A.N.A. Bulletin, 23/07/96

From: "Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada" <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 944), July 23, 1996

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] Greece calls for comprehensive EU plan to fight foot-and-mouth desease

During discussions yesterday by the European Union Agricultural Ministers' Council regarding a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Evros border region, Greek Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas called for a n effective programme of tackling the disease in the Balkans.

As a direct result of several recorded instances of the disease in the marshy delta adjacent to the frontier with Turkey, more than 1,000 cattle, goats and sheep were slaughtered in the Evros Delta region over the last three days, while epidemiological tests in the area are continuing.

"The situation regarding foot-and-mouth disease in Balkan countries appears worrying in the last few months... The danger for my country and the EU is continuous and the Commission, in co-operation with Greece and international scientific agencies must find a mechanism to collect information regarding the outbreak of the diseases directly and tackle them promptly," he said.

In a related development of extreme significance to Greece, the EU's Standing Veterinary Committee is expected to discuss and decide today on whether to extend a temporary ban on the export from Greece of live animals, meat as well as non-pasteurized dairy products. Community sources yesterday claimed the eight-day ban had to be extended.

In other statements to his EU counterparts, Mr. Tzoumakas pointed out that the disease, which is not contagious to humans, in neighboring countries was of two types.

"According to our experts, the sources are India and Turkey. Regarding the appearance of foot-and-mouth disease in Albania, FYROM and Serbia, its origin is India, through the transportation of contaminated meat...

"The second source is the European part of Turkey, the first victim of which is my country. The type of the disease is O, which is endemic in Turkey. Unfortunately, this country does not provide the necessary information, as it should, on the basis of the international agreements it has signed.

"Let me stress that appropriate measures must be adopted so that the Evros region, the eastern-most extreme of EU borders that pays dearly from the imported diseases from Turkey, is adequately shielded...

"We may have to extend our actions in Bulgaria, too, where we think there are potential dangers. The Commission must have close co-operation with these countries to propose and follow application of the proposed measures for an effective and speedy tackling of the situation," Mr. Tzoumakas added.

He also called for adequate compensation of farmers.

"The compensation of farmers' income must be such that we don't let the producers alone to shoulder the cost and the responsibilities of the more general protection that the European Union needs," he said.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler agreed that the problem required coordinated action, incorporating the Commission's previous decisions for the granting of 600,000 vaccines to Albania and 250,000 to FYROM.

[2] Evros officials to meet

In a related issue, an urgent meeting of the Evros prefectural council, where political party representatives and local officials have been invited to express their views on the future of stock-breeding in the whole of Thrace has been scheduled today.

Stock-breeders in the region are expressing serious concern over their future prospects, following the slaughter of entire herds.

Athens announced yesterday that it considers the decision temporarily banning Greek meat exports detrimental to its interests and "incomprehensible, unjustifiable, an overreaction and harsh."

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas made the comments to reporters yesterday.

Greece, Mr. Reppas added, had taken the necessary measures well before the EU made any move.

"Our aim was to ensure the safety of public health and to illustrate that our country respects the guidelines that govern such cases. The ban on all exports cannot be justified by the evidence," he added. Greece hopes that the Brussels meeting to day will either lift the ban or restrict it to exports from the affected region only.

[3] Opposition parties condemn political rights violations in Turkey

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) yesterday called on Turkey to re-establish democratic freedom, immediately end political persecution and accept demands by a group of political prisoners currently on hunger strike in Turkish jails.

Turkish embassy officials in Athens refused to accept KKE's petition, which refers to "unacceptable imprisonment conditions" in Turkish jails and to "terrorism and persecution" suffered by Communists, the Kurdish party "Hadep" and the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).

The KKE petition stressed that this situation violates all aspects of the free exchange of ideas and basic democratic rights and freedoms.

In addition, a Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party announcement yesterday condemned the "continued raw violations of human rights" in Turkish prisons. Synaspismos called on the European Union to "demand the respect of the conditions of Turkey's customs union with the Community."

The General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) also denounced violations of human rights in Turkey following the death of a political prisoner who had been on hunger strike, saying that others were also in immediate danger.

Conditions of detention for Kurdish political inmates were an unacceptable fact, according to a GSEE delegation, which recently visited Turkey and met with representatives of the Hadep party.

In the wake of these developments, GSEE called for mobilization by the international community to prevent more victims.

[4] Simitis expected to clarify stance on early elections issue

Ruling PASOK party central committee secretary Costas Skandalidis said yesterday that the party's ideological, political and organizational restructuring would be examined at a central committee meeting on Thursday.

