Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-04-11
From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1161), April 11, 1997
Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca
CONTENTS
[01] Greece briefed by Dutch presidency on consultations in Ankara
[02] EU-Turkey Association Council session April 29
[03] Official Simitis visit to Austria
[04] G. Papandreou-Niles meeting focuses on Greek-Turkish relations
[05] Kranidiotis in Cyprus
[06] KYSEA to rubber stamp Albanian force next week
[07] Europarliament ratifies joint resolution on Albania
[08] Apostolakis visit to US continues with tour of General Dynamics
plant
[09] FYROM official says Athens-Skopje relations vital for his
nation's stabilization
[10] Gov't-PASOK committee on social dialogue issue 19-point text
[11] Conference for young parliamentarians slated
[12] EU ban on livestock exports from Evros region lifted
[13] CEDEFOP activities to be presented at Europarliament
[14] Kavala residents demand Kozloduy's closure
[15] People's Republic of China official in Athens
[16] High court decides in favor of US national's extradition
[17] Convergence program only way forward, Papandreou says
[18] Re-opening of the Greece-Novorossyisk shipping route discussed
[19] Gov't examines course of economy
[20] Drachma depreciates against EU currencies
[21] Greek businessmen look at investing in Croatia
[22] New bridge approved for Greek-Bulgarian border
[23] Taxi driver arrested for series of murders
[01] Greece briefed by Dutch presidency on consultations in Ankara
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Foreign
Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis held talks yesterday with
the diplomatic delegation of the Dutch EU presidency, which was
returning from consultations in Ankara.
The three-member delegation had talks in Ankara on Wednesday
within the framework of the Dutch presidency's mediation
initiative aimed at normalization of Greek-Turkish relations.
Speaking at Wednesday's session of the Economist's "Roundtable
with the Greek Government" conference in Athens, Mr. Kranidiotis
said Greece viewed in a positive light a proposal for an
exchange of "scientific views" between Greek and Turkish experts
concerning procedural matters related to bilateral relations.
Mr. Kranidiotis said yesterday's talks with the Dutch delegation
of the EU presidency concerned precisely this issue, adding that
the delegation conveyed Turkey's views to Greece.
He said there were no final conclusions from the talks because
Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister Theodoros
Pangalos first had to be briefed.
Mr. Kranidiotis clarified that the proposal for the formation of
a committee of experts came from the Dutch presidency and that
Athens "views this process within the framework of
confidence-building between Greece and Turkey".
After thanking the Dutch presidency for its efforts, Mr.
Papandreou referred to his recent private meeting with Dutch
Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo.
"The presidency has its own specific thoughts, which I shall
convey to the prime minister. We shall see whether the two sides
agree to the proposals of the Dutch presidency. Our positions
are quite clear. We are now waiting for an unequivocal statement
on the part of Turkey," Mr. Papandreou said. Both Mr. Papandreou
and Mr. Kranidiotis declined to refer to the views of the
Turkish side as conveyed by the Dutch delegation.
They underlined, however, that Turkey must respect international
law and state that it rejects the use of force as a means of
resolving any problems it may have with Greece.
Last week Foreign Minister Pangalos called on Ankara to retract
its threat of war against Greece and to accept the existing
borders in the Aegean in light of efforts to find common ground
in Greek-Turkish relations. The Turkish national assembly passed
in June 1995 a resolution authorizing the Turkish government to
declare war against Greece in the event Athens exercises its
lawful right and extends its territorial waters to 12 nautical
miles.
In a related development, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
said the proposal for the formation of a committee of experts,
referred to by Mr. Kranidiotis on Wednesday, constituted "an
element of policy within the framework of broadening ways of
resolving problems in Greek-Turkish relations".
Yesterday's talks, Mr. Reppas added, between Mr. Papandreou, Mr.
Kranidiotis and the EU presidency delegation was "within the
framework of the effort to resolve the problems in relations"
between Greece and Turkey.
Referring to the conditions set by Greece as prerequisites for
any improvement in relations with neighboring Turkey, Mr. Reppas
reiterated that these were refraining from using force, Ankara's
retraction of its war threats, respect by Turkey for
international law and recourse to the International Court at the
Hague for resolving differences of a legal nature.
