Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-12-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with BoG governor

[02] Crvenkovski laments ICJ option

[03] Athens Stock Exchange : Decline

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with BoG governor

Before the meeting, speaking in front of television cameras, Provopoulos told Karamanlis that "we are in the middle of the storm and hope that things will return to normal" adding that the main problem faced had been the lack of liquidity.

As for the Greek plan, "I believe that things will progress normally".

Karamanlis noted that that was the aim of the government's plan for boosting liquidity in Greek banks, and called on the central bank governor to supervise the plan's implementation.

No statements were made after the meeting.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Crvenkovski laments ICJ option

Speaking to a private Skopje-based TV channel, Crvenkovski reiterated his view that completion of such an international judicial process could last for several years, whereas the international court lacks the mechanism to implement its rulings, even in the case the court hands down a favourable ruling for the landlocked former Yugoslav republic.

He also drew attention to a joint and unanimous NATO communique at the end of the Alliance's April 2008 summit in Bucharest, which did not extend an invitation to fYRoM, saying the NATO decision was the product of negotiations between all NATO member-states and with absolutely no reference to Greece.

Crvenkovski further assessed that fYRoM's accession to NATO and the European Union cannot be achieved with court rulings or a UN resolution, "such a thing will take place with a unanimous decision by all the members of these two organisations, including the positive stance of the Greek side."

The Gruevski government in Skopje appealed to International Court on Nov. 17, accusing EU and NATO member-state Greece of violating the Interim Agreement.

Greece's objections over a possible fYRoM accession without a prior mutually acceptable solution to the thorny "name issue" were judged as an obstacle to membership.

Caption: ANA-MPA/EPA FILE PHOTO of Branko Crvenkovski, President of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. EPA/ERIC LALMAND BELGIUM OUT

[03] Athens Stock Exchange : Decline

Individual sector indices were moving downward across the board, with the heaviest losses in Chemicals, down 2.90 percent; Travel and Recreation, down 2.29 percent;and Health, down 2.25 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.48 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 1.96 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 1.61 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 20 were up, 115 were down, and 24 were unchanged.

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Revealing testimonies before parliament's fact finding commisssion on the Vatopedi monastery scandal, and the climate in ruling party New Democracy dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Hospital doctors' new collective labour agreement in line with EU working hours per week".

APOGEVMATINI: "Main opposition PASOK is mainly responsible for the Vatopedi scandal - Testimony before the fact finding commission states that Costas Simitis (PM in former PASOK government) knew everything about Vatopedi since September 2003".

AVGHI: "Government issues construction licences - The 'hinterland' around Athens and Thessaloniki will turn into concrete".

AVRIANI: "PASOK handed over Vistonida Lake to Vatopedi monastery in 1985: The newspaper reveals a document sent by former deputy FM Yannis Kapsis to former Agriculture Minister Yannis Pottakis".

CHORA: "ND on fire - Contradictory statements bring confusion and heavy atmosphere".

ELEFTHEROS: "Turmoil in ND over Karamanlis' succession".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Working hours to exceed 70 hours per week - The proposal that will overturn the labour relations will be tabled in Europarliament on 17 December".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Record 53 billion euros loan will put the country in a vise"

ESTIA: "Danger of non-governance - What the electoral law foresees".

ΕΤΗΝΟS: "Shocking testimony on Vatopedi case - Abbot Ephraim and Papistas Group partnership".

KATHIMERINI: "The international financial crisis an opportunity for 'green' development".

LOGOS: "Revealing testimonies......at the fact finding commission".

NIKI: "Nervous breakdown in ND - Scandals and economy toppling the government".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Uniform Health System under a central plan, exclusively public, and for free".

TA NEA: "Shocking testimonies at fact finding commission: We took orders from (ND former ministers) Evangelos Bassiakos and Petros Doukas".

TO VIMA: "European Socialists draft pre-electoral manifesto in Madrid for 2009 Europarliament elections".

VRADYNI: "Seven relief measures for farmers - Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis visited on Monday the Agriculture Ministry".

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