Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-08-26

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

Last Updated: Wednesday, 26-Aug-98 22:00:55

CONTENTS

[01] Turkish claims to the Aegean

[02] Stock exchange

[03] Simitis-Kostov meeting

[04] Britain-Elgin Marbles

[01] Turkish claims to the Aegean

In an interview with Antenna 15 months ago, Demirel said there were 130 islands in the Aegean of questionable sovereignty.

In his latest interview, there are 132 such islands, and sovereignty is no longer dubious; he now says the Greek isles belong to Turkey.

Asked if the issue could lead to a Greek-Turkish war, Demirel threatens: "To avoid that, the situation needs to be resolved. Otherwise, we might find ourselves in the situation that arose two years ago", he added, referring to the Turkish landing on the Greek rocks of Imia that nearly sparked a war.

Demirel goes on to threaten that if there is a war, it won't be limited.

Responding to the Turkish president, the Greek government spokesman said there appears to be many discordant voices in Ankara concerning foreign policy.

In his response to Demirel, former New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert dared the Turkish president to try to take the Aegean islands.

Demirel's threats come on the eve of a meeting between the Cypriot president and the Greek prime minister, during which Cyprus's intention to purchase Russian surface-to-air missiles as a shield against a Turkish attack will be discussed.

Turkey has threatened to attack Cyprus if it deploys the weapons.

[02] Stock exchange

The market closed about even Wednesday.

The government is determined to ensure that the next round of bidding for the bank, to be conducted within three months, will end in a sale of 51 per cent.

The government dismissed criticism that the botched initial bid to privatise ended unsuccessfully.

And the panic that swept the Athens exchange Tuesday was gone Wednesday, with the stock market closing just .3 per cent off Tuesday's trading.

Banks performed poorly: both the Ionian and its parent company, the Commercial Bank, lost the maximum allowed 8 per cent Wednesday.

But market analysts agreed that the exchange has stabilised overall.

The first round of bidding for the Ionian ended without a sale Tuesday.

Two foreign bidders were deemed unreliable; one domestic bank thought certain to bid, the Alpha Credit, didn't even tender an offer, saying the Ionian was too expensive. And the other domestic bidder, Spyros Latsis's Eurobank, made a much lower offer than it was expected to.

Going into the second round, to be held within three months, the government wants to ensure that the bidding is better.

Sources say the government is considering making tenders guarantee a minimum offer before the bidding officially starts. Sources also say the government wants to ensure there are more bidders next time.

Opposition leaders continue to criticise the government's handling of the Ionian sell off bid.

New Democracy MP Prokopis Pavlopoulos says the prime minister and is cabinet are trying to shirk all responsibility for their botched handling by presenting the failure as an everyday event.

Democratic Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas says his party is against privatising the bank, but also believes the government prepared poorly for the bidding procedure.

Pasok MP Dimitris Piperias agrees that the government should've done its homework better and reached a better understanding with the prospective buyers before the official tenders.

But deputy labour minister Christos Protopappas repeats what the government has been saying: "We're determined to carry out our privatisation programme", he insists, "we want to sell the bank at the best price and under the best terms for the country and the economy".

Deputy development minister Anna Diamatopoulou is optimistic. She's sure the second attempt to sell 51 per cent of the Ionian will be carried out with much better preparation. And the result will be positive.

[03] Simitis-Kostov meeting

The pipeline was one of the issues discussed by the Greek and Bulgarian prime ministers in Athens. Kostas Simitis and Ivan Kostov also talked about international affairs.

[04] Britain-Elgin Marbles

When British historian William St Clair recently republished an account of how the treasures were scraped in an attempt to whiten them, Greece asked once again that they be returned to their homeland two centuries after they were carted away.

In a response to a letter from his Greek counterpart, British culture secretary Chris Smith says he understands Greece's request. But the marbles will remain in London.

Smith also rejects Greece's request that an international committee of experts be set up under UN auspices to examine the extent of the damage to the marbles.

Instead, Britain wants an international symposium held to examine the scultpures.

St Clair's book contains testimony from British Museum officials calling the damage extensive. But Smith calls those claims exaggerated.

St Clair's book explains that an unscupulous art trader with access to the museum wanted to whiten the marbles because he shared the prejudice of the 1930s, which held that ancient Greek sculptures were white, rather than honey-coloured.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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