Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 99-01-27

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greece nears EU alignment target after bond rate plunge

[02] Stocks hit all-time high, fuelled by China news

[03] Derivatives market to begin early April, chairman says

[04] Olympic Airways reports Dr 39 bln loss for 1997

[05] Commercial Bank of Greece sees Dec 1999 inflation at 2.3 pct

[06] Macedonian Airlines posts Dr 580 mln profit

[07] Trade fair to be held aimed at young people

[08] Second parallel market planned for Thessaloniki

[09] SBBE targets for '99

[10] New farm products from Petzetakis group

[11] SeaFarm Ionian eyes share capital increase

[12] Zurich event focuses on Greek banking system's prospects, changes

[13] Positive Moody's comment regarding Greek economy

[14] Athens Foreign Exchange

[15] V. Papandreou continues multiple contacts in NYC

[16] Simitis to leave for ESP Vienna summit on Friday

[17] Cameroon President Biya cancels visit

[18] Greek IOC delegate slams allegetions by Rome's mayor

[19] Petition of 100.000 signatures calls for referendum on Amsterdam treaty

[20] Tsohatzopoulos proposes off-the-record debate on S-300s

[21] UNESCO to tackle the Parthenon Marbles issue

[22] Chernobyl disaster the subject of exhibition featuring children's paintings

[23] Gov't-OLME talks break down

[24] Moroccan FM official in Athens

[25] Greece lauds EU decision on peaceful solution for Kosovo

[26] Branson plans for tourist complex on Hydra again rejected

[27] Hunting bans decided

[01] Greece nears EU alignment target after bond rate plunge

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The average weighted rate fell to 6.1 percent from 7.19 percent in the previous auction and bids totalled 2.3 trillion drachmas, six times the 370 billion drachmas sought.

The rate fell below the bond's coupon, set by the ministry at 6.3 percent.

Mr. Christodoulakis said the fall in long-term yields was an historic moment, paving the way for the economy's entry into European economic and monetary union.

The Maastricht criterion for long-term rates requires that the yield on 10- year state bonds should drop to two percentage points above the European Union average, currently at 3.9 percent.

Mr. Christodoulakis also said that in the first half of the year all trade in repos and futures will be transferred to the domestic bond market.

Markets welcome bond auction, drachma rises again : A successful auction of benchmark 10-year bonds by the finance ministry and a stronger drachma led to robust sentiment in domestic financial markets, bankers said yesterday.

The climate was expected to improve further in the near future following the pilot launch this spring of the country's first derivatives market for state securities, they said.

In addition, Mr. Christodoulakis is to increase the number of the domestic market's primary dealers by five.

Secondary market bond prices rose substantially following yesterday's auction, with 15-year bond prices rising by 50 basis points early in the session.

They succumbed to profit-taking to end the day near their opening levels of 104.80 points.

Electronic trade totalled 94 billion drachmas.

The drachma rose further against the euro at the central bank's daily fixing to 321.700 drachmas, up from 322.100 on Monday.

The Bank of Greece intervened at the fix, buying around 170 million euros to contain the Greek currency's rise.

Athens News Agency

[02] Stocks hit all-time high, fuelled by China news

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The general index ended 3.94 percent up at 3,032.25 points, breaking the previous record of 3,010.48 on January 8.

Turnover was 100.455 billion drachmas and volume 21,297,828 shares.

Most sector indices scored gains.

Banks soared 4.97 percent, Construction jumped 6.07 percent, Insurance ended 2.18 percent up, Investment rose 2.14 percent, Industrials surged 3.49 percent, Miscellaneous ended 3.30 percent up and Holding rose 1.96 percent.

Leasing bucked the trend to end 1.22 percent off.

The parallel market index for small cap companies rose 2.56 percent, while the FTSE/ASE 20 index increased 4.32 percent to 1,920.62 points.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 247 to 32 with another 13 issues unchanged.

Thessaliki, Viosol, Bank of Piraeus and Mytilineos were the most heavily traded stocks.

Forty-two share prices hit the daily 8.0 percent limit up, including Bank of Piraeus, Dorian Bank, Xiosbank, Bank of Central Greece, Avax, Athina, Aktor, Attica Aluminium, Metka, Britannia and Ideal

Alcar-Aemet, Daring, Ippotour, Benroubi, Mouzakis, Etma, Imperio and Ellatex suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece gained 5.7 percent to end at 70,600 drachmas, Alpha Credit Bank at 32,255, Ergobank at 37,300, Ionian Bank at 16,000, Titan Cement at 22,980, Hellenic Petroleum at 2,375, Intracom at 14,190, Minoan Lines at 7,495, Panafon at 8,60 0 and Hellenic Telecoms at 8,240 drachmas.

