Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-03-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] FYROM at the focus of Greek, British foreign ministers, in London meeting

[02] Premier and labor minister discuss plan on poverty

[03] Greek and Finnish defense ministers sign agreements in Athens

[04] Turkish PM says Tsohatzopoulos comments a 'pleasant development' in bilateral relations

[05] Turkish armed forces deputy chief attends national holiday reception at Greek embassy

[06] ND meeting on constitutional revision

[07] NATO "Ariadne 2001" exercise to begin on Friday

[08] Niotis attends celebrations of New York Greeks for March 25

[09] Vatican confirms Pope's visit to Greece

[10] South Australia Labor Party urges Cypriot Australians to take Turkish government to court

[11] European Commission president to be proclaimed honorary citizen of Thessaloniki

[12] Leftist forum issues inaugural proclamation

[13] Prime minister's schedule

[14] Collection of signatures for referendum on religion and IDs extended unofficially

[15] Greek population at nearly 10.94 million in recent census

[16] PM to launch new Athens airport on Tuesday

[17] Greek banks strive to increase domestic market share

[18] Greek government promotes measures to facilitate business activity

[19] Papantoniou unveils new draft bill on penalty rates

[20] Deadlock in talks between bank workers, employers

[21] Sixty firms join founding company of northern infotech park

[22] Athens bourse, Asia Forum to hold conference

[23] Blue chip stocks lead ASE higher

[24] Blair comment on Marbles a 'kick in the teeth for Greeks', Australia's Victoria State premier says

[25] First TV series based on New York Greek community on air soon

[26] Culture minister calls for promotion of culture into bridge for peace

[27] Spokesman on UN report

[28] EU satisfied with explanations on money laundering

[29] Clerides to extend invitation to Pope John Paul II

[01] FYROM at the focus of Greek, British foreign ministers, in London meeting

LONDON, 27/03/2001 (ANAL. Tsirigotakis)

During a dinner Cook hosted for Papandreou the two men discussed conditions in FYROM, having also had a telephone conference with FYROM Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim.

The (Albanian) terrorists should have received the message that they would have no support in any corner of Europe, if they attempt to change the borders with blood, Cook said after the dinner.

He also said that Greeces role, in the crises of the past 10 years in the Balkans, was important, adding, we all recognize the experience and the knowledge of Greece in the Balkan region.

On his part, Papandreou said that during the meeting they discussed with Kerim the developments in the region so as to evaluate them and also examined the military operations underway and political initiatives that should be undertaken.

These political initiatives will aim at further isolating the actions of the terrorists and to contribute to the continual inclusion of Albanians in that country as speedily as possible and in the most effective way possible and of course with the support of the European Union, Papandreou said.

"Britain's position is totally identical to what we have discussed in the European Union and with the Greek position, which is: firstly that the borders can not change, secondly that we support the territorial integrity and the government of FYROM, and thirdly, that we are for a multi-national and multi-cultural society, not only in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, but in the Balkans in general. It is a model for the Balkans supported by our country and the international community," Papandreou said.

The two ministers also said they discussed developments regarding the Cyprus problem in depth. This issue will be discussed during a conference in North London, with the participation of both the Greek and British foreign ministers.

[02] Premier and labor minister discuss plan on poverty

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

This "National Action Plan" is expected to be tabled in Parliament by June, and will focus on providing aid for population groups facing the risk of social marginalization.

After meeting the premier, the minister said there had been marginal delays in the completion of the Britain-based Government Actuary's study of the Greek social security system to be used in forthcoming reforms in Greece. He added that the study will be completed within the first two weeks of April and social dialogue will begin after Easter.

[03] Greek and Finnish defense ministers sign agreements in Athens

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

The same issue will occupy a Balkan defense ministers' council that is to be held in Skopje on April 5.

During the meeting Tsohatzopoulos and Enestam signed a bilateral military cooperation agreement that provides for joint use of an anti-aircraft system, exchanges of training staff between the two countries' peacekeeping force centers and cooperation in the construction of armored personnel carriers.

They also discussed the policies of Greece and Finland - which are also promoted by the EU - for strategically approaching Eastern European countries, particularly Russia and the Ukraine.

Enestam reportedly thanked Greece for its role in Finland's joining WEAG, a western European armaments union.

