 |
Compact version |
|
 |
        |
|
 |
||
|
Tuesday, 26 November 2024
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 03-07-12Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>July,12 2003CONTENTS
[01] ND leader attacks gov't as untrustworthy''; gov't spokesman respondsAthens 12/07/2003Main opposition leader Costas Karamanlis on Friday launched a stinging attack on the government during a meeting of New Democracy's Central Committee, in which he accused Prime Minister Costas Simitis of plunging the country into an extended pre-election period, repeated a call for early elections and slammed Simitis' suggested measures for increasing transparency as ''hypocrisy''. He also stressed that he was not prepared to enter into a discussion on changing electoral law with a government he described as ''untrustworthy'' - especially in the run-up to elections. Karamanlis particularly criticized the premier's proposal that the stock market codes of PASOK MPs be checked by the Capital Markets Commission, pointing out that members of the Commission and its president Stavros Thomadakis had been accused in a report by a public prosecutor of deliberate transgressions in order to hand illegal financial gains to third parties. ''Are these the people that Simitis has assigned to look into the codes of PASOK MPs? Are they the ones who are being called to judge? These people have been accused outright by a public prosecutor of deliberate transgressions of duty. Mr. Simitis appears to have a fine view of inspection and control - he intends to put an untrustworthy committee appointed by him to investigate his party This is not an investigation, this is hypocrisy, it's a cover-up and proves that Simitis is terrified there might be further revelations of shady transactions by others of his associates,'' Karamanlis said. In addition, he accused the prime minister of propaganda and of spending vast sums from Community funds and national coffers on ''fireworks and the construction of issues'' that would divert the public's attention for the serious problems. He was also scathing about government efforts to ensure dual nationality for Albania's ethnic Greek community, who currently risk losing their Albanian nationality if they become Greeks. Karamanlis stressed that this was a serious issue and that the government was attempting to alter the composition of the electorate in the period before elections on the basis of ''party lists and methods we have seen from the party 'para-state' in the past''. He said the issue would be settled ''responsibly'' after the elections in April 2004. Finally, he said Simitis had been forced to concede the existence of corruption and improper links with big business but had refused to see the true extent and cause of the problem, while trying to create the impression that responsibility was shared by the entire political world and to cover up government authorities. If ruling PASOK wanted transparency, it should immediately scrap all the amendments that created the ''hothouse of corruption and decadence,'' Karamanlis said and repeated his proposal that the stock market codes of all MPs and heads of state organizations be opened by an act of legislation. He also repeated a proposal for inspection of ''statement of means'' declarations from 1974 onwards by the Auditing Council and stressed that he would accept no change in electoral law, saying the timing of PASOK's proposal revealed ''political opportunism''. ''The government does not want dialogue but is pretending because it knows our position. It is the height of political unreliability and dishonesty to change the electoral law every time they think they are losing the elections,'' he said. Karamanlis said it was not possible for Simitis to start talking of changing electoral law at the same time as he plunged the country into pre-election mode, saying that this reflected an establishment mentality and an obsession with clinging to power. ''I do not trust the government, I do not trust the leadership team and Simitis...How can one trust one who legally changes the rules whenever he feels they don't suit him,'' Karamanlis concluded. Gov't spokesman replies: Responding to Karamanlis during the regular press briefing on Friday, government spokesman Christos Protopapas slammed ND's refusal to discuss changes to electoral law as ''extremely conservative'' and said the government would go ahead with the changes ''demanded by society'' as a ''force for change and reform''. ''Once again the actions of ND and its leader are bound by a deeply conservative attitude...They are asking that an electoral law not be changed when everyone admits that it does not contribute to meritocracy, renewal, greater transparency in our political system,'' the spokesman said. Asked what the government intended to do if ND continued to refuse dialogue, Protopapas said that the issue would then be ''in society's hands'' and that the government would ''align itself with society's wishes''. Regarding Karamanlis' objections to assigning the Capital Markets Commission to investigate MP's stock market transactions, he said the main opposition leader was ''interfering with Justice'' and setting himself up as a judge that issued judicial rulings. Karamanlis should not cast aspersions on institutions and people in this manner, the spokesman noted, particularly when these institutions and persons were in charge of very sensitive areas of the economy and public