From: zarros@turing.scs.carleton.ca (Theodoros Sp. Zarros)
Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Sat, 20 Nov 1993 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa).

   Athens, 20/11/1993 (ANA): The government said yesterday it
considered the affair relating to the arrest of two US.
diplomats in Athens as closed. Government spokesman Evangelos
Venizelos added, however, that the Police would continue to
investigate the matter "until it is completely cleared up".
The arrest took place late Tuesday night, after an anonymous
caller informed police that a Volkswagen van with Greek licence
plates had been parked at the same spot for three consecutive days.
Police arrested two US. diplomats in the van. They were found
in possession of guns, disguise material and transmitters. The
two men were released later that evening. Speaking Wednesday,
after meeting with US. Ambassador Thomas Niles, Foreign Minister
Karolos Papoulias said that the two men were no longer in
Greece, "apparently on the initiative of the US. government".
He said the US. envoy had expressed regret over the incident.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a
statement protesting the Government decision to consider the
arrest of the two US diplomats as "case closed", following
their departure from Greece. "The incident cannot be considered
closed for the Greek people", the statement said. "The government
attitude (concerning the incident) is turning (Greece) back to
times of deeper subservience to the United States", it added. 


     Athens, 20/11/1993 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos
Papoulias leaves for Sarajevo today to meet with Bosnia's Moslem
President Alija Izetbegovic. At a recent tour of Balkan capitals, Mr.
Papoulias unsuccessfully tried to meet Mr. Izetbekovic on two
occasions. On Monday, Mr. Papoulias will fly to Luxembourg to
attend an extraordinary meeting of European Union foreign
ministers which will focus on the problem of former
Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, Mr. Papoulias yesterday briefed President of the
Republic Constantine Karamanlis on the situation in the
Balkans. Asked by reporters if President Karamanlis felt concern for
developments in the Balkans, Mr. Papoulias replied: "the
President, like all of us, believes there will be a peaceful
settlement". 


     Brussels, 20/11/1993 (ANA - G. Daratos): The Greek
government has asked the European Commission for time to examine the
issue of either closing down or privatising Greek shipyards. The
request, made by Industry Minister Kostas Simitis to
Commissioner Karl Van Mird, has been accepted. According to
reports, Mr. Simitis requested a small time limit to allow the
government and the Commission to jointly examine whether or
not it will honour a written commitment made by the previous New
Democracy government that the shipyards would either have to
be privatised or cease operations as of 31.3.93. Commenting on
his talks with Mr. Mird, Mr. Simitis said "we have established
understanding", adding "we will continue our contacts to clarify
all pending issues on the matter". According to reports, the
Commission has already written Athens a letter, requesting an
explanation for the delay in making a decision on the
shipyards' future. Mr. Van Mird told Mr. Simitis that sending the letter
does not necessarily mean the Commission will hasten to take
Greece to the European Court. 


     Brussels, 20/11/1993 (ANA - P. Pantelis): Community
ministers in charge of consumer protection met in Brussels yesterday.
Greece was represented by Industry, Research and Technology
Minister Constantine Simitis. Items on the agenda focused on a
Council directive on protection of time share consumers. The
council of ministers reached political agreement on ultimately
promoting the directive which provides consumers with the
right to time share over a specific period of time every year.
Greece shows great interest in time-share, owing to the large numbers
of tourists visiting it annually. Time share ownership has
been introduced in Greece under law 1682/1986. Consolidation of
this system in the framework of European Union, while offering
greater protection to the consumer creates more favourable
conditions for its expansion in the sector of tourism. 


     Athens, 20/11/1993 (ANA): The 5th conference of Council
of Europe ministers in charge of migration affairs ended in
Athens yesterday. Council of Europe Secretary-General Catherine
Lalumiere and Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou gave a
joint press conference, at which they stressed that the Greek
and Albanian delegations had exchanged views in "a very
positive climate", while views between the Greek and Greek Cypriot
delegations on the one hand, and the Turkish on the other
"diverged". Mr. Papandreou said the Albanian minister had
thanked Greece for the hospitality it extended to immigrants
from his country, as also for Greek investments in Albania and
help in introducing democratic institutions. "The problem of
the Greek ethnic minority in Albania, is a matter of respect of
human rights", Mr. Papandreou stressed. He added results of
the conference were positive, not only because they had led to a
global approach to the problems of migration and racism, but
also because it showed those problems were connected, and
called for a solution from countries that received as well as others
that sent migrants. Ms. Lalumiere stressed the Council of
Europe was not only a West-European body, it also stood for the whole
of the European continent, she said. "Its efforts focus on
promoting solutions to common problems through mutual
co-operation, by avoiding creation of another wall between
western Europe and the rest of the continent", Ms. Lalumiere
added. "This calls for powerful political volition, because
nationalism and racism are practically everywhere", she
cautioned. 


     Athens, 20/11/1993 (ANA): The Greek government yesterday
accused Turkey of being responsible for the deadlock in the
UN-sponsored Cyprus peace talks and reiterated that any
"change by force" of the status quo in Cyprus constitutes for Greece a
casus belli. "What Turkish officials stated on the so-communal
talks from decisions recently made by the Greek and Cypriot
governments reveals hypocrisy. The talks on the Cyprus issue
are once again deadlocked but with the Turkish side being
responsible, as both the UN Secretary General and the Security
Council have said", a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in
response to statements by Turkish officials Thursday
commenting on the results of two-day Greek-Cypriot summit talks which
opened in Athens Wednesday. Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet
Cetin said Thursday the joint decision (taken by Prime
Minister Andreas Papandreou and Cyprus President Glafkos Clerides) to
include Cyprus in Greece's defence planning would have a
"negative effect" on talks for a peaceful solution to the
Cyprus problem. "On the question of considering any change by force
to the present status quo in Cyprus as a casus belli, it is
reiterated this constitutes a firm position of Greek
governments and, of course, it in no way implies recognition of the
present unacceptable situation. It merely warns of consequences any
attempt to create new fait accomplis would have", the spokesman added. 


     Athens, 20/11/1993 (ANA): The government announced
yesterday Bank of Greece Governor Efthymios Christodoulou would be
replaced early next week. Speaking to reporters after a one-hour
meeting between Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Mr.
Christodoulou, Under-secretary to the Prime Minister's Office
Telemachos Hytiris said the government felt "particularly high
regard" for Mr. Christodoulou's services. He added it was
quite reasonable for any government to assign top posts to persons
that stood very close to its own views and proposals on economic
policy. Mr. Papandreou thanked Mr. Christodoulou for what he
described as his 'very important contribution in a particularly
crucial period for the Greek economy'. Mr. Christodoulou said
it was the government's prerogative to entrust the post of
governor of the central bank to someone who stood very close to its own
political options. Replying to the press, Mr. Christodoulou
said that there had been no disagreement on any point. 


     Athens, 20/11/1993 (ANA): The Bank of Greece yesterday
signed two bond loans on public subscription in the Japanese capital
market, on behalf of the Greek state. The first is for 40
billion Yen, a four-year period, has a Yen Liber interest rate
of +0.55 per cent, and a 100 per cent issue price. The second
is for 60 billion Yen, a duration of 12 years, has an interest
rate of 5.1 per cent and a 100 per cent issue price. The Nomura
Securities Co. Ltd investment bank has undertaken to process
the loans. The loans are covered by a group of investment banks
headed by Nomura Securities Co Ltd, Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd,
Nikko Securities Co. Ltd, Yamaichi Securities Co. Ltd and
Kokusai securities Co. Ltd. It is the first time a 12-year
duration is secured in the Japanese capital market, and it
will contribute in extending foreign debt time structure.