commitments it has undertaken. In the pressing and crucial question of security especially, we will take all needed additional measures in a climate of international cooperation," Venizelos told reporters in Thessaloniki.

"We are waiting to see what measures will be taken in 2002 at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, so that we can apply the same technology in Greece," he said.

"On this we are in full agreement with the International Olympics Committee (IOC), which supports our efforts with no reservations whatsoever."

The minister also promised that the country would deliver infrastructure for the Games, saying recent criticism by the IOC on delays in construction were well-intentioned.

"The comments were made in good faith. The IOC does not criticise, it applies a tried and tested method. It is critical and reserved in order to apply pressure so that the work is successful. This method was used in Sidney, Atlanta and Barcelona," Venizelos said.

"We have a fully developed awareness of time, of needs and of our responsibilities," he added.

The minister also said that Greece should be ready to receive around 4,000 athletes who will take part in the Paralympics.

"Needed is an immediate improvement to infrastructure and the creation of an environment that is safe, friendly and accessible to all people, whether visitors or members of the public," he said.

Venizelos was in Thessaloniki to inaugurate new installations of the Archaeological Resources Fund.

He also signed a contract with local authorities for the establishment of a major sports and leisure complex near Thessaloniki that will include a marina, a theatre and a swimming pool meeting Olympics specifications.

The targeted completion date for the project is the end of 2003.

[05] Greece to meet pledge on Olympics security, minister says

Greece will honour the commitment it made to arrange tight security for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Saturday.

"Greece will meet all Olympic commitments it has undertaken. In the pressing and crucial question of security especially, we will take all needed additional measures in a climate of international cooperation," Venizelos told reporters in Thessaloniki.

"We are waiting to see what measures will be taken in 2002 at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, so that we can apply the same technology in Greece," he said.

"On this we are in full agreement with the International Olympics Committee (IOC), which supports our efforts with no reservations whatsoever."

The minister also promised that the country would deliver infrastructure for the Games, saying recent criticism by the IOC on delays in construction were well-intentioned.

"The comments were made in good faith. The IOC does not criticise, it applies a tried and tested method. It is critical and reserved in order to apply pressure so that the work is successful. This method was used in Sidney, Atlanta and Barcelona," Venizelos said.

"We have a fully developed awareness of time, of needs and of our responsibilities," he added.

Venizelos was in Thessaloniki to inaugurate new installations of the Archaeological Resources Fund.

[06] PM launches northern electricity plant, dam

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Saturday inaugurated a 495-megawatt thermo-electric plant in the northeast and a dam in the same area that will supply the power station with water from a newly created reservoir, also irrigating farmland.

"These two projects are a basic part of the country's energy infrastructure, and they are also part of a network of major infrastructure projects carried out in recent years on a national level," Simitis told an opening ceremony.

The natural-gas powered station in Komotini and the nine-billion-drachma Gratini dam were key projects for the north that in turn would create opportunities for fresh investments, the prime minister said.

Along with other northern projects, the power plant proposed by Simitis as industry minister in the mid-1990s will boost employment and bring border areas closer to the frontline of growth.

Simitis also said that permits had been awarded for the construction of private sector electricity output plants in Thrace since deregulation of the market, in another boost to business activity and employment in the region.

Furthermore, the north was playing an increasingly major role in an energy network evolving between the Balkans and western Europe, with electricity, oil and natural gas projects under way from Greece's northeast to northwest, Simitis said.

A feasibility study was nearing completion on construction of an oil pipeline from Bulgaria to northern Greece, and the government was studying the possible creation of a natural gas pipeline and electricity link between Greece and Turkey, he added.

Accompanying the prime minister was Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, who said that the new Komotini plant was a key project that would meet a chunk of the nation's electricity needs.

Also attending were senior officials of the Public Power Corporation, which will operate the new power station.

[07] Italian aid for Greek church destroyed in NY terrorist attack

NEW YORK (ANA/M.Georgiadou) - An Italian municipality is to donate 500,000 US dollars towards reconstruction of the Aghios Nikolaos Greek Orthodox church in New York, which was destroyed when the World Trade Centre collapsed in a terrorist attack on September 11.

Announcing the donation in a statement on Saturday, the Archbishopric of America said that the municipality of Bari in southern Italy held major celebrations on December 6 each year for Saint Nicholas, the city's patron saint.

[08] Weather Forecast: Warm and sunny on Sunday

The weather will be sunny on Sunday with temperatures rising a little. Winds northerly, light to strong, easing off later in the day. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 10C to 28C; on the rest of the mainland and the Ionian from 14C to 31C; and in the Aegean islands from 18C to 27C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 17C and 30C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 14C to 26C.

[09] Coalition of Left slams wanton violence in terrorism and war

The leader of the Coalition of the Left and Progress said on Saturday that it would be wrong to kill innocent citizens in a possible war on Afghanistan, as it was wrong that ordinary people had been killed in terrorism attacks in the US earlier this month.

"The innocent blood shed in New York should not be dealt with by shedding innocent blood in Afghanistan," Nikos Constantopoulos told a nationwide party meeting called to debate political developments.

"The totalitarianism of terrorism should not be dealt with by the totalitarianism of war, or by undermining political rights and freedom," Constantopoulos told the meeting, attended by the party's senior officials and deputies.

[10] Garbage workers suspend planned strike

Athens refuse collectors on Saturday called off a 48-hour strike planned for next week after agreeing to resume talks with the government on a collective labour agreement for 2001.

But the local government workers vowed to move back the strike, originally due to start on Monday, to October 15-16 if the talks break down.

[11] Morgan Stanley launches Greek small stocks index

Morgan Stanley, an international investment house, is launching a new index named the MSCI Greece Small Cap Index.

In order to qualify for entry into the index for smaller shares, a firm needs a capitalisation of 200-1,500 million US dollars.

Greece's weighting in MSCI's global small cap index is 0.7 percent, Morgan Stanley said in a statement on Friday.

Among the 24 Greek firms to enter the index are Titan Cement Co. with a weighting of 18.05 percent; Hellenic Petroleum with a weighting of 10.77 percent; and ETBAbank with a weighting of 5.06 percent, the statement said.

[12] German ornithologist found dead

A German ornithologist reported missing two days ago was found dead on Saturday, the merchant marine ministry said in a statement.

The man was identified as Luettker Wite.

Harbour Corps officials were unable to retrieve the remains from a bay on the islet of Paximadi due to bad weather, the statement said.

[13] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Saturday

The weather will be sunny on Saturday with some scattered cloud in the east. Winds northerly, light to strong, turning very strong in the southeastern Aegean. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 10C to 23C; on the rest of the mainland and the Ionian from 14C to 27C; and in the Aegean islands from 17C to 26C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 17C and 27C. Mostly sunny in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 12C to 23C.

[14] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates until Monday

U.S. dollar 370.179

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 543.443

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.453

Swedish kroner 34.732

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 310.054

Swiss franc 228.998

Norwegian kroner 041.679

Cyprus pound 588.535

Canadian dollar 234.450

Australian dollar 183.504

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