Mr. Skandalidis spoke after a three-hour executive bureau meeting chaired by Prime Minister and PASOK president Costas Simitis.

According to sources, Mr. Simitis is expected to clarify the issue of early elections at the central committee meeting. Sources said Mr. Simitis stressed during yesterday's meeting that he intended to make it clear at the meeting that he did not intend to lead the country to early elections.

Mr. Skandalidis will also address the central committee meeting and is expected to focus primarily on organizational issues.

The central committee's agenda will include election of secretaries in the party's political action sectors, who will be reduced to 13 from 23 at present.

Mr. Simitis is due to meet Mr. Skandalidis at 7 p.m. today to examine these issues.

Among others, the executive bureau decided to hold a memorial service for the late party founder Andreas Papandreou on Sunday. In addition, creation of a special committee was also decided to utilize his archives.

The committee is composed of Mr. Skandalidis, in his capacity as PASOK secretary, and political secretariat members Apostolos Kaklamanis, Costas Laliotis, George Papandreou and Akis Tsohatzopoulos.

The committee will present its plans on utilizing the political heritage of Andreas Papandreou at a special event taking place on Sept. 3, on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of PASOK's founding.

[5] Premier holds series of meetings yesterday

Prime Minister Costas Simitis had a series of meetings with ruling PASOK party colleagues yesterday, including Secretary Costas Skandalidis.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said Mr. Skandalidis' meeting with the premier was of no news value and that they discussed issues to be considered by the party's executive bureau meeting last night and Thursday's central committee meeting.

Mr. Skandalidis said the central committee meeting would discuss a range of "political, ideological and organizational" issues, elect new political sector secretaries and members of an ethics and economic monitoring committee.

The prime minister also met with Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis.

He received Moscow's ambassador to Athens Valery Nikolayenko at noon.

[6] Tirana ratifies bilateral co-operation, friendship accord

Albania's parliament ratified a friendship and co-operation accord with Athens yesterday, which had been signed in Tirana last March by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and his Albanian counterpart Alfred Serreqi.

[7] Greece, Bulgaria and Romania agree on co-operation in legal matters

Greece, Bulgaria and Romania signed a joint proclamation over the weekend aimed at coordinating efforts by the three Balkan neighbors in the fight against crime, it was announced in Thessaloniki yesterday.

The proclamation, signed at a two-day meeting at Halkidiki, foresees co-operation in the sectors of transferring prisoners to serve out their term in their native country, the training of Romanian and Bulgarian justice officials in European Union law and bolstering the use of arbitration to adjudicate in commercial disputes.

Greek Justice Minister Evangelos Venizelos told a press conference yesterday that the meeting with his Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts had agreed on the transfer of 240 Romanians and 39 Bulgarians currently imprisoned in Greece, which would alleviate conditions for overcrowded Greek jails.

Greece already has a similar agreement with Albania regarding the some 1,000 Albanian inmates here but that it has not yet been enacted due to "technical difficulties".

Within the framework of the agreement, the three countries will also establish regional co-operation programs.

Bulgaria's Justice Minister Vladen Tserverniankov admitted to reporters that crime and protection rackets in his country was adversely affecting foreign investment but said the government's efforts to stamp out organized crime so far had been rewarded with a 7 per cent fall in criminal activity compared to last year.

"In the last two months alone," he added, "leading crime bosses have been arrested".

Romania's Justice Minister Gabriel-Josef Gusbayian underlined the enormous significance of the agreement, adding that joint efforts between the three could lead to the lifting of visa requirements for commercial visitors.

Mr. Venizelos added that Greece would organize two annual seminars in Thessaloniki for Bulgarian and Romanian judges and legal officials to receive training in European Union law.

[8] Arrests imminent in Thessaloniki train explosions, Bulgarian minister says

Bulgarian police are close to arresting those responsible for one of the bombs that ripped through a train carriage in the port city of Thessaloniki earlier this year, Bulgarian Justice Minister Vladen Tserverniankov told reporters yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference for the signing of a tripartite agreement on legal and judicial co-operation, Mr. Tserverniankov said arrests for one of the explosions was imminent but said he could not comment further as the matter did not fall under his jurisdiction but that of the interior minister. He added that the Bulgarian authorities were investigating three scenarios for the two blasts.

His comments add credence to the view of Greek authorities that the two explosions were the work of the powerful Bulgarian 'Mafia'. Greek police investigating the blasts have been cooperating with the Bulgarian counterparts, within the framework of a bilateral agreement signed earlier this year by Public Order Minister Costas Geitonas and his Bulgarian counterpart.

