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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-06-23

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 (No 1218), June 23, 1997

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


CONTENTS

  • [01] Greece pays tribute to Andreas Papandreou's legacy
  • [02] Jack Lang
  • [03] Midday memorial service
  • [04] Cyprus
  • [05] Public gives warm welcome to opening of Mount Athos exhibition
  • [06] Talks with Orthodox officials
  • [07] PASOK Central Committee approves development proposal
  • [08] Defense minister leaves for talks with US officials on WEU activities
  • [09] Philippines' President Ramos visits Greece
  • [10] Youth Parliament in session
  • [11] Karamanlis slams 'fickle' US policy over Imia
  • [12] Samaras predicts early elections
  • [13] Europartenariat - Hellas 1997 begins today
  • [14] Journalists' conference on Samothrace ends
  • [15] Tourists return to Rhodes
  • [16] Domestic flights cancelled, OA expresses regrets

  • [01] Greece pays tribute to Andreas Papandreou's legacy

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis last night paid tribute to the legacy of Andreas Papandreou at an event at the Athens Concert Hall, on the first anniversary of the death of the late founder and president of ruling party PASOK.

    The function at the Athens Concert Hall ended a day of commemoration to Papandreou, begun with a memorial service at midday at the Athens First Cemetery.

    Mr. Simitis said the event - which included an address from former French culture minister Jack Lang and performances by singer George Dalaras and a performance conducted by composer Stavros Xarhakos - aimed at honoring the memory of a great politician .

    "Over the past year everything appears to have and indeed has changed not only because for all of us who were linked to him, for the members and friends of PASOK, a man whom we all admired has left. For all Greeks, the politician who left sealed with his presence a crucial period of the country's history, set out the country's political life, its pace, its directions and its framework," he said.

    The founder of PASOK was a charismatic leader, a visionary, a man who gave shape to the people's dreams, who transformed concerns into speech and political prospect, as well as the sensitivities and claims of the progressive side, Mr. Simitis said.

    "He showed that fatalism, acceptance, compliance is not necessary and neither must it rule our lives. This is his great lesson to all of us," Mr. Simitis said, adding that Andreas Papandreou was decisive in Greece moving away from "the climate of post-civil war psychosis".

    "Struggles to redefine the visions of the democratic left in modern conditions of market globalization and technological revolutions also link us to Andreas Papandreou, because he was the ideologist who sought new paths for socialism which left prevailing models. We must have this considerable nonconformist contribution of his, of disputing, as a compass for the future," he said.

    Mr. Simitis said the country has a historic opportunity to participate in the prospect set out by the European countries and added that "the sacrifices which we must all make, the self-restraint which we must show are not imposed on us by anyone, but are necessary conditions for our survival as a country and are linked to our vision for a just and prosperous society. And these sacrifices have started to bear fruit over the past few years with Andreas Papandreou as prime minister, who himself showed the way to the country's equal participation in the processes of European unification."

    "We would distort and annul the teaching of Andreas Papandreou if, after 30 years of struggles we were to capitulate today, passing from the era of creation to the era of history writing and from the era of social change to the era of social compliance.

    We have achieved too much to stop and be complaisant," he said.

    [02] Jack Lang

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Former French culture minister and president of the new French Parliament's foreign policy committee Jack Lang also addressed the event at the Athens Concert Hall last night, speaking after Prime Minister Costas Simitis who invited him to attend.

    Earlier in the afternoon, speaking to the Athens News Agency (ANA) on arrival at Athens airport, Mr. Lang said Andreas Papandreou "was the creator of Greece's modern socialist movement, a personality which stabilized democracy in this country after the dictatorship. He played a great role in his time."

    Commenting on Mr. Simitis and his government, he said "the present government of Greece is a good government. It is serious and methodical. Costas Simitis is a personality of great moral value and contributes to the creation of a more splendid picture for Greece abroad."

    [03] Midday memorial service

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Over 2,000 people attended a memorial service for Papandreou at midday yesterday at the Athens First Cemetery. The service was also attended by relatives of the late premier and the entire government.