life. Asked whether the government was at all concerned about the outstanding charges against members of the Capital Markets Commission, Protopapas urged reporters to wait until the judicial process was complete. ''There have been many cases where the judicial investigation has unquestionably cleared the accused, including several state officials. No one is guilty until it is proved otherwise and we have not seen such proof,'' the spokesman replied. Responding to Karamanlis' call for an act of legislation to open MPs stock market codes, Protopapas said the government had already made that decision with the measures announced by Simitis and urged Karamanlis to voluntarily open the codes of his own MPs to scrutiny. Symi symposium concludes on the island of Kos on Friday Athens 12/07/2003 The 6th Annual Symi Symposium which opened on Sunday to discuss ''Transatlantic relations in the post 9/11 era'' concluded on the eastern Aegean island of Kos on Friday. Sponsored by the Andreas Papandreou Foundation, the event was hosted by Foreign Minister George Papandreou with the participation of 42 dignitaries from around the world, including former US President Bill Clinton, former US assistant secretary of state Richard Holbrooke, former Turkish foreign and economy ministers Ismail Cem and Kemal Dervis and former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres. Divided into five working sessions, discussions at the symposium mainly focused on international economic imbalances, the new agenda on security, the policy of cultural and religious identity, and global governance based on democratic institutions. Speaking at a post-symposium press conference, Papandreou stressed that Europe is a family in progress, a superpower on an economic level and on a humanitarian assistance level vis-a-vis third-world countries, however, lacking an integrated foreign and defense policy. The Greek foreign minister said that the basic optimistic message that came out of the symposium was that there are alternative options and that economic policy was not a one-way street, adding that a more essential dialogue should begin between progressive forces in Europe and the US. On his part, the former US president explained the approach of the American people vis-a-vis US President George W. Bush's policies and the prevailing state of mind following the September 11 terrorist attacks. He referred to the dangers entailed in weapons of mass destruction and in terrorism, and said the need for dialogue was the dominating trend following recent political developments. The Andreas Papandreou Foundation (APF) is an independent, non-profit organization, established in 1996 in commemoration of late Greek prime minister Andreas Papandreou, with a view to contribute to social research, political analysis and peace building. [02] Negotiations on resuming Cyprus talks expected on sidelines of UN AssemblyNEW YORK 12/07/2003 (ANA - P. Panagiotou)The UN's 58th general Assembly will be opening officially on September 23 with an address by U.S. President George W. Bush.According to diplomatic circles, Bush will attempt to bridge the rift created between the Organizations members due to the war in Iraq and reiterate his administration's priorities regarding the combatting of terrorism. Addresses by presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers will take place between September 23-26 and from September 29 to October 3. Foreign Minister George Papandreou will address the General Assembly on September 30, his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on September 26 and Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos on September 25. On the sidelines of the General Assembly, mobility is expected with the purpose of having negotiations on the Cyprus issue resumed in October. According to a diplomatic source, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, apart from his meeting with Papadopoulos, might be inviting Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to New York for private talks with him. The aim of mediators will be to have interim talks get underway on the basis of the Annan plan, as well as on observations by both sides. [03] Holbrooke: Cyprus solution an obstacle to Turkey's European prospectsAthens 12/07/2003In an exclusive interview with the Athens News Agency on the sidelines of the 6th Symi Symposium on Friday, former U.S. secretary of state Richard Holbrooke underlined the importance of making Turkey part of Europe and stressed that a solution to the Cyprus problem would open the way for Turkey's accession to the European Union. The 6th Symi Symposium is taking place on the Aegean island of Kos. While avoiding the use of the word 'crisis,' Holbrooke noted that there was currently 'a big problem' in relations between the United States and Turkey. At the same time, he stressed that the fundamental interests of both Washington and Ankara demanded that the two countries maintain a powerful alliance, while Turkey's strategic position made it imperative that the country belong in Europe. He pointed out, however, that the Cyprus problem remained an obstacle to Turkey's European prospects and that Greek-Turkish relations could never be fully cordial until it was resolved. Holbrooke also noted that Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was not among those who saw the necessity for a solution to the Cyprus problem, describing him as an ''able, decisive man who only looked