Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 05-11-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] State pensions to rise more than wages, finmin says

[02] Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry urges for rise in indirect taxes

[03] Main opposition blasts 2006 budget

[04] GSEE slams 2006 budget, presents survey findings on economic and social policy

[05] Metron Analysis survey on economic and social policy

[06] Civil servants say 2006 budget signals more austerity

[07] Local authorities complain of cutbacks in 2006 budget

[08] New Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III enthroned

[09] President Papoulias meets with Israeli counterpart

[10] General Affairs Council focuses on EU strategy in Africa

[11] Inner Cabinet discusses defense procurements, draft law

[12] PASOK leader Papandreou to soon visit Turkey as ESP representative

[13] Party's renewal includes everyone, PASOK leader clarifies

[14] European Ombudsman Diamantouros criticizes Council of Ministers

[15] Voulgarakis briefs EU ambassadors on EU security matters and police cooperation

[16] Interior minister addresses conference on European social policy

[17] Journalists' union ESHEA announces 24-hour strike on Thursday

[18] Event against closure of BBC's Greek service held at ESHEA

[19] NATO training centre commanders at conference in Kilkis

[20] Greece's current account deficit up to 592 mln euros in September

[21] Quality in merchant shipping also concerns well-trained seamen, Greece's minister Kefaloyannis tells IMO Assembly

[22] Greece turns down EU sugar compromise

[23] Parliament committee approves electricity deregulation bill

[24] OEEK conference on developing tourism diplomacy

[25] EPOLINE conference opens Wednesday in Athens

[26] Intracom forges alliance with US firm

[27] Public debt rises in Q3 2005

[28] Cost of living up 15.9 pct in Jan-Oct, report

[29] Mytilineos Group reports spectacular nine-month results

[30] Athens Stock Exchange opening: Rise

[31] Public order minister chairs meeting ahead of bad weather spell

[32] Ioannina airport closed as weather front sweeps northern Greece

[33] Nobel chemistry laureate Ciechanover to be awarded honorary PhD by Athens University, address event on children with cancer

[34] Supreme Court decides to extradite Petra to Croatia

[35] IOM's 'Radio in Greece' study on the Internet

[36] Human Rights art show in Athens sells 24 works on opening night

[37] Thessaloniki Film Festival under way, Balkan Fund awardees announced

[38] U.S. Embassy, consulates closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving

[39] Greece's top athletes sworn in as armed forces officers

[40] Panathinaikos loses 2-1 at home to Udinese in Champions League match

[41] Cypriot Spokesman says Annan plan will not be the same

[42] Cyprus' UN Representative says Talat's allegations groundless

[43] Britain respects Greek Cypriots' choice on Annan Plan

[01] State pensions to rise more than wages, finmin says

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

In an interview to NET radio, the minister noted both categories would increase as much as possible under budgetary constraints.

"Pensioners and wage earners will not carry the (economic) burden, as they did not last year. A very great effort will be made to reduce wasteful spending in the public sector, and to combat tax evasion, which has increased in recent years," he pledged.

In addition, the government would not hike fuel tax if the market failed to normalize.

"We are obliged to raise fuel tax by 20% on diesel and gasoline by 2009. The rise must be spread over coming years. Otherwise there would be great upheaval," Alogoskoufis said.

"A 5.0% hike was due this year but it was not introduced due to the situation in the oil market," he added.

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, replying to a question by the press on Tuesday on statements by the finance minister according to which "the possible increase in public utility invoices can be discerned", reiterated that in the budget for 2006 "no tax increase of any kind is anticipated."

Roussopoulos also said that "the state is increasing tax revenues due to what is owed from the past. Many taxes are owed from the past by companies, businesses and in certain cases by private persons. In other words, the provision for an increase in revenues from taxation has to do, primarily, with what is owed. Otherwise, no new tax is anticipated in the budget for 2006."

