Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-08-20
From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1267), August 20, 1997
Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca
CONTENTS
[01] EU officials reluctant to comment on direct Cyprus talks
[02] Russia condemns Turkish stance
[03] Vartholomeos calls for peaceful coexistence between Greece,
Turkey
[04] Reports say Athens rejected Turkish request for NATO exercise
[05] New Democracy condemns Gov't over state of economy
[06] Australian Greeks want ministry established
[07] First world congress on Olympic education in schools
[08] Pipeline cities in Greece, Bulgaria to be twinned
[09] Bomb explodes outside Papathemelis' office in Athens
[10] Austrian embassy car bombed
[11] Crew safe in Dakar after mutiny on ship
[12] US airman missing from Souda base
[13] Turks jailed for bringing in illegal immigrants
[14] Aegean plates moving to southwest, seismology congress told
[15] U2 tickets go on sale for Thessaloniki super-concert
[16] National Bank capital increase
[17] National Bank of Greece to merge insurance subsidiaries
[18] Greek current account deficit may narrow - analysts
[19] Greek stocks slip in lackluster trade
[20] Greece to privatize key paper manufacturer
[21] Greek products to travel to Skopje fair
[01] EU officials reluctant to comment on direct Cyprus talks
Brussels, 20/08/1997 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)
EU officials yesterday appeared reluctant to be drawn into the
aftermath of failed direct talks between Cyprus President
Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash last
week in Switzerland.
In statements to ANA, a representative of the Luxembourg
rotating presidency of the EU Council of Ministers interpreted
this reluctance as a waiting-and-see attitude, in view of
today's discussion of the Cyprus problem in United Nations
Security Council , and also as due to the fact that the
diplomatic staff of many member-states had not yet been briefed
on the Montreux talks.
"It is not the right period, or our role for that matter, to add
fuel to the fire," a Luxembourg foreign ministry spokesman
responded when questioned on who was responsible for the failure
of the direct talks.
"It is certain, however, that the issue will be discussed by
Foreign Minister Jacques Poos with his Greek counterpart
Theodoros Pangalos, when he visits Athens on August 29 in the
framework of his tour of Community capitals," he said.
Commenting on the "association agreement" signed by the
self-styled Turkish Cypriot pseudo-state with Turkey, Luxembourg
presidency sources described it as a "negative development",
noting it was immaterial from the aspect of international law,
as it was co-signed by a 'state' not recognized by the
international community.
Regarding negotiations with Cyprus for full membership, the
spokesman said EU decisions will stand.
This was also confirmed by a Commission spokesman, who said
negotiations would start within 1998, but also stressed the need
for a settlement of the Cyprus issue.
The same spokesman also reminded that the decision to start
accession negotiations with Cyprus six months after the end of
the Intergovernmental Conference was reached at the same time as
the agreement for a customs union with Turkey.
[02] Russia condemns Turkish stance
Nicosia, 20/08/1997 (ANA - G. Leonidas)
Russia yesterday blamed Mr. Denktash for the lack of progress in
last week's direct talks on the Cyprus issue, held in
Switzerland.
A spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry said Mr. Denktash's
behavior in Switzerland disappointed the international
community, which was awaiting results.
Spokesman Valeri Nedrouskin also charged that the Turkish side
is resorting to threats of annexing occupied Cyprus as well as
placing conditions, such as ending Cyprus accession talks with
the EU and cancellation of the sale of the Russian-made S-300
anti-aircraft missiles.
Asked about the missile sales, the Russian official reiterated
his country's determination to proceed with the sale agreement,
despite Turkish warnings and threats.
[03] Vartholomeos calls for peaceful coexistence between Greece,
Turkey
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos concluded a three-day visit to
the eastern Aegean island of Hios yesterday with a message of
hope that relations between Greece and Turkey be characterized
by "peaceful coexistence in the Aegean, good neighborly
relations and creative co-operation".
"It is my heartfelt wish that the difficulties of the last few
days will be overcome and that the spirit of Madrid will come to
pervade relations between the two neighboring and allied states
and peoples of Greece and Turkey, until all pending problems are
resolved," the Patriarch said.
