Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-10-15

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 15/10/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Turkish warplanes violate Cypriot airspace
• Greece, Albania re-confirm cooperation
• Closer cooperation between Greek, Albanian armed forces
• Southeastern European national assemblies explore possibilities for
• further co-operation
• Athens does not desire tension in the region, says gov't spokesman
• Breathalyser testing extended to toll posts on national highways
• Greece, EU coincide on economic forecasts
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The Greek military exercise "Toxotis" and the concurrent Cypriot exercise "Nikiforos" ended today with a parade of infantry and motorized units through Larnaca as eight Greek F-16 fighters flew over the island.

At the same time, six Turkish warplanes violated Cyprus' national airspace in the region of Paphos. The Turkish aircraft were identified and intercepted by the Greek F-16 jets taking part in the parade.

Meanwhile, a further twelve Turkish warplanes infringed the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR). In these cases also, Hellenic Air Force jets identified and intercepted the intruders.

Turkish warplanes have repeatedly violated Greek and Cypriot airspace during the past few days as Athens and Nicosia conducted military exercises within the framework of their joint defence doctrine.

Greece, Albania re-confirm cooperation

Prime Minister Costas Simitis summed up talks today in Tirana with his Albanian counterpart Fatos Nano by stressing that "gone are the days when the Balkan peoples were unable to find solutions", according to an ANA despatch from the Albanian capital.

"Gone are the days when the Balkan peoples were unable to find solutions, since we have now entered a new era in which all the peoples (of the region) will together try to resolve our problems," Mr. Simitis said after talks with Mr. Nanos which he described as "warm and friendly".

Mr. Simitis' one-day trip to Tirana is the first official visit by a head of government since general elections in June.

Both Mr. Simitis and Mr. Nanos spoke about a new era in Greek-Albanian relations and stressed the need for the reconstruction and development of Albania. They also referred to the problem of illegal immigrants.

"We must build our country so that neither Albanians nor members of the ethnic Greek minority will want to leave," Mr. Nanos said.

During talks between the two sides, "common views and common solutions" were ascertained on a range of issues, including the problem of Albanian illegal immigrants in Greece, matters relating to the Greek minority in Albania - particularly in the education sector, as well as co-operation on issues of public order, defence and the economy.

Above all, Mr. Simitis told reporters after the talks, we ascertained that the development of the entire Balkan region is of benefit to all the countries, while noting that Albania in particular benefits from its better co-operation with Greece.

Pointing out that the neighbouring country was suffering from the remnants of the past, in the form of poverty, migration and unemployment, Mr. Simitis said the conditions must be created to eliminate these phenomena.

Mr. Nano assured that co-operation with Greece would continue and spoke of "a new quality" in relations between Tirana and Athens. He expressed the hope that this co-operation would be on a long-term basis.

He also referred to Greece's contribution in helping Albania to overcome the recent crisis, stressing that "in the new Albania" people should be able to exercise religious and other basic human freedoms, in the way that Albanians are able to do in Greece and other EU countries.

The development of Albania, Mr. Nano said, is a prerequisite in order for Albanians - including ethnic Greeks - who were forced to leave the country because of the crisis, to return home to their families.

Closer cooperation between Greek, Albanian armed forces

Public Order Minister George Romeos, who is accompanying Mr. Simitis in his official visit to Albania, had talks with Interior Minister Neritan Ceka, with whom he agreed on the need to further increase the already close co- operation between the security forces of the two countries.

Mr. Romeos and Mr. Ceka agreed that one of the major problems to be tackled was that of narcotics trafficking. Mr. Romeos said he had asked for a list of the convicts who escaped from Albanian prisons during the height of the crisis in the neighbouring country in March.

Mr. Ceka assured him that the list would be sent in the next few days, explaining that it had not been possible to do so up to now because of a lack of records, many of which were destroyed.

Announcing specific measures, Mr. Romeos said a meeting of the police chiefs of areas on both sides of the common border would be held in Ioannina on 24-25 October.

The aim of the meeting, he said, will be to examine ways of tackling the more general problems while at the same time establishing closer co- operation between adjoining areas of police jurisdiction, such as Sarande and Corfu.

The provision by the Greek police of the necessary material and technical support to their Albanian colleagues would also be realised at this level, Mr. Romeos said.

In order to better tackle the problem of narcotics trafficking, Mr. Romeos continued, Greece will be supplied with specially trained dogs and vehicles from the United States which it will place at the disposal of the Albanian authorities for use in border areas.

Meanwhile, six Albanian police officials will visit Athens next week for briefing and training on narcotics-related issues. One of the officers, with detailed knowledge of Albanian criminals, will remain in Greece for a period of three months to assist the Greek police.

Towards the end of October, a Greek police officer will be seconded to the Albanian Interior Ministry to act as a liaison for the exchange of information.

Within the framework of the restructuring of the Greek police forces on the border with Albania, steps will subsequently be taken to reorganise the Albanian border police in order to secure better co-operation and co- ordination.

Mr. Romeos handed Mr. Ceka a list containing the full details of stolen boats and requested the assistance of the Albanian police in finding them. According to informed sources, Mr. Ceka requested the assistance of the Greek coastguard - even in Albanian territorial waters - to strengthen efforts directed against cigarette smugglers.

Southeastern European national assemblies explore possibilities for further co-operation

The presidents of parliament from the countries of southeastern Europe today began a meeting in Athens to explore possibilities for further developing and consolidating co-operation between the national assemblies of the region.