    Arriving at the cemetery Mr. Simitis said that it was a day to honor and express respect for Andreas Papandreou. "Let us contemplate what he offered us, what he offered to the left movement and what he offered the country," the premier said.

    Similar memorial services were held throughout the country, organized by local PASOK organizations, and in Cyprus.

    In Thessaloniki, Culture Minister and local Member of Parliament Evangelos Venizelos said during the service that the day was "one of historic remembrance, responsibility, contemplation and sobriety".

    Another Thessaloniki MP, Yannis Magriotis, said: "We shall never forget Andreas Papandreou. We will honor his work and defend it from all those who wish to diminish it."

    [04] Cyprus

    Nicosia, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    In Nicosia, the socialist EDEK party held a memorial service at the Ayios Ioannis cathedral.

    EDEK leader Vassos Lyssarides recalled Papandreou's political and party activities and particularly underscored the policy the deceased had forged on the Cyprus issue.

    Papandreou, he said, had placed the Cyprus issue as the top of the national agenda and opposed compromises which he had correctly foreseen would lead the Cyprus problem to impasses.

    After the memorial service, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kassoulides laid a wreath on behalf of Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides. Wreaths were also laid by Dr. Lyssarides, leaders or representatives of the Cypriot political parties, on behalf of the chief of the National Guard, the commander of the Greek Force in Cyprus (ELDYK), and others.

    [05] Public gives warm welcome to opening of Mount Athos exhibition

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    The long-awaited exhibition of priceless artifacts from the monastic community of Mount Athos was officially opened by President Kostis Stephanopoulos at Thessaloniki's Byzantine Museum on Saturday.

    The premiere event of this year's Thessaloniki Cultural Capital events received an enthusiastic response from the public, with more than 2,000 people visiting the exhibition yesterday, the first day it was open to the public.

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis was also in attendance at Saturday's official opening, heading a delegation including ministers and deputies, local officials, the civil administration of Mount Athos and its religious leadership, led by the head of the Holy Community Kallinikos.

    "This exhibition once again teaches the world what Byzantium was and what it offered to civilization through time," President Stephanopoulos said.

    Mr. Simitis said in a brief address that the exhibition was "Orthodoxy's response", as expressed by Mount Athos, the greatest Byzantine and post-Byzantine monument in Europe.

    "In Europe this exhibition promotes the dimension of seeking the absolute, the beauty of cultural expression, the prestige of creation," Mr. Simitis said.

    Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the exhibition was "a profoundly historic event". Greece is participating in Europe with the full conscience of its history and its contribution to European civilization, he said.

    During the inauguration ceremony, Thessaloniki Metropolitan Panteleimon read a message from Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, expressing his best wishes for the exhibition's success. Vartholomeos will visit the exhibition in September during a visit to Thessaloniki.

    Among the visitors to the exhibition yesterday was the premier of the Australian state of Victoria Jeff Kennet. Mr. Kennet said he was impressed both by the content of the exhibition and the museum itself, stressing that it is noteworthy that the exhibits are in full view for women for the first time.

    The proceeds from the sale of tickets and special publications will go to Mount Athos for the construction of works to be decided by the Holy Community.

    [06] Talks with Orthodox officials

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Mr. Simitis held talks with representatives of the Holy Community after the inauguration ceremony and offered assurances that there was no threat to the existing autonomous status of Mount Athos in the framework of agreements signed by Greece in the European Union.

    He said settlements anticipated in the agreements signed safeguard the position of Mount Athos and that the EU's activities do not harm and do not concern the monastic community's status.

    Other issues discussed, apart from the special status on Mount Athos, regarded funding for repairs and environmental protection.

    Mr. Simitis said the government supported and backed the Holy Community's efforts and for this reason more money has been provided in past years than ever before for restoration and maintenance.

    The Holy Community's Chief Secretary Brother Ioannis said the delegation was very pleased with the co-operation it had with the prime minister and the government delegation. He added that great problems existed on the peninsula and that repairs and environmental protection work must continue.

    Referring to the Maastricht Treaty, Ioannis said initially there was disappointment among the Holy Community because issues concerning Mount Athos had not been raised as the monks had wanted.