Vartholomeos was referring to a joint communiqui agreed to in
Madrid last month between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel.
He also directed a special greeting to Archbishop of Athens and
All Greece Serapheim.
[04] Reports say Athens rejected Turkish request for NATO exercise
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Greece's national defense general staff has reportedly turned
down a request by Ankara for participation of a Turkish landing
force in a NATO exercise scheduled to take place in the
Peloponnese, according to a report in yesterday's edition of the
Athens daily "Ta Nea".
The newspaper said Turkey had tried to include its forces in the
NATO exercise "Dynamic Mix", which involves a landing on a coast
in Messinia prefecture, southern Peloponnese.
"Ta Nea" added that Athens does not send Greek troops to
participate in similar alliance exercises in Turkey.
The article noted that Turkey had also requested an air corridor
in the Aegean for use by its warplanes without submitting prior
flight plans for the duration of the exercise.
This request was also reportedly turned down by the national
defense general staff since the alliance exercise does not
involve any air activity in the northern Aegean.
[05] New Democracy condemns Gov't over state of economy
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party criticized the
government yesterday for what it called the "dismal reality of a
black hole" in the budget attributed to divergences in revenues
and state expenditures.
In an announcement, ND said the assessed taxes and uncollected
debts totaled 1.6 billion drachmas, while the government was
preparing new tax amendments to change recent regulations that
were judged to be ineffective.
The party said the only way to cover "government inability, lack
of specific development policy and the absence of coordination"
would be to have "immediate infrastructure changes which the
government is daily proven too weak to carry out".
On its part, the Coalition of the Left and Progress
(Synaspismos) said the budget has "capsized" and the
government's fiscal policy has failed.
In an announcement on the lag in collecting revenues and the
resignation of the General Accounting Office secretary, the
party called on the government's financial staff to assume its
responsibilities instead of "trying to find scapegoats in the
finance ministry mechanism and try to patch up the 'black hole'
with unbelievable accounting contrivances".
Political Spring (Pol.An.) said the economy is becoming
destabilized, adding that any new tax collection campaign by the
government to cover the deficit in the '98 budget being drafted
now would "finish off" the middle class and low-income people.
"As long as economic policy moves beyond an orbit of
development, that's how much the danger will be growing of
turning the present economic crisis into an uncontrolled social
explosion," the Pol.An. announcement read.
[06] Australian Greeks want ministry established
Melbourne, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Representatives of Australia's Greek Community have appealed for
the establishment of an Overseas Greeks Ministry to cope with
the needs of overseas Greeks.
The presidents of the Greek Communities in Sydney, Adelaide and
Melbourne made the request during an event yesterday on "The
Future of Hellenism in Australia."
The president of Melbourne's Greek Community said the World
Hellenism Council (SAE) had not been as effective as expected.
He called for the reinforcement of cultural relations between
Australia's Greek communities with Greece and other centers of
Overseas Hellenism.
Meanwhile, Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis is to visit
Australia to represent the Greek government at the Melbourne
Greek community's centenary celebrations.
Mr. Soumakis is due to arrive in Melbourne on Friday from Sydney.
On Saturday he will attend celebrations, to be held at the
city's Crown Casino.
Events will be attended by Victorian Premier Jeff Kennet and
other officials.
[07] First world congress on Olympic education in schools
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The first world congress on the "Introduction of the Olympic and
Athletic Education in Schools" will take place in the
Peloponnese town of Kalavryta next week.
The event was announced by Sports Undersecretary Andreas Fouras
yesterday during a press conference.
The congress will be held at the initiative of the Olympic and
Athletic Education Foundation in co-operation with the sports
undersecretariat.
Mr. Fouras said the congress will be held with the participation
of 30 university professors from 20 countries who will submit
and discuss proposals on the subject.
[08] Pipeline cities in Greece, Bulgaria to be twinned
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
A delegation from Alexandroupoli is leaving soon for Burgas,
Bulgaria, to sign a protocol for the twinning of the two cities
on August 30.
Alexandroupoli mayor Eleftherios Gioftsidis, who heads the
delegation, said that the two cities "will not be linked just by
the proposed oil pipeline, because it was decided independently
of the project's progress to open co-operation in other
important sectors as well".