back'', while he urged Turkey's government to do more in order to persuade Denktash ''to at last do the right thing''. Commenting on Greece, finally, he said it has evolved into a ''very mature member of the European structure'' that had just completed a successful European Union presidency and was a member of the eurozone - ''something that had seemed improbable a few years ago,'' he added. He estimated that the country would also be politically strengthened by hosting the Olympic Games and by being more relaxed in its attitude toward Turkey. ''I believe that the leadership of Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister Andreas Papandreou finally made a difference in Greece's image, both in Europe and the rest of the world. For the first time, Greek foreign policy has vision,'' he said. [04] Newly-elected PASOK secretary meets party cadres in ThessalonikiAthens 12/07/2003Newly-elected PASOK party Central Committee Secretary and former public order minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis began his contacts with party cadres in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on Friday by meeting with the secretariats of Central Macedonia's prefectural committees. ''We are at a new beginning, we want to give a new content to party work and at the same time greater effectiveness to the government's work,'' the secretary said before the meeting, adding that the purpose is to have contact with all party cadres and all citizens. Chrysohoidis further said ''in this framework I am in Thessaloniki today to meet and discuss with the secretaries and cadres of Central Macedonia's prefectural committees.'' Deputy Education Minister Nikos Gesoulis, who participated in the meeting of PASOK's cadres, expressed certainty that the effort to reorganize PASOK which is starting from northern Greece will be successful not only for the party but for the Greek people as well. ''I believe that a struggle is beginning which will be victorious,'' he said. Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Magriotis hailed the fact that the new reorganization effort is starting from northern Greece where PASOK's party forces, as he said, were always considerable and had a leading and radical role. ''I believe that the effort for renewal, of our relinking with the countryside, with productive forces, can begin in a dynamic way today,'' Magriotis said. [05] Greek weekly economic reviewAthens 12/07/2003The Athens appeals court this week said that a total of 15 terms included in mortgage contracts between commercial banks and borrowers were illegal and called on financial institutions to change their lending policy. The court decision is considered very significant for the protection of Greek consumers seeking housing loans. During the week under review, also, a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis agreed to speed up privatizations and absorption of EU funds. The meeting, including the government's economic team, also agreed for the government to submit to parliament a draft legislation on the creation of New Olympic Airways so that the new airline could begin operations this year. In other headline news this week: Petrol station owners threatened to paralyze the country by indefinitely closing down their businesses protesting against government plans to install cashier machines on their fuel pumps. Greek investors marginally raised their share in the Athens Stock Exchange in June, totalling 51.393 billion euros or 71.471 percent of total capitalization, up from 71.259 percent the previous month. Foreign investors' share eased slightly to 28.529 percent from 28.741 percent, over the same period, to 20.515 billion euros. Financial crime remains a serious threat for businesses around the world, a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers said this week. More than one third of global firms have reported at least one fraud case in the last two years, with the average losses exceeding two million US dollars, the report said. ASE chairman, Panagiotis Alexakis, sounded optimistic over the course of the Greek stock market and said that developments in international markets in combination with domestic developments and improving company financial results would contribute to a better course of the market in the next few months. Greek unemployment rate fell to 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2003 from 10.9 percent in the same period last year, although slightly up from 9.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2002, National Statistics Service said. NSS said that total employment rose 2.5 percent in the January-March period from the same period in 2002. Greek annual inflation was 3.8 percent in June, unchanged from the previous month, the statistics service said. The statistics service also announced that private building activity jumped 19.9 percent in the first quarter of 2003. Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said that listed Greek companies must adopt international accounting standards in 2004. [06] Greek industrial production up 1.7 pct in May, yr/yrAthens 12/07/2003Industrial production in Greece showed signs of strong recovery in May after several months of decline, justifying forecasts of a rebound, the National Statistics Service said on Friday. NSS said that industrial production rose 1.7 percent in May from the same month last year, reflecting improving performances in the clothing, oil and coal, chemical, metals and electric appliances production. The May increase, however, was not strong enough to counterbalance a sharp decline in industrial production in the previous months, with the industrial production index falling by 1.3 percent in the January-May period. Mining production plunged 8.8 percent in May for a decline of 8.7 percent in the January-May period.. The electricity-natural gas production index rose 7.9 percent in May for an increase of 13.9 percent in the first five months of 2003. [07] Advertising spending up 6.65 pct in JuneAthens 12/07/2003Advertising spending to the Greek media (television, magazines, newspapers and radio stations) totalled 840.3 million euros in the first six months of 2003, up 6.65 percent from the same period last year, supported by a 5.17 percent increase in ad spending in June to 182.2 million euros. According to data by Media Services, television accounted for 42.38 percent of total advertising spending in June (81.2 million euros), followed by magazines (35.44 percent of 67.9 million euros), newspapers with 16.80 percent or 32.2 million and radio stations with 5.39 percent or 10.3 million euros. Antenna TV topped the list with the biggest advertising revenues at 25.8 million euros (31.79 percent of total), followed Mega Channel (19.9 million euros or 24.60 percent), Star with 13.2 million or 16.33 percent and Alpha TV with 10.9 million euros or 13.45 percent. [08] Greece opposes standard retirement age in EUAthens 12/07/2003Labor and Social Security Minister Dimitris Reppas said on Friday that he would object to the establishment of a standard pension able age in all countries of the European Union. The minister was commenting on a proposal by the bloc's Italian rotating presidency that age and other pension requirements should be standardized in order to help tackle the problem of ageing populations and troubled pension funds. Reppas said that a single system should not be imposed due to glaring national differences. Gas station owners call off strike planned for next week Athens 12/07/2003 Gas station owners on Thursday called off an indefinite strike that was due to begin next week. The finance ministry accepted a key demand of union representatives, that checks by authorities should be carried out on fuel pumps and not liquid fuel tanks. Greek stocks end lower on Friday, up 1.59 pct in the week Greek stocks ended the last trading session of the week lower pushing the general index further away from the 2,000 mark it surpassed early in the week in the Athens Stock Exchange. The index fell 0.67 percent to end at 1,977.66 points, with turnover a moderate 133.2 million euros. The general index ended the week with a net gain of 1.59 percent. The Publication, IT Solution and Insurance sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (4.14 percent, 1.87 percent and 1.73 percent, respectively), while the Wholesale (1.27 percent), Food-Beverage (0.18 percent) and IT (0.11 percent) sector scored the biggest percentage gains. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.67 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index eased 0.98 percent, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index dropped 1.07 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 0.77 percent down. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 223 to 96 with another 49 issues unchanged. Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 81.7 mln euros Friday Equity Index Futures: Stock Futures: Bond Market Close: Sellers outstrip buyers on Friday Greek Benchmark 10-Year Bond FOREIGN EXCHANGE Closing rates of July 11 2003 Parities in euro Banknotes For. Exchange Buying Selling US Dollar 1,140 1,114 [09] Gov't: Happy ending on the way for Olympic overlay issueAthens 12/07/2003The controversial issue of Olympic overlay costs seems to be well on its way toward a happy ending, the government and Athens 2004 organizers ATHOC stressed on Friday. Speaking at the Intra-ministerial Committee meeting, Prime Minister Costas Simitis expressed satisfaction over progress with Olympic preparations and urged everyone to continue efforts for the completion of projects ''required for a successful Games''. Simitis also praised the efforts of a three-member committee appointed by him to cut back the cost of Olympic overlays - the term used for the refitting of buildings to meet Olympic standards. According to sources, the three-member committee managed to slice off 60 and even 70 percent of an initial estimate of 733 million euro for overlay costs, a controversial issue that earlier in the year caused some friction between the government and ATHOC organizers. A sign of high cost cuts, Athens 2004 has launched tenders for the procurement of awnings, furniture, chemical toilets and various other inter-related works, budgeted at 72 million euros, which are expected to reach completion stage soon, possibly in the summer. [10] ND deputy says gov't employs ''opacity'' tactics in Olympic Games costAthens 12/07/2003Main opposition New Democracy (ND) deputy Fani Palli-Petralia on Friday slammed the government for what she called ''tactics of opacity and selective leaks" in connection with the cost of Olympic overlays - which concern the refitting of buildings to meet Olympic Games standards. As she came out of a meeting of the Interministerial Committee for Olympics Preparations, ND's ''shadow minister'' for the Games said that the meeting had been short on