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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 99-01-13Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Greece,Spain express 'total agreement' on 'Agenda 2000'MADRID 13/01/1999 (ANA - S. Liarellis)Prime Minister Costas Simitis and his Spanish counterpart Jose Maria Aznar yesterday noted an identity of views in talks focusing on ongoing negotiations within the European Union on the 'Agenda 2000'.Mr. Simitis, who began a three-day visit to Spain yesterday, said he agreed with Mr. Aznar that the issue should be placed in its proper dimensions, namely, that it should be treated as an issue involving revenues and not just expenditures. In other words, Mr. Simitis told reporters, all EU countries should contribute in the same way and when the revenues issue has been resolved, the expenditures issue should be tackled. Current negotiations should end in March, Mr. Simitis said, emphasising the importance of expenditures for the farm sector. He stressed also that the solutions to emerge should ensure that countries with a strong farm sector do not bear the brunt of policy reform. Noting that the EU was founded on the principles of convergence and cohesion, Mr. Simitis said he had ascertained an identity of views with Mr. Aznar "and with common positions we will attain better results". Mr. Aznar said the two sides had "almost identical" views on the issue of own resources, underlining that Greece and Spain contributed to the EU the proper amount in relation to their GDP. While Mr. Simitis spoke in terms of a "front", Aznar rejected the term, preferring to use the phrase "complete agreement". Saying that the EU needed the Cohesion Fund, Mr. Aznar said "we should not be talking in terms of problems between Germany and Spain or Germany and Greece, but rather trying to overcome the inequalities between regions or countries". He also said that there should be no difference between revenues and expenditures. Both leaders said they were in favour of a strong European Commission. Mr. Aznar said the Commission should be able to fully perform its functions, while Mr. Simitis said a weak Commission would be unable to find the necessary common solutions to problems. On the issue of a common European foreign policy and security policy, Mr. Aznar said all countries should undertake specific obligations and clearly state their positions. The Spanish premier said his country is working along four axes towards this end. Specifically, the first is preparation of Madrid's armed forces for joint initiatives, as a completely professional military is slated be achieved by 2002. The second axis is Spain's full integration within NATO, while the third is to increase Europe's security identity, calling for the WEU's strengthening within the EU framework. Finally, he said Spain's active participation in the alliance's planned strategy is the fourth axis. The two premiers also discussed Mediterranean cooperation and stated their support for all efforts aimed at giving fresh impetus to the initiative, while Mr. Simitis said it had not advanced as far as it should. Mr. Simitis and Mr. Aznar said their two countries' bilateral relations were at a very good point. The Spanish premier cited in particular the formation of a committee of Greek and Spanish businesspeople, adding that cooperation in the cultural sector was also very good. Mr. Aznar said Spain would actively support the Greek initiative for the organisation of a Cultural Olympiad. Athens News Agency[02] Treaty forming SE Europe peacekeeping force finalised in AthensAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)A supplementary protocol to a treaty establishing a multinational peacekeeping force in southeast Europe was signed at a meeting in Athens yesterday.The protocol determines a number of issues which had remained unresolved, including the location of the command headquarters and the presidency of the force's political and military committee. It was signed by the defence ministers of Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Slovenia, Romania's chief of staff, as well as the US and Turkish ambassadors in Athens. Slovenia and the US are participating in the multinational force as observers. According to the protocol, the force's headquarters will alternate every four years among the participating NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries in the order of Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Greece. The command will be assigned to each of the countries for a two-year term. Turkey will be first, followed by Greece. The presidency and headquarters of the political and military committee will be held by each of the participating countries for a two-year term. Greece will hold the first presidency, followed by Romania. The force's headquarters is