The spokesman was replying to a question that revenues are expected to increase by 7.7 percent compared to last year and due to the observation made by Costas Karamanlis on December 22, 2003, as the leader of the main opposition party, that taxes had more than trebled since 1992 while, on the other hand, the incomes of Greek families had not increased more than threefold over the same period.

[02] Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry urges for rise in indirect taxes

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

EBEA said Greek businessmen believed that measures included in the 2006 budget were not adequate to reverse a bad economic course. "Our proposal is that if we want to move faster towards reducing a fiscal deficit, find additional funds to support weaker classes and drastically reduce tax factors on natural persons, we should raise indirect taxes. In most countries around the world, governments are lowering direct taxation on enterprises and natural persons and raising indirect taxes. Exactly the opposite from what's happening in our country".

[03] Main opposition blasts 2006 budget

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

According to PASOK's economy spokeswoman, Vasso Papandreou, the budget will be impossible to implement without extra economic measures.

"The budget widens social inequality, also leading to a reduction in investment and the rate of growth accompanied by a rise in unemployment," Papandreou told a news conference.

"Its negative repercussions will be even more strongly felt in the regions," she claimed.

[04] GSEE slams 2006 budget, presents survey findings on economic and social policy

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

According to GSEE, the drastic cuts in public investments will limit their contribution to GDP growth, new jobs and the country's development overall.

The trade union also said that increases for wage earners and pensioners will be below the rate of inflation thus cutting even deeper into citizens' purchasing power, since pensioners on the lowest pay scale can look forward to an increase of � 0.50 per day, while low-salaried public sector employees will see their wages increase by only � 0.60/day.

As for the government's goal to reduce the deficit to 2.6% of GDP in 2006, GSEE believes that this will be achievable only through new tax measures of about � 3.6 billion.

GSEE reiterated its demands for a budget that is geared towards growth and redistribution of wealth, equal distribution of taxes and inflation-linked taxation.

[05] Metron Analysis survey on economic and social policy

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Of those surveyed, 50.6% do not agree with the government's handling of contract employees; 55.9% do not agree with the tax policy; 55.6% do not agree with the government's handling of pension reform; 59.5% are not satisfied with the government's efforts to combat the rising cost of living; while 63% are unhappy with the way the government is addressing unemployment.

Regarding the heating oil subsidy, 83% disagree with the government on the issue.

Finally, the majority of those surveyed are also dissatisfied with the government's labor reform; 52.6% disagree with the law that aims to make labor relations more flexible; 64.5% are opposed to the increase of overtime, while 75.2% disagree with the reduction in overtime pay.

[06] Civil servants say 2006 budget signals more austerity

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

According to the ADEDY union, the budget allocated too few funds to education, health and social insurance and contained unfair taxation that would further erode salaries.

The union has called its members to strike on December 14 in solidarity with the country's largest trade union umbrella group, the General Confederation of Workers of Greece.

[07] Local authorities complain of cutbacks in 2006 budget

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

In addition, the budget contained no provision for the salaries of contract workers who recently gained steady employment status and others in the pipeline, the head of the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece, Paris Koukoulopoulos, said in a statement.

"The gap between the government's pledges is not simply obvious, but glaringly so," Koukoulopoulos added.

[08] New Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III enthroned

JERUSALEM, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The enthronement was attended by Greek President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis, representatives of the Greek political parties and of all the Orthodox Churches and Patriarchates, including the head of the Church of Greece, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos.

In his enthronement speech, the new Patriarch referred to the recent problems experienced by the Jerusalem Patriarchate and stressed the difficult task that lay before him in his efforts to "emerge from the sea of corruption and fraud".

Papoulias termed the day "historic" for the Jerusalem Patriarchate and said it marked the start of its new course.

"The Jerusalem Patriarchate recently underwent major upheavals that momentarily threatened to turn it aside from its path. Your unanimous election, however, trumpeted the desire of the Holy Sepulcher's Brotherhood to fight to restore it to the glorious position it deserves in the modern world," Papoulias said.

The Greek president stressed that the Patriarchate was a factor for peace and stability in the region and said that it would always have Greece's support in its struggles.

