Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-01-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM Kotzias: Withdrawal of Turkish troops with a continuous flow and specific deadline

[02] Greek banks' NPEs ease slightly in Q3 2016

[03] Forty refugees from Moria move into the navy ship sent from Athens

[01] FM Kotzias: Withdrawal of Turkish troops with a continuous flow and specific deadline

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias once again stressed the need for the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops with a continuous flow, a large withdrawal in the first week and a specific deadline. He also said that the Foreign Ministers of the three guarantor powers will meet again on January 23 in Geneva in order to discuss the issues of security and guarantees. This is also expected to be announced by the UN.

"We could agree to set up ... an international group to observe and make reports under the UN Security Council on how the implementation of the decisions goes", Kotzias noted and added that "it is obvious that our side does not want intervention rights, and seeks the withdrawal of the army."

"I think we had a constructive discussion," the Greek Foreign Minister stated pointing out that "for the first time yesterday maps were submitted to the table of the negotiations between the two communities," while in the past "the maps were UN initiatives and Annan proposals."

"As a Greek government", Kotzias underlined "we want to solve problems that were inactive, as inactive problems accumulate more problems, they do not solve issues" because, he said, "both our country and diplomacy should turn to future planning."

[02] Greek banks' NPEs ease slightly in Q3 2016

The central bank, in a report on the Greek Financial System in the third quarter of 2016, said that the value of NPEs totaled 107.6 billion euros, with the rate of non-performing exposure to total exposure at 45.2 pct. At the end of the first half of the year, NPEs amounted at 108.4 billion euros, up 0.4 pct from the end of 2015.

However, the rate of NPEs/total exposure in the first half of 2016 was 45.1 pct, up from 44.2 pct at the end of 2015, reflecting a reduction in performing loans. Bank credit shrank by 1.6 pct in the first half of 2016, while the value of performing loans fell by 3.2 pct compared with the end of 2015. The sectors of restaurant (76.3 pct), agriculture (62.7 pct), telecommunications/IT/media (58.4 pct), manufacturing 53.2 pct) and construction (52.8 pct) recorded the highest percentage rate of NPEs, while energy (3.7 pct), civil administration (7.0 pct), financial enterprises (27 pct) and shipping (30.9 pct) the lowest rates.

The report said that 70 pct of total NPEs have a delay of more than one year (in mortgage loans the rate was 75 pct, corporate loans 68 pct and consumer loans 81 pct).

[03] Forty refugees from Moria move into the navy ship sent from Athens

However some of the refugees said they may return to the camp after it was announced to them that they would have to follow a curfew and sleep in the ship every night, sources from the ministry of migration policy said.

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