The spokesman also stressed that normalization of Greek-Turkish
relations also presupposed a "positive response" from Ankara to
Greece's proposals.
Asked whether there had been any positive initiatives on the
part of Turkey, Mr. Reppas said recent statements by Turkish
Chief of Staff General, Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi, and other
officials expressing the desire for good relations between the
two countries could be viewed as "positive initiatives".
"However there is a distance between these positions and the
policy being pursued by Turkey," he added.
[02] EU-Turkey Association Council session April 29
Brussels, 11/04/1997 (ANA - G. Daratos)
The EU permanent diplomatic representatives committee (COREPER)
has set April 29 as the date for the EU-Turkey Association
Council session.
It has not been decided whether the issue of Turkish-EU economic
co-operation will be discussed during the session, and
particularly the issue of an ECU 375 million EU grant to Turkey.
The grant has been frozen by Athens' veto until Ankara agrees
with an EU resolution to refer the Imia dispute to the
International Court of Justice at The Hague.
[03] Official Simitis visit to Austria
Vienna, 11/04/1997 (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis)
Prime Minister Costas Simitis is to pay an official visit to
Austria between April 20 and 23, it was announced yesterday.
Talks are expected to deal with a broad range of issues,
including the situation in the Balkans - particularly centering
on Albania and the former Yugoslavia - as well as on future EU
and NATO expansion. Discussions are also expected to focus on
the Cyprus issue, with which Austria has a special relationship,
being the country with the longest-serving contingent in the UN
peacekeeping force on the island (since 1964).
The last visit of a Greek prime minister to Vienna was that of
the late Andreas Papandreou in May 1983. Former Austrian
chancellor Franz Vranitzky paid a brief visit to Athens during
Athens' assumption of the rotating EU presidency in January
1994, which oversaw the successful negotiations for Austria's EU
accession.
Mr. Simitis will head to Bonn for an official visit after Vienna.
[04] G. Papandreou-Niles meeting focuses on Greek-Turkish relations
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and US ambassador
to Athens Thomas Niles yesterday discussed Greek-Turkish
relations and the EU Dutch presidency's relevant initiatives on
the issue.
A statement after the meeting said EU-US relations, as well as
issues pertaining to the WEU, NATO and the Intergovernmental
Conference were also discussed.
[05] Kranidiotis in Cyprus
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Foreign Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis was due to leave
yesterday for Cyprus to speak at an event organized by the Union
of European Journalists on the issue of "Cyprus-Turkey-EU."
During his stay, Mr. Kranidiotis will also have talks with
Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides, the island republic's
newly-appointed Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides and
Gustave Feissel, the representative for Cyprus of the UN
Secretary-General.
[06] KYSEA to rubber stamp Albanian force next week
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The government announced yesterday that the Government Council
for Foreign Policy and Defense (KYSEA) would meet next Friday to
give a final approval for the dispatch of a Greek contingent set
to participate in a multinational protection force in Albania.
However, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas added that "a few
dozen men from the Greek force" would go to Albania in the
middle of next week to make preparations prior to the arrival of
the main contingent of more than 700 troops.
Mr. Reppas reiterated that the Greek contingent would be based
in Tirana and Vlore "but at a later stage it could move to
southern Albania, with the primary mission of controlling access
routes to Kakavia and Krystallopigi as well as to ports in the
Albanian south through which the humanitarian aid will pass."
Asked who took the decision for the dispatch of the Greek
contingent, the spokesman replied that it was taken by Prime
Minister Costas Simitis and the competent ministers.
National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos told Parliament
yesterday that the sending of the force is in accordance with
both Greek and international law and that armed forces officers
and NCOs will participate in the mission on a voluntary basis.
"If this is insufficient, then other members of the armed forces
will also be used," he said, adding: "The legality of the
decision is also substantiated by Article 82 of the
Constitution, which anticipates that the country's general
policy is set out b y the government."
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos further stressed that "the restoration of
peace and stability in Albania has to do with peace in the
Balkans and the wider region and consequently serves the
national interest."
He made the statement in reply to a question put forth by
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) deputy Orestis Kolozov.
