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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-02-22
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 22/02/1999 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- EU calls for fair trial for Ocalan
- Greek FM fully satisfied with statement
- Athens lashes out at Turkish comments
- Swiss tourist missing
- Premier briefs counterparts
- European lawyers on Ocalan
- Intelligence chief resigns in wake of Ocalan issue
- Asylum for Ocalan aide being considered
- Hellenic Petroleum denies Greenpeace charges after fire
- Veteran journalist dies
- Rail strikes called off
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
EU calls for fair trial for Ocalan
European Union foreign ministers on Monday issued a statement condemning
all forms of terrorism and stressing that the fight against terrorism had
to respect all human rights and democratic rules. The statement called on
Turkey to take all the necessary measures so as to ensure Kurd rebel leader
Abdullah Ocalan's trial is conducted on the basis of the rule of law, with
Ocalan receiving access to legal counsel of his choice and with international
observers admitted to the trial. If Turkey is prepared to satisfactorily
meet the above issues, the European Union is prepared to extend all forms
of assistance, including financial, the foreign ministers said.
Greek FM fully satisfied with statement
Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, speaking shortly after the
statement was issued, said he was fully satisfied with the content of the
statement. "This statement gives Turkey the opportunity, if it meets the
conditions set out in the statement, to strengthen its ties with the
European Union," Papandreou told reporters at a news conference. Greece, he
added, had insisted on the statement because a large number of Kurdish
political refugees had found sanctuary in Greece and other European
countries and because it believed the statement would contribute to
achieving stability in the wider region of the Balkans. He underlined that
Turkey as a member of the Council of Europe would have to satisfy a series
of commitments in relation to Ocalan's trial.
Athens lashes out at Turkish comments
Greece has lashed out at Turkey over its attack on the government stemming
from the Ocalan affair. "Using inaccuracy and fabrication Turkey is trying
to create a whole intrigue at Greece's expense. It is building up an
outside enemy in order to divert international attention away from the
basic problem, which is recognition and respect for the rights of the
Kurdish people," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Sunday
evening. The spokesman was responding to statements on the same day by
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.
Swiss tourist missing
Police have launched a search for a Swiss tourist who went missing near
Iraklio on the island of Crete, authorities said on Monday. The disappearance
of the man, identified as Gerard Faton (phonetic spelling), 49, was
reported by a Swiss friend, who told police he disappeared on Sunday while
they were cycling on the Ano Vianno-Pyrgos road. The two cyclists were
about 150 metres apart when Faton vanished, the friend said. After failing
to locate him, she contacted police. Local residents are also searching for
Faton, who was reportedly seen cycling from Pyrgos towards the Rethymno
road.
Premier briefs counterparts
Prime minister Costas Simitis has commumicated to his Portuguese and
Swedish countgerparts, Antonio Guterres and Goran Persson respectively,
Greece's intention to raise the issue of the recently arrested Kurdish
rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan by Turkey to the European Union's General
Affairs Council on Monday, February 22, government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas said Saturday. Reppas added the two foreign leaders agreed that the
issue should be discussed and that decisions should be made. Ocalan, who is
to be tried by Ankara on charges of terrorism, was handed to men of the
Turkish special forces by Kenyan authorities Monday, after spending 12 days
under Greek diplomatic protection in Nairobi.
European lawyers on Ocalan
The Union of European Lawyers Associations (CCBE) on Saturday called on
Turkish authorities to give imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan a
fair trial, and refrain from imposing the death sentence. "Through its
particpation in the Coucil of Europe, Turkey has obligations that mean
guaranteeing a fair and open trial in line with the principles of
international law," the CCBE said in a statement. The association's
president is Sotirios Yelios, a Greek lawyer.
Intelligence chief resigns in wake of Ocalan issue
The head of the National Information Service (EYP), Charalambos Stavrakakis,
submitted his resignation on Friday after being asked to do so by Prime
Minister Costas Simitis in the wake of the capture and transfer to Turkey
of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. Announcing Stavrakakis' resignation,
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said Simitis also underlined the need
for a "radical overhaul" of Greece's intelligence service. His resignation
follows those of three ministers on Thursday over their role in the Ocalan
affair.
Asylum for Ocalan aide being considered
Greece intends to grant political asylum to one of the three female aides
of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan who remain in the Greek embassy in
Nairobi, after he was arrested and handed over to Turkish security men
Monday, diplomatic sources said. The other two women are said to be in
possession of travel documents facilitating their smooth passage. Greek
ambassador Giorgos Kostoulas is to remain in the Kenyan capital until the
end of the month, to ensure that all three leave safely, the sources
added.
Hellenic Petroleum denies Greenpeace charges after fire
Hellenic Petroleum on Saturday rejected allegations by the Greenpeace
environmental organisation that negligence was to blame for a fire at a
northern refinery that left one worker seriously injured. "This unfortanate
incident is not unusual at refineries. Of more importance is an immediate,
coordinated and effective response, as happened in this case," the state-
owned company said in a statement. The blaze in the early hours of Friday
morning broke out about 500 yards from liquid fuel storage tanks and was
quickly extinguished. A worker suffered serious burns while trying to put
out the fire. Greenpeace claimed on Friday that the company lacked
safety measures, endangering the residents of Thessaloniki, where
the refinery is located.
Veteran journalist dies
Vetaran Greek journalist and former president of the Athens Union of
Journalists Dimitris Mathiopoulos died Sunday at the age of 65 from a heart
attack. Mathiopoulos, who was born in Messinia prefecture in 1934, entered
journalist in 1960 and worked for the then daily To VIMA newspaper, and the
weekly newsmagazine Tachydromos. A recipient of the Botsis Foundation prize
for his contribution to journalism, Mathiopoulos served as president of the
Athens Union of Journalists-ESHEA for two terms and as secretary general of
the union for eight years before that. He resigned during his second term
as union president to stand for parliament with the Political Spring
party, whose press bureau he undertook after his retirement. Mathiopoulos'
funeral will be held Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. at Athens First Cemetery.
Rail strikes called off
Workers at the OSE state-run railways organisation have called off work
stoppages called for Monday after a court ruled the industrial action
illegal
WEATHER
The outlook for Tuesday is overcast with local rain and storms in the west.
Clouds will clear in the afternoon. Winds will be southwesterly strong to
glae force, abating in the afternoon. Temperatures in the north will range
from 3-10, on the mainland and Ionian 5-16, and in the Aegean 9-17. Athens
will be overcast with possible rain in the morning, 9-16. The forecast for
Thessaloniki is the same, 4-10.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Monday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 285.795
Pound sterling 466.657 Japanese yen (100) 238.606
French franc 48.717 German mark 163.390
Italian lira (100) 16.504 Irish Punt 405.761
Belgian franc 7.922 Luxembourg franc 7.922
Finnish mark 53.747 Dutch guilder 145.012
Danish kr. 42.997 Austrian sch. 23.224
Spanish peseta 1.921 Swedish kr. 35.871
Norwegian kr. 36.716 Swiss franc 199.838
Port. Escudo 1.594 Aus. dollar 182.389
Can. dollar 192.408 Cyprus pound 550.560
Euro 319.563
(M.P.)
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