Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-01-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece-Cyprus

[02] Papaioannou-Minimum Income

[03] IOBE - Greek economy - Forecasts

[04] Environment-Balkans

[05] Environment-Balkans

[06] Government-elections

[07] Cyprus - FYROM - Diplomatic ties

[08] Stock market report

[09] Interest rates - Papandoniou

[01] Greece-Cyprus

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday pledged Greece's readiness to work for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, based on UN Security Council decisions.

Speaking during a gathering in Athens where two Cypriot ministers presented cheques in aid of the victims of the Athens earthquake last September, Simitis referred to the second round of the UN-proximity talks scheduled to resume on January 31 in Geneva.

[02] Papaioannou-Minimum Income

Labour and Social Security Minister Miltiades Papaioannou said on Wednesday that a minimum guaranteed income would be introduced as part of the government's policy of combatting poverty.

The new minimum income will be defined as the lowest amount needed to ensure survival, Papaioannou told a new year celebration at the National Labour Institute.

Eligible to receive support will be workers, the unemployed and pensioners who fall below the minimum income level to be set, he said.

[03] IOBE - Greek economy - Forecasts

The latest three-month report by the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) on the Greek economy forecasts a growth rate of 3.7 percent for 2000, up from a projected 3.5 percent in 1999.

IOBE, in the report released on Wednesday, noted that prospects for the Greek economy ?remain very good, buffered by the continuous improvement in economic conditions within the European Union and throughout the world?.

IOBE also stressed that the Greek economy has made greater progress towards sustainable convergence (with the EU economies) than is usually acknowledged.

[04] Environment-Balkans

The prime ministers of Greece, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will declare a 'Balkans Park' in the area of Lake Prespes on February 2, it was announced on Wednesday.

The park will extend into the territory of the three countries and will constitute a large, integrated natural reserve, Deputy Environment Minister Theodoros Koliopanos told a news conference.

February 2 has been chosen as the date of the declaration of the 'Balkan Prespes Park' because it is also the international day for wetlands.

[05] Environment-Balkans

The prime ministers of Greece, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will declare a 'Balkans Park' in the area of Lake Prespes on February 2, it was announced on Wednesday.

The park will extend into the territory of the three countries and will constitute a large, integrated natural reserve, Deputy Environment Minister Theodoros Koliopanos told a news conference.

February 2 has been chosen as the date of the declaration of the 'Balkan Prespes Park' because it is also the international day for wetlands.

[06] Government-elections

The government on Wednesday reiterated that general elections were likely to be held in the autumn of 2000, when the government's four-year mandate comes up for renewal.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas told reporters that the government would continue doing its work.

His answer came in response to calls from the leader of the conservative opposition, New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis, to "clear the air" vis a vis when elections would be held.

"There is no issue of elections being held now," Reppas said. He counselled Karamanlis to "not worry".

"There's plenty of time before New Democracy's defeat," he said.

[07] Cyprus - FYROM - Diplomatic ties

The Republic of Cyprus will commence diplomatic relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) using as the name for the latter the one recognised by the United Nations, namely, the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".

Cypriot government spokesman Mihalis Papapetrou made the statement in Nicosia in response to certain reports claiming that the Skopje government has tabled the name issue as a precondition for the beginning of diplomatic ties.

[08] Stock market report

The market ignored a rate cut from the central bank on Wednesday to continue wallowing in the doldrums for the third consecutive session.

The Athens Stock Exchange's general price index ended below the 5,000-point mark at 4,936.69 points, a loss of 1.71 percent. At the start of trade, the index moved upwards to its highest intra-day level of 5,083 points, up 1.20 percent.

Turnover was once again low, at 172.02 billion drachmas, while most sector indices recorded losses. Hardest hit were shares on the small-cap parallel market and the construction sector.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily-traded stocks fell 1.37 percent to 2,593.02 points, while the FTSE/ASE MID 40 ended at 897.36, off 2.51 percent.

[09] Interest rates - Papandoniou

National Economy and Finance Minister Yannos Papandoniou was upbeat on Wednesday that the Bank of Greece's rate cut would usher in a new circle of rate cuts from banks.

Speaking after meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis, Papandoniou said Wednesday's move by the central bank to slash intervention rates by up to one percentage point would be of benefit to both businesses and consumers.

He told reporters that the course of the Greek economy was cause for optimism and that the government expected formal approval of the country's updated convergence programme at next Monday's ECOFIN meeting

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