From: "Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa" Subject: A.N.A. Bulletin 19/1/95 Athens News Agency Bulletin --------------------------- (Apo to Ellnviko Grafeio Tupou kai Plnroforiwv, Ottaba, Kavadas E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca) * New companies to face tighter conditions, in c'tee report on ASE * Coalition urges direct talks with Tirana, Skopje, redefine foreign policy in memo to president * Avramopoulos in Nicosia * No change in Greek positions on FYROM issue, Venizelos says * Romania, Moldova upgrade relations with FYROM * Mangakis to be sworn in today * Premier to attend inauguration of economic advisory c'tee * Alexander '95 exercise to be held January 20 * Gov't scoffs at Turkish claims of Greece training Kurdish terrorists * Bikas in Pale to deliver Papoulias message to Karadzic * French airforce leader in Athens tomorrow New companies to face tighter conditions, in c'tee report on ASE ---------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): Stricter conditions for companies entering the Athens Stock Exchange and new trading regulations are in the pipeline for the Greek bourse, after the Capital Market Committee's final report. Committee President Theodoros Karatzas delivered the report to National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou yesterday. Mr. Papantoniou said the report would be introduced as a bill and that the report was in line with government expectations. He said it would be made available for discussion immediately and would be introduced in Parliament in two to three weeks' time. Changes proposed by the report include the free negotiation of stock broker commissions, share price-fixing of companies entering the Stock Exchange being guaranteed by the consultant bank for a period of time and the establishment of a charter of responsibility for consultants in public offerings. It also recommends setting limits and preconditions on private investments, new tax controls for newly-listed firms and establishing tax controls for listed companies. All trading will be conducted electronically and all terminals used by brokers will be removed from the trading floor. The Athens Stock Exchange will become a public liability company to render its functioning more flexible. ASE president Manolis Xanthakis, referring to recent problems in the electronic trading system of the Stock Exchange, said yesterday that the Community Support Framework has earmarked 3.5 billion drachmas for modernising and upgrading the system. Coalition urges direct talks with Tirana, Skopje, redefine foreign policy in memo to president ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): Coalition of the Left and Progress President Nikos Constantopoulos yesterday handed a memorandum to President Constantine Karamanlis outlining his party's conclusions and proposals concerning Greece's relations with the Balkan countries following his recent tour of Tirana, Sofia, Belgrade and Skopje. In statements after the meeting, Mr. Constantopoulos urged the government to redefine its foreign policy and undertake initiatives aimed at creating a climate of confidence with neighbouring Balkan states. Within this framework, he said, Greece should commence direct talks with Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) without mediators and lift its trade embargo against Skopje in order to strengthen Greece's bargaining position on the international scene. Mr. Constantopoulos said that copies of the memorandum would be given to the government and opposition parties. The main conclusion of the memorandum is that all the Balkan states desire the improvement and development of relations with Greece, firstly because they perceive the country's advantageous position as a member of the European Union and other organisations, and secondly because they want to develop their economic relations with Greece. Avramopoulos in Nicosia ----------------------- Nicosia, 19/1/95 (ANA): Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, at the head of a delegation from the Athens city council, arrived in Cyprus yesterday on a two-day visit at the invitation of his Nicosia counterpart Lellos Dimitriades. Welcoming Mr. Avramopoulos, Mr. Dimitriades noted that Nicosia was the last divided capital in Europe. Mr. Avramopoulos characterised Nicosia as a city where the strength and stamina of Hellenism is tried on a daily basis. The delegation visited the Green line in Nicosia and met with Cyprus mayors and representatives of local and regional authorities. No change in Greek positions on FYROM issue, Venizelos says ----------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): There has been no change in Greece's position on the issue of its trade embargo against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. The spokesman made the statement when asked if the government intended to lift the embargo in view of the possible re-commencement of dialogue within the framework of efforts by UN mediator Cyrus Vance to resolve the dispute between Athens and Skopje. Asked to comment on statements yesterday by former conservative prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, Mr. Venizelos said that Greek foreign policy on the Skopje issue was exercised within the framework of decisions taken at the meetings of political party leaders chaired by President Constantine Karamanlis "as these decisions have been set out in official documents". Mr. Mitsotakis criticised Greek political leaders, including himself, over the handling of the country's relations with its Balkan neighbours, particularly FYROM. The Communist Party of Greece yesterday reiterated its request that the minutes of all meetings