Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-11-14

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From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <[email protected]>

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1340), November 14, 1997

Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: [email protected]

CONTENTS

[01] Holbrooke's EU contacts cover Cyprus, Greek-Turkish issues

[02] Submarine upgraded entirely in Greek shipyard

[03] European Socialist Party meeting on EU expansion

[04] Pangalos to brief Stephanopoulos on Crete summit

[05] Bulgaria to remove electrified fences from borders

[06] Lyssarides meets with Karamanlis, Tsovolas

[07] Parliament ratifies ban on weekend lorry traffic

[08] Armed forces' social contribution in Aegean the focus of meeting

[09] KKE's Papariga to visit US, Canada

[10] Premier meets with Athens newspaper publishers

[11] EU-sponsored informatics center for shipping in Greece

[12] Mantelis winds up series of contacts with European counterparts

[13] Greek-Turkish environmental symposium in Kusadasi

[14] Thessaloniki conference to look at multicultural satellite channel

[15] Greek interbank rates slip, buoyed by retention of hard drachma

[16] Greek stocks rebound on budget euphoria

[17] Greece to tender T-bills today

[18] Greek minister to open trade fair in FYROM Dec. 3

[19] Greece overhauls tax for self-employed, merchants

[20] Greek think-tank welcomes moves to support the drachma

[21] Greek bourse endorses Duty Free Shops' IPO prospectus

[22] Greece completes 70 kms of natural gas network in Thessaloniki

[23] Five missing as ships collide off Kea

[24] Scientists sound alarm over water resources

[25] Warnings over diabetes aired

[26] Gov't tax collection rate jumps over recent months

[27] ... ND response

[28] Greece to lobby EU for measures to increase employment

[29] OTE bid for 40 per cent of Moldtelecom

[01] Holbrooke's EU contacts cover Cyprus, Greek-Turkish issues

Brussels, 14/11/1997 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis/D. Daratos)

While Mr. Holbrooke declined to comment after an initial meeting with Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Foreign Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis, the latter told reporters that the US envoy had not raised the issue of equal participation by the Turkish Cypriot community in negotiations for the island republic's accession to the European Union.

The Greek officials made discreet but clear suggestions to Mr. Holbrooke that it was not possible that only Greece and the EU made steps in a direction desirable by Washington, but that the US should also use its considerable negotiating weight to persuade Ankara to adopt less intransigent views and positions.

Mr. Kranidiotis said the Greek side had stressed that the US could exercise various forms of pressure on Ankara in order to bring about progress on the Cyprus issue.

Mr. Papandreou said that during a discussion of Turkey's relations with the EU, the Greek side reiterated that Turkey's future in Europe was linked with the resolution of problems such as the Cyprus problem, an improvement in Greek-Turkish relations and Ankara's respect for human rights.

The US official also met with Mr. Papandreou for a second time in the afternoon for one hour, during which they were joined by EU External Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek and State Department special coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Miller.

After Mr. Papandreou's exit, Messrs Holbrooke and van den Broek continued their deliberations for an hour.

It emerged after the meetings that there was general agreement that progress in any one of the three main issues depended on progress on the other two. What did not become clear was the procedure through which progress would be achieved, and where it would start.

In brief statements after their meeting, Mr. Holbrooke and Mr. van den Broek stressed that the US and the EU were resolved to co-operate with the aim of achieving progress in the Cyprus issue.

"We had very fruitful talks, we discussed our common efforts, we have much in common, we worked together in Bosnia. Although the details are a matter for the EU, we have a common aim, which is Cypriot accession to the EU in accordance with EU procedures ," said Mr. Holbrooke.

He also reiterated that Washington steadily supports Turkey's European orientation.

Mr. van den Broek stated that both he and Mr. Holbrooke had important talks in Ankara and would go to Cyprus in early December.

