Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-04-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Skandalidis voices concern and optimism for PASOK in newspaper interview

[02] Athens sternly condemns deadly attack against FYROM forces

[03] Greek embassy official responds to criticism over Athens' anti-terrorism efforts

[04] Greece's defense spending cutbacks will not affect Cyprus' defense, Nicosia assured

[05] Yilmaz praises Greece's 'constructive' role in advancing Turkish-EU relations

[06] Pangalos blasts Turkey on failure to implement Helsinki EU summit decisions

[07] Venizelos meets Patriarch Vartholomeos in Fanar

[08] Papantoniou due in US at invitation of US counterpart and

[09] Germany's PDS party leader offers support for Cyprus' EU accession

[10] Samaras calls for center-right cooperation

[11] Draft decree on Financial Inspectorate submitted to CoS

[12] Latsis group expected to place order for new natural gas tanker

[13] Demonstrators protest plans for Olympic rowing center at Schinias-Marathon

[14] Celebrated surgeon Christian Barnard in Thessaloniki

[15] Thassos municipality seeks WWF support in protest over radars

[16] Monks and nuns to stage protest rally against Pope's visit

[17] Turkey will always find before her the Cyprus question, gov't says

[18] Cyprus can become EU member without preconditions, Swedish presidency says

[19] Freed Greek Cypriot to file application against Turkey

[01] Skandalidis voices concern and optimism for PASOK in newspaper interview

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

In an interview with the Sunday edition of the Athens daily "Ethnos", Skandalidis voiced concern over the handling of the issue of reforming the country's social security and pension system, but also optimism over the ruling party's future.

Skandalidis said his optimism emanated from the dialogue procedures that has developed recently within the ruling party and, "as strange as it may seem", also from the large participation of PASOK cadres, members and friends in last week's strike and labor rally protesting the proposed reforms.

The party secretary in essence sounded a warning bell for PASOK, and called on Simitis "to make those moves that will lead to PASOK regaining the initiative".

"The prime minister has the ability and the opportunity to take initiatives," Skandalidis said, adding that "erroneous handling" in the social security reforms issue had created "unbelievable confusion" because the government had resorted to "the economic argumentation of the proposal instead of showing our political arsenal", consequently failing to present "any connection with the target of a prosperous society", and so the people felt that what the government was telling them was "work more and get less".

"We appear to be gradually losing the channels of political communication both among ourselves and, more importantly, with society," he warned.

Turning to the internal relation in PASOK, Skandalidis said it was imperative that "we listen to each other", and criticized those who continued to aim at personal political gains and to alienate the party from its history.

Skandalidis, in a speech opening the second day of a PASOK conference on local government and decentralization on Saturday, claimed the party had been going through a difficult time since last Autumn and said that "responsibility lies with the leadership for reversing the climate and the backward course."

The party's problems he said as he closed his speech had peaked with the debacle over social insurance reform, where PASOK had found itself up against the whole of society and showed weakness in highlighting the problems and alternative strategies and a lack of political choices.

Regarding party policy on local government, Skandalidis called for a renewal based on the experience of the previous municipal elections.

"Local communities in many cases looked beyond party tickets and sought to replace with their choices the dirth of political proposals," he said.

In previous elections, he noted, the party had focused almost exclusively on making nominations, many of which had proved problematical in many municipalities. He said that nominations should not be determined by strictly political criteria but in collaboration with local communities.

He also said that political proposals should take precedence over people, while the party ought to be able to cooperate with other forces with local developmental proposals.

Labor minister Giannitsis: Social security reforms withdrawn on my recommendation: Labor and Social Insurances Minister Tassos Giannitsis emphasized on Sunday evening that the government's controversial proposals for all-important social security reform were withdrawn on his recommendation.

During a television interview, he also maintained that "the issue of my resignation was never brought up. The answer to the problem could not have come in the middle of such a climate that had been created," Yiannitsis said in reference to the massive opposition by trade unions and criticism in much of the press to the proposals.

"I made a recommendation to the prime minister and received his approval," he said during a program on the "Mega" TV channel, while painting opposition by Greece's largest trade umbrella grouping, GSEE, as mostly negative.

"I wasn't surprised that reactions took place. In all the countries where social security reform began there were reactions, because people didn't understand ... I mean, it's not easy to understand the significance of solving a problem today that will become acute in five to 10 years," he said.

