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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 03-07-23Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>July 23, 2003CONTENTS
[01] PM slams main opposition for 'opportunism' during Grevena visitAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)Prime Minister Costas Simitis, while inaugurating a hospital in Grevena, northern Greece, on Tuesday, lashed out against the leadership of main opposition New Democracy for what he called ''opportunism from the sidelines'', saying that the party had made no constructive contribution to any of the major issues facing Greece.He accused ND of displaying ''irresponsibility, lack of thought and lack of self-confidence'' with respect to the proposals for electoral law reform, while adding that its sole contribution to the organization of the 2004 Olympics had been periodic complaints about delays and that it had ''disappeared'' during the Greek presidency of the European Union after ponderously announcing the start of a ''parallel presidency''. Simitis claimed that ND appeared to be ''anxiously lying in wait for the country got into difficulties so that it could then appear and indulge in uncontrolled populism''. ''Our aim is to implement a new plan of development, a new plan of social justice and participation, to provide a clear response to all those that use unhindered danger mongering and cultivate a climate of insecurity in society concerning the prospects of the Greek economy after 2004,'' Simitis said. He stressed that the rate of the Greek economy's development for after 2004 will not decrease ''since the Greek economy has very good prospects''. The premier underlined that the modernization of the political system will play central part to that plan, concluding a series of reforms that were underway for some time now in efforts to modernize institutions and the economy. ''Along with the strengthening of transparency, among other things with the austere implementation of the controls of the sources of income, the central aim of the changes we are promo-ting on the election law level is the better representation of the citizen's interests in political life,'' he noted, adding that the main opposition does not want to discuss the issue showing its irresponsibility. Apart from inaugurating the Grevena prefecture's new general hospital, Simitis also visited a 'boot camp' at the Karahalios army base and a mining unit owned by GEO-Hellas. [02] FM Papandreou, US ambassador Miller discuss bilateral, current affairsAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)Matters concerning bilateral Greek-US relations and current affairs were discussed Tuesday during a meeting between foreign minister George Papandreou and US ambassador to Greece Thomas Miller.In statements to the press after the meeting, Miller noted that this was his first discussion with Papandreou following the completion of Greece's term in the rotating EU presidency. He added that he had conveyed congratulations from US president George Bush and secretary of state Colin Powell on Greece's exercise of the EU presidency. [03] Mitsotakis, Christodoulakis exchange verbal blows over the economyAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)Main opposition New Democracy party MP and former premier Costas Mitsotakis on Tuesday charged that the country was substantially behind in absorption of funds from the Third Community Support Framework (CSF) and that the Greek economy was sinking, and once again called for early general elections, eliciting a retort later from national economy minister Nikos Christodoulakis that he was simply repeating ND's well-known groundless arguments.Replying to press questions in Hania, Crete, after attending a meeting of the 3rd CSF Monitoring Committee, Mitsotakis said the government was continuing its effort to ''beautify'' a reality that was not pleasant with respect to the 3rd CSF or the economy in general. Mitsotakis charged that the economy was sinking, the deficits were increasing at a dramatic rate, the budget could not be balanced, and the government was applying a policy of benefits, despite claims by Christodoulakis of the opposite. With respect to the 3rd CSF, he said that according to data released by the EU, the average absorption rate in Europe in the years 2000-2002 was 21.8 percent, while in Greece it was only 16 percent, while the preceding 2nd CSF had expired with a substantial loss of funds that had been earmarked for Greece. Later in Athens, Christodoulakis said that Mitsotakis was obviously judging on the basis of his own policy exercised a decade ago which had led to economic recession, stagnation, reduction of employment and a small rate of absorption of funds earmarked for Greece in the 1st CSF. However, all that has changed radically, Christodoulakis said, adding that the Greek economy was going very well in comparison not only with the past but also with other European economies. He conceded that problems still existed and that a systematic effort was needed to further reduce inflation and unemployment and to stamp out the phenomena of excessive prides, but added that the government was waging a continuous battle whereas ND was continuously criticizing everything and rejecting reality. [04] Bulgarian minister says Greece played vital role in Bulgaria's EU progressSOFIA 23/07/2003 (ANA - M. Borisov)In an article appearing in a Bulgarian newspaper on Tuesday, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi said that cooperation with Greece had played a key role in Bulgaria's progress toward European Union accession at the EU summits in Copenhagen and Thessaloniki.Pasi stressed the importance of the EU summit in Thessaloniki, where Romania and Bulgaria both received clear confirmation that accession negotiations would be concluded in 2004 with the prospect that they will join the EU in 2007. [05] Greek ambassador hands 234,000 dollars to Georgetown U.WASHINGTON 23/07/2003 (ANA - T. Ellis)Greek Ambassador to the US George Savvaides on Tuesday handed over a check for 234,000 dollars to the Georgetown University of Washington for the establishment of a chair of Greek studies.The Greek culture ministry will fund the chair with a total of 500,000 dollars, of which 100,000 dollars was already given to the university, while the establishment of the chair needs some 1.5 million dollars of which some one million will stem from private funding. Some 450,000 dollars was donated by the ship-owner Ioannis Hatzipateras and other Greek-American businessmen. [06] Greeks distrust media but trust armed forces and justice, Eurobarometer saysBRUSSELS 23/07/2003 (ANA)The average Greek trusts the media less than other Europeans, but has confidence in such institutions as the armed forces, justice and humanitarian organizations, according to an opinion poll conducted by the Eurobarometer service in the European Union's 15 nations in March and April.On an international level, the average Greek is an ardent sup-porter of the EU's common foreign and defense policy (sup-porting the right of veto at the same time), while being very negative towards the United States. Greece has the highest percentage of EU enlargement sup-porters with 71 percent in favor and 19 percent against, while the EU average of those in favor of enlargement is 46 percent. The highest percentages of opponents of enlargement appear in France with 54 percent and Austria with 44. Regarding the euro currency, 66 percent of Europeans are in favor and 27 against. The corresponding percentages in Greece are 70 percent in favor and 27 against. Luxembourg shows the highest percentage in favor (88 percent) and the smallest against (10). On the contrary, in Britain 24 percent are in favor and 60 against. On the question of international terrorism, 80 percent of European citizens consider it to be a great danger. Also of interest is their opinion of the role of the United States in the struggle against international terrorism. In the 15-nation EU, 35 percent consider the role of the U.S. negative, 45 positive and 15 have no opinion. In Greece, over 80 percent consider the role of the U.S. negative. Coming to the role of the United States in maintaining international peace, 58 percent of European citizens have a negative view of it as against 46 percent in the previous Eurobarometer survey. A negative opinion of the role of the U.S. regarding international peace is held by 91 percent of Greeks, 73 of the French, 68 of Spaniards and 66 of Belgians and Germans. Only in Ireland and Britain does the majority of the population have a positive view of the role of the U.S. in maintaining peace. [07] DHKKI leader and veteran Leftist Glezos to work for political 'third pole'Athens 23/07/2003 (ANA)The head of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) party Dimitris Tsovolas and veteran Leftist politician Manolis Glezos on Tuesday held a meeting to discuss initiatives to unify the democratic, progressive political forces of the country and create a third pole in its political spectrum.In an announcement after the meeting, DHKKI said the two men had agreed to immediately undertake initiatives to bring together like-minded forces opposed to the rule of globalization, the new world order, neoliberalism and war and who struggle for world peace, social solidarity and human rights. "We call on all those who believe that these forces must work together during elections and afterward in order to create a third pole against the neoliberal bipolar party system to prove this actively and work in this direction, undertaking specific initiatives," they said. [08] Gov't seeks private capital for co-financed projectsAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said on Tuesday that the government wanted to see private capital in projects co-financed with the European Union.In addition, emphasis had been placed on rapid and quality implementation of projects along with sound management, Christodoulakis told a meeting of a national committee monitoring EU projects. He said that spending from the public investments program totalling 6.0 percent of gross domestic product was one of the highest rates in the European Union. [09] Greece rejects EU Commission proposals for GMOs, local farm productsBRUSSELS 23/07/2003 (ANA - M. Kourmousi)Greece on Tuesday expressed opposition to policies proposed by the European Commission for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and protested at the exclusion of specific Greek foods and beverages from an EU 'geographically protected products' list.Greek Agriculture Minister George Drys warned his EU partners that these points would determine Greece's stance on the conclusions being prepared by the EU for negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial meeting in September, a statement seen by analysts as a veiled hint that Athens might block agreement on the entire WTO package. Greece objects to the coexistence of GMO crops with conventional crops, expressing concern that this might lead to the contamination of the conventional and organic cultivation supported by Athens. [10] Greece complains about product exclusion from EU listBRUSSELS 23/07/2003 (ANA/A.Simatos)Greece on Tuesday complained about the exclusion of Greek feta cheese, ouzo and Kalamon olives from a European Union list of products defined by geographical origin.''Exclusion of all these products is incomprehensible,'' Agriculture Minister George Drys told the Athens News Agency following a meeting of EU farm ministers in the Belgian capital. ''We cannot under any circumstances accept this discrimatory treatment, and this will determine our position in negotiations between the EU and World Trade Organization in Mexico in September,'' the minister said. [11] European Commission to withhold agricultural funds from GreeceBRUSSELS 23/07/2003 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)The European Commission announced on Monday it will withhold