Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-26

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 26/06/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• High level in Greek-Yugoslav cooperation
• EU auditor welcomes Greece's use of Community funds
• US reassures: No weapons transfer embargo
• Patriarchate-sponsored ecological seminar begins
• Rallis criticises NATO at book launching
• Health facilities for narcotics users
• 'European Museum' proposal
• Schengen committee discusses membership for Greece, Austria, Italy
• DEP profits increase
• Greece, Morocco tourism cooperation agreement
• Macedonia Airport launches new facilities
• Beobanka customers to make drachma withdrawals in Greece
• National Bank of Greece ranks 7th in European survey
• Helexpo posts profits of 295 mln drachmas in 1996
• Olympic Airways inaugurates Athens-Budapest route
• Weather
• Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Prime Minister Costas Simitis and visiting Yugoslav counterpart Radoje Kontic expressed their satisfaction at the level of coop- eration between the two countries after their meeting yesterday.

Mr. Simitis said the recent investment by the Greek public telecoms organisation OTE in Yugoslavia and other investments in mining operations in Kossovo were an example of "very good cooperation".

He said the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was supportive of Greece's proposal to convene a summit of Balkan countries towards the end of the year, adding however, that all Balkan countries should participate in this meeting. "Relations (between Balk an countries) have to be normalised as soon as possible," the Greek premier said.

Mr. Simitis said that the European Union had to develop a Balkan policy and that Greece should play a leading role towards achieving this goal.

"Greece is obliged to take initiatives for peace in the Balkans," he said.

On his part, Mr. Kontic said the "sincere, friendly and construc- tive" talks focused on promoting bilateral relations, multilateral Balkan cooperation, the reintegration of Yugoslavia into internat- ional organisations and peace procedures.

He said he had extended an invitation to Mr. Simitis to visit Belgrade and that the Greek prime minister had given in principle his agreement for Yugoslavia's increased use of the port of Thessaloniki, following the signing of relevant agreements by the chambers of commerce in both nations.

Mr. Kontic said trade between the two countries was projected at US$500 million for the next year and thanked Mr. Simitis and the Greek government for working to reintegrate Yugoslavia and to lift obstacles to its relations with other countries.

Earlier, Mr. Kontic discussed Greek-Yugoslav relations and prospects for their further development and issues of the wider Balkan area with Parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis, expressing his country's gratitude for the Greek stance and support during the Bosnia-Herzegovina crisis and the UN-led embargo imposed on Yugoslavia.

EU auditor welcomes Greece's use of Community funds

European Audit Department chairman Bernard Freeman yesterday expressed satisfaction with Greece's use of EU funds.

"We are particularly happy with the use of structural funds by Greece," Mr. Freeman told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

Greece had received almost 5 billion Ecus in structural funds over the last few years, he said.

Commenting on the socialist government's economic policies, Mr. Freeman welcomed a decline in inflation, interest rates and the public debt. "(We are also satisfied with) the fact that the premier and the Greek government will continue privatisation in order to boost the productivity of the Greek economy", Mr. Freeman added.

US reassures: No weapons transfer embargo

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos' contacts in Washington focused on the need to modernise and renew the Greek armed forces.

Shortly before leaving Washington for New York, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said he received assurances from the US Pentagon's political leadership that there is no embargo on the sale of weapons to Greece, saying that whatever delay is due to "difficulties of a technical nature."

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said Greece has traditional relations with US companies for the procurement of weapons systems and for this reason he discussed the issue at length, both at the Pentagon and with senior officials of private defence companies.

"We want to cooperate in the implementation of the armaments programme which will amount to US$1.5 billion a year," Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said, but added that this will only happen in the event it is beneficial for Greece.

"We do not need anyone to face Turkey's aggressiveness," he said and went on to say that there are many other countries which can provide Greece with modern weapons systems.

What Mr. Tsohatzopoulos placed particular emphasis during talks with representatives of weapons manufacturing companies on the need for the joint production of arms system which, as he said, amount to 30 per cent in the case of Turkey, while in Greece it is only 4 per cent.

Patriarchate-sponsored ecological seminar begins

An international ecological seminar entitled "Environment and Justice," began yesterday in the Agia Triada Monastery on the island of Halki.

The annual international seminar takes place under the auspices of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in his capacity as honorary president of the Worldwide Fund for Nature.