"It is very important for the EU and the US to co-operate between them and with the UN, so as to achieve a political solution of the Cyprus issue. At the same time, the EU has decided to begin accession negotiations with Cyprus next year. We believe that this will formulate a positive climate. But we must work in a coordinated way between us to improve the whole situation. We all know that the issue is complex, it has existed for decades and cannot be solved overnight," he said.

Officially, Mr. Holbrooke did not produce any new formula for a resolution of the interwoven issues, but unofficially, it was said that he made a series of proposals-hypotheses to the Greek and Community sides in an attempt to assess what is feasible and what is impossible to implement.

[02] Submarine upgraded entirely in Greek shipyard

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The "Neptune" upgrading program for Hellenic Navy submarines began in 1989 when the navy signed two contracts with a consortium comprised of the German firms HDW, IKL and Ferrostaal. The contract envisaged the upgrading of one submarine in Kiel, Germany, and another three in Greece.

The upgrading is taking place with the use of a package of materials and training of Greek navy staff under the supervision of a small team of specialist engineers from the consortium.

An agreement was also signed with HDW for the provision of offsetting benefits regarding modernization of the Salamina base's installations within the framework of the program.

The aim of the program is to boost operational capabilities of the submarines with the installation of a new firing system and the replacement of their telecommunication and electronic systems, as well as a general upgrading of on-board systems, especially to reduce vessels' sonar imprint, and with a view to prolonging their operational life much beyond the year 2000.

The first, a Triton-type submarine, was upgraded between 1991-1993 in Germany, with a large number of Hellenic Navy military and civilian staff trained in the relevant know-how at the HDW installations.

The second, a Proteus-type submarine, was upgraded in Greece between 1993-1996.

The third, a Glafcos-type submarine, was upgraded in 28 months. Work on the fourth vessel will begin in March 1998.

[03] European Socialist Party meeting on EU expansion

Brussels, 14/11/1997 (ANA - P.Pantelis)

The ruling PASOK party was represented by executive bureau member and Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, as well as Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis.

Issues examined were the prospect of the European Union's enlargement, the fiscal aspects of enlargement, as well as the special cases of Slovakia, Cyprus and Turkey.

A draft memorandum was also examined which was prepared by the ESP work group presidium on enlargement.

After its ratification, the memorandum will be presented to the socialist leaders who will meet, as is customary, on the day preceding the Luxembourg summit on Dec. 12-13.

In his address, Mr. Kranidiotis expressed support for a start to negotiations with the 11 candidate-countries, saying that the start to negotiations must contain a political message for the new Europe which will be created.

Referring to the issue of the European Conference, Mr. Kranidiotis said Greece favors a start to negotiations with the 11 countries and, consequently, is opposed to the idea of the Conference.

He said a structured dialogue existed, adding that Greece is prepared to show some flexibility on the issue, provided the content of the Conference is discussed.

Mr. Kranidiotis made it clear that Turkey has no place at the European Conference. He further said that the upgrading of Turkey's relations with the EU necessitates the fulfillment of certain preconditions set by the EU's Council of Ministers, the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Mr. Kranidiotis went on to say that Turkey must co-operate in resolving the Cyprus problem, abandon its steadfast tactic of territorial claims and disputing the sovereign rights of an EU member-state and comply with international rules and treaties.

[04] Pangalos to brief Stephanopoulos on Crete summit

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Mr. Reppas said the briefing of the president was a standard practice and that the prime minister and his ministers had close co-operation with the president.

[05] Bulgaria to remove electrified fences from borders

Ankara, 14/11/1997 (ANA - A. Ambatzis)

The report stressed that Bulgarian Interior Ministry Secretary General Luchkan Luchkanov, who announced the relevant decision, said maintenance of barbed wire is costly and preserving such security measures is pointless.

[06] Lyssarides meets with Karamanlis, Tsovolas

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Mr. Lyssarides, who had met with government and other opposition party leaders Wednesday, also had a meeting with Democratic Socialist Party leader Demetris Tsovolas yesterday.

