Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-08-16

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Political leaders join thousands for observance of Assumption holiday

[02] Justice Minister blames Archbishop for strained Church-State relations

[03] Tsohatzopoulos: Cyprus is 'acid test' of international community's credibility over ethnic cleansing

[04] Bakoyianni rules out a return by Samaras to New Democracy

[05] Gore says he aims for comprehensive Cyprus solution

[06] Balkan ministers to meet in Prespes festival

[07] Equities end higher in scant trade

[08] Bulgarian state radio claims local scientists may have discovered AIDS cure

[09] Clinton administration says work for Cyprus solution must continue

[01] Political leaders join thousands for observance of Assumption holiday

Athens, 16/08/2000 (ANA)

Among the thousands who visited Tinos for the holiday was President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, Parliament speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis, Alternate Foreign Minister Elisavet Papazoi representing the government, ND Parliament spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos and other dignitaries.

The president arrived on the island early in the day and boarded the torpedo boat "Simaioforos Simitzopoulos" to the site where the Greek Navy's flagship "Elli" was torpedoed and sunk by Italian forces, as it stood anchored in Tinos harbor on the 15 August holiday in 1940. The president laid a wreath on the waters in honor of the dead, while the torpedo boat let off 21 cannon shots.

Christodoulos on Paros: Archbishop of Athens Christodoulos officiated mass at the historic 4th-century-AD church of Panagia Ekatontapyliani.

During his sermon, the Archbishop confined himself to talking about the miracle-working force of the Virgin

Mary, and her symbolic role as the mother of all, in the hearts of Greeks. While conceding that modern life was full of problems, particularly in the larger cities, he urged the congregation to seek hope in faith in order to face the endless problems of everyday life.

Karamanlis on Kythnos: Main opposition New Democracy party (ND) leader Constantinos Karamanlis attended the Feast of the Assumption church service and celebrations on the Cycladic island of Kythnos on Tuesday.

In statements, Karamanlis said, "today's celebration, like in almost all major celebrations of Orthodox Christianity, apart from the religious content, they also have a deep Greek content. They remind us that it is necessary for us Greeks to have solid unity, so that we can be able, through a unified and far-reaching strategy, to defend our just rights."

He added that "far and beyond stubbornness, personal politics and sterile partisan perceptions unite our strength for what we can do, for what we want. And it is time at last for the government to respond to this perception."

[02] Justice Minister blames Archbishop for strained Church-State relations

Athens, 16/08/2000 (ANA)

The minister, in an interview published on Monday by Athens daily "NEA" blamed Christodoulos for the provocative statements and actions of Church clerics.

Stathopoulos said that his own initiative for the removal of the reference to religious faith from ID cards was proved "correct and with good timing", adding that according to the Constitution, Greece is a "secular not a religious state".

Ministers on Church relations with State: Ministers attending festivities at the Church of Panagia Soumela in Naoussa on Tuesday commented on relations between the Church and the state.

National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos expressed conviction that no one could break asunder the unity between the people and Orthodox Christianity, while

Macedonia-Thrace Minister George Paschalidis urged the Church not to be afraid and to reinforce its religious and social role.

Today, Paschalidis added, a calm dialogue within Orthodoxy is needed to redefine relations between the Church and State without fear and passion but with faith in Greece.

[03] Tsohatzopoulos: Cyprus is 'acid test' of international community's credibility over ethnic cleansing

Athens, 16/08/2000 (ANA)

Tsohatzopoulos was talking at the Church of Panagia Soumela on the anniversary of the second Turkish invasion of the island republic.

He pointed out that there were still Greek-Cypriots awaiting a just and unified solution of the Cyprus problem that would allow them to return to their homes within Turkish-occupied territories.

At the same time, Tsohatzopoulos also sent a message of peaceful coexistence, cooperation and joint success to Turkey in its capacity as an allied country, noting that Greece and Turkey had proved in practice that they could join forces to combat natural disasters and defend joint security.

Through our joint participation in international organizations, he added, we have succeeded in creating conditions for peaceful coexistence, understanding, acceptance and stability.

[04] Bakoyianni rules out a return by Samaras to New Democracy

Athens, 16/08/2000 (ANA)

Allowing Samaras to return to the party, Bakoyianni said, would mean that ND relinquished any claims to being a champion against corruption.

"ND has made the struggle against corruption and vested interests its banner, and

this banner would be flying at half mast if that specific person were allowed to return," she said.

[05] Gore says he aims for comprehensive Cyprus solution

NICOSIA, 16/08/2000 (ANA-CNA)

Answering a questionnaire by the American Hellenic Institute on issues concerning the Greek-American community, Gore said the U.S. administration is working hard to build on the hopeful developments between Greece and Turkey in order for progress to be achieved concerning the Aegean and Cyprus.

"I'm fully committed to this procedure, and to the achievement of a just and permanent solution to the Cyprus dispute, which will allow all Cypriots to live under conditions of security," Gore said.

He also expressed his support of the ongoing UN-led Cyprus proximity talks.

Concluding, Gore said that "as president, I will work hard to intensify my efforts for finding of a peaceful solution to the Cyprus issue and to other international disputes, in accordance to international law.

[06] Balkan ministers to meet in Prespes festival

Athens, 16/08/2000 (ANA)

Within the framework of this year's "Prespes 2000" event, Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Vasso Papandreou, will hold separate meetings on Saturday, 26 August, with FYROM's interior and public order minister and with Albania's vice president and labor minister, while on the same day, National Economy Deputy Minister Yiannis Zapheiropoulos will hold meetings with his FYROM and Albanian counterparts.

Culture Minister and Deputy Culture Minister Theodoros P

angalos and Giorgos Floridis, respectively, will hold separate meetings with their counterparts from Balkan states on 27 August, while later in the day Pangalos will inaugurate the "Prespa Library" at Agios Germanos.

Macedonia and Thrace Minister Giorgos Paschalidis will officially open the events on the island of Agios Achileios on Sunday night, 27 August.

Environment, City Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis on 22 August will inaugurate a pedestrian bridge connecting the Koula checkpoint to the island of Agios Achilleios.

The program of the festival is featuring concerts by Socratis Malamas, Dimitris Mitropanos, Maria Farantouri, Elli Paspalia, Savina Giannatou, the Florina-born tenor Sotos Papoulkas and gipsy Ferush Mustamov, and a Bulgarian poetry night held on 28 August.

Within the framework of the festival, a labor-housing lottery will be held on Friday, 28 August, while the European Judo Championship is scheduled to take place on 8 and 9 September at Amynteo.

Several government officials and Parliament deputies have been invited and are expected to attend the festival events.

[07] Equities end higher in scant trade

Athens, 16/08/2000 (ANA)

Trade remained thin, and turnover needed to rise in order for a trend to emerge, analysts said.

The general index ended 1.69 percent higher at 3,806.64 points with turnover at 55 billion drachmas.

Analysts were still reluctant to forecast the bourse's short-term future in its current moribund phase.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 1.50 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index for medium-sized shares finished 2.72 percent higher.

Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: +1.30% Leasing: +2.02% Insurance: +0.44% Investment: +2.61% Construction: +3.80% Industrials: +1.49% Miscellaneous: +1.80% Holding: +2.32%

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks

closed higher.

Of 346 shares traded, advances led declines at 323 to 13 with 10 issues unchanged.

Drachma closing prices of leading shares were as follows: National Bank: 13,800 Titan Cement Co. (c): 13,470 Alpha Bank: 12,830 Hellenic Telecommunications: 7,890 Commercial Bank: 15,940 Panafon: 4,080 Hellenic Petroleum: 3,440 Eurobank: 8,975 Intracom: 12,290 Lambrakis Press: 9,350 Heracles Cement: 7,475

Equity futures end higher, tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished higher on Monday, in line with the indices on which they are based.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 1.50 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 2.72 percent higher.

Turnover was 9.2 billion drachmas from 10.48 billion drachmas a day earlier.

A total of 1,290 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 with turnover at 5.5 billion drachmas.

On the FTSE/ASE 40 index, 1,755 contracts changed hands on turnover of 3.6 billion drachmas.

Bond prices flat in thin trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished mostly flat in light trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of around 5.996, roughly the same as the previous session.

The Greek paper's yield spread over German bunds was 88 basis points from 87 basis points for two straight sessions.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system was low.

Drachma up vs. euro, down vs. dollar: The drachma on Monday ended higher against the euro and lower versus the US dollar in the domestic foreign exchange market.

At the central bank's daily fixing, the euro was set at 337.090 drachmas from 337.120 drachmas in the previous session.

Also at the fix, the dollar was set at 372.700 drachmas from 368.820 drachmas a day earlier.

[08] Bulgarian state radio claims local scientists may have discovered AIDS cure

SOFIA, 16/08/2000 (ANA - M. Borisov)

on Tuesday, which quotes the director of the above institute, Czvetan Czvetkov.

According to the report, cryobiologists at the institute have discovered a way of treating human blood at ultra-low temperatures, below -150C, that destroys the HIV virus. Subsequent transfusions and replacing a patient's blood with treated blood allows complete recovery.

The first experimental trials of this method have been carried out in southern Africa with satisfactory results, according to the Bulgarian academic, who says the same method could also be used to treat certain forms of cancer.

[09] Clinton administration says work for Cyprus solution must continue

WASHINGTON, 16/08/2000 (CNA/ANA)

The said paragraph, under the chapter "Elimination of forces that cause chaos and instability", also notes that Washington has worked hard to calm dangerous situations between Greece and Turkey.

"We have worked hard and successfully to calm dangerous tensions between our allies Greece and Turkey over issues of sovereignty in the Aegean and we have never ceased our efforts to facilitate a resolution of tensions between the Greek and Turkish communities on Cyprus," the paragraph notes. "This work must continue," it adds.

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