The four-day seminar, attended by theologians from various faiths, environmentalists, scientists and special legal advisers from east and west Europe, the United States, Africa, the Middle East and Australia, focus on the promotion of environmental concerns and the social responsibility of political leaders.

Rallis criticises NATO at book launching

Former ND prime minister George Rallis, who delivered a short speech yesterday during the launching of his book "My Diary During the Dictatorship" yesterday, referred to problems in relations between Greece and Turkey.

The former premier wondered about the role of NATO, saying the alliance should be considered as of questionable credibility since "it has tolerated for so many years Turkish threats against Greece".

Mr. Rallis noted that if NATO could not realise that there were no differences between Greece and Turkey but only Turkish threats against Greece, then the organisation was of no use to world peace.

Health facilities for narcotics users

A new centre will open at the old Red Cross building near Omonoia Square in central Athens this September providing health facilities for drug addicts, including a dentist's office, a hotline as well as legal aid and a job placement service, the president of the Organisation Against Drug Abuse (Okana) said yesterday.

At an event in observance of today's International Day against Drugs, the health ministry-affiliated organisation's president, Meni Maliori, added that the programmes using methadone substitutes would be expanded to include 350 new recovering heroin users, while a new alternative therapy programme would be set up in Achaia prefecture within the next six months.

Health Minister Costas Geitonas said there was a gradual but significant increase in the use of synthetic drugs by high school students.

The work carried out by the European Observatory on Drug Abuse, he said, could provide the groundwork for a better planning of programmes against drug abuse in Europe.

Public Order Minister George Romeos pointed out that legislation should become stricter for drug dealers and smugglers, and it would logically treat users as patients rather than criminals. He added that authorities often arrested users with small amounts of illegal substances who were treated in the same way as drug dealers.

Representatives from the drug rehabilitation centres noted that the use of substitutes such as methadone was not a panacea and should not be seen as the only means of dealing with drug addicts in Greece.

'European Museum' proposal

The European Commission is interested in a Greek proposal for the creation of a "European Museum" in each EU member-state which will help put into practice Article 128 of the Maastricht treaty which obliges the EU to contribute to the cultural development of its members while also respecting national pluralities and promoting a common cultural heritage. The proposal, developed by Marina Lambraki-Plaka, the director of the National Gallery, aims to "equalise the situation where economically stronger countries dominate in the arts and letters which leads us to speak of 'centres' and 'regions'."

"Only culture, but culture as an expression of the historic and psychological identity of a nation, can create the appropriate conditions for the recognition and mutual respect between peoples," she said.

She also proposes the introduction of "European familiarisation" education programmes in secondary education in all EU schools.

The European Museum proposal foresees the establishment of museums in the capital or other city of each country which will operate as a cultural centre with exhibition space, libraries and conference halls with advanced media for the continuous informing of the public of cultural events in other countries.

The institution should be funded by Community resources and be led by experts such as art historians.

According to reports, the relevant Commissioner Marcelino Oreja has been warm to the idea, calling it "challenging".

Schengen committee discusses membership for Greece, Austria, Italy

Greece and Austria will be allowed entry into the Schengen Pact by the end of 1997, the treaty's executive committee said during its meeting in Lisbon yesterday.

The meeting discussed plans for full membership for Austria, Greece and Italy into the Schengen framework, which provides for the lifting of border controls between European Union member-states and for increased cooperation in law enforcement matters.

Approval for Greece -- whose Parliament ratified the agreement this month -- and Austria's membership is pending at the French and Dutch parliaments, which have not ratified them yet.

According to sources, France reassured Greece of its approval by mid- September, while the Dutch delegates did not wish to commit themselves.

On the other hand, Italy's membership to Schengen has met with criticism, mainly due to fears of an influx of weapons, narcotics and illegal immigrants from Albania.

DEP profits increase

The Public Petroleum Corp. (DEP) increased its profits from seven billion drachmas in 1995 to 12 billion drachmas in 1996 and, according to its balance sheet, total profits of the DEP group reached 28 billion drachmas as against 23 billion drachmas in 199 5.

Presenting the results of the fiscal year at the general assembly of shareholders, DEP's administration expressed satisfaction because the group is steadily showing that it can hold the dominant role in the oil market with success for the benefit of the consumer and the national economy.