He also reiterated that the government is open to an across-the-board dialogue on social security reform.

Tsohatzopoulos says gov't approach on social insurance was wrong: The government approached the social insurance issue in the wrong way, Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos was quoted as saying on Saturday during an interview with the Greek daily "Ta Nea".

According to Tsohatzopoulos, the issue of social insurance could not be equated with efforts to restore economic health and its solution required dialogue and widespread acceptance by society.

"It is a much wider issue and the basic element of a welfare state," he continued. "A welfare state that determines the character and ideology of PASOK, which we have developed over the past 25 years."

It was to the government's credit, however, he said, that it had shown the "necessary sensitivity" and that it that it was not putting the issue on the shelf.

"We cannot hide that we have a problem. The fact that discussion had to begin was also an important political responsibility and it is positive that the government is not postponing this."

The defense minister also proposed setting up a social insurance bank that would manage all the assets of the state insurance funds and act completely independently from the government.

In response to questions on whether the needs of social policy clashed with those of defense spending, the defense minister denied that PASOK had relegated defense to the back burner.

"We have always placed security and the country's defense alongside with social solidarity, cohesion and society's prosperity...PASOK's policy have always been 'both butter and cannons'" he said.

Asked about Athens' pursuit of a policy of rapprochement with Turkey at a time when Turkish authorities were being accused of violating civil rights and were showing intransigence on the Cyprus issue, Tsohatzopoulos noted that Greece had raised the issue of human rights abuses in Turkish prisons through the European Union.

Greek-Turkish rapprochement, he continued, ensured "conditions that will reduce tension" and finally allow the implementation of the Papoulias-Yilmaz agreement on confidence-building measures (CBMs), which had yet to be fully implemented since its signature 12 years ago in 1988.

Papandreou says government has become 'cut off from society': In a speech strongly critical of the government and ruling PASOK, Interior Minister Vasso Papandreou closed a nationwide PASOK conference on local government this Saturday by calling for an end to the party's self-preoccupation and the heedless pursuit by party members of personal ambitions.

She accused both the government and the party of "devoting itself to issues that do not concern society, from which it has become cut off."

She also warned that "if PASOK finds itself excluded from power, no ambition will be served."

The one and a half years until the next local elections were a crucial time, she stressed.

"We need dialogue and consensus to rally our forces," she continued. "In the area of decentralization, particularly, there is a vision and plan for pulling us out of our complacency and pettiness - because the people have given us a mandate to carry out our pre-election pledges."

Minister of State Miltiades Papaioannou had addressed the conference earlier in the day, with a call for open dialogue and cooperation with other political forces - particularly the Coalition of the Left.

A number of PASOK cadres attending the conference were critical of the way the issue of social insurance reform had been handled in statements to reporters.

Former minister Costas Geitonas admitted that "mistakes were made in the handling of the social insurance issue" for which the government was responsible, while former trade unionist Lambros Kanellopoulos said that mistakes in the social insurance issue "triggered the current situation" and that there were "collective responsibilities."

Tsovolas attacks gov't over social insurance proposals: Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas launched a stinging attack against the government on Saturday, saying it had gone back on its pre-election promises and that PASOK had become a neoliberal faction.

Talking in Patras, Tsovolas said that social insurance was a political and not a financial problem, and primarily a social asset.

Defending the decisions of the governments under the late Andreas Papandreou, when he had been finance minister, he said that the proposals of that time had established the three-way contributions of the insurance system to solve the problems. The present government, he added, should be trying to foster growth and lower unemployment, not increase the age of retirement and lower pensions.

He called on the leaders of the trade unions to not betray the trade union movement and called on the public to be alert and prevent the measures announced by the government from being passed.

He also called on the disaffected PASOK stalwarts to enter DHKKI and fight for a better future, while confirming that his party would be cooperating with the Communist Party of Greece in next year's municipal elections.

[02] Athens sternly condemns deadly attack against FYROM forces

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

"We most wholeheartedly condemn the terrorist action by Albanian extremists against the security forces of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," a Greek foreign ministry spokesman said.

"... this act creates conditions of tension and destabilization, and could lead to a new cycle of violence and conflict in the neighboring country. We believe all the political forces of FYROM will condemn and isolate such terrorist elements, and will contribute - through a peaceful and democratic dialogue - towards the resolution of these problems and to the country's political stability," foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis said.

