The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-11-23

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

23/11/2000 10:52:34 рм

[01] Rogues meets Simitis today

A delegation of the International Olympic Committee had contacts yesterday with the leadership of the Organizing Committee "Athens 2004" in a climate of optimism, as everything shows that the projects for the Olympics will be ready prior to the initial time schedule.

[02] There is concern about the mad cow disease

In Greece, agriculture minister George Anomeritis urged consumers to be careful with meat and dairy products, stressing, however, that the problem is not apparent in the Greek meat market.

In addition, the government decided to ban the import of various products from France, such as entrails or beef with bones till December 4th, when the EU Agriculture Ministers Council will meet again.

Butchers threaten with industrial action in Christmas holidays for protesting against the lack of information.

[03] The draft bill on labour relations will be forwarded

Meanwhile, today's session of the ruling PASOK party parliamentary inspection sector on labour is expected with special interest, as some deputies have expressed their disagreement about certain provisions.

Meanwhile, the Civil Servants Union will stage a 24-hour strike protesting against the social insurance. Papantoniou described the state budget as developmental.

Addressing the competent parliamentary committee yesterday, national economy minister Yannos Papantoniou said the government's policy created a strong economy which would not be affected by the soaring oil prices.

Mr Papantoniou described the state budget as particularly developmental and social, noting that it is an example for the next budgets as it is laying the foundations for surplus budgets.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties described the budget as fictitious and claimed that social inequality will become even larger. Both the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are particularly optimistic over the course of the Greek economy.

In their reports, the two international organizations agree that Greece will have the higher growth rates in the European Union.

[04] Simitis rejected Karamanlis' request to discuss the Cyprus dispute in Parliament

In his written reply to the letter Mr Karamanlis sent him, the Greek prime minister stressed that the Cyprus issue should be debated in Parliament, a picture of division would be created and this would not be to the profit of the case, since negotiations in the UN will continue in January as well.

Prime minister Simitis said however that the foreign minister is at the disposal of the New Democracy party for any explanations it may require on the matter, adding that he is also at the disposal of Mr Karamanlis to meet and discuss the relative issues in a responsible and constructive manner.

[05] George Papandreou met Alexander Dimitrov

Meanwhile, Mr Papandreou met -accompanied by the new foreign undersecretary Grigoris Niotis- met with the prime minister Costas Simitis in view of the conference in Zagreb and the EU summit in Nice, France.

[06] The Armenian president met the Greek prime minister

Later, the Armenian president was presented with the golden medal of Athens by mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos. The last stop of Mr Kousarian's two-day visit to Greece will be Thessaloniki today.

The Greek prime minister said the very good Greek-Armenian cooperation was due to the common traditions and to the fact that the two countries are trying -through the new situation that is formed in the Caucasus, the Black Sea and the Middle East- to play a common role.

The Armenian president stressed the need of strengthening the two countries relations and pointed out he was interested in the particularly important participation of Greek investments in the economic development of Armenia.

[07] Tsohatzopoulos is currently in Hungary

[08] Fuel prices are increasing

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