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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-03-08

Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (1034), March 8, 1997

Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca


CONTENTS

  • [01] Kranidiotis in Tirana, van Mierlo calls for elections in Albania
  • [02] Van Mierlo's visit
  • [03] President of the Republic
  • [04] Ecumenical Patriarch
  • [05] Visas for Greece being issued
  • [06] Athens makes 2004 Olympics shortlist
  • [07] Action plan to improve Athens' quality of life, environment
  • [08] Daphne Simitis meets wife of Fatos Nano
  • [09] New Patriarch of Alexandria enthroned tomorrow
  • [10] No concessions to Turkey, President says
  • [11] Turkish warplanes violate Athens FIR, national air space
  • [12] Pangalos briefs UN chief on Albania, Greek foreign policy
  • [13] Pangalos' press conference
  • [14] Spokesman on Pangalos' statements regarding Turkey-EU relations
  • [15] New Democracy
  • [16] Reactions in Turkey
  • [17] Turkey must solve problems, Pangalos says
  • [18] Political leaders mark International Woman's Day
  • [19] Simitis grants television interview
  • [20] 'Alexis Zorbas' ballet performance in Skopje
  • [21] Goulandri predicts environmental issues will play leading role in international relations
  • [22] Teachers unmoved by Arsenis' attempts to make up for lost time
  • [23] Shop closing times set by joint ministerial decision
  • [24] National Bank to expand activities in Balkans, Mediterranean
  • [25] Development minister to visit international tourism fair
  • [26] February CPI inflation drops to 6.6 percent
  • [27] Greece begins dispatch of aid to Bulgaria
  • [28] Kohl sends birthday greeting to Karamanlis
  • [29] News in Brief

  • [01] Kranidiotis in Tirana, van Mierlo calls for elections in Albania

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Foreign Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis travels to Tirana today in an effort to defuse tension in the neighboring country, which has been racked by a week of violence following the collapse of fraudulent pyramid investment schemes. At least 25 people have died in the past week.

    Dutch President of the European Union Council of Ministers, Hans van Mierlo, who met for over four hours with Albanian President Sali Berisha and members of the opposition in Tirana yesterday, said the EU favored fresh elections and a new constitution, adding that the Albanian president was to consider such an approach. Mr. van Mierlo held talks in Athens on Thursday with Prime Minister Costas Simitis on the situation in the neighboring country.

    In Athens yesterday, Government Spokesman Dimitris Reppas said Mr. Kranidiotis' visit to Tirana will contribute to the further defusion of tension in the neighboring country.

    The spokesman said Mr. Kranidiotis would be meeting with President Berisha, opposition party leaders, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania and the leadership of the "Omonia" political organization which represents the country's ethnic Greek minority.

    Mr. Reppas expressed the opinion that "with the contribution of the political forces of Albania, the critical period is over and the situation will be further defused."

    "What is important is for there to be cool-headedness and for the situation to calm down, Mr. Reppas said, noting that all sides were calling for a broadly accepted government, "a development which would lead to the holding of objective elections."

    The spokesman said that this was also the position adopted by the EU political committee which convened at the initiative of Greece.

    [02] Van Mierlo's visit

    Tirana, 08/03/1997 (ANA- S. Liarelis)

    The president of the European Union Council of Ministers, Hans van Mierlo, said yesterday that the EU was seriously concerned with the political and economic crisis in the country, adding that he had asked Mr. Berisha to under take initiatives for a speedy solution.

    He said it was necessary for a political solution to include a proposal for a new constitution under a new government that would prepare the ground for elections and agree on the program for economic recovery.

    "The EU insists on the need to find a solution without violence or a military confrontation. This is very important," he said. He added that he had also urged opposition parties to contribute to the restoration of order.

    [03] President of the Republic

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    In another development, President Kostis Stephanopoulos said from the island of Rhodes yesterday that it would be foolish on the part of those governing Albania to turn against the ethnic Greek minority in the neighboring country, in view of the fact that Greece played the role of intermediary with the European Union.

