Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-09-15

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 15/09/1999 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Bodies of six dead brought to Athens
• Premier pays tribute to Kranidiotis
• Envoys sign book of condolences
• Investigation under way into accident
• Quake toll rises to 135
• Greece to get stolen treasure back
• Weather
• Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The bodies of the six people, including Alternate Foreign Minister Yannos Kranidiotis, killed late on Tuesday in a freak air accident over Bucharest were brought back to Athens on Wednesday, amid tears and emotional scenes. Kranidiotis, his son Nikola, 22, Greek Television and Radio journalists Dimitris Pantazopoulos and Nina Asimakopoulou, the minister's bodyguard Nikos Asimakopoulos and flight engineer Michalis Papadopoulos were all killed when the prime ministerial jet they were using to travel to Bucharest inexplicably plummeted 22,000 feet as it prepared its descent. The six coffins, all draped in Greek flags, arrived at Athens airport at about 2.45 p.m. At the airport were the families of the victims, Prime Minister Costas Simitis, Parliament Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis, many members of the government and ruling party and parliament and journalists.

Premier pays tribute to Kranidiotis

"Yannos Kranidiotis was a friend, colleague, a person with knowledge, great experience in foreign policy, great talent in handling issues, a person who fought around the world for Greece's interests," Simitis said at Athens Airport, shortly before Kranidiotis' body arrived. "I hope his way of working will be an example to all of us," Simitis said.

Envoys sign book of condolences

At the foreign ministry, where Kranidiotis had served in one capacity or another since 1981, a book of condolences was opened. All the ambassadors of European Union countries, the ambassadors of Switzerland, Turkey, Yugosolavia, Russia, Canada, Lebanon, India, Japan, Egypt, Argenitina, China, Indonesia and the representative of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Palestinian diplomatic mission have signed the book so far.

Investigation under way into accident

Prime Minister Costas Simitis wants the investigation into the cause of the accident which cost the lives of Alternate Foreign Minister Yannos Kranidiotis and five other people to go "as high as it needs to", government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Wednesday. Reppas said the prime minister had contacted the management of Olympic Airways, which maintains the prime ministerial plane, and told them that the inquiry should reach as high as it needed to to ascertain who was responsible for the events leading up to Tuesday evening. Reppas also confirmed a report in Ta Nea newspaper that the same plane - once again with Kranidiotis and his entourage on board - was involved in an emergency landing in central Asia but asked the media to refrain from speculating and to allow the experts to determine exactly what the causes were. A joint Greek and Romanian team of civil aviation and air force experts will be conducting the investigation into why the jet went into a free fall. If necessary, they will call on help from other countries.

Quake toll rises to 135

The government said on Wednesday the number of dead from last Tuesday's earthquake had reached 135. Eighty-five people were pulled alive from collapsed buildings, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas added.

Greece to get stolen treasure back

U.S. authorities have found most of the artefacts stolen from one of Greece's most important archaeological museums almost a decade ago and are preparing to return them, the culture ministry said on Tuesday. Culture Minister Elizabeth Papazoi, speaking at a news conference, said U.S. authorities detected and confiscated 12 sealed plastic containers in Miami on September 7. On inspection, the containers were found to contain ancient artefacts later identified as coming from the Museum of Ancient Corinth which was robbed early on April 12, 1990. The four robbers gained entry to the building, beat and bound the lone guard and emptied all the display cases of their treaures. Greece tightened security at all border posts and airports in the immediate aftermath of the robbery and informed Interpol.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Wednesday's rates (buying)
U.S. dollar          312.599
Pound sterling       500.940
Japanese yen (100)   293.701
French franc          49.371
German mark          165.581
Italian lira (100)    16.725
Irish Punt           411.203
Belgian franc          8.028
Finnish mark          54.468
Dutch guilder        146.956
Danish kr.            43.561
Austrian sch.         23.535
Spanish peseta         1.946
Swedish kr.           37.646
Norwegian kr.         39.571
Swiss franc          201.788
Port. Escudo           1.615
Can. dollar          212.546
Aus. dollar          204.283
Cyprus pound         559.131
Euro                 323.848

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