In response to questions about reducing defense spending, Tsohatzopoulos said that a planned reduction of the number of active troops below 100,000 would help reduce costs - but that this would have to be offset against the costs of ensuring increased deterrent capability through new technology.

[04] Turkish PM says Tsohatzopoulos comments a 'pleasant development' in bilateral relations

ISTANBUL, 27/03/2001 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos last week called on Turkey to clean up its minefields along its border with Greece in the Evros River region during an interview with the Turkish daily "Hurriyet".

Tsohatzopoulos was also quoted as saying that "the Turkish threat has been reduced," the apparent statement the recently embattled Ecevit was mostly referring to.

"As you know, we have requested a dialogue with Greece for a long time ... and we've proposed joint operations and exercises.

The Turkish PM also reiterated that issues in the Aegean are inter-related, including the continental shelf, air space, demilitarization of Greece's Aegean islands, territorial waters etc. "All of these comprised something that is tied together," he said.

Conversely, Athens has strenuously and repeatedly stated in both direct talks and at various international fora that International Law and a handful of agreements cover and clarify every issue brought up by Turkey over the past three decades.

Greece believes that the only outstanding issue remaining to be settled in the Aegean involves delineation of the sea's continental shelf, while pointing to the International Court of Justice at The Hague as the proper venue to adjudicate the matter. Greece maintains a six-nautical-mile territorial waters limit and eight miles for its national airspace. Additionally, the Athens FIR is responsible for air traffic over much of the Aegean, including international airspace, another point that Ankara dislikes. In terms of the demilitarization of Greece's Aegean islands, Athens maintains that the inalienable right of self-protection and defense in the face of a security threat -- as mentioned by the UN Charter -- overrides the provision of the 1923 Lausanne Treaty. Athens has pointed out that militias on its numerous and often remote islands pose no threat for the massive and densely populated Asia Minor plateau only a few kilometers away.

In other comments, the Greek minister said Athens "has decided to alter the structure of its armed forces, and we hope that our neighbors will follow suit".

He noted that the Greek army, which currently numbers 140,000 men, would be reduced to 80-90,000.

Commenting on Tsohatzopoulos' interview, Turkish defense minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said that the Turkish side was "in favor of turning neighborliness into friendship", adding that "what is important is not so much what the minister (Tsohatzopoulos) says but whether it will materialize".

[05] Turkish armed forces deputy chief attends national holiday reception at Greek embassy

ANKARA, 27/03/2001 (ANA - A. Ampatzis)

Commenting on whether Turkey intends to decrease its military force, Buyukanit said, "because the defense ministers said so it does not mean that the number of men in barracks will decrease tomorrow."

On the question of recent statements by Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos on a unilateral decrease in Greece's military force, Buyukanit said, "every country determines its own needs in the military sector."

Buyukanit went on to say "we envisaged today 10 years ago. Now, we are planning 2020. These are long-term issues. The number of men in barracks will not decrease tomorrow because the defense ministers said so."

[06] ND meeting on constitutional revision

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

ND leader Costas Karamanlis chaired the session, while former premier and the party's honorary president, Constantine Mitsotakis, also participated in the unannounced meeting, as did former ND leader Miltiades Evert.

According to press reports, ND wants a Parliament vote on the tabled amendments it has proposed, and if rejected, with voting to subsequently begin on ruling PASOK's proposed amendments.

ND to oppose working MP 'incompatibility' amendment: Main opposition New Democracy said on Monday that it had finally decided to oppose a Constitutional amendment proposed by the government, if this was submitted in its current form, on the 'incompatibility' between being a member of Parliament and paid work in other areas. The amendment would prevent parliamentary deputies from exercising their profession while in office.

[07] NATO "Ariadne 2001" exercise to begin on Friday

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

The Mediterranean Permanent Mine Warfare Force, headed by a Greek commander, will be participating in the exercise together with Greek minesweepers, torpedo boats and logistics ships, as well as the Italian vessels Alpino, Gaeta and Rimini and the French ship Lype.

The ships participating in the exercise will visit the port of Patras on March 30. Captain Ioannis Zarparinis will be the commander of the exercise.

[08] Niotis attends celebrations of New York Greeks for March 25

NEW YORK, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Among the speakers were Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis, who is in charge of expatriate Greek affairs and is currently on a transatlantic tour, which hopes to drum up expatriate support for a volunteer program for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Other speakers included Orthodox Archbishop of the Americas Dimitrios, members of a Greek Parliament delegation, the president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) Andrew Athens, New York State governor George Pataki and New York mayor Rudolf Giuliani.

