Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 04-04-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] Top gov't ministers briefed on Cyprus developments

[02] PASOK party active ahead of Cyprus referenda

[03] British ambassador Madden hopes Cypriots vote 'yes' on Annan Plan

[04] EU defense ministers stress need for protection from terrorist attacks

[05] New supervising prosecutor for anti-terrorism service announced

[06] Mercouri Foundation chief Dassin assured by PM on new Acropolis Museum

[07] Belgian ambassador pays courtesy call on Deputy FM Stylianidis

[08] Public deficit may rise to 3.2 pct in 2004, breaching EU limit

[09] Labor minister, unions agree on timely conclusion of pay rise talks

[10] Producer price index up 1.0 pct in February, yr/yr

[11] Greece asks for special EU fund on road safety

[12] Visa transactions in Greece total 5.5 bln euros in 2003

[13] S&P revises EFG Eurobank outlook to positive, affirms ratings

[14] Shareholders of Edrasi endorse new convertible bond

[15] Public order minister briefs PM on issues related to Olympic Games security

[16] Shopping hours to be extended during Athens Olympic Games

[17] Olympic Torch Relay events in Canada

[18] Marquez to play in Mexico's Olympic football team

[19] Athens mayor says building facade program underway

[20] Greek Taekwondo team wins medals in Vienna

[21] Spanish handball champion will not compete in Athens Olympic Games

[22] Weather forecast Scattered cloud on Wednesday

[23] Cyprus president to address the nation Wednesday night

[24] UN says Cyprus solution plan void if not approved in referenda

[25] FM Iacovou: Cyprus ready to face any challenges after the referendum

[26] Overseas Cypriots agree on need for Cypriots to decide freely

[01] Top gov't ministers briefed on Cyprus developments

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis chaired the session, essentially a mini Cabinet meeting.

According to Molyviatis, a retired career diplomat, Greece does not retain a role as negotiator; instead, it is providing its coo-peration, as requested by UN Chief Kofi Annan.

"It (Greece) neither has the ability or the desire to enforce a solution," he added.

According to sources, Karamanlis will send a letter to the president of the republic requesting the convening of a political party leaders' council, with the date left to the discretion of President Kostis Stephanopoulos.

In an unrelated issue, namely, the economy, Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis told reporters that the date for an off-the-agenda debate will be requested once Parliament opens.

Sources said the government will present the eagerly anticipated results of various audits and reviews of the country's finances.

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, accompanied by New Democracy (ND) party Central Committee Secretary General Vangelis Meimarakis, arrived here early on Tuesday afternoon to be briefed on the views and positions of the political leadership of the Republic of Cyprus, in light of the results of the Cyprus talks in Lucerne last week and in view on the referenda which will take place on April 24 on the acceptance or not of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's final plan for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Valinakis was briefed by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and by former president Glafcos Clerides, while meetings are also scheduled with the leaderships of all the political parties of Cyprus.

Following a meeting he had with President Papadopoulos at the Presidential Mansion, Valinakis told reporters that ''I had the opportunity of meeting with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papandreou and being briefed directly on his thoughts and views following Lucerne on the Annan plan and of course in view of the referenda on April 24. I will continue my briefing meetings with the leaderships of all the political parties of Cyprus. As you know, I have already met with former president Glafcos Clerides. I am certain that the Cypriot people in a calm climate, with sobriety and responsibility, without dramatisations and tensions, will take their decision. Decisions which will be respected by all.''

In statements on arrival in Cyprus, Valinakis said that his presence on the island confirms the fact that the Greek government is at the side of Cyprus.

''My presence here confirms, yet again, that the Greek government is at the side of Cyprus,'' he said, adding:''it is a time of responsibility and assessment of the facts and prospects. Common concern is not the tomorrow of Cyprus, but also the day after. The final judge is the Cypriot people and their decision should be respected.''

On his part, Meimarakis stated that ''our presence here not only shows the interest we have but also our active participation.'' The New Democracy party, Meimarakis added, being a member of the European Peoples' Party, wants to know every detail so that it can be able in Europe to support the just causes of the Cypriot people.