After their meeting, Mr. Tsovolas said that both he and Mr. Lyssarides believed there would be many behind-the-scenes developments on the Cyprus issue up until the Cypriot presidential elections next February, although no results could be expected until after that date.

[07] Parliament ratifies ban on weekend lorry traffic

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The ban, aimed at reducing road accidents, does not apply to trucks carrying perishables such as milk and fresh fish.

During the debate that preceded the vote, some deputies expressed their disappointment that more attention had not been given to the results of an interparty committee report on reducing road accidents.

Transport Under-secretary Manolis Loukakis said the government would be acting on the committee's findings one by one.

[08] Armed forces' social contribution in Aegean the focus of meeting

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The statement was made by the defense minister during a meeting at the defense ministry on the military social presence in the Aegean, in the presence of the armed forces chiefs of staff.

The program stems from a pilot program recently implemented in Thrace. The building of roads, infrastructure as well as mobile health care units and cultural events are just some of the measures envisioned.

Educational and athletic events are also planned.

[09] KKE's Papariga to visit US, Canada

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Ms Papariga was invited to the two North American countries by the communist parties of the US and Canada, as well as by several expatriates.

In the US she will meet with US communist party President Gus Hall, while in Canada Ms Papariga will have discussions with that country's communist party leadership.

[10] Premier meets with Athens newspaper publishers

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The meeting was attended by Press Minister Demetris Reppas and on behalf of EIHEA by publishers Christos Lambrakis, Demetris Rizos, Costas Kalofolias, Georgios Bobolas and Panos Karayiannis.

[11] EU-sponsored informatics center for shipping in Greece

Brussels, 14/11/1997 (ANA - P. Pantelis)

Ms Papandreou and Mr. Bangemann agreed to an initiative being undertaken for a special center to be created in Greece to promote the implementation of new informatics technology in the shipping sector.

The center will operate in the framework of the existing international network, which includes four other centers so far - Bremen, Genoa, Helsinki and Bilbao - and will cover the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. The international network operates in the framework of the Maritime Information Society (MARIS), a special program of the group of the seven largest industrially developed countries.

It was also agreed to have the issue discussed of the marked increase in the importation of steel products into Greece from third countries recently observed.

The issue will be examined in the framework of international agreements which will focus on regional problems affecting the local steel industry to the degree that the recent increases exceed traditional commercial flows.

Mr. Bangemann accepted an invitation by Ms Papandreou to participate in a special event to be held in Greece next year on "quality year" for industrial products and services.

[12] Mantelis winds up series of contacts with European counterparts

Vienna, 14/11/1997 (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis)

Mr. Mantelis presented a series of action guidelines envisaging not only adoption of measures for the environment, but also a series of proposals designed to reconcile the two sectors, such as "clean" cars and fuels, correct management of transports etc.

He stressed that care should be taken so that such environmental measures will not put economic pressure on the transport sector, and by consequence, lead to restriction of their development.

The Greek minister held meetings on the sidelines of the conference with counterparts from Germany, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia. With his Slovenian counterpart, discussion centered on ways of speeding up efforts for implementation of a plan for construction of the 10th European Corridor, which will connect the port of Thessaloniki with central Europe through FYROM, Yugoslavia, Croatia and Slovenia.

[13] Greek-Turkish environmental symposium in Kusadasi

Ankara, 4/11/1997 (ANA - A.Abatzis)

The president of the Turkish Union of Municipalities of the Aegean, Engin Berberoglu, told the Anadolu news agency that "at the first symposium, which took place on Mytilini last month, it was decided to undertake joint action with the aim of dealing with the problem of pollution in the Aegean, and turn it into a sea of tourism, trade and co-operation."

Mr. Berberoglu also said that the symposium will contribute to a de-escalation of tension between Greece and Turkey.

According to Anadolu, the symposium will be attended by 94 academics from 16 universities in the two countries, Minister without Portfolio Imern Aikut, who is responsible for environmental issues, and Burhan Kara, responsible for merchant marine issues.