Mr. Gioftsidis explained that the sectors which both cities
could co-operate in are economy, trade, tourism, culture,
education and church matters, for which proposals are already
being examined by each side.
The Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline project has been signed
between Russia, Bulgaria and Greece, but plans for its
construction have been delayed.
[09] Bomb explodes outside Papathemelis' office in Athens
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
A bomb exploded yesterday in a building near Syntagma Square in
downtown Athens, outside the entrance of the fifth-floor office
of PASOK deputy and former public order minister Stelios
Papathemelis.
No one was injured in the blast, since an anonymous caller had
previously telephoned police to warn of the bomb, which led to
the building being evacuated, police said.
Later in the day, two Athens newspapers said they had received
phone calls from unknown callers saying they represented the
"Revolutionary Nuclei" urban guerrilla group and warning that
the bomb would explode in minutes.
The bomb was left in a plastic bag outside the office.
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas condemned the explosion
describing it as "the act of bullying cowards trying to
undermine democracy."
"Our disapproval is complete and our choice firm," he said in a
statement, warning that "both the government and the citizens
will not allow such phenomena to destabilize the democratic
institutions and overturn the smooth course of the Greek society
to progress."
Mr. Papathemelis himself said that the organization also made an
advance warning call to his office a few minutes before the
explosion. "Revolutionary Nuclei" had also claimed
responsibility for an explosion at a port terminal in Piraeus a
few months ago.
The act was also condemned by the public order ministry, the
main opposition New Democracy party, the Coalition of the Left,
and the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI).
[10] Austrian embassy car bombed
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Unidentified persons threw a fire-bomb at a car belonging to the
Austrian embassy shortly after midnight Monday, causing damage
but no injuries, police said. The fire-bomb was thrown at the
car, a red Mercedes, by two persons at 10 minutes after midnight.
The car, which was parked on the corner of 3rd September and
Averof Streets in Athens, had diplomatic plates. The blast
caused serious damage to the left side of the car. Police are
investigating the incident.
[11] Crew safe in Dakar after mutiny on ship
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The fishing boat "Aghios Georgios" docked in Dakar yesterday
after a mutiny on 16 August by the ship's 20 Liberian and Sierra
Leone crew members forced the master, Dimitris Iliou, to change
course and head for the Senegalese port.
Captain Iliou and the two other Greek officers are reported
safe. Merchant Marine Ministry sources said the Greek Consul in
Dakar was likely to visit the ship yesterday to deal with the
crew members' financial demands.
[12] US airman missing from Souda base
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The US embassy in Athens yesterday declined immediate comment on
the disappearance of an American satellite communications expert
from the US base at Souda on the island of Crete since August 12.
An embassy spokesman said yesterday they were "seeking further
information on the case before making any statement".
Larry Gonzales, 32, disappeared after returning from work at the
Souda base to his hotel at Kallathas in Akrotiri. Local press
reports said 24 hours after he went missing he was declared AWOL
and police and US secret services launched a search.
A US embassy press officer confirmed later yesterday that
"senior airman Larry Gonzales, based in Souda" had been missing
since August 12.
The officer said he had no further information at the present
time and declined to comment on the nature of Gonzales' duties
at the US base in Souda.
Police found his car, a Mini Cooper, abandoned a few yards from
his hotel two days after his disappearance, which was removed to
the Souda base, the reports said.
The same reports said that Mr. Gonzales had recently been
keeping company with two British women he had met in a bar in
Hania. He had reportedly been staying with one of them at her
hotel.
The reports added that FBI agents were due in Crete in the next
few days to join the search and investigations.
Airman Gonzales, along with two others, are reportedly
responsible for analyzing satellite messages.
[13] Turks jailed for bringing in illegal immigrants
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
A Turkish national was sentenced to five years in jail and fined
four million drachmas by a Lesvos court yesterday, for illegally
bringing into Greece seven Iraqi immigrants, court sources said.
Hussein Duman was sentenced by a three-member court on the
island of Lesvos for clandestinely transporting the illegal
immigrants in a boat on August 13.