[09] Vatican confirms Pope's visit to Greece

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

The Pope, who will be the first pontiff to visit Greece since the Great Schism of 1054, will arrive in Athens on May 4 and head on to Syria the following day.

The 80-year-old Pontiff plans to travel on to Malta on May 8 and then back to Rome on May 9, the Vatican said in its daily bulletin, confirming dates hinted at by Greece last week.

The Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church have been split since the Great Schism of 1054 that divided Christianity into Eastern and Western branches and no pope has since set foot in Athens, one of the many stops on Paul's gospel-teaching travels.

Earlier this month, the Greek church broke a long tradition of antagonism with the Vatican when it gave the Pope its blessing to visit Greece.

[10] South Australia Labor Party urges Cypriot Australians to take Turkish government to court

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Labor party leader Michael Ran, whose party was most likely to win the imminent elections, said that when his government was formed, it would help in every possible way the citizens of his state who had properties in the Turkish-occupied sector of Cyprus to take recourse against the Ankara government before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

"I believe it is imperative for the federal government of Australia to back those citizens who have property in the occupied sector of Cyprus" to take recourse in the European court and demand indemnities from Ankara, Ran said.

[11] European Commission president to be proclaimed honorary citizen of Thessaloniki

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos will also be awarding Prodi the city's Gold Medal of Honor.

It will be the first time the municipal council will be proclaiming a European Commission president an honorary citizen.

[12] Leftist forum issues inaugural proclamation

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

251 members of the Initiative Committee signed the inaugural proclamation. The Initiative Committee is comprised of persons representing the Renewal Modernizing Left Movement, the Network of the Center Left and the Initiative of Citizens of the Renewal, Left and Ecology and of independent members of the left and ecological political spectrum, as well as citizens from the renewal and democratic left, the anti-nationalist mobilization and of the ecological action.

The document will be made available throughout the country for all those wishing to join the Forum.

The members of the Forum stem primarily from Greece's center and left political spectrum that desire a form of cooperation with the ruling socialist PASOK party.

[13] Prime minister's schedule

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

On Thursday, meanwhile, Simitis will chair a meeting of the Cabinet on the government's fiscal policy, while on Saturday he is due in Thessaloniki for events celebrating the 20th anniversary since Greece became a member of the European Union.

Also expected at the Thessaloniki celebrations is European Commission President Romano Prodi.

Reppas said that the prime minister had had a meeting earlier on Monday with Labor Minister Tassos Yiannitsis to discuss issues concerning the latter's ministry, and would be meeting with him again on Wednesday.

[14] Collection of signatures for referendum on religion and IDs extended unofficially

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

The collection of signatures was due to stop on March 25.

A committee of clergymen responsible for the issue will convene on Tuesday afternoon and the extension of collecting signatures is expected to be announced officially, including the days preceding Easter on April 15 when more people go to church.

[15] Greek population at nearly 10.94 million in recent census

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Figures released by national economy and finance minister Yannos Papantoniou on the results of the March 18 census showed the population of Greece at 10,939,771 against 10,259,900 in the previous census in 1991, for a 6.6 per cent increase.

Women comprised 50.4 percent and men 49.6 percent, according to the data released.

[16] PM to launch new Athens airport on Tuesday

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and other dignitaries will attend the ceremony, scheduled for 11 am.

Landings at the airport will begin at 3 pm on Wednesday with all operations due to be transferred gradually to Eleftherios Venizelos by about 6 am on Thursday.

Until then, the new airport and the existing Hellenikon facility will operate simultaneously for several hours.

Main opposition to attend new airport's inauguration: Main opposition New Democracy (ND) will participate at Tuesday's "ribbon-cutting" events for new Athens airport at Spata, dashing previous reports that a bitter and highly publicized feud between ND's leadership and the public works minister would lead to a boycott of the inauguration by the former.

ND leader Costas Karamanlis is expected to lead a high-level party delegation at the ceremony for the "Eleftherios Venizelos" International Airport, located east of the Greek capital. Former ND premier Constantine Mitsotakis will also reportedly attend.

The government, particularly the overseeing minister, Costas Laliotis, and several top main opposition cadres have engaged in often bitter verbal parrying over the past few weeks over the airwaves and through the press on various issues related to the new airport.