Mr. Kolozov said the government's decision is unconstitutional
because "it anticipates sending Greek troops outside Greek
borders", adding that the issue should be debated in Parliament
first and then a decision should be taken.
Meanwhile, the Greek force to be sent to Albania as part of a
multinational force to be deployed is in its final stage of
preparation. The force will probably leave the port of
Igoumenitsa with Hellenic Navy vessels.
[07] Europarliament ratifies joint resolution on Albania
Strasbourg, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The European Parliament yesterday ratified a joint resolution on
Albania by political groupings with an overwhelming majority -
355 in favor, eight against and 17 abstentions.
The resolution criticizes European governments which
underestimated vote rigging accusations in elections held in
Albania last May and allowed the country to be led to the
present crisis with their inertia or their support for (Albanian
President Sali) Berisha.
The resolution supports the national reconciliation government
as the first step in an institutional change process and calls
on the European Union to help Albania now at least to go ahead
with free elections after preconditions for the independence of
justice, freedom of the mass media and the participation of all
democratic politicians in lists are safeguarded.
It further criticizes the EU Council of Ministers for not
succeeding in agreeing on joint action and recognizes as
positive, efforts made by Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Austria
and Denmark, which are participating in the police mission to
Albania.
[08] Apostolakis visit to US continues with tour of General Dynamics
plant
New York, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
National Defense Under-secretary Dimitris Apostolakis, currently
on a visit to the United States, visited the installations of
the General Dynamics company in Detroit on Wednesday.
Mr. Apostolakis is visiting the US at the head of a West
European Union (WEU) delegation in the framework of the
Transatlantic Forum, where Athens holds the presidency between
July 1996 to June 1997.
Senior officials of the company briefed him on the operational
capabilities of the "Abrams" M1-A2 main battle tank and on the
manufacturers' economic proposals concerning off set benefits.
Mr. Apostolakis said that the choice between potential suppliers
will combine the best specifications and the lowest price, while
particular emphasis will be placed on securing the greatest
workload for the domestic defense industry.
Mr. Apostolakis arrived in Los Angeles, the second and last stop
of the WEU delegation's visit to the US, where he will head
several meetings on Wednesday.
[09] FYROM official says Athens-Skopje relations vital for his
nation's stabilization
Bonn, 11/04/1997 (ANA - P. Stangos)
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Prime Minister
Branko Crvenkovski said here yesterday that normalization of
relations between Skopje and Athens is important for his
country's stabilization and a factor assisting in the effort to
attract German investment.
Mr. Crvenkovski, who is paying an official visit to Bonn as of
Wednesday, was scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Helmut
Kohl yesterday afternoon.
The FYROM official expressed satisfaction over the development
of relations between his country and Greece in an interview with
"Deutsche Welle", stressing the fact that Greece is emerging as
the landlocked former Yugoslav republic's largest trade partner.
The main goal of Mr. Crvenkovski's visit to Germany is the
economic side of bilateral relations and an effort to persuade
German banks and businessmen to invest in FYROM.
[10] Gov't-PASOK committee on social dialogue issue 19-point text
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday chaired a joint
PASOK/government committee on the issue of social dialogue,
stating afterwards that a 19-point text will be issued to social
partners on Monday, while debate will be initiated after Easter.
He said the 19-point text will include issues such as securing
consensus with increases in real income under inflationary
conditions, changes in investment incentives, application of
developmental criteria regarding the future of ailing
enterprises, and interventions in the labor market.
"The aim of our intervention is the adjustment, with consensus,
to the new economic realities and unemployment. For PASOK,
consensus procedures are better than any unilateral decision, or
submission to the market," he said.
[11] Conference for young parliamentarians slated
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
A conference of young parliamentarians who are members of
parliaments in eastern Mediterranean countries will be held on
April 12-16.
The conference, organized for the first time, will focus on
issues concerning democracy, the role played by young deputies
in their country's political life, women's participation in
politics and the European Union's MEDA program in the effort to
develop democratic and economic structures.
On the part of Greece, the conference will be attended by the
deputies Nora Katseli, Vyron Polydoras, Dimitris Koutsogiorgas,
Mano-lis Kefaloyiannis and Georgios Rokkos. The official start
to the conference will be declared on April 13.