expected to start operating this summer, while the participating countries hope to hold the first exercise at the end of 1999. The agreement will be ratified by the participating countries in the near future. According to a special clause, the treaty will enter into force when it has been ratified by four of the participating countries. National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said the force would serve as a tool for the international community for tackling problems of security and stability in the region, based on international law as applied by international organisations. Italian Defence Minister Carlo Scognamiglio said the multinational force constituted a "military capability" provided by Europeans to the international community. FYROM Defence Minister Nicola Kljusev said the force expressed "the goodwill of the participating countries to overcome the historical conflicts of the past". Kosovo : In addition, the defence ministers at the meeting expressed concern about developments in the troubled Yugoslav province of Kosovo, while all expressed support for a peaceful settlement of the problem through negotiations between the opposing sides. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos called on the international community to exert pressure now, rather than later, aimed at finding a peaceful political solution granting autonomy for the Albanian population of the province "within the limits of Yugoslavia". He added that the demand of ethnic Albanians for self-administra-tion was a just one. Both Mr. Tsohatzopoulos and his Bulgarian counterpart, Georgi Ananiev clarified that the SE Europe multinational force was not ready to intervene immediately in the Kosovo crisis. Mr. Ananiev expressed the hope that the crisis would soon be resolved so that the force would not have to be used. Albanian Defence Minister Luan Hajdaraga said the Kosovo problem was a problem of the entire Balkan region, since if it spread, it would inevitably affect all the countries. Mr. Hajdaraga appealed for any political solution to be based on respect for the principles of self-determination and the inviolability of present borders. Mr. Scognamiglio said Italy had taken the decision to participate in both the SE Europe force and the NATO multinational force in FYROM which will provide assistance to OSCE verifiers in Kosovo if the need arises because of its proximity to the Balkans. He added that Italy would be directly and adversely affected in the event of instability in the Balkan region. KKE reaction : On its part, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued an announcement claiming that the new multinational force is pitted against the peoples of the eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. " Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' statements, that it is a peace force, turn black into white and cover the true aggressive and warlike character of the new military corps. Another link has been added to the chain of dangers threatening the Greek people, and underlines the even more so the need for a powerful resistance to NATO's plans." Athens News Agency[03] Athens comments on new Turkish coalition gov'tAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Athens yesterday said it hoped the new Turkish government would achieve political stability and normality."This will help Turkey in its European vocation, as well as in becoming a credible interlocutor," acting government spokesman Yiannis Nikolaou said. Mr. Nikolaou added that Greece's desire was that any Turkish government respect international treaties and contribute to conditions of good neighbourliness and peace in the region. Veteran Turkish politician Bulent Ecevit became prime minister on Monday at the head of a minority government after six weeks of political crisis. He was expected to read his government's programme to the Turkish parliament yesterday. ND reaction : In a related development, main opposition New Democracy spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos said that the instead of congratulating Mr. Ecevit the government should denounce him internationally for his statements regarding Cyprus. He added that Mr. Ecevit's statement that there are two separate states on the island in practice shows contempt for the principles of the United Nations and for the organisation's resolutions seeking a just and permanent solution to the Cyrpus problem. Athens News Agency[04] Meeting of Balkan sports ministersAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Rhodes is the site of a meeting of Balkan sports ministers on Jan. 15-17, with an aim of drawing more active participation from the surrounding countries ahead of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.Sports Undersecretary Andreas Fouras said yesterday that he hoped for a positive reception of his proposals to upgrade the 'Balkan Games'. Sports ministers from Albania, Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia are expected to attend. Athens News Agency[05] Council of State cancels Dornier contract for Crete firing rangeAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The Council of State yesterday cancelled a direct assignment to the German firm "Dornier" for the provision of a target system at the Crete firing range between 1998-99.Dornier had been awarded the contract directly from the defence ministry, which failed to proclaim a tender and did not have any special reason to justify its decision, the Council of State ruled. The cancellation of the contract was requested by the firm "Tria Sigma", which had submitted a bid for the specific provision in a previous international tender. Athens News Agency[06] School occupations, road blockades continue despite judicial banAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)High school students yesterday continued sit-ins and road blockades in several areas, despite a ban by public prosecutors.However, it was unclear how many schools were under occupation, as teachers and the education ministry gave conflicting figures, the former claiming 380 and the latter 200. Minor incidents occured in a few instances, such as when drivers attempted unsuccessfully to persuade students to end an hour-long blockade in busy Aharnon Street in central Athens and in Thessaloniki, when scuffles broke out overnight between students, teachers and parents, who disagreed with the continuation of sit-ins.Disagreements were apparent between students in a number of schools. Acting government spokesman Yiannis Nikolaou condemned incidents against reporters during a rally outside Athens University Monday, while Justice Minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos attributed responsibilities to teachers for the sit-ins. Meanwhile, students and teachers prepared for more mobilisations. Teachers' local unions were meeting for most of the day to decide on a motion for two 24-hour strikes, on Jan. 21 and 28. The teachers' central union will reach a final decision over the weekend. A rally of the educational community has also been scheduled for Friday in Athens and Piraeus, and there will be blockading of prefectural headquarters and roads in all large cities. The education ministry is now reported to be looking into ways of covering for the class hours lost due to the occupations which started early last month. Athens News Agency[07] Stephanopoulos to be honoured by Athens municipalityAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will be awarded with the Golden Medal of Worth and the Golden Key of the City of Athens by Athens Mayor DImitris Avramopoulos during a ceremony at the Town Hall today.Yesterday, Mr. Stephanopoulos awarded a number of honorary distinctions to several individuals on the occasion of the new year at the presidential mansion. Constantinos Despotopoulos, former president of the Athens Academy received the High Commander of the Phoenix Order; Yiannis Moralis, a painter and professor at the Fine Arts School was awarded the Commander of the Honour Order, while the Commander of the Phoenix Order was awarded to Dolly Goulandris, Lazaros Efraimoglou, Dimitris Mitaras, G. Pappas and Leonidas Resvanis. Evangelos Kofos and Achilleas Lazarou received the Golden Cross of the Phoenix Order. Athens News Agency[08] Cooperation protocol on environmental cleanup of discused Bulgarian uranium minesSOFIA 13/01/1999 (ANA - B. Borisov)A protocol of cooperation signed during the sixth meeting of a joint Greek- Bulgarian planning and cooperation committee, which ended here yesterday, provides for allocation of 12 million euros for the environmental cleanup of one-time uranium mines of southern Bulgaria.Constantinos Theos, National Econonmy Ministry director and responsible for the EU programme "Interreg", said that the meeting was highly successful. "Projects with an emphasis on environmental protection were presented, which are of concern to us and to the EU in general. This way, the programme is now balanced, as up to now the emphasis was on transports," Mr. Theos said. Mr. Theos, who is also the Greek co-chairman of the joint committee announced that a study on the impact of construction on the Goce Delcev-to- Drama motorway would have on the regions' bear population, will be ready by the end of February. Athens News Agency[09] 'Avgi' clash with SynaspismosAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Employees with the Athens daily "Avgi" decided last night to call a 24- strike, starting today, in protest over a decision by the Coalition of the Left and Progress' (Synaspismos) political secretariat to appoint a board of trustees for the firm publishing the newspaper, Agvi AE.According to the decision, taken by a vote of nine to seven, Synaspismos cadre Dimitris Hatzisocratis is appointed director of Avgi. Employees asked party leader Nikos Constantopoulos to delay implementation of the decision for a few days to allow time for a compromise solution. However, Mr. Constantopoulos, whose party's relations with Avgi have been tense in recent days, rejected employees' proposals. Athens News Agency[10] Four arrested in Albanian child abduction schemeAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Efforts to find an abducted eight-year-old Albanian child led police to the arrest of four Albanians on charges of kidnapping children for ransom and forcing them to beg for money at traffic lights in Athens.The father of the eight-year-old reported his son's abduction in Thebes instead of paying the kidnappers 100,000 drachmas in ransom. Authorities arrested Fadil Gluri, 26, Zamir Musai, 20, Faik Rarkai, 33, and Atzim Lumnika, 35, in connection with the charges. During the operation, police also discovered and rescued several other abducted children while conficsating 160,000 drachmas, according to reports. Unknown arsonists attempted to torch two cars in separate incidents in Athens area early yesterday morning, police said. According to police, assailants doused a pick-up truck in Pefki, northern Athens, with gasoline and set it on fire. In a separate incident in the Neos Kosmos suburb unknown assailants attempted to set a car on fire. Athens News Agency[11] Yield drops sharply in five-year bond auctionAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The average weighted yield on five-year bonds slid to 6.75 percent during yesterday's bond auction by the finance ministry, reaffirming the confidence of international investors in the domestic economy and the likelihood of entry into economic and monetary union.The finance ministry auctioned 200 billion drachmas worth of paper to primary dealers, whose bids drove the yield two percentage points lower than 8.76 percent in an equivalent auction in November. The issue pays an annual coupon of 6.60 percent and its average weighed price was 99.36 points, down from 100.1 in November. Bids totalled 384.4 billion drachmas, almost double the target. The finance ministry finally accepted bids totalling 240 billion drachmas. Athens News Agency[12] World Bank's eurodrachma bond gets good receptionAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Alpha Credit Bank,a blue chip on the Athens bourse, was joint lead manager with Toronto Dominion Securities and DG Bank in a bond issued by the World Bank. Well received by global investors, the 40-billion drachma bond has a fixed rate of 6.25 percent and a duration of three years, expiring on February 2, 2002, Alpha Credit Bank said in a statement yesterday.The bond is the largest eurodrachma issue to date, the statement said.Athens News Agency[13] Stocks end flat in active tradeAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Equities recovered early sharp losses to end yesterday's session narrowly mixed on the Athens Stock Exchange.The general index ended 0.01 percent off at 2,983.34 points after starting the day 1.80 percent down. Turnover was moderate to heavy at 85.7 billion drachmas on 20,408 shares traded. Sector indices were mixed. Banks fell 0.72 percent, Leasing rose 3.04 percent, Insurance ended 1.09 percent up, Investment increased 0.43 percent, Construction ended 2.16 percent higher, Industrials rose 1.19 percent, Miscellaneous ended 2.42 percent up and Holding fell 1.33 perc ent. The parallel market index for small cap companies ended 1.64 percent higher, while the FTSE/ASE 20 index fell 0.59 percent to 1,881.25 points. Mytilineos, Thessaliki, Eskimo and Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation were the most heavily traded stocks. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 160 to 108 with another 10 issues unchanged. Naoussa Spinning Mills, General Bank, Mylonas, Keranis, Levenderis, Connection, Bitros and Bank of Central Greece hit the daily 8.0 percent limit up. Karelias, Karamolegos, Commercial Invest, Sato, General Warehouses, Themeliodomi, Ergas, Minerva, Kalpinis and Technodomi suffered the heaviest losses. National Bank of Greece ended at 67,100 drachmas, Ergobank at 35,800, Alpha Credit Bank at 32,300, Ionian Bank at 15,915, Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 8,395, Delta Dairy at 4,200, Intracom at 14,900, Titan Cement at 23,100, Hellenic Petroleum at 2,370 and Minoan Lines at 7,130 drachmas. Athens News Agency[14] Development ministry urges cheaper mobile phone ratesAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The government yesterday called for lower mobile telephone rates and better protection for consumers in the domestic cellular telephone market, currently totalling 2,000,000 subscribers.Deputy Development Minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis also urged mobile telephone operators to reduce by one hour daily their category of conversation peak times, lower phone rates during non-peak hours, and offer free phone call identification and conference services. In addition, the ministry secured the agreement of the country's three mobile operators - Panafon, Telestet and Cosmote - to give clients a questionnaire on their use of the telephone so that the right package of services may be chosen; and offer more information on subscriptions. Mr. Chrysohoides said that the ministry will monitor more closely the operation of the mobile telephone market to ensure fair competition. Panafon tops one million subscribers : Panafon said yesterday that it was the first domestic mobile phone operator to secure more than one million subscribers, reporting 1,068,632 customers on December 31, 1998, a rise of 95.5 percent from the previous year. The company said that it acquired 119,459 new subscribers in the last quarter of 1998, a rise of 83.7 percent from the corresponding period in 1997 when only two mobile operators were in the market. On the basis of number of subscribers, Panafon's market share exceeded 10 percent from 5.2 percent in 1997. The company said it also ranked top on the basis of pre-paid mobile telephony services and contracts. Athens News Agency[15] Alico Eurobank sees Athens bourse gaining 20-25 pct in 1999Athens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Alico Eurobank, a mutual fund manager, yesterday forecast a 20-25 percent increase in the Athens Stock Exchange's general index in 1999.A report by the company said that current share prices have largely discounted macro-economic progress in the country this year. Alico Eurobank recommends that well-informed individuals who have yet to play the market should place 15-20 percent of their funds in equity mutual funds with a maturity of 12 to 18 months. Newcomers who know little about the market but have invested in government securities and mutual funds,should enter composite mutual funds with up to 20-25 percent of their capital. Alico Eurobank showed a rise in assets of 66 percent in 1998 to 833.5 billion drachmas on December 31 from 502 billion the previous year, raising its market share to 9.2 percent. Alico Eurobank's international composite fund topped the country's list of returns in the last six years and was among the top European composite mutual funds with a return of 199.19 percent. Athens News Agency[16] Selonda Fisheries to make main market trading debut tomorrowAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Selonda Fisheries, a popular stock on the Athens bourse's parallel market for small cap firms, is to transfer to the main market tomorrow.The shares in depositary form will all have been distributed today. Trading is in stock units of 10. Athens News Agency[17] EFG Eurobank gives bourse details of merger with Bank of AthensAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)EFG Eurobank yesterday gave the Athens Stock Exchange details of its merger with Bank of Athens, decided on December 14, 1998.The Latsis-owned bank said that the joint share capital to emerge from the merger was 55 billion drachmas, including a share capital increase endorsed by the shareholders of Bank of Athens. The capital would be divided into 110,463,624 shares, of which 110,019,024 would be common stock with voting rights and 444,600 preferred with no voting rights. The merger enables EFG Eurobank to enter the Athens bourse. Athens News Agency[18] Macedonian Textile Mills orders indefinite lay-offs in overhaulAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Macedonian Textile Mills yesterday told the Athens Stock Exchange that it would suspend its workforce for an indefinite period in order to restructure the company.Restructuring of the group would not be completed before April, the company said in a statement to the bourse. Staff had agreed to the suspension, whose duration would comply with the law, it said. Athens News Agency[19] Drachma stays firm, central bank turns blind eyeAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The drachma remained firm in the foreign currency market yesterday but the central bank did not intervene.The euro was set at 323.760 drachmas at the Bank of Greece's daily fix, and the drachma nosed down in late trade to 324.35 against the euro. Athens News Agency[20] Chrysohoidis: Economy escaping vicious circle of inflation,deficitsAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The economy has escaped from the vicious circle of inflation and deficits and is now moving on towards convergence with the rest of the EU, Development Deputy Minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis said during an address to the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) yesterday.He