    Mr. Simitis accepted an invitation to visit Mount Athos and the date for the visit will be set at a later stage.

    [07] PASOK Central Committee approves development proposal

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    A proposal by the president of the ruling PASOK party's Executive Bureau on development was ratified at the party's Central Committee session on Saturday.

    Summing up the discussion, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said that what was required at present was "a critical approach", adding that resources were necessary for development and the primary target must be to secure resources.

    PASOK's Secretary Costas Skandalidis said in his closing statement that the creation of a modern state was an urgent priority, and that this entailed adequacy in programming and monitoring mechanisms, tough penalties for corruption and graft, increasing state revenues and complete transparency.

    Development Minister Vasso Papandreou said the discussion was substantive and useful because it shaped and made policies homogenous, adding that the government had achieved a great deal but must do more.

    Ms Papandreou said the 1993 convergence and development programs were proceeding with success and called for a change in the development law and an end to the "clientelistic" relationship between the state and private capital.

    National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou came under fire from many PASOK cadres on the second day of the Central Committee's session on development for certain of the ministries' policies.

    Anastasios Peponis accused Mr. Papantoniou of making alliances with the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) to prevent the "pilot implementation" of the 35-hour working week at the Aspropyrgos refineries which he had proposed and despite the fact that the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) had agreed.

    Yiannis Kapsis called Mr. Papantoniou to account over positions he had expressed at the Federation of Bank Employee Organizations (OTOE) seminar last week, saying they were diametrically opposed to the positions contained in the Executive Bureau's proposal.

    [08] Defense minister leaves for talks with US officials on WEU activities

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos left yesterday for a six-day visit to the US in the context of the Greek presidency of the Western European Union's (WEU) cross-Atlantic activities.

    While there, he will address a meeting of WEU and NATO defense ministers, meet with US Defense Secretary William Cohen, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Congresswoman Olympia Snowe and Congressman Paul Sarbanes, address a US Senate Committee and hold talks with American businessmen on matters concerning defense and the economy respectively.

    Before departing, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos stressed the need to continue to promote the political and ideological legacies of late PASOK party founder Andreas Papandreou, saying Greek society was currently in need of them and had expressed this by the massive turnout at the First Cemetery yesterday on the first anniversary of Papandreou's death. Referring to PASOK's Central Committee, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said a discussion has started for a new economic policy which must be promoted for high rates of development which Greece and the European Union countries need to be secured. "The problem of all the European countries is that we must achieve conditions for accession to Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) which will lead to the common European currency and at the same time we must, it is imperative for us to, confront high rates of unemployment," he said.

    Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said that Europe has been trapped in stagnation and counter-productive stability for over 15 years due to neo-conservative policies, and as a result it cannot function competitively against the United States.

    He said a 4.0 percent GDP increase rate for 10 years will create conditions of real overall growth for Europe's production potential and will function competitively against the US.

    Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said this new economic policy combines the traditional tools of monetary, exchange and fiscal policy on a new basis and expressed optimism that such conditions of growth will be achieved through dialogue.

    Asked to comment on the position of the US on the issue of the Imia islets, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos reiterated that the Imia islets are Greek and in the Aegean there is nothing to negotiate.

    [09] Philippines' President Ramos visits Greece

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Filipino President Fidel Ramos yesterday began a three-day official visit to Greece on the invitation of President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

    Mr. Ramos, who is accompanied to Greece by his wife, will meet with President Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis, ministers and leaders of opposition parties, amongst others.

    [10] Youth Parliament in session

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    The Youth Parliament, an institution which places 350 teenagers in the parliament chamber to discuss politics and their future, is in session again for a second year.

    Greek teenagers from all over the country and abroad formed six parliamentary committees on Sunday, to debate national issues as well as social and economic policy.

    In opening the session on Saturday, Parliament Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis said that everybody was waiting to hear the youth's lively, responsible and hopeful addresses from the parliament podium.

    On Tuesday the politicians of the future will present their conclusions to a plenary session of Parliament proper attended by the President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and opposition party leaders.