Archbishop Christodoulos, speaking to Theophilos later during the proceedings, stressed that the work facing the new Patriarch would be difficult and strenuous, while expressing confidence that the beliefs, experience and courtesy of the new Patriarch would contribute to the peace and unity of the Church.

Skandalakis said the ceremony on Tuesday marked the end of a "long and difficult period of disruption" that had rocked the Jerusalem Church and congregation.

"I would like to once again note that the only and steadfast concern of Greece was always to protect this institution for the good of Orthodox faith and the message that it gives to all the world for peace, reconciliation and progress," he said.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Greek president met his Israeli counterpart Moshe Katzav.

The ousted former patriarch Irineos, who remains shut in his quarters at the Patriarchate, on Tuesday made a statement to the Israeli newspaper "Jerusalem Post" that he was still the "rightful Patriarch" and that those putting a new Patriarch on the throne were acting illegally.

Irineos was removed in a "rebellion" by the Jerusalem Patriarchate's Holy Synod and several senior clerics, following a scandal that implicated him in the long-term lease and sale of Patriarchate land in the Old City of Jerusalem to Israeli interests.

The current Patriarch Theophilos, formerly Archbishop of Tabor, was elected to replace the deposed Irineos on August 22 by a unanimous vote of the Jerusalem Church Holy Synod.

[09] President Papoulias meets with Israeli counterpart

JERUSALEM, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The meeting was cordial and was attended by Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis.

Papoulias invited Katsav to Greece, stressing the latter's interest in antiquities and history.

"Mr. President I invite you to Greece, a country where antiquities are an integral part of our civilisation," Papoulias said.

Katsav accepted the invitation.

Signing the visitors' book, Papoulias wrote: "I visited the President of Israel, a country whose people share close ties with the people of Greece and who struggle together for peace and prosperity."

Before meeting with Katsav, Papoulias also met separately with Palestinian Chief of Staff Rafik al-Husseini and Jordanian Interior Minister Aouni Yerfas, each representing their governments at the enthronement ceremony of Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III.

[10] General Affairs Council focuses on EU strategy in Africa

BRUSSELS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Speaking after the Council, Stylianidis said that on the issue of EU strategy in Africa, particular emphasis was placed on preventing illegal emigration from Africa to Europe, the EU's contribution to developing the infrastructures which shall create preconditions for viable development, the handling of AIDS and the development of education.

Stylianidis further said that Greece has expressed its support for peace processes in the region, underlining economic aid through development activities in Africa.

He mentioned that in 2003 Greece had spent 13.66 million dollars for development activities in Africa and 40.46 million dollars in 2004, while an increase in these funds is anticipated for 2005-2006.

The Council ratified a Declaration on the EU's development policy which, following intervention by the Greek delegation as well, anticipates that EU candidate countries can constitute target countries for development aid, with emphasis being placed on Western Balkan and Black Sea zone countries.

[11] Inner Cabinet discusses defense procurements, draft law

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

National defense minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos presented a relevant draft law to the Inner Cabinet, noting that for the first time a bill on defense procurements and aimed at consolidating transparency, competitiveness and efficiency, as well as monitoring of the Armed Forces' procurements, was being introduced.

He said the bill would also contribute to boosting the Greek defense industry.

The minister said that the provisions contained in the bill were in the interests of the Greek citizens, the Armed Forces procurements, and transparency in the management of public monies.

He said a detailed announcement would be issued by the defense ministry describing the provisions of the bill.

[12] PASOK leader Papandreou to soon visit Turkey as ESP representative

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Papandreou, who made the statement following a meeting of the coordinating body of the party's Parliamentary Group, described as "spasmodic the moves being made" in eastern Turkey by the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The PASOK leader was questioned by reporters on the increased presence of Turkish occupation troops in Cyprus and replied that "this is a very serious issue which PASOK will examine very carefully."

Papandreou also referred to the presence of U.S. weaponry in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus, stressing that "they are there in violation of the resolutions of Congress." He noted that "it is probable that all these things would not have occurred if we were not simply observers in Lucerne."

