Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-05-04
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 04/05/1998 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Simitis voices satisfaction over EU summit results on Euro
- Holbrooke draws blank on Cyprus peace mission
- Greece, Egypt to sign cooperation protocol today
- Tsohatzopoulos to attend WEU meeting in Madrid
- Inter-Orthodox conference ends
- Group claims torching embassy car
- London to host event on Dodecanese anniversary
- Greek climber falls to his death in Himalayas
- Writer Aris Fakinos dies in Paris
- Skandalidis says Greece moving in right direction
- Greek-Bulgarian conference in Drama
- New leftist movement in October municipal elections
- Greek soccer championship results
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Simitis voices satisfaction over EU summit results on Euro
Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday expressed full satisfaction over
the results of the EU summit confirming Greece's eligibility for EU
monetary union (euro) accession as the 12th member.
"It is a historic day because the creation of the unified European currency
was decided with the participation of 11 countries," he said, adding that
the EU summit results were "extremely positive" for Greece since a special
statement was adopted for th e Greek economy confirming the steps of
progress it has achieved to date, as well as prospects of its accession to
the final phase of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) as the 12th member.
"This decision constitutes recognition of the efforts made in past years
and for this reason I feel the need to congratulate all the staff of the
National Economy Ministry for the work they performed," he said, underlining
the special importance of reference to the fact that Greece will be judged
in the same way in which the 11 countries which will participate in the
euro as of January 1, 1999 were judged.
Referring to repercussions for the Greek economy and society stemming from
the adoption of the unified European currency, Mr. Simitis said that
conditions will be created for stability and development, as well as better
conditions for exercising monetary policy to the degree that all member-
stat es will jointly tend to the stability of their economies.
Referring specifically to the Greek economy, Mr. Simitis said that the
government will move within the framework it had already determined and
that additional measures will not be required but only the accurate
implementation of the economic policy set out, underlining the need for
promoting restructuring, the flotation and denationalisation of certain
enterprises.
Commenting on the decisions taken on the euro and the participation of
Greece in EMU as of 2001, main opposition New Democracy party spokesman
Aris Spiliotopoulos made the following statement:
"Europe is galloping. It is forging ahead. And at this moment our country,
despite its will and despite the profound sacrifices of all, is staying
behind developments. It is last in Europe.
Holbrooke draws blank on Cyprus peace mission
US envoy Richard Holbrooke ended yesterday two days of intensive but
inconclusive consultations with the leaders of the Greek and Turkish
Cypriot communities.
Sources said that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's insistence on
recognition of his illegal regime as a condition for resuming intercommunal
talks, was the cause for the breakdown of the talks.
"We do not have a resumption of a dialogue to settle the Cyprus problem,"
reliable sources have said, noting "Holbrooke's talks have ended."
The outcome of Mr. Holbrooke's discussions was announced earlier yesterday
afternoon by Mr. Denktash himself who said the American official's current
mission is over and he will not be returning next week as originally
reported.
The Cyprus government, in keeping with the prescribed agreement not to
disclose anything about the content of these confidential talks, has not
made any statement.
President Glafcos Clerides intends to brief party leaders about his
discussions with the US presidential emissary, who arrived here Friday and
has had repeated meetings on both sides of the divided island republic.
The Athens government has been kept updated on the talks held over the past
few days.
According to the French News Agency (AFP), Mr. Denktash told the press
after his last meeting in Turkish-occupied Nicosia "this series of shuttles
by Mr. Holbrooke is over. He will leave Cyprus tomorrow (today) and won't
come back on Saturday."
Mr. Denktash also said that US State Department Coordinator for Cyprus,
Thomas Miller, will also be leaving today.
Mr. Miller was scheduled to remain on the island to continue consultations
until Mr. Holbrooke's return.
Greece, Egypt to sign cooperation protocol today
A cooperation protocol between Greece and Egypt will be signed in Cairo
today by Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and Electricity and Energy
Minister Haber Abaza concerning energy issues.
Ms. Papandreou, who carried out a five-day visit accompanied by Development
Secretary-General Antonis Papathanasopoulos and other officials, held talks
with Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal El Ganzouri, to whom he conveyed
greetings from Greek Prime Minist er Costas Simitis.
Ms. Papandreou briefed the Egyptian prime minister on the development of
Greek national issues, placing particular emphasis on Greek-Turkish
relations and the Greek government's position on observance of international
treaties. Egypt agrees absolutely with this position.
Mr. Ganzouri referred to initiatives by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on
a rapprochement between the Palestinians and Israel aimed at the prevalence
of peace in the Middle East.
"Greece hopes peace will prevail in the Middle East and supports the
efforts of the Egyptian government on the continuation of negotiations and
the solution to problems in the wider region," she said.
Tsohatzopoulos to attend WEU meeting in Madrid
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos will leave for Madrid today
to attend the West European Union's Parliamentary Assembly.
In parallel, he will make a working visit at the invitation of his Spanish
counterpart Eduardo Sera. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos will be making an address in
the framework of the WEU's Parliamentary Assembly tomorrow.
Afterwards, he will meet Mr. Sera at the Spanish Defence Ministry and will
also visit Spanish defence industries, as well as the Military Museum in
Madrid.
Inter-Orthodox conference ends
The sessions of the Inter-Orthodox conference, held with the participation
of representatives of the 15 Autocephalus Orthodox Churches, were concluded
at the Cultural Centre of the Thessaloniki Metropolis late on Friday
night.