hard figures, in spite of recent announcements that the cost of Olympic overlays would be revealed on that day. ''We were told that government agencies did a splendid job, but nothing about the costs.'' ''This is sloppiness, government inefficiency and ineffectiveness all the way'', the ND deputy said, adding: ''For the next 25 years Greeks will be paying for the Olympic loans that the government got from foreign banks to cover the 'black holes' in the Olympic budget.'' [11] 11th Journalists Conference opens in SamothraceAthens 12/07/2003The 11th Journalists Conference kicked off on the northeastern Aegean island of Samothrace on Friday with the participation of 600-plus Greek and international journalists, as well as known names of the letters, politics and sports. The two-day conference, which is dedicated to Athens 2004 Olympic Games and their promotion through the Mass Media, was opened by Press and Mass Media General Director Seraphim Kotrotsos followed on the podium by Athens News Agency (ANA) Managing Director Nicholas Voulelis. Athens 2004 Organizing Committee chief Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki on Friday evening will officially open the ceremony for the conference. Journalists conference focuses on 2004 Athens Olympic Games:2004 Athens Olympic Games Organizing Committee (ATHOC) managing director Yiannis Spanoudakis, addressing the 11th Panhellenic Journalists Conference on the island of Samothraki on Friday, which focused on the role of the mass media in the Athens Olympic Games, stressed the need for joint rallying, close cooperation, constructive criticism and control, as well as positive reference to ATHOC's work on the part of the country's journalistic world. ''It is the time when we must gather our strength, not only at the level of Olympic preparation from the sports aspect, but primarily on inspiring enthusiasm and creating the preconditions for the great celebration,'' said ATHOC press and media general director Seraphim Kotrotsos. Panhellenic Sports Press Federation President Yiannis Theodorakopoulos said on his part ''we are now beginning to view the Olympic Games in their dimension of sport, since we must remember that the Olympic Games are the 17 days of games for which everything is being done.'' Brief addresses were made at the conference by, among others, the representative of the Greek Olympic Games Medalists Society Vangelis Batras, PASOK Evros prefecture deputy Yiannis Nikolaidis, New Democracy Drama prefecture deputy Stavros Dailakis, the Metropolitan of Alexandroupoli and Samothraki Anthimos and Athens News Agency (ANA) managing director Nicholas Voulelis. [12] Europol assists large scale operation against trafficking of peopleBRUSSELS 12/07/2003 (ANA - A. Simatos)A large scale operation against groups involved in the trafficking of people has been completed with the recognition of 110 suspects involved in the trafficking of people and the arrest of 38 of them, according to an announcement by the European Police Service (Europol) on Friday.The operation, codenamed ''Leda'' and whose initiative and coordination belonged to the Greek European Union presidency, was aimed at combatting groups involved in the trafficking of people with simultaneous and coordinated actions by the relevant authorities of countries participating in it. It was carried out in the region of eastern Europe, primarily in the Balkans, in which an increase in the trafficking of women has been observed, as well as in EU member-states, with emphasis being placed on combatting groups concerning the sexual exploitation of people. According to the announcement, Europol assisted the operation by analyzing information collected by the services of countries which had participated, giving these countries the possibility of deepening their investigations in their effort to dismantle criminal networks. Greece, Italy and Portugal, as well as member-states of the Initiative for Cooperation in Southeastern Europe (SECI) and more specifically Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Hungary, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro and Slovenia participated in the operation ''Leda.'' [13] European Commission to refer Greece for failure to adopt cable safety rulesBRUSSELS 12/07/2003 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)The European Commission on Friday issued a statement saying it had decided to take Greece, Germany, Ireland and Italy to the European Court of Justice for failure to notify measures transposing Directive 2000/9/EC on cableway installations designed to carry persons, into their national laws.According to the statement, the Commission decided to bring this matter before the Court of Justice in the absence of notifications following the reasoned opinions and earlier formal notices which it addressed to the four Member States in question. The Directive, which should have been transposed into the national laws of the ''15'' by 3 May 2002, aims to ensure the same high level of safety for funicular railways, cable cars, chair-lifts and drag lifts throughout the European Union while at the same time guaranteeing the full benefits of the single market to the manufacturers of such installations, the statement said, adding that its implementation is essential to the functioning of the single market. Until now, the different technical solutions applied at national level have obliged manufacturers to redefine their equipment for each