[13] Party's renewal includes everyone, PASOK leader clarifies

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

"Obviously we will all move together," he underlined, stressing that all PASOK MPs should feel part of the efforts being made by the party to win the next elections.

The renewal, reform and changes should not be "handed over" to New Democracy, he added, calling on coordinators to fully brief the Parliamentary Group on the party's renewal and saying that "futile conflicts" would not be tolerated.

Over the past week, Papandreou upset historic party members by urging the media to turn the spotlight more on the up-and-coming faces within the party, rather than focusing exclusively on MPs and the more well-known political figures in its ranks.

During the meeting, PASOK's leader also predicted that the government would not risk early elections, saying that such a move at present would put it "between a rock and a hard place" given the impasses it had created for itself.

He said the government had no policies and nothing to show for itself, while noting that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis had visited a public works project carried out under PASOK during his visit to Grevena.

Regarding his election to the Socialist International presidency, for which he is the sole candidate, Papandreou stressed that it was a great honor and a privileged position on the international scene.

At the same time, he stressed that his new duties would not lead him to abandon Greece and PASOK or distract him from his work here, which was his first priority.

[14] European Ombudsman Diamantouros criticizes Council of Ministers

BRUSSELS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Specifically, following an investigation conducted by the European ombudsman's relevant services, it was ascertained that the Council in essence tried to conceal the exact number of documents on a defense cooperation matter between the EU member-states which was asked for in a report by the individual in question.

In its initial reply, the Council claimed the existence of restricted documents on this matter, while after the intervention by Diamantopoulos, the Council acknowledged that there were supplementary texts with amendments to the initial agreement which were finally given to the individual.

Diamantopoulos, having noted that it was a case of poor administration, accused the Council in an announcement for not fulfilling its obligations in accordance to regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to EU documents.

[15] Voulgarakis briefs EU ambassadors on EU security matters and police cooperation

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The briefing was made during an official luncheon hosted at noon by British Ambassador Simon Gass at the British Embassy, in the context of Britain's EU presidency.

All the ambassadors of the EU member-states attended the luncheon.

[16] Interior minister addresses conference on European social policy

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The conference began at the Zappeion Mansion in Athens and was organized by the municipality of Zografou, Attica, in cooperation with the municipality of Mala in Sweden and that of Aglantzia in Cyprus.

Pavlopoulos said that immigration is an absolutely normal phenomenon which can and must have beneficial results for societies and cultures.

He further said that the new immigration law is directed at the future to shape a policy which will clarify that the immigrant as well must have his rights and feel secure in our country.

In this context, Pavlopoulos added, a policy of accession must exist and not a policy of assimilation.

[17] Journalists' union ESHEA announces 24-hour strike on Thursday

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The ESHEA board also advises employers and supervisors that journalists will not work in any way on the day of the strike, nor participate in briefings or outside reporting except those covering the strike itself.

Only the elected representatives and members of ESHEA's board will be permitted to be on the premises of media enterprises during the strike.

The announcement also stresses that radio and TV stations should not replace striking staff by non-union replacements on that day nor broadcast re-runs of past news and information programs or news programs obtained from other media, such as the BBC, Deutsche Welle, CBS and others.

[18] Event against closure of BBC's Greek service held at ESHEA

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Academics and representatives of the political parties attending the event at ESHEA's offices expressed their sorrow at the BBC's decision.

POESY President Dimitris Tsalapatis stressed that the 66 years of the Greek Service's history must not be lost, calling for the files to be saved. Tsalapatis noted, meanwhile, that BBC services in neighboring countries like Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) were continuing to operate.

He also read out a message from the staff in the Greek section of Deutsche Welle, who said the closure of the BBC Greek service deprived them of a "worthy competitor".

Parliament president Anna Psarouda-Benaki said that the BBC Greek Service should have been kept open, if only for symbolic reasons and in tribute to its role during the difficult years of the seven-year Greek junta.