The two blasts, one in February this year and the other in April, both occurred in a passenger carriage that had arrived from Sofia and were parked in the central Thessaloniki railway station. In each case, the explosive device had been placed in the restroom and exploded approximately one hour after passengers had disembarked. There were no injuries in either blast.

No organization has ever claimed responsibility for either of the blasts.

[9] No Gov't decision yet to sue foreign press, Reppas says

The government has made no decision to file lawsuits against certain foreign media outlets over recent claims in several of their reports citing lax security at Athens airport, spokesman Dimitris Reppas announced yesterday.

Referring to comments by Transport Minister Haris Kastanidis in Thessaloniki on Sunday evening, Mr. Reppas did mention, however, that Athens would protect its rights as foreseen under international agreements if the government considered it was in the national interest.

"We have not resigned from these rights and it is up to us as to the when, how and if we will use them," he said.

Mr. Reppas added that the government was following developments closely and that if any organization considered that its interests had been harmed, then "it will have the final say".

Asked whether Athens intended to issue a travel advisory against the United States, Mr. Reppas replied that issuing travel advisories was not a policy followed by Athens and that the level of security at airports around the world was known to all.

Meanwhile, the Political Spring party yesterday criticized the government for what it called inaction over dealing with "the slander by certain foreign mass media against the Athens airport".

"This slander, which ingeniously creates an informal travel advisory on our country, must be dealt with quickly and effectively with specific moves towards the mass media and to their countries," the Pol.An announcement read.

[10] Gov't spokesman comments on latest newspaper-commissioned poll

Opinion polls show public opinion preferences in response to a specific question at a specific moment, government spokesman Demetris Reppas replied yesterday in response to results of a poll commissioned by and published in yesterday's issue of the Athens daily "Ta Nea".

Ta Nea's poll apparently shows that 46 per cent of respondents believed he ruling PASOK party would win the next elections, while 23.4 per cent believed main opposition New Democracy would win.

Mr. Reppas said the results were favorable for the government but that "the government's good work would guarantee better polls."

Asked whether Prime Minister Costas Simitis planned to make changes to the cabinet, the spokesman said this would happen at some stage which would be decided by the prime minister.

In Thessaloniki, meanwhile, Justice Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the results of the newspaper's poll were a lesson for ND leader Miltiades Evert who "at every opportunity tries to create pre-electoral tension."

[11] Fifteen illegal immigrants arrested in Hania

Port authorities in Hania, Crete, yesterday arrested fifteen Pakistani illegal immigrants as they attempted to board a ferry headed for the main port of Piraeus.

Authorities said the fifteen had split up into groups of two or three and had aroused the suspicions of port officials, who placed them under surveillance and arrested them when they had boarded the "Aptera".

Initial reports said the 15 had been left on the northern coast of Crete following a 70-hour journey from a port north of Istanbul.

Merchant marine ministry officials are investigating the matter, while procedures to deport the 15 are already under way.

In Ioannina, meanwhile, three Albanian illegal immigrants were arrested near the Greek-Albanian border after they robbed four of their compatriots.

Police said a fourth member of the gang evaded arrest and is being sought. Konitsa police said they had evidence that the gang had been involved in similar robberies of Albanian illegal immigrants.

[12] Capital investment vital for development of Balkan economies

A study conducted on behalf of the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) and the Thessaloniki Stock Market Center (TSMC) on the potential of attracting investment from Balkan countries to the Greek capital market has drawn attention to the need for supporting the development of those countries' economies through concentration and channeling of capital from third countries.

The study finds that this process involves an upgrading of the Greek capital market, creation of new jobs and attraction of foreign capital by Greece itself. This foreign capital may be drawn by the establishment of mutual funds companies that will invest in Balkan and Black Sea country economies, as well as the listing of stocks from these countries in the Greek bourse.

The study also finds weaknesses in the Balkan capital markets, and sets out proposals for the amelioration of existing legal and tax difficulties that hamper stock transactions with their respective countries.

Specific proposals in the study include turning the TSMC into a pole for attraction of foreign investors through the blunting of tax disincentives and exchange risks, and by reforming the institutional framework to allow flexibility in the listing of neighboring countries' stocks and investment companies to become active in the region.

Another proposal is for the creation of a new institutional framework for Balkan and Black Sea joint capitals, a mechanism for certifying information concerning companies whose stocks are traded in the Greek stock market and co-operation between TSMC and the stock exchanges of Balkan countries.