[02] PASOK party active ahead of Cyprus referenda

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

PASOK is also preparing its position on the Annan plan, while PASOK leader George Papandreou said on Tuesday the position will be ready very soon and party bodies will be called on to take decisions to enable Greek public opinion and the international community to be informed in time.

According to reports, PASOK's position will be publicized before the Council of Political Party leaders is convened and before the government's position is announced.

Speaking after a meeting with party cadres, Papandreou also said that, above all, there must be respect for the decisions of the Greek Cypriots and their parties and that nobody can foresee the outcome of the referendum.

[03] British ambassador Madden hopes Cypriots vote 'yes' on Annan Plan

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Greek foreign minister Petros Molyviatis, Madden said he hoped that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities would vote 'yes' on the Annan plan during simultaneous referenda on the divided island republic on April 24.

Noting that "the final decision belongs to the Cypriots", Mad-den also expressed hope that a united Cyprus would accede the European Union on May 1.

[04] EU defense ministers stress need for protection from terrorist attacks

BRUSSELS 7/4/2004 (ANA - A. Simatos)

The defense ministers discussed ''lessons'' received from the recent terrorist attack in Madrid, particularly those concerning the protection of electricity and water supply networks and security regarding the railway networks and the ports of EU member-states.

Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos said that although no decisions were taken on the immediate implementation of security measures, special committees under the responsibility of EU High Commissioner Javier Solana have undertaken to prepare a report on the prevention of terrorist acts.

However, the Greek defense minister said this effort must not lead to a ''military-controlled'' Europe which could have a negative impact in the minds of European citizens.

''We shall throw our weight behind prevention and not suppression. We do not want a military-controlled Europe,'' he said.

Spiliotopoulos said he and his counterparts discussed the EU's possibilities of developing cooperation on issues concerning defense research and armaments.

He added that this effort, due to begin in June, can lead to a comprehensive defense industry of member-states. He also said that such a development will be very useful and beneficial for all the member-states and for Greece in particular, since the cost of armaments will be reduced considerably.

The defense minister also said the issue of deploying an EU military force in Bosnia, to replace the NATO alliance's force stationed there following the Dayton agreement in 1995, was discussed by the Council.

Spiliotopoulos further said that on the sidelines of the Council meeting he held talks with his French counterpart on bilateral issues and on the situation in the Balkans, particularly in Kosovo.

[05] New supervising prosecutor for anti-terrorism service announced

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Asprogerakas will replace Yiannis Diotis at the post. The latter's term was not renewed, while the former will serve for a two-term.

Asprogerakas was born in 1956. He entered the judiciary in 1984 and achieved the rank of first instance court prosecutor in 1997. Amongst his most high-profile cases is a recent probe into the legality of certain defense ministry procurements (i.e. Russian anti-aircraft missiles and ordnance contracts with state-run PYRCAL).

Diotis achieved local and international recognition for his role over the past two years in bringing to justice members of the notorious "November 17" urban terror gang.

[06] Mercouri Foundation chief Dassin assured by PM on new Acropolis Museum

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters after his morning meeting with Karamanlis, Dassin said that the prime minister had assured him that ''the Museum will be completed''.

Deputy culture minister Petros Tatoulis, who also attended the meeting, said that ''we will carry on with construction of the Museum along this rationale'', referring to an initial tender for the project approved in the past.

[07] Belgian ambassador pays courtesy call on Deputy FM Stylianidis

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

During their discussion, the two men confirmed the excellent climate prevailing between the two countries.

[08] Public deficit may rise to 3.2 pct in 2004, breaching EU limit

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

The minister repeated that his objective was sound financial management, curbs on spending, and a rise in tax revenue, but not through new taxes.

The new government's economic program will gradually come into effect in 2005, with tax reform due for announcement in September, he added.

[09] Labor minister, unions agree on timely conclusion of pay rise talks

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Mr Panayiotopoulos urged for a speeding up of talks to agree to a new collective pay agreement for 2004 in time before the summer Olympic Games.

The Greek minister underlined that the government's top priority was to combat unemployment and to boost employment in the country. Mr Panayiotopoulos said the ministry was seeking to support full-time employment but stressed that the country's economy and finance ministry had also a say in policies.

Panayiotopoulos acknowledged the need to support workers' income and reiterated the government's intention not to intervene in talks between workers and employers over a new pay deal.