    Mr. Stephanopoulos made the statement in reply to a press question regarding his view on developments in Albania.

    "I believe that the Greek minority is in no greater danger than those dangers emanating from periods of partial or full anarchy," he said.

    The need to find a viable solution to the crisis in Albania was also stressed by the main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

    Mr. Pavlopoulos said ND President Miltiades Evert's telephone conversation with European Commission President Jacques Santer was geared in this direction.

    Mr. Santer reportedly asked Mr. Evert to intercede with Albanian President Sali Berisha for a resolution of the crisis.

    [04] Ecumenical Patriarch

    Istanbul, 08/03/1997 (ANA)

    Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos has spoken by telephone to Orthodox Archbishop of Albania Anastasios, the Patriarchate announced yesterday.

    Vartholomeos is reported to have told Anastasios that the archdiocese and the archbishop himself had the undivided support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

    [05] Visas for Greece being issued

    Gjirokaster, 08/03/1997 (ANA)

    The Greek Consulate in Gjirokaster resumed issuing visas yesterday after authorities restored adequate security for the building.

    The consul general had decided to suspend operations soon after the beginning of the unrest erupted, considering that the security force guarding the consulate was insufficient. The building had been besieged by people apparently trying to obtain visas to Greece.

    The atmosphere was calm in Gjirokaster yesterday, according to the report, with plainclothes police spread out around the town.

    Five kilometers from the village of Georgoutsates, four tanks and about 50 soldiers were checking traffic bound for the Greek-Albanian border and the town of Sarande.

    [06] Athens makes 2004 Olympics shortlist

    Lausanne, 08/03/1997 (ANA - V. Tsiorou)

    Athens yesterday cleared the first major hurdle in its bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games when it was put on a shortlist of five cities which will continue to vie for the event until September.

    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Athens, Rome, Buenos Aires, Cape Town and Stockholm from eleven candidate cities originally bidding for the games.

    The final decision for the venue will be decided (Cont. page 3) (Continued from front page) by the IOC plenary on September 5.

    "We convinced the members of the (IOC) evaluation committee that Athens is able to host the 28th Olympiad in 2004," the chairperson of Athens' candidacy committee, Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, told reporters shortly after the shortlist was announced i n Lausanne.

    "We are proud for the honor bestowed upon our city by the IOC and will respond to this indication of confidence in Athens during the next six months," she added.

    Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou told the ANA that Athens' inclusion on the shortlist was an important achievement for Greece.

    Mr. Papandreou stressed the importance of the unity of spirit behind Greece's bid among all parties involved, expressing optimism that "we will do well if we continue this co-operation... although the road ahead is long".

    Sports Under-secretary Andreas Fouras also attributed Athens' inclusion among the five candidate cities to the unity of spirit of the agencies involved in Athens' bid "and the strategy which has been chosen".

    Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos said efforts would be stepped up over the next six months "to make the city more functional and more modern" in order to attain the "very important organizational target".

    The announcement of the shortlist was also greeted by government spokesman Dimitris Reppas who expressed the hope that the success would be consummated by Athens finally being chosen as the venue for the Games.

    "The first Olympiad of the new millennium will also serve as the re-baptism of the Olympic spirit and ideals and will mark a new beginning for athletics and modern civilization," Mr. Reppas said.

    Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that Athens' selection for the shortlist is "the starting point for the reaching of the decision to host the Olympic Games in Athens."

    "We must all work united and effectively in this direction," Mr. Pavlopoulos said, adding that such a decision will "vindicate our country."

    [07] Action plan to improve Athens' quality of life, environment

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Following the announcement of the shortlist, the Athens Olympic Games Committee has announced it will present, on March 12, an action plan for the improvement of the quality of life and the environment in the broader Athens region.

    The action plan will be implemented in co-operation with the Greek state.

