Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-04-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] DM Papantoniou-UN chief Annan discuss Iraq, Cyprus

[02] FM briefs PM on talks with Powell on Iraq crisis and transatlantic

[03] Foreign ministry meeting focuses on coordinating aid effort for Iraq

[04] Government meeting on Cyprus issue, Iraq, April EU summit

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Saturday

[07] Greek stocks end week 1.53 percent higher

[01] DM Papantoniou-UN chief Annan discuss Iraq, Cyprus

NEW YORK (ANA - P. Panagiotou) -- Greece's visiting defence minister Yiannos Papantoniou met Thursday night in New York with United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, with whom he reviewed the Iraq crisis and the Cyprus issue.

Summarising the outcome of his talks with senior US government officials and the UN chief at a press conference later, Papantoniou, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, said that UN involvement in post-war Iraq would pave the way for restoring the political relations between the EU and the US, adding that the United States agreed in principle to such UN involvement.

He also noted that Greece held the key to Turkey's accession to the EU, since it was ''clear to all'' that without a resolution of the Cyprus issue and the lifting of Turkey's unilateral claims in the Aegean, Greece could not possibly consent to Turkey's accession.

Papantoniou further said that the UN chief was in agreement with the view that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's latest proposals were ''outside every framework of international legality'' and could not comprise an object of substantive discussion between the two Cypriot sides.

On his meeting with Annan, Papantoniou said he had brought up the Iraq crisis, stressing to the UN chief ''the importance of the involvement and participation of the United Nations, which must have the primary say in the formulation of the conditions that will prevail in Iraq after the war ends''.

He set out three reasons why Greece, as an individual country but also as EU president, felt it necessary for the UN to assume a primary role.

First of all, he explained, legitimisation of the regime that will arise after the war presupposed the participation and support of the UN, as that would be the only way the regime would have recognition and acceptance not only from the people of Iraq but also the countries with which it bordered.

Second, expansion of the circle of countries that will support the new regime was of critical importance for the flow and ensurance of adequate humanitarian aid, and economic aid more generally, as well as for the political support that would be required by the new regime in order for it to take root and be able to lead Iraq on the road of democracy and prosperity, Papantoniou continued.

Third, he said, UN involvement would ''open the door'' for restoration of the political relations betwen the EU and the US, which have been upset.

[02] FM briefs PM on talks with Powell on Iraq crisis and transatlantic relations

Prime Minister Costas Simitis was briefed by Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Friday on discussions between the European Union, NATO and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on the Iraq crisis and transatlantic relations in which he participated.

Papandreou later said the European Union expressed its concern and skepticism to Powell regarding the managing of the crisis with Iraq ''with the specific targets being promoting the role of the UN and the need to resolve the Middle East issue. Namely, the peace process, or otherwise the road map anticipating the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.''

The foreign minister said relations with the Arab world were also discused with Powell, adding that the crisis with Iraq cannot be the cause for a clash between civilisations but, on the contrary, ''there should be a dialogue between civilisations and on this point Europe and the Greek presidency have undertaken initiatives in this direction.''

On the question of transatlantic relations, Papandreou ''we must now discuss in a clear way, in an open way with the United States and clarify as equal parties, with mutual respect, international reality, the role of the UN and the issues of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the major issues of humanity, such as poverty, inequality and the environment are.''

He added that in this context ''we must even examine special issues such as that of the doctrine of pre-emptive strikes, issues which have created great skepticism among Europeans.''

Papandreou said the Greek presidency will undertake to process these positions in the EU and at the EU-U.S. summit, at the summit with U.S. President George W. Bush and Simitis in Washington on June 25.

Referring to reports on an assassination plan against Jerusalem Patriarch Eirineos, Papandreou said ''I have no comment to make. We are also probing the issue on our part, or should I say we are being informed, but I have no specific comment on this issue because there are also some legal and judicial aspects which have not yet been clarified.''

[03] Foreign ministry meeting focuses on coordinating aid effort for Iraq

A meeting to better coordinate humanitarian aid efforts for Iraq took place at the Greek foreign ministry on Friday between the ministry's leadership, local government officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations.

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, currently head of the EU foreign ministers' council, and Deputy Foreign Minister for developmental and humanitarian aid issues Andreas Loverdos both stressed the importance of coordination in order to make best use of the donations offered by the Greek public and government.

Papandreou stressed that Greece had made every effort, both asEU presidency and as a government, to avert the war in Iraq, while noting that the Greek presidency would also be handling European humanitarian aid to Iraq and other areas.

The EU contribution in this direction totalled 100 million euros, with Greece contributing 4 million euros, Papandreou noted. This sum could be increased if necessary, while a sizeable and touching contribution had been made by the Greek public, the minister said.

He also stressed the need to involve the United Nations in Iraq so as it could assert the power of law and international legality, something also stressed by the Greek presidency.

While admitting that the EU was going through a critical phase, Papandreou pointed out that the resulting peace movement had highlighted two issues: international law and the power of the United Nations and the need for Europe to have a single voice.

Responding to questions regarding security during the distribution of humanitarian aid, he said that Greece was working with U.N. bodies on distribution issues for reasons of guaranteee.

[04] Government meeting on Cyprus issue, Iraq, April EU summit

All the sides involved in the Cyprus issue should demonstrate their desire for a solution to the political problem that was not bilateral but within the framework of the United Nations, a government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis reaffirmed on Friday.

Apart from the Cyprus issue, the meeting also tackled other major international issues, such as developments in Iraq and the upcoming European Union summit on April 16 for the signature of acts of accession by new members of the Community, especially security issues and related concerns.

As he left the meeting, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said the gathered ministers had reaffirmed Greece's desire, as a guarantor power, for a solution to the Cyprus problem, while he expressed support for the efforts of the U.N. and for the peace plan presented by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan as a basis for negotiations.

Asked about his recent meeting with United States Secretary of State Colin Powell and the latter's apparent refusal to accept a U.N. role in post-war Iraq, Papandreou said that Powell had in fact spoken about an important role for the U.N. but without going into details.

''We have to wait for the developments,'' he told reporters, without ruling out the possibility that Europeans and the U.S. would finally reach an agreement.

Regarding the EU summit, Papandreou said the signature of the EU enlargement treaty would be a historic moment and a strong message for peace at this time.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.080

Pound sterling 0.689

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.271

Japanese yen 129.7

Swiss franc 1.498

Norwegian kroner 7.860

Cyprus pound 0.589

Canadian dollar 1.595

Australian dollar 1.798

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Saturday

Rain and storms are forecast in all parts of the country, easing off later in the day, especially in the centre and south. Winds west-northwesterly, moderate to strong, turning very strong in parts of the Ionian. In the north, temperatures will range from 2C to 11C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 5C to 15C; and in the Aegean islands from 9C to 16C. Temperatures in Athens between 8C and 15C; and in Thessaloniki from 5C to 11C.

[07] Greek stocks end week 1.53 percent higher

Greek stocks ended the week with solid gains supported by the strengthening view that the war in Iraq was entering its last stages.

The general index jumped 1.52 percent to end at 1,541.12 points, with turnover a low 84.1 million euros. The index ended the week with a net gain of 1.53 percent.

The Bank, IT, Publication, Investment and Holding sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (3.34 percent, 3.02 percent, 2.86 percent, 2.78 percent and 2.32 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 2.05 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.16 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.47 percent up and the FTSE/ASE 140 index rose 1.83 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 248 to 62 with another 52 issues unchanged.

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