Speaking to reporters, after the meeting, GSEE's president Christos Polyzogopoulos said he agreed with the need to complete pay rise talks before the Olympic Games and urged the government to solve a long-term pending issue of contract workers in the public sector.

[10] Producer price index up 1.0 pct in February, yr/yr

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

In its monthly report, the statistics service said that the index rose 0.2 percent in February from the previous month.

The producer price index for the domestic market showed a 1.4 percent increase in February from the corresponding month in 2003 and a 0.5 percent rise from January 2004.

The producer price index for the external market showed a decline of 0.2 percent in February compared with the same month last year and a decline of 0.7 percent from January 2004.

Consumer goods, durable goods and capital goods, recorded the biggest percentage gains, on a year-on-year basis, in February (4.2 percent, 3.0 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively).

[11] Greece asks for special EU fund on road safety

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Addressing an informal EU council meeting in Dublin, Mr Liapis agreed with his counterparts on drafting a European Charter on Road Safety on the occasion of Wednesday's World Health Day dedicated to road safety.

The Greek minister recommended the creation of a Special European Fund on Road Safety to cover exclusively EU southern states (Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal) and the 10 new EU members, saying that while the population of these countries accounted for 34 percent of total EU-25, human losses from road accidents totalled 54 percent in the EU.

He also urged for establishing a budget to fund exclusively road safety actions. Mr Liapis pledged that Greece would implement a new strategy by 2010 and announced the upgrading of an inter-ministerial committee on road safety.

[12] Visa transactions in Greece total 5.5 bln euros in 2003

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Visa credit cards totalled more than 5.1 million in 2003, up 23 per cent from the previous year, the statement said.

Consumers in Greece spent 3.4 billion euros of the total, or 84 per cent, in purchases from retail outlets, up 15.7 per cent from 2002.

A sharp rate of increase in the number of credit cards in Greece over recent years showed a slight deceleration in 2003, coming closer to the average growth rate in the European Union, the statement added.

[13] S&P revises EFG Eurobank outlook to positive, affirms ratings

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

At the same time, the international ratings organization affirmed its BBB+/A-2' long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings on the bank.

''The ratings reflect EFG's deepening franchise and focused strategy on selected domestic market fragments, with high growth potential, including households, consumer, and small business lending,'' said S&P's credit analyst, Elena Iparraguirre in a statement.

''The positive outlook reflects Standard & Poor's expectations that EFG's deepening position in its targeted market segments, coupled with above-average economic prospects and prudent credit-risk management, will continue to ensure sustainable risk-adjusted performance,'' said another S&P analyst, Blanca Sagastume.

[14] Shareholders of Edrasi endorse new convertible bond

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Each bond will be worth 3,350 shares with a nominal value of 2.53 euros, the company said in statement.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Closing rates of April 6 2004

Parities in euro

Banknotes

For. Exchange Buying Selling

US Dollar 1,218 1,190

[15] Public order minister briefs PM on issues related to Olympic Games security

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Voulgarakis also met Portuguese Minister attached to the Prime Minister Jose Luis Arnaut with whom he also discussed issues related to the security of the Games as well as of the European Soccer Championship in Portugal in June.

[16] Shopping hours to be extended during Athens Olympic Games

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Prior to the meeting with ESEE, Panayiotopoulos had also met with representatives of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) in light of negotiations regarding the Collective Labor Agreement for 2004.

ESEE President Dimitris Armenakis stated that the responsibility for extending shop hours lay with shop owners and businesses, but it should be in accordance with existing legislation and with respect for workers' rights.

During the meeting, Panayiotopoulos also discussed employment issues with merchants, while ESEE representatives emphasised that they did not want any intervention in the negotiating process regarding the collective agreement.

Lastly, Panayiotopoulos asked all concerned parties to accelerate negotiations in light of the upcoming Olympic Games and called for cooperation and understanding among all sides.

[17] Olympic Torch Relay events in Canada

MONTREAL 7/4/2004 (ANA - I. Frangouli)

Egan met with Montreal's General Consul George Zaharioudakis, members of the Greek community and members of the Greek local press.

