From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Tue, 28 Jun 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, President, Evert meet on national issues --------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): President Constantine Karamanlis and main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday discussed national issues, the state of the economy and results of the recent European Union summit in Corfu. In a brief chat with reporters, Mr. Evert expressed concern over the state of the country while President Karamanlis said all felt concern, adding there should be general agreement on the causes of problems and, subsequently, on ways of tackling them. Earlier, Mr. Evert chaired a party meeting on party's tactics in the forthcoming local elections. He said 11-member committees would be created in each prefecture to draw up a list of candidates to facilitate final selection. Evert confers with former PM ---------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert and former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis met yesterday, on planning the party campaign in the autumn municipal elections. Mr Mitsotakis stated afterwards there had been convergence of views and agreement the pace of preparations should be speeded up. Commenting on the parliamentary preliminary investigating committee's decision to request assistance from Swiss judicial authorities to establish whether or not he or members of his family kept bank accounts there, the former PM accused PM Andreas Papandreou of being behind a pointless campaign of mud-slinging against him. Evert to get defence briefing ----------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis is to brief main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert on defence matters, reports said yesterday. EU agenda problem to FYROM-Greece talks date -------------------------------------------- United Nations, 28/6/1994 (ANA/M.Georgiadou): The problem of setting a date for resuming UN mediator-sponsored talks between Athens and Skopje is the European Union agenda, UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's spokesman said yesterday. Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias will be taking part in EU meetings and thus be unable to attend FYROM-Greece talks. UN mediator Cyrus Vance is in constant touch with both sides to arrange separate meetings with each in July. Armenian armament reduction inspectors due today ------------------------------------------------ Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): A group of Armenian inspectors will arrive in Athens today to inspect Army and Air Force units as part of the conventional armaments reduction in Europe agreement. Navy takes consignment of Dutch-built frigate --------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): A Dutch-built frigate Greek Navy frigate, "Adrias", will sail to Salamis naval base today. The ship was consigned at a formal ceremony in the Netherlands on March 30. "Adrias" is the second of three standard-type frigates the Navy is receiving from the Netherlands. PM to announce Gov't composition early next month ------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): Premier Andreas Papandreou will announce the new composition of the government early next month, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos announced yesterday. "Nobody else besides the Prime Minister takes part in the procedure for the composition of the new cabinet," Mr. Venizelos said. The spokesman did not rule out the possibility of abolishing ministries, and redistributing competencies among other ministries. Sources said the Ministry of Public Works, Environment and Town Planning would be replaced by two separate ministries. Ruling party may co-operate with SYN, KKE at local elections ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): The ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) may call for co-operation at local level with the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in the upcoming municipal and prefectural elections. Speaking to the press in his capacity as PASOK official, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos, said the party's firm position was co-operation among all leftist parties. "This is a common phenomenon," Mr. Venizelos said commenting on the possibility of co-operation, clarifying it only involved agreement between municipalities and prefectures. Asked whether or not such co-operation involved agreement with the Political Spring party, Mr. Venizelos said that he could not "rule out any possibility." EU, Gov't attend Orthodox Academy Crete meeting ----------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): Greek government and European Commission officials are attending a European Education Commission conference at the Orthodox Academy of Crete, in Kolympari, Chania, which opened yesterday. The opening session was devoted to reviewing work of the Greek presidency in the education sector and a discussion on progress regarding the "Erasmus" programme. The main item on the agenda is approval of the "Socrates" programme, submitted during the Greek presidency and budgeted at 760 million ECU. It concerns secondary and higher education student exchanges between countries of the European Union, to begin next year. Public Order Minister in Sofia ------------------------------ Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): Public Order Minister Stelios Papathemelis left yesterday on a two-day visit to Sofia for talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Victor Michailov. Mr. Papathemelis is visiting the Bulgarian capital in his capacity