Subject: Athens News Agency Bulletin, February 2, 1995
Topic: ana
---------------------------------------------
(Apo to Ellnviko Grafeio Tupou kai Plnroforiwv, Ottaba, Kavadas 
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca) 

* Greek archaeologist convinced Siwa excavation the burial site of
  Alexander the Great
* Response in Greece
* President suggests speeding up moves to elect successor
* European Court begins hearing on Greek sanctions on FYROM
* US official in Skopje on trade sanctions
* Three airmen missing as two aircraft disappear over Aegean
* State Dep't human rights report says serious 'inadequacies' in
  trial of ethnic Greek five in Albania
* Papoulias meets with German envoy
* EU Commission to propose Cyprus-EU talks
* Gov't to go ahead with Skaramangas shipyards, to discus workers
  participation in share capital
* Inflation remains stable for first month '95
* Commission ratifies state support for Elefsis Shipyards

Greek archaeologist convinced Siwa excavation the burial site of
Alexander the Great
----------------------------------------------------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	The head of the all-Greek team of archaeologists working in
Egypt's western desert said yesterday she was certain that they
had found the grave of the Macedonian king, Alexander the Great.

	"Alexander's tomb is here in the remote oasis of Siwa in
accordance with his wish, which we know from ancient texts, to
be buried within view of the temple of Ammon," archaeologist
Liana Souvlatzi told the ANA in an exclusive interview.

	"His tomb is large, the biggest Macedonian royal tomb to have
been found, with exquisitely beautiful architectural decorative
features and marvellous triglyphs. It was extremely moving, each
moment since 1989 when we began the excavations, to retrieve
from the sacred ground of Ammon amazing finds which illustrated
the immortal Greek spirit," Ms Souvlatzi said.

	"We also had the good fortune to discover on the holy mountain
of Ammon the name of the architect responsible for this superb
edifice... 'Paideas Tekton'," Ms Souvlatzi told the ANA.

	"This year," Ms Souvlatzi said, "we found that which our
detractors had used against us: 'You have indications, you have
no evidence'". "We were fortunate to find (stone tablets
bearing) Greek inscriptions revealing the truth and providing
hitherto unknown historical data. The first (tablet) was found
on January 10. I remember it was still morning and as soon as we
realised that (it bore) chiselled Greek letters, we were
speechless with emotion," Ms Souvlatzi said.

	Ms Souvlatzi, 47, who studied archaeology at Athens University,
heads a team which includes her husband Manos, an epigraphist
who interprets the ancient inscriptions on the tablets. She said
she had been working independently on the excavations with the
backing of the Greek Institute for Hellenic Studies and
financial help from her husband. She first travelled to Siwa in
1985 and has lived there since 1989 in a small house without a
telephone and only a few hours of electricity a day.

	The Greek archaeologist described the difficulties the team
faced in retrieving the tablet from rubble 2.5 metres below the
ground and the danger of making a wrong move which could have
destroyed it forever.

	"This first tablet tells us for certain that Ptolemy I
(Alexander's deputy in Egypt) brought the corpse not to
Alexandria, not to Memphis, but directly here to the land of
Ammon, as requested by Alexander," Ms Souvlatzi said.

	Alexander had visited the temple of Ammon in Siwa in 332 BC,
nine years before his death, seeking confirmation from the
oracle of his belief that he was the divine son of the god
Ammon. The oracle confirmed his belief and Alexander went on to
wage war against the Persian king Darius.

	"The inscription says that his body was as light as a small
shield, from which we concluded that it had been embalmed, that
is, mummified... Until now, there had been many theories
originating from ancient writers. Some said the body had been
embalmed, others that it had been burned in accordance with
Macedonian custom, others that it had not been touched, out of
fear... Now we know that it was mummified and is here in Siwa,
at al-Maraqi," Ms Souvlatzi said.

	The second inscription, she said, can be dated to around AD
108-115, as it "refers to persons that we know were in Egypt at
the time". It mentions the visit of Roman emperors Trajan, and
Nerva (his stepfather) and Octavius before him, to the site.

	"We know that Octavius, having conquered Egypt, and after the
death of Cleopatra, visited, according to the historical
sources, Alexander's tomb. But it was never mentioned where, and
the impression prevailed that Caesar visited Alexander's tomb in
Alexandria... But it was here," she explained.