market and to obtain the approval of the components by each national authority. This makes it difficult to provide standard solutions across Europe, leading to different levels of safety and adversely affecting competitiveness, increasing costs and penalizing smaller companies in particular, the statement concluded. [14] PM briefed over promotions and planning efforts at the justice ministryAthens 12/07/2003Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos on Friday briefed Prime Minister Costas Simitis on his department's upcoming top-level promotions and general planning efforts, including modernization of existing infrastructure, utilizing new technologies, staffing issues and the improvement of labor conditions for the ministry's staff. Coming out of the briefing session, the justice minister declined any comments on action taken on Thursday by an Athens magistrate against two journalists charged with unauthorized publishing of excerpts of the ''N17'' terrorist organization case files. ''As a matter of principle, I do not comment on decisions or actions taken by Greek Justice'', he said. [15] Defense witnesses for Sotiropoulou, Koufodinas testify in N17 trialAthens 12/07/2003The ongoing trial of 19 suspected terrorists accused of belonging to the urban guerrilla organization ''November 17'' continued before the Three-Member Criminal Appeals Court on Friday with the testimony of defense witnesses for the sole female defendant, Angeliki Sotiropoulou, and her partner Dimitris Koufodinas, the alleged operations chief of the terror group. Family friends of the couple ruled out the possibility that Sotiropoulou might have been involved with N17, but teacher Constantinos Pantelidis said at one point that only a man like Koufodinas could have been a member of the group. After the charges against Koufodinas became known, Pantelidis said that he had been 'angry and frustrated' and had wanted Koufodinas to come out and say something to support his comrades. ''He did not disappoint me. He took a taxi and said: ''I'm here'' and supported his people. At that time I could not think whether or not he was in N17. Now I think that only Mitsos (nickname for Dimitris) could have been in N17. Only a man like Mitsos..'' the witness said. After the Pantelidis completed his testimony, Sotiropoulou told the court that it was she, and not Koufodinas, who had dabbled in the stock exchange. She said this had been done against his wishes, in the hope of increasing the meager amount of money they had to build their home. The last witness was a former member of PASOK's central committee, Antonis Karas, who appeared in court as a defense witness for Yiannis Serifis. According to Karas, several people believed that Serifis had been arrested to avoid his ''abduction'' by the Americans. The court session ended early on Friday due to a power cut at Korydallos prison, where the trial is taking place, and will resume on Monday. [16] Turkish newspaper says Turkish PM had visited Halki Theology academy as studentISTANBUL 12/07/2003 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)The Turkish newspaper ''Hurriyet'' revealed on Friday that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had visited the Greek Orthodox Halki Theology Academy, near Istanbul, when he was a student at the School of Theology.''I am not aware when this visit took place, it must have been before 1971, because the operation of the Halki Theology Academy was banned in 1971,'' Ertogrul Ozkiok wrote. Erdogan referred to this memory of his several days ago, the newspaper claimed, which believes that the reason for this reference is clear. ''He wants to raise the issue of the Academy's reopening again,'' the newspaper claimed, adding that the time has come for some serious work to be done for the reopening of the Halki Theology Academy. [17] Papadopoulos says Denktash's proposal usual tacticNICOSIA 12/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos stressed on Friday that the proposal of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to reopen the Nicosia International airport is part of his well-known tactic to maintain the Turkish occupation regime on the island and establish ''good neighborly relations''.In a written statement issued after receiving a letter from Denktash, the president says he has called a National Council meeting for Monday afternoon, to examine the Turkish Cypriot leader's proposal and prepare a reply. The statement, which was read out to reporters by Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides, says that Rauf Denktash has rejected the confidence building measures discussed in 1993 and 1994, as well as the UN Secretary General's solution plan for a comprehensive settlement submitted to the sides in March this year. The president reiterates the Greek Cypriot side's readiness to resume talks on the Cyprus problem, based on UN chief Kofi Annan's proposal. ''I reiterate our concrete policy, which is almost a unanimous position of the National Council, that we are always ready and willing to resume talks on the basis of the Annan plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem that will lift the division and bring about a reunited Cyprus, in which the whole people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, will enjoy equally the benefits of peace and prosperity in the context of a single state with a common sovereignty'', the president says. He adds that ''Rauf Denktash, on