Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 02-10-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM calls for progressive unity to achieve country's major goals

[02] Foreign ministry condemns Israeli attack in Gaza

[03] Alternate FM to visit Copenhagen for EU-India meeting

[04] Talks in Greece do not aim at new strategy, Cyprus FM says

[05] Defense minister to visit France

[06] Gov't, ND spokesmen trade charges over whether bill affects junta-era mayors

[07] ND leader calls municipal-prefectural elections 'political'

[08] Albanian FM thanks Greek deputy FM for aid

[09] Papandreou-Christodoulakis meeting on Wednesday

[10] Greece shows 4.37 bln euro surplus in transactions with EU

[11] Greek gov�t reports on EU funds absorption rate

[12] Christodoulakis on 'euro zone' meeting

[13] Greek inflation unchanged at 3.5 percent in September

[14] Greece's EU presidency hopes to complete job measures

[15] Greece likely to back possible rise in EU energy tax for environment

[16] South Korea seeks closer tourism cooperation with Greece

[17] Greek stocks remain under pressure in ASE

[18] PM, ATHOC head to meet on Wed.; VAT rate for tickets may be discussed

[19] Deputy press minister lauds ''Athens 2004'' organizing efforts

[20] Athens 2004 Olympics Village to get natgas supply

[21] Greece rates first in youth university registration, Eurostat says

[22] Archbishop and culture minister at catalogue's presentation

[23] International car-theft ring busted

[24] US recognizes Republic of Cyprus, Ambassador Klosson says

[01] PM calls for progressive unity to achieve country's major goals

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Addressing ruling PASOK's parliamentary group, Simitis said there were four such targets for the country: Cyprus' EU accession, an effective Greek EU presidency in the first half of 2003, a successful Olympiad in 2004 and convergence with other EU countries in the economy and social sector.

The prime minister once again attacked ND's strategy in the local government elections, accusing it of divisive tactics, negativity and doom mongering that was damaging the institution of local government itself.

He also reiterated accusations that ND was consorting with extreme right-wing elements similar to those that had toppled democracy in Greece in the past and which were responsible for the Cyprus tragedy.

Appealing to progressives throughout the country, Simitis stressed that the aim of the local elections was to elect an able local government, not old-style party-political and conservative mechanisms of ''reaction, backwardness and fruitless protest''.

At another point in his speech, he said the main opposition's leadership planned to scrap legislation ensuring transparency in public-sector appointments and to drive out civil servants in order to replace them with its own supporters.

The prime minister also blamed Athens municipality - run for the past four years by a right-leaning mayor - for the large numbers of voters that had not been registered on electoral rolls, saying that the interior ministry bore no responsibility for the problem in Athens or any other municipality.

Commenting on international developments and the prospects of war in Iraq, meanwhile, the prime minister appeared sanguine that the Greek economy was resilient enough to withstand the international storm due to the government's policies and would be able to continue its efforts for growth.

Greece in 2002 was not Greece in 1992 at the time of the Gulf War, Simitis stressed.

With respect to Cyprus' EU accession, the premier said that a time of crucial decisions was approaching and expressed fears that obstacles might yet arise - not just to Cyprus' accession but also to the Community's enlargement as a whole.

He reiterated, however, that Greece's position on enlargement was clear-cut and that this would have to begin with Cyprus.

Turning to the government's program and its achievements so far, the prime minister referred to recent tax and social insurance reforms passed by the government and said they represented the biggest initiatives for the redistribution of wealth in recent years.

He also stressed the rise in funds for development in the 2003 budget, noting that this was again the largest in recent years.

According to Simitis, the tax and social insurance reforms were a unified agreement to support and insure low and middle incomes and reflected an income redistribution equal to 2 per cent of GDP.

Lastly, Simitis referred to the agricultural sector, saying that enough funds to cover needs had been secured until 2006 when the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would begin, and to terrorism.