	"The inscription says that 'Nerva and Trajan built a shrine in
honour of Zeus (Jupiter), and of eternal Zeus (Alexander),
after, of course, offering the necessary sacrifices," she
continued. Ms Souvlatzi added that the inscription contains a
reference to poisoning as the specific cause of Alexander's
death.


Response in Greece
------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	The Central Archaeological Council yesterday decided to
dispatch a team of archaeologists to Egypt on February 13,
headed by expert on ancient Macedonia Yiannis Touratsoglou, to
visit the excavation at Siwa.

	Meanwhile, Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos has written to
his Egyptian counterpart Farouk Hosni, asking for the granting
of assistance to a delegation of top-ranking ministry officials
and experts who are leaving for Siwa today.


President suggests speeding up moves to elect successor
-------------------------------------------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis intimated
yesterday that he would have no objections to stepping up the
process of electing a new president and to contributing himself
in that direction.

	Speaking to reporters before a meeting with Athens Mayor
Dimitris Avramopoulos, Mr. Karamanlis replied to an observation
by a newsman that all of Greece was taken up with
"presidency-mongering" saying: "It would be good to speed up
(the process of electing a new president)".

	He called on politicians and press to put an end to speculation
about a new candidate for the Presidency of the Republic "as
quickly as possible", adding "I am prepared to facilitate in
this myself".

	Political analysts interpreted the president's statement as
meaning that Mr. Karamanlis would have no objection to early
commencement of the process of electing a new president and of
turning the post over to the new president before May 5, when
Mr. Karamanlis' current second five-year term in office
officially expires.

	The President of the Republic is elected by Parliament. If no
candidate for the post secures 180 votes in the 300-seat House,
then Parliament is dissolved and national elections must be held
under Article 110 of the Constitution. The new parliament
emerging after the elections is able to elect a president with
an absolute majority of 151 votes.

	An announcement later by the presidential office said that Mr.
Karamanlis' statement on the speeding up of procedures for the
election of a new president was "of an advisory nature".
Explaining the reason for the clarification, the announcement
said that "arbitrary interpretations are again being given to
the president's statement".

	In a related development, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou
said his views on the election of the president were "identical"
with those of Mr. Karamanlis. Replying to press questions at the
end of a ministerial committee meeting, Mr. Papandreou said: "I
never comment on statements by the president of the republic,
but my position is identical".

	On the possibility of the electoral procedure being speeded up,
Mr. Papandreou said that "whatever is permitted by the
Constitution will take place". "Our position on the matter is
the respect of the Constitution."

	Commenting on the issue, government spokesman Evangelos
Venizelos said that the premier's statements on the speeding up
of procedures for the election of president were "crystal
clear... since the initiative will be undertaken by the majority
party with in the framework of the procedures laid down in the
Constitution...".

	The Greek Constitution sets only the latest date for the
commencement of procedures for the election of the president of
the republic, which in the present case is April 5, a month
before Mr. Karamanlis' term of office expires.

	Asked by the press to comment on Mr. Karamanlis' statement,
main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said
the party "never comments on the statements of the President of
the Republic." Mr. Evert said however that speculation about a
candidate were untimely and to be avoided.

	Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras expressed
satisfaction at Mr. Karamanlis' statement saying he was pleased
the President of the Republic found useful a procedure which had
been long suggested by Political Spring. "We await the following
steps," Mr. Samaras said.

	In an announcement later the Coalition of the Left and
Progress, which is not represented in parliament, called on the
parties to clarify their positions directly and publicly as well
as their proposals concerning the election of a new President of
the Republic. It said speculation caused confusion and stalled
the handling of Greece's pending issues.


European Court begins hearing on Greek sanctions on FYROM
---------------------------------------------------------
Luxembourg, 02/02/1995 (ANA - G. Daratos):

	The European Commission's recourse against Greece calling for
the lifting of an economic and trade embargo against the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was heard in camera at
the European Court yesterday. Greek positions were defended at
the hearing by jurists Krateros Ioannou, Vassilis Skouris and
Stelios Perrakis.

	The hearing lasted for about three hours. The Commission
initially set out its positions, reiterating parts of its
initial recourse and putting forward a few new arguments. The
Greek side made an extensive presentation of its own arguments
afterwards. The court had no questions to make and the floor was
given again to the European Commission, which replied to Greek
positions, and then the Greek side.