    The results of a survey on the atmosphere's quality in Athens, conducted by the International Scientific Symposium, will be presented during the same event.

    [08] Daphne Simitis meets wife of Fatos Nano

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Daphne Simitis, wife of Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, met yesterday with the wife of the Albanian Socialist Party's leader Fatos Nano. No announcement was issued on the meeting.

    It is believed that Mrs. Nano briefed Mrs. Simitis on the issue of the socialist leader's continued detention in an Albanian prison and called for her solidarity to achieve his release.

    [09] New Patriarch of Alexandria enthroned tomorrow

    Alexandria, 08/03/1997 (ANA)

    The enthronement ceremony for the new Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Petros VII will take place at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria tomorrow morning. The ceremony will be attended by President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, who is due to leave Athens tomorrow morning and will return later in the day. The Greek government will be represented by Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

    Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides will also attend the enthronement ceremony.

    Cyprus' left-wing AKEL party leader Demetris Christofias, who is a relative of the new Patriarch, will also be present at the ceremony. The Patriarchate of Alexandria is second in the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church and covers all of Africa.

    [10] No concessions to Turkey, President says

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos yesterday emphatically rejected Turkish claims of 'gray areas' in the Aegean, and stressed that no concessions to Turkey were ever conceivable.

    "Let those who try to seek out areas of any color bear in mind that all (those) areas are Greek and will remain Greek," he said in an address on Rhodes, during festivities marking the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Dodecanese islands into Greece.

    "The Greek nation has been in defense and making concessions for centuries. ... Turkey has been continuously displacing us from our land... Of course, at some point, we regained our freedom. And woe betide if they blame us for regaining our freedom, and these islands near Turkey," he added.

    "Enough is enough. No further concession is conceivable, nor will one ever be made," he stressed.

    [11] Turkish warplanes violate Athens FIR, national air space

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Six pairs of Turkish F-16 military aircraft yesterday violated air traffic regulations in the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) and infringed on Greek national air space, reports said.

    The violations occurred in the regions between the northern coastal town of Alexandroupolis and the islands of Samothraki, Hios and Lesvos and north of the island of Skyros.

    In all cases, the Turkish aircraft were recognized and intercepted by Greek fighter jets.

    Violating the rules of international navigation, the Turkish frigate "Zapher" was involved in a minor collision yesterday with the Greek gunboat "Karteria" in international waters 15 miles west off the island of Lesvos. The gunboat suffered slight damages.

    [12] Pangalos briefs UN chief on Albania, Greek foreign policy

    N. York, 08/03/1997 (ANA)

    Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos briefed United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Greece's perception of the Albanian crisis on Thursday and discussed the Cyprus issue as well as Greece's relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Turkey.

    Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr. Pangalos commented that the international community had formed a general idea which had not yet taken the form of a specific proposal on resolving the conflict in Albania, and that only a government in which all political and social groups were represented could restore peace.

    He noted that the Secretary-General had promised to intensify efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue over the next few months.

    Asked whether the idea of direct talks between Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had been raised, Mr. Pangalos said:

    "We did not go into such detail. (Annan) stated however that talks should be held, and that the appropriate conditions should be created in order for such talks to be successful."

    Referring to international initiatives on Cyprus, Mr. Pangalos said "all initiatives, whether American, British, European or Russian, are within the framework of the UN initiative, and we insisted to the Secretary-General that the UN should have the leading role."

    Finally, with regard to Greece's relations with FYROM, Mr. Pangalos drew attention to Greece's successful implementation of the interim accord with its northern neighbor, noting that Greece was now FYROM's second most important trade partner, while 60, 000 FYROM citizens had visited Greece over the past year.

    However, he stressed that for a legal framework to be implemented, there had to be agreement over the country's name.

    Referring to the on-going talks between Athens and Skopje under the auspices of the UN for a settlement of the name issue, Mr. Pangalos said that the talks could not be continued indefinitely and "this means that the end of the talks is near."