[14] Thessaloniki conference to look at multicultural satellite channel

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The conference is being organized by COPEAM (the Permanent Conference on Audio-Visual Means in the Mediterranean) and Greek Radio and Television 3, as part of cultural activities decided by the Barcelona conference.

Greece and Luxembourg are chairing the meeting, which is an Italian initiative. The conference has drawn the interest of 74 participants.

According to a COPEAM study to be presented at the conference, a new satellite television channel would contribute to co-operation, film production, distribution and utilization of the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean.

Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos is also expected to attend the second and final day of the conference on Saturday.

[15] Greek interbank rates slip, buoyed by retention of hard drachma

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

A statement by National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou on Wednesday that the national currency would not join the European Union's exchange rate mechanism before participation in EU monetary union in 2001 helped to defuse tension in domestic money markets.

The Bank of Greece intervened to boost liquidity, aiding interbank rates to fall to 13-21 percent.

Rates dropped below 15 percent for the first time since a monetary crisis erupted in the wake of turmoil in markets abroad.

The central bank reported foreign currency inflows totaling 150 million ECU.

The drachma was slightly lower against the US dollar, the DMark and the ECU.

[16] Greek stocks rebound on budget euphoria

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The market reacted positively to the contents of the government's 1998 budget released on Wednesday, and to the government's position on the drachma, which lifted fears of a devaluation.

Investors were also encouraged by a further drop in interbank interest rates and signs of increased liquidity in the money market.

However, traders said investors would remain on the sidelines awaiting hikes in commercial bank interest rates on Monday.

The general index closed 2.58 percent higher at 1,409.27 points, off the day's highs.

The FTSE/ASE index rose 2.75 percent to end at 814.56 points.

The heavily weighted banking sector and other financial shares led the market higher reflecting renewed interest by investors.

Sector indices all scored gains. Banks rose 3.47 percent, Insurance ended 1.93 percent up, Leasing increased 3.23 percent, Investments ended 3.59 percent higher, Construction rose 1.83 percent, Industrials increased 1.50 percent, Miscellaneous ended 3.1 6 percent up and Holding rose 4.06 percent.

The parallel market index for small cap companies rose 2.66 percent.

Trading was heavy with turnover at 25.4 billion drachmas.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 192 to 29 with another 15 issues unchanged.

Petzetakis, Diekat, Vasilopoulos and Macedonian Plastics scored the biggest percentage gains, while Dane, Bank of Athens, Sato, Daring and Vis suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 26,400 drachmas, Ergobank at 14,250, Alpha Credit Bank at 16,500, Delta Dairy at 3,440, Titan Cement at 12,350, Intracom at 11,800 and Hellenic Telecommunications Organization at 5,290.

[17] Greece to tender T-bills today

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The ministry reserves the right to accept non-competitive bids of up to 20 percent of the total amount, it said.

[18] Greek minister to open trade fair in FYROM Dec. 3

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The event, organized by Greek state trade fair organizer HELEXPO, will be held in Skopje, FYROM's capital, on December 3-6.

About 150 firms are to take part in the fair, which is the first step in a plan by HELEXPO to promote Greek goods and services in the Balkans.

On display will be durables including farming and construction machinery, components and spare parts, building materials, marble, electronic and electrical goods, computers, textiles, apparel and footwear, food and beverages, furniture, paper and travel accessories.

Skopje was chosen in line with the findings of a questionnaire sent by HELEXPO to firms and chambers of commerce that showed Belgrade and Skopje were the favorite venues for Greek trade fairs in the Balkans. Many of the exhibitors in Skopje also took part in HELEXPO trade fairs held in Odessa, Ukraine, recently.

Helexpo's president and managing director Andonis Kourtis will hold a news conference in Skopje on November 27 to give details of the event.

Alongside the trade fair are business and artistic events including a performance of Ajax, a play by fifth century BC dramatist Sophocles, by the Northern Greek state theater on December 4.

