Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-11-08

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 08/11/1999 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• New group claims Levi's bomb
• Government condemns HAU attack
• Clinton visit details this week
• Poll shows Greeks oppose Clinton policy, visit
• Justice minister admitted to hospital
• Olympic Airways ranked third in safety
• Three Albanians arrested for trafficking
• Drugs at root of murder of Russian man
• Equity prices surge on renewed optimism
• Weather
• Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

A so-far unknown group calling itself "Anti-capitalist Action" has claimed responsibility for a time-bomb attack against an American sportswear manufacturer's outlet in the northern Athens suburb of Halandri, which caused damaged but no injuries. The explosion caused damage to the entrance of the Levi Strauss Hellas offices at 9:00 p.m. Sunday night, smashing windows also in adjacent buildings. An unidentified caller telephoned the afternoon daily Eleftherotypia shortly before the explosion warning of the bomb, but apparently gave the wrong address, police said. The caller said he represented the Anti-capitalist Action organisation.

Government condemns HAU attack

Two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle fired six shots at the Hellenic-American Union building on Massalias street in the central Athens residential district of Kolonaki, smashing window panes but causing no other damage or injuries. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The government on Monday condemned an attack on the Hellenic- American Union building in downtown Athens late on Sunday. "It may appear that there was no security (at the building) but don't be too sure about this," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas added, responding to a question as to why the building was unguarded.

Clinton visit details this week

Details of U.S. President Bill Clinton's visit to Greece will be released later this week, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Monday. Responding to questions, Reppas said that there would be no interference with any protest marches organised provided that these were peaceful and legal. "All the requisite measures have been taken so that no problems are created," the spokesman said. Asked about a mock trial of the U.S. president to be held in Syntagma Square on Monday, Reppas said such events had no substantial content, expressed no political views and were held only for publicity's sake.

Poll shows Greeks oppose Clinton policy, visit

An overwhelming 80.5 percent of Greeks have a negative opinion of US president Bill Clinton, regardless of their political leanings, while 92.4 percent do not trust his mediation in Greek-Turkish affairs, according to a recent poll published today that was conducted shortly before the American leader's forthcoming visit to Athens. The poll, conducted by ALKO and appearing in today's edition of the Athens afternoon daily "Ethnos", showed that 86.5 percent of Greeks have a negative opinion of Clinton, and 12.2 percent had a positive opinion, while 7.3 percent did not answer. The nay- sayers included 83.3 percent of ruling socialist PASOK party voters (10.8 percent positive) and 86.4 percent of Left-wing party voters (7.9 percent positive), while only 18.6 percent of the conservative main opposition New Democracy party voters said they had a positive opinion and 75.3 percent had a negative opinion.

Justice minister admitted to hospital

Justice Minister Evangelos Yannopoulos underwent prostate surgery in an Athens hospital early today and doctors reported he was in good condition. The 81-year-old veteran politician and long-time minister in several PASOK governments was admitted to Athens' Medical Centre yesterday for an hour- long operation to relieve an enlarged prostate. "The justice minister's overall condition is completely satisfactory, and he is due to be released after two days," his attending physicians said.

Olympic Airways ranked third in safety

National carrier Olympic Airways is rated third among the safest airlines world-wide and flight control and services at Greek airports are impeccable, according to the results of an international conference on flight safety in Athens recently. The high ratings for state-owned Olympic Airways and the Greek airports were also confirmed after an inspection recently conducted by US Federal Aviation Authority officials. Participants at the conference said that after 1992 there was an increase in air incidents in Greece, due to increased air traffic and the emergence of several private carriers.

Three Albanians arrested for trafficking

A former Albanian Army special forces trainer and a former policeman, also Albanian, were arrested on charges of drug trafficking on Monday, Thessaloniki police said. Pandeli Evro, 37, and Petri Bekiri, 31, were arrested in Thessaloniki in possession of 200 grams of pure heroin, destined to be sold. The two men had on them a list of names that police suspect is their client list. Another Albanian man, Dritan Makai, 26, was also arrested with the two, and was found to be in possession of 958 grams of heroin, 250 grams of cocaine and 400 grams of hashish.

Drugs at root of murder of Russian man

Police said on Monday that a dispute over drug trafficking between a Russian and Georgian family seemed to be the motive behind last night's murder of a Russian man and the serious injury of his two brothers. Police are seeking Georgian national Arthur Galoustian, 35, after he knifed Dimitri Djeiranov, 22, to death and seriously injured Djeiranov's two brothers, George, 27, and Nicholos, 19. The attack came after the Djeiranov brothers illegally entered Galoustian's residence and assaulted his brother Gari, police said. Police arrested Gari Galoustian. The two surviving Djeiranov brothers are being hospitalized under guard.

Equity prices surge on renewed optimism

Equity prices surged above the 5,700 level on Monday helped by renewed confidence among investors over the outlook of the Greek market. Traders said the market could retest the 6,000 level in the short-term. Commenting on recent speculation over a realignment of the Greek drachma's parity to a new central parity against the euro, analysts said that such a move could have favourable impact on the stock market. The general index ended 2.42 percent higher at 5,753.60 points, at the day's highs. Turnover was 362 billion drachmas. The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 3.80 percent higher while the FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 1.51 percent to 2,861.41 points.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Monday's rates (buying)
U.S. dollar          313.591
Pound sterling       508.797
Japanese yen (100)   297.531
French franc          49.686
German mark          166.641
Italian lira (100)    16.832
Irish Punt           413.835
Belgian franc          8.079
Finnish mark          54.816
Dutch guilder        147.896
Danish kr.            43.848
Austrian sch.         23.686
Spanish peseta         1.959
Swedish kr.           37.551
Norwegian kr.         39.521
Swiss franc          201.897
Port. Escudo           1.626
Can. dollar          214.411
Aus. dollar          199.610
Cyprus pound         565.460
Euro                 325.922

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