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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-09-01
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC PROGRAM FOR 2000-2006
[02] GREECE AND BRITAIN DISCUSS TURKEY-RELATED ISSUES
[03] PREMIER C.SIMITIS' MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
[04] PREMIER C.SIMITIS GIVES RECEPTION FOR THE GREEK ATHLETES
[05] GREECE SIGNS INTER-GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE UKRAINE
[06] NEW DEMOCRACY LEADER MEETS WITH INDUSTRIALISTS' UNION
[07] CYPRUS WORKS FOR ITS HARMONISATION WITH THE EU
[08] ECOLOGICAL ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN
[09] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH OFFERS FINANCIAL AID TO TURKEY
[01] GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC PROGRAM FOR 2000-2006
Over 15 trillion drachmas will be made available in total during the
2000-2006 period in the context of the 3rd community support framework.
According to an interview by the National Economy minister Yiannos
Papandoniou and deputy minister Christos Pachtas, 12,5 trillion
drachmaswill be covered by the community and national contributions;
the remainder of the sum will be made up through private contributions,
which will be substantially increased in relation to the 2nd community
support framework. Infrastructures, education, health and agriculture
will absorb the largest shares. Among others, the large development
projects that are under way will be completed while employment and
agriculture will be strenghtened. Development rates of 4% will be
sought through the new package while with the completion of the
program, unemployment will drop to 6,5% compared to the present 10,8%.
Those funds cut out for industry will be almost wholly chanelled to the
support and modernisation of small-to-middle size enterprises.
Y.PAPANDREOU CONTINUES MEETINGS WITH POLITICAL LEADERS
The issue of European Union financing for Turkey, the possibility of
lifting the Greek veto on EU funding and the Greek initiative for the
dispatch of economic aid to Turkey are the focus of talks Foreign
minister, Yiorgos Papandreou, is currently having with the country's
political leaders and former Foreign ministers. Within this framework,
Mr. Papandreou met yesterday afternoon with the Democratic Social
movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas and New Democracy honorary President
Costantinos Mitsotakis. During his meeting with Mr. Papandreou
yesterday morning, Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras
expressed his opposition to the lifting of the veto, as did Mr.
Tsovolas. Referring to the Greek veto, Mr. Mitsotakis described it as
inoperative and out of date, since European Union countries have found
a way to ignore it. Today, Mr. Papandreou will brief New Democracy
party leader Costas Karamanlis, Coalition of the Left leader Nikos
Constandopoulos, the General Secretary of the Greek Communist party
Aleka Papariga and the former Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos.
[02] GREECE AND BRITAIN DISCUSS TURKEY-RELATED ISSUES
The main issues discussed during yesterday's meeting in London among
the British Foreign minister Robin Cook, British special envoy for the
Cyprus issue Sir David Honey and Greek deputy Foreign minister Yiannos
Kranidiotis were Turkey's financing by the European Union, Turkey's
relations with the European Union and the Cyprus issue.
[03] PREMIER C.SIMITIS' MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
Prime minister Costas Simitis had a meeting yesterday with the
president of Montenegro, Milo Tzuganovic, who is on a visit to Athens.
On Monday Mr Tzuganovic had talks with the Foreign minister, Yiorgos
Papandreou, during which they discussed the situation in the Balkans in
the aftermath of the war in Kosovo, and relations between Serbia and
Montenegro. Mr Tzuganovic, who makes no secret of the distance he
maintains from the government in Belgrade, said he was very satisfied
with his talks with the Greek government and the level of relations
between the two countries.
[04] PREMIER C.SIMITIS GIVES RECEPTION FOR THE GREEK ATHLETES
Prime minister Costas Simitis, gave a reception at midday yesterday in
honour of the Greek athletes who were awarded medals at the recent
World Athletics Championships in Seville. Our country came fourth at
the championships, with 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. 3,5
trillion drachmas for the Development ministry A total of 3,5 trillion
drachmas will be made available for operational programs of his
ministry during the 2000-2006 period within the context of the 3rd
community support framework, the Development minister Evangelos
Venizelos has said. The minister said that for the first time funds
would be allocated to research and technology . He also expressed the
belief that fuel prices would soon drop slightly.
[05] GREECE SIGNS INTER-GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE UKRAINE
An inter-government agreement on defence and technical cooperation was
signed yesterday in Kiev between Greece and the Ukraine, where national
defence minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos is currently on an afficial
visit. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos has said that Greece might buy Ukranian
transport planes and tanks in the near future.
[06] NEW DEMOCRACY LEADER MEETS WITH INDUSTRIALISTS' UNION
Opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis met yesterday
with the President of the Greek Industries Union to whom he presented
his party's positions on the economy and its relevant commitments as a
future government. From their side, the industrialists' representatives
expressed their views on the development of the economy both
domestically and in the Balkan region. Today Mr. Karamanlis will give a
press conference on the progress of the country's economy.
[07] CYPRUS WORKS FOR ITS HARMONISATION WITH THE EU
The head of the negotiating team of Cyprus Yiorgos Vasiliou and the
President of the Cyprus Republic discussed yesterday issues related to
institutional changes within the framework of Cyprus' harmonisation
with the European Union. Meanwhile, according to the correspondance of
the Turkish-Cypriot newspaper "KIBRIS" from New York, American
President Bill Clinton is expected to exert pressure on the Turkish
Prime minister Bulent Ecevit for a Cyprus settlement during the Turkish
leader's forthcoming visit to Washington on 28th September. However,
the Turkish Foreign minister Ismael Cem has said that Mr. Ecevit will
refuse to take any instructions from Washington.
G.KLERIDES SUPPORTS M.THEODORAKIS' AWARD OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
The Cypriot government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou has said that
Cypriot President Glafkos Kleridis stated his intention to co-sign the
proposal for the awarding of the Nobel peace prize to prominent Greek
composer Mikis Theodorakis . The Cypriot President is expected to visit
Athens for talks with Premier Costas Simitis in mid September, on his
way to New York. The Cypriot government spokesman has stated that Mr.
Klerides' program has not been finalised yet.
[08] ECOLOGICAL ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN
Members of ecological organisations from 34 countries of the world met
in Kissamos, Crete and discussed about the future and the present state
of the Mediterranean sea. This meeting, which is the first one of the
kind, took place under the initiative of the Network "Mediterranean
SOS".
[09] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH OFFERS FINANCIAL AID TO TURKEY
The Anatolia newsagency broadcast yesterday that one person was killed
and 166 were injured when an afterschock took place in
Nikomedia-(Izmit). According to the newsagency, at least 7 buildings
collapsed at the town where the epicentre of the earthquake was
located. The tremor measured 5,2 on the Richter scale. The afterschock
was felt in Constaninople, which is 100 kilometres west of Nikomedia.
Another aftershock measuring 4,6 on the Richter scale also took place
in the same area. Meanwhile, the Turkish police arrested 16 building
contractors at Douztse because the houses they had built collapsed
during the recent earthquake killing 117 people. A strong explosion
that took place in one of the underground wings of a shopping centre in
Moscow yesterday, resulted in the injury of at least 40 people. After
having collected donations from churches all over the world, Ecumenical
Patriarch Vartholomeos offerred the sum of 100.000 US dollars to the
governor of Nikomedia as aid to the earthquake stricken population.
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