Addressing the two-day meeting, Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis set out the terms and prerequisites for establishing a more substantial dialogue and upgrading contacts between the parliaments of the region.

He proposed putting co-operation on a more permanent basis withint the framework of a "Parliamentary Advisory Assembly", the first aim of which would be to organise meetings of House presidents on a regular, rotating basis along the lines of similar meetings in the European Union.

Yugoslav Parliament Speaker Milomir Milic urged the taking of "all possible measures to stop the exclusion of Yugoslavia from international political and economic organisations and the OSCE".

Mr. Milic also proposed Belgrade as the venue for the first meeting of the Parliamentary Advisory Assembly of the countries of southeastern Europe in June next year.

Romania's President of Parliament, Petre Roman, expressed the hope that the image of southeastern Europe could be enhanced through greater contact between the parliaments of the region.

"We must show to all that we are in a position to stabilise the region and join European institutions. This however presupposes common values and the assumption of responsibilities -- democracy and a market-oriented economy," said Roman, who proposed in the initial stage consultations between experts in order to explore possibilities for co-operation.

Moldovan Parliament President Timitru Motpan expressed concern about the way in which countries were dealing with problems which arose following the collapse of the eastern bloc.

He said it was wrong "to continue to rely solely on our own strength, since the problems are getting worse and we have not come to terms with the fact that there must be an overall effort".

According to Mr. Motpan, particular emphasis should be placed on efforts to combat arms smuggling and narcotics trafficking, while specific initiatives should be undertaken against terrorism and national isolationism.

Co-operation should also be advanced on ecological matters and the protection of the environment, he added.

The meeting is being attended by the parliament presidents of Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, FYROM, Romania, Croatia and Slovenia. The president of the Turkish parliament had been invited but was unable to attend.

Athens does not desire tension in the region, says gov't spokesman

If there is a threat of war between Greece and Turkey, it comes from the neighbouring country, the government said today responding to statements by Turkey's military chief, General Ismail Hakki Karadayi.

In statements published in the Turkish newspapers Sabah and Hurriyet, General Karadayi said Ankara's numerical military superiority would make the result of any conflict with Greece a foregone conclusion.

Asked to comment on General Karadayi's statements, government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis said Greece had not the slightest desire to cause tension or conflict in the region, adding that Turkey should at long last realise that it could not destabilise the region.

Replying to questions on statements in Athens yesterday by US State Department special co-ordinator for Cyprus, Thomas Miller, the spokesman said the US envoys were in the first phase of examining the positions of Greece and Turkey.

Mr. Miller met in Ankara on Monday with Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz while accompanying US presidential emissary for Cyprus Richard Holbrooke.

Mr. Athanasakis said the US had shown they were concerned about the tension prevailing in the region and were trying to contribute to its de-escalation and to finding a settlement of the Cyprus problem.

The spokesman denied a press report claiming that 600 US troops would be stationed on Rhodes to monitor the implementation of a moratorium on military flights over the Aegean and Cyprus.

"There is no such issue," he said.

Breathalyser testing extended to toll posts on national highways

Breathalyser testing for drunk driving is being extended to toll posts along the national highways as traffic police stepped up efforts to reduce alcohol-related road accidents.

Public Order Minister George Romeos said 21 new breathalyser devices donated by the Association of Insurance Companies of Greece were being set up at toll stations.

"With this donation, Greek Police now have a total of 101 breathalyser kits, enabling alcohol testing throughout the entire country," Romeos said.

Breathalyser testing and impounding of cars of repeat offenders would continue at full momentum, he added.

He said 3,325 breathalyser tests between October 6 and 13 had revealed 234 cases ofdrunken driving.

George Skourtis, a spokesman for the Associaiton and chairman of its accidents committee, said traffic accidents in the wider Athens region had fallen by 25-27 percent since breathalyser testing was introduced.

Of the 23 road deaths this past weekend, only one fatality occurred in a traffic accident in Athens, he said

Skourtis said that if road accidents continued to decline at the present rate, the next step would be a reduction in car insurance premiums.

Greece, EU coincide on economic forecasts

Forecasts by Greece on its economy have coincided with those of the European Union for the first time, National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou told reporters yesterday.

Speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis, Mr. Papantoniou was commenting on references to Greece contained in an EU Commission report on member state economies released earlier yesterday in Brussels.

The Commission's report agreed with the Greek government's prediction that the state budget deficit would be 4.2 percent of gross domestic product for 1997 and fall to 3 percent in 1998, Mr. Papantoniou said.

"Greece is being put on the map. According to the Commission, in 1998 we shall be in the position to seek entry into economic and monetary union," he said.

Mr. Papantoniou said the coincidence in forecasts by the government and Commission reflected the economy's growing credibility.

According to the EU report, Greece has made the greatest progress in containing inflation among EU member states with inflation expected to fall to 3.5 percent in 1999 from 8.5 percent in 1996.

The report forecast economic growth at 3.5-4.0 percent by 1999, the same as Spain and Portugal.

It predicted unemployment of 9.5 percent in 1997 and 9.3 percent in 1998 when the EU's average unemployment rate was expected to exceed 10 percent.

The report forecast economic growth in 1999 of 3.9 percent, a fiscal deficit of 2.7 percent of GDP and public debt at 104.2 percent of GDP. Unemployment would be 9.2 percent, the report said.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.S.)

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