Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 13-03-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM in Istanbul on Monday for Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, joint Business Forum

[02] Avramopoulos meets Turkish counterpart in preparation of Greece-Turkey contacts

[03] Erdogan in NET interview: 'Strategic' cooperation between Greece and Turkey

[04] Troika heads discuss eight key aspects of review with FinMin

[05] Euro Working Group chief: The reforms are necessary to fortify the economy

[06] SYRIZA: PM neither wants nor can negotiate with Troika

[07] KKE: Tragic joke of renegotiation with troika must end

[08] PASOK leader: No solution other than cooperation gov't

[09] PASOK leader extends overture to DIMAR for electoral collaboration

[10] DIMAR leader rejects PASOK overture for electoral collaboration

[11] Media-wide work stoppage on Monday, AMNA to participate

[12] Foreign Exchange rates - Monday

[13] Farwell tour at National Gallery ahead of closure for renovation, expansion

[14] Alert after arms cache found in prison cell

[15] Barge sinks

[16] Dog fighting leads to 17 arrests in Katerini

[17] Super League results

[18] Fair weather forecast in most parts of Greece on Monday

[19] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

[01] PM in Istanbul on Monday for Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, joint Business Forum

Samaras will be received by Turkish President Abdullah Gul shortly after his arrival on Monday morning, to be followed by a private meeting with Erdogan.

The Cooperation Council will be held at noon Monday, followed by an agreements signing ceremony and statements by Samaras.

Samaras will afterwards address greetings to the Business Forum, scheduled at 1:15 p.m.

The Greek Prime Minister will further be received by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the early afternoon.

A large business mission will also accompany Samaras, the members of which will attend a Business Forum being organised in tandem by the Federation of Greek Industries' (SEV) Greece-Turkey Business Council and Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK).

The Council was inaugurated in 2010, with the first session held in Athens.

Samaras and Erdogan will also attend the Business Forum on Monday with a major participation of 100 Greek and 200 Turkish enterprises. The theme of the Forum is "Growth passes through entrepreneurship and extroversion".

Turkey is a rapidly developing country, with 75 million potential consumers, and thirsts for infrastructures and services, sectors in which the Greek entrepreneurs have an indisputable advantage, SEV international activities chief Thanassis Lavidas told AMNA.

He said the entrepreneurs' presence in Turkey, just as their presence during the premier's recent visit to Qatar, had one message: "new projects, new jobs", adding that growth presupposes extroversion in its dual sense: attracting investments to Greece and the Greek businesses 'overture' abroad.

The interest of the Greek companies participating in the business delegation focuses on promoting exports and services in such sectors as construction material, traditional foods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology and specialised information technology applications, security systems, health-hospital administration services, retail trade, and attraction of Turkish investment interest in real estate in Greece.

Another areas of interest include: seeking out Turkish companies interested in participating in joint ventures on the Balkan markets; expansion to the Black Sea, Caspian and Caucasus markets via alliances with Turkish companies, which due to their traditional business, religious and cultural ties have better access to those markets; the major privatisations and concessions programme the Turkish government is planning, that includes large infrastructure projects in energy assets, the health sector, road networks, rail links, ports, airports. etc.; renewable energy sources; seeking financing of energy projects in Greece, Turkey and other countries of the region; information technology, where Greek companies have technological solutions and applications that could be combined with Turkish accessibility to the Black Sea markets; the construction sector; and the tourism sector, through joint packages to attract visitors from the large tourism markets in the Far East, America and Latin America.

[02] Avramopoulos meets Turkish counterpart in preparation of Greece-Turkey contacts

Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos met with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu here on Sunday afternoon, in what was a contact in a very positive atmosphere in preparation for Monday's meeting between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as the Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council.

During Monday's contacts, as many as 20 agreements, protocols and memorandums are to be signed by the two sides, with most of them pertaining to citizens' daily life.

Agreements will concern the sectors of transport, health, tourism and illegal immigration, while protocols will be signed between the two countries' General Secretary of Press, the meteorology institutes and state radio and television ERT and Turkey's TPT.

[03] Erdogan in NET interview: 'Strategic' cooperation between Greece and Turkey

In an exclusive interview with the Greece's state television NET, to be aired on Monday morning at 09.00, Erdogan says cooperation with Greece "is a strategic one, and we would like to ascribe to it a different dimension. That is, Greece-Turkey bilateral relations from now on should not be based on gossip."

