Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-03-12

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 12/03/1998 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Government response to "unconditional dialogue" with Turkey
• Karamanlis undergoes surgery for football injury
• Bombs go off in car showrooms
• Greek-Ukrainian banking cooperation
• Albanians questioned over double murder
• Drug dealers arrested
• Industrial production up last year
• Illegal immigrants picked up on Samos
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

It would appear that Turkey is unable to see the road which leads to the restoration of tranquility in the region, government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis said today, attibuting all tension created in the Aegean entirely to Turkey.

The spokesman was replying to questions on Turkish proposals for unconditional dialogue with Greece on all outstanding bilateral issues.

The proposals were handed to the Greek Ambassador in Ankara yesterday and contained an invitation to Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos to visit Ankara. In effect, they constitute a reiteration of proposals already put forward by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis later rejected the proposals, saying they were insubtantive and simply aimed at creating impressions.

"These proposals, as other in the past, aim at creating impressions rather than dealing with the substance of issues," Simitis said.

Athanasakis' reference to tension in the Aegean was prompted by the fact that the Turkish proposals were accompanied by a threat to the effect that any tension which ensued would be the fault of Greece.

Karamanlis undergoes surgery for football injury

Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis this morning underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right leg suffered in a soccer match between Parliamentary teams, hospital sources said.

An Athens Medical Centre spokesman told the ANA that the torn tendon had been "successfully repaired" in a nearly two-and-a-half hour operation performed by orthopedic surgeons.

He said Karamanlis would remain in hospital for observation for a few more days, and was expected to be released on Monday.

It was recommended that Karamanlis stay immobilised at home for a week, while he would have to use crutches for a month afterwards, the spokesman added.

Bombs go off in car showrooms

Two time-bombs exploded in two car showrooms within two minutes of each other early this morning in the Athens suburbs of Ellinorosson and Holargos, causing extensive damage but no injuries, police said.

They said the first bomb went off at 12:05 a.m. at a Chrysler showroom on Katehaki avenue, followed two minutes later by an explosion explosion at an Opel showroom on Messoghion Avenue.

Greek Police deputy chief Ioannis Georgakopoulos told the ANA that the two devices were similar to those that exploded on February 2 at two McDonald's fast food restaurants in Halandri and Vrilissia and at a General Motors car showroom on Kifissias Avenue on February 19.

Police believe that the Chrysler and Opel bombs were planted by the elusive "November 17" terrorist group, a police spokesman said.

He said no warning calls had preceded the explosions, nor had any group taking responsibility for the attacks.

Greek-Ukrainian banking cooperation

A letter of intent concerning cooperation between Greek and Ukrainian banks was signed today by the secretary general of the Union of Greek Banks, Ioannis Manos and the first vice-president of the Union of Ukrainian Banks, A. Palamarchuk.

The cooperation will include advisory services to Ukraine as it organises its banking system, joint training programmes and conferences for bankers and business owners in both countries.

The agreement was signed on the occasion of a visit to Greece by a delegation led by the governor of the Central Bank of Ukraine, V. A. Yushckenko, Finance Undersecretary S.M Makatsaria and presidential adviser V. O. Lytvytsky.

While in Athens, the delegation will be meeting ministers, the management of the Bank of Greece, the president of the Union of Greek Banks Theodoros Karatzas, bankers, business owners and other officials.

Albanians questioned over double murder

Dozens of suspects have been rounded up and taken in for questioning by police in Kavala, northern Greece following the murder of two Albanians in the village of Petropigi, Nestos.

All those brought in were later released for lack of any evidence against them.

The bodies of the two Albanians were taken to the Krystallopigi customs post and handed over to relatives. Both were from the town of Gremsky and residing in Greece legally.

As police continue their investigation, all that is known is that three armed men wearing hoods, believed to be Albanians, entered an old warehouse where four compatriots were sleeping at dawn Wednesday and demanded all their money.

When they were told that they had no money, one of the three men fired at Durim Goze, 27 and Sokol Zaimi, 21 at point blank range, killing both of them instantly.

The killer's two accomplices then searched the warehouse and found and took 15,000 drachmas from under a mattress.

When the two friends of the victims, Laver Huza, 40 and Altin Bloku, 23 tried to stop them, the former was stabbed in the back and the latter was beaten over the head with a wooden club.

After tying up the two injured Albanians, the killers made their escape, most likely in a stolen car.

Drug dealers arrested

Serres police have arrested three men and a woman as they were trying to sell hashish in a cafe in Amphipoli. An accomplice managed to escape arrest.

The four are Lulzim Krigkon, 30, his brother Bashkim, 24, Plaha Dorian, 22 and 40-year-old Zaneta Tasalari.

Police said the drugs had been sent by bus from Albania to the Thessaloniki bus station, where they had been picked up by one of the group.

Industrial production up last year

Industrial production last year rose by 0.9 percent, while overall mining, industrial and electricity production rose by 1.3 percent against 1996, the national statistics service ESYE announced today.

According to ESYE figures, industrial production in December 1997 alone rose by 7.8 percent while overall production rose by 5.2 percent against December 1996.

In addition, construction activity in the 12-month period January to December 1997 rose by 5.7 percent against the same period in 1996, while construction activity in December 1997 alone jumped by 21.1 percent over the corresponding month the preceding year.

Further, ESYE said, the retail price index in January this year rose by 0.5 percent against a 0.7 percent increase in January 1997.

Illegal immigrants picked up on Samos

The Greek Coast Guard today arrested 21 Iraqi illegal immigrants of Kurdish origin on the island of Samos in the eastern Aegean.

Police said the 11 men, four women and six children -- who told the authorities they had been left on a Samos beach by Turkish boatmen at dawn today -- had applied for political asylum.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(Y.B.)

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