	Special prosecutor Mr. Jacobs is expected to set out and
present his thoughts and views on the essence of the issue to
the court in four to six weeks. Consequently, with the present
state of affairs, the European Court is expected to issue its
verdict in June at the latest.

	Mr. Perrakis referred to the international nature of the issue,
terming the imposition by Greece of limited economic and trade
retortion measures against FYROM a "purely political case." He
said that with the measures, whose implementation was recognised
by article 224 of the Treaty, Greece exercised a legal right
while the European Commission's recourse against Greece, based
on article 225, paragraph 3, was made in great haste.

	Referring to specific examples, Mr. Perrakis said Greek
retortion measures were based on article 224 of the Treaty and
international law and argued that the international climate over
the case had been reversed in Greece's favour and that FYROM's
intransigence had become noticeable and understandable both
inside and outside the EU.

	Mr. Ioannou set out the conditions calling for implementation
of article 224 by which an EU member-state could deviate from EU
law under certain circumstances provided it ascertained a threat
of war and, acting precisely on this ascertainment, Athens to OK
the measures against FYROM.

	Replying to the Commission's view that there was no threat of
war for Greece (By whom was Greece threatened? Weak FYROM was
never in a position to threaten Greece, etc. Consequently, the
Commission maintained, Greece abused article 224), Mr. Ioannou
explained that "it is up to the discretion of a member-state to
asses the magnitude of an external threat."

	More specifically, on the question of the threat of war
constituted by FYROM's attitude, it should be interpreted in
accordance with the other phrase used by the UN Security Council
profusely, namely the "threat against peace."

	According to Mr. Ioannou, the phrase "threat of war" contained
in article 224 should be dissociated from the concept of a
specific threat against a specific state and be examined in the
light of the overall explosive situation prevailing in the
Balkans which was creating a climate of war. If, on the basis of
this interpretation, a member-state was threatened, and not
only, it could assess this itself and not the European
Commission from Brussels.

	Mr. Skouris focused on the interpretation of the second
paragraph in article 225, on which the Commission based its
recourse against Greece at the European Court for the first time
in EU history, claiming that it abused powers stemming from
article 224. According to Mr. Skouris, powers emanating from
article 224 had never been ceded to the EU but remained with
member-states.


US official in Skopje on trade sanctions
----------------------------------------
Skopje, (ANA - M. Vichou):

	Head of the US Liaison Office in Skopje Victor Comrass
yesterday told Skopje state television that Greek trade
sanctions against its neighbour were an "obstacle to the
settlement of differences between Greece and 'Macedonia'."

	Mr. Comrass said the US desired the lifting of sanctions, which
Greece imposed against Skopje as retortion measures to fight its
neighbour's intransigence. "The United States do not consider
the embargo to be the right answer by Greece to the solution of
problems between the two countries," Mr. Comrass said.

	Concerning the establishment of full diplomatic relations
between the US and Skopje, the US diplomat said that prior to
taking such a step the US government "wishes to be certain that
it would not pose an obstacle to relations between your country
and any of its neighbouring countries."


Three airmen missing as two aircraft disappear over Aegean
----------------------------------------------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	Two Greek fighter aircraft on a training flight went missing
over the northern Aegean yesterday. The two F-5s, with a crew of
three, were on a reconnaissance flight between the islands of
Lemnos and Ayios Efstratios, when communication with the control
tower was lost. No trace of the aircraft or the crew had been
found late last night. Authorities had not ruled out a mid-air
collision between the two planes.


State Dep't human rights report says serious 'inadequacies' in
trial of ethnic Greek five in Albania
--------------------------------------------------------------
Washington, 02/02/1995 (ANA - D. Dimas):

	The State Department report on the state of human rights
world-wide in 1994, includes references to "serious violations
of human rights in Albania", and makes extensive mention of the
conditions of arrest, imprisonment, trial, and sentencing of the
five members of the ethnic Greek minority party Omonia on
charges of espionage and firearms possession last summer.

	The report refers specifically to "substantial procedural
inadequacies adversely affecting their arrest, search of homes
and offices, detention and trial", adding, elsewhere, that the
Greek minority continued, in 1994, to have "complaints about
unfavourable discrimination, especially in educational and
religious matters".