between political leaders and the President of the Republic on the Skopje issue be made public. "The rationale of confidential information protects those parties and individuals who want the people to be nothing more than 'electoral clients'," an announcement said yesterday. Romania, Moldova upgrade relations with FYROM --------------------------------------------- Skopje, 19/195 (ANA - M. Vichou): State-run media in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) reported that Romania yesterday announced its intention to upgrade diplomatic relations with FYROM to ambassadorial level. To date the two countries had operated consulates. In parallel, Moldova announced its recognition of FYROM by its constitutional name, meaning "Macedonia." Meanwhile, a representation of the European Union PHARE programme arrived in FYROM on Tuesday for contacts with government economic officials. The representation disclosed that the rendering of 23 million Ecu to FYROM from PHARE would commence immediately, adding that the EU had granted 85 million Ecu so far to aid FYROM's economy. Mangakis to be sworn in today ----------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): PASOK deputy and former minister George Mangakis will be sworn in tomorrow as Alternate Foreign Minister in place of outgoing Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis who is leaving to take his seat in the European Parliament, it was announced yesterday. Premier to attend inauguration of economic advisory c'tee --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will attend the opening session of the Greek Economic and Social Committee (OKE) at the Athens Concert Hall today. OKE will be a branch of the advisory body at the European Commission and the Council of Ministers which produces expert opinions and forecasts, in co-operation with social partners, on the meshing of interests and formation of a common position. It will be composed of representatives of social groups and will be responsible for making proposals to the government on any economic issue, when it is requested to do so. It also has the right to express its views on any government decision on economic issues. The committee will be presented by National Economy Ministry Secretary-General Miltiades Papaioannou. Addresses will be made by National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, OKE President Ioannis Koukiadis, party representatives and European Union OKE President Carlos Ferrer. OKE General Director Mr. Grazziosi and a member of the Committee's employers, Mr. Noordval will also be in Athens at the same time. Alexander '95 exercise to be held January 20 -------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): The annual joint map exercise code-named Alexander '95 will be held from January 20 through 31 with National Defence General Staff Chief Admiral Christos Lymberis conducting operations. Apart from staffs of large sections of the Armed Forces, executive boards of political organisations and public bodies will also take part. The purpose of the exercise is to train personnel in handling crises and maintaining co-ordination among Armed Forces headquarters and the civil sector. Meanwhile, "Astrapi" (Lightning), a Navy exercise currently in progress including destroyers, frigates, missile boats and submarines and aircraft ends tomorrow. A multinational exercise including military units from Bulgaria, Romania and Greece will be held in the Peloponnese shortly, reports said. Gov't scoffs at Turkish claims of Greece training Kurdish terrorists --------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): The government yesterday described as "ridiculous" accusations by the police chief of the Turkish city of Izmir that "Kurdish terrorists" were being trained in Greece. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that the government was tired of denying and replying to such claims in the Turkish press and statements by Turkish officials "which are part of efforts to create a climate of artificial tension". Greece, the spokesman said, is a democratic country to which everyone has access. He called on Turkish officials to present the evidence on which they based their accusations while underlining that Greece would not join in efforts to create a climate of artificial tension. Izmir police chief Kemal Yazicioglu claimed on Sunday that Nuri Akbulut, a high-ranking Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) member, received military training in a forest near Athens. Mr. Akbulut had been arrested earlier for a number of bombings in Izmir. Mr. Yazicioglu's claims were carried in the Turkish press. Bikas in Pale to deliver Papoulias message to Karadzic ------------------------------------------------------ Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): Foreign Ministry spokesman Constantine Bikas will leave for Bosnia to hand deliver a message to Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday. "Foreign Ministry spokesman Constantine Bikas departs for Pale today to deliver as a personal envoy, a written message of Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias to Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic in the framework of efforts aiming at a peaceful resolution of the Bosnian crisis," the statement said. It said Mr. Bikas would deliver the message noon today. French airforce leader in Athens tomorrow ----------------------------------------- Athens, 19/1/95 (ANA): French Airforce General Staff leader, Air Marshal Jean-Phillipe Douen arrives today in Athens on an official visit to meet with his Greek counterpart Air Marshal Athanasios Tzoganis. Mr. Douen is scheduled to visit the Tanagra airforce base tomorrow.