    Asked why Greece persisted with its objection to the use of the word "Macedonia" by FYROM, the foreign minister replied:

    "We want to avoid confusion with Greek Macedonia, which covers the largest part of the geographical area of Macedonia. We believe that this is necessary for the development of future relations. It would be good if FYROM assumed a name which differentiated it from Greek Macedonia."

    [13] Pangalos' press conference

    N. York, 08/03/1997 (ANA- M. Georgiadou)

    Mr. Pangalos yesterday reiterated that Greece was not prepared to enter into negotiations for a resolution of Greek - Turkish differences under a specific agenda as long as Turkey raised claims on Greek islands.

    "The Greek government's position, ... which I am under the impression that the Americans understand, remains steady: that negotiations under an organized agenda cannot take place as long as Turkey includes in the subjects for negotiation its territorial claim on Aegean islands, which cannot be specified, as only indirectly do we know what the Turks have in mind," he told reporters after winding up his meetings in Washington, New York and Boston.

    Regarding Cyprus, he said, "it is obvious we are going to negotiations. The sum of UN resolutions form a common ground from which we can begin. The question is whether the Turkish government has decided to contribute to a solution. This must be clarified during the negotiations. And this is a decision Ankara must make, it is not up to Mr. Denktash alone."

    [14] Spokesman on Pangalos' statements regarding Turkey-EU relations

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    The government reiterated yesterday that Greece was in favor of Turkey's European orientation and the normalization of relations between Turkey and Europe and between Athens and Ankara.

    Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas made the statement when asked to comment on remarks by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos Thursday after talks in Washington with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

    Replying to a question by a Turkish reporter on Turkey's position in Europe, Mr. Pangalos said "Turkey certainly belongs to Europe. It is a big part of European history and Greece will never change its position on this, because if Turkey is not a part o f European history, then neither is Greece a part of European history...".

    "Any misinterpretation of Mr. Pangalos' statements is impermissible, since Turkey participates in European institutions," Mr. Reppas said.

    The spokesman noted however that Turkey should respect the principles which in Europe have become vested.

    The foreign minister's comments came after senior European politicians spoke out clearly against Turkey's membership in the European Union at a meeting earlier this week of the mainly Christian Democrat European People's Party (EPP) in Brussels.

    On Ms. Albright's urging of a Greek-Turkish dialogue, Mr. Reppas said Athens had never refused political dialogue "the subject of which however cannot be our sovereign rights."

    [15] New Democracy

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    The main opposition party New Democracy party indirectly called for Mr. Pangalos' removal from the foreign ministry yesterday, following his comments.

    "At a time when six European prime ministers (Continued on page 5) (Continued from page 4) declare that Turkey does not meet the conditions to become a member of the European Union, the Greek foreign minister gives (Turkey) a certificate of good conduct, when indeed Ankara has reached the point of claiming almost half of the Aegean," ND spokes man Prokopis Pavlopoulos said.

    In later statements Mr. Pavlopoulos said his party was not a priori opposed to Turkish membership.

    "On the contrary, it agrees with it, on the self-evident condition that Turkey fulfills the requirements set in general for any candidate member-state," he said.

    He further explained that "New Democracy unequivocally condemns that part of Mr. Pangalos' position which seems to equate Greece with Turkey historically, culturally and politically ."

    [16] Reactions in Turkey

    Istanbul, 08/03/1997 (ANA-A.Kourkoulas)

    Mr. Pangalos' statements have pleasantly surprised Turkish public opinion, which has so far been led to believe that Greece was the only obstacle to its relations with Europe.

    Mr. Pangalos' statements were immediately broadcast on national radio and television and also made the headlines in the press with "Sabah" headlining "An olive branch from Greece," and "Milliyet", "Surprising support."