Referring to the context of negotiations with the Greek premier, Erdogan noted: "In our negotiations with the Greek government we will assess at what point our bilateral relations are, and we will have the opportunity to discuss how to move forward in the future...We have a loaded agenda and we will continue our work from 11.00 in the morning until the evening...Of course, we will examine a number of issues, including tourism, energy, telecoms, the direction towards which we drive bilateral political relations as well as NATO issues, as we are two NATO member countries and we should discuss the steps to take in this capacity."

Speaking on trade between the two countries, Erdogan speaks of a spirit of solidarity, saying that "at the end of 2012, the trade balance between Greece and Turkey totaled 5 billion dollars, of which 3.5 billion dollars is Greece's exports and 1.5 billion dollars are our exports to Greece."

According to excerpts of the interview released by NET, Erdogan also says "the issues that we will examine will be the steps toward signing more agreements in addition to those we have already signed, and I think that all will go well."

[04] Troika heads discuss eight key aspects of review with FinMin

Mark Flanagan of the IMF's European Department, representing IMF mission chief for Greece Poul Thomsen who arrives in Athens on Tuesday, Matthias Mors who heads the EC's delegation to the Troika and ECB division chief Klaus Masuch began their new inspection with a visit to the Finance Ministry, where they met with the Ministry's political leadership.

A high-ranking ministry source told AMNA later that the eight aspects under scrutiny pertain to the course of execution of the state budget, projections for 2013, unemployment, the structural changes, materialisation of the 'prior actions' for the March tranche, the denationalisations programme, the recapitalisation of the Greek banks and tax administration.

"We opened up the entire range of issues," the source said, adding that the Greek side set hot the burning issue of growth-employment-unemployment as well as that of the measures that the government considers "socially efficient" (such as the 23 percent VAT on restaurant services. The source further said that the Troika heads have a first picture of the situation from their technical teams, who have already been in Athens for a week, but "lack many facts and figures for the full picture".

For that reason, the Troika representatives will have a series of meetings on Tuesday with the heads of the Memorandum-related ministries and with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, while a follow-up meeting will be held at the Finance Ministry on Wednesday.

Considered to be of high importance is the Troika heads' visit the Administrative Reform Ministry, where the issues of the ministries' structures (the new organisational charts to pinpoint the surpluses in personnel) and the quarterly targets for civil servant mobility, reserve labour and layoffs up to the end of 2014 will be put to minister Antonis Manitakis. Given that the issue of layoffs of civil servants has been put in the open by both EU and IMF officials (Euro Working Group chief Thomas Wieser said that the number of civil servants in the 'obese' Greek state must be reduced, while IMF deputy spokesman William Murray did not rule out 'mandatory redundancies' where the new organisational charts of the ministries show surpluses in staff).

"The issue of layoffs was put forward, but was not discussed at today's (Sunday's) meeting), the same source said, noting that both Stournaras and Manitakis have made it clear that there will be no layoffs in the public sector, with the fundamental argument being that the mobility and retirements programme is progressing smoothly and the public sector has been reduced by 75,000 people in the past 1 1/2 years.

On the big thorn of the shortfall in budget revenues, the government presented to the Troika heads the restructure of the tax-collection mechanism following the appointment of the new secretary general for state revenues, Theocharis. The Troika, in turn, asked to be briefed on how the new administration is operating and what is its degree of independence from the central administration, and also wants to have a full picture on the finance ministry's Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE), the source said.

Regarding the denationalisations, the Greek side briefed the Troika heads that the major denationalisations have already been set in motion, with specific deadlines for their completion. More specifically, the government expects the binding tenders for the State Natural Gas Company (DEPA) and its subsidiary distributor Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) and the Greek football prognostics, numerical lottery and sports betting games operator OPAP in April. Emphasis is also placed on the legislative framework for the ports, water resources and airports, as well as on the restructure and privatisation of the Public Power Corporation (PPC), the source continued.

As for unemployment, in which Greece has the highest rate in the EU, the source explained that the "Troika fully acknowledges the social dimension of unemployment", adding that the Greek side seeks an increase in employment and reduction of unemployment through the resources available (such as the NSRF-National Strategic Reference Framework. Measures are also being discussed in tandem of active policies on the job market, but also the developmental plan to attract investments and acceleration of absorption of the NSRF funds, together with the deregulation of the markets and reduction of prices.