The chairman of the listed companies shareholders union, George Karagounis, told the Athens News Agency that despite turbulence in international markets, Greece's chance of entering European economic and monetary union were better than ever, reflected in a rally of share and bond prices.

Mr. Karagounis attributed the rally to a continuing fall in interest rates and higher liquidity in the market, a major part of which was being ploughed into stocks.

Athens News Agency

[03] Derivatives market to begin early April, chairman says

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

"The creation of a derivatives market will make the Greek capital market more attractive to investors abroad, provide greater depth, and aid the transition to a developed from an emerging market," Mr. Alexakis said.

The products available in the market's first phase of operation are futures and options including the FTSE-ASE-20 index for blue chips and heavily traded stocks, individual blue chips, 10-year bonds, the three-month interbank Athibor rate, and foreign currency.

Athens News Agency

[04] Olympic Airways reports Dr 39 bln loss for 1997

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Turnover in the same year was 274.8 billion drachmas and production costs for services totalled 281 billion drachmas.

The embattled airline's previous board had forecast profits of 14 billion drachmas for 1997.

Its restructuring plan had foreseen profits of 30 billion drachmas.

Transport and Communications Minister Tassos Mantelis had predicted profits of 6.5 billion for 1997.

Athens News Agency

[05] Commercial Bank of Greece sees Dec 1999 inflation at 2.3 pct

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The average nominal rate on 12-month treasury bills in 1999 is to decline gradually to 8.4 percent with the real rate sinking to 4.5 percent after tax, the bank's research said.

Gross Domestic Product is forecast to rise by 3.4 percent this year from 3.3 percent in 1998, and industrial production is to grow by 2.7 percent in 1999 against an estimated 2.5 percent last year.

The current account deficit will total 4,900 million dollars in 1999 from an estimated 4,750 million dollars in 1998, the report predicted.

Athens News Agency

[06] Macedonian Airlines posts Dr 580 mln profit

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The airline's managing director, George Igipassis, said the company has signed contracts worth three billion drachmas with Italy, Austria and Germany and was expected to sign new deals within days with Spain, Israel and Switzerland, worth four billion drachmas.

Macedonian Airlines aims to lease three new McDonnell Douglas MD-90 aircraft with a capacity of 166 passengers by early April and to expand services to east European countries, such as Russia, the Czech Republic and Romania.

In the summer the airline will launch a weekly service from Hania on the island of Crete to Tunis, and regular services linking Lebanon to the islands of Santorini, Kos, Mykonos and Rhodes.

Mr. Igipassis said the airline plans the purchase of three more aircraft by 2002.

Athens News Agency

[07] Trade fair to be held aimed at young people

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The organisers of the fair, entitled "youth.gr", hope to hold the event under the aegis of the European Union's presidency.

Athens News Agency

[08] Second parallel market planned for Thessaloniki

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Athens Stock Exchange President Spyros Kouniakis will present the relevant proposal to the national economy ministry's leadership next week.

Speaking to reporters in Thessaloniki yesterday, Mr. Kouniakis said a study has already been prepared on the viability of the second parallel market, which will be submitted to the national economy ministry. He added that the ministry's leadership will decide on the enactment and time of operation of the new market.

Replying to questions by the press, Mr. Kouniakis confirmed that the Athens Stock Exchange has been studying for some time the restructuring of the package of shares from which the fluctuations of the General Indicator result, but did not determine the exact time when relevant changes will be made.

Referring to the Thessaloniki stock exchange centre, he said that in 1998 its profits will range between 150 and 170 million drachmas, while the volume of transactions is determined at 1.528 trillion drachmas. He also predicted an increase in turnover between 30 and 40 per cent for the current year.

Athens News Agency

[09] SBBE targets for '99

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

SBBE President Vassilis Takas presented the federation's targets and planning at a press conference yesterday.

Referring to the introduction of the euro and the utilisation of business opportunities created by the unified European currency, he said that SBBE will continue its briefing of interested parties by issuing relevant printed matter and organising seminars.

