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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-10-18
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] GREEK NATIONAL BANK SHARES ON WALL STREET
[02] EMERGENCY HOUSING PLAN FOR QUAKE-STRICKEN HOMELESS
[03] MUD-SLINGING CONTINUES IN "VIDEO-LOTTO" DISPUTE
[04] "AXION ESTI" ICON ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS
[05] SPAIN'S QUEEN SOPHIA AT EL GRECO OPENING IN ATHENS
[06] DEFENCE MINISTER URGES RESPECT FOR INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
[07] CYPRIOT BANK HOLDS MAJORITY IN RUSSIAN INVESTMENT BANK
[08] CLERIDES SAYS CYPRUS SHOULD NOT BE AN EXCEPTION IN EUROPE
[09] CHRISTODOULOS DEFENDS POSITION AGAINST VATHOLOMEOS
[01] GREEK NATIONAL BANK SHARES ON WALL STREET
National Bank of Greece shares will be floated on the New York stock
exchange today at a price of 22,900 drachmas each. The opening of
transactions at the American bourse will be announced by the National
Bank governor, Theodoros Karatzas. It will be the second Greek entry
on Wall Street, following the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation
(OTE). Public subscriptions have more than covered the number of
available shares. In the meantime, fluctuations in the general share
price index at the Athens Stock Exchange are not causing concern,
according to financial analysts, as developments in international money
markets obviously have an impact on the local bourse. At the same time,
the Greek economy's progress has been described as positive by National
Economy Minister Yannos Papantoniou, who said the government's main aim
continues to be curbing inflation.
[02] EMERGENCY HOUSING PLAN FOR QUAKE-STRICKEN HOMELESS
The Interior Ministry has been in a state of readiness since Saturday
to implement an emergency plan for re-housing those left homeless after
the September 7 earthquake in Attica, if weather conditions worsen.
Meanwhile, government and local officials are continuing their list of
houses and businesses destroyed or seriously damaged by the quake.
Yesterday, 11,241 homes and 1,523 business premises were recorded as
requiring demolition or extensive repairs.
[03] MUD-SLINGING CONTINUES IN "VIDEO-LOTTO" DISPUTE
Referring to accusations by the New Democracy party, concerning
irregularities in the establishment of an Olympic lottery-known as the
video-lotto-acting government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis said the main
opposition party was resorting to scandalmongering, because it was at a
deadend. New Democracy has responded by maintaing that the relative
draft bill will be withdrawn, or will not be passed, because it was the
result of irregular procedures. It also claims that the government
spokesman has declined to reveal details of the relative agreement, so
that it may be a 10-year contract, even though the Olympic Games will
be over in five years from today.
[04] "AXION ESTI" ICON ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS
Thousands of people are flocking to pay their respects to the "Axion
Esti" icon from Mount Athos, which was received in Athens on the
weekend with honours accorded to a head of state. The icon-believed to
be miraculous-is being exhibited for a fortnight at the Aghios
Panteleimon church in the Greek capital. Donations received will go
towards easing the plight of the quake-stricken population in Attica.
[05] SPAIN'S QUEEN SOPHIA AT EL GRECO OPENING IN ATHENS
Queen Sophia of Spain, who is paying a 4-day private visit to Greece,
yesterday visited the holy monasteries of Meteora in Thessaly. In
Athens this evening, she will attend the opening of the El Greco
exhibition at the National Art Gallery, which will be inaugurated by
President Costis Stephanopoulos.
[06] DEFENCE MINISTER URGES RESPECT FOR INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said yesterday that
respect for human rights entails respect for borders, as they have been
recognised through international treaties. Mr Tsohatzopoulos made the
statement in a speech during events in Thessaloniki marking the
anniversary of the Macedonian struggle. He also clarified that the
uproar caused by the Foreign Minister George Papandreou's
statements-regarding Greece's sovereign rights-was due to a
misunderstanding. The ruling Pasok party and the government have
proved, he pointed out, that non-negotiability of the country's
sovereign rights has been a standing government policy for many years
now.
[07] CYPRIOT BANK HOLDS MAJORITY IN RUSSIAN INVESTMENT BANK
The Cypriot Development Bank is participating, to the tune of 75
percent, in the first foreign investment bank to be established in
Russia. The bank was inaugurated in Krasnodar, in the Black Sea region,
by the Cypriot Finance Minister, Takis Clerides, who returned to Cyprus
yesterday, following a 3-day visit to Krasnodar. In statements made at
Larnaca airport, Mr. Clerides thanked the Russian ambassador in Cyprus,
Georgi Muratov, for his contribution to the successful conclusion of
the inter-state contract, which he described as ground-breaking. On his
side, Mr. Muratov said that the Cypriot minister's visit to Krasnodar
had significantly boosted economic relations between the two
countries.
[08] CLERIDES SAYS CYPRUS SHOULD NOT BE AN EXCEPTION IN EUROPE
Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides yesterday underlined that in
Europe-which no longer suffered from a divided nation - - Cyprus and
the drama of its people should not remain a tragic exception. He made
the remarks during a farewell address at the "Achievements and
Prospects" seminar in the sector of human rights, on the occasion of
the 50th anniversary since the founding of the Council of Europe.
[09] CHRISTODOULOS DEFENDS POSITION AGAINST VATHOLOMEOS
In a 3-page text, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece has
rebutted the positions expressed by Ecumenical Patriarch Vatholomeos,
in relation to control of the Patriarchate in the hands of Greek
metropolitan bishops. According to a report in the "Sunday
Eleftherotypia" newspaper, the carefully worded letter does not conceal
the tension between the two hierarchial "centres," nor the extent of
the problem which has arisen.
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