Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-03-09
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 09/03/1998 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Papandreou: Int'l community must promote Kosovo autonomy
- Simitis message for elder Karamanlis' birthday
- State Dept. reaffirms US commitment for Cyprus settlement
- Remains of Cypriot-American found in Turkish-occupied Cyprus
- Albanian President begins official visit today
- Clerides arrives in Athens today
- Tsohatzopoulos says Greece sure to join EMU by 2002
- Karamanlis-Mitsotakis showdown expected today
- Ecumenical Patriarch: Ankara must allow Halki school to reopen
- Simitis, parties' comment on the occasion of 'Women's Day'
- Insurance firms' subsidiary fund President assassinated
- Greek First Division soccer results
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Papandreou: Int'l community must promote Kosovo autonomy
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou said in London yesterday that
the international community must make it clear that Kosovo should have
partial autonomy, although it cannot accept the creation of a new
independent state.
Mr. Papandreou was commenting on the crisis in light of today's meeting
here of a six-nation Contact Group, which will examine the issue.
"There must be a clear message by the international community and it must
have two aspects.
"First of all, partial autonomy of Kosovo should proceed and, on the other
hand, the international community should not accept a new independent
country, namely, a change of borders, a restructuring of borders, which
would create strong reverberation in the entire region.
"The second is, I believe, that the international community could
contribute and help in whatever way to facilitate a dialogue with (Yugoslav
President Slobodan) Milosevic, as well as for implementation of the
educational agreement and, thirdly, to cont ribute towards facilitating
calm on all sides. No violent acts, condemnation of terrorist acts by
extremist elements in Kosovo and, conversely, to urge absolute self-
restraint by Serbia in relation to the suppression of Albanian-speaking
population's freedom of expression," he said.
Simitis message for elder Karamanlis' birthday
Prime Minister Costas Simitis sent congratulations to former president of
the republic Constantine Karamanlis on the occasion of the latter's 91st
birthday yesterday.
"Mr. President, on behalf of the government and myself, please accept my
best wishes for your health, happiness and longevity. I am certain that the
same wishes come also from the Greek people, which you have served for many
years," the PM's message read.
State Dept. reaffirms US commitment for Cyprus settlement
The special US State Department coordinator for Cyprus yesterday reaffirmed
Washington's support in efforts for a Cyprus settlement, as well as
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke's commitment in achieving this objective.
Speaking on arrival at Larnaca airport, Thomas Miller stressed the need to
"keep our eye on the big picture" of the Cyprus problem.
"Flexibility and creativity are also essential in solving any difficult
problem", he said, pointing out that "the Cyprus problem is certainly one
of the world's most difficult..."
Reaffirming the US commitment towards a Cyprus settlement, Mr. Miller added,
however, that he could not promise any success.
"What I do promise from the US government and this is from (US) President
(Bill) Clinton to Secretary (Madeleine) Albright, to Ambassador Holbrooke
to myself, and all of us involved in trying to bring a resolution to the
Cyprus problem, is that we will give it our maximum effort", he said.
Replying to questions, he also said there is close cooperation between
parties interested in a solution to the Cyprus problem.
"We continue to support a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution. That is
the proposal that is on the table and we are all looking into", Mr. Miller
said, adding: "We do not recognise the (Turkish-occupied) north as a
state."
The US envoy will be received today by President Glafcos Clerides, while
tomorrow he will meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
After the conclusion of his Cyprus visit he will have further meetings in
Athens and Ankara.
Remains of Cypriot-American found in Turkish-occupied Cyprus
Commenting on the issue of missing persons following the 1974 Turkish
invasion of the island, and in relation with the recent confirmation of the
death of one, Mr. Miller said the issue will be discussed during the
meetings he will have here.
"I am prepared to discuss the larger issue of missing persons on both sides
in Cyprus and I think that it is pleasing and gratifying that the two sides
have exchanged information several weeks ago. It is a very important
issue."
The remains of Andreas Kasapis, one of five Greek Cypriots with American
citizenship that have been missing since 1974, were identified through DNA
tests, while his family in Detroit was informed of the results by Mr.
