Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-03-06

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 06/03/1998 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Greece to facilitate contacts between EU, FYROM
• EU Commission pleased with structural funds' absorption rate
• Yacoub: Rejection of transplants may be solved within 5 years
• Kranidiotis: Kosovo's future lies within Yugoslavia
• Greece rejects Turkish claim of air incident over Aegean
• Greek air force to assess two F-15E fighters
• Mitsotakis statement creates more turmoil in ND
• National policy on digital-satellite TV being drafted
• Turkish writer's latest book on the uprooting of ethnic Greeks
• Jewish Museum of Greece opens
• 'Economist' roundtable discussion in Athens next month
• Greek casinos show turnover of Dr 343 bln in 1997
• General Bank of Greece to restructure
• Greek business urges gov't to keep hard drachma policy
• Olympic Airways to lease aircraft
• AEK ties with Moscow's Lokomotiv
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Greece intends to increase contacts with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) with a view to assisting the neighbouring country boost its relations with the European Union, Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou announced after talks in Athens yesterday with FYROM Foreign Undersecretary Ognuen Malefski.

Mr. Papandreou stressed that cooperation between the two countries had already developed considerably in the economic, political and cultural fields, while he described the talks as particularly useful.

Mr. Malefski is heading a delegation whose visit is in the framework of bilateral cooperation established by the 1995 New York interim agreement, which put the two countries on the road to mending the often tense relations of the past eight years.

Mr. Papandreou said discussion included developments in the Balkans, particularly the situation in Serbia's province of Kosovo, which is causing fears of tension spreading to the broader region.

Mr. Malefski said FYROM valued Greece's mediatory efforts towards a resolution of the crisis.

"We encourage Greece in every way to continue its bilateral and multilateral initiatives for finding a peaceful solution to the problem," he said.

Mr. Papandreou said that the only outstanding issue between the two countries, that of the internationally recognised name of the former Yugoslav republic, was not discussed in depth, as this is being dealt with in the framework of UN-spons ored talks.

He also described the two countries' relations as of strategic importance, noting that cooperation between them was a basic factor of stability in the region and that resolution of the name issue would greatly enhance the potential for further improveme nt.

The Greek alternate minister said he accepted Mr. Malefski's invitation to visit Skopje in the near future.

EU Commission pleased with structural funds' absorption rate

EU Commission sources said yesterday that EU departments in charge of structural funds were satisfied with the rate of implementation of large projects in Greece.

This satisfaction concerns both the rate of absorption of funds and the qualitative upgrading of implementation procedures, the sources said, citing as examples the Patra-Athens-Thessaloniki and Egnatia highways, and the natural gas network.

The competent departments are said to be particularly satisfied with the fact that the procedures for the appointment of a financial consultant, who will secure the envisaged 50 per cent participation of the private sector in the project, will have been completed by March 17.

Yacoub: Rejection of transplants may be solved within 5 years

British heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub yesterday said that molecular biology might solve the problems of post-operative transplanted organ rejections within the next five years

Dr. Yacoub made the remarks during the 2nd Mediterranean conference on thoracic diseases, held in Greece. He said that due to the inadequate number of human organ donors, researchers are looking into ways to use animal organs for transplants.

He added that such a move may include dangers such as animal viruses being introduced to humans, although the danger is small.

Dr. Yacoub urged everyone to understand the importance of organ donations and the coordination services and agencies to properly handle the donated organs.

Kranidiotis: Kosovo`s future lies within Yugoslavia

Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis stated yesterday that the future of the troubled Kosovo province lies within Yugoslavia's borders, while human rights and democratic processes must be respected for its entire pop ulation.

Mr. Kranidiotis made the statements during an address to a conference held at the London School of Economics (LSE) on the issue of "The Contribution of Changing Greece Towards the European Union".

The three-day conference, organised by the Greek section of the European Institute, focuses on Greece's contribution to the European Union. It also forms part of a "Greece in Britain" series of events. The Greek undersecretary said Greece also support s a relative initiative by the British EU presidency regarding Kosovo.