as President of the European Union Council of Public Order Ministers. The two ministers will discuss issues related to drug trafficking, organised crime and illegal migration. Mr. Papathemelis is also scheduled to meet with President Zheliu Zhelev and Prime Minister Liuben Berov. Interior Under-secretary to participate in Morocco symposium ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): Under-secretary of the Interior George Daskalakis left yesterday for Morocco, on an invitation from Moroccan State Minister for Interior and Information Driss Basri, a Moroccan Embassy press release said yesterday. Mr. Daskalakis will participate in the Sixth National Colloquy on Local Communities, which starts today and ends Thursday. Also participating in the symposium are representatives of other countries, international and regional organisations, trade unions, political organisations and academic circles. Parliament probe C'ttee seeks Swiss aid into AGET case ------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): Parliament's special investigating committee into allegations of corruption against former Prime Minister Constantinos Mitsotakis, arising from the sale of the state-owned AGET Iraklis cement company to the Italian Calcestruzzi conglomerate, yesterday decided to seek the assistance of Swiss authorities in order to ascertain the existence of bank accounts belonging to the former PM, members of his family, and former AGET Vice-President Nikos Georgiadis. The move came after PASOK deputy Giorgos Anomeritis submitted numbers of bank accounts, asking for an investigation. New Democracy members of the Committee walked out of the session in protest, accusing chairman Demosthenes Demosthenopoulos of cultivating a policy of mud-slinging. Mr Mitsotakis yesterday also accused PM Andreas Papandreou of orchestrating a pointless campaign of mud-slinging. Parliament voted to set up the Committee last month, after the tabling of a motion by PASOK deputies, accusing Mr Mitsotakis of accepting bribes, receiving the proceeds of crime, breach of faith, dereliction of duty and violation of the law on the accountability of ministers. Triarides draws favourable comment in Australia ----------------------------------------------- Melbourne, 28/6/1994 (ANA/S.Hatzimanolis): Macedonia-Thrace Minister Costas Triarides' comments on the need for Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to settle differences has drawn favourable comment in the Australian press. "The Age" carried a comment under the title "An olive branch on the Macedonian difference", while "The Australian" highlighted Mr Triarides' statement "Let Greeks and Skopjans live together in peace". Mr Triarides is here to attend the 8th conference of the Pan-Macedonian Union of Australia. Yesterday he was hosted to dinner by the Prime Minister of the State of Victoria Mr Jeff Kennet, who reiterated full support for Greek positions and his intention to mediate between Greece and FYROM in quest of a solution. Talks led to the following decisions: - The participation of the State of Victoria at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair in 1995. - Founding a museum of ancient Greek art in the University of Melbourne. - Setting up joint ventures based in Thessaloniki with the prospect of expansion in the Balkans. - Exchange of students between Victoria and Macedonia. Mr Triarides stated that "Greece is ready, even tomorrow, to lift the embargo against Skopje, if Kiro Gligorov's government stops displaying intransigence and accepts the terms set by the Greek side". In another instance he said that a group of experts was looking into the question of setting up a parliament of expatriate Greeks. The Pan-Macedonian conference passed a resolution calling on the Greek government to continue efforts on all fronts and reject outright any terms affecting adversely the Greek character of Macedonia. Moraitis signs farmers' early retirement draft bill --------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): Agriculture Minister George Moraitis yesterday signed a draft bill on early retirement for farmers to be tabled in parliament soon. Mr. Moraitis told reporters a European Union commission last week ratified an early retirement programme submitted by Greece. Mr. Moraitis said the programme calls for retirement of 50,000 farmers aged between 55-65. The duration of early retirement can reach 15 years and amount to 60-75,000 dr. monthly. The EU will cover 75 per cent of expenditure and the state budget the remaining 25 per cent. DEP to start Nestos oil search August ------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): The Public Petroleum Corporation (DEP) has announced it is giving priority to begin August Oil drilling search operations in the Nestos River Delta on behalf of the Public Natural Gas Corporation (DEFA). Operations are expected to end in October. It was also announced that 70% of the main pipeline of the Russian natural gas project has been completed. Papantoniou chairs meeting, rates to further decrease ----------------------------------------------------- Athens, 28/6/1994 (ANA): National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou yesterday chaired a meeting attended by Governor of the Bank of Greece Ioannis Boutos and National Economy Under-secretaries D. Georgakopoulos and Ch. Kyriazidis. According to reports the meeting focused on interest rates for the next series of Treasury bills. Terming the talks a "routine meeting", Mr. Boutos said the economy is a "living thing" and, consequently, it should be watched closely. Mr. Georgakopoulos said after the meeting interest rates will further decrease.