Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-07-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] More than 150 aftershocks in Skyros following tremor

[02] ND leader visits Samos

[03] Spokesman says PM is ready to alter gov't policy

[04] Greece welcomes new FYROM truce as 'positive event'

[05] US Congress holds special session commemorating Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus

[06] German youths pay tribute to Kalavryta massacre victims

[07] France to award medal to defense ministry consultant

[08] GDP in Greece increasing at double rate of eurozone average

[09] Coca-Cola may buy company operations in Russia

[10] EU to warn Greece over blocking import of dietary supplement

[11] German firms donate medical equipment to Paros

[12] Stocks end the week higher

[13] Algerian, Norwegian projects win UNESCO 'Melina Mercouri' award

[14] Greece to host world speliology conference in 2005

[15] Photo exhibition of Cyprus archaeological find

[16] UNICEF report says most Greek children happy

[17] Sports general secretary in Turkey to promote Olympic Truce

[18] Cyprus closes Environment chapter in EU accession talks

[19] UN has no information on Turkish press reports on Cyprus talks

[01] More than 150 aftershocks in Skyros following tremor

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

Early on Friday morning the island's inhabitants were alarmed by two relatively large aftershocks, measuring 4.0 and 4.3 on the Richter scale, that seismologists say are part of normal post-earthquake seismic activity.

Environment Ministry crews have so far checked 148 houses on Skyros, of which only three have been condemned and 44 judged in need of repair. Building surveys have been requested by a total of 286 households and businesses.

Meanwhile, the island continues to face problems with its water supply after the main spring was damaged and a team of scientists is now helping local authorities find ways of dealing with these permanently.

Another environment ministry team is also assessing the dangers of landslides and falling rocks and taking appropriate measures. The government has ordered that municipal authorities restrict access to areas where landslides occurred during Thursday's quake, such as below the Aghios Georgios monastery.

A monk at the monastery, which was severely damaged during the earthquake, has been asked to leave for fear it might collapse if another earthquake strikes. Many residents of houses immediately below the monastery have also left their homes as a precaution.

In Athens, meanwhile, Skyros municipality was declared an earthquake-stricken area by order of Deputy Environment minister Nasos Alevras so that measures to aid earthquake victims and restore damage to buildings could go into effect.

These measures include housing benefits for Skyros residents whose houses were damaged by the quake.

The benefits are given as a one-third government grant and the rest as an interest-free loan payable over 15 years, and amount to 65,000 drachmas per square meters for repairs and 130,000 drachmas per square meter for rebuilding.

Seismologists bicker over Papazahos prediction claim: Meanwhile, controversy has broken out among Greece's seismologists following claims by Professor Vassilis Papazahos on Thursday that his team had predicted the quake in the medium-term.

Papazahos said he had prepared a paper in which he predicted a quake of similar magnitude in the same location and time to submit to an Italian seismology periodical. He said this was the team's first confirmed prediction.

Reppas outlines relief measures for Skyros: The government had already raised 50 million drachmas for emergency repairs on the earthquake-stricken island of Skyros, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Friday.

He said the money would be used to restore the road network on the island and allow life on the island to return to a normal pattern.

The island's roads and water supply were damaged during an earthquake early on Thursday morning measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale, whose epicenter was just north of the Skyros coast.

Reppas said geotechnical crews were already on Skyros to assess the risk of landslides and rock fall and take protective measures.

Experts were also investigating the area where the main spring was 'lost' and were making efforts to dig an artesian well to restore the water supply.

In the meantime, Reppas said, the island was being supplied with water by Greek Navy water tankers, assisted by other artesian wells existing on Skyros.

The spokesman reiterated that all measures that applied for earthquake victims in the past would also apply for Skyros.

[02] ND leader visits Samos

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

During speeches on the island, which last year was devastated by forest fires lasting roughly a fortnight, Karamanlis slammed Prime Minister Costas Simitis personally, saying that his use of 'petty party politics' had shattered a calm political climate and divided the public.

He said Simitis should "concentrate on explaining to citizens how he came to be prime minister of the crimes of the stock market, taxes and unemployment."

During a visit to the Samos village of Koumaradaios, the opposition leader also noted the lack of progress in restoring the damage from last year's fires.

Earlier in the day, Karamanlis had called for the drafting of a special "island policy" for border regions that would contribute to their development during a meeting with the mayor of Pythagorio, Samos, Nikos Markou.

To a question by Karamanlis whether the measures taken by the government for the restoration of damages caused by major forest fires were being materialized, Markou replied that the damages were being gradually restored.

Karamanlis blamed bureaucracy and "the state's lack of sensitivity", which resulted in inconvenience to the people.

"There is a standing suspicion in relations between the central administration and local government", Karamanlis said, adding that the central administration looked upon local government as a "poor relative".