On the question of labour relations, the SBBE President said that contacts have already started with the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE). Replying to a question concerning the establishment of a 35-hour working week without a decrease in remuneration, Mr. Takas reiterated that the federation does not accept the 35-hour working week.

Referring to the development law, Mr. Takas said that "the maintenance of incentives for Thrace and other declining regions and maintenance of the second zone status for the Thessaloniki prefecture constitute points of correction, together with the lifting of the distinction between new and old agencies, for the existing development law."

Athens News Agency

[10] New farm products from Petzetakis group

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The package's products are produced at the group's two main companies, the A.G. Petzetakis and Plastika Makedonias, while their distribution is carried out for southern Greece by the former and northern Greece and the Balkans by the latter. The Petzetakis Agro package is presented at the group's pavilion at the same time with the "Agrotica-'99" exhibition.

Petzetakis is following a programme of presenting integrated packages of products for four main sectors in the market (building, the agricultural sector, industry and major infrastructures projects). It has already presented the Petzetakis Casa package of products destined for building.

Athens News Agency

[11] SeaFarm Ionian eyes share capital increase

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The venture capital company Global Finance will enter the company and obtain a strategic position through the increase.

The general assembly decided to provide two new shares for every 10 old ones at an issue price of 1,050 drachmas for each new share. The company's shareholders waived their rights to 630,000 new shares, of which 580,000 will be provided for Global Finan ce and the 50,000 for the company's staff.

Capital to be obtained through the increase in share capital will be used to continue the company's development programme through buyoffs and mergers, the enlargement of fish reserves and the improvement of the equipment of the group's companies.

Athens News Agency

[12] Zurich event focuses on Greek banking system's prospects, changes

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The purpose of the conference, attended by 250 Swiss economic officials, was the presentation of the Greek banking system to the Swiss investing public, as well as the strengthening of relations between the two unions.

The possibility of creating a Greco-Swiss Economic Chamber in Greece to support bilateral economic relations was also discussed.

Athens News Agency

[13] Positive Moody's comment regarding Greek economy

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

However, the report underlines that Greece's credit worthiness is lower compared to other EU member-states.

Real and nominal convergence achieved by the country's economy is nevertheless recognised in the report, which renders the positive development, to a large extent, as a result of a drop in interest rates on state securities.

Furthermore, Moody's report draws attention to the fact that a reduction in the primary deficit has been accomlished through the government's tough taxation measures, which in turn contributed to a slip in the government's popularity.

Athens News Agency

[14] Athens Foreign Exchange

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Parities in Drachmas

Banknotes            Buying  Selling
US Dollar            275.756 282.150
Can.Dollar           181.536 185.745
Australian Dlr       173.898 177.930
Pound Sterling       457.272 467.874
Irish Punt           405.207 414.602
Pound Cyprus         550.124 562.878
Pound Malta          683.774 712.265
Turkish pound (100)    0.072   0.075
French franc          48.651  49.778
Swiss franc          198.975 203.589
Belgian franc          7.911   8.094
German Mark          163.167 166.950
Finnish Mark          53.673  54.918
Dutch Guilder        144.813 148.171
Danish Kr.            42.924  43.919
Swedish Kr.           35.760  36.589
Norwegian Kr.         37.101  37.961
Austrian Sh.          23.192  23.730
Italian lira (100)    16.482  16.864
Yen (100)            242.772 248.401
Spanish Peseta         1.918   1.962
Port. Escudo           1.592   1.629

Foreign Exchange     Buying  Selling
New York             275.756 282.150
Montreal             181.536 185.745
Sydney               173.898 177.930
London               457.272 467.874
Dublin               405.207 414.602
Nicosia              550.124 562.878
Paris                 48.651 49.778
Zurich               198.975 203.589
Brussels               7.911   8.094
Frankfurt            163.167 166.950
Helsinki              53.673  54.918
Amsterdam            144.813 148.171
Copenhagen            42.924  43.919
Stockholm             35.760  36.589
Oslo                  37.101  37.961
Vienna                23.192  23.730
Milan                 16.482  16.864
Tokyo                242.772 248.401
Madrid                 1.918   1.962
Lisbon                 1.592   1.629

Athens News Agency

[15] V. Papandreou continues multiple contacts in NYC

NEW YORK 27/01/1999 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

One of her contacts was with reporters at "Forbes" magazine. The meeting was followed by a press conference attended by several Greek-American business people.