"A way must be found for a voice from history that has objectivity and prestige to continue being heard," she said.

Messages expressing regret at the loss of the BBC's Greek voice were also read out by alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros on behalf of the government, Tilemachos Hytiris for main opposition PASOK and former Coalition leader Nikos Constantopoulos for the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology.

[19] NATO training centre commanders at conference in Kilkis

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The participants come from a number of countries and will examine ways to coordinate various education institutions in the unified framework of NATO.

The conference is taking place at the Greek Training Centre for peacekeepers in Kilkis.

[20] Greece's current account deficit up to 592 mln euros in September

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

This development is attributed almost equally to a widening of the trade deficit, an increase in the income account deficit and a decline in the services surplus, which more than offset the growth of the current transfers surplus.

The trade deficit (excluding oil and ships) narrowed in September by 102 million euros, but its decrease was more than offset by the 163 million and 61 million euros increases, respectively, in the deficits of the oil balance and the ships' balance.

The overall surplus of the services balance dropped by � 117 million year-on-year. Specifically, the surplus of the travel services balance grew by � 157 million, reflecting a � 114 million (or 7.5%) increase in gross receipts (i.e. travel spending in Greece by non-residents) over the relatively high level recorded in September 2004 and a � 43 million (or 20.7%) decline in gross payments (i.e. travel spending abroad by residents). By contrast, the surplus of the transport services balance narrowed by � 87 million, reflecting a small drop in gross receipts (of � 24 million or 2.2%) and an appreciable rise in gross payments (of � 63 million or 13.3%). Finally, as it was to be expected, the  other services balance showed a deficit of � 73 million, compared with a surplus of � 115 million in September 2004 which is attributable to one-off receipts owing to the Olympic Games.

The � 124 million increase in the income account deficit mainly reflects the fact that interest payments on Greek government bonds held by non-residents rose by � 110 million. (It should be recalled that, as from April 2005, the methodology of recording interest on bonds in the balance of payments statistics changed, so that interest payments are recorded on an accruals basis, rather than on a cash basis, as they had been up to and including March 2005. Thus, data are recorded more accurately. For comparability purposes, the monthly data going back to January 2003 have also been revised.)

Finally, the current transfers surplus grew by � 81 million year-on-year, as a � 122 million rise in EU current transfers to general government overshot a � 33 million rise in general government payments to the EU.

In January-September 2005, the current account deficit widened by � 2,313 million over the same period of 2004 and reached � 8,130 million, reflecting mainly a rise in the trade deficit and, secondarily, an increase in the income account deficit and a drop in the current transfers surplus. The increase in the services surplus only partly offset the above developments.

The � 1,251 million increase in the overall trade deficit (including oil and ships) is due to the growth of the net oil import bill by � 1,025 million and the fact that the ships balance showed a deficit of � 376 million, compared with a surplus of � 522 million in the corresponding period of 2004. These developments more than offset the favorable outturn of the trade deficit excluding oil and ships, which narrowed by � 671 million, because exports (excluding oil and ships) grew by � 100 million, while the corresponding imports declined by � 571 million in comparison with their very high level in the same period of 2004.

The services surplus widened considerably (by � 451 million), reflecting an increase in net transport and travel receipts. Specifically, gross transport (mainly shipping) receipts were higher by � 679 million or 6.9%, compared with the already very high receipts recorded in the corresponding period of 2004, despite the continuing drop in freight rates in international markets. Since gross transport payments rose by � 334 million or 7.9%, net transport receipts grew by � 345 million. Gross travel receipts rose by � 674 million or 7.5%, while gross travel payments increased by � 162 million or 9.8%, thereby pushing up net travel receipts by � 511 million over the corresponding period of 2004.

The income account deficit grew by � 795 million during the same period, as net interest, dividend and profit payments increased, mainly because of a continuing rise in non-residents holdings of old and new issues of Greek Government bonds.