    [17] Turkey must solve problems, Pangalos says

    N. York, 08/03/1997 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

    In fresh statements yesterday, Mr. Pangalos said that Greece wanted a "healthy and structured" relationship between Turkey and Europe.

    "This means, first of all, that Turkey should have no problems with EU member-states, specifically with us, and namely problems of territorial claims. Secondly, Turkey must have settled the Cyprus issue, because Cyprus is a candidate for EU membership... And, of course, Turkey should find solutions to its internal problems.

    "A country in which inflation runs at a rate of 60 per cent, with zero credit rating and enormous social and human rights problems, cannot be an EU member-state," he said. "We have a great interest... in Turkey's European prospects. However, this further promotion of the relation (with the EU) cannot occur without the solving of the issues I have mentioned," he concluded.

    [18] Political leaders mark International Woman's Day

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    In a message to mark today's International Women's Day, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said that March 8 was a call for new efforts t o create an open, human and fairer society.

    "Our government is striving to create such a society. Today, when great problems of this transitory period, such as unemployment and racism, particularly affect women, this effort could be difficult, but acquires an even greater importance," he said.

    "The participation of women, their contribution and their imagination are indispensable in order to answer to the challenges of our times," Mr. Simitis concluded.

    Labor and Social Security Minister Miltiades Papaioannou referred to special ministry programs aimed at offering women access to employment and vocational training, consolidation of equal opportunities and special protection measures with emphasis on motherhood.

    "We have a progressive employment legislation consolidating equal rights at work and protecting the working woman," Mr. Papaioannou said.

    "But this is not enough," he added, stressing that "it is everyone's duty" to safeguard equality.

    Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert said that in spite of advancing their participation in the making of society, Greek women continue to be confronted with biased attitudes and fall victim to psychological or physical violence, unemployment and social inequality.

    Mr. Evert said his party aimed at building a society of equal opportunities for all citizens, a society free of sexual discrimination.

    The women's sector of the ruling PASOK party called on all Greek women to broaden democracy by intensifying the struggle for equality of rights. The party's women's sector also called for struggle against racism and xenophobia, saying it was organizing a seminar on March 15 called "Women against Racism and Xenophobia."

    The seminar is expected to be attended by government and political party officials as well as representatives of social groups affected by sex, race, nationality or religious discrimination.

    New Democracy's Women's Secretariat issued a message stressing the need for women to retain the role of the creator inside the family, the culture and the society.

    The Democratic Social Movement's Equality Bureau said that despite winning many battles in the struggle to achieve equality, today's women still find themselves in a very difficult position in the family and the society.

    The Coalition of the Left and Progress (SYN) blamed the government for a noted lack of progress in the promotion of equality between the sexes, accusing it of having failed to pass relevant legislation. SYN also warned of new inequalities between men an d women due to changes in the labor structure.

    The Interparty Committee for Women Co-operation-Political Women's Association stressed the "huge democratic deficit which continues to characterize the political system and the organization of society."

    The association called on women to fight side by side in order to achieve equal participation in politics and in the decision making centers.

    The Athens Labor and Employee Center announced the launch of a campaign aimed at awakening working women in Athens to their rights in the workplace.

    [19] Simitis grants television interview

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis has granted a television interview to be screened next week, the government announced yesterday.

    Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that, six months after the elections, it was an opportunity for Mr. Simitis to inform the people of government policies.

    The interview will be conducted by three journalists - one from state television and two from the largest private television channels - MEGA and Antenna and screened on all three channels.

    However, the Athens Journalists Union (ESHEA) came out strongly against the "exclusion of all political reporters except for the three chosen by the prime minister" for his first full interview.

    "The exclusion of the majority of political reports, newspapers and mass media, at a time when there are many outstanding social demands and national issues, is unacceptable," an announcement said.

    [20] 'Alexis Zorbas' ballet performance in Skopje

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    A ballet production entitled "Alexis Zorbas", directed by composer Mikis Theodorakis, will be performed at the national theater of Skopje, capital of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), at the beginning of April.