The Troika's technical teams, according to information, have already placed under the microscope the projections for revenues in the period 2013-2017, for state expenditures (particularly for salaries and pensions), the outstanding debts, the matter of the delay in tax rebates, the securitization of future revenues from state properties' sales, the auxiliary pensions, the unification (consolidation) of the social security funds and overdue debts, the cost of the new procurement of equipment and medicines in specific hospitals, but also the prospect of covering basic healthcare services for the long-term unemployed.

Stournaras will be in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday for meetings of the Eurogroup and Ecofin, respectively.

The Troika heads are tentatively scheduled to leave Athens next Sunday to draft their progress report on Greece's fiscal adjustment programme.

[05] Euro Working Group chief: The reforms are necessary to fortify the economy

Wieser noted that "the reforms were not agreed arbitrarily, but because they are necessary for the Greek economy to become stronger".

Questioned on the recent talk about a reduction in the number of civil servants, he said that "I am confident that the Greek government will succeed in implementing the necessary measures so that Greece will be on track to building a new, 'slimmer' and more efficient public sector".

He said that the politicians need to "break down the defences of the established interests", adding that it is in the interests of the Greek people to see that small interest groups cannot hold the entire country hostage.

[06] SYRIZA: PM neither wants nor can negotiate with Troika

The heads of the European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) troika of Greece's international lenders arrived in Athens on Saturday and were due to meet with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras on Sunday morning, while a team of Troika inspectors has been in Athens since last week.

SYRIZA charged that regardless of how hard he tries to conceal the reality by playing PR games, Samaras has "committed himself to layoffs of civil servants, sell-offs of state wealth, further reduction of the minimum salary and new cuts to salaries and pensions, thus leading society and the economy to dissolution".

"The lies and the manufactured dose of optimism are finished. The democratic toppling of the government is a prerequisite for society's survival so that a new road will open for a socially just exit from the crisis founded on the fortification of the public goods and the social state for recovery of the economy, full employment and growth," SYRIZA said.

[07] KKE: Tragic joke of renegotiation with troika must end

"Negotiations are being made, but not for relief of the people but rather on how the barbarous measures against them will be made more efficient and how they will be sped up," the KKE continued, in a statement ahead of the arrival of the heads of the European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) troika of Greece's international lenders, which is due to meet with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras on Sunday morning.

The KKE said that only the people, with their struggle, can put a brake on and reverse the barbarous policy, and called for immediate abolition of the taxes on heating oil and fuel and the VAT on staple consumer goods.

Politics

[08] PASOK leader: No solution other than cooperation gov't

He told the more than 3,000 delegates that "PASOK emerges from the Congress optimistic and strong, having achieved its total restoration", and thanked all those who voted for the party in the elections in the summer for the endurance, dignity and strength they manifested.

Responding to delegates' comments on the type of PASOK's participation in the present New Democracy-led three-party government -- of which PASOK is a junior partner -- Venizelos categorically rejected the party's non-participation or a reduction of its existing participation, stressing the importance of the government's existence and its endurance for a full four-year term.

There is no alternative solution other than the government of cooperation of the three parties, warning that "no one toys" with such matters.

Addressing an audience that included former prime minister and his predecessor at the party helm George Papandreou, Venizelos outlined the characteristics that the cooperation government must have, adding that given that the country is governed in this way, it would be a paradox and a shame for PASOK to 'gift' such a government to New Democracy (ND).

Responding to those who proposed or intimated at a change of strategy and keeping distances from the cooperation government, Venizelos said that such a strategy would render PASOK a 'tail' in the strategy of the main opposition SYRIZA party's leadership, and voiced a categorical 'no' to such an option.

He also said that ND would prefer a vote of tolerance in the government from PASOK so as to have the monopoly on the initiatives and decisions in order to deal with the sensitive issues by itself, adding that ND wants to have control of all the ministries that produce benefit and debit PASOK with the unpleasant the so-called Memorandum-related, decisions.

In the event of success, the government gains, while in the event of failure the governmental majority loses, and the biggest loser is the one who kept distances, Venizelos continued, warning that whoever attempts to play with these issues, petty partisan or internal-party games, is below the circumstances, adding that he addresses this message not only to the people but also to those interests that organize a "destruction scenario".

"We must formulate the conditions of a minimum national understanding with the opposition too, even in conditions of aggravated tension and quasi civil conflict," he added.

The issue at hand, Venizelos stressed, is how to escape the vicious cycle of recession "into which the partners cast us, applying the system of 'support and punish'.