In other statements, Mr. Kranidiotis emphasised the important role played by Greece in the Balkans and the Middle East and reminded that Athens has considerably influenced the shaping of the EU's policy in these two regions with relevant political and diplomatic initiatives it has undertaken over past years.

Greece rejects Turkish claim of air incident over Aegean

National defence ministry sources said Turkish claims yesterday that two Turkish F-16 warplanes were harassed in international air space over the Aegean by four Greek F-16s were "figments of imagination".

A Turkish foreign ministry spokesman said that the four Greek warplanes attempted to prevent the Turkish fighters from completing a mission northwest of Limnos.

According to the Turkish spokesman, "this provocative move, which endangers the safety of a flight in a Notam region, does not adhere to any international rule."

Greek air force to assess two F-15E fighters

The Hellenic Air Force will assess two US-made F-15E fighters at the Aghialos air base for the next two weeks.

The two F-15E fighters, which arrived from England, will be tested by several Greek pilots, who were trained at Boeing's installations in the United States.

Greece will be the first NATO member to test the "E" version of the plane in view of an expected major arms purchase. The F-15E is currently flown only by the US and Israeli air forces.

Mitsotakis statement creates more turmoil in ND

A statement by former New Democracy prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis that the electoral body should not vote for people attempting to turn parties into "concentra-tion camps", plunged the main opposition into further turmoil yesterday.

"Voters should condemn those attempting to turn parties from beehives of political creativity into concentration camps, in which they attempt to trap cadres and voters and use them as instruments which will carry them to power," Mr. Mitsotakis told the newspaper "Imerisia".

"Respect for internal party democracy is a precondition for the parties to enjoy elementary confidence as hopefuls for managing authority," Mr. Mitsotakis, who is also ND's honorary president, said.

Coming in the aftermath of the recent expulsions of six deputies from the party, as well as speculation on the prospects for the setting up of a new political formation, and despite certain overtures by the party leader Costas Karamanlis, which the former premier seemed to reject, the statement caused intense party reaction, particularly at the grass roots level.

In reaction, former ND deputy leader Ioannis Varvitsiotis said "New Democracy is a free and democratic party." However, deputies close to Mr. Karamanlis said it was wrong to interpret the former premier's statement as a call to vote against his party.

Sources said later yesterday said Mr. Mitsotakis did not intend to attend Monday's parliamentary group meeting if discussion of the current situation in the party was not placed on the agenda.

National policy on digital-satellite TV being drafted

The government is drafting a national policy on the development of digital- satellite television and multimedia with a uniform national digital platform for electronic media and radio, Transport and Communications Minister Tasos Mantelis and government spo kesman Dimitris Reppas said in a joint press conference yesterday.

Both ministers made the statements after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

The basic aim of the government's strategy is consumer protection, which will be achieved through a single conventional decodifier system, Mr. Mantelis said.

The government is inviting participation in the platform of the state-run telecoms organisation (OTE), the Greek Radio Television (ERT) concern, without the consent of which no one can transmit by satellite, and other private organisations, such as mas s media, service and technology companies etc.

Turkish writer's latest book on the uprooting of ethnic Greeks

The first book in the latest trilogy by well-known Turkish writer Yassar Kemal, focusing on the uprooting of the ethnic Greek community in Turkey, is entitled "The story of an island", and has become a bestseller in Turkey recently.

Three editions of 5,000 copies each have been published since November. The first book of the trilogy will also circulate in Greece with a Greek translation at the end of the year, while a translation into Greek of another book by Mr. Kemal, entitled "C rime at the blacksmith" is expected to circulate in September.

The trilogy, which starts with "The story of an island", refers to the uprooting of ethnic Greeks and their dramatic course towards Greece, the alteration of the population and the transfer of Kurds to the island, which is another story of uprooting.

Jewish Museum of Greece opens

The Jewish Museum of Greece yesterday opened at its private neoclassical building in the Plaka district.

The museum is the third largest of its kind in Europe, with exhibits from the every day life of the 28 Jewish communities in Greece before World War II.