    The performance is part of a two-month-old initiative by Greek members of parliament, academics, politicians and ordinary citizens, aiming at promoting friendship between the two countries.

    "The burden for the defense of co-operation and freedom in the region of the Balkans, which is going through critical hours, falls on the shoulders of ordinary people," Mr. Theodorakis said in a message for yesterday's initial presentation of the initiative in Thessaloniki.

    [21] Goulandri predicts environmental issues will play leading role in international relations

    United Nations, 08/03/1997 (ANA - M. Georgiadou)

    The founder of Greece's Natural History Museum in Athens, Niki Goulandri, yesterday forecast that environmental issues will soon play a leading role in international relations.

    "I believe that the issue of the environment is so great that in a little while it will cover the entire range of international relations," Ms. Goulandri told the press prior to attending a United Nations reception in the honor of 25 women-leaders in the field of environmental protection.

    The reception was organized by UNEP director and former Canadian minister Elizabeth Dowdeswell.

    UNEP is a UN sub-organization which promotes international environmental programs.

    Ms. Goulandri is one of the 25 women whose portraits decorated the walls of a gallery in the UN headquarters in New York marking 25 years since the birth of UNEP.

    Internationally renowned for her activity in the safeguarding of the "unique treasures of the Greek countryside", as well as for her participation in international campaigns for the protection of the environment, Ms. Goulandri drew attention to the Environmental Summit due to be held in May.

    Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis will possibly attend the UN-organized summit, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said from the United States on Thursday.

    "A lot has happened since the Rio Summit," Ms. Goulandri said, adding that although the meaning of that meeting has not been conceived by everyone, "nothing is as it used to be."

    "The fact that the United Nations are sending an urgent call to the member-states' prime ministers inviting them to discuss and try to solve issues of immense importance ... is certainly a fresh, decisive step," Ms. Goulandri said.

    Referring to the establishment in Athens of a foundation for the protection of the environment, due to begin operating in 1998, Ms. Goulandri said that the EU-funded foundation will be the best and most advanced institution in Europe focusing exclusively on issues of environmental protection and communicating the message for environmental protection, particularly to children.

    [22] Teachers unmoved by Arsenis' attempts to make up for lost time

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Striking secondary school teachers yesterday gathered outside the education ministry to stress that they would continue their strike for an eighth week and until all their demands were met. Education Minister Gerassimos Arsenis late on Thursday announced a series of proposals - including extending the school year, cutting back on Easter and summer holidays and increasing the school day by an hour - to make up for time lost over the past eight weeks.

    Teachers set up tents at the entrance to the ministry, saying they were determined to camp out until their representatives met with the education minister. They called his decisions "one-sided" and an effort to pressure parents and students, saying that they would "take initiatives, through established institutions of schools, to deal with the problem created by government intransigence".

    Mr. Arsenis said on Thursday that the rate of participation in the strike was constantly falling and attributed the continuation of the strike to "political interests". He stressed once again that teachers had received the largest increases of all civil servants and that a large part of their institutional demands had been met.

    [23] Shop closing times set by joint ministerial decision

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Following a joint decision between the labor, development and national economy ministries, closing time for shops and foodstores cannot be later than 8 p.m. during the winter and 9 p.m. during the summer, while they must have shut by 6 p.m. on Saturdays throughout the year.

    Shops' opening times is set out for each category of stores by the relevant trade unions.

    The decision was signed by Labor Minister Miltiades Papaioannou, Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou.

    Mr. Papaioannou said the new framework for opening hours is the result of a substantial dialogue which ended in an agreement.

    "The government and I are coming with special satisfaction to ratify this agreement, which concerns all the bodies involved, such as merchants, wholesale and retail trade unions, the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) and working people," Mr. Papaioannou said.