The government claims that the project demonstrates in practice that the major infrastructure works around the country, all partially funded by the EU, are being completed. Conversely, the main opposition has charged that years of delays, cost overruns, alleged operational oversights as well as a failure to finish a roadway network around the facility or connect it by rail downgrade the project's prospects.

Alpha Bank, Commercial Bank at new airport: Alpha Bank and Commercial Bank of Greece will each have a branch at the new Eleftherios Venizelos Airport for Athens, which opens on Wednesday.

Equipped with 24-hour cash point machines, the two branches' opening hours will be 8 am to 8 pm.

[17] Greek banks strive to increase domestic market share

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Bankers said the domestic housing credit market has great growth prospects with the ratio of total housing loans at 8.0 percent of the country's gross domestic product, compared with 29 percent in Spain, 31 percent in Portugal and 72 percent in the Netherlands.

They also said that housing loans offered banks long-term opportunities of cross selling with customers.

The domestic consumer credit market has also great growth prospects, with the ratio of total consumer loans at 3.5 percent of the country's GDP, three or more times less than the EU average.

Bankers said that implementation of a credit risk management system in the Greek banking sector could lead to lower interest rates in the market.

Savings was another field of strong competition among commercial banks. Banks were trying to keep deposits and attract new capital, despite a sharp decline in savings interest rates, by offering new savings products.

Market shares: Five large banking groups, National Bank, Alpha Bank, EFG Eurobank Ergasias, Commercial Bank and Piraeus Bank, account for up to 91 percent of the Greek banking market, according to figures by UBS Warburg.

The five groups accounted for 84.3 percent of savings, with National Bank holding a 37 percent market share, Alpha Bank with 19 percent, EFG Eurobank Ergasias with 11 percent, Commercial Bank with 10.5 percent and Piraeus Bank with 7.0 percent.

The same line is followed in the lending sector, but with smaller percentage differences.

National Bank holds a 45 percent market share in the housing credit sector, followed by EFG Eurobank Ergasias with 15 percent, Commercial Bank with 13 percent, and Alpha Bank and Piraeus Bank with 7.0 percent each.

In the consumer credit sector, EFG Eurobank Ergasias accounts for 22 percent of the market, followed by National Bank with 18 percent, Piraeus Bank with 12 percent, Commercial Bank with 10 percent and Alpha Bank with 8.0 percent.

National Bank tops the list of commercial banks with the largest market share in total assets, with 32 percent, followed by Alpha Bank with 20 percent, EFG Eurobank Ergasias with 11 percent, Commercial Bank with 10.5 percent and Piraeus Bank with 7.0 percent.

[18] Greek government promotes measures to facilitate business activity

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

The development and national economy ministries said they jointly promoted a draft bill, soon to be tabled in parliament, envisaging a substantial cut in procedure times to setting up businesses and a cut in capital accumulation tax from 1.0 percent to 0.5 percent.

[19] Papantoniou unveils new draft bill on penalty rates

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, presenting the draft bill, said it envisaged a "freezing" of borrowers' asset auctions by banks seeking to collect bad debts and that penalty rates could not exceed 50 percent of the initial capital of a loan.

Papantoniou also said that Greek commercial banks could face penalties, ranging from 500,000 to three million drachmas, if they failed to adopt the new system.

[20] Deadlock in talks between bank workers, employers

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Representatives of management reportedly declined to go into the details of the union's pay demands as they wished for more time to confer among themselves.

The bank workers union, OTOE, indicated that it may go ahead with fresh strikes in the wake of a two-day stoppage held earlier in March if matters of substance were sidelined at the talks.

The strike was held over an ongoing demand by workers for the creation of a unified social insurance fund for the sector.

[21] Sixty firms join founding company of northern infotech park

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

The sector firms are mostly based in the port city with 20 percent from other parts of northern Greece and several headquartered in Athens, the officials told a news conference.

The new company, which is to have a start-up capital of 200 million drachmas, is expected to hold a founding meeting at the end of April. The Association of Northern Greek Infotech Companies initiated the project.

[22] Athens bourse, Asia Forum to hold conference

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Taking part will be stock market officials from around 15 countries in Asia, eastern Europe, central Asia, the Black Sea region and the Mediterranean.

Among the speakers are Athens bourse president Panayotis Alexakis, Miranda Xafa, a consultant at Salomon Smith Barney, and Christos Megalou, director of Credit Swiss First Boston Europe Ltd.