Finally, the � 718 million year-or-year fall in the current transfers surplus is attributable on the one hand to a � 395 million decrease in net EU current transfers to general government and, on the other hand, a � 323 million drop in net current transfers to the "other" sectors (excluding general government). Specifically, in the January-September 2005 period EU current transfers to general government grew by � 303 million or 9.0%, but general government current payments to the EU rose by � 698 million or 44.6% year-on-year.

The capital transfers balance showed a surplus of � 264 million, which was slightly smaller than in September 2004 (� 284 million). The capital transfers balance showed a surplus of � 1,346 million, i.e. smaller by � 382 million than in the corresponding period of 2004.

Direct investment in Greece showed a substantial net outflow of � 712 million, which mainly reflects a considerable net outflow of � 592 million under non-residents investment in Greece and, secondarily, an outflow of � 121 million for residents investment abroad.

"Other" investment showed a net outflow of � 645 million, because residents external liabilities fell more than residents external assets.

Direct investment showed a net outflow of � 860 million (compared with a net inflow of � 626 million in the corresponding period of the previous year). This development is accounted for mainly by a net outflow of � 682 million for residents direct investment abroad and, secondarily, by a net outflow of � 178 million under non-residents' investment in Greece. Portfolio investment recorded a net inflow of � 9,288 million during the same period, since the outflow of residents funds for investment abroad (mainly in bonds) was more than offset by the inflow of non-residents funds for investment primarily in Greek government paper and - to an appreciable degree - shares of Greek firms. Finally, under "other" investment, a net outflow of � 856 million reflects the fact that the outflow of funds (� 12,185 million), mainly for residents investment in deposits and repos abroad, more than offset the inflow of non-residents funds (� 11,329 million), mainly for similar investment in Greece.

Greece s reserve assets came to � 2.0 billion.

[21] Quality in merchant shipping also concerns well-trained seamen, Greece's minister Kefaloyannis tells IMO Assembly

LONDON, 23/11/2005 (ANA/L. Tsirigotakis)

Kefaloyannis said that the present Assembly session was taken place at a time when important developments were taking place on a global level and protection of the sea environment was arising as the most fundamental investment by the present generation for future generations.

Today, he said, "shipping is a much safer industry than in the past, and its environmental credentials have improved significantly".

Kefaloyannis said that IMO and its member countries, in the framework of their authorities and their influence, have an equally important role to play in this respect as well. The international safety standards must in now way create areas of commercial competition among the flags. The disreputable factors involved in shipping must comprehend that the credentials of maritime are not negotiable, but applied in a uniform way on a global basis," he said.

The Greek minister, who was one of the keynote speakers at the Assembly session, also stressed the "need for investment in the human potential".

"Quality in merchant shipping does not concern only the ships and engines. It also concerns well-trained seamen with an upgraded professional status and working conditions," he explained. "Prospective measures of a regional extent must be avoided at all cost", Kefaloyannis said, stressing that any measures should "reflect the international activity of maritime".

IMO is the United Nations agency concerned with maritime safety and security and the prevention of marine pollution from ships. Piraeus-born Efthymios Mitropoulos is currently at the helm of the IMO, after being elected as the organization's 7th secretary general by IMO's 90th Council meeting in June 2003 and the approval of his appointment by the 23rd regular session of the IMO Assembly on November 2003. He will serve as IMO chief for an initial four-year term which started on January 1, 2004.

Urgent priority is being placed by the Assembly on the rising incidents of piracy against merchant ships, ship safety, and protection of the sea environment.

Also, the final phase in the development of the new voluntary IMO Member State audit scheme is set to be launched at the present Assembly.

The adoption of the Scheme will herald a new era for IMO, in which the Organization will have at its disposal a tool to achieve harmonized, standardized global implementation of IMO standards, which is key to realizing the IMO objectives of safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans.

The Scheme will address issues such as a Member State's conformance in enacting appropriate legislation for the IMO instruments to which it is a Party; the administration and enforcement of the applicable laws and regulations of the Member State; the delegation of authority by a Member State in terms of the implementation of convention requirements; and the control and monitoring mechanism of the Member State's survey and certification processes and of its recognized organizations.

