Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-12-28
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 28/12/1998 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Clerides arrives for Athens talks on S-300 missile issue
- Traffic accidents over Christmas period claim 19 lives
- Canadian FM expresses support for UN resolutions on Cyprus
- Greek visas to FYROM citizens reach 1.3 million
- T-bill auction today
- Greek equities end higher at ASE
- Locals, tourists try their luck at Rhodes Casino
- New electricity line to be put into service soon
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Clerides arrives for Athens talks on S-300 missile issue
Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides arrives in Athens today to meet with
leading Greek government and opposition party officials on Nicosia's
controversial plans to deploy Russian S-300 missiles.
Government spokesman Christos Stylianides said Mr. Clerides would meet Mr.
Simitis tomorrow "to brief him on the views of political party leaders and
there will be consultations as agreed during an earlier meeting in Athens,"
held in late November.
No decision was taken at Thursday's meeting of the all-party Cypriot
National Council regarding Nicosia's plans to deploy the anti-aircraft
missiles, which have provoked fears in the United States and European
countries of an increase in tension on the island.
The meeting followed the adoption of two UN Security Council resolutions,
1217 for the renewal of the mandate of the UN Peace-keeping force on the
island for a further six months and 1218 on the good Offices Mission of the
UN Secretary General in Cyprus .
The resolutions were described as positive by Nicosia and satisfactory by
Athens,while they were also welcomed by the US, Britain and the European
Union.
The first resolution renewed for six months the UN Peacekeeping Force in
the divided island republic and the second calling on the Greek Cypriots
and Turkish Cypriots to respond positively to efforts by UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan's special repres entative for Cyprus, Dame Ann Hercus,
to secure agreement on measures to reduce tension and build confidence
between the two communities.
US President Bill Clinton said on Wednesday that he was committed to ending
the "tragic division of Cyprus" and urged Cypriots to do their part to
support international efforts to end the dispute.
In the statement, issued by the White House late on Tuesday immediately
after the approval of the two resolutions, Mr. Clinton vowed to "take all
necessary steps to support" them.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair also expressed his commitment to work for
the implementation of the resolutions, adding that his government wanted to
see "a major, sustained effort towards securing a just, comprehensive and
lasting settlement in Cyprus...".
Nicosia said it viewed the UN resolutions as positive, since they created
"new prospects" to efforts for a settlement of the protracted problem and a
reduction of arms on the island.
The Greek government on Wednesday welcomed the Security Council's adoption
of the resolutions
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said the simultaneous adoption of the
two resolutions not only illustrated the strong interest of the international
community in the Cyprus issue, but also showed that the Security Council
had realised the dangers ent ailed by any further prolongation of the
problem.
Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on the other hand, rejected
them repeating their provocative demands for a confederation of two states
on the island. In statements Cypriot political party leaders appeared with
differing views on whether the S-300 should be deployed on the island or
not, but most underlined that any decision should be taken together with
Greece as it affects both countries.
Ruling conservative Democratic Rally Party President Nicos Anastasiades
said any decision on the S-300 should be taken jointly with Athens and
underlined that all consequences should be taken into consideration.
Left-wing AKEL Parliamentary leader Andreas Christou said "the decision
should be taken together with Greece" as the S-300 issue also affects
Athens.
The initial reaction of the Democratic Party and House of Representatives
President Spyros Kyprianou to the resolutions was that "they do not change
the situation" which made the government decide to purchase the S-
300.
Mr. Kyprianou also questioned why president Clinton expressed his support
only to one of the two resolutions, which refers to the reduction of
tension on the island.
In a written statement socialist EDEK party leader Vassos Lyssarides said
that the S-300 should be deployed here as "conditions have not changed nor
have the preconditions set been met."
Mr. Lyssarides, whose party participates in government, said the Security
Council resolutions are not satisfactory and described statements of
support made by world leaders as "Christmas wishes" with no commitment for
concrete measures.
Nicosia has said that the decision to deploy the S-300 would be reconsidered
if stalled talks for a settlement in Cyprus resume and progress is achieved
or if negotiations for the reduction of troops and armaments, leading to
demilitarisation, get underway.
United Democrat party leader George Vassiliou noted that the international
community has sent a clear message for the reduction of tension and arms as
well as the importation of high-technology weapons, and said "we must
clearly express our support to the UN." The S-300 missile system was in the
centr of February's pre-election campaign.
Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos yesterday
said that the Cyprus issue is entering a new phase under very difficult
circumstances.
He added that "one more - of the many and well known - United Nations
Security Council resolutions is used as an alibi for the non-deployment of
the S-300 missiles in Cyprus.
"The Cypriot government has restricted margins of options and manoeuvering...the
Greek government on the other hand - and the prime minister personally -
bear the heaviest of responsibilities for the unfavourable developments."
In a statement meanwhile on Thursday, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
charged that the Cypriot government's decision to purchase and install the
S-300 missiles had been motivated by criteria related solely to electoral
considerations at the time and had led to an impasse.
In Thessaloniki, Coalition of the Left leader Nikos Constantopoulos urged
the president of the republic to call a meeting of party leaders to discuss
the issue of the S-300 missile system.
Speaking to a local radio station, Mr. Constantopoulos criticised the
government for failing to bring the issue up at an institutional level.
Traffic accidents over Christmas period claim 19 lives
Nineteen people died and 207 were injured in 158 road accidents between
Thursday and yesterday noon as city dwellers left urban centres around
Greece to spend the Christmas holiday in villages and the countryside.
Greek traffic police were on standby yesterday at major intersections and
on national highways as vacationers were scheduled to return from the
Christmas long weekend.