In order to honor Montreal's Greeks, city authorities mapped out the Torch Relay route so that it can pass through the Greek Community Center, Athena Park, and Greek-dominated Park Avenue.

[18] Marquez to play in Mexico's Olympic football team

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

[19] Athens mayor says building facade program underway

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

The "Facade" program, which began in July 2003, is being implemented by the municipality of Athens in cooperation with the public works ministry.

According to the Athens mayor, the number of buildings is expected to rise to 1,500 by the end of May.

''Results are very satisfactory, despite press reports to the contrary,'' she said.

She also emphasized that beautification initiatives in the often congested and concrete-laden Greek capital will continue after the Olympic Games.

[20] Greek Taekwondo team wins medals in Vienna

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

Areti Athanasopoulou was the gold medallist in the 59 kg category, while the silver went to Elli Mystakidou in the 72 kg cate-gory. Michalis Mouroutsos and Alexandros Nikolaidis won a bronze medal each, in the 62 kg and 84+ kg categories, respectively.

''It seems we are on the right track. We proved once again that something good is happening both to our sport and our team. We had a pretty high performance level at the tournaments in the Netherlands and Austria. Although our final preparation for the Olympic Games is at an initial stage, we are doing well. We just need to continue at the same pace,'' Greek national champion Nikolaidis said.

[21] Spanish handball champion will not compete in Athens Olympic Games

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

The 33 year old athlete said ''some of the greatest moments of my life were with Barcelona. I made many friends, from the team's director to the court steward.''

[22] Weather forecast Scattered cloud on Wednesday

Athens 7/4/2004 (ANA)

[23] Cyprus president to address the nation Wednesday night

NICOSIA 7/4/2004 (CNA/ANA)

The president said last week after UN-led talks in Burgenstock, Switzerland, that he would make his decisions public before the people with clarity and honesty.

He also said that he was going to evaluate carefully and with a sense of responsibility the entire text of the UN proposed plan and take a stance on it.

The presidential address comes as the people of Cyprus prepare to vote on the Annan plan for a comprehensive settlement on April 24.

[24] UN says Cyprus solution plan void if not approved in referenda

LARNACA 7/4/2004 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking at Larnaca Airport on arrival in Cyprus in view of the referenda, de Soto appealed to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot people to read and calmly assess the plan, noting that it was improved during talks in Burgenstock, Switzerland, for both sides.

The Peruvian diplomat said he briefed the UN Security Council on developments and stopped off in Dublin where he met Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who holds the rotating Presidency of the European Union.

''I know that I come back to the island at a very delicate moment. On each side, there is a great deal of internal deliberation going on in advance of the referenda on April 24. This is as it should be. As the Secretary-General said in Burgenstock, the decision is now up to the people, and rightly so. We have no intention of interfering in that democratic decision,'' de Soto said.

He added that the Annan plan ''provides for one referendum, on April 24, 2004, it does not provide for a second bite of the cherry some time later on.''

''On the contrary, the plan will be null and void if it isn't approved at referenda. We've had four years of intensive negotiations. The product is on the table. The time has come for a definitive decision,'' he said.

De Soto noted that ''in making that decision, I would appeal for a calm assessment of the plan on each side.''

''Above all, I appeal to people to read the plan. Despite what has been reported in some quarters, the plan was improved at Burgenstock - for both sides,'' he added.

De Soto said ''the plan was not dreamt up by the Secretary-General,'' noting that ''it reflects a four year process of negotiations between the parties.''

''The vast bulk of the plan has been agreed. There are some points where the Secretary-General filled in the gaps by invitation of the leaders,'' de Soto added.

He noted that ''obviously, the plan is a compromise but it is a principled compromise,'' and expressed the UN conviction that ''the final product is a fair plan, a workable plan, a plan that accommodates the concerns of each side but the only way the Cypriots can decide this is if they read the plan themselves.''

''If my Greek Cypriot friends read the plan, they will discover that it is very different from how it is sometimes portrayed, and that it meets the most important basic concerns of the Greek Cypriot side,'' de Soto said.

Referring to the plan, he said it ''safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus, in accordance with international law and the resolutions of the Security Council, the federal government is designed to be able to function immediately and

effectively, and a majority of displaced and dispossessed persons will be able to return to their homes under Greek Cypriot administration.''