Another Samos court meanwhile sentenced a 29-year-old Turk to
ten years' imprisonment and fined him 25 million drachmas after
being found guilty of illegally transporting 50 illegal
immigrants from Iraq. Kendir Hajaci was arrested by coast guard
officers last Friday while sailing between the islands of Samos
and Agathonisi.
The Iraqis said that they had each paid 1,500 dollars to be
taken to Greece. Hajaci denied the charges, maintaining that he
had not received any money and was seeking political asylum.
[14] Aegean plates moving to southwest, seismology congress told
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The 29th international congress on "Seismology and Physics of
the Earth's Interior" opened its work in Thessaloniki yesterday,
with announcements on research conducted on the Aegean Sea.
According to data presented by Greek seismologists, the Aegean
Sea's lithospheric plate is moving southwesterly, and during its
movement overrides the plate of the eastern Mediterranean by
five centimeters per year.
Data has also shown that the northern Aegean, especially the
area of Halkidiki peninsula, shows a plate deformity of 10 mm
per year, while in the southern Aegean plate deformity runs to
40 mm.
This is related to seismic activity in these areas: in the
northern Aegean, earthquakes are less frequent, but of greater
intensity, whereas in the south, they are more frequent but not
as intense.
Speaking on forecasting systems, the Mexican example was
presented by Juan Manuel Esinosa Aranda, general manager of the
Earthquake Recording Center.
He said that Mexico City used a network of seismographers and
radio systems that recorded activity along the Guerero fault.
When a large earthquake begins to be registered, alarms sound at
selected areas throughout Mexico City such as schools, subway
stations and major buildings, warning people to evacuate and the
subway drivers to reduce speed and prevent derailment.
This system was introduced on an experimental basis in 1991 and
established on a permanent basis since. Mr. Esinosa Aranda said
over four million people in a city of 18 million people had been
warned seconds before the earthquakes of 1995. It can only be
applied in areas where earthquakes do great damage at a great
distance from their epicenter.
Other seismologic data showed that the Paphos fissure, where
plates meet, is very similar to that of Cephalonia and volcanic
activity on the Troodos mountain range is similar to that of
Aegean volcanic mountains, allowing models for Greece to be used
for Cyprus also.
[15] U2 tickets go on sale for Thessaloniki super-concert
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Tickets for a Sept. 26 concert in Thessaloniki by the popular
Irish rock group U2 go on sale in the northern Greece city and
in Athens today, but only to people who have pre-registered, the
Cultural Capital Organization said yesterday.
Of a total of 50,000 tickets expected to be issued for the
concert, 25,887 have been claimed by registration, and 1,400
through the Internet.
Those who have registered for the concert may pick up their
tickets at stands in the XANTH square (Thessaloniki), or 9,
Panepistimiou St. in Athens beginning today until August 31.
Remaining tickets available after the sale by registration and
distribution to officials will be sold to the public from stands
in Thessaloniki at Aristotelous Square between Sept. 1 and 10.
The group and concert crews are expected to arrive in
Thessaloniki a day before the concert. Their equipment,
transported in 72 trucks, will be set up by 450 technicians at
pier 2 on Thessaloniki's port.
Four large screens will be set up at Kalamaria, Stavroupoli, the
White Tower (Lefkos Pyrgos) and Aristotelous Square to project
the concert.
Adding to the unusual size of the concert is a yet more uncommon
clause that provides for insuring the life of each concert-goer
for US10 million dollars in the event of an accidental death
during the show.
[16] National Bank capital increase
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The National Bank of Greece is set to raise about 90 billion
drachmas from the Greek and international money markets in a
two-phased move over the next two months.
The first phase will involve the offer of bank shares held by
the state to foreign institutional investors. These shares will
be offered without rights in the equity capital increase which
will follow, and will be approximately as many as those which
will result from the conversion of the old bond loan. Main lead
managers will be Merrill Lynch and SBC Warburg.
The equity capital increase will involve the offer of new for
old shares at a rough 1:4 ratio. The increase will be put to a
special general shareholders' meeting at the end of September.
The funds drawn will be used for the bank's strategic expansion
in the broader Balkan region, and to finance the modernization
of the bank's electronic systems.