[12] EU ban on livestock exports from Evros region lifted
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The EU Standing Veterinary Committee has lifted the ban on the
exportation of livestock from the northeastern border region of
Evros, imposed after the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease last
year.
Five members of the committee, meanwhile, are carrying out
extensive on-the-spot checks concerning the amounts paid in
compensation to stockbreeders in the whole of Thrace, which has
been plagued by animal diseases since 1994.
[13] CEDEFOP activities to be presented at Europarliament
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The activities of the European Center for Development and
Professional Training (CEDEFOP), the only European institution
headquartered in Greece (Thessaloniki), will be presented for
the first time at the Europarliament's headquarters in
Strasbourg this week.
Special reference will be made to the organization's labor
program in 1997 and to its medium-term priorities up to the year
2000.
CEDEFOP is placing particular emphasis in 1997 on analyzing data
and results on vocational training issues, the wider use of
informatics and research within the framework of the European
Union's training programs and dissemination of informatics.
[14] Kavala residents demand Kozloduy's closure
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Several residents of the Kavala prefecture have voiced concern
with the continuing operation of Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear
plant.
The issue was discussed in a prefectural council meeting
yesterday. The council approved a resolution demanding that the
plant shut down and call on the Greek government to use its
status as a member of the European Union in order to exert
pressure to the neighboring country to close the Soviet-era
reactor.
[15] People's Republic of China official in Athens
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The minister and general auditor of the People's Republic of
China Guo Zuengyan will arrive in Athens tomorrow at the
invitation of the State Audit Council President Apostolos Botsos.
The Chinese official will meet senior judicial officials of the
Council and will be briefed on its organization and functions
and on the way fiscal management is conducted.
[16] High court decides in favor of US national's extradition
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The Supreme Court yesterday decided in favor of extraditing US
national Mark Miller to the United States, where he is wanted
for allegedly importing a large quantity of marijuana into that
country.
Mr. Miller was arrested in the Peloponnese at the request of US
officials.
[17] Convergence program only way forward, Papandreou says
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The successful implementation of Greece's convergence program
with the European Union is the only way forward for the country,
Development Minister Vasso Papandreou stressed yesterday in her
opening speech at the "Shaping a national policy for the future
of the Greek economy" conference.
The government has targeted fiscal reform and monetary stability
through a reduction of deficits and a stable parity of the
drachma, Ms Papandreou said.
"These goals must be achieved for the convergence program," she
stressed.
At the same time, she added, the government's development
program aims to boost the competitiveness of the Greek economy
through the completion of basic infrastructure works, upgrading
human resources and improving productivity.
The effective implementation of the development program will
lead to an increase in the domestic product and, subsequently,
to admittedly small but real increases in workers' incomes.
So far, she said, the successful implementation of the
convergence program and the fall in inflation and interest rates
as well as deficits has significantly improved the investment
climate.
The successes of the economic policies applied to date, she
said, can be attributed to the realism imbued in the convergence
and development programs and to their acceptance by a majority
of the Greek people.
[18] Re-opening of the Greece-Novorossyisk shipping route discussed
Novorossyisk, Russia 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Visiting secretary general of overseas Greeks, Stavros
Lambrianidis, held a meeting yesterday with the mayor here and
representatives of the local parliament, focusing on the
re-opening of the Greece-Novorossyisk shipping rout e and the
teaching of Greek in this Russian Black Sea port.
Visiting the city within the framework of the "Greek Cultural
Month in Northern Russia," Mr. Lambrianidis elaborated on the
positive consequences a re-opening of the shipping route would
have on Greek-Russian trade relations.
On his part, the president of the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board
(HEPO) Ioannis Tzen, who is also visiting Russia as part of the
Greek delegation, held talks with Greek-Russian and several
Russian entrepreneurs concerning the prospect of establishing a
Greek-Russian chamber in the region.
Novorossyisk, the largest Russian port on the Black Sea, is home
to some 120,000 ethnic Greeks.