Miller himself.
It is the first time the fate of any of the 1,619 Greek Cypriots missing
since 1974 has been conclusively proven.
Replying to questions, the US official said: "there was no mass grave and
there were no other remains that were identified other than Kasapis."
Albanian President begins official visit today
Albanian President Rexhep Mejdani is due in Athens today on a three-day
official visit at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kostis Stephanopoulos.
His talks here with both the president and with Prime Minister Costas
Simitis will focus on the unrest in neighbouring Yugoslavia's province of
Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians comprise 90 percent of the population.
Another issue on the agenda will be the rights of the ethnic Greek minority
in Albania, which the new government of Premier Fatos Nano has promised to
ensure.
In summit meetings last year, "joint solutions" were agreed to a number of
issues concerning the large number of Albanian illegal immigrants in Greece
and the education of ethnic Greeks in Albania.
Mr. Mejdani is to meet with Mr. Stephanopoulos soon after his arrival.
Later in the day he will have meetings with the premier and the leaders of
Greece's opposition parties.
Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos will present him with the Medal of the
City of Athens.
Mr. Mejdani will be accompanied by Albania's minister of education, the
secretary of the foreign ministry and the secretary general of the
committee on Euro-Atlantic integration.
The Greek and Albanian education ministries are expected to sign an
educational cooperation agreement during the visit.
Clerides arrives in Athens today
Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides departs for Athens today for talks with
the Athens government.
The talks, which sources describe as crucial, will focus on Cyprus'
European Union accession talks - due to start at the end of this month - as
well as current efforts to solve the protracted Cyprus problem.
President Clerides will meet with President of the Republic Kostis
Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Costas Simitis.
Tsohatzopoulos says Greece sure to join EMU by 2002
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos expressed certainty that in
2002 Greece will be able to fulfill economic conditions and will achieve
its accession to Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos was participating in a discussion on "National defence-
development-foreign policy in the Balkans" at Macedonia University in
Thessaloniki on Saturday night.
Referring to foreign policy, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said Greece lay in the
"instability trigon" which he defined from the Balkans, the Black Sea and
the Middle East, adding that the claiming of Greece's equal participation
in NATO's new shape, combined with its economic development and defence
strengthening gives it the possibility of playing the role of a guarantor
of security, stability and peace in this region.
The event, organised by the Movement for Peace, Human Rights and National
Independence, was also addressed by Coalition of the Left and Progress
leader Nikos Constantopoulos, who called for the initiation of a collective
agency to study, examine and han dle foreign affairs.
Karamanlis-Mitsotakis showdown expected today
The outcome of today's expected "confrontation" at a Parliamentary group
meeting between main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis and
ND honourary president Constantine Mitsotakis was unknown yesterday, as
both men appeared adamant on their positions, although initiatives were
underway to ease tension and avert a rift.
Mr. Karamanlis, expected to reply to whatever Mr. Mitsotakis will say,
stated in yesterday's edition of the Sunday newspaper "Ethnos tis Kyriakis"
that "ND is unshakeably oriented towards the future.
According to reports, Mr. Mitsotakis appears determined to call for the
lifting of latest dismissals of party deputies at today's meeting and the
clarification of ND's political orientation.
In a statement with the newspaper "Adesmeftos Typos tis Kyriakis", Mr.
Mitsotakis stressed that ND's problem is political and must be handled as
such at the Parliamentary Group's meeting, adding that what must be sought
by all must be the fulfillment of the party's historical duty which can be
none other than winning the next elections.
Former ND premier George Rallis also intervened in the developments in the
party with a statement in the newspaper "Eleftheros Typos tis Kyriakis" in
which he took a swipe at Mr. Karamanlis, saying that he has never called on
him to say his views on any issue, despite the fact that after the party's
congress he had stated that he would be at the party's disposal if
needed.
In another development, Mr. Mitsotakis addressed the Rotary Clubs of
Thessaloniki. His speech could be interpreted as a prelude to the creation
of a new political formation.