Venizelos reiterated the overture he made in his opening address to the Congress on Friday for electoral collaboration with the other junior coalition government partner Democratic Left (DIMAR) and other movements of the Center-Left sphere, opining that this would create a political momentum that would be beneficial to the country and enable the rendering of this alliance into the top political force. He further said that it is important that there be two poles in the cooperation government instead of the three that exist today: A Center-Right pole and a Center-Left pole.

PASOK, he added, in tandem with all this, was proceeding with all the moves necessary to create the big party of the Center-Left.

On the party's physiognomy, Venizelos said that PASOK remains always a socialist, democratic, politically liberal, reformist, European, nationally responsible, ecologically-sensitive, actively patriotic and popular party, but it needs to surpass its present-day self.

As for himself and his leadership of the party, he said that he was fighting for a collective PASOK.

According to close aides of the PASOK leader, Venizelos was totally satisfied with the outcome of the Congress and the unanimous political decisions that were taken.

The Congress will wind up with the election of 130 members to the new central committee.

The number of members on the central committee could reach a maximum of 180, as the 130 elected members will be joined by emeritus members that include the 28 party MPs initially elected to parliament in the May elections but not re-elected in June's repeat elections, the former party leaders, and presidents of PASOK's tertiary organisations. The emeritus members do not include PASOK's Eurodeputies.

[09] PASOK leader extends overture to DIMAR for electoral collaboration

PASOK and DIMAR are the two junior partners in the three-party coalition government headed by Prime Minister and New Democracy (ND) party leader Antonis Samaras.

Venizelos also appealed to all those who left PASOK in the two election rounds last summer to return to what he termed "their home base."

Trying to differentiate his party's position from those of ND party and DIMAR, Venizelos said that "we are not identifying in terms of values and ideology with the former" while he appealed to the latter and other center-left movements to join PASOK in future elections.

At the same time, PASOK's leader reiterated the need of updating the three coalition parties' agreement and said PASOK did not entrust its own strategy to other parties, criticising those who, terming it a "right-wing strategy" believed that its strategy "should be left to the right to apply."

Stating his opposition to early elections and the fall of government, Venizelos said PASOK would be the first to be held responsible in such an event. "We are not playing small-minded political games or internal games with the fate of this country and people," he noted.

Venizelos spoke of "a new PASOK, a new party, with institutions, views, trends, no groupings and old mechanisms, collective instead of leader-focused, participatory, collaboratively thinking, with social networks and volunteers." This party he said "is not a small copy of the old PASOK... we must create a new relationship of trust among us and especially with society."

Addressing himself to the opposition parties, especially main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA), Venizelos asked, "What does it believe this country needs, SYRIZA's independence, or a government based on cooperation?" The main opposition's decision not to participate in the ruling coalition is its own decision, he said, "but we would like SYRIZA to show itself to be a force of national responsibility." PASOK does not consider the main opposition party to be part of the centre-left, he said, and its opposition was focused on SYRIZA's leadership, not the party base.

The 3-day Congress, attended by more than 3,000 delegates, winds up on Sunday with the election of a new PASOK central committee.

[10] DIMAR leader rejects PASOK overture for electoral collaboration

In his opening address to a PASOK Congress on Friday, Venizelos invited DIMAR and other center-left groups to join forces with PASOK in future elections.

"DIMAR aspires to rally the democratic socialism sphere, and at the same time safeguards its autonomy at all levels of political action," Kouvelis said, adding that "the forging of the sphere of democratic socialism will not be effected either with top-level meetings or with collaborations of parties".

He called for amendment and supplementation of the fiscal adjustment programme due to the IMF's off-target forecasts, and reiterated his opposition to prospective layoffs in the public sector.

"Any policy of layoffs is unnecessary and yields no fiscal benefit," Kouvelis said, and estimated that by the end of 2015 the number of employees will have been reduced by 150,000 "in a natural way", namely through retirements.

[11] Media-wide work stoppage on Monday, AMNA to participate

The work stoppage will run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to enable members to attend an ESIEA extraordinary general assembly.

The AMNA staff is participating in the work stoppage, and as such no news items will be posted and the AMNA website will not be renewed during those hours.