[19] Gov't examines course of economy
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
There is no need for new financial measures as the course of the
Greek economy is positive and under complete control, National
Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said yesterday,
following a three-hour meeting on the economy.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis, examined
the course of macro-economic indicators and the execution of the
state budget over the first quarter.
The meeting was also attended by Development Minister Vasso
Papandreou and undersecretaries of the national economy, finance
and development ministries and the governor of the Bank of
Greece Lucas Papademos.
[20] Drachma depreciates against EU currencies
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
The value of the drachma fell against almost all European Union
member-state currencies in March, compared to February,
according to the monthly bulletin of foreign currency parities
compiled by the Exports Research and Studies Center (KEEM).
A total of eleven EU member-state currencies appreciated against
the drachma by between 0.005 per cent (Finnish mark) and 0.60
per cent (pound sterling).
The Italian lira and the Swedish krona depreciated against the
drachma by 0.54 per cent.
The following foreign currencies appreciated against the drachma
in March (compared to the previous month):
US dollar (1.68 per cent), Swiss franc (0.99 per cent), Canadian
dollar (0.38 per cent), Australian dollar (4.4 per cent),
Japanese yen (1.86 per cent) and the Cyprus pound (0.54 per
cent).
In the same month, the value of the Norwegian krona dropped by
0.65 per cent against the drachma.
[21] Greek businessmen look at investing in Croatia
Zagreb, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
A business mission of Greek entrepreneurs and investors is
visiting Zagreb to examine the opportunities for economic
co-operation and trade, as well as the promotion of joint
programs with third countries.
The mission, representing 21 Greek firms is organized by the
Hellenic External Trade Organization with the support of the
Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian and Greek
embassies.
The mission was scheduled to meet with representatives of 45
Croatian businesses and visit three major supermarket chains to
discuss possible exports from Croatia.
[22] New bridge approved for Greek-Bulgarian border
Sofia, 11/04/1997 (ANA- N. Hios)
The Bulgarian government has approved a Greek proposal for the
construction of a new bridge in the area of the Koulata-Promahon
border post.
Foreign Minister Stojan Stalev has been authorized to sign the
agreement.
[23] Taxi driver arrested for series of murders
Athens, 11/04/1997 (ANA)
Athens police arrested a taxi driver on charges of committing
five murders as well as a number of attempted murders and armed
robberies over the past 10 years.
Dimitris Vakrinos, 35, has reportedly admitted to killing his
room-mate, 53-year-old Panayiotis Gaglias on Aug. 6, 1987, by
using an iron bar. The victim had apparently stolen a hunting
rifle from Vakrinos and when the latter told him that he would
go t o the police, Gaglias threatened to beat him up.
Vakrinos' second victim was Anastasia Simitzi, 26, whom he
killed on Nov. 20, 1993.
According to reports, after leaving a nightclub the woman asked
Vakrinos to take her home. Instead, he asked her to make love
with him and when she refused and insulted him, Vakrinos drove
her to a remote area near Mantra, Attica, doused her with petrol
and burned her alive, police said.
His third victim was a colleague, Theodoros Andreadis, 39, who
was murdered on Jan. 9, 1994. The two taxi drivers had quarreled
four months before the murder because the victim had picked up a
customer from a taxi lane.
Posing as a customer, Vakrinos asked Andreadis to take him to
Loutraki. Along the way, he asked the driver to stop and shot
him four times. He then drove the taxi back to Elefsina where he
doused it in petrol, burning both the vehicle and the driver.
Vakrinos' last two victims were the brothers Costas and Antonis
Spyropoulos, 33 and 35, respectively, whom he killed on Dec. 21,
1995.
The two brothers were shot repeatedly after chasing Vakrinos,
who had earlier stolen the car of Costas Spyropoulos. He told
police that he had stolen the car because he wanted to drive to
the Moschato district to kill a youth who had reportedly
insulted him during a row over a parking space.
Vakrinos is also alleged to be responsible for four cases of
attempted murder, one of which was against a police officer and
five armed robberies.
Authorities believe Vakrinos committed the murders because he
had an acute inferiority complex and psychological problems
since a child, in addition to childhood abuse.
Vakrinos reportedly spent many of his childhood years in an
orphanage.
End of English language section.
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