On terrorism, Simitis said the government would continue efforts to stamp out the phenomenon and that this would help make democracy stronger.

Democracy in Greece had begun in 1974 during a summer of national disaster, Simitis noted, and would reach its ultimate, true and symbolic justification in the summer of 2004 with the Olympic Games and a newfound national confidence.

[02] Foreign ministry condemns Israeli attack in Gaza

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

The missile attack this week claimed the life of several Gaza Strip residents, including children, according to international wire reports.

�The terrible raid undermines the peace process and flagrantly violates international law as well as UN resolutions; it cannot constitute a justification for the combating of Palestinian terror groups,� spokesman Panos Beglitis said.

He also expressed the government�s solidarity to the families of the victims and those injured.

[03] Alternate FM to visit Copenhagen for EU-India meeting

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Talks to take place in the Danish capital between the EU's ministerial troika and India, in the framework of the EU-India summit, include relations between the EU and India, developments in the wider region of southeast Asia, relations between India and Pakistan, disarmament, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and drug trafficking.

During his stay in Copenhagen, Yiannitsis will attend a conference on globalization organized by the European Socialist Party (ESP), as well as the first meeting of the ESP's work group on economic coordination and employment.

Yiannitsis met with officials of the Greek commercial world to discuss issues regarding the EU Greek presidency's priorities in the first half of 2003 and listened to their views on the further promotion of issues concerning them.

[04] Talks in Greece do not aim at new strategy, Cyprus FM says

NICOSIA 09/10/2002 (ANA - G. Leonidas)

[05] Defense minister to visit France

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Papantoniou and Alliot-Marie will discuss issues concerning European defense and security policy, developments in Iraq and bilateral cooperation between Greece and France.

The Greek minister is also scheduled to meet the head of the French Parliament's national defense committee, while on Thursday night he will be speaking at the French International Relations Institute on "The prospects of a European security and defense policy and Greece".

In the framework of his meetings in France, Papantoniou will have a working lunch with the management of the three major French newspapers "Le Monde", "Liberation" and "Le Figaro" in order to promote Greek positions on the Euroforce, the Cyprus issue and the initiatives planned by the Greek EU presidency.

[06] Gov't, ND spokesmen trade charges over whether bill affects junta-era mayors

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas stressed that the deputy finance minister had clarified his intentions in Parliament over the relevant bill, and had already garnered the agreement by the other parties represented in Parliament.

Protopapas denied claims by main opposition New Democracy spokesman Thodoris Roussopoulos -- aired during a television program the previous evening.

In reaction, Roussopoulos charged that the government spokesman is �knowingly misrepresenting� the facts.

�Yesterday evening Mr. Protopapas said mistakes occur. Today, unsuccessfully, he tried to distort reality,� he charged.

[07] ND leader calls municipal-prefectural elections 'political'

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Karamanlis' comments came in response to ruling PASOK party statements that ND was ''hostage to the extreme right wing''.

Speaking at the election headquarters of Piraeus candidate for the prefecture's seat, Maria Tsanaki, Karamanlis also accused the premier and PASOK for using a divisive tactic and for using black propaganda.

''On one hand Simitis launches slanderous attacks against candidates affiliated with ND and on the other hand he claims that the elections have no political meaning,'' Karamanlis said.

He called on the ND cadres to unite in support of the party's choices for the Athens surpaprefecture and not to be disoriented, stressing that ''what the premier said was a cause for tears and laughter at the same time''.

Karamanlis added that ND ignored such attacks and it would not follow the ruling party in using such tactics, while he called on the party's supporters to join their voices in sending a message to be heard by those who rule the country, that citizens want different conditions.

The ND leader underlined that these elections were political and broadcast clear political messages.

[08] Albanian FM thanks Greek deputy FM for aid

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Greece received similar letters of thanks from Russia, the Czech Republic and Germany for the provision of aid for the flood victims of central, southern and eastern Europe.