    [24] National Bank to expand activities in Balkans, Mediterranean

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    The National Bank of Greece hopes to become one of the most important regional banks in the Balkans and the southeastern Mediterranean area, the bank's governor, Theodoros Karatzas, said during a press conference in Thessaloniki yesterday.

    Mr. Karatzas said the expansion of the National Bank's activities "will take place with system and method. When suitable structures are created in countries of interest to the bank, then it will be dynamically present."

    He said Balkan and southeastern Mediterranean countries are the first targets for the bank's expansion.

    The National Bank's Council for Coordinating Overseas Unit Activities began its two-day session in Thessaloniki for the first time yesterday. Mr. Karatzas said "it is a token of the particular importance the bank gives to its expansion."

    Outlining the activities of the National Bank's overseas units, Mr. Karatzas said that "in 1996 the total assets of these units amounted to 5.9 billion dollars, compared to 5.2 billion dollars in 1995, while their total pre-tax profits amounted to 10.5 billion drachmas, as against 7.3 billion drachmas in 1995, an increase of 42 per cent.

    [25] Development minister to visit international tourism fair

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Development Minister Vasso Papandreou will fly to Germany today to visit the International Tourism Exhibition in Berlin. Ms. Papandreou will tour the exhibition tomorrow, first visiting the Greek National Tourism Organization (EOT) stand before giving a press conference at the ICC international conference center on the same premises.

    At the press conference, Ms. Papandreou will present the main axes of Greece's tourism policy for 1997 and the government's priorities in the sector. As every year, EOT will be participating in the exhibition with a large stand, which this year covers 950 square meters. Greece will also be represented by 45 exhibitors, ranging from hotels and tour operators to local government organizations and prefectures.

    [26] February CPI inflation drops to 6.6 percent

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    Inflation marked a further drop in February to 6.6 per cent from the January level of 6.8 per cent, according to figures released yesterday by the National Statistics Service (ESYE).

    The reduction reflects a 0.4 per cent drop in the Consumer Price Index in February, compared to a drop of 0.2 per cent the previous month. According to the ESYE, the latest favorable development on the inflation front was a result of reduced price s in the categories of clothing-footwear, heating oil and durable consumer goods.

    ESYE Secretary-General Nikos Karaxitis forecast that the strong downward trend in inflation, expected to be maintained during the rest of the first half of 1997, would continue also during the second half.

    Commenting on the increase in the dollar's parity with the drachma, Mr. Karaxitis said it was a factor which affected inflation, clarifying however that the main volume of imports was not related to the dollar.

    [27] Greece begins dispatch of aid to Bulgaria

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    An air force plane took off from Elefsina for Sofia yesterday morning carrying 20 tons of medicines, part of a total of 400 tons of food and medicines being sent by Greece's local government associations as humanitarian aid to the Bulgarian people. The defense ministry is subsidizing the initiative with 160 million drachmas. Shipments will continue until June.

    [28] Kohl sends birthday greeting to Karamanlis

    Bonn, 08/03/1997 (ANA-P.Stangos)

    German Chancellor Helmut Kohl sent a congratulatory note to former President of the Republic Constantine Karamanlis on the occasion of his 90th birthday. In his message, Mr. Kohl said Mr. Karamanlis had formulated Greece's policy through many decades, adding that "the return of your country to democracy and its course to the European Community will always be associated with your name."

    [29] News in Brief

    Athens, 8/3/1997 (ANA)

    - Bids for the building of a tunnel to divert the Acheloos river to Thessaly finished being assessed on Thursday after objections were adjudicated and a relevant decision was issued. The next phase of tendering, which will be the opening of economic bids, will take place on March 11. The project, with a budget of 35 billion drachmas, is expected to be completed in four years.

    - Funds amounting to two billion drachmas has been earmarked for the improvement of the K. Nevrokopi-Exochi highway in the Drama prefecture. Apart from improving the national highway network, the construction of the road will also contribute to linking the Drama prefecture and the wider region with the Greek-Bulgarian border.

    End of English language section.


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