[13] GSEE sharply criticizes Goodyear decision to close Thessaloniki plant

The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) has condemned Goodyear's decision to close down its tire factory in Thessaloniki.

"GSEE denounces the unprecedented methods used by the company, and stresses that they are unacceptable and there will be a direct and substantial response," a statement read yesterday.

"The cessation of operations at the factory, which employed 350 workers, is not justified, as the specific company presented no problems, and had high profit margins for a number of consecutive years," the statement added.

In addition, GSEE drew attention to what it called the dangers for the country's manufacturing base emanating from the activities of multinational companies, calling for the immediate intervention of the government in order to safeguard the interests of the national economy and production.

[14] Greece wins first Olympic medal

Greece won its first medal in the Atlanta Olympic Games on Sunday, with weight-lifter Leonidas Sabanis lifting a combined total of 305 kilos to take silver in the 59-kilo category.

The gold medal was won by Tang Lingsheng of China, breaking the world record with a combined total of 307.5 kilos, while the bronze went to former world record-holder Nikolai Peshalov of Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, Ioannis Melissanidis, Greece's lone Olympic gymnast, gave the performance of his life at the Georgia Dome yesterday and won deafening cheers from an adoring audience.

He earned a score of 9.800 - the best in the discipline so far at the Games. "I gave all my power for this and it is the best score I ever had," he said.

The 19-year-old's performance was given in the first session of optionals, which will decide the team championship and may land him in the individual floor exercise, giving him the chance to win the first Olympic medal for Greece in gymnastics.

Greece's basketball team appeared to have recovered from its recent defeat from Yugoslavia yesterday, when Nikos Economou scored 36 points to lead the national team to an 89-87 victory over Brazil.

In weightlifting's 64-kilo category, the outcome of the predicted battle between Greek Valerios Leonidis and arch-rival Turkish Naim Suleymanoglu was being anxiously awaited. Results were expected in the early hours of this morning Athens time.

Meanwhile, Greek swimmer Katerina Klepkou failed to qualify for the women's 100 meter backstroke final yesterday, finishing fifth in her heat. Only the fastest eight out of 40 swimmers in the heats automatically qualified for the final. In the men's 200 m butterfly heats, Giorgos Popotas also missed qualification for the finals, finishing in eighth position.

In rowing, the Greek men's lightweight double sculls crew Vassilis Polymeros and Yiannis Kourkourikis are to compete in the repechage on Wednesday after taking third place in the first heat, in a time of 6 minutes 50.57. The heat was won by Holland in a time of 6:49.93, earning the Dutch crew a place in the semi-finals.

The Greek team in the women's lightweight double sculls is also to compete in the repechage after Ageliki Gremou and Chrysa Biskitzi finished in eighth place in their heat with a time of 8 minutes 01.60. In the first single sculls heat, Greek Tonia Svaier rowed to third position in a time of 8:17.49.

The Greek water polo team is set to play a crucial match against Italy today, while three Greek swimmers will be fighting for places in the finals of the men's 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke and in the women's 100m butterfly.

Greek crews are to compete in the sailing events which begin today amid warnings of potentially dangerous weather, with forecasts of temperatures over 30 degrees Celcius and high humidity.

[15] Several drug hauls, arrests reported

Police anti-narcotics squads last week netted 9.5 kilograms of cocaine and about four kilograms of cannabis in the Athens area.

Specifically, two British citizens, 39-year-old John Benson and Martin Jackson, 43, were arrested in an Athens hotel over the weekend for possession of eight kilograms of cocaine, the second largest single quantity confiscated in Greece this year.

The drugs, carried in suitcases containing women's underwear, and packed in gift boxes with intermediate layers of coffee, were reportedly brought into the country by Benson, who arrived from Sao Paolo via London last Wednesday, reports stated.

Acting on information, police allowed the suspect through customs at Athens airport and followed his movements. After Jackson's arrival on Saturday, both men were arrested in the former's hotel room. Both suspects have denied any connection to the drugs, claiming they are only tourists.

Meanwhile, three Greek nationals were arrested in the Plaka district last week for possession of 1.5 kilogram of cocaine and a small quantity of hashish.

In addition, two ethnic Greeks from the former Soviet Union were charged with possession of 3.2 kilograms of cannabis from Kazakhstan.

Finally, another six individuals were arrested in three separate incidents in the Athens area for possession of a total of 568 grams of heroin and 640 grams of hashish.

A total of 29 kilograms of cocaine has been confiscated by police since the beginning of the year.

End of English language section.