FYROM's media has blamed at the ethnic Albanian guerrilla force "National Liberation Army" for the attack. Four army soldiers and four policemen were killed and several others wounded after gunmen opened up with mortars, grenade launchers and machine gun fire near the village of Vejce, in northwestern FYROM, officials said.

"The attackers were part of a terrorist sabotage group which crossed into the country from Kosovo in the area of the Shar Mountain. The security forces are taking measures to locate and neutralize the group," a FYROM interior ministry statement read.

[03] Greek embassy official responds to criticism over Athens' anti-terrorism efforts

WASHINGTON, 30/04/2001 (ANA - T. Ellis)

In a recent article in the "Washington Times", Greece is criticized by a columnist for what he called "reluctance and inability to combat terrorism", while calling on the Bush administration to examine the possibility of requesting the transfer of the 2004 Games from Athens to another city.

In response, the head of the Greek embassy's press office in Washington Achilleas Paparsenos noted that no one in Greece is satisfied with the fact that a small group of assassins has so far eluded justice, adding however, that this doesn't stem from a lack of political volition, as claimed by the "Washington Times" columnist.

Paparsenos notes that Athens has stepped up its anti-terrorism cooperation with several countries, including the US and Britain, and proceeded with various initiatives (rewards, confidential informant lines, a media campaign and legal changes etc.) that demonstrate its determination to stamp out terrorism, "which has struck many countries around the world, including the United States."

Finally, the country's very low crime rate, its carefree hosting of millions of tourists every year and preparations to prevent any problems from arising during the 2004 Games is also touched on.

[04] Greece's defense spending cutbacks will not affect Cyprus' defense, Nicosia assured

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

The assurance was conveyed to the Cyprus government by Greece's national defense general staff Lt.-Gen. Manoussos Paragioudakis during a visit to Cyprus last week.

In an exclusive interview with the Cyprus radio foundation RIK, Paragioudakis said the postponement of armaments programs affected programs, which were not of primary importance, adding that Greece's primary armaments programs would proceed according to schedule.

[05] Yilmaz praises Greece's 'constructive' role in advancing Turkish-EU relations

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

Speaking to reporters after meeting with visiting Greek culture minister in Istanbul, Yilmaz also said that the promotion of relations in the fields of culture and sports assisted the consolidation of good relations between Greece and Turkey, to the benefit of both sides.

Venizelos reiterated that the Greek government wished to see Turkey with a strong economy and society, adding that Greece was at Turkey's side in its efforts to tackle its current crisis.

The two men further discussed bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, sports and the two countries' joint organization of the European football championship, as well as promoting Istanbul's candidacy to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

Venizelos, who was in Istanbul for the Third Greek-Turkish Business Cooperation Conference, returned to Athens Sunday afternoon.

[06] Pangalos blasts Turkey on failure to implement Helsinki EU summit decisions

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

Speaking at an event organized by the Armenian National Committee of Greece to mark the 86th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, Pangalos said that Greece "did something that no other European country has done: It advanced, without getting anything in return, the upgrading of EU relations with a country with which it has differences from the past".

Citing the examples of the disputes between Argentina and Britain, and Slovenia and Italy, which resulted favorably for Britain and Italy when Argentina and Slovenia moved to upgrade their relations with the EU, Pangalos said that Greece was the only country that did not gain anything from the declaration of Turkey as a candidate country.

"I supported the move at the time, but on the condition that an EU-wide campaign would begin for Turkey's implementation of the Helsinki decisions," the former foreign minister said.

"But two years have passed since Helsinki, and in that time a defamation campaign has been intensified world-wide against the Armenian people.

On the Cyprus issue, (Turkish foreign minister Ismail) Mr. Cem, in Nicosia, and after a very pleasant meeting with the Greek foreign minister (George Papandreou), warned that if Cyprus dared to join the EU, Turkey's reaction would be without bounds, thus also insulting the EU. And in the Aegean, we now have the completed White Book of Turkey's demands," Pangalos said.

Turning to the Armenian genocide, Pangalos cited documents proving it had taken place, and said the present Turkish leadership was a "continuation" of the Kemal regime, since "Ecevit and Cem share the same ideas and aspirations" with the Kemal regime that carried out the genocide.

Pangalos predicted that Turkey would go through "hard times" in order to proceed on the path of democratization and progress. "We, here, are all in solidarity with the Turkish people and all those dying in the white cells," Pangalos added.

Addressing the same event, parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis said that "we do not demand revenge, but an apology from present-day Turkey, that it clear up its accounts with history in the name of human dignity. The concession should concern not only the Armenian genocide, but also the presence of Attila (the Turkish occupation forces) in Cyprus".

[07] Venizelos meets Patriarch Vartholomeos in Fanar

ISTANBUL, 30/04/2001 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

Venizelos, who is currently in Istanbul to attend the 3rd Conference of the Greek-Turkish Business Cooperation Council, said he was very glad to finally be able to visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate, after having been involved in ecclesiastical affairs for a long time and in various positions.

On his part, Vartholomeos commented on the fact that improving Greek-Turkish relations were also helping smooth relations between Turkish authorities and Fanar, so that it now required less effort for the Ecumenical Patriarchate to achieve its goals.

[08] Papantoniou due in US at invitation of US counterpart and

National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou is due to arrive in the US on Saturday afternoon at the invitation of his U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Papantoniou will be meeting O'Neill in Washington, as well as senators Olympia Snow and Paul Sarbanes, and will attend a working luncheon in his honor on Capitol hill, during which he will talk about developments in and prospects for the economy in Greece, the Balkans and Europe.

At MIT in Boston, the Greek minister will deliver a lecture on "Globalization and the future of democracy: lessons from Greece."

On Sunday, Papantoniou will attend an event at the Cretan House in Astoria, while on Monday he is scheduled to have a series of meetings with international institutional investors, the management of the Wall Street stock exchange and the Greek-American Business Council, as well as attending an event at the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce.

[09] Germany's PDS party leader offers support for Cyprus' EU accession

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

On Monday, Zimmer is scheduled to be received by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

The PDS is the successor of the former East Germany's ruling Communist Party.

During a Saturday meeting, both Constantopoulos and Zimmer agreed that predominant political trends were weakening the European social model, while citing particularly worrying attacks against the continent's social insurance systems and labor relations. They also urged joint action from the European left.

Both political leaders also discussed developments in the Balkans and the surrounding regions.

During a joint press conference on Sunday, Zimmer said she was impressed by last week's trade union mobilizations in Greece against the government's measures - later rescinded -- to reform the country's ailing social security system.

Synaspismos and PDS also agreed to cooperate at revising the Treaty of Nice, set for 2004.

In a joint communique, both Constantopoulos and Zimmer condemned any changes to borders in the Balkans or delays to Cyprus' EU accession.

On her part, Zimmer said her party would pressure Berlin to play a more active role in the Cyprus issue and for the island republic's accession course - regardless of a solution to Cyprus' political problem.

[10] Samaras calls for center-right cooperation

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

Speaking in Xanthi during a tour of the northern town for contacts with local party members, Samaras said that whoever believed that the next general elections entailed an "easy defeat" for Simitis was deluding himself.

Samaras said his party had proposed the only solution to con-fronting an anticipated left-left cooperation headed by Simitis, which was a "unified ballot" of the right-right, "a front of cooperation forces".

[11] Draft decree on Financial Inspectorate submitted to CoS

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

The Financial Inspectorate will be an independent body to monitor and investigate the workings of the finance ministry and other bodies managing public funds in order to prevent mismanagement and corruption.

[12] Latsis group expected to place order for new natural gas tanker

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

Sources said the order would be worth US $62 million and would help consolidate the group's presence in the natural gas and crude oil transport markets.

The group has already had two similar ships delivered in 2001.

[13] Demonstrators protest plans for Olympic rowing center at Schinias-Marathon

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

Objections to use of the site as the venue for Olympic rowing and canoeing events have been put forward by the Academy of Athens, the Archaeological Society -- on the grounds that the site is historically significant because of its link with the ancient battlefield of Marathon, where the Athenians drove back a Persian invasion in the 5th century B.C. -- and by environmental groups, including WWF-Hellas, which claim it will cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem of the Schinias wetland, on the outer rim of the Marathon district, and one of the last remaining such habitats in Attica.

Members of the Initiative for the Protection of Schinias and Marathon, including representatives of environmental groups, citizens' organizations, the Archaeological Society, WWF Hellas, and political parties took part in the protest march to renew their opposition to construction of the rowing and canoeing venue in the area.

The Initiative calls for no Olympics venue to be built in the area and for Schinias to be entered again in the "Natura 2000" protection program.

Speakers at the demonstration said the area was undergoing a new attack and was in danger of total destruction of both the historic site of Marathon as well as of the Attica region's last remaining wetland, Schinias, and claimed that the Olympic installations were a pretext for the expansion of building in the entire prefecture

In a reply to the Archaeological Society in February, culture minister Evangelos Venizelos argued that the site chosen does not overlap any listed archaeological site, nor any area within the A or B protection zones, nor any site listed and protected as a historic landscape.

Venizelos further argued that up until a few weeks earlier, the site had been occupied by the Flying Club's airfield, built in 1953, and the rowing center would be constructed precisely on the spot occupied by the runway.

He said the airfield was built there soon after World War II and operated until recently with light aircraft belonging to the Flying Club and private owners - at some cost to the environment. During the '50s, the area was also home to a US military base, while smaller Greek military facilities had also altered the landscape and caused serious problems to the survival of many rare species, the minister said.

Galatsi residents oppose Olympic ping-pong installations, take recourse to Council of State: Residents of the Galatsi residential suburb of Athens have taken recourse to the Council of State against plans to build an indoor gymnasium to host the ping-pong events during the 2004 Olympic Games in the Greek capital, it was announced Sunday.

A representative of the protesting residents, including a municipal councilor, tabled a joint recourse with the Council of State calling for the annulment of the State's approval of the environmental terms for the construction of the indoor facility inside the forest at Omorfoklissia in the Galatsi region.

The protestors claim that the joint decision by the minister of culture and the minister of the environment, town planning and public works that allows the construction of the facility was "unconstitutional", as it contravened Article 24 on the protection of cultural heritage and the environment, and "illegal", since there was a 10th century Byzantine Museum in the said area.

[14] Celebrated surgeon Christian Barnard in Thessaloniki

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

According to Barnard, the method involved a special massage using gas pumped under high pressure, which combats stress, rheumatism and arthritis, cures cellulite and allows the body to shed excess fat.

According to Barnard, massage is one of the best ways of preventing heart disease, since it relaxes the muscles and stimulates the body.

He also listed gentle music, olive oil and wine in small quantities as additional weapons to keep one's heart fit.

[15] Thassos municipality seeks WWF support in protest over radars

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

In a document sent to WWF Greece, the municipality explains that a study on environmental repercussions of the radar collated by the Civil Aviation Service (YPA) indicated that the State had been negligent with respect to measures for protection of the local ecosystem.

In a separate petition tabled with the environment, town planning and public works ministry's environmental management department, the municipality called for all the necessary measures to be taken to avert permanent and irreversible damage to the island's landscape and the balance of its ecosystems.

[16] Monks and nuns to stage protest rally against Pope's visit

Athens, 30/04/2001(ANA)

The announcement was made in Litohoro Pieria on Saturday, by monks and nuns who had gathered from all around the country for an all-night vigil at a Mount Olympus monastery, to pray that the Pope's visit would not take place.

The vigil was also attended by members of the clergy and faithful, who wished to express their opposition to the Pope's visit - the first by a Catholic Pope in 1,291 years.

The Pope's unprecedented two-day pilgrimage, which traces the steps of the Apostle Paul, has caused widespread opposition in Greece, where over 90 per cent of the population are baptized into the Orthodox Church.

The Orthodox and Catholic Churches split in 1054 after centuries of often-contentious relations and grievances exist to this day. Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and all Greece, head of the Greek Orthodox Church, has said that he would raise some of the "dogmatic, ecclesiastical and historical issues that provoke sadness, bitterness and intense concern among the Orthodox world" during his meetings with the Pope - including claims that the Vatican is trying to proselytize in the Ukraine through the Uniate Church.

[17] Turkey will always find before her the Cyprus question, gov't says

NICOSIA, 30/04/2001 (CNA/ANA)

"As things are developing, anything Ankara does or says is bound to be linked to the Cyprus question," government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou has said, commenting on remarks by the Turkish Minister of Economy Kemal Dervis.

Dervis has told a press conference in Washington that he did not allow his interlocutors at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to raise any issue relating to Ankara's foreign policy, to Cyprus or to the European Union during discussions on a multi-million dollar deal to boost the Turkish economy.

"Nobody expects Turkish officials to admit or accept that there can be some connection between economic aid for Turkey and Ankara's policies," Papapetrou has told the press.

His comments come at a time of increased intransigence on the part of Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash who left the negotiating table in January this year, demanding recognition of his self-styled regime in occupied Cyprus before he resumes the talks.

The UN seems to be at odds as to its next move to rekindle interest and help move the peace process forward. Its main concern appears to be to get Denktash back to the dialogue without alienating the Greek Cypriot side by moves which could be interpreted as giving in to Denktash's unacceptable demands for recognition.

[18] Cyprus can become EU member without preconditions, Swedish presidency says

NICOSIA, 30/04/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Lindh, whose country holds the six-monthly rotating EU presidency, also said she hopes the UN will come up with specific proposals by this summer on the solution of the problem.

"The EU cannot reunite Cyprus but hope that Turkey and every-body in Cyprus will understand the benefits emanating from EU accession,"

Lindh told Swedish TV, adding that after May's parliamentary elections in the Republic there will be moves to help bring about a solution.

UN efforts to reunite the island, divided since Turkish troops invaded in 1974 and occupied its northern areas, have yielded no results so far.

The minister said she believed Denktash would eventually return to the talks and that there would be a peaceful settlement through the UN.

"There is still time and I believe people in Cyprus have to seize the opportunity. I hope that by this summer, we shall have concrete proposals from the UN on the solution of the problem," Lindh said.

Asked if Cyprus can join the EU without a settlement, she pointed out that already the EU had said a solution would facilitate accession but it is not a precondition for accession and this, she said, is one way of exercising pressure on Turkey, also a candidate country, that it cannot block or obstruct Cyprus' entry into the EU.

Replying to questions on EU involvement in the efforts to find a settlement, Lindh said it would be wrong on the part of the EU to tell Cyprus, who has advanced a great deal in its membership negotiations, that it cannot join the Union unless the political problem is solved.

She explained the EU would take a final stance when decision time comes, something that would exert pressure on all parties involved to make the effort to achieve a peaceful settlement.

Cyprus has provisionally closed 18 out of 29 chapters in the EU negotiations and together with Slovenia is in the lead of the list of candidate countries.

[19] Freed Greek Cypriot to file application against Turkey

NICOSIA, 30/04/2001 (CNA/ANA)

"I intend to file an application against my detention and my family is planning to follow suit for violation of our human rights by Turkey" he told CNA on Sunday, adding that he will return to work in the next few days, after an absence of well over 100 days (since 13 December 2000 when he was abducted).

The case against Ankara is set to be based on Articles 3,5 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which prohibit torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, safeguard the right to liberty and security and the right to respect of one's private and family life.

Tziakourmas, a building contractor by profession, said he was beaten and threatened in the first several days after the abduction and did not receive the medical care he needed (he is a diabetic).

He thanked Turkish Cypriot co-workers who have visited him in prison to give him courage but said conditions in jail were appalling and unhealthy.

He said the government of the Republic, the UN and the British High Commission took a very keen interest in his well being.

Tziakourmas said after a police reconstruction of the circum-stances of his abduction, the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus did not allow UN doctors or doctors from the government-controlled areas of the Republic to examine him.

Speaking on the prospect of an application by Tziakourmas, Attorney General Alecos Markides has said that Tziakourmas has sound basis to file an application against Turkey, whom the Court considers responsible for what happens in the areas of the Republic it occupied through the effective control it exercises by the presence of its troops.

The Court said in the 1996 case of Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou, who took Turkey to court for human rights violations, that the Turkish Cypriot regime is a local administration subordinate to Turkey.

"It is up to him and his family to decide whether they will file an application against Turkey or not but the government can and will make use of its right to intervene and back with legal arguments Mr. Tziakourmas' case," Markides said.

Tziakourmas was abducted on 13 December, from within the territory of one of two military bases Britain has retained since Cyprus became an independent state in 1960, as he waited in his car early in the morning to collect Turkish Cypriot workers to drive them to their workplace.

He was subsequently "charged, tried and sentenced" for drug possession and trafficking by an illegal court in occupied Cyprus. The so-called court imposed a four-month imprisonment but decided to release him on Thursday, when it announced its "verdict" for good behavior, for health reasons and taking into account his family circumstances.

British Bases police investigations into the circumstances of his abduction found no trace of drugs in his possession.

Tziakourmas' mother, 78 year-old Eleni, who was campaigning for his release, had suffered a stroke a week before the "conviction" was announced and died only hours before her son was set free.

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