Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-05-03
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 03/05/1998 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Greek PM welcomes EU's euro decisions
- Group claims responsibility for attack on embassy car
- Greece dismisses Yilmaz statements
- Three separate labour rallies held in Athens
- Fifteen dead in road accidents on May Day exodus
- Three arrested, police officers implicated in bogus papers case
- International law on Athens side
- Greek FM says no EU enlargement if Cyprus entry blocked
- Athens satisfied with Ecofin euro recommendations on Greece
- State securities to be auctioned
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Greek PM welcomes EU's euro decisions
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said in Brussels today that the
European Union summit's results on the issue of the common currency (euro)
were extremely positive for Greece.
The prime minister stressed the fact that Greece's entry into the third
phase of European monetary union (EMU) will be based on the same criteria
used for the other 11 countries which just entered the system.
Mr. Simitis expressed his total satisfaction over the results of the long-
drawn out session of this summit, which began yesterday and ended early
this morning with the election of Dutchman Wim Duisenberg as the first
President of the European Central Bank.
The premier said that within the next few days he will inform President of
the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and the political leadership of the
country on the outcome, and discuss the results with them.
Mr. Simitis said that the road toward the adoptation of a common currency
will not be without problems. A common currency without a common government
and a common taxation system is a new experience, he added.
Finally the prime minister dismissed press reports of an impending
government reshuffle and said that the differences within PASOK are normal
of any '' living'' political party.
Group claims responsibility for attack on embassy car
An organisation called Arsonists of Conscience claimed responsibility for
setting fire to a car early this morning belonging to the Yugoslav Embassy
in Athens. No injuries were reported.
The claim for setting fire to the car, which was parked in the suburb of
Ambelokipi, was made by an anonymous caller to Flash, a private radio
station.
Firemen put out the blaze, which occurred at 0215 local time.
Greece dismisses Yilmaz statements
Greece has dismissed as an "unacceptable provocation" statements by Turkish
premier Messut Yilmaz that Athens was deeply hostile towards Ankara.
"The statements by the Turkish premier are an unacceptable provocation and
confirm once again Turkey's weakness to adjust itself to international
legality," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.
Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis rejected Yilmaz's statements as
"anachronistic, provocative and lacking any historical basis".
Three separate labour rallies held in Athens
Workers turned out en masse in Athens to celebrate Labour Day on Friday but
the trade union front showed little unity as illustrated by the holding of
three separate rallies almost simultaneously in the city centre.
What was supposed to have been the major event, the rally organised by the
General Confederation of Greek Labour (GSEE), the Civil Servants' Supreme
Administrative Council (ADEDY) and the Athens Labour Centre, attracted only
an estimated 2,000 workers.
Addressing the rally, GSEE president Christos Polyzogopoulos accused the
organisers of similar events "just a few hundred metres away" of harming
the unity of the trade union movement.
In contrast, the rally organised in Syntagma Square by trade unionists
affiliated to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) attracted an estimated 6,
000 workers.
They urged trade unions to become more militant and not participate in the
social dialogue with the government and employers.
Trade unionists affiliated to left-wing parties not represented in
Parliament organised a separate rally in Omonia Square, followed by a march
to nearby Kolokotroni Square, where they joined groups of Turks, Kurds,
Africans, Albanians and other immigrants.
Fifteen dead in road accidents on May Day exodus
Fifteen people had lost their lives on Greek roads by Saturday during the
long May Day weekend, with another 215 injured - 65 seriously - in 145
traffic accidents since Thursday night, officials announced.
Traffic police will step up measures ahead of the expected return of
holiday-makers this evening.
Three arrested, police officers implicated in bogus papers case
Three people have been arrested and at least six others are wanted by
police for questioning in connection with offences involving the use of
forged documents, official seals and bribery to furnish foreigners with
papers supposedly granting them Greek citizenship.
According to the police, the three arrested claimed during questioning that
a number of police officers with positions in aliens bureaus were involved
in the case.
According to the police, the gang has supplied at least 1,000 people with
false citizenship documents for a payment of between 5 and 7 million
drachmas in each case.
International law on Athens side
International law and the Treaty of Lausanne clearly define the Greek
sovereignty of islands and islets in the Aegean, Defence Minister Akis
Tsohatzopoulos said on Thursday.
Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony on the MEKO-200 frigate "Psarra", the
second of three being constructed by the Skaramanga Shipyards, Tsohatzopoulos
said that if Turkey had any doubts about the sovereignty of islands in the
Aegean then it should refer to the International Court of Justice at The
Hague to get this clear answer.
Greek FM says no EU enlargement if Cyprus entry blocked
Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos has said there will be no European
Union enlargement if anyone creates a political problem over Cyprus'
accession.
"If a political problem is created in Cyprus' accession course, this would
undermine the smooth function of the EU itself and consequently there will
be no enlargement," Pangalos said in an interview to the Athens afternoon
daily Eleftherotypia.
Cyprus, he said, was part of package with the other membership candidates.
Negotiations would be held separately with each candidate and each
candidate would be judged on the basis of its pros and cons, the minister
added.
Athens satisfied with Ecofin euro recommendations on Greece
National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said late on Friday that
Greece was pleased with recommendations by the European Union's economy and
finance ministers that the country's economy had marked progress in meeting
convergence criteria and could participate in the third stage of economic
and monetary union from January 1, 2001.
The Ecofin ministers' statement was as follows:
"The Council notes the substantive progress achieved by Greece in meeting
convergence criteria. The Council expresses its satisfaction over the
determination of the Greek government in implementing its policy on fiscal
restructuring and structural adjustment to enable Greece to participate in
the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union as of January 1, 2001. Then,
Greece's progress will be judged in the same way as the member states which
will participate in EMU as of January 1, 1999 were judged."
State securities to be auctioned
An auction of state securities will be held on May 4, according to an
announcement by the finance ministry. The date of issue and settlement will
be May 6, 1998. The securities to be auctioned will be treasury bills of a
three-month duration amounting to 70 billion drachmas and six-month T-bills
amounting to 50 billion drachmas.
WEATHER
Overcast weather turning to rain or showers is forecast for most parts of
the country tomorrow. Winds southerly, strong to gale force. Cloudy weather
and showers in Athens and Thessaloniki with temperatures ranging from 16C
to 25C in the capital, and 14C to 22C in the second city.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Friday's rates (buying)
U.S. dollar 314.166 British pound 523.974
Japanese yen(100) 238.308 French franc 52.072
German mark 174.592 Italian lira (100) 17.682
Irish Punt 440.964 Belgian franc 8.455
Finnish mark 57.603 Dutch guilder 155.099
Danish kr. 45.830 Austrian sch. 24.822
Spanish peseta 2.058 Swedish kr. 40.495
Norwegian kr. 42.061 Swiss franc 210.175
Port. Escudo 1.706 Aus. dollar 203.955
Can. dollar 218.716 Cyprus pound 596.807
(C.S.)
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