the amount of 73.43 million euros from Greece, considering that the money was paid to Greek farmers unjustifiably.According to the European Commission's data, the return of EU funds from Greece is allocated as follows:-1.11 million euros concerns the wine and tobacco sectors (bad implementation of control procedure), -27.18 million euros the subsidization of livestock (inadequacy of controls) and -45.14 million euros the olive oil and thread sectors (inadequate controls). Monday's decision concerns the return of 115.25 million euros which will be withheld from Greece, France and Portugal. [12] Main opposition voices qualified support for gov't post offices billAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)Main opposition New Democracy on Tuesday said it would vote in favor of a government bill on the Greek Post Offices in principle, during a debate on the draft bill before Parliament's Social Affairs Committee.A spokesman for ND said the party was in favor of harmonizing the operation of the post office with EU regulations though the party expressed doubts about certain aspects of the bill. Speaking in defense of the bill before the Committee was Transport Minister Christos Verelis, who also referred to efforts to set up the New Olympic Airways and called for an end to what he said was interference by trade unionists. The issue was raised by MPs asking whether an amendment relating to the privatization of the airline was due to be tabled. [13] Stocks end up in buying spreeAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)The Athens bourse finished higher on Tuesday on buying across the board from mid-session, with players especially eager for stock in heavily weighted National Bank of Greece, which rose 3.0 percent, traders said.The general share index gained 0.22 percent to end at 2,077.48 points, testing resistance at 2,050 points during the session. Turnover was 175.4 million euros. The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.34 percent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.58 percent higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 0.65 percent. Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 189 to 147 with 33 issues remaining unchanged. Bond Market Close: Sellers match buyers on Tuesday Greek Benchmark 10-Year Bond Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 84.7 mln euros Tuesday Equity Index Futures: Stock Futures: FOREIGN EXCHANGE Closing rates of July 22 2003 Parities in euro Banknotes For. Exchange Buying Selling US Dollar 1,143 1,117 [14] Daskalantonakis Group to handle catering for Athens OlympicsAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)The Daskalantonakis Group of Greece through Aramarkdasko SA is to undertake catering for the Athens 2004 Olympics.Aramarkdasko, which was formed by the Greek business group with Aramark, a multinational catering manager with previous Olympics experience, won an international tender for the project. A contract was signed on Tuesday with national organizers of the games. The Daskalantonakis Group is affiliated to Grecotel Hotels, a hotel management company linked to TUI AG of Germany. [15] O.A. passenger jet performs emergency landing in RussiaAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)An Olympic Airways passenger jet performed an emergency landing in the airport of Brianz, south Russia, on Tuesday, following engine trouble 40 minutes after taking off from Moscow, while all passengers and crew are in good health.The pilot of the Boeing 737 bound for Athens reported that the jet had problems with one of its engines at about 3 p.m. (local time) and was directed to land at the Brianz airport, from where the passengers were to depart for Athens on an another O.A. aircraft. [16] English National Ballet for four nights in AthensAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)The English National Ballet will be appearing for four nights at the Herod Atticus Odeon in Athens this week, within the framework of the 2003 Athens Festival.On Wednesday and Thursday, the company will be performing the classical 19th-century ballet ''Coppelia'', while on Saturday and Sunday they will perform ''Triptyque'' or "Triple Bill", three one-act ballets by different choreographers developed in the early 20th century. [17] Last defense witness concludes testimony in N17 trialAthens 23/07/2003 (ANA)The last of the defense witnesses appearing in the ongoing trial of 19 suspected members of the terrorist group ''November 17'' concluded his testimony before the Three-Member Criminal Appeals Court on Tuesday, expressing certainty that the alleged leader of the terror group Alexandros Giotopoulos was innocent of the charges against him.Athens Polytechnic professor Venios Angelopoulos, who began testifying on Monday, said he could not speak for any of the other defendants on trial apart from Theologos Psaradellis and Yiannis Serifis, who he said had ''parallel action to Alexandros Giotopoulos''. According to the witness, Giotopoulos was a ''marginal case'' and had ''made the blunder of his life'' by keeping the pseudonym Mihalis Economou that he had used under the dictatorship. At another point in his testimony, Angelopoulos claimed that the threat posed by N17 to the state had been exaggerated, since it's example had not found imitators in society. ''Apart from the victims, a much greater emphasis was placed on N17's ability to harm the political system. This was exploitation of human pain and human pain is not a tradeable commodity,'' he said. Tuesday's session ended with the submission of documents to the court by the defense lawyers of the accused. Presiding judge Mihalis Margaritis said that objections by the defense related to the validity of statements and confessions ma-de during the preliminary police investigation should be submitted separately for each of the accused when they addressed the court. Some of the accused intend to ask the court not to take their confessions into account on the