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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 00-08-22Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Govt announces schedule for five major Olympic projectsAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Greece's environment, town planning and public works ministry on Monday presented a schedule for the construction of five major projects for the Athens Olympics in 2004, which it said would make up for the time lost so far.Environment Minister Costas Laliotis, who described this schedule as "binding", said survey work for all five projects will be completed in the second half of 2001 and construction work will begin in the first quarter of 2002 to end by May 2004. These include a center for rowing, canoeing and kayaking in Schinias and the Marathon region, a canoeing and slalom center in Rizari, Marathon, a sailing center in Agios Kosmas, beach volley courts in Faliron and baseball, softball, hockey and archery facilities on the grounds of the former Ellinikon airport. The environment ministry has taken over construction of these Olympic facilities after the General Secretariat for Sports and private enterprise failed to come across. Laliotis explained that the schedules gave specific deadlines for each stage of construction, guaranteeing their prompt delivery and execution. The total cost of the projects is budgeted at 120 billion drachmas and Laliotis said that over the next few days he would be signing a memorandum of cooperation with the chairwoman of the Athens Olympics Organizing Committee, Gianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki. Laliotis rejected the strong protests by environmental groups, including WWF-Hellas, to plans to set up a canoeing center in Schinias, one of the last remaining wetlands in Attica, saying that on the contrary the projects would upgrade the areas eco-system. The Athens 2004 Company, the organizers of the Olympic Games, the merchant marine ministry and the Piraeus Port Authority on Monday signed a memorandum of cooperation on organizational, hospitality and security matters. Speaking to reporters later, Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis said the Olympics of 2004 represented a strong challenge, which Greece had to meet successfully. "It concerns all aspects of public administration and a large part of the country's economic activity... We have to achieve optimum results for the country, maximizing the benefits in terms of development, upgrading infrastructure, the use of new technologies and creating new jobs," he said. Regarding security, Papoutsis noted that it would be the first time that the Games are held in a member-country of the Schengen Treaty, which posed a new reality, which had to be taken into account. [02] Cyprus, Greece FMs to meet in Athens next weekNICOSIA, 22/08/2000 (CNA/ANA)Foreign Ministers of Cyprus and Greece, Ioannis Kasoulides and George Papandreou, will meet in Athens next week to coordinate efforts so that the UN-led talks for a settlement in Cyprus will go into the substance of the problem. During the meeting, to be confirmed for August 30, the two ministers will also discuss issues relating to Turkey's European Union accession partnership, expected to be decided in November, as well as relations between Greece and Turkey."The meeting in Athens aims at coordinating our actions on various levels in order to achieve our main aim which is for the Cyprus talks to become substantive," Kasoulides told CNA on Monday. The foreign minister will be accompanying President Glafcos Clerides to New York for the UN General Assembly millennium summit and the Cyprus peace talks, resuming on September 12. During his stay in the US, Kasoulides is expected to meet with a number of his counterparts. The fresh UN-effort to reach a settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 percent of its territory in 1974, opened last December. Reppas says Cyprus problem is still a top priority for Greek foreign policy: The Cyprus problem continues to be one of the Greek government's top priorities, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas reaffirmed on Monday, commenting on the statements of Cyprus Parliament Speaker Spyros Kyprianou. Kyprianou had said earlier that the "Cyprus problem has ceased to be a primary issue in Greek foreign policy." Reppas pointed out that Greece had made its agreement to Turkey's European prospects at the EU summit in Helsinki conditional upon the unimpeded progress of the processes for Cyprus' accession course to the EU. He noted that relations between Cyprus and Greece within the framework of the joint defense doctrine were now developed as never before, and said that the recent activity around the Cyprus problem was a result of initiatives taken by the Greek government, which put the question of Cyprus at every international meeting it took part in. [03] Upcoming US trip, Tuesday visit to Tirana on public order minister's agendaAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Foreign Minister George Papandreou met with Public Order Minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis on Monday in light of the latter's upcoming official visit to the United States.The minister's US trip is also likely to dominate a later meeting Chrysohoidis was scheduled to have with US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns. On Tuesday, the Greek public order minister will fly to Tirana for contacts with his Albanian counterpart on the thorny issue of illegal immigration and cross-border crime. Neither of the two ministers made comments to reporters after the session. Gov't on anti-terrorism pact: During his regular daily press briefing, meanwhile, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas reiterated that the Greek government is ready