She also delivered a speech at a gathering of entrepreneurs in the tourism sector - to whom she set out what she called the "unique comparative advantages of Greece vis-a-vis all our competitors in the Mediterranean", followed a Foreign Press Association luncheon and at an event at the Greek- American Chamber of Commerce, where she set out aspects of Greek investment activities in the Balkans.

Ms Papandreou also announced a major conference organised by Athens, where US and Greek firms will participate.

Speaking at the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce, she said Greece sought to become a permanent stabilising factor in sensitive areas, including central and eastern Europe. She also called on US business people to invest in infrastructure projects, en ergy networks and projects in tourism and industry.

"During my contacts in the US, I found strong interest on the part of businessmen, economic and investment opinion leaders. This is because they see the positive results of our economic policy, have been convinced about Greece's accession to EMUI" she told the news conference.

She pointed out that Greek-American trade was at rather low levels, and in the "red" for Greece.

"American investment in Greece is also very low, and there is tremendous potential for overturning this situation," she added.

Speaking at the event organised by the Hellenic Tourism Organisation (EOT) bureau in New York, Ms Papandreou said prospects for tourism investment were particularly encouraging.

She also referred to a programme of privatisations which aims to implement investment in tourist facilities, and opportunities for funding investment schemes in special tourism infrastructure and modernisation of existing facilities.

"The targets of tourism policy include the improvement of services offered, their enrichment with alternative forms of tourism and also the enlargement of the tourism period," she added.

In the afternoon, Archbishop of America Spyridon received Ms Papandreou at the Archbishopry, saying later that discussions centred on issues dealing with the Greek development minister's portfolio. Spyridon is set to soon visit Greece.

Afterwards, while speaking at a gathering of expatriates in the NY district of Astoria, Ms Papandreou stressed the power and capability of Hellenism to assist in the projection of Greece's national issues.

"Our national issues should not be projected through rallies and protests, but mainly through lobbies comprising the appropriate individuals," she said, adding "the creation of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) a few years ago can play a signif icant role in the effort regarding Greece's national issues.

V. Papandreou speech at Western Policy Center : WASHINGTON (ANA) - Development Minister Vasso Papandreou delivered a speech here on Friday at the Western Policy Center, stressing Greece's stabilising role in the Balkans and its elevation as the strongest economy in the region.

The event was attended, among others, by CATO Institute officials involved in the study of the specific region.

Athens News Agency

[16] Simitis to leave for ESP Vienna summit on Friday

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Mr. Reppas added that Mr. Simitis would visit the offices of National Bank of Greece at 11 a.m. today, to receive a briefing on the workings of the largest state-controlled bank.

Mr. Simitis is expected to make statements about the government's economic policy during the visit, Mr. Reppas added.

Athens News Agency

[17] Cameroon President Biya cancels visit

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Mr. Biya was due to visit Greece at the invitation of President Kostis Stephanopoulos on Feb. 2-4.

Athens News Agency VIENNA 27/01/1999 (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis)

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos and European Commission President Jacques Santer will co-chair a scientific ecological symposium, scheduled for June in Germany. The symposium, dedicated to the preservation of the ecol ogical system of the Danube River, will be held aboard a river-boat.

Athens News Agency

[18] Greek IOC delegate slams allegetions by Rome's mayor

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Mr. Nikolaou, also an International Olympics Committee (IOC) member, made the statement in response to a demand by the mayor of Rome, Francesco Rutelli, for a repeat of voting by the IOC for the city to host the 2004 Games.

Mr. Rutelli's demand was voiced in the aftermath of an on-going bribery scandal involving several IOC members.

"...the Games were given to Greece fairly and in a immaculate way, and everything the Rome mayor said is funny," Mr. Nikolaou said.

Athens was chosen over Rome, Cape Town, Stockholm and Buenos Aires to win the 2004 Games, with both Cape Town and Stockholm accused of offering gifts to IOC members.

According to a Reuters dispatch from Cape Town, Chris Ball, the chief executive of Cape Town's bid, said: "I have no knowledge of improper conduct by any city in the 2004 competition. Athens won fairly...The competition was very professionally managed by the IOC".

Further, Mr. Nikolaou said that "the mayor of Rome is vote-hunting, that is the reason why he does this. At the same time, (IAAF President Primo) Nebiolo, whose row with Athens is well-known, comes out and says that the Greek bid was absolutely fair. H e gave an answer to the mayor of Rome."