	The report said human rights were respected in Greece. "...With
a few exceptions in the cases of Turks and people calling
themselves 'Macedonians', the (Greek) authorities generally
respect fundamental human rights," the report said in its
chapter on Greece.

	"Reliable reports on abuse of Albanian illegal immigrants by
the security forces continued and the Albanian authorities have
officially protested the arrests and deportations, of the period
between August-November, of 115,000 illegal Albanians, which it
claimed resulted in the deaths of 6-8 people," the report said.

	Regarding Slavophone Greeks, the report said "there is an
undefined number (estimates vary between 10,000 to 50,000 or
more) of Greek citizens descending from Slavs or Slavophones."
There is also mention of the 1994 report of the Helsinki Watch
international human rights organisation alleging the existence
of an ethnic "Macedonian minority" in northern Greece.

	Greece's position that it recognises the rights of citizens to
relate to ethnic minorities, but that "there is no need of
government recognition of such a minority or the granting of
privileges to its members...," is also included in the report.

	In the chapter on Turkey, the report referred to previous
conclusions that the "activities of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
of Constantinople is directly affected by the political
relations between Turkey and Greece", and noted the recent spate
of bomb threats against the Patriarchate's buildings. It noted
the Patriarchate's request the Halki Academy of Theology,
summarily shut down by Turkish authorities in 1971, be re-opened
had not been satisfied.


Papoulias meets with German envoy
---------------------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias had talks yesterday with
German Ambassador to Athens Leopold Bill von Bredow on bilateral
relations which the Germany envoy said were "at a very good
level".

	Mr. von Bredow declined to make any other comment to reporters
after the 45-minute meeting but according to informed sources,
Mr. Papoulias expressed displeasure over the five-party meeting
in London today on the issue of Turkey's association with the
European Union.

	Taking part in the meeting will be France, Britain, German,
Italy and Turkey. Greece is opposed to the formation of "groups"
of member states within the EU, which it considers to be counter
to the concept of a common foreign policy.

	The customs union between Turkey and the EU was put on hold
late last year when Greece vetoed the agreement, arguing that it
could not go ahead without a simultaneous setting of a date for
talks on Cyprus' entry to the 15-member bloc and Turkey's
improvement of its poor human rights record. Talks early in the
year under the aegis of the French presidency agreed on a
formula which links a date for Cyprus entry talks with the
customs union.


EU Commission to propose Cyprus-EU talks
----------------------------------------
Brussels, 02/02/1995 (ANA/CNA):

	The European Union Commission intends to propose to the EU
Council of Ministers that accession talks between the EU and
Cyprus should start within six months of the completion of the
1996 intergovernmental conference.

	The Commission will also suggest that the Cyprus government
participate in certain EU meetings of foreign ministers and that
between now and the start of negotiations steps should be taken
to prepare the republic's accession.

	The decision to put forward these proposals was taken at an EU
Commission meeting here yesterday. They will be presented to EU
foreign ministers by EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek.
Political observers consider the outcome of the discussions as
particularly positive for Cyprus.

	Replying to questions, Mr. van den Broek said that he would
argue for EU-Cyprus accession talks right after the
intergovernmental conference and not after the ratification of
the conference decisions by the 15 member-states.

	The commissioner said the EU Commission did not share the view
held by certain countries that the start of accession talks
should be linked with a prior solution of the Cyprus problem. He
also said the Commission would only conduct talks with the
Cyprus government in accordance with its strategic plan for
preparing the republic's membership. Any other action relating
to the northern Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus will be
controlled by the Cyprus government, he added.

	Referring to Turkey's relations with the EU, Mr. van den Broek
said that he would argue at Monday's ministerial meeting that an
EU-Turkish customs union should come into effect on 1 January
1996 provided Turkey commits itself to make significant strides
in protecting human rights.

	In his remarks, the Dutch commissioner linked directly the
customs union agreement with the fixing of a date for accession
negotiations with Cyprus.

	Meanwhile, Cyprus Foreign Minster Alecos Michaelides will fly
to Brussels today from Strasbourg to meet Mr. van den Broek. Mr.
Michaelides is in Strasbourg for the winter session of the
parliamentary assembly of the Committee of Ministers.


Gov't to go ahead with Skaramangas shipyards, to discus workers
participation in share capital
---------------------------------------------------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	The government yesterday confirmed its decision to proceed with
the sale of up to 100 per cent of the shares of "Hellenic
Shipyards-Skaramangas" but said a new invitation to tender for
the Parnitha Casino would be announced.