Financial News

[12] Foreign Exchange rates - Monday

U.S. dollar 1.319

Pound sterling 0.877

Danish kroner 7.568

Swedish kroner 8.491

Japanese yen 122.34

Swiss franc 1.242

Norwegian kroner 7.597

Canadian dollar 1.363

Australian dollar 1.293

General News

[13] Farwell tour at National Gallery ahead of closure for renovation, expansion

More than six million people have visited the Gallery over the past 20 years, 95 percent of them Greeks and the other 5 percent foreign tourists, figures that belie the myth that the Greeks are indifferent to culture, according to Gallery director Marina Lambraki-Plaka, who greeted the public on the final tour before the building closes for the commencement of the renovation work in April.

The farewell tour was held on the second floor of the Gallery, taking in the collections of 20th century paintings of Greek artists in the exhibition halls that had been revamped in 2000 with funding by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and funds from the Community Support Framework (CSF).

The Gallery's collections, which number some 15,000 paintings, sculptures and engravings will be stored in safe-deposit facilities of the National Bank of Greece, while a selection of artwork will be exhibited periodically at the National Glyptotheque, the sculpture museum that is an annex of the National Gallery in Goudi.

[14] Alert after arms cache found in prison cell

Prison sources said the a while ago the penitentiary officials had received information of the existence of arms in a cell and had in turn informed the Justice Ministry.

The sources added that the penitentiary's administration did not rule out the existence of a plan for an organized prison-break.

Continuous surprise spot checks of cells have been taking place recently in all prisons throughout the country, as penitentiary officials fear that some inmates may want to attempt a repeat of notorious lifer Panagiotis Vlastos' recent foiled helicopter escape attempt from Trikala penitentiary, albeit with a different modus operandi.

An investigation is underway to find out how the arms were smuggled into the prison and for what purpose.

In an announcement later, the Justice Ministry clarified that during a morning inspection of cells by penitentiary employees, a pistol with a five-bullet magazine, as well as two active hand grenades, were found in a cell in the fourth wing of Korydallos prison.

It said that a prosecutor and police were immediately alerted, and an investigation was being conducted to locate the owner of the arms and establish how they were smuggled into the prison.

[15] Barge sinks

The barge "Aghios Dionyssios" sank due to the excessive weight of its cargo of mussels, according to the owners. No marine pollution was caused by the accident, the circumstances of which are being investigated by the Skala, Katerini, port authority, while the barge will be recovered and towed to Kitrous harbour with the expenses paid by the owner.

[16] Dog fighting leads to 17 arrests in Katerini

The incident took place in a barn, the owner of which -a 25-year-old woman- escaped arrest.

Police also found and collected seven dogs, of which one was dead. The dogs were taken to a municipal veterinary clinic for care and testing.

The arrested are to face charges on violation of the animal protection law.

Sports

[17] Super League results

In other action:

Kerkyra - Platanias Crete 2-1

Panthrakikos Komotini - Atromitos Athens 0-1

Levadiakos Livadia - Xanthi 1-4

PAOK Thessaloniki - Panionios Athens 4-2

PAS Yiannina - Asteras Tripoli 1-2

Veria - Aris Thessaloniki 4/3/2013

Standings after 24 weeks of play:

1. Olympiacos 63

2. Asteras 47

3. PAOK 46

4. Atromitos 41

5. PAS Yiannina 32

6. Panathinaikos 32

7. Xanthi 31

8. Levadiakos 29

9. Panionios 28

10. Platanias 27

11. OFI 26

12. Panthrakikos 26

13. AEK 26

14. Veria 23 (23 matches played)

15. Aris 22 (23 matches played)

16. Kerkyra 20

NOTE: Panathinaikos has had two points deducted.

Weather forecast

[18] Fair weather forecast in most parts of Greece on Monday

Fine weather in Athens, with light wind and temperatures ranging from 5C to 15C.

The same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures ranging from 5C to 13C.

[19] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Declare VAT with payment of only 10 euro".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "They cut the social state to half".

KATHIMERINI: "Investments are being 'blocked' by regulations dating back to 1922".

KERDOS: "The financial scenery of the new entrepreneurship".

LOGOS: " 'National' depression due to crisis".

NIKI: "5 ways to shave your loan".

PROTO THEMA: "One in two (working people) unpaid".

REALNEWS: "The map of the (hydrocarbon) deposits".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Everyone turn up at the Friday, March 8 rally on International Women's Day".

TO ARTHRO: "File on cooperation in local government organisations (OTA) to be opened up".

TO VIMA: "The mayors' mafia"

VRADYNI: "Pensions: Major upsets for self-employed and merchants".

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