Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-11-18

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 18/11/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Premier stresses state's role in development at int'l conference
• Annual Polytechnic march concludes with minor disturbances
• Mirage 2000-5 lands at Tanagra for test flights
• Kranidiotis explores German positions on Greek-Turkish relations
• Tsohatzopoulos attends WEY meeting
• Multinational PfP military exercise in Macedonia
• Greek diplomat visits Imvros, Tenedos
• Greek reservations on first Euro participants proposal
• Gov't sees new round of commercial bank rate hikes
• Greek bourse dumps plan to go public
• Greek-Turkish cooperation to prevent Aegean pollution
• Onassis Foundation trustees ridicule Roussel claims
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday underlined the need of maintaining the state's role as a "lever" of development and a guarantor of social justice, while addressing a regional conference in Thessaloniki entitled "Public Administration in Transition ."

"The demand of confirming the role of the state and of its modernisation is determined more and more by increasing concern over visible dangers. The problems of poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation and organised crime cannot be tackled with the administration's passive stance," he told ministers, diplomats and public officials from some 22 central, eastern European and former Soviet Union republics.

The conference, which began yesterday, is organised by the Greek interior, public administration and decentralisation ministry and the UN's economic and social affairs agency, UNDESA, and aims at defining the roles and needs of developing European count ries in their transition to new conditions, particularly in the sector of public administration. Representatives of international organisations such as the United Nations, World Bank, the European Investment Bank, OECD and the European Union are also attending.

"In Greece we have implemented a wide plan to strengthen decentralisation with the transfer of duties from the centre to the region and the upgrading of local self-administration at all levels. In this way, the administration will operate as close to th e citizen as possible. We are also promoting modernisation programmes at a speedy rate for administrative infrastructure and additional training for cadres," he added.

"The region's past teaches us that traps exist which we must avoid, national rivalries, national antagonisms and the view of the one's suzerainty over the other. Let us turn our glance to the future. Nothing is more important that consolidating peace.

Mr. Simitis said that in the morning representatives of the UN discussed the possibility of establishing an International Centre which could include regional centres. He added that Greece, being a European Union member-state and a founding member of the UN, would be pleased and honoured to host and promote this creative initiative in Thessaloniki.

The conference is the second of its kind organised by the UN, which is also creating an information centre to promote specialised knowledge and international cooperation on government, public administration and economy. The centre will be based at UN he adquarters in New York, with regional bureaus in each continent. Athens News Agency

Annual Polytechnic march concludes with minor disturbances

Celebrations for the 24th anniversary of the Polytechnic students' uprising against the military junta ruling the country in 1973 culminated yesterday with a customary rally in central Athens and march to the US embassy.

This year the commemoration of the 1973 uprising was celebrated mostly peacefully, apart from minor incidents by young self-styled anarchists, who threw stones and homemade firebombs. The attacks caused minor material damage to private vehicles and fire brigade trucks. In addition, an explosion earlier in the day occurred outside the political office of National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, a fifth-floor apartment opposite the Polytechnic.

Sources said the explosion was caused by a makeshift bomb made of gas cannisters.

Rain earlier in the day threatened to dampen spirits but the weather cleared towards noon, as police said the crowd marching to the US embassy was smaller than in previous years.

In Nicosia, For the first time Cypriot students yesterday held a sit in protest outside the US embassy in Nicosia commemorating the uprising.

"No more words and self-criticism, we want substantive help", the students chanted.

They were referring to a statement made last week in Nicosia by the US Presidential emissary for Cyprus Richard Holbrooke, describing his country's policy in the region from the late 1960s to the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus in 1974 as shameful.

Mirage 2000-5 lands at Tanagra for test flights

A French-made Mirage 2000-5 fighter landed at Tanagra Air Base yesterday, with Hellenic Air Force pilots ready to test-fly the plane in the next few days.

At the same time, the chief of the general air staff, Lt. Gen. Georgios Antonetsos, began a customary visit to France yesterday at the invitation of his counterpart, Gen. Jean Ranoux.

Kranidiotis explores German positions on Greek-Turkish relations

Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis began a series of contacts with German officials in Bonn yesterday, aimed at exploring "the German factor" in diplomatic efforts towards progress in Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.

