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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-05-18
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] Europarliament votes on Greece 's eurozone admission
[02] Bill to be prepared on 2004 Athens Olympic Games
[03] Simitis, Papandreou look at forest fires, ID cards
[04] President Stefanopoulos meets Arafat, ends Mideast visit
[05] Cyprus issue
[06] Military exercise ends in Cyprus with no hassles
[07] Pilots blamed for fatal air accident
NEWS IN ENGLISH
(THE VOICE OF GREECE - Translators Dpt.)
[01] Europarliament votes on Greece 's eurozone admission
Athens gets a positive result from the voting in the European
Parliament on Greece's entry to the Euro zone, as all political groups
stated they would cast a positive vote during the debate of the Greek
economy and its impressive growth in the European body in Strassbourg.
Euro-Deputies from all political sides replied in a convincing way to
German Christian Democrats' reservations over the strength of the Greek
economy. In the meantime, according to data released by the EU
statistics service, Eurostat, Greece's inflation stood at 2.1% in
April, while the annualized rate was 2% in the same month. This is seen
as a dramatic improvement compared to March's inflation rate, which
stood at 2.8%. The annual inflation rate of the 11 countries belonging
to the Euro zone reduced from 2.1% in March to 1.9% in April.
[02] Bill to be prepared on 2004 Athens Olympic Games
The interministerial supreme supervisory committee for the preparation
of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games convened under the chairmanship of
Prime Minister Costas Simitis, and with the participation of the
president of the National Olympic Committee "Athens 2004", Yianna
Angelopoulou-Daskalaki. During the meeting it was decided that a
special draft bill be drawn up and tabled in Parliament, in order to
take care of all legal loopholes relating to the timely preparation of
the 2004 Olympic Games, to be held in Athens. The bill will also
provide for a pre-agenda debate in parliament on the issue, on May
31st.
[03] Simitis, Papandreou look at forest fires, ID cards
Interior Minister Vaso Papandreou and PM Costas Simitis met to discuss
matters pertaining to the Interior Ministry. A main focus of the
meeting was the preparation of tomorrow's cabinet meeting on the
coordination of the state services to deal effectively with the danger
of forest fires during summer. Simitis and Papandreou also examined the
controversial issue of the identity cards and according to information,
it was decided to continue the cooperation between the relative
ministries, in order to make a decision that would be compatible with
the European Union decisions on the new travel document which will be
valid for all EU member countries. In the next few days, Mrs Papandreou
will also meet over the same issue with the Public Order Minister
Michalis Chrysochoidis, Justice Minister Michalis Stathopoulos and the
Foreign Ministry spokesman.
[04] President Stefanopoulos meets Arafat, ends Mideast visit
The president of the Greek republic Constantine Stephanopoulos was
warmly received by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Bethlehem,
indicative of the endeavors on both sides to disperse the slight
unexpected chill created in Greek-Palestinian relations earlier in the
week. According to reliable sources, Arafat briefed president
Stefanopoulos on the current status of the Israeli- Palestinian talks
and expressed the view that it would not be easy to settle all issues
by September, despite pressure exerted by US President Bill Clinton and
the goodwill demonstrated by the Palestinian side. Regarding the Greek
position on the issue of Jerusalem, diplomatic sources have indicated
that it complied with United Nations and European union decisions -
that is, that the city, claimed by both sides, was a separate entity,
for which there should be an agreement, following bilateral
negotiations.
[05] Cyprus issue
Tsochatzopoulos sets Cyprus dispute high on the agenda The meeting of
the chiefs of the General Navy Staff of Nato member states belonging to
the southern wing continues in Kavouri. In the meeting, the Greek
national defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos raised the issue of a
Cyprus settlement, as the first priority for Greece's interests.
Tsochatzopoulos met with the PM Kostas Simitis and together with
Foreign Minister George Papandreou, discussed the confidence-building
measures in the Aegean, in the spirit of the Papoulias-Yilmaz
memorandum.
[06] Military exercise ends in Cyprus with no hassles
Greek airforce jet fighters flew over the free parts of Cyprus, in the
framework of the joint military exercise code-named "Vergina-Toxotis"
of the Greek armed forces and the National Guard of Cyprus. The aim of
the Vergina-Toxotis exercise is to control the operational capability
and readiness of the Athens and Nicosia General Staff, within the
framework of the Single Defence Doctrine between Greece and Cyprus.
The exercise will end today with more flights by the Greek jet fighters
over Cyprus, while Greek war ships taking part in the exercise are in
the region between Rhodes and Cyprus. A spokesman for the General Greek
Airforce Staff has stated that there was no harassment by Turkish jet
fighters during the flight of the Greek planes taking part in exercise
concerning Cyprus.
[07] Pilots blamed for fatal air accident
The public prosecutor has filed charges of manslaughter and bodily
harm, resulting from negligence, against the pilot and co-pilot of the
prime minister's Falcon jet, which plunged in mid-air last year in
Romania, killing seven people aboard, including the Deputy Foreign
Minister Yannos Kranidiotis. The two pilots have been accused of bad
judgement in handling the plane, causing it to plunge out of control
several thousand metres without prior warning. In accordance with the
prosecutor's report, the accident was caused by excessive speed when
the jet prepared to land in Bucharest and accidental blockage of the
automatic pilot.
According to information by Greek state Radio (ERA), the chairman of
the Greek committee of experts that has been set up to investigate the
causes of the accident, air-harbour master Yiannis Charalambakis has
already received the Roumanian Committee's report and will submit his
observations in the next few days, after which the final report will be
made.
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