Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-05-09
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 09/05/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- EU-Cyprus accession talks to start six months after IGC
- Inflation falls to lowest in 32 years
- State bonds to carry single-digit interest rates
- US positive to latest development in Greek-Turkish relations
- Cypriot socialist leader: Cyprus issue at 'difficult stage'
- SAE's president comments on solution for Cyprus problem
- Greece to participate in PfP exercise in FYROM
- Greater transparency sought in state procurements
- Interpol conference on child abuse ends with warnings
- Greece takes out $1.25 billion loan
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
EU-Cyprus accession talks to start six months after IGC
European Commission President Jacques Santer said in Athens yesterday that
negotiations for Cyprus' EU accession will begin as scheduled, six months
after the completion of IGC talks, even if there is no political agreement
for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Mr. Santer, who spoke to reporters on his arrival here yesterday said the
European Union's commitment would be kept.
He said, however, that he hoped for a political solution to the problem
prior to the Cyprus' accession to the European Union.
The European Commission has compiled a very positive report on Cyprus, he
said, adding that "there is no problem in Cyprus gaining accession to the
European Union."
Regarding Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and Greece's hopes to
participate in the single currency, he said that economic indicators of the
country presented a considerable improvement.
"The results and the indicators of the Greek economy are heading in the
right direction," he said.
Mr. Santer arrived in Greece in order to attend today's events marking the
Day of Europe. He already met with President of the Republic Kostis
Stephanopoulos.
Mr. Santer is also due to visit the Thessaloniki headquarters of the
European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) on
Sunday. He will visit Mount Athos on Saturday and will tour several
Thessaloniki's museums before leaving Greece on Sunday.
Inflation falls to lowest in 32 years
The annualised rate of inflation fell to 5.9 per cent in April, the lowest
rate since November 1965, when it stood at 5.6 per cent, the National
Statistics Service (ESYE) announced yesterday.
ESYE added that the consumer price index rose by 0.9 per cent in April,
compared to 1.0 per cent during the same month last year.
This small difference caused inflation to fall to 5.87 per cent, rounded up
to 5.9 per cent.
ESYE's secretary general, N. Karavitis,predicted inflation will fall
further this month, to around 5.6 per cent.
ESYE is currently considering what impact projected increases in public
utitlity rates will have on the inflation rate, one of three Maastricht-
mandated conditions for European Monetary Union.
According to ESYE, the most significant price increases were those of milk,
at 3.0 per cent, fresh fruit (3.8 per cent), potatoes (11.3 per cent),
vegetables (6.7 per cent), the mandatory contribution to the state-run
radio and television network (ERT) billed through electric bills (33.3 per
cent), hotel rates (8.4 per cent) and holiday packages at 7.6 per
cent.
State bonds to carry single-digit interest rates
Finance Undersecretary Nikos Christodoulakis yesterday announced that the
interest rate for one-year Treasury bills would fall for the first time to
a single-digit figure from the present 10.25 per cent in June.
At the same time, Mr. Christodoulakis announced the state's borrowing
programme from mid-May to mid-June.
On May 19, he said, bonds with interest coupons - index-linked to inflation
- would be issued for the first time with durations of five and ten years.
The securities, he added, will be made available through public subscription.
The bonds will have a fixed real annual return of 4.0 per cent and the
capital will be readjusted yearly according to the rate of inflation. The
4.0 per cent will be calculated annually on the readjusted capital and paid
on a yearly basis with the settled interest coupons.
The proceeds will be taxed at 7.5 per cent.
US positive to latest development in Greek-Turkish relations
US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns yesterday reiterated what he
called the positive stance being adopted by the United States regarding the
recording of Greek-Turkish differences by a "committee of experts" from
both countries.
Mr. Burns stressed there are many proposals aimed at improving the climate
between the two countries, saying that "the US is encouraging Greece and
Turkey to meet and discuss the many proposals which have beenIin order to
try and reduce the tension between them.
"When Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was ambassador to the United
Nations, she visited the eastern Mediterranean in July '96 and presented
some proposals for the reduction of the tension between Greece and Turkey
and we hope that these and other proposals will be taken up."
Cypriot socialist leader: Cyprus issue at 'difficult stage'
Visiting president of the Cypriot socialist party EDEK, Vassos Lyssarides,
said after talks with main opposition New Democracy leader Costas
Karamanlis, that the Cyprus issue was at a particularly difficult stage,
which would determine future developments.
He predicted "unexpected initiatives and expected pressures".
The EDEK leader called for a coordinated policy from political parties in
both Greece and Cyprus.
He later met with Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka
Papariga and Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas
which, according to reports, included assessments that a "back-stage"
solution is being promoted for the Cyprus issue.
SAE's president comments on solution for Cyprus problem
The president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), Andrew Athens,
predicted yesterday that if discussions on Cyprus do not progress for the
problem's resolution before the island republic's presidential elections
this autumn, they will be postponed until 1998.
Mr. Athens made the statement during a press conference in Thessaloniki
before the opening of the SAE's five-day meeting.
He also expressed his satisfaction on the position taken by US Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright.
During the SAE conference, the body's members are to meet with government
officials in order to discuss problems faced by expatriate Greeks and by
the SAE, 17 months after its creation.