to sign an oft referred to law enforcement and anti-terrorism memorandum of cooperation. "I believe the United States will soon provide their final position (on the matter), in order to allow for the text to be signed by Mr. Chrysohoidis and his counterpart during the public order minister's US trip," Reppas said. Procedural matters have held up the memorandum's activation, with Athens also reportedly requesting that US Attorney General Janet Reno also sign the agreement as a point of reciprocity. Commenting on Chrysohoidis' visit to Albania, the spokesman said it dominated the former's meeting with Papandreou in Athens, whereas he added that the Albanian Prime Minister would also receive the Public Order Minister. Finally, Reppas mentioned that the foreign and public order ministers also discussed the issue of expanding a recently implemented pilot program affording Turkish tourists the ability of visiting Greece's eastern Aegean islands without a visa. [04] Greece signs deal for acquisition of new 'Mirage' 2000-5sAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)A contract was signed on Monday at the Greek National Defense Ministry for the purchase by the Hellenic Air Force of 15 new "Mirage" 2000-5s and the modernization of 10 older-model Mirage fighters. Under a separate contract, the country will also acquire 200 Mica air-to-air missiles and 56 Scalp missiles.The two deals, signed with France's Dassault Aviation, Thomson - SCF Detexis, Snecma and Matra British Aerospace Dynamics, are part of a five-year armaments modernization program. They are estimated to cost Greece a total of 554 billion drachmas, while potential offset benefits amount to 115 per cent. The French company has also proposed to Greece to buy its fourth-generation Rafale jetfighter, which Greece is assessing, National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said. The minister noted that a contract is already being prepared for the purchase of 60 fourth - generation Eurofighter warplanes. [05] Kaklamanis meets Burns ahead of U.S. visitAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis on Monday received U.S. Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns, at the latter's request, in view of Kaklamanis' visit to New York to attend the Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments, to be held between August 30 to 1 September.The Interparliamentary Union (IPU) in cooperation with the UN organizes the New York meeting. The two men discussed the contacts Kaklamanis will have with the U.S. delegation attending the conference, and confirmed the will of both sides for the further strengthening of relations between the two countries' parliaments, a press release said. They also discussed the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, Greek-Turkish relations and the role of the U.S. in these matters. Kaklamanis noted the total disregard shown by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and Turkey to Security Council resolutions for an end to the occupation of northern Cyprus by Turkish troops. He cited the situation created by the advance of Turkish occupation forces into the buffer zone dividing the island last month. Burns said that his country continued to recognize only the legitimate government of the Republic of Cyprus, and that it disagreed with Denktash's demand for the establishment of a confederation and with the latest military action by the Turks. [06] Prelates decide on seven-month collection period for signatures against dropping religion from IDsAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)A committee of high-ranking clerics on Monday recommended that there should be a seven-month period for the collection of signatures on the issue of identity cards. The Orthodox Church of Greece plans to collect signatures calling for a national referendum on whether the religious affiliation category should be retained on state-issued identity cards.Specifically, the committee recommends that the collection of signatures begin after September 10 and ends on March 25 2001. The committee admits that there are problems with the validity of this process, however, which it says should be solved by a committee of experts. Meanwhile, another committee of church leaders has decided that the Church must do everything it can to keep religious education among the subjects taken for university-entrance examinations. [07] Ministers back to workAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Prime Minister Costas Simitis, back to work from his summer holidays, on Monday held successive meetings with close aids focusing on schedule planning and priorities.Sources said that the main issues to concern the PM this week will be his speech at the opening of the annual trade fair in Thessaloniki on 2 September, next year's budget, the Olympics 2004 and labor matters. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Monday held a meeting with Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysohoidis in view of the latter's upcoming visit to the US. Chrysohoidis later on Monday will meet with US Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns, while on Tuesday he will fly to Tirana to meet with his Albanian counterpart to discuss illegal immigration. [08] ND leader resumes contacts with party leadershipAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis returned from his summer holidays on Sunday, with consecutive meetings held on Monday with top-ranking ND cadres.Karamanlis reiterated to reporters that there's "no issue" of one-time foreign minister and current Political Spring (Pol.An) president Antonis Samaras returning to New Democracy. Samaras left ND and the foreign ministry in the early '90s after his clash with then premier Constantine Mitsotakis before founding Pol.An, which is not represented in the current Parliament. Recent press speculation in certain Athens dailies resurfaced the issue over the past week. [09] Equities slip in light tradeAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Stocks edged down on the Athens Stock Exchange on Monday with a sharply declining market bolstered at the end of the session by concerted buying in banking blue chips.The general index fell 0.15 percent to finish at 3,752.16 points. Turnover was 79.32 billion drachmas. Analysts were reluctant to forecast the bourse's short-term future in its current lackluster phase. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.07 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index for medium-sized shares finished 0.23 percent lower. Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: +0.40% Leasing: +1.14% Insurance: +0.09% Investment: -0.40% Construction: -2.22% Industrials: -0.44% Miscellaneous: +1.32% Holding: -1.54% The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks closed 2.66 percent down. Of 343 shares traded, declines led advances at 255 to 76 with 12 issues unchanged. Closing prices of leading shares in drachmas were as follows: National Bank: 13,800 Titan Cement Co. (c): 13,200 Alpha Bank: 12,300 Hellenic Telecommunications: 7,815 Commercial Bank: 16,325 Panafon: 3,920 Hellenic Petroleum: 3,715 Eurobank: 8,940 Intracom: 12,250 Lambrakis Press: 9,225 Heracles Cement: 6,960 Equity futures drop, tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished lower on Monday, in line with the indices on which they are based. The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 0.07 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended 0.23 percent lower. Turnover was 9.32 billion drachmas from 13.6 billion drachmas a day earlier. A total of 885 contracts were traded on the FTSE/ASE 20 with turnover at 3.7 billion drachmas. On the FTSE/ASE 40 index, 2,809 contracts changed hands on turnover of 5.5 billion drachmas. Bond prices slip in light to moderate trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished lower in light to moderate trade across the board, with players focusing on 20-year paper. The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.065 percent from 6.044 percent in the previous session. The Greek paper's yield spread over German bunds was 81-83 basis points from 83-84 basis points a session earlier. Turnover through the central bank's electronic system was 88 billion drachmas from 58 billion drachmas the day before. Sell orders accounted for 72 billion drachmas of trade. Drachma down vs. euro, dollar: The drachma on Monday ended lower 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 337.390 drachmas from 337.260 drachmas in the previous session. Also at the fix, the dollar was set at 373.460 drachmas 368.950 drachmas a day earlier. [10] Odd and even number plate system to stay for at least four years, Laliotis saysAthens, 22/08/2000 (ANA)Environment Minister Costas Laliotis on Monday ruled out the abolition of the "odd-even" system for cars entering the center of Athens in the next four years.Laliotis was responding to questions regarding the statements of a deputy environment minister, Ilias Efthymiopoulos, who had suggested the system, dubbed the "daktylios" in Greek, might be abolished before the Olympic Games in 2004. According to Laliotis, the system - where traffic with odd or even number plates is banned from central Athens on alternate days - is now well established and limits traffic congestion in the center of the city. A combination of other measures, such as the completion of Metro lines 2 and 3, modernizing and increasing the public transport fleet of buses, and the construction of tram lines and a suburban railway, may create new conditions that make such a move possible, Laliotis noted. This, however, would take place at least four years from now. "Do not forget," he added, "that creating zones of 'gentle' traffic or no traffic is a policy that many cities are now experimenting with." An experiment has been planned in Athens on September 22, he told reporters, when all cars will be banned from the city center for the day. [11] Kyprianou to address NY conference of parliamentary leadersNICOSIA, 22/08/2000 (CNA/ANA)Cyprus House President Spyros Kyprianou leaves for London Wednesday, and at the weekend he flies to New York to attend and address the Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments, held between August 30 to 1 September.Kyprianou will address the New York meeting and is expected to have contacts with other parliamentary leaders on the sidelines of the three-day event. In London the House President is expected to see Greek Cypriot community leaders and possibly British deputies and government officials. The New York meeting, organized by the Interparliamentary Union (IPU) in cooperation with the UN, is expected to adopt a declaration, whose draft has already been sent to participating countries for comment. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will give the welcoming address at the inaugural ceremony and IPU Council President Najma Heptulla will make the opening statement. Parliamentary leaders will then adopt the agenda and the practical modalities for the Conference. UN General Assembly President Theo Ben Guirab will deliver the keynote address on the parliamentary vision for international cooperation at the dawn of the third millennium. Presiding Officers of National Parliaments and presidents of parliamentary assemblies, which are associate members of the IPU, will address the conference. Some high-ranking personalities will have a chance to speak to delegates. The Rapporteur of the preparatory committee will present the draft declaration for adoption. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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