[03] Spokesman says PM is ready to alter gov't policy

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

[04] Greece welcomes new FYROM truce as 'positive event'

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas noted, however, that this had been preceded by another truce that later collapsed and expressed hope that the conflict would prove to be just a passing interlude.

[05] US Congress holds special session commemorating Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus

WASHINGTON, 28/07/2001 (ANA - T. Ellis)

The session was organized at the initiative of Greek-American Congressman from Florida Michael Bilirakis, who said the efforts of the United Nations to resolve the political problem of the island republic have failed because of the intransigence of Turkish Cypriot community leader Rauf Denktash.

Bilirakis, recalling a statement by US Secretary of State Collin Powell's, reiterated that Denktash is the major obstacle on the course to resolving the problem.

During the session the continued occupation of the northern part of the island republic by Turkish armed forces was condemned.

Bilirakis lauded the "impressive development and progress of the Republic of Cyprus and its pending accession to the European Union", adding that the EU correctly so, did not connect Cyprus' accession to the resolution of the problem.

The Congressman called on Turkey to cooperate with the UN and the international community on the Cyprus problem, so as to promote its own accession process to the EU.

"The promotion of Cyprus' EU candidacy will take away a great obstacle in reaching a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem," he stressed, adding, "as Americans, we have a moral obligation to use the American influence in reuniting Cyprus".

Statements by other congressmen of both the Democratic and Republican parties, who addressed the session, had similar contents.

[06] German youths pay tribute to Kalavryta massacre victims

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

The youths, accompanied by the German ambassador to Athens Karl Heinz Kunha, were welcomed by Kalavryta Mayor Thanassis Papadopoulos who told them they did their duty by visiting Kalavryta.

Papadopoulos also said the German state still owed a tangible apology to the families of the victims of the Nazi atrocity in Kalavryta, the biggest holocaust in Greece.

The German ambassador said that in no other part of the world does a German visitor feel his heart so tense as in Kalavryta. He added that the presence of the youths proves that the peoples of Germany and Greece are friends today and desire peace.

[07] France to award medal to defense ministry consultant

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

[08] GDP in Greece increasing at double rate of eurozone average

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters after a meeting chaired by premier Costas Simitis with the government's economic staff to review the state of the Greek economy and its prospects, Papantoniou stressed that fiscal stability was a "survival condition" for the Greek economy.

The minister said it would be "a mistake to return to the period when inflation was at the high levels of 10-15 percent", adding that a high inflation rate was the "major oppressor of the past".

Turning to the redistribution of income in favor of the financially weaker classes, Papantoniou said that GDP in Greece was increasing at a rate double than the average in the eurozone.

This "developmental dynamic" enabled Greece to earmark funds for social policy and the redistribution of incomes, he added.

Papantoniou said that he briefed the premier on progress in drafting next year's budget in light of the premier's economic policy address in September at the Thessaloniki International Fair, which will contain announcements on economic policy through to 2004.

[09] Coca-Cola may buy company operations in Russia

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

It would also purchase the US firm's 40 percent holding in Coca-Cola Molino Beverages Ltd, in which the Greek company already holds 60 percent.

Coca-Cola 3E, which operates in 23 countries, is the second largest bottler worldwide of The Coca-Cola Company's products.

The acquisition is expected to total an estimated 200 million US dollars.

[10] EU to warn Greece over blocking import of dietary supplement

BRUSSELS, 28/07/2001 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

The warning is to take the form of a 'reasoned opinion', which means that the Commission will be free to take action through the European Court of Justice unless the Greek government sends a satisfactory response within a set time period, usually two months.

The decision was triggered when Greek authorities rejected an application to allow the distribution of the dietary supplement Cantamega 1000, on the grounds that they did not have enough information to assess the product.

The Commission notes, however, that the manufacturers were not told what information was missing from the file, while it took more than 11 months for the negative reply to arrive. They also pointed out that five years after the original application was submitted, Greek authorities had asked the importer to resubmit the application using the same process but without specifying what additional information was needed.

It also points out that a member-state has no right to refuse to allow the distribution of a product that is legally available in other EU countries unless for serious reasons, such as protecting consumers or public health.

[11] German firms donate medical equipment to Paros

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

A number of German companies have contributed to a fund for the Paros Health Center which has raised 12 million drachmas as a reward for the island's efforts to rescue German nationals shipwrecked with the ill-fated 'Express Samina,' which sank in September 2000 after colliding with a rocky outcrop a short distance from Paros port.

The island has already received a respirator and biochemical blood analysis machine from the donations, which were raised by German Ambassador to Athens Dr. Karl Heinz Kuhna.

[12] Stocks end the week higher

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

The Athens general share index jumped 2.50 per cent to end at 2,729.36 points. Turnover was 154.3 million euros (52.58 billion drachmas), fuelled by 9.3 million euros in block trades.

