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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-09-07
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] GREEK LEADERS DISCUSS GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS AND CYPRUS
[02] NEW DEMOCRACY CADRES DISCUSS EARLY ELECTIONS
[03] INFLATION 2% IN AUGUST
[04] GREEK PRESIDENT TO SPONSOR FIRE-FIGHTING VOLUNTEERS
[05] THESSALONIKI TO BE TURNED INTO BALKAN CENTRE
[06] CHURCH OF GREECE SETS CONDITIONS FOR POPE'S VISIT
[07] WHOLE OF GREECE RESPONSIBLE FOR 2004 OLYMPICS
[08] GREEK HOUSE SPEAKER AