Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-10-20

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 20/10/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Greece to sign Convention on Landmines Ban
• Kranidiotis to attend BSEC meeting
• Government reiterates view of Turkey's stance
• Defence Minister receives British official
• Plans for civil defence force in border regions
• Simitis adamant on "Capodistrias" plan
• Illegal immigrants brave storm to reach Samos
• Search for missing Turkish seaman
• Ukrainian seaman found dead
• Greek First Division soccer results
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The Greek government intends to sign the Convention on the Landmines Ban in Ottawa in December, Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis announced today.

The convention, drafted within the framework of international humanitarian law, bans the use, production, storage and transport of anti-personnel landmines.

A conference is scheduled to be held in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, in December at which a number of countries are expected to sign the convention.

Kranidiotis stressed that Greece, "as a country which ardently supports respect for and the strengthening of humanitarian law, and as a member of the European Union, must participate in these developments and oppose the argument based on the military usefulness of landmines by promoting the humanitarian need to abolish them".

Bulgaria last week announced that it had begun clearing landmines on its southern border with Greece within the framework of the ban which was agreed by about 100 countries in Oslo in September.

It has been estimated that landmines are responsible for killing or maiming 26,000 people annually.

Kranidiotis to attend BSEC meeting

Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis will represent Greece at Wednesday's meeting in Kiev, Ukraine of the foreign ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) forum.

Issues on the agenda include the signing of a charter to convert the BSEC into a regional economic organisation, organisational matters, dealing with emergency needs and alleviating the consequences of natural disasters.

The meeting will also discuss matters related to transport in the Black Sea, combatting drugs trafficking in the region, improving customs arrangements between BSEC member-states, as well as with the rights and social protection of refugees in the region of the Black Sea.

With regard to issues of particular interest to Greece, Kranidiotis will refer to the completion of procedures for the opening of the BSEC Trade and Development Bank in Thessaloniki and the internationalisation of the Black Sea Centre for International Studies.

In addition, Kranidiotis will have bilateral talks with BSEC member-state counterparts.

The BSEC groups Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Government reiterates view of Turkey's stance

The government said today that Ankara's policy appeared to be aimed at maintaining the climate of tension in Greek-Turkish relations.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas reiterated the standing Greek position concerning adherence to international treaties and international law and, when asked if there was a possibility of a serious incident in the Aegean, replied:

"Given Turkey's policy, when one examines all the facts, one cannot but consider all the possibilities."

Commenting on press reports and rumours about "the dividing up" of the Aegean, Reppas said it was not possible to talk about such things.

"The issue is what Greece is doing and not what Turkey's intentions may be. In the end, Greece will remain with and persist in its policy while others will remain with their wishful thinking," the spokesman said.

Defence Minister receives British official

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and visiting political director at Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office Jeremy Greenstock today examined developments in Greek-Turkish relations and the situation in Cyprus.

Tsohatzopoulos called the meeting "useful" in light of Britain's imminent assumption of the rotating European Union presidency

Greenstock stressed his country's interest in a positive mobility in Greek- Turkish relations.

Replying to questions, Greenstock reiterated that Britain was interested in a de-escalation of the situation in Cyprus and that there be no more weapons deployed on the island republic. However, he added, that was the decision of the political leaderships handling the defence interests.

Plans for civil defence force in border regions

A bill introducing civil defence is to be tabled soon in Parliament after consultations with the prefectural councils of the areas involved and the relevant Parliamentary committees.

Under the bill, the inhabitants of border regions will acquire a formal body with clear-cut specifications on manner of deportment in the event of mobilisation, Tsohatzopoulos said, adding that there was no question of mandatory conscription for women.

Participation in the PAM was voluntary for young men and women aged 16-18, and for men and women above 65 and 50 respectively.

Participation was mandatory for men aged 18-65 except those serving in the Armed Forces, National Guard and Security Corps and those registered in reserve forces, and for women aged 18-50, except women who were pregnant, and mothers of children up to 12 years old or mothers of large families.

Initially, participation in the PAM would be unpaid.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said later that the government's civil defence proposal had been longstanding policy of the ruling PASOK party.

Reppas clarified that according to the proposal, only citizens in border areas would be participating.

"Apart from this satisfying the needs of the country, it also satisfies the personal desire of the inhabitants of border areas," Reppas said.

Simitis adamant on "Capodistrias plan"

Prime Minister Costas Simitis concluded his tour of western Macedonia yesterday, emphasising in practically every stop that the government was determined to proceed with the "Ioannis Kapodistrias" plan for compulsory municipality and community mergers around the country.

Speaking in Kastoria and Florina on Saturday at the head of a large government delegation, he attributed reactions to "petty expediencies and interests." Mr. Simitis, who spoke in Florina at noon, was met by a crowd of about 200 people protesting the plan and waving black flags.

He again supported the government's policy on mergers during his next stop in Kastoria. Illustrating his arguments, he said European countries with a population similar to that of Greece, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, have 800 and 600 local administration bodies, respectively.

Simitis also reiterated his government's resolve to achieve Greece's equal participation in the European Union.

"We must continue efforts for our equal participation in the EU," he said in a speech in Florina, stressing the importance of observing timetables set to achieve convergence.

"We have come very near European reality with the efforts we have made so far. It is in our interest to be in the centre of decisions in the EU," he added.

Speaking on the same issue in Kastoria, Simitis stressed the imperative need for Greece's participation in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), saying that "if we do not want to be on the sidelines and want to participate in the decision-making nucleus, we must participate in EMU."

Simitis said although great steps have been taken, particularly over the past two years, such as a GDP growth rate of 3.5 per cent, efforts must be intensified.

Illegal immigrants brave storm to reach Samos

A group of 40 Iraqi illegal immigrants of Kurdish origin, including 17 children, braved gale force winds in the Aegean sea and landed on the island of Samos at dawn today, harbour authorities said.

"They were brought in on a small wooden boat by a Turkish smuggler who, despite the adverse weather conditions, dropped them off in the water off of Samos," a coast guard official said.

He said the group, which was dropped off late last night, managed to swim to shore throughout the night, reaching the coast at the Krounteri region at 5:30 this morning.

A group of 111 Iraqi Kurd illegal immigrants, including 53 children, were dropped off Sunday on the island of Rhodes. The group, which was in "poor physical and mental condition", was immediately provided with medical asistance, food and lodgings by Rhodes local authorities.

Search for missing Turkish seaman

Greek rescue units today continued an air and sea search for a missing Turkish crewmember of a St. Vincent-registered cargo ship which sank off Chios island, the Merchant Marine Ministry said.

The Greek Coast Guard and an airforce C-130 were scouring the region where the freighter "Black Sea T" sank yesterday four nautical miles southwest of Chios.

The other 24 crewmembers -- 19 Turks, 2 Romanians and 4 Azerbaijanis -- were rescued by the Danish freighter "Arktis Meridian", as gale force winds of 9 beaufort prevailed in the area, impeding the search and rescue operation, the Ministry said.

Ukrainian seaman found dead

The Elefsina port police are conducting an inquiry into the death of a Ukrainian seaman found stabbed in the engine-room of a Guinea-flagged freighter anchored in the harbour.

The body of the Ukrainian, identified as Holovatov Senhi (phonetic spelling), 44, was discovered yesterday afternoon.

It was taken to Nikea General Hospital where doctors said death had been caused by a stab wound near the heart.

Port police officers who then visited the vessel "Eurotrader" found a 35- centimetre knife in the engine-room with traces of blood.

Greek First Division soccer results

PAOK - Olympiakos 2-1 OFI - Heraklis 1-0 Xanthi - Kavala 5-2 Apollon - Panahaiki 2-1 Panionios - Veria 3-1 Proodeftiki - Kalamata 1-0 Pyrgos - Ethnikos 2-0 AEK - Ionikos 0-2 Panathinaikos-Athinaikos play today Standings-points: Ionikos 18 Panathinaikos 15 AEK 13 Olympiakos, Apollon 12 Xanthi 11 Heraklis 10 PAOK, Pyrgos 9 OFI, Proodeftiki 8 Panionios 7 Veria 6

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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