[09] Papandreou-Christodoulakis meeting on Wednesday

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

[10] Greece shows 4.37 bln euro surplus in transactions with EU

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

Greece received a total of 5.72 billion euros last year and contributed 1.5 billion euros to the EU budget, leaving a surplus of 4.37 billion euros, or 3.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP.

Greece had the largest net fiscal benefit as a percentage of GDP in the EU last year, followed by Portugal (1.53 percent), Spain (1.24 percent and Ireland (1.13 percent).

Finland, Denmark, UK and Italy benefited less than other EU member-states, while Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Belgium and Austria were net contributors to the EU's budget.

[11] Greek gov�t reports on EU funds absorption rate

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

The Greek ministry said that around three-quarters (74 percent) of total Community Support Framework's budget have been activated and that authorities were waiting for final project plans to be submitted. The new administrative mechanism, set up to monitor and promote EU funds, has accepted a total of 8,344 plans, worth 15.5 billion euros, around 50 percent of total EU CSF budget.

The ministry said that community fund inflows total 3.2 billion euros, a sum exceeding 15 percent of earmarked community funds(21.3 billion euros).

[12] Christodoulakis on 'euro zone' meeting

LUXEMBOURG 09/10/2002 (ANA � M. Spinthourakis)

He also told reporters that all �euro zone� countries, especially those with high fiscal deficits and public debt, should adopt specific measures in order to meet commitments for lowering structural deficit.

Finally, the Greek minister said the ministers� council will evaluate in early 2003 whether �euro zone� members have adopted necessary policies to this end.

[13] Greek inflation unchanged at 3.5 percent in September

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

NSS said that the harmonized consumer price index was 3.8 percent in September, unchanged from August.

September's CPI rate reflected a 0.5 percent rise in food and non-alcohol beverage prices, a 12 percent jump in clothing and footwear prices, a 0.3 percent increase in housing services, a 4.0 percent rise in durable goods' prices, a 0.2 percent increase in health and transport services' prices and a 4.2 percent rise in private school services' prices.

[14] Greece's EU presidency hopes to complete job measures

LUXEMBOURG 09/10/2002 (ANA/B.Demiris)

"This would be to achieve the target of more jobs and better jobs," Deputy Labor Minister Lefteris Tziolas told a meeting of EU employment ministers in Luxembourg.

Tziolas said the aim was to get the package of guidelines adopted at a summit in June next year at the end of Greece's six-month term as president.

[15] Greece likely to back possible rise in EU energy tax for environment

LUXEMBOURG 09/10/2002 (ANA/M.Spinthourakis)

At the same time, backing for the move would depend on obtaining a transitional phase for the increase in Greece, Christodoulakis told reporters after a meeting of the EU's finance ministers.

[16] South Korea seeks closer tourism cooperation with Greece

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

The South Korean ambassador expressed his government's wish to further expand tourist relations with Greece and stressed that there were big prospects to creating winter tourism packages from S.Korea to Greece.

The two men also discussed special forms of tourism, mostly athletic, and stressed the positive impact that last summer's World Football Cup has had on his country's tourism.

The S.Korean ambassador said he would visit "Filoxenia 2002", an international tourism trade fair.

[17] Greek stocks remain under pressure in ASE

Athens, 09/10/2002 (ANA)

The general index fell 0.47 percent to end at 1,737.04 points, with turnover a low 69.8 million euros.

The Telecommunications sector was the only one to score gains (+0.90 percent), mainly reflecting a recovery in Hellenic Telecommunications Organization�s share price (up 1.85 percent). The Metals, Wholesale, Publication and Construction sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (3.0 percent, 2.82 percent, 2.72 percent and 2.43 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.65 percent lower, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 2.06 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 0.92 percent down.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 282 to 34 with another 43 issues unchanged.

The most heavily traded stocks in value were Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Football Pools Organization, Informatics, Sex Form, and Eskimo.

Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 73.6 mln euros Tuesday

Equity Index Futures: