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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-08-08Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Greece dismisses claim of collusion between security services and terroristsAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)Greece on Monday described as "baseless" and "repetitive" a report in Time magazine insinuating collusion between terrorists and Greek state security services."The article is a collection of baseless claims and repetitions written at various times in the past," said acting government spokesman Telemachos Hytiris. The report says that the caller who claimed responsibility for the killing of the British military attache in Athens, Stephen Saunders, on June 8 on behalf of the notorious "November 17" terrorist group evaded a telephone security net at the Eleftherotypia newspaper by calling a reporter's mobile phone. November 17, active in Greece since 1975, has frequently called Eleftherotypia to claim responsibility after its numerous strikes, which have targeted several American and other foreign government officials in Greece. Time quotes a special agent who suggests that the breach in security could only be interpreted as proof of a collusion between Greek state security and the terrorists. The report by Time's correspondents in Athens, Anthee Carassava, and in Washington, Massimo Calabresi, is entitled, "The Perfect Murderers". Hytiris noted that British security officials collaborating with Greek counterparts to discover Saunders's killers had confirmed Greece's strong interest in eradicating terrorism. "Scotland Yard have officially stated their full satisfaction with our cooperation and this is proof of our country's strong will in stamping out terrorism," he said. The issue was among the subjects of discussion between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and ministers in Athens on Monday. Sources said the report was attributed to attempts by "certain American circles" to exercise pressure on the Greek government. Meanwhile, the Athens Bar Association on Monday voiced concern over press reports that the government was preparing a bill providing for trial without jury for the suspects of terrorist acts and mandatory life sentences for the members of terrorist organizations. "We reiterate our opposition to the proposal for taking away the responsibility from mixed jury courts for trying cases relating to terrorism, and note that, to date, there have been no indications of a lack of credibility on the part of the courts in trying such cases," said the Association in a statement. Hotlines set up for information on terrorists: Two toll-free hotlines for individuals wishing to anonymously pass on information related to terrorist activities, the first such phone lines in Greece, have been established. The lines - 1964 and 170 - are linked with the country's anti-terrorist service and will be staffed on a 24-hour basis, according to reports. Authorities emphasized that no caller ID or recording machine will be placed on the two lines and that conversations will be strictly confidential. The hotline is part of stepped up measures to deal with terrorist acts, especially those carried out by the notorious "November 17" gang, which took responsibility for the killing of Britain defense attache in Athens in early June. [02] Greek military chief in Britain this weekLONDON, 08/08/2000 (ANA)Greece's military chief begins a three-day official visit here on Monday at the invitation of his British counterpart.Gen. Manoussos Paragioudakis, the head of Greece's joint chiefs of staff, is expected to hold meetings at the British war ministry and with top military officials. On Wednesday, he will tour an army and air force base as well as lay a wreath at the grave of slain British defense attache Stephen Saunders, who was gunned down by a terrorist group in Athens in early June. [03] Equities dive in scant tradeAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)Stocks slumped in thin trade on the Athens Stock Exchange on Monday, driving prices down to their lowest level since early in May 1999.The general index ended 3.50 percent lower at 3,731.44 points with turnover at 58.13 billion drachmas. Traders said heavy supply combined with almost non-existent buying interest prompted the decline. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 3.13 percent down, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index finished 4.54 percent lower. Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: -3.37% Leasing: -5.21% Insurance: -2.46% Investment: -2.65% Construction: -4.71% Industrials: -3.81% Miscellaneous: -3.54% Holding: -4.80% The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks plunged 7.89 percent. Of 344 shares traded, declines led advances at 330 to 9 with five issues unchanged. Most heavily traded were Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Alpha Bank, Sex Form, Douros, Agricultural Insurance and Bank of Piraeus. Drachma closing prices of leading shares were as follows: National Bank of Greece: 13,150 Titan Cement Co. (c): 13,000 Alpha Bank: 12,175 Hellenic Telecommunications: 7,610 Commercial Bank of Greece: 15,220 Panafon: 3,995 Hellenic Petroleum: 3,450 Eurobank: 9,000 Intracom: 11,810 Lambrakis Press: 9,000 Heracles Cement: 7,470 Bond prices rise in brisk trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished higher in brisk trade. The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.02 percent from 6.037 percent for two straight sessions. The Greek paper's yield spread over German bunds was 85-86 basis points from around 85 basis points for four sessions. Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 118 billion drachmas from 6.0 billion drachmas a session earlier. Buy orders accounted for 100 billion drachmas of turnover. Orders, thought to come from abroad, for two-five year paper accounted for around 52 billion drachmas of trade, dealers said. Drachma up vs. euro, dollar: The drachma on Monday ended higher against the euro and the US dollar in the domestic foreign exchange market. At the central bank's daily fixing, the euro was set at 337.07 drachmas from 337.080 drachmas in the previous session. Also at the fix, the dollar was set at 370.800 drachmas from 372.560 drachmas a day earlier. [04] Investment firms show drop in asset value in JulyAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)The country's 17 investment portfolio companies posted a 15 billion drachma drop in the net value of assets in July to total 1,173 billion drachmas, the Union of Institutional Investors said a monthly report on Monday.The net value of their assets against the start of the year showed a decline ranging between 8.0 percent and 44.5 percent since the start of the year, the report said. [05] Gov't to hire PriceWaterhouseCoopers to unravel OA's accountsAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)The government is to hire international auditor PriceWaterHouseCoopers to untangle the accounts of Olympic Airways, the ailing national carrier, before an international privatization tender is held.A lack of clarity in OA's accounts is the reason that the transport and communications ministry has yet to sign the termination of a contract with Speedwing, the company's manager for 10 months and a British Airways subsidiary. OA's consolidated accounts for 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 have yet to be compiled, and the company's ledgers contain gaps and discrepancies. [06] A G Petzetakis gets new fiber optic piping dealsAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)A G Petzetakis, which is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, on Monday announced that it had been awarded three new contracts to supply plastic piping systems for telecommunications fiber optic cables.Petzetakis has evolved a specialized product called Teleflex for use in telecoms. The piping is destined for the following companies: [07] Six Turks charged with migrant smugglingAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)Six Turkish nationals were charged with migrant smuggling on Monday after 334 migrants, all loaded into a 30-wooden vessel, were detained off SE Crete on Sunday.The migrants - 185 men, 52 women and 97 children -- are mostly Kurds from Turkey and Afghanis, authorities said. Several of the migrants were taken to a local hospital in the small resort town of Ierapetra for medical treatment, while the remainder of the group was being housed at the community's soccer stadium. Thousands of migrants from Turkey, the Middle East, eastern Europe and elsewhere have increasingly attempted to breach Greek borders over recent years, either to remain in the country or to attempt passage to another European Union destination. Gov't considers amending legislation concerning migrant traffickers: Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis announced on Monday that the government was considering amending existing legislation regarding migrant traffickers. Papoutsis made the announcement in Ierapetra, Crete, where he is on holiday, following the arrest there on Sunday of six Turkish migrant traffickers accused of transporting 334 Kurdish and Afghani illegal immigrants. The six Turks will appear before the public prosecutor at Lasithi on Tuesday. Papoutsis, who visited the exhausted illegal immigrants, said "we will do everything possible as a government to help these people, for a start, to keep them alive. Later we shall see how they will return safely to their homes." [08] Sudanese officials confirm arrest in Orthodox bishop's murderKHARTOUM, 08/08/2000 (ANA/AP)Sudanese authorities confirmed on Monday that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the July 31 slaying of the elderly Greek Orthodox Bishop of Sudan.According to an AP dispatch from Khartoum, Sudanese authorities confirmed the arrest, although last week the country's foreign ministry said the murder had no political or religious motives. A local newspaper, the daily "Akhbar Al-Yawm, reported on Monday that the suspect was a "foreigner and well-known to the late bishop, which allowed him to enter the house." Bishop Titos, 73, was found stabbed to death in his Khartoum residence at the end of July. His hands were tied and the phone line was disconnected, reports stated at the time. Titos was buried last week in his native Laconia prefecture, in the southeastern Peloponnese. [09] Minister denies importation of genetically modified cottonseedsAthens, 08/08/2000 (ANA)Agriculture Minister Giorgos Anomeritis announced on Monday that "no genetically modified cotton seeds have been officially cleared through customs into our country," adding however, that a small quantity of infected seeds with genetically modified material had been found.The cotton which is a product of infected seeds will be destroyed the minister said, noting that the public Cotton Organization knows where they have been planted. Compensation to producers, for the destruction of the cotton, will amount to 1.2 billion drachmas, Anomeritis said. The minister did not disclose the regions in which the infected seeds were planted. [10] Clinton releases bimonthly report on CyprusNICOSIA, 08/08/2000 (CNA/ANA)US President Bill Clinton has said administration officials continue to be actively engaged in efforts to bring about a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation.He also said American administration officials, dealing with the Cyprus question, reiterated this message to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leadership, urging all parties to support positive movement in the UN-led peace talks, due to resume in New York in early September. "US officials remained actively engaged in efforts to bring about a comprehensive Cyprus settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation," Clinton said in his letter, dated August 3, to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accompanying his bimonthly report on Cyprus. The president's comments come in the wake of statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and Turkey's leaders that they are seeking to establish a confederation in Cyprus with two separate states. Clinton's report, covering the period April-May 2000, noted that "following President Clerides' surgery in early May, the UN rescheduled the recommencement of Cyprus talks for July 5 in Geneva." They were initially set for the last week in May in New York. "Secretary of State Madeleine Albright underscored the US commitment to a Cyprus solution with her Greek and Turkish counterparts in early May," Clinton said. The US president also notes that his Special Presidential Emissary Alfred Moses, Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston and US Ambassador to Cyprus Donald Bandler "reinforced these messages with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leadership and urged all parties to support positive movement in the UN-sponsored talks." [11] Agreements signed for EU economic assistance to CyprusNICOSIA, 08/08/2000 (CNA/ANA)Finance Minister Takis Clerides and Head of the European Union delegation here, Donato Chiarini, on Monday signed agreements for economic assistance of Cyprus in the framework of the Fourth Financial Protocol, worth some 5 million euro.The agreements provide for 1.4 million euro for harmonization with the acquis communautaire, 1.4 million euro to finance the participation of Cyprus in the Fifth Framework/Program for research and technological development and 2,424,000 euro for the Development of Civil Society. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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