The president of SAE's US branch, Christos Tomaras, said the body has
already begun recording the names of all Greek expatriates, who amount to
roughly 770,000 families in North America and Canada alone.
He added that the US branch is planning an event during which expatriates
will be briefed on investment opportunities in Greece.
The SAE branch in America issues a weekly report on the Internet on the
condition of the Greek economy. The web site's address is http://saeworld.org
Greece to participate in PfP exercise in FYROM
Greece is to participate in a "Partnership for Peace (PfP)" exercise in the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) between May 11-17, an
official announcement stated yesterday.
The exercise, code-named "Rescuer '97", is being organised by the United
States and FYROM, and is based on a scenario envisioning "a large
earthquake in the south of FYROM", the announcement added.
The countries involved - Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and
Turkey - will participate in the exercise through the supply of personnel
and materials, transportation of the injured, repairing road axes and the
protecton of aid against theft.
The Greek contingent will deal with transporting the injured using the
Axios River, the announcement said.
"Greece's participation in this exercise was decided on after the
organising countries committed themselves to referring to the host country
as 'FYROM'," it added.
Greater transparency sought in state procurements
Prime Minister Costas Simitis chaired a three-hour cabinet meeting
yesterday, focusing on greater transparency in state procurements and
improvement in the country's agricultural policy.
During his regular press briefing afterwards, government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas said phenomena of conflict have been observed between business
interests which are turned into political and party disputes and as a
result society is inconvenienced and the political setting is muddled.
He said that during the PASOK government in particular such accusations
have existed which merely camouflaged business interests which were not
satisfied. Mr. Reppas said the government aims at pursuing inter-party
agreement on the issue with the utilis ation of the existing institutional
framework and individual improvements, wherever necessary, with a view to
achieving transparency and avoiding delays in the procurement process.
He said the existing institutional framework is more than adequate, adding
that Parliament's Institutions and Transparency Committee would be further
activated in the future, while the possibility is being considered that
when Parliament ratifies procurement contracts it will not do so solely at
the government's initiative. Moreover, the Auditing Council will be
provided with more experts to enable it to do its work more effectively in
the future.
Mr. Reppas said that by September 1 the process of preparing a farmers'
register according to initial plans will have been completed. He further
said that after relevant European Union funds have been secured early
pensioners will have their pensions in creased from 75,000 to 100,000
drachmas a month.
Interpol conference on child abuse ends with warnings
"These days, it is easier to find a stolen car than a kidnapped child,"
said Norwegian law enforcement official Anne Christin Olsen, president of
the Interpol work group for the protection of children.
Addressing the final session of an Interpol three-day conference, both
Greek and foreign police officials spoke of the limited abilities
authorities have at national and international levels to limit such
crimes.
Replying to questions Ms Olsen said the majority of those committing crimes
against children go unpunished because of the inability of their victims to
expose them.
"The child always knows the attacker," she said, "but many times it is
either dependent on him, or is afraid, or is simply not in a position to
name him."
For this reason, she added, one of the most common categories of sexual or
physical abuse are handicapped children.
Estimates put the number of child prostitutes around the world at around
one million, although there are no official statistics from any country.
Ms Olsen said police officers need better training and constant education
in order to handle such crimes.
Interpol's general secretariat in Lyon has created the first databank
concerning cases of child disappearances or abductions, and it is helping
to trace roughly 500 children at present, according to French police
official Agnes Firnier.
Ms Olsen denounced what she called the international community's hypocrisy,
stating that although many are aware of the abuse of children, "most just
don't want to know". She appealed to all countries and governents, as well
as to parents to inform children of the dangers lurking both inside and
outside the home.
"Children must learn to say 'no' to whoever approaches them with a
dangerous purpose," she said.
Nearly 70 specialised police officers from 25 countries participated in the
conference.
Greece takes out $1.25 billion loan
Finance Undersecretary Nikos Christodoulakis yesterday announced the
signing in London on May 16 of a $1.25 billion syndicated loan contracted
by the Greek state from a consortium of foreign banks. The finance ministry
will use the loan to refinance outs tanding foreign debt totalling $1.1
billion. Mr. Christodoulakis said the new loan had a five-year duration
with an interest rate equal to the LIBOR dollar rate with a premium of 0.25
per cent.
WEATHER
Mostly sunny weather with some local cloudiness is forecast for most parts
of the country today with the possibility of rain in northern Greece early
in the morning. Winds will be northwesterly, moderate to strong, turning
gale force in the eastern Aegean which will gradually subside. Athens will
be mostly sunny with temperatures between 16-25C. Similar weather in
Thessaloniki with temperatures between 15-23C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Thursday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 270.122
Pound sterling 438.762 Cyprus pd 528.359
French franc 46.795 Swiss franc 186.248
German mark 157.797 Italian lira (100) 15.966
Yen (100) 218.419 Canadian dlr. 195.345
Australian dlr. 210.056 Irish Punt 409.299
Belgian franc 7.648 Finnish mark 52.253
Dutch guilder 140.308 Danish kr. 41.476
Swedish kr. 34.938 Norwegian kr. 38.063
Austrian sch. 22.420 Spanish peseta 1.869
Port. Escudo 1.567
(C.E.)
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