March 10 at The Hague withdrew from the bicommunal talks, since he rejected the Annan plan as a basis for negotiations to find a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem''. ''Instead of talks for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, Denktash has since then launched, in full cooperation with Ankara, a new strategy to maintain the occupation regime and establish just 'good neighborly relations''', the president notes. President Papadopoulos says that ''the talks Denktash is pro-posing for the reopening of the Nicosia airport, and possibly other measures, are within the context of this strategy''. ''Indeed, after the lifting of the illegal closure of the airport by occupation troops, Denktash is seeking in return the lifting of what he unfoundedly and one-sidedly calls an 'embargo' against the Turkish Cypriots'', the president notes. President Papadopoulos says ''it is worth reminding that the confidence building measures discussed in 1993 and 1994 had collapsed due to the insistence of Denktash then to have a separate state entity and sovereignty of the pseudo state recognized''. Government Spokesman Chrysostomides replied negatively to a question if the president's statement could be considered a rejection of Denktash's proposal, noting that the National Council would discuss in depth the content of Denktash's letter before replying. The National Council is the top advisory body to the president on handling the Cyprus problem. Invited to comment on reports that the Turkish media were quoting Denktash as proposing the return of the closed town of Famagusta under UN control in return for the reopening of the Nicosia airport, Chrysostomides said ''this does not emerge from the letter but the examining and discussing of the letter will be done at the National Council's meeting''. Chrysostomides also mentioned statements by Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul, who said that if the Greek Cypriot side accepts Denktash's proposal then Turkey would open the ports, airports and its airspace to the Greek Cypriots. The spokesman said this was ''Turkey's obligation'' and thus did not constitute ''anything in return''. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The latest UN effort to reach a comprehensive settlement collapsed at The Hague in March this year, when Denktash refused to put Annan's plan to a referendum. According to the Turkish news agency 'Anadolu', in a letter, which Denktash sent on Friday to the UN Chief, he says the Turkish Cypriots are ready to give the closed part of Varosha to Greek Cypriots under the control of UN in return for the opening of Nicosia International Airport for the common use by both communities. [18] Cyprus denounces Turkish violations of its airspaceNICOSIA 12/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)The Republic of Cyprus has protested to the UN over the violations of its airspace by Turkish fighter jets.According to an official press release, Charge d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Cyprus to the UN George Kasoulides reported on June 30, with a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, massive violations of Cyprus' airspace and the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) by Turkish fighter jets. The violations occurred on March 17 and 19, on April 7, 14, 16 and 25, on May 5, 15 and 17, and on June 5, 16, 19, 20, 23 and 27. In his letter, Kasoulides calls for the immediate termination of the violations, denouncing them as contrary to international law and UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus. He expresses hope that the Turkish government will show respect towards the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and refrain from further violations. Kasoulides urges the Turkish government to hear the calls of the international community to change its negative stance and exert influence on the Turkish Cypriot leadership to contribute towards finding a just and functional solution of the Cyprus problem, based on UN resolutions. The letter was circulated as an official document of the UN General Assembly and Security Council. [19] Cyprus' accession will significantly enrich EU habitatNICOSIA 12/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)Cyprus' accession to the EU will enrich the habitat of the Union significantly, European Commission representatives said here on Friday during a bicommunal seminar on ''EU nature protection policies'' organized by the Delegation of the EU Commission to Cyprus in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Nicosia.Representatives from the EU Commission's DG Environment said that after the enlargement, 13 new bird species will enrich the EU's environment, seven of them being in Cyprus. There will also be 20 new habitats, five of them in Cyprus. Greek Cypriot as well as Turkish Cypriot representatives of environmental organizations participated in this one-day seminar. In his opening remarks at the seminar Italian Ambassador Gerardo la Francesca noted that the environment and its protection have no borders and stressed that both communities in Cyprus should work jointly to achieve the best results for the environment of the island. Adrian van der Meer, Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Cyprus expressed hope that during the seminar very important conclusions and decisions would be taken. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
All Rights Reserved.