Yesterday Mr. Kranidiotis met with Foreign Undersecretary Peter Hartmann and was to meet later with other officials.

The question for Greece is how far Bonn is in a position, or even willing, to encourage Ankara to improve relations with Greece, giving the latter more flexibility in considering Turkey's future in the European Union.

"If this prospect is not secured, the German side must get used to the idea that Greece will use its right of veto regarding Turkish participation in the European Conference," said Mr. Kranidiotis.

The political climate in Bonn with regard to both Greek-Turkish relations and Cyprus is not considered particularly favourable.

Germany believes Greece should lift the freeze on EU funds to Turkey as a goodwill gesture.

German diplomats stress that a prerequisite for Cyprus' accession negotiations should be a political solution to the Cyprus problem. Germany also believes that the participation of Turkish Cypriots in the Cypriot Republic delegation is not feasible, implying that a way should be found to accept, if not recognise, the "existing separate entity of northern Cyprus".

Speaking later at a closed session of the Institute of the German Foreign Society at noon, Mr. Kranidiotis reiterated that the Cyprus problem was not a bilateral issue, but one of invasion and occupation, and called on the US and the EU to exercise their influence on Turkey in the direction of a bi- zonal, bi-communal federative solution.

He stressed that Greek and the Greek Cypriot side had accepted such a solution, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of the island's inhabitants were Greek Cypriots.

Mr. Kranidiotis laid emphasis, on the need for Turkey to accept the principles of international law and the mechanisms envisaged for dealing with problems. He pointed out that Greece had recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court at The Hague, while Turkey did not, despite the fact that the European Commission itself has noted in a report that the countries wishing to enter the EU must do so.

Tsohatzopoulos attends WEU meeting

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos arrived in Germany yesterday to attend a meeting of Western European Union (WEU) defence ministers, which opened yesterday and continues today.

In an arrival statement, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos described the WEU meeting as crucial, since specific decisions will be taken at organisational and political levels to enable the Union perform its new duties as the EU's defence wing.

The Greek minister announced he will have a meeting with his British counterpart, as Greece is taking over the WEU presidency in January 1998.

Commending on develoments in Iraq, the defence minister expressed his concern with regard to the latest developments, saying "he could not imagine of any action that could lead to a new confrontation" saying he was in favour of a peaceful settlement of the Iraqi problem, reiterating that international principles must be respected.

Multinational PfP military exercise in Macedonia

A hypothetical natural disaster in western Macedonia in combination with a possible theft of military equipment from units in the area comprise the scenario for the multinational 'Prometheus 97' military exercise, being held in the fremework of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. The final phase of the exercise, whose scenario partly reminds of recent events in Albania and Somalia, will take place on November 22 in the Polykastro and Edessa areas.

Taking part in the exercise are 38 officers and so ldiers from Albania, 27 from Armenia, 29 from Bulgaria and 47 from the Netherlands. The 33rd Hellenic Army Brigade, participating with about 200 men, also belongs to the NATO's "Rapid Reaction Force" in SE Europe.

The exercise will be attended by observers from Italy, Romania and Poland.

Greek diplomat visits Imvros, Tenedos

Greece's consul general in Istanbul,Fotis Xydas, started a three-day visit to the islands of Imvros and Tenedos yesterday.

Mr. Xydas had visited Imvros last June, but it is the first time that a Greek consul general in Istanbul visits Tenedos.

"I am carrying out a necessary duty," he said, speaking to the ANA on the purpose of his visit.

He held contacts with local Turkish authorities yesterday and with ethnic Greeks on Tenedos, who now number only 25. Ethnic Greeks living on Imvros number about 300.

Mr. Xydas will have a meeting in the Dardanelles with the prefect and its mayor this morning and afterwards he will leave for Imvros.

A Turkish government census of 1927 showed the ethnic Greek population on Imvros at approximately 6,700, and 2,500 on Tenedos.

Greek reservations on first Euro participants proposal

National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou yesterday expressed Athens' reservations regarding a French-German proposal for an informal consultation process prior to the 15 EU finance ministers council among countries that will adopt the Euro currency.

He stressed that Greece, along with the other countries did not envisage to join the euro from the beginning (Britain, Denmark and Sweden) consider that such a process held an inherent danger of substituting for the responsibilities of the Ecofin counci l.

He admitted that "of course, no one can prevent the ministers of the various member-states from meeting on an informal basis," but stressed that "it is unacceptable for such informal meetings to acquire a formal character and derive this from from offic ial Community documents".

Mr. Papantoniou noted that a way out would be for the non-participants in euro to take part in such meetings as observers.

Gov't sees new round of commercial bank rate hikes

Major Greek commercial banks raised deposit and loan rates yesterday in the wake of hikes on Friday by Alpha Credit Bank and the National Bank of Greece.

In another move National Economy Miniuster Yiannos Papantoniou urged bankers to show restraint saying that banks could offset part of the losses inflicted by a recent monetary crisis through their portfolios, which would show huge gains for the year.

He urged banks not to transfer the cost to the consumer by raising interest rates.

Commercial Bank, the second largest state bank, Ergobank, Bank of Attica and Xiosbank announced rises on deposit and loans of 25 basis points to 1.5 percentage points.

The government and bankers are awaiting a move by mortgage banks on interest rates. State Mortgage Bank's decision will be of particular interest as it controls at least 60 percent of the Greek housing market.

Greek bourse dumps plan to go public

The Athens Stock Exchange yesterday approved a proposal to expand its shareholder base through a private placement, abandoning a plan to hold a public offering and enter the mnarket.

The Greek state, the Athens bourse's owner, will be able to transfer part of its stake to institutional investors, bypassing the need to negotiate new shares on the market.

The decision came as a disappointment to the market which expected that Greece's national economy ministry would seek the flotation of the stock market's equity capital.

Greek-Turkish cooperation to prevent Aegean pollution

Participants of the ninth meeting between local government representatives of eastern Aegean islands and Turkish coastal cities, held in Kusadasi, have agreed to cooperate to prevent further pollution in the Aegean.

The Greek delegation's head, the president of the economic-prefectural committee of Samos, Yiannis Samios, handed the mayor of Kusadasi a file containing data on the environmental situation in the Aegean and proposals in dealing with the problem.

Mr. Samios also proposed that the next meeting of Greek and Turkish local government representatives take place on Samos to look into commerce, economy and tourism.

The mayor of Kusadasi proposed that his city became a sister city of Samos, an issue that will be put to the Samos Prefectural Committee.

Turkish officials also extended an invitation to two students from Greek universities to attend a conference on tourism this December in Turkey.

Onassis Foundation trustees ridicule Roussel claims

The Alexander S. Onassis Foundation issued a statement yesterday strongly rejecting claims by Thierry Roussel, the father of Onassis heiress Athina Roussel-Onassis, regarding an alleged attempt to abduct his daughter.

The four members of the board, who are also trustees of Athina's inheritance along with Mr. Roussel, say that the bizaare kidnapping plot was a rumour started by Mr. Roussel himself.

The four, Stelios Papadimitriou, Apostolos Zambelas, Pavlos Ioannidis and Theodoros Gavrilidis, warned Mr. Roussel to not even pass the Onassis Foundation's threshold, while they rejected his claims of mismanaging the foundation's funds.

In a joint press release issued yesterday, the four trustees stated, "...As to the heroic battles waged by Roussel:

"He is indeed fighting heroically by the way of an industry of criminal complaints, demands, requests, lawsuits etc. with the view to laying his hands on the fortune of his minor daughter...It must be noted that out of Roussel's numerous complaints, deman ds, lawsuits etc., not even one has been successful for Roussel and those still outstanding will have the same fate."

The four trustees have sent a memorandum to a Geneva magistrate investigating the kidnapping charges, declaring their willingness to assist in the investigation. They added, however, that Swiss authorities had no real evidence proving the existence of a n abduction attempt other than what Mr. Roussel himself has told the press and the magistrate.

"As to Roussel's unfavourable comments, we do not wonder. Taking into account his professional qualifications, his business achievements, his stated aspirations, his untiring zeal for work which, however, aims exclusively at our fatigue, we would wonder if such comments were favourable for us. Indeed we are his antipode, namely we are what he is not and will never be...The fact that he is favoured with an audience or a reply is solely due to his being the father of Athina," the statement read.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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