The EOA president also commented on the proposal for Greece to permanently host the Olympics by saying that the priority was the successful staging of the 2004 Olympics.

Athens News Agency

[19] Petition of 100.000 signatures calls for referendum on Amsterdam treaty

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The petition was given to Mr. Kaklamanis by members of the Referendum on the Amsterdam (Maastricht) Treaty.

A special parliamentary committee - made up of members of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, the European Affairs Committe and others - will begin discussion of the Amsterdam Treaty today.

The government wants the discussion of the treaty and the repercussions of its implementation for citizens to be as broadly based as possible.

The committee's discussion will be followed shortly after by a three-day debate by the parliamentary plenum and ratification of the treaty by the 300-member Parliament.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said yesterday that an agreement would begin to be implemented between Greece, the European Commission and the European Parliament providing for a campaign to inform citizens about the Amsterdam Treaty through television and radio spots and articles in the press.

The ministry said also that efforts were being made to ensure full implementation of the Schengen Treaty by the end of 1999. Incorporated in the Amsterdam Treaty, Schengen requires that Greece takes all additional measures necessary to secure the country's sea borders, particularly against penetration by illegal immigrants. According to foreign ministry sources, Scandinavian countries, Spain and France are facing the same problem.

Athens News Agency

[20] Tsohatzopoulos proposes off-the-record debate on S-300s

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The missiles had been ordered by Cyprus, only to be followed several months later with a decision by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and a portion of Cyprus' political leaders to cancel of the deployment.

"The government is obliged to brief the Greek people on how the issue of the S-300s developed and was handled with the common decision between Greece and Cyprus for their deployment...A development which indeed created an atmosphere of defeatism and disap pointment which must be urgently clarified," he said.

Speaking during the session, and although a relevant request has not been made by any opposition party leader, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos requested that committee president Karolos Papoulias, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis examine the possibility, after contacting the premier, of a plenum debate taking place on the S-300 missiles at political party leader level.

Earlier, former main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert and ruling PASOK deputies Yiannis Haralambopoulos and Stelios Papathemelis had raised the missiles issue, proposing that it be discussed at at the committee.

Mr. Evert described developments as a second blow after the issue of Imia - the crisis between Greece and Turkey over the Imia islets in the eastern Aegean on Jan. 31, 1996.

Meanwhile, the committee unanimously ratified the accord on banning nuclear testing. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said the signing and ratifi-cation of the accord provides Greece with the possibility of demanding measures of control being taken for Turkey.

Athens News Agency

[21] UNESCO to tackle the Parthenon Marbles issue

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The committee, in its three-day session, will "lay the groundwork for the Marbles' repatriation".

The friezes, dating back to the 5th century BC, were removed from the Parthenon by the British diplomat Lord Elgin with permission from the local Ottoman occupation authorities in the early 19th century.

Elgin removed the priceless friezes and other parts of the massive Parthenon temple dedicated to the ancient goddess Athena, and sold the artworks to the British Museum in 1816, where they have been housed since.

Successive British governments have turned down repeated Greek requests for the return of the Marbles.

In June last year, Greece also demanded an immediate inspection of the Marbles by an authoritative UNESCO committee of experts following revelations by a British historian that the 5th century BC artworks suffered "significant and irrevocable" damage at the hands of the British Museum in London, where they are housed.

British historian William St. Clair said in a book released at the time that the Marbles had suffered significant and irrevocable damage some 60 years ago when British Museum staff tried to restore the friezes to what was mistakenly thought to be their original colour.

The revelation was made in Mr. St. Clair's book "Lord Elgin and the Marbles" and was for years "a strictly internal matter". Mr. St. Clair discovered the damage while doing research in the museum's archives. The demand for inspection of the Marbles was also turned down by the British government.

The UNESCO committee for the return of cultural property, set up in 1978, comprises 22 member countries and has already succeeded in tracking down and returning a stolen mask to Zambia, and the return of a head of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, to Cambodia from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The committee will also focus on drafting a "code of ethics" directed at managers of cultural property, aiming at more efficiently combatting the illegal trafficking of such artefacts. The agenda further includes setting up a system of electronic dissem ination of information on stolen cultural properties and introducing an "object ID standard", as well as the prospect of setting up a special fund for the restoration of cultural property.

In addition to Greece's petition for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from Britain, the committee will also examine a Turkish request for the return of the Boguskoy Sphinx from Germany.