'Economist' roundtable discussion in Athens next month

The "Economist" magazine will organise a second roundtable discussion with the Greek government on April 8-9, entitled "Welcoming a New Business Era."

The conference will focus on issues concerning the Greek economy in light of economic and monetary union, the role of the euro in the global economy and the contribution of the Olympic Games towards the overall development of Greece. Issues regarding NA TO enlargement and its repercussions in Greece will also be examined.

The Economist's conference will be addressed by European Commission President Jacques Santer, former US Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis, other party leaders, ministers, bank governors, memb ers of the diplomatic corps and businessmen.

Greek casinos show turnover of Dr 343 bln in 1997

Turnover in Greece's private casinos was 343 billion drachmas in 1997 and in state-owned casinos 50 billion drachmas, a development ministry official said yesterday.

The official said that an average of 2,500 people visited the country's six private casinos daily, and 850 visited the state's three casinos in Mount Parnes, Corfu and Rhodes.

General Bank of Greece to restructure

General Bank of Greece yesterday announced a restructuring plan aimed at strengthening and expanding its activities in the Greek banking sector.

George Daskalakis, the bank's chairman, said during a press conference that the plan's priority was to lower the main shareholder's stake, the Greek army fund, which currently holds 68.5 percent of the bank's share capital.

The fund will offer a 33 percent stake to institutional investors through a private placement. A 23 percent stake will be offered through book building and another 10 percent to Interamerican, a Greek insurance group, following the signing of a strategi c alliance between the two firms.

National Bank of Greece will act as book-runner of the offer.

The restructuring plans also foresees in a second phase an increase in the bank's share capital by 23 billion drachmas. The new capital will be used to expand its credit portfolio and fund a three-year restructuring programme.

National Bank of Greece will act as underwriter of the issue.

Mr. Daskalakis said that General Bank would not offer a stake to any other Greek bank and that more than 51 percent of its capital would eventually end up in private hands.

The bank plans to open 30 new branches to reach a total of 121 and start operation of 150 automated cash machines by the end of the year.

Greek business urges gov't to keep hard drachma policy

The European Federation of Business and Businessmen yesterday urged the Greek government to maintain its hard-drachma policy and peg the currency's parity to the future single European currency in order to prevent the collapse of thousands of Greek enterp rises burdened by foreign exchange loans.

The federation, including 250 Greek and international companies, warned that a decision to devalue the drachma would damage the economy.

It also urged the Greek government to tie the drachma's parity to the euro along with the other European currencies through a unilateral declaration by the government, despite its inability to fulfill the Maastricht criteria.

The federation urged the government to take measures to facilitate domestic enterprises in gradually converting their debts to the single European currency, and abolish a 1.2 percent tax imposed on foreign exchange loans.

Olympic Airways to lease aircraft

Olympic Airways' (OA) board of directors yesterday decided to lease 10 passenger aircraft in order to cover the needs of the airline's summer schedule.

OA will lease four Airbus and six Boeing 737 planes for between two and 22 months, depending on the company's needs, while contracts will be separate for each aircraft.

In a related development, the Labour Review Board of Glyfada called OA's new labour programme for flight attendants illegal and against the contractual obligations of the company.

According to press reports, OA's administration considers that the review board has no right to judge the labour programme, only to sign it.

AEK ties with Moscow's Lokomotive

The first leg of the European Cupwinners' Cup match between AEK Athens and Lokomotiv Moscow ended in a 0-0 tie yesterday in front of roughly 30,000 fans at AEK's soldout Nea Philadelphia stadium.

AEK, the only Greek team left in European football tournaments, finished the game with nine players. Romanian defender Anton Dobos was shown a red card for dangerous play in the 75th minute, while defender Vaios Karayiannis was shown his second yellow card in the 90th minute.

The winner of the second game in Moscow in two weeks will advance to the semi-final round.

Meanwhile, in Euroleague basketball action, AEK Athens qualified for the quarter-finals after beating Croatia Split 62-54 away in the second game of a best-of-three series. On the other hand, Olympiakos Piraeus' basketball team -- last year's European champions, lost its second game to Partisan Belgrade 72-60 away, and was eliminated.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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