Furthermore, he said ''all other displaced and dispossessed per-sons will have their property rights fully honored by reinstate-ment and/or compensation,'' noting that ''they will mostly get back one-third of their property and be fully compensated for the rest.''

''There will be no limits on people returning - or going for the first time - to establish secondary residences in the other constituent state. And over time, those who truly want to live permanently in the other constituent state will be able to do so,'' he added.

Regarding the Turkish Cypriots, he said that on reading the plan ''they will discover that the plan meets the most basic concerns of the Turkish Cypriot side.''

He explained that ''the plan is based on the political equality of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, provides for two constituent states of equal status, enshrining the distinct identities of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, with each side largely to run its own affairs under its own constitutions, and provides for a bizonal set-up and ensures that neither side will be overrun or dominated by the other.''

Furthermore, he said ''the system of guarantees established by international treaty in 1960 remains unchanged, and some Turkish Cypriots will have to be relocated but the plan ensures that this will be done properly and fairly.''

''I would also say, to both sides, that the security arrangements in the plan are designed to allay the concerns of each side, and to ensure that the settlement can be implemented smoothly,'' he said.

Asked if he expected any steps from the two sides before the referenda, de Soto replied in the positive, noting that there are ''seven or eight steps, concrete ones, practical ones that have to be taken with regard to the identification of the federal property, to federal buildings, to earmarking of personnel for the federal government, it refers to, for instance, a list of 45 thousand people who will be deemed to be citizens of the United Cyprus Republic upon entry into force.''

Invited to say if he would be staying in Cyprus until the referenda, de Soto said he would and might ''take trips outside briefly.''

Asked if he would be meeting with the leaders of the two communities in the meantime, de Soto said he hoped so.

To a question what would happen if there was a negative out-come in the referenda, de Soto said he would ''not even speculate on that.''

Asked who would secure that the plan would be implemented, de Soto said ''the plan provides for a political agreement between the two sides and assumes that it counts on the support of the guarantors.''

''We are looking forward to the support of the Security Council as well, not to mention the EU and other European bodies. It doesn't provide for the use of force as such. What it does is provide for a solemn international commitment of support,'' he added.

Replying to questions, he said that ''we should start from the assumption that those who sign the plan and those who support it are doing so in good faith and that there will need to be obligations that they undertake.''

Asked about the functionality of the plan, he said ''there are built-in mechanisms and undertakings that make it very difficult for anyone not to honor their commitments.''

''The UN is proposing this plan up for a decision at this referendum and this is the opportunity that they have,'' he added.

Asked what would happen after that, de Soto said, ''After that? I don't know. I have no answer for you.''

[25] FM Iacovou: Cyprus ready to face any challenges after the referendum

LARNACA 7/4/2004 (CNA/ANA)

''In case there is an agreement, it is very important that there is good will, but Turkey never persuaded that it has the good will needed, so that the agreement is successful,'' he said.

''This is the reason why the Greek Cypriot side insisted to the limitation of Turkey's ability to invoke treaties in order to interfere in Cyprus' internal affairs," the Cyprus FM said.

[26] Overseas Cypriots agree on need for Cypriots to decide freely

NICOSIA 7/4/2004 (CNA/ANA)

A joint communique, issued after a visit of representatives of about seven Cypriot organizations abroad to the European Parliament, called on the UN Secretary-General and the European Union to continue supporting the efforts of Cypriots in arriving at a solution.

The communique outlining the points of consensus among participating organizations to the Brussels meeting also said that the common vision was a united Cyprus, member of the EU, with a federal, bicommunal and bizonal structure.

''This is the moment for Cypriots to decide their future freely in the 24th of April referenda,'' it said, and expressed support for a demilitarized Cyprus where all its legal citizens enjoy equal human rights in accordance with the acquis communautaire.

The basis of the solution are the principles and resolutions of the Security Council of the UN, it added.

Cypriot organizations also emphasized the need to immediately pursue humanitarian issues including the fate of missing persons in Cyprus. Cypriots living abroad reaffirmed their willingness and decisiveness to work together for an honest, peaceful, workable and long-lasting solution of the problem and said they would continue meeting and would strengthen cooperation in the future particularly after the April 24 referenda.

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