Athens News Agency

[22] Chernobyl disaster the subject of exhibition featuring children's paintings

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The exhibition of 81 works, painted by children aged 9-15 just five years after the nuclear disaster, many of whom have since died from radiation- related cancer, will be running at the "Mylos" through February 15 before travelling to Geneva.

The idea of the "Chernobyl Children" collection of paintings was born in 1991 when Belarus-born director of the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design Cristian Narkevic Lane visited children being treated at the UNICEF hospital in Belarus.

He asked them to paint whatever they wished. The children chose to paint the horrors of the Chernobyl accident.

The dozens of paintings were divided into two sections. The first section is currently touring the US. The second section first went on display in Oslo as the first stop on a European tour, before moving on to Milan, Germany and Thessaloniki.

The exhibitions are under the aegis of UNESCO.

The collection is open for viewing at the Mylos weekdays to midnight, with organised trips for schools during the morning hours.

Athens News Agency

[23] Gov't-OLME talks break down

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

"In the last two hours of our discussion today, teachers refused to budge from their demand for a return to the old system of examinations in the second form of high schools," Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said.

The development seemed to kill hopes for a quick end to a crisis which involves two months worth of school sit-ins, road blocks by students and is threatening major complications in the examination process in 1999 due to classes lost.

Protesting students have been calling for the abolition of the government's reform programme, their primary point of objection being provisions establishing high school second-form grades as a basis for university entry.

Mr. Arsenis said he had presented three modifications to earlier proposals which had been rejected by the teachers.

Earlier, hopes for an agreement were high, after hopeful indication following a first round of discussions Monday.

According to initial reports, room for agreement was found on two key concerns: the examinations for second year senior high school and upgrading the role of technical educational schools.

OLME has sought to have the law's provisions on these two areas either withdrawn, suspended or completely rewritten. Local teachers' unions were meeting yesterday to vote on a proposal for a 48-hour teachers' strike tomorrow to press that these provisions be withdrawn.

Two members of OLME - one representing the Communist Party of Greece- affiliated faction and the other an independent - refused to return to yesterday's talks, saying they would return only if talks were conducted on the understanding that the education reform law would be revoked.

According to figures from the ministry on Monday, although the number of schools under occupation had fallen, high school students continued their tactics of holding impromptu road blocks on city streets again yesterday.

One driver trying to run the block on Kifissias Avenue yesterday was reportedly attacked by protesting students.

Athens News Agency

[24] Moroccan FM official in Athens

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The talks centred on reviewing bilateral relations and exchanging views on international and regional issues.

The Moroccan official was also received by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Deputy National Economy Minister Alekos Baltas.

Athens News Agency

[25] Greece lauds EU decision on peaceful solution for Kosovo

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

Describing the decision as a "balanced and objective approach" to the entire problem, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said it was positive the "15" had realised that such types of problems could be resolved only by peaceful means.

EU foreign ministers said on Monday that there was firm support for the negotiating process, adding the Community's voice to a drive for a political solution to the crisis.

The Contact Group - comprising Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia and the United States - in London last Friday urged peace negotitions with direct international involvement.

It is hoped that peace talks will commence at a venue outside the region some time next week.

Athens News Agency

[26] Branson plans for tourist complex on Hydra again rejected

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The 2nd Department of Byzantine Antiquities rejected the plans on grounds that "a large area of rock would have to be cleared, the limits of the settlement under a preservation order would be altered and the proposed new holiday homes would be visible from the sea, which would spoil the natural landscape."

Mr. Branson's company, Virgin Hellas Hotels SA, had submitted an application for the construction of 40 holiday homes on land which it owns within the town planning area at the Kamini settlement.

The Central Archaeological Council had similarly rejected the plans in April 1997 and the issue is now expected to be put to the council once again.

Sentiment on the island is divided between those who support the development project, maintaining that it would provide an injection of capital and create jobs, and opponents, who argue that the complex would spoil the natural beauty of the proposed location.

In 1973, a similar application for building - within town planning limits - was rejected, as was an application for the construction of a hotel complex in 1981 and a camping ground in 1983.

Athens News Agency

[27] Hunting bans decided

Athens 27/01/1999 (ANA)

The two groups, which had appealed for the abolition of a ministerial decision - signed by a then farm minister Stephanos Tzoumakas - permitting hunting of the specific species of birds, described the CoS ruling as a vindication. According to internatio nal and EU legislation, the hunting season of migratory birds should end on Jan. 31.

Athens News Agency

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