also stressed that agreements between the government, supermarkets and foodstuffs manufacturers on keeping a lid on prices had contributed visibly to a de-escalation of inflation, but still greater efforts were required between industry and commerce to avoid market dysfunctions and distortions to healthy competition. He added that the ministry planned to increase the powers of the authority that controls market competition. Athens News Agency[21] Greek hoteliers focus on sector's problems, prospectsAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Greek hoteliers called for greater attention to be paid for problems in the hotel sector during their federation's national conference yesterday at a downtown Athens hotel.Hoteliers agreed with the assessment that 1999 is starting with positive omens and that recovery in the tourism sector is expected to continue this year. They said that the first messages received from major tour operators in traditional markets are encouraging, adding that in past years hotels experienced a recession, which left behind accumulated problems which shows the need for the state to preoccupy itself seriously with the sector. Among others, problems they are facing are the need for the modernisation of small and medium-size businesses, prices of rooms must not be kept at unacceptably low levels, while the problem of high interest rates and arbitrary charges by banks continues to exist. In addition, hoteliers feel that they are being subjected to exorbitant taxation and added that they will not tolerate experiments and solutions from bodies lying outside the hotel sector regarding the application of a "star system" for Greece's hotels. Athens News Agency[22] EOMMEX-sponsored meeting of Greek, Romanian entrepreneursAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The Hellenic Organisation of Small and Medium Size Enterprises and Craftsmen (EOMMEX) and the economic affairs office of the Romanian embassy in Athens will organise a meeting of Greek and Romanian businesspeople tomorrow at the Mortgage Bank's educational centre in Glyfada.The Romanian businesspeople (30 managers representing 28 Romanian private companies) are in Greece to attend an educational seminar EOMMEX is organising until Jan. 20 to promote economic relations between Greece and Romania. In parallel, the Romanian entrepreneurs are interested in establishing business contacts with their Greek counterparts in the sectors of imports, exports, investments, joint ventures, etc. Athens News Agency[23] Aegean Aviation cites expansionAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The expansion of Aegean Aviation's activities was decided by the company's board yesterday. The firm is part of the Vassilakis group (Seat, Herz, etc).The firm said it was ordering three new jet aircraft as well as pondering an increase in its share capital. Aegean Aviation wants to increase its share capital by seven billion drachmas. The new aircraft, the four-engine Avro RJ 100, will be used on domestic routes with Athens as the hub. Athens News Agency[24] Hellenic-British Chamber receptionAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)The Hellenic-British Chamber of Commerce is hosting a reception on Friday on the occasion of the new year. The event, at a central Athens hotel, will be attended by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos and Britain's ambassador in Athens Sir Michael John Llewelyn Smith.Athens News Agency[25] Athens Foreign ExcangeAthens 13/01/1999 (ANA)Bank of Greece closing rates of: January 12, 1999Parities in Drachmas Banknotes Buying Selling US Dollar 279.357 285.834 Can.Dollar 185.246 189.541 Australian Dlr 178.143 182.274 Pound Sterling 454.733 465.276 Irish Punt 407.802 417.257 Pound Cyprus 552.266 565.071 Pound Malta 692.703 721.566 Turkish pound (100) 0.073 0.076 French franc 48.962 50.097 Swiss franc 199.883 204.517 Belgian franc 7.962 8.146 German Mark 164.212 168.019 Finnish Mark 54.017 55.269 Dutch Guilder 145.741 149.120 Danish Kr. 43.138 44.138 Swedish Kr. 35.331 36.150 Norwegian Kr. 37.289 38.154 Austrian Sh. 23.340 23.881 Italian lira (100) 16.587 16.972 Yen (100) 248.446 254.207 Spanish Peseta 1.930 1.975 Port. Escudo 1.602 1.639 Foreign Exchange Buying Selling New York 279.357 285.834 Montreal 185.246 189.541 Sydney 178.143 182.274 London 454.733 465.276 Dublin 407.802 417.257 Nicosia 552.266 565.071 Paris 48.962 50.097 Zurich 199.883 204.517 Brussels 7.962 8.146 Frankfurt 164.212 168.019 Helsinki 54.017 55.269 Amsterdam 145.741 149.120 Copenhagen 43.138 44.138 Stockholm 35.331 36.150 Oslo 37.289 38.154 Vienna 23.340 23.881 Milan 16.587 16.972 Tokyo 248.446 254.207 Madrid 1.930 1.975 Lisbon 1.602 1.639 Athens News AgencyAthens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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