[17] National Bank of Greece to merge insurance subsidiaries
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
National Insurance and Astir, two insurance firms included in
the National Bank of Greece Group, announced yesterday that they
will merge in a deal creating a new insurance giant in the Greek
market.
The plan, approved by both companies' shareholders at an
extraordinary meeting, is due for approval by the ministry of
Development.
Under the plan, National Insurance will absorb Astir Insurance.
National Insurance shareholders will swap 10 old shares for 2.93
new ones, while Astir Insurance shareholders will receive 3.5
new shares for every 10 old ones.
The new company's share capital is estimated at 14.8 billion
drachmas while the company will have a combined stake of more
than 20 percent of the Greek insurance market.
National Insurance's main strategic target will be a rapid
expansion of its activities in neighboring countries.
The company is already present in Romania holding a 51 percent
stake in Hellenic Romanian Insurance Company, and is seeking
expansion in Ukraine, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia,
Georgia and Armenia.
[18] Greek current account deficit may narrow - analysts
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Greece's widening current account deficit may show signs of
improvement in the second half of 1997, Alpha Credit Bank said
in a monthly report on the economy released yesterday.
"Exports of goods and tourism as well as inflows from the
European Union are expected to recover. Moreover, payments for
oil imports will slow," the private commercial bank's economic
research division said.
Another factor that could aid the current account deficit was a
roughly five percent depreciation in the drachma since July 1996
that would further boost tourist activity and exports if
maintained until end-year, the report said.
The 1996 deficit was 4.5 billion dollars, or 3.7 percent of
gross domestic product against a shortfall of 2.9 billion
dollars, or 2.6 percent of GDP a year earlier.
In January-April 1997 the deficit was 2.3 billion dollars, up
from 1.9 billion in the same period of 1996.
The widening deficit has been attributed mainly due to a higher
level of payments for oil imports, which also explains a decline
in the trade balance, and to lower receipts from the European
Union, the report said.
However, a decline in interest payments and profits due
primarily to a lengthening of maturity on government securities
has exerted a favorable influence on the current account, it
said.
[19] Greek stocks slip in lackluster trade
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
Greek equities remained yesterday under pressure for the second
consecutive session on the Athens Stock Exchange to lose further
ground despite an improvement in trading conditions.
The general index closed 0.61 percent lower at 1,613.02 points
with most sector indices losing ground. Banks fell 0.73 percent,
Leasing fell 1.18 percent, Insurance eased 0.32 percent,
Investment dropped 1.03 percent, Industrials fell 0.70 percent,
Construction was 0.25 percent off and Holding eased 0.19
percent. Miscellaneous bucked the trend to end 0.16 percent
higher.
The parallel market for small cap firms rose 0.02 percent.
Trading was moderate and turnover was 11.9 billion drachmas.
Broadly, declining issues led advancing ones by 108 to 86 with
another 18 issues unchanged.
Epiphania, Heliofin, Ideal and Kekrops scored the biggest
percentage gains, while Balkan Export, Naousa Mills, Sato and
Vis suffered the heaviest losses of the day.
National Bank of Greece ended at 36,980 drachmas, Ergobank at
17,835, Alpha Credit Bank at 19,600, Delta Dairy at 4,220, Titan
Cement at 14,755, Intracom at 12,900 and Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization at 6,595.
In the domestic foreign exchange market, the US dollar rose
spectacularly, reversing a two-day sharp fall to end 2.19
percent higher against the drachma.
[20] Greece to privatize key paper manufacturer
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The Industrial Reconstruction Organization (OAE), a Greek state
body in charge of restructuring and privatizing nationalized
enterprises, yesterday called an international tender for the
sale of Athinaiki Paper Mills. The deadline for expressions of
inter est is September 24.
[21] Greek products to travel to Skopje fair
Athens, 20/08/1997 (ANA)
The HELEXPO-International Fair of Thessaloniki will organize an
exhibition of Greek products in Skopje at the end of November or
early December.
In an announcement, HELEXPO said that it had been holding talks
with officials in Skopje and expected to reach an agreement
soon.
End of English language section.
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