Greece, Morocco tourism cooperation agreement

The National Tourist Organisation of Greece (EOT) and the Moroccan Tourist Organisation have agreed to a tourism cooperation agreement which encouragement for direct contacts and cooperation between the two countries' travel agent unions, examining the possibility of organising a conference for tourism professionals from all interested Mediterranean countries through the European MEDA programme, promot- ion of cooperation and an exchange of know-how on marinas, golf courses, spas, traditional settlements, national cuisine, etc, as well as the participation of the two countries in tourist exhibitions sch eduled in Greece and Morocco. It also calls for inviting students from the Moroccan Tourist Trade Academies for practical training in Greece.

Macedonia Airport launches new facilities

New facilities at Macedonia Airport in Thessaloniki will be inaugurated today by Transport and Communications Minister Haris Kastanidis.

Completed is the first stage of an operational and visual upgrade for the airport worth 3.5 billion drachmas. The project, financed by the ministry and started last year, aims at modernising the country's second international airport to help make Thessa loniki Europe's link to the Balkans and eastern Europe. Mr. Kastanidis will announce the timetable for the second stage of the project, budgeted at 11 billion drachmas, at Thursday's ceremony.

The second phase of works covers two building extensions; upgrading of a runway to enable operations in fog; two new runways 3,440 and 2,400 metres long; 38 new parking lots for aircraft; a container station and new auxiliary installations.

Under the project's master plan, Macedonia Airport will eventually be able to serve an estimated nine million passengers per year.

Beobanka customers to make drachma withdrawals in Greece

Agricultural Bank of Greece (ATE) and Beobanka finalised an agreement allowing Yugoslav nationals who have foreign currency accounts at the Belgrade bank to make drachma withdrawals in Greece.

ATE Governor Christos Papathanasiou and Beobanka President Zlatan Perusic also announced the signing of a cooperation protocol between the two banks as a step towards closer ties.

The protocol anticipates the joint creation of a third bank in Yugoslavia and the establishment of joint ventures in mutual funds, leasing and factoring. Agricultural Life Insurance, a subsidiary of the Greek bank, signed an agreement with Beobanka Insurance for cooperation in training, planning and promotion of insurance products.

National Bank of Greece ranks 7th in European survey

National Bank of Greece ranks seventh in a list of the top ten European banks with the highest return on capital, and it is the only Greek bank to be included in the list of the top 100 largest banks in Europe, according to a survey by London-based IBCA.

The results of the survey come ahead of a share capital increase the bank has scheduled for autumn.

First quarter results showed an 80 percent increase to 19.7 billion drachmas in comparison with the corresponding period last year, whilethe bank hopes to play a leading role in southeast Europe and the Middle East through the development of new activities in order to boost its competitiveness in a demanding international banking environment.

A plan for the merger of its subsidiaries in the mortgage and insurance sectors (National Mortgage Bank with National Housing Bank and Astir Insurance with National Insurance) should be completed by the end of the year.

Helexpo posts profits of 295 mln drachmas in 1996

Helexpo, a Thessaloniki-based trade fair organiser, reported profits of 295 million drachmas for 1996, up from 217.5 million the previous year, a balance sheet approved by its assembly said.

Profits rose sharply in the first six months of 1997 totalling 754 million drachmas against 153 million in the corresponding period of 1995.

Helexpo chairman Antonis Kourtis said that 1.5 million people visited the state-run company's facilities last year.

Among trade fairs held in 1996 were Agrotica, Infacoma, Furnidec, Furnima, Ygeia, Marmin, Graphis, Infosystem-Hi Tech, Kosmima, Philoxenia and the traditional Thessaloniki Trade Fair in September.

Twenty one private exhibitions were also held.

Olympic Airways inaugurates Athens-Budapest route

Olympic Airways (OA) unveiled a new route between Athens and Budapest on Sunday.

OA president Nikolaos Blessios and managing director Iordanis Karatzas said in Budapest that the state carrier's strategy was to cover the rising tourist traffic between Greece and Hungary and the needs of Hungarians wishing to travel towards the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Olympic also signed an extensive trade agreement with Hungarian airlines Malev in order to provide full services for its passengers.

In addition, OA officials announced that a new service between Athens and Prague would be inaugurated in October.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(L.G.)

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