Conditions on roads have been made more difficult by snowfall in many parts
of Greece, with dozens of villages in central and western Macedonia cut off
from the rest of the country.
In mountainous areas, wheel-chains are a must, while drivers also had to
contend with patches of ice.
According to the National Meteorological Service, the weather will improve
today with a gradual rise in temperatures up until New Year's Day.
Canadian FM expresses support for UN resolutions on Cyprus
Canadian foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy has expressed his absolute support
for the UN Secretary General's resident representative on Cyprus, Dame Ann
Hercus' mediation efforts and the recent UN resolutions calling for
limitation of armaments. The above was contained in a letter sent by Mr.
Axworthy to Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos, an ANA dispatch from
Montreal (Canada) said.
Mr. Axworthy, in his letter, endorsed the UN proposal for averting violence
or the use of violence, for the two sides commiting themselves to the non-
development of military forces and armaments, for an ensuing reduction of
armaments, and for ratificati on of an agreement on a package of measures
by the UN peacekeeping force on Cyprus aiming at reducing tension along the
buffer zone, and in the taking of further measures, including ridding the
area of landmines.
He also stressed in his letter that the two sides on Cyprus should
cooperate with Ms. Hercus in that direction so that there may be progress
towards a viable solution to the Cyprus issue.
Mr. Axworthy said his country had increased sensitivity on the Cyprus
problem as Canada would assume, as of January 1, 1999, a non-permament seat
on the UN Security Council.
He further offered Canadian knowhow for ridding Cyprus of landmines.
Greek visas to FYROM citizens reach 1.3 million
The Greek liaison office in Skopje has issued 1,300,000 entry visas to
citizens of the neighbouring former Yugoslav republic wishing to visit
Greece in the three years since the office was established.
The figure is equal to more than two entry visas for each of the 500,000
households in the country, and, according to Foreign Minister Theodoros
Pangalos, speaking during his visit last week to Skopje, is an indication
of Greece's willingness to further improveties between the two countries.
The liaison office was established under the terms of a 1995 interim
agreement which also states that Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia are to proceed to talks under UN auspices to find a mutually
acceptable solution to the name of the former Yugoslav republic.
Athens and Skopje have been at loggerheads over the country's name since
the republic declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Greece opposes the use of the name 'Macedonia' by the landlocked republic,
arguing it conceals expansionist designs against its northern province of
Macedonia.
T-bill auction today
The finance ministry is auctioning 220 million drachmas worth of 12-month
treasury bills in electronic form today. Issue and settlement date is
January 4, 1999.
The auction is to take place through competitive bids by primary dealers,
while non-competitive bids will be accepted by non-primary dealers to the
tune of 20 per cent of the auctioned sum.
Also, tax-free savings bonds in electronic form will be available to the
public on January 4 and 5, 1999.
Greek equities end higher at ASE
Greek equities ended higher for the sixth consecutive session on Thursday
in record turnover reflecting investor optimism ahead of the New Year and
an anticipated rally in the early part of 1999.
The general index ended 1.90 percent higher to 2,655.46 points to a net
gain of 6.3 percent in the week. Turnover reached 195.2 billion drachmas on
volume of 27.5 million shares boosted by several block trades, notably
Sidenor.
Sector indices scored gains. Banks rose 2.68 percent to bring total gains
since the previous Friday to 10.44 percent.
The FTSE/ASE 20 index added 2.17 percent to 1,672.96 points, up 7.9 pecent
since the previous Friday. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 172 to 76
with another 21 issues unchanged.
Sidenor, National Bank of Greece, Commercial Bank, Alpha Credit Bank and
Xiosbank were the most heavily traded stocks.
Eskimo, Panafon and Infoquest hit the daily 8.0 percent limit up, followed
by Alcar-Aemet, Despec, Aspis Bank and Boutaris which scored big percentage
gains. Radio Athina plunged 12 percent, followed by Halyps Cement, Desmos,
Xylemporia and Papo utsanis which suffered heavy losses.
Locals, tourists try their luck at Rhodes Casino
The Rhodes Casino recorded a 1.8 million drachma loss over the Christmas
four-day period, while its gross take reached at 169 million drachmas.
However the casino recorded profits of 1.4 million drachmas as the losses
were covered by the entry tickets.
Visitors played an average of 80,000 drachmas per capita, according to
casino statistics.
The casino is a favourite destination for Israeli tourists during this
season, who once again arrived on the island to spend their holidays.
Finally, more than 2,000 locals visited the casino, as this time of year is
the only period they are allowed by regulations to enter. The regulations
will be abolished in March.
New electricity line to be put into service soon
The Public Power Corporation (DEH) has completed work on the third north-
south high-voltage electricity line at Kryoneri, north of Athens, which is
designed to eliminate the risk of a black-out at times of heavy demand.
The line, whose construction was vehemently opposed by local residents
claiming health risks, is to be put into service soon.
WEATHER
Greece will be overcast today with possibility of local showers in Crete
and the Dodecanese Islands and a slight rise in temperatures throughout the
country. Athens will be partly cloudy with temperatures between 1-11C. The
same for Thessaloniki with temperatures from -3 to 6C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Monday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 279.397
British pound 468.065 Japanese yen (100) 240.848
French franc 49.610 German mark 166.358
Italian lira (100) 16.800 Irish Punt 413.466
Belgian franc 8.066 Finnish mark 54.729
Dutch guilder 147.629 Danish kr. 43.731
Austrian sch. 23.664 Spanish peseta 1.955
Swedish kr. 34.686 Norwegian kr. 36.404
Swiss franc 203.613 Port. Escudo 1.623
Aus. dollar 171.507 Can. dollar 180.147
(C.E.)
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