    [11] Karamanlis slams 'fickle' US policy over Imia

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    The United States and its "fickle" policy over the Greek islets of Imia were criticized by main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis during a speech in Kilkis, northern Greece, on Saturday,

    "The American position, with the known backtracking, does not satisfy us and neither does the reaction of the Greek government," he said.

    Late last week, US Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon retracted earlier statements clearly placing the Imia islets under Greek sovereignty, saying the US could not take a position on the conflict which brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war in late January 1996.

    Mr. Karamanlis was in Kilkis to attend events marking the city's liberation from the Bulgarians.

    "The position of third parties is not as important as what we do to defend our national integrity," Mr. Karamanlis said, who was due to make a tour of the Kilkis prefecture for contacts with party cadres.

    [12] Samaras predicts early elections

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras Saturday predicted early national elections together with local elections in October 1998, without ruling out such an eventuality in 1997 due to developments in the country's national issues.

    Addressing the members of his party's first elected Central Council, Mr. Samaras said that for PASOK surprise tactics were not unknown.

    Mr. Samaras said the summer will be difficult for national issues and that dangerous developments might take place, considering as an "antechamber" of such upsets the position of the United States that the Imia islets constitute a disputed area.

    [13] Europartenariat - Hellas 1997 begins today

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Representatives from more than 2,000 small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) from all over the world will take part in the Europartenariat-Hellas '97 in Piraeus today and Tuesday to investigate business collaboration prospects. The 16th Europartenariat will be opened by Greece's representative on the European Commission, Christos Papoutsis, who holds the energy and SMEs portfolio.

    The Europartenariat institution was set up by the Commission in 1988 as a forum to promote business co-operation between SMEs of the host countries with corresponding enterprises inside and outside the EU in a bid to promote economic growth of the European Union's lesser developed regions.

    Representatives from 400 Greek firms will meet officials of SMEs from EU member states, countries of central and eastern Europe, southeast Asia, Latin America and the United States in more than 12,000 scheduled meetings during the two-day event at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

    [14] Journalists' conference on Samothrace ends

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    The 6th Panhellenic Journalists' Congress wound up its sessions yesterday on the island of Samothrace with a discussion on "lifestyle" magazines.

    Speakers noted the overwhelming emphasis on sex in such magazines and the influence of television and advertising circles on topics covered in the publications.

    Regional magazines were markedly different to their Athenian counterparts, with more emphasis on quality content.

    The final session was chaired by Christos Xanthakis, from Epsilon magazine, and heard contributions from the director of "Klik" and "Men" Stavros Theodorakis, the director of "NITRO" George Panopoulos, the editorial committee of "Madam Figaro" and "Close up" and the editor of "Maties" George Karanikas.

    [15] Tourists return to Rhodes

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Tourist arrivals on the Dodecanese island of Rhodes are on the rise, and are currently matching levels recorded in 1995, considered a good tourist year for the island.

    A total of 49,423 tourists are presently staying daily at the island's hotels, of which 48,058 are foreign visitors, representing a 19 percent increase over 41,735 registered guests last year (of which 40,685 were foreign visitors).

    The figure for 1995 was 49,134 guests (of which 48,399 were foreign tourists).

    The figures cover only the island's hotels, and do not include guests staying at other tourist accommodation (hostels, rented rooms, etc.).

    [16] Domestic flights cancelled, OA expresses regrets

    Athens, 23/06/1997 (ANA)

    Nineteen regular domestic flights were canceled yesterday while another 13 suffered delays following problems created by a "go slow" strike by company technicians.

    In an announcement, Olympic Aviation said revenue lost as a result of the industrial action would be recouped from staff causing the inconvenience "by refusing to offer their services, while undermining the company's future and its reliability".

    It further said every further decrease in turnover due to the attitude of a section of the staff also entails a decrease in necessary staff, adding that the board's decisions will be implemented at all cost, regardless of economic or political cost.

    Olympic Aviation's board called on employees to consider their responsibilities towards society and the Greek people, who have funded the survival of the national carrier with 600 billion drachmas and offer their services as they are obliged to by law.

    End of English language section.


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