In the previous session, the market had broken through key resistance at 2,640 points in a bid to consolidate higher after nearly two weeks of mostly sharp increases and declines.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 2.07 percent higher; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 3.62 percent up; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities gained 3.36 percent.

Of 360 stocks traded, advancers led decliners at 324 to 25 with 11 issues remaining unchanged.

A week ago on Monday the bourse had shed nearly five percent in a single session as part of a lasting slump after buyers resolutely stayed out of the market, with small capitalization shares the worst hit.

Since then, the market has posted roller coaster closes day by day with players edging back into blue chips, and then into small and medium sized paper.

The most heavily traded stocks were Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Fitco and Panafon Vodaphone.

Equity futures end higher: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange ended higher on Friday after a cautious start.

Traded were 7,377 contracts on turnover of 52.3 million euros, traders said.

Bond prices rise in moderate trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Friday finished higher in moderate to heavy trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.38 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 48 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 890 million euros.

Buy orders accounted for the bulk of turnover.

[13] Algerian, Norwegian projects win UNESCO 'Melina Mercouri' award

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

The $30.000 award given once every two years aims at encouraging actions of preservation and promotion of important cultural landscapes around the world. Algeria, Australia, the Bahamas, Cyprus, Egypt, Ecuador, France, Greece, Nepal, Norway, Syria and Tunisia participated in the competition.

Algeria's Center National de Recherche en Anthropologie Sociale et Culturelle (CRASC) will receive the award for its work on the Oran region of that North African country, which features important Arab-Islamic architectural elements.

Norway's Healthland Center will receive the other half of the award for its Lygra Island project, which focused on the establishment of an agricultural park on the two-square-mile island located in a Nordic fiord.

[14] Greece to host world speliology conference in 2005

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

The vote was taken during a UIS speliology conference in Brazil that ended on July 22.

[15] Photo exhibition of Cyprus archaeological find

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

The photographs are the only thing that remains from the digs carried out between 1952 and 1974 by Cypriot and French archaeologists. The Athens Archaeological Museum and the Thessaloniki Byzantine Antiquities Service organized the exhibition.

[16] UNICEF report says most Greek children happy

Athens, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

These were the conclusions of a report by UNICEF on Greek children aged between 9-17, which is part of a larger report on Europe and central Asia entitled "Youth Voices" registering their desires, dreams, problems and concerns.

Greek children want politicians to give more consideration to their opinions, from whom they also want a better educational system, free time and security, while they also requested their parents' tenderness and care, who in most cases treat them with understanding.

Good relations, mutual respect and honesty are the elements which Greek families teach their children. Levels of violence are low among children, which are optimistic about their future and most of which wish to continue living in Greece, according to the report.

Compared to children in Europe, Greek children are faced with much lower levels of violence, while Greece has fewer working children. They have less confidence in adults and declare lower levels of substance use, but have a greater lack of information on issues regarding sex and are more ignorant than European children about electronic computers. They are also more optimistic about their future lives.

[17] Sports general secretary in Turkey to promote Olympic Truce

ISTANBUL, 28/07/2001 (ANA)

On Saturday, Exarhos and the accompanying delegation are to meet Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos in Istanbul to brief him on their efforts for the Olympic truce and ask his assistance.

[18] Cyprus closes Environment chapter in EU accession talks

BRUSSELS, 28/07/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Cyprus has now completed 23 out of 29 chapters that are to be examined, since opening accession talks in 1998 and is still leading the other candidate states.

According to European sources Cyprus should be ready to close the chapter on Justice and Home Affairs at the next meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference. The same sources said that the chapter on Taxation could close during the Belgian presidency.

Vassiliou held a meeting with the Director General of DG Competition, whom he briefed on Cyprus' harmonization efforts regarding competition.

[19] UN has no information on Turkish press reports on Cyprus talks

NICOSIA, 28/07/2001 (CNA/ANA)

The Turkish news agency "Anadolu" claimed that the UN has asked the Turkish side to forget completely the contents of the previous proximity talks.

The agency said the UN have assured that the talks will start afresh after Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash meets UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Invited to comment on the agency report that the meeting will take place after 15 August in a European city, Cibor said there is "no official confirmation of either the venue or the date."

Recent media reports have suggested that the UN is gearing up to a fresh round of talks in September. Denktash and later on Annan, in that order, announced earlier this week they would meet.

Denktash, backed by Ankara, withdrew from the proximity talks last year and declared them "dead". He has been since demanding a new procedure on the basis of what he calls "the realities" on the island to resume the dialogue.

The Greek Cypriot side has repeatedly expressed its readiness to return to the negotiating table but stresses it would not accept any move to satisfy Denktash's demands.

Annan's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto has chaired the proximity talks since December 1999. He is said to be in touch with Denktash and President Glafcos Clerides for consultations about attempts to resume the talks. The UN top envoy on Cyprus is expected to visit the island, should the talks resume.

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