Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-04-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM welcomes Turkish cut in arms spending

[02] President, defense minister visit Greek troops in Kosovo

[03] Greece sees no spread of FYROM crisis

[04] Local authorities, residents take listed oil firm to court

[05] Franchising, Contemporary Store 2001 exhibition in Thessaloniki next month

[06] Easter messages from Patriarch, other Greek Orthodox clerics

[07] Gov't represented in Jerusalem for Greek Orthodox Easter

[08] Orthodox faithful flock to Istanbul for Easter celebration

[09] British Museums revokes commitment to publicize records on Parthenon Marbles

[10] Greek popular music groups to appear at New York's Town Hall Theatre

[11] Turkish FM holds talks with Denktash in Turkish-occupied territories

[01] PM welcomes Turkish cut in arms spending

Athens, 17/04/2001 (ANA)

"This is a very large sum, roughly quadruple the amount that Greece spent in the years in question. I will not go into the matter of whether the move was made because Greece had earlier taken a similar initiative," Simitis told reporters on the Ionian island of Corfu.

In the throes of a financial crisis, Ankara has announced that it will postpone spending of 19.5 billion US dollars earmarked for defense procurements. Athens is to postpone by at least four years a purchase of 60 Eurofighter jets worth 4.8 billion US dollars in order to help fund social projects.

"The financial element takes precedence, as it has also taken precedence in Turkey, when the global environment is such that it makes all parties stop and think about stability and growth. Greece did exactly that in recent years, creating an environment of stability and development," he said.

Greece's efforts to join the European Union's euro zone and its successful entry on January 1, 2001 had set an example to countries in the Balkan region.

"It is no coincidence that Turkey, exactly at the end of the period of our endeavor, sought to become a candidate for entry into the European Union, the prime minister said.

"It is indisputable that this development is also due to our own endeavor in the economic sector, and not only in the economic sector, he added.

The prime minister also noted that despite a war in Kosovo and current instability in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia due to nationalist conflicts, a climate of cooperation had emerged, rather than one of fear.

Greece had been the main player in a drive towards cooperation, stability and peace in the Balkans with the European Union and the US also seeking the same objective, Simitis said.

"We helped along Turkey's candidacy for the European Union, thus promoting a climate of cooperation in the region. This decision was the result of a broader dynamic, of which we are at the epicenter, as pioneers," he added.

The prime minister, who spent Easter on Corfu, visited a naval base on the island, accompanied by the Deputy Press Minister Telemachos Hytiris and Deputy Finance Minister George Drys.

[02] President, defense minister visit Greek troops in Kosovo

UROSEVAC, 17/04/2001 (ANA / M. Lampathakis)

The two officials arrived at the Rigas Phereos military camp in Urosevac on a snowy Easter Sunday, traveling by road from Skopje in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as Pristina airport was closed due to adverse weather.

They were treated to an official Easter luncheon hosted at the camp and cracked eggs with soldiers, enjoying a traditional celebration.

Stephanopoulos told the troops that the inhabitants of Kosovo appreciated the sense of solidarity emanating from Greece, and from the peacekeepers themselves.

Showing a neighborly concern for the region, Greece was working to avert a chain reaction of strife by advocating the principles of international law, which should be respected by both sides, he added.

Tsohatzopoulos told reporters at the camp that NATO had found cooperation with Greek peacekeepers in the Balkans to be constructive.

[03] Greece sees no spread of FYROM crisis

BELGRADE, 17/04/2001 (ANA/M. Mouratidis)

Papandreou told Yugoslavia�s SENSE news agency in an interview that the crisis could be resolved through joint efforts involving the US, European Union and countries of southeastern Europe.

Furthermore, Greece's aim was to seek permanent stability in the region, Papandreou noted.

"Greece itself will have a lot to gain. We have nothing to gain if we remain geographically cut off, with strife, instability and a neighboring region that shows no growth on our backs," he said.

"We want to see growth in the region and see Greece linked by road to Europe, so that it can sell its products in this market, a market that should respect European standards," Papandreou added.

At the same time, Greece was in a position to help other Balkan countries in the region to undertake reform and switch to EU-oriented legislation.

Finally, the Albanian question in the region should be resolved through the principle of the sovereignty of law and through laws of state.

In the future, the issue of borders among states would acquire less importance when the rights of minorities were strictly upheld, a key message from the world community that had demonstrated in the FYROM crisis its ability to show a unified response and back political solutions.

[04] Local authorities, residents take listed oil firm to court

Athens, 17/04/2001 (ANA)

The class action lodged with the country's highest administrative court states that award of the permit for the expansion and modernization of Petrola's plant near Elefsina runs contrary to the constitution, and is illegal.

The company began trading on the main market of the Athens Stock Exchange in the middle of March at 6.16 euros (2,099.02 drachmas) a share after a successful initial public offer (IPO) and a private placement.

Investors who bought into the IPO were informed in Petrola's prospectus that the proceeds of the share sale would be used to help fund the investment plan under dispute, which is budgeted at 260 billion drachmas.

Before the IPO, residents of the Thriasio plain, in which Elefsina is located, had sought intervention by the capital markets commission to halt the firm's bourse entry, but the complaint was rejected.

The residents' action group said that Petrola had failed to mention in its promotion material that the land on which it intended to expand was the subject of judicial proceedings, thus violating stock market legislation.

It said the investment Petrola was planning might not materialize for legal reasons, changing its financial profile for shareholders.

The permit allowing construction to begin was granted on the basis of a joint ministerial decision on January 25, 2001.

The class action says that the much of the land on which the company's new installations are to built, and also containing current facilities, is a disputed stretch of farmland and woodland on which another court has yet to rule.

The petition also claims that approval on environmental grounds has not been obtained for the project.

[05] Franchising, Contemporary Store 2001 exhibition in Thessaloniki next month

Athens, 17/04/2001 (ANA)

The exhibition, to take place at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) installations, is addressed to enterprises active on the Greek and Balkan markets.

The aim of the organizers is to "create the appropriate climate for the development of this new business tool" which "ensures stability and good performance", an organizers' announcement said.

[06] Easter messages from Patriarch, other Greek Orthodox clerics

Athens, 17/04/2001 (ANA)

"Christ, resurrected from the dead, defeating death and the underworld ... and the church sheds its mournful cladding," Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos said in a message.

The Patriarch emphasized that through Christ's grace, man is able to be saved, while he wished the Orthodox faithful the world over "Christos Anesti", the Greek salutation meaning "Christ has Risen."

On his part, the head of the Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, referred to the meaning and substance of Holy Easter, namely, the resurrection of Christ, saying that "this may seem to the unbeliever or even agnostic simply as an illusion, because they hear only words, view certain unintelligible rites, interpreting them only superficially.

"For the believer, however, all of these are the true experience of a living Christ," Christodoulos said.

Archbishop of Cyprus Chryssostomos in his Easter message also talked of the everlasting love of God for man and called on all Greeks to celebrate this day of days for Orthodoxy.

"This joyous day of our Lord's resurrection unfortunately finds our people continuing the uphill course towards Calvary ... fear not the dark. Freedom is like the bright star of the dawn, coming after the dark night," the Cypriot Archbishop said in a direct reference to the ongoing Turkish occupation of one-third of the island republic's territory.

Finally, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania Anastasios stressed that "the resurrection of Christ opened the prospect and the ability for a different kind of globalization. Since the first years of its existence, the Church spoke of the importance of Christ's resurrection... of the rapprochement of people and the brotherhood of all peoples of the world".

[07] Gov't represented in Jerusalem for Greek Orthodox Easter

JERUSALEM, 17/04/2001 (ANA/Maria Papoutsaki)

Voulgaris, who flew to Jerusalem on Friday, is heading an official delegation including cabinet secretary Socrates Kosmidis.

A new Greek Orthodox patriarch for Jerusalem is due for election by the end of April after the death of Diodoros at the end of last year.

[08] Orthodox faithful flock to Istanbul for Easter celebration

ISTANBUL, 17/04/2001 (ANA/A. Kourkoulas)

After a candlelit procession on Saturday night, the record number of visitors for Orthodox Easter on the shores of the Golden Horn at midnight heard Vartholomeos declare that Christ is Risen, the climax of the celebration.

Among officials from Greece and abroad attending the celebration of Christ's resurrection was the Greek ambassador to Turkey, Ioannis Korantis.

[09] British Museums revokes commitment to publicize records on Parthenon Marbles

LONDON, 17/04/2001 (ANA - L. Tsirigotakis)

The British Museum claims that Greek scientists and experts who attended the conference had submitted their reports after the deadline for submitting them had expired.

It also refused to publicize the report by British historian William Saint Clair, who had revealed damage caused to the Parthenon Marbles, and criticized him that the report he submitted is extremely lengthy and contains changes not included in the report he had presented at the conference.

The British Museum further called on Saint Clair to remove from his report chapters concerning the accusation of the Museum concealing for 60 years the fact that the Parthenon Marbles had been damaged during their cleaning with metal brushes.

The British historian refused in writing to comply with the request and the British Museum consequently decided not to publicize delegates' relevant reports, despite having committed itself to doing so.

The newspaper's report says the Museum's decision has drawn strong reaction by Greek scientists and academics, as well as by UNESCO, which supports the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece and has shown interest in studying the delegates' reports. The report in the "Guardian" was titled "New dispute on Elgin Marbles."

A spokesman for the Greek embassy in London told the newspaper that the delegates' reports should be publicized without changes.

The report in the "Guardian" said a British Museum representative let it be understood that the issue might be reconsidered and the reports by the Greek scientists might be publicized at some time in the future.

[10] Greek popular music groups to appear at New York's Town Hall Theatre

NEW YORK, 17/04/2001 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

The first night, on April 27, will be devoted to music and dances from Macedonia and Thrace and the second to the Black Sea, Istanbul and Asia Minor, while on April 29 the 'Greek Blues', that is the rembetika songs, will be presented.

The Greek Culture and the Stavros Niarchos foundations will sponsor the events.

[11] Turkish FM holds talks with Denktash in Turkish-occupied territories

NICOSIA, 17/04/2001 (ANA)

He will be continuing his contacts with Turkish Cypriot leaders on Tuesday.

Conceding the existence of economic difficulties in Turkey, Cem expressed his conviction that problems will be overcome together with the Turkish Cypriots.

Cem's visit to Turkish-occupied areas in Cyprus is the first since Denktash quit Cyprus peace talks, demanding a change in the basis of conducting them. This claim is officially endorsed by Ankara.

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