[19] Greece overhauls tax for self-employed, merchants

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Mr. Drys said that the technical revaluation of the tax system would result in a normal rise in taxes.

He also described the 1998 budget, released on Wednesday, as equitable and growth-oriented.

The tax system would remain stable in 1998 and the government would not impose any new taxes.

Mr. Drys announced a rise in withholding tax on incomes higher than 4.5 million drachmas annually, an average rise of 10 percent in proof of legal income for the purchase of cars and motorcycles, and a special monthly tax on mobile phones determined by use and ranging from 500 to 2,000 drachmas.

[20] Greek think-tank welcomes moves to support the drachma

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

But IOBE said that beyond its foreign exchange policy, monetary authorities should convince foreign investors that Greece was determined to succeed in fiscal convergence and structural reform.

The institute urged the government to speed up introduction of the Bank of Greece's autonomy and accelerate its privatization program.

IOBE also urged the government to drastically cut back public spending and improve the workings of government securities.

[21] Greek bourse endorses Duty Free Shops' IPO prospectus

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

The firm will issue 7,625,000 common shares. Of the total, 7,525,000 will be sold to the public and 100,000 privately placed.

Entry into the bourse is expected by the end of the year.

Twenty billion drachmas of capital to be raised from the IPO will be paid to the state in return for exclusive rights to run duty free stores at airports, ports and border crossings for 50 years, starting on January 1, 1998.

The remaining cash will be used to fund the company's investment program for next year.

[22] Greece completes 70 kms of natural gas network in Thessaloniki

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Representatives of the municipal authority that has undertaken the project said that total spending was lower than budget projections by 365 million drachmas.

Thessaloniki Mayor Constantinos Cosmopoulos said that the project overall is proceeding according to schedule and predicted that completion of the city's distribution network would be achieved by May 1998.

[23] Five missing as ships collide off Kea

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

It said the Syrian 5,000-ton freighter Muaheddin with a 23-member crew, en route from Beirut, rammed the 1,000-ton Don Ricardo, which had left Istanbul on November 11 on its way to Casablanca. The Muaheddin was empty while the Don Ricardo was carrying a load of iron ore.

"The only words I heard over my wireless were 'help us we're drowning'," Muaheddin's captain told the ministry later. The ministry quoted him as saying that the ship he rammed "was almost invisible because of heavy fog in the vicinity".

The ministry said that despite an all-night sea and air search, no trace of the missing seamen had been found as of yesterday.

A ministry spokesman said that only an empty life raft from the Antigua vessel and oil slicks had been spotted by Coast Guard and Navy vessels taking part in the search and rescue operation.

The Muaheddin's master and first mate were to be charged later yesterday with negligence.

Amin Cangonja, an Albanian citizen and Saad Markabi, a Syrian citizen, as the officers on duty at the time of the collision, were found by the Lavrion coast guard to be chiefly responsible for sinking the Don Ricardo.

Three coast guard vessels, an Olympic Airways Dornier aircraft and other ships in the region are still searching for missing crewmen Vladimir Krucek, Stanislav Kondrasov, Georij Ivancenko, Nikolai Gomenisk, (all Lithuanians) and Sergey Balashof, a Russian.

[24] Scientists sound alarm over water resources

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Subterranean water resources specialist Professor George Soulios said that nearly 90 percent of the country's water sources had either dried up or fallen below the half-way mark.

During a press conference in Thessaloniki ahead of a hydro-geological conference that opens in the northern Greek capital on Friday, Prof. Soulios said scientists were worried over Greece's dwindling subterranean water resources.

He said in the long-term this could lead to land corrosion in extensive geographic regions throughout the country, beginning with Thessaly.

He said the subterranean water levels in Thessaly, in particular, had fallen by 50 meters, and were declining at a rate of one-half to two meters annually.

Unless waste of subterranean waters was not curtailed, Greece risked desertification of entire regions, as was the case in southern Spain, Prof. Soulios warned.