It will help to identify where capacity-building activities would have the greatest effect and it will also enable appropriate action to be much more precisely focused. Individual Member States which volunteer to be audited will receive valuable feedback and, on a wider scale, generic lessons learnt from audits could be provided to all Member States so that the benefits may be shared. The regulatory process at IMO may also benefit from the results of this learning experience.

Alongside the audit scheme framework, the Assembly is expected to adopt a Code for the Implementation of Mandatory IMO Instruments, which will provide the audit standard.

[22] Greece turns down EU sugar compromise

BRUSSELS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Greek Agricultural Development Minister Evangelos Basiakos told a meeting of his EU counterparts that the proposal to lower sugar prices was too severe, and prices should fall gradually so that the market could adapt.

The intervention mechanism proposed by the UK would not guarantee the support the market needed, the minister said.

He called on the EU's executive Commission and the presidency to step up efforts that would lead to an agreement that contained no losers.

[23] Parliament committee approves electricity deregulation bill

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Endorsing the bill in outline were deputies of the ruling New Democracy party and main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement. Voting against were parliamentarians of the Communist Party of Greece and Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology.

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas was the architect of the bill.

"A modern framework has now been created, attractive for large-scale investments in electricity output," Sioufas said when he sent the bill to the house.

"The benefits for employment and for consumers are obvious. The bill boosts competition, and, gradually, by July 2007, all consumers will be able to choose their supplier," he added.

[24] OEEK conference on developing tourism diplomacy

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Liaskos' comments were made at the conference "Developing Tourism Diplomacy in Urban Centers," organized by the Vocational Training Organization (OEEK) and the vocational training school Triandria in Thessaloniki.

"It is time for public and private organizations to partner together, but it is also time for educational and vocational training organizations to realize the role they are called upon to play," Liaskos said.

He added that workers, environmental organizations and tourism enterprises must respect local resources and must encourage local communities to create new products and to modernize infrastructure.

It is in this direction that the government is working by seeking to enhance the tourism product, to strengthen the sector by capitalizing and highlighting the country's cultural reserves, to upgrade quality of services and to reduce Greek tourism's seasonal character.

On his part, OEEK Vice-President Constantinos Margaritis said that everyone's priority is the qualitative upgrading of Greek tourism, noting that Greek tourism has taken on a developmental role. This, he said, also explains tourism diplomacy, a concept that has recently become a part of Greece's tourism policy.

"We are certain that the tourism ministry's leadership will make the most of our experience and proposals and will call on us to formulate together a new tourism diplomacy framework that will have the new generation as its reference point," Margaritis said.

[25] EPOLINE conference opens Wednesday in Athens

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

EPO is the executive arm of the European Patent Organization, and the Office's task is to grant European patents, while epoline� is the brand name given to the range of online products and services designed and developed by the European Patent Office (EPO) for users of the European patent system, to allow patent applicants, attorneys and other users to conduct their business with the EPO electronically in a state-of-the-art secure environment.

This conference is a real opportunity to learn about the online products and services of the European Patent Office such as epoline� and esp@cenet� as well as hear specialist speakers talking on the theme 'The future of the IP infrastructure in Europe', according to an EPO announcement.

The conference is being organized jointly by the European Patent Organization and Greece's Industrial Property Organization (OBI) on November 23-24 at Athens Intercontinental Hotel.

The opening addresses will be delivered by OBI chairman Professor Athansasios Kaissis and EPO president Alain Pompidou, while EPO vice-president Manuel Desantes will speak on the theme "Encouraging innovation through the development of local industrial property infrastructures in Europe.

Former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt will speak on "Europe in a world of innovation and growth", while BBC World journalist Tim Sebastian will moderate a discussion reviewing the epoline achievements in 2004-2005.

Presentations will also be made by representatives of Eli Lilly & Company, and Hewlett-Packard, on how those companies have incorporated the epolline services in their every-day procedures.