The conference opened on Thursday morning and was conducted in camera. It
focused on problems faced by certain Orthodox Churches with the World
Council of Churches, which have led to the Churches of Jerusalem and
Georgia pulling out of the Council.
The conference, organised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was chaired by
the Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Efesos. He and the Metropolitans of
Ilioupolis and Theiron Athanassios, Philadelphia Meliton and Sassimon
Yennadios constituted the Patriarchate's delegation.
Group claims torching embassy car
An organisation called "Arsonists of Conscience" yesterday claimed
responsibility for setting fire to a car early yesterday 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.
London to host event on Dodecanese anniversary
The Foreign Ministry's Historical Archives service will organise an event
on the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Dodecanese islands to
Greece on May 11 in cooperation with the Greek Embassy in London.
The event, due to take place at the Hellenic Centre in London, is expected
to start with a 45-minute talk by the director of the Historical Archives
service Foteini Tomai-Constantopoulou. She will present historical data
concerning the incorporation of the Dodecanese islands according to
documents contained in the book "Dodecanese: The long course towards
incorporation."
The event will be attended by about 200 personalities from the British
political, business and diplomatic sectors, as well as journalists.
Greek climber falls to his death in Himalayas
A Greek climber plunged to his death on Friday while trying to become the
first Greek citizen to scale the world's seventh-highest mountain, Nepal's
tourism ministry said yesterday.
Nikos Papandreou, 44, a businessman from Athens, died while climbing the 8,
167 metre Dhaulagiri I peak in west Nepal, it said.
Papandreou had reached 7,500 metres when he fell 1,500 metres to his death,
the ministry said in a statement.
His six team mates have abandoned their bid, it added.
Papandreou was married and had a son and a daughter.
The Greek team led by Antonis Sikaris from Athens was scaling Dhaulagiri I
by the standard climbing route through its northeast ridge.
A total of 268 climbers have reached the top since it was first scaled in
1960. Forty-four climbers have died while trying to climb the mountain.
Writer Aris Fakinos dies in Paris
Well-known writer Aris Fakinos died of a pneumonic infection in Paris
yesterday at the age of 63. He had been in a comma at the 'intercommunal
hospital de Montreuil' over the past three days.
Aris Fakinos was born in Marousi in 1935 and studied in Athens, Switzerland
and France. His books include "The last barbarians", "Zone under surveillance",
"The outlaws", "The man who fed the pigeons", "The ancestor" and "The story
of a lost land". His last work was a trilogy titled "The castle of
memory."
Skandalidis says Greece moving in right direction
Ruling PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis said yesterday that achieving the
government's economic targets was not sufficient to solve the country's
problems if development, cohesion and the welfare of Greek society was not
guaranteed at the same time.
Commenting on the European Union's decision over the weekend for euro and
Greece's accession as a 12th member to the common European currency, Mr.
Skandalidis said the decision confirmed that Greece has made important
steps, that "our policy is in the r ight direction" and that every effort
should be made to accelerate developments for Greece's entry into the
European Monetary Union (EMU).
"What is important beyond economic targets is to have a development
structure which will give to Greece's efforts a perspective," Mr.
Skandalidis said, addressing a party meeting in Thessaloniki.
Greek-Bulgarian conference in Drama
A Greek-Bulgarian conference was held at the conference centre of the Drama
Chamber of Commerce by the Greek and corresponding Bulgarian semiotics
company which underlined that the societies of Greece and Bulgaria have
common cultural attitudes, being two neighbouring countries with a rich
culture and tradition.
Greek and Bulgarian special scientists, university professors and
researchers outlined their scientific experiences concerning human
communication, day-to-day attitudes, clothing, poetry, literature, music,
painting and sculptures.
The purpose of the conference was to further rally Balkan semiotics experts
and to promote their research.
New leftist movement in October municipal elections
The "Leftist Radical Initiative for Athens", which will cooperate with the
"Struggle Cooperation for Athens" in the October municipal elections and
will support the candidacy of Leon Avdis for Athens mayor, publicised its
inaugural proclamation on Saturday.
The announcement stresses that it is a municipal movement composed of
socially active citizens from Athens who belong to the sector of the
renewal radical left.
The proclamation underlines that the new movement lies on the other side of
the neoliberal strategy for Athens which aims at turning the capital into a
business and profiteering centre. It believes that the assumption of the
Olympic Games in 2004 consti tutes a focal point in this effort which, in
addition, will degrade the quality of life in the Attica basin even
further.
The "Leftist Radical Initiative for Athens", it added, supports the need
for the creation of a wider front of leftist and radical ecologist forces
for the Athens municipality based on the above policy principles.
Greek soccer championship results
Kalamata-Ionikos 2-0 AEK-Athinaikos 1-1
Panathinaikos-Iraklis 1-0 OFI-Ethnikos 3-0
Paniliakos-Kavala 0-2 Xanthi-Veria 4-0
Panionios-Olympiakos 1-2 PAOK-Panahaiki 4-1
Proodeftiki-Apollon 1-0 Standings-points: Olympiakos 82, Panathinaikos 76,
PAOK 64, Ionikos 58, Iraklis 47, Xanthi, OFI 42, Veria 39, Apollon
36.
WEATHER
Overcast weather turning to rain and scattered showers is forecast for most
parts of the country today. 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 Thessaloniki.
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.E.)
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