Scientists, he added, proposed the construction of reservoirs for the collection and subsequent utilization of rainwater.

[25] Warnings over diabetes aired

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

People suffering from the disease today number more than 135 million worldwide, and are expected to reach 300 million by the year 2025, as the rate of increase in developing countries exceeds 200 per cent.

Diabetes usually appears between the ages of 55 and 60, but researchers are especially concerned in view of the fact that the diabetes rate for people below 40 or even 30 years of age is on the increase.

As regards prevention, medical advice is quite clear: Reduce fats, enrich your diet with fruits, vegetables and fish, and exercise.

There are no forbidden items for diabetes sufferers, provided that a certain number of them, including sugar, are consumed with special care, and always in the framework of daily regular meals, according to specialized dietitian A. Manglara.

Scientists are optimistic, however, that they will soon develop an "insulin pill", which will be given as a precaution to people with an unfavorable hereditary medical history.

[26] Gov't tax collection rate jumps over recent months

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

He said that the government had to be consistent and follow a long-term strategy in its tax policy, particularly after recent turmoil in the stock market and speculative attacks on the drachma.

Mr. Reppas said new taxes introduced in the 1998 budget targeted higher incomes, while he brushed off criticism that the government was assaulting the private sector.

The spokesman stressed, however, that businesses had to take on a greater tax burden in line with the government's plan for a more equitable tax system.

[27] ... ND response

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

After stressing that ND supports the national currency, Mr. Karamanlis noted that "it is a matter of responsibility towards Greek citizens to state a major truth, namely, that the monetary crisis led to an increase in interest rates, most serious foreign exchange outflows and, of course, very strong pressures on the drachma, which all go to show the nakedness of the Greek economy.

"The truth is that the Greek economy is in a very difficult situation, supported by shaky legs. It is on a continuing course of divergence and distancing itself from EMU, despite the window dressing by the government," he added. He also accused the government of a lack of imagination and boldness "in taking those measures and political decisions the Greek economy really needs".

The ND leader further charged that the government, "being what he called a hostage of its party nomenclature, seeks refuge in the well-known method of compressing the income of Greek taxpayers and strangling the developmental prospects of the Greek economy."

Former prime minister and the honorary ND president, Constantine Mitsotakis, also slammed the government's economic policy and its proposed 1998 budget.

"It is tragic that even today, after the recent (monetary) crisis, the government does not have the courage to tell the truth in the budget about the true state of the Greek economy," Mr. Mitsotakis said.

Finally, the Federation of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) announced yesterday that the new budget runs mostly along a proper discretion as far as decreasing inflation and deficits as well as converging with the rest of the EU's economies is concerned.

[28] Greece to lobby EU for measures to increase employment

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

Mr. Papantoniou set the issue of development first which will have positive affects on employment together with an increase in investments.

The second issue is strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because while big businesses are dismissing staff, SMEs constitute the locomotive power for increasing employment.

The third is support for sensitive groups and at this level, Mr. Papantoniou said the Greek government's program to support 200,000 young unemployed people will be promoted in particular.

Labor and Social Insurance Minister Miltiades Papaioannou spoke of a balanced budget submitted by the Greek government, adding that the burden fell where capital moved, while the target of relieving weaker classes is obvious.

[29] OTE bid for 40 per cent of Moldtelecom

Athens, 14/11/1997 (ANA)

According to an announcement by the telecommunications minister of the former Soviet republic Ion Kasian, OTE's competitors are the Franco-Danish joint venture France Telecom and GN Store Nord.

The two companies have already entered Moldova's telecoms market, since a joint venture headed by France Telecom has received a license to render mobile telephony GSM services last May, while GN has built part of the country's optical fiber network.

According to conditions set out in the auction, the winner must pay US$18 million for a license to render services, having a duration of seven years and make investments worth $102 million to Moldtelecom to secure the 40 per cent share.

Moldtelecom will maintain its monopoly in Moldova's international and local telephone market at least until 2005.

End of English language section.

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