grounds that these were extracted from them through the use of physical violence or psychological duress. The issue had been raised at the beginning of the trial in March, at which time the court had reserved the right to make a decision during the course of the trial. Further documentation is to be submitted on Wednesday, after which Dimitris Koufodinas will be the first of the accused to make a plea in his defense before the court. [18] Public reading of President's letter indicates negative stanceNICOSIA 23/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)The Cyprus government believes that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was wrong in releasing a letter President Tassos Papadopoulos had sent to the UN Secretary General with regard to the peace effort.''Reading in public the President's letter indicates the seriousness with which Denktash faces this issue and confirms his negative stance on efforts to resolve the question of Cyprus,'' Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said on Tuesday. The spokesman said the president does not intend to make public the letter he had sent to Kofi Annan in response to a letter Denktash sent to the Secretary General which was communicated to him. A copy of the President's reply letter was also sent to Denktash. Asked why President Papadopoulos will not release the letter, the spokesman said this is a matter of respect to the recipient of the letter and the members of the National Council (parliamentary party leaders), the top advisory body to the president on the Cyprus issue. Denktash sent a letter to Annan suggesting measures to help build confidence between the island's two communities but did not indicate any willingness to resume negotiations for a political settlement. [19] Cyprus considers 'honor' participating in peace efforts in regionNICOSIA 23/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)Cyprus' participation in efforts for peace in the region or in a program concerning the nuclear weapons arsenal of Middle East countries is an honor for the Republic of Cyprus, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said here Tuesday.Invited to comment on Foreign Minister George Iacovou's scheduled trip to Iran on Saturday, the spokesman said, "it is natural" for the EU to evaluate the geographic position of Cyprus in the south-eastern edge of Europe "where it borders with countries which have some problems". "Cyprus' participation in peace efforts in the region or investigations for nuclear weapons arsenal, is an honor", the spokesman added. [20] Environmentalists and T/C PUM issue declarations on Cyprus, GMOsNICOSIA 23/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)Turkish Cypriot Patriotic Unity Movement (PUM) leader, Alpay Durduran, expressed concern that during the so called "elections" in the occupied north in December a big number of Turkish settlers will "vote" and the result of the "elections" will bear no significance on the Cyprus problem.He told reporters after a meeting of delegations of the Cyprus Environmentalist Movement and the PUM where a common declaration on the Cyprus problem was decided, that "everything is controlled" in the north and that this was "the unfortunate reality". Durduran said that Turkish Cypriots are a minority, noting that there are reports that the settlers come to Cyprus just to get the ''citizenship'' and that special trips are organized from Turkey for this reason. On his part, General Secretary of the Environmentalist Movement George Perdikis, said according to reports conveyed to the movement, there are around half a million Turks who have obtained the so called "citizenship" and are potential ''voters''. He said the Greek Cypriot parties should support the PUM's request to the Council of Europe to go ahead with the registration of the real Turkish Cypriot voters in the occupied areas, noting his movement will promote this at the Federation of Green Parties of Europe and among Euro MPs. In their common declaration the two parties "consider the need for further steps to be made based on the measures already announced with some adjustments if deemed necessary". They also underlined the Annan Plan represents a "useful tool" for the people of Cyprus in discussing their future based on the acquis communautaire. The two parties further considered a series of practical means for their future cooperation. [21] New York Governor proclaims July 20th Justice for Cyprus DayNEW YORK 23/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)New York Governor George Pataki proclaimed July 20th as ''Justice for Cyprus Day'' during a ceremony in Manhattan on Sunday in the presence of Greek American officials.In Nicosia on Tuesday, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides welcomed the New York Governor's proclamation, noting it is a ''significant gesture''. In his speech, Pataki said "for more than 29 years ago Cyprus, the beautiful and peaceful island was disrupted with an invasion which has led to the inability of people to return to their homes on the northern part of the island". "And for 29 years people of goodwill and not only those of Greek ancestry, have called for justice for Cyprus and for the ability of people not just to travel across the green line but to live and go back to the communities where they were from to, to have their properties restored and to be able to live in their homeland", he added. He expressed hope that instead of "issuing proclamations calling for justice for Cyprus we can have a celebration commemorating justice for Cyprus". Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop Demetrios thanked the Governor, noting "it is a sad event to remember what happened 29 years back". He said "Cyprus has been always a very alive part of a wonderful Greek Hellenic tradition", and expressed hope that the "this very sad episode will come to an end". Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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