[23] Blue chip stocks lead ASE higher

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Traders said sentiment was cautious and that buyers were mainly domestic institutional investors, seeking shares in the telecommunications sector (Panafon, Cosmote), encouraged by a sharp rebound of the sector in European bourse.

The general index ended 1.14 percent higher at 3,082.64 points, near its day's highs of 3,088.93 points.

Turnover was a low 151.38 million euros, or 51.58 billion drachmas, of which 25.6 million euros accounted for pre-agreed block trades.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.35 percent higher at 1,775.40 points, while the FTSE/ASE 40 index rose 0.22 percent up to 371.17 points.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 6,580.09

+1.35% Telecoms: 998.68 +1.90% Insurance: 1,442.76 +1.34% Investment: 1,181.61 -0.52% Construction: 1,445.46 -0.24% Industrials: 1,910.34 +0.86% Holding: 3,405.12 -0.76% Base metals: 985.46 +0.61% Minerals: 1,027.36 +0.14% Publishing: 986.11 +1.02% Textiles: 1,104.19 -4.37% Retailing: 1,105.23 -0.10% IT: 1,092.82 +0.90 IT solutions: 1,072.23 +0.85% Wholesale commerce: 969.06 -1.49% Food and Beverages: 914.81 +1.25%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 332.68 points, up 0.08 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 185 to 143 with another 31 issues unchanged.

Evrofarma, Daring, Barba Stathis, Multirama, Rocas, Alysida, Athens Medical, Agriculture Insurance and Kego were the day's top percentage gainers, while Alco (-38.64%), Mesohorities (-22.35%), Elmec Sport, Tasoglou, ATEMKE, Keranis, Korfil, Ekter and Sigalas suffered the heaviest losses.

Commercial Bank, Unisystems, National Bank, Hellenic Telecoms and Naoussa Spinning were the most heavily traded stocks.

Leading shares' closing prices (in euros): National Bank: 39.10 Alpha Bank: 29.92 Commercial Bank: 51.00 Eurobank: 18.60 Piraeus Bank: 12.96 Lambrakis Press: 12.84 Altec: 7.54 Intrasoft: 11.94 Titan Cement (c): 38.48 Hellenic Telecoms: 15.02 Panafon: 6.40 Hellenic Petroleum: 9.24 Attica Enterprises: 7.60 Intracom: 20.82 Mytilineos: 8.48 Minoan Lines: 4.98 Viohalco: 9.86 Coca Cola HBC: 16.46

Bond prices mixed in light trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished mixed in light trade with buying seen mainly in long-term paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.23 percent from 5.22 percent a day earlier.

The yield spread over German bunds was 59 basis points from 60 basis points in the session before.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 539.5 million euros (183.8 billion drachmas) from around 1.0 billion euros (350 billion drachmas) in the trading day before.

Sell orders accounted for around half of turnover.

Equity futures end up, tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished higher on Monday, in line with the bourse indices on which they are based, traders said.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 1.35 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.22 percent higher.

Turnover was 26.2 million euros on 3,874 contracts traded, the dealers said.

[24] Blair comment on Marbles a 'kick in the teeth for Greeks', Australia's Victoria State premier says

MELBOURNE, 27/03/2001 (ANA - S. Hatzimanolis)

Blair, who had voiced support for the friezes' return before being elected as prime minister in 1997, said in an interview with the Sunday edition of the Athens daily 'To Vima' that "the artifacts belong to the British Museum ... which does not intend to return any part of the collection to its country of origin".

In statements quoted in the Melbourne daily 'Herald Sun', which also carried excerpts of Blair's interview with the Greek daily, Bracks said he had expected Britain to make a gesture of good will and return the Parthenon Marbles to Athens, which will host the 2004 Olympic Games.

Expressing his disappointment with the British premier's stance, Bracks added, "I will write to Mr. Blair and ask him to revise that position".

The 5th century B.C. marble friezes were removed from the Parthenon by the British diplomat Lord Elgin with the permission of the local Ottoman occupation authorities in the early 19th century. Elgin removed the priceless statues and other parts of the Parthenon temple and sold them to the British Museum in 1816, where they have been housed since.

