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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-07-13
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] ATHENS REACTS TO TURKISH STATEMENTS ABOUT CYPRUS
[02] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ATHENS
[03] AMERICAN DEFENCE SECRETARY EXPECTED IN GREECE
[04] GREECE, ALBANIA, FYROM MEETING IN NORTHERN GREECE
[05] EU COMMISSIONER SATISFIED WITH GREEK FUND ABSORPTION RATE
[06] ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS
[07] SURPLUS IN GREEK STATE REVENUE
[08] SERVICE FOR CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS TO BE ESTABLISHED SOON
[09] GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER HOLDS CONSULTATIONS ON TERRORISM
[10] 15 EU FINANCE MINISTERS DISCUSS FINNISH ACTION PLAN
[11] ARCHBISHOP OF AMERICA LEAVES CONSTANTINOPLE AFTER TALKS
[12] FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY GOES TO BRUSSELS
[01] ATHENS REACTS TO TURKISH STATEMENTS ABOUT CYPRUS
Athens has strongly reacted to Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit's
statement that the Cyprus issue was settled with the Turkish invasion
of the island in 1974. Commenting on Mr Ecevit's statements,
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that they constituted an
unprecedented provocation towards the international community and
revealed the aggressive character of Ankara's policies. Mr Reppas added
that the Turkish claims could not cover up illegal acts or impede
Cyprus' course, stressing they would have unfavorable consequences for
Ankara. Also commenting on Mr Ecevit's statements, the New Democracy
party press spokesman, Aris Spiliotopoulos, said that Ankara was
showing its real face. On the occasion of Greek-German talks in Athens,
Mr Ecevit said in a televised interview that the Cyprus issue was no
longer a problem since the creation of the self-styled Turkish Cypriot
state. He also claimed the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus had put an
end to the war on the island, while for 25 years now there was real
peace and there was no denying that reality.
[02] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ATHENS
German foreign minister Joschka Fischer, who is on an official visit to
Athens, yesterday met with his Greek counterpart Yorgos Papandreou to
discuss the reconstruction of the Balkans, as well as the European
Union's and Greece's relations with Turkey. He called on Mr Papandreou
and prime minister Kostas Simitis to allow Turkey to be considered a
candidate country for admission into the EU. Mr Fischer will visit
Turkey next week. He is to call on the Turkish government to go ahead
with democratisation measures. One of Bonn's requests will be the
abolition of the death penalty and that Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan
not be executed.
[03] AMERICAN DEFENCE SECRETARY EXPECTED IN GREECE
American defence secretary William Cohen is scheduled to arrive in
Thessaloniki today to meet with Greek defence minister Akis
Tsohatzopoulos. The two ministers will discuss the reconstruction of
the Balkans and Greek-Turkish relations. In Athens, tomorrow, Mr Cohen
will have talks with prime minister Kostas Simitis and foreign minister
Yorgos Papandreou to discuss Greece's role in the Balkans and the issue
of combatting terrorism. Mr Cohen will also visit Turkey.
[04] GREECE, ALBANIA, FYROM MEETING IN NORTHERN GREECE
A tripartite meeting of Greece, Albania and the FYROM is to be held in
the area of Prespes, northern Greece, tomorrow. From Tirana, Albanian
foreign minister Paskal Milo said today that the three countries had
agreed upon cooperation on a number of regional plans for the
improvement of stability in the southeastern Balkans. Albania and
Greece have also agreed on the construction of a natural gas pipeline
from Algeria, which would end up in Albania and Greece through Italy,
and of a highway passing through northern Greece which would end up in
Croatia through Albania and Montenegro.
[05] EU COMMISSIONER SATISFIED WITH GREEK FUND ABSORPTION RATE
Padraig Flynn, European commissioner responsible for employment and
social affairs, yesterday said he was fully satisfied with the course
and absorption of allocations from the community fund to Greece. The
commissioner made the statements after a visit yesterday afternoon to
the Athens Employment Promotion Center in Kallithea. The EU official
was accompanied by labour undersecretary Christos Protopapas, who also
briefed Mr Flynn on the implementation of the national action plan for
employment.
[06] ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS
On the occasion of tomorrow's 25th anniversary of the Turkish invasion
and occupation of part of Cyprus, the chairman of the New York city
council, Peter Vallon, is to issue a resolution. The event is to be
held at the New York city hall and will be attended by congressmen and
city officials. Messages from Cypriot general consul Panayotis Iliadis,
the World Coordinating Committee for the Cypriot Struggle, the Alliance
for Human Rights, the Greek American Women's Council and other Greek
American organizations, as well as from Greek officials, will be read
during the event. On Tuesday, July 20th, a protest demonstration is to
be held in Washington to be attended by many clergymen and political
personalities. The demonstrators will march to the White House.
[07] SURPLUS IN GREEK STATE REVENUE
A surplus in state revenue in the first six month period of 1999,
amounting to 276 billion drachmas, was recorded for the first time in
many years, following the positive course of budget revenues last
month. According to the official data released by the finance ministry
yesterday, revenue last month marked an increase of 12.5% compared with
the same period last year. On a half-yearly basis, revenues rose by
12.39%, well above a forecast of 5.83%.
[08] SERVICE FOR CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS TO BE ESTABLISHED SOON
The establishment of a unified service to control foodstuffs is going
ahead at a fast pace. Development minister Evangelos Venizelos said
yesterday that the draft bill on the issue was sent to the
parliamentary committee for working out draft bills and would be passed
during the second summer recess session.
[09] GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER HOLDS CONSULTATIONS ON TERRORISM
Greek public order minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis is having talks on
combatting terrorism with officials from the American state department,
the CIA and the FBI.
[10] 15 EU FINANCE MINISTERS DISCUSS FINNISH ACTION PLAN
The 15 EU finance ministers met in Brussels yesterday and discussed
proposals for the European economy and the action plan of the Finnish
presidency of the EU on economic and monetary issues. Greek national
economy minister Yannos Papantoniou, who represented Greece at the
meeting, referred to the achievements of the Greek economy which he
described as particularly positive and stressed that Greece's entry
into European economic and monetary union would be made in accordance
with government planning.
[11] ARCHBISHOP OF AMERICA LEAVES CONSTANTINOPLE AFTER TALKS
Talks in Fanari, Constantinople, between Greek Orthodox archbishop of
America Spyridon and Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos ended last
night. Following the meeting, archbishop Spyridon said that an
announcement on his talks with the patriarch would be issued today. The
statement leaves equally open the possibility of his replacement or
stay at his post.
[12] FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY GOES TO BRUSSELS
Foreign undersecretary Yannos Kranidiotis is leaving for Brussels today
to meet with the new president of the European commission, Romano
Prodi. The Greek official will seek to secure that the HQs of the
organization for the reconstruction of the Balkans will be based in
Thessaloniki, as agreed by the EU's 15 leaders during the latest Rio de
Janeiro summit.
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