Mr. Mitsotakis said "Greece needs a big rennaissance effort and it needs it
now" and stressed his conviction that "the political world appears at
present to be incapable of living up to the challenges of the new era. "We
have a need to see again the essence of problems and to take at last the
painful decisions which we have been avoiding so carefully, particularly
over the past five years," he said.
Ecumenical Patriarch: Ankara must allow Halki school to reopen
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos appealed to the Turkish government
yesterday to prove that it respects religious freedom, adding that a ban on
the operation of the Halki theology school over the last 27 years is
unacceptable.
Replying to questions by Greek reporters, who visited the Phanar yesterday
on the occasion of Orthodox Sunday, the Patriarch said "that proclamations
on religious freedom are not compatible with the ban on the academy's
operation for 27 years."
However, he said he was optimistic that the school will ultimately reopen
and recalled the interest shown on the issue by US President Bill
Clinton.
In another development, major Patriarchate benefactor Panayiotis Angelopoulos
announced yesterday, in the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch, that he
will undertake the renovation of the Patriarchate's most renowned
educational academy in the Phanar district.
Simitis, parties' comment on the occasion of 'Women's Day'
In a statement on the occasion of the international observance of "Women's
Day", Prime Minister Costas Simitis said the government is promoting
special measures in support of women.
Women's Day, March 8, was marked by events organised by women's agencies
and organisations, as well as by statements from political parties.
Mr. Simitis said, among others, that March 8 constitutes a challenge for us
for new efforts, which will create a society that's more just, humane and
open.
An announcement by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said this year's
occasion "again finds women and young girls being the greatest victims of
the system and the policy which generate poverty, ignorance, reactionary
social models and prejudices."
In a similar announcement, the Coalition of the Left and Progress said
"women, more than half the population of the earth, continue to experience
the consequences of direct and indirect discrimination due to gender."
Insurance firms' subsidiary fund president assassinated
Police yesterday attributed the early morning murder yesterday of insurance
firms' subsidiary fund president Nikos Sotiropoulos to hired killers.
Police said the 67-year-old man was gunned down by two assailants at
roughly 2:15 a.m. yesterday as he left his car to enter his vacation home
in the Athens seaside resort town of Saronida, on the Athens-Sounion
highway.
Sotiropoulos, who was shot three times in the head, died almost instantaneously,
according to a preliminary coroner's report.
Authorities said they believe Sotiropoulos' killing was an act of vengeance,
and that the owners of one or more insurance companies whose licences were
recently revoked may have hired the gunmen, although they were also
investigating other possibilities, a police spokesman told ANA.
Greek First division soccer results
Veria-Panahaiki 0-0 Kalamata-Olympiakos 0-4
Ethnikos-Apollon 2-0 Iraklis-PAOK 2-3
Athinaikos-Panionios 3-0 Ionikos-Xanthi 1-0
Panathinaikos-OFI 6-2 Kavala-Proodeftiki 0-2
STANDINGS after 25 rounds: Olympiakos 64, Panathinaikos 61, AEK (24 games)
56, PAOK 51, Ionikos 51, Iraklis 45, OFI 33.
WEATHER
Cloudiness is forecast for most of the country today, with rain expected in
western Greece. Light westerly winds will pick up during the day reaching
strong to very strong in the open seas. Increased clouds in Athens with
possible showers late at night. Temperatures will range from 10-18C.
Cloudiness also in Thessaloniki turning into showers in the afternoon with
temperatures from 7-15C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 287.253
Pound sterling 470.089 Cyprus pd 534.807
French franc 46.779 Swiss franc 192.746
German mark 156.815 Italian lira (100) 15.960
Yen (100) 225.571 Canadian dlr. 202.408
Australian dlr. 191.783 Irish Punt 390.332
Belgian franc 7.606 Finnish mark 51.681
Dutch guilder 139.148 Danish kr. 41.154
Swedish kr. 35.637 Norwegian kr. 37.803
Austrian sch. 22.298 Spanish peseta 1.851
Port. Escudo 1.534
(C.E.)
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