[25] First TV series based on New York Greek community on air soon

NEW YORK, 27/03/2001 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

The creators behind the series, which will follow the lives of a group of Greek-Americans frequenting an Astoria bar, are Heliotrope Productions, while most of the actors are ethnic Greek, as is the director and scriptwriter Yiannis Mavroyiannopoulos.

The director said the idea for the series was born a long time ago, and that it will act as a vehicle for depicting the real concerns and problems of Greek-Americans living in the US.

Mavroyiannopoulos studied film at New York University and has received numerous awards during his career, while he has filmed a number of notable short documentaries. Among these "Alexander the Great: Myth or Reality," "Plato in America" and others.

[26] Culture minister calls for promotion of culture into bridge for peace

Athens, 27/03/2001 (ANA)

Venizelos said, "we insist on promoting culture as a bridge of peace and not a mould for wars and conflicts" and proposed reconciliation, cooperation and a joint conception of peace with the encouragement of the multicultural conscience.

He also said that one of the main activities of the Cultural Olympiad and the culture ministry will be investing in digital and audiovisual applications.

[27] Spokesman on UN report

NICOSIA, 27/03/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said de Soto's statement that the original text of a UN human rights report for Cyprus will be revised reaffirms what the UN had told the government, that the text was wrong and will be replaced.

"Mr. De Soto's statement is positive and confirms assurances the UN has given to the government that they consider incorrect the original text of the report which they will reissue," Papapetrou said, invited to comment on the statement.

Replying to questions, he said the government does not have any further news about the exact timing of the publication of the new report.

"De Soto's statement is a confirmation that the report is expected to be reissued," Papapetrou said.

The top UN envoy for Cyprus had told CNA that "some inappropriate terminology inadvertently crept into a recent report of the Secretary-General and this terminology is being adjusted and the report is being reissued accordingly."

He said it would be wrong to interpret the report as an attempt by the Secretary-General to address what he called 'the status issue' as far as a solution of the Cyprus question is concerned.

This issue, he added, should be addressed through negotiations, not prior to negotiations and not by any other means and stressed that a comprehensive solution can only be achieved through the good offices mission of the UN Secretary-General.

The Cyprus government had protested strongly references to "Greek Cypriot authorities" in the report and said it did not comply with the terms of a UN resolution with respect to the issue of human rights in Cyprus.

[28] EU satisfied with explanations on money laundering

NICOSIA, 27/03/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Vassiliou called on President Glafcos Clerides on Monday to brief him on the contacts he had in Brussels last week and his visit there again from Tuesday to take part in the 11th meeting of the chief negotiators taking place on Thursday.

Thursday's meeting will deal with the chapter on free movement of capital and competition policy.

Vassiliou told reporters after his meeting with the president that Cyprus is expected to close the chapter on free movement of capital by Thursday.

"This means that the EU is satisfied with the explanations we have given with regard to the way we control money laundering," he added.

The former Cyprus president, leading the accession talks since they opened in 1998, said between four to six of the 29 chapters of the European aquis communautaire are expected to close under the present Swedish EU rotating presidency.

"We have covered four fifths of the way to complete the accession negotiations," he said.

Vassiliou announced that in the coming days he will also visit Athens to speak at an "Economist" conference as well as Ireland for meetings on the Cyprus Republic's accession course.

[29] Clerides to extend invitation to Pope John Paul II

NICOSIA, 27/03/2001 (CNA/ANA)

The Reverend Umberto Barato, of the Chancery of the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Cyprus, has told CNA that any such visit would probably be brief and restricted to the Paphos area, on the western coast where Apostle Paul is said to have received 39 lashes for his missionary work.

Father Umberto had a meeting last week at the foreign ministry with respect to the visit and the invitation is to be conveyed directly to the Vatican in the next couple of days.

The visit has sparked fierce criticism from some senior clergy who object.

Papapetrou recalled a visit to the Vatican by the Republic's First President the late Archbishop Makarios III, to demonstrate that opposition to a visit here by the Pontiff is a non-issue.

Father Umberto has said the Vatican is well aware of the political situation on the island and said that the Pope does not have the time to travel around the place.

"There is no other solution, not only because it is difficult (be-cause of the political situation) but also because the Pontiff has a very tiring journey ahead of him," he said.

Paphos, where the Pope is expected to be during his brief visit, is the place where according to history Saint Paul received 39 lashes for his missionary work.

The Pontiff will be visiting Greece, Syria and Malta, to fulfill the dream of following the footsteps of Apostle Paul.

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