	The two sales were among issues discussed at a ministerial
meeting yesterday chaired by Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou.
Also taking part in the meeting were National Economy Minister
Yiannos Papantoniou, National Defence Minister Gerasimos
Arsenis, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Ioannis
Pottakis, Industry Minister Costas Simitis, Environment Minister
Costas Laliotis, Labour Minister Ioannis Skoularikis, Transport
Minister Thanassis Tsouras, Alternate Foreign Minister George
Mangakis, Alternate Industry Minister Christos Rokofyllos and
Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Antonis Livanis.

	Other issues discussed at the meeting were yesterday's European
Court hearing on the legality of Greece's trade sanctions
against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and
the issue of tax relief for justice officials.

	Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said after the meeting
that the decision to sell the Hellenic Shipyards to private
investors was confirmed, but that worker participation in the
company's share capital was being discussed.

	Mr. Venizelos stressed the importance attached by the
government to "the social guarantees for the safeguarding of
jobs, the protection of the environment and the exploitation of
the extensive resources of the shipyard".

	It had been decided, the spokesman continued, to set up a
working group made up of the ministers of national defence,
industry, labour, environment and the prime minister's office.
Its task will be to formulate, within 20 days at the latest
specific measures, "of social support" and organise a dialogue
with local government and the workers with the aim of working
out "a balanced package of measures".

	Mr. Venizelos said these measures would be included in the
draft bill being prepared for the privatisation of the shipyard
and incorporated in the terms of the contract which prospective
buyers would have to accept. The spokesman clarified that the
setting up of the working group would in no way interfere with
the existing timetable for the privatisation of the shipyard.

	On the sale of the Parnitha Casino, Mr. Venizelos said the
government had decided to adopt the recommendation of the
Economic Committee and declare the tender void. A new invitation
for tenders would be announced, he added, since the only offer
received was one of 11 billion drachmas from the US hotel chain
Hyatt, which was considered too low.


Inflation remains stable for first month '95
--------------------------------------------
Athens, 02/02/1995 (ANA):

	Inflation remained at 10.8 per cent in January this year, the
same level as December 1994, National Economy Minister Yiannos
Papantoniou said yesterday.

	Mr. Papantoniou added that the January Consumer Price Index had
been burdened with 0.3 per cent from the increase in telephone
charges and car insurance premiums. By April, Mr. Papantoniou
forecast, inflation would be running at an annual rate of about
10.5 per cent and would drop below 10 per cent in May or shortly
afterwards.

	Expressing optimism over the targets of the government's
economic convergence programme and noting that the aims of the
Maastricht Treaty now appeared to be realistic, Mr. Papantoniou
said that early elections in Greece would be "a luxury" the
country could ill afford, particularly in view of the speeding
up of the process for monetary union in 1997 rather than 1999.

	On the drachma, Mr. Papantoniou said that the Greek currency
should enter the European Union exchange rate system before the
end of 1996.

	Commenting on his recent participation in the World Economic
Forum at Davos, Switzerland, Mr. Papantoniou stressed that "the
key" for Greece were "economic alliances" which the country
would conclude in order to penetrate the Balkans and Middle East
-- two regions, he added, which would enjoy high rates of
development in the coming years.


Commission ratifies state support for Elefsis Shipyards
-------------------------------------------------------
Brussels, 02/02/1995 (ANA - F. Stangos):

	The European Commission yesterday ratified the state support
programme amounting to 5.728 billion drachmas for restructuring
and modernising the Elefsis Shipyards. The amount will cover 50
per cent of the programme's total cost of 11.455 billion
drachmas, while the balance will either come from the Elefsis
Shipyards S.A. fund (3.437 billion drachmas) or long-term bank
loans (2.291 billion drachmas).

	The restructuring programme, due to be completed by 1996,
specifically concerns investments to cover purchase
expenditures, the transport and installation of advanced
technology mechanical equipment and electronic computers (8.408
billion drachmas) and the building of new buildings (2.326
billion drachmas).

	The European Commission announced the ratification of state aid
because the investment programme was not aimed at increasing the
Elefsis Shipyards' production potential but improving the
enterprise's competitiveness. It was also disclosed that the
programme exclusively concerned the new ship building sector and
not repairs.