In an online message to delegates, Pompidou said that, as in previous years, three parallel sessions will be on offer at the Athens conference, with Stream I featuring a mix of presentations of the future of the IP infrastructure in Europe and the contributions of the epoline products and services from the user's perspective; Stream II will enable delegates to take advantage of hands-on workshops and try the EPO's online products and services for themselves; and Stream III will offer seminars, run by EPO specialists, focusing on aspects of the patent granting procedure and incorporating feedback and suggestions from previous conferences.

[26] Intracom forges alliance with US firm

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Intracom will promote MetraTech's products, also providing product support in the form of advisory services and completion services with external systems, the Greek company said in a statement.

[27] Public debt rises in Q3 2005

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Of total debt in the third quarter, 214,195 million was in euros and the remainder in non-eurozone currencies; and 80.8% carried fixed rates of interest and the remainder floating rates, the accounting office, which belongs to the finance ministry, said in a statement.

State guarantees totalled 15,511 million euros in the third quarter from 14,637 million euros in the second quarter, the statement added.

[28] Cost of living up 15.9 pct in Jan-Oct, report

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

ELKEKA said a four-member family's purchasing power fell by 275 euros per month during the first 10 months of the year. In a report, ELKEKA attributed the increase in the cost of living this year to higher fuel prices and increases in durable consumer goods.

[29] Mytilineos Group reports spectacular nine-month results

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

The group's consolidated turnover totalled 541.8 million euros in the January-September period from 171.4 million euros last year, for an increase of 216.1 percent, while consolidated pre-tax and and minorities earnings jumped to 100 million euros from 23.7 million euros over the same period, respectively. Operating profits totalled 237.5 million euros (including 137.5 million euros in added value from the purchase of Aluminium of Greece).

Operating pre-tax and interest earnings trippled to 85.6 million euros in the nine-month period from 28.7 million euros last year, while EBITDA jumped 197.7 percent to 100.6 million euros. Pre-tax profit margin jumped to 18.4 percent from 13.8 percent last year, while net profits after tax and minorities soared to 167.4 million euros from 13.4 million euros last year.

Mytilineos Group said its short-term debt rose to 107.3 million euros, while its cash flow totalled 143.5 million euros in the first nine months of 2005.

A company statement said the Group's first priority was a double investment for the construction of an energy station in Aghios Nikolaos, Viotia. The project includes the building of an electricity co-production power station (330 MW) by the group's subsidiary METKA. The new station will ensure energy supply for Aluminium of Greece's facilities and offer additional power to the country's national electricity grid. Mytilineos is currently implementing a 100 million euros project to develop wind power stations (100 MW) around the country.

[30] Athens Stock Exchange opening: Rise

ATHENS, 23/11/2005 (ANA)

Individual sector indices were moving mostly upward, with the biggest gains in Refineries, up 2.36 percent; Retail Trade, up 1.39 percent; Industry, up 1.14 percent; and Real Estate, up 0.88 percent. The biggest losses were in Wholesale, down 1.31 percent; IT Solutions, down 0.36 percent; Mining & Cements, down 0.21 percent; and Construction, down 0.19 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 0.60 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.01 per cent, and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index was up 0.10 per cent.

Of the stocks moved, 96 were up, 72 were down, and 65 were unchanged.

ASE breaks 3,500 mark on Tuesday: Greek stocks ended Tuesday's session higher pushing the composite index above the 3,500 mark for the first time in five years.

The index rose 0.65 percent to end at 3,504.86 points with turnover an improved 243.4 million euros.

Sector indices ended higher, with the Retail (2.40 pct), Refineries (2.19 pct), Insurance (1.78 pct), Industrials (1.64 pct) scoring the biggest percentage gains of the day, while the IT Solutions (1.27 pct), Publications (0.97 pct), IT (0.27 pct) and Real Estate (0.09 pct) suffering losses.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.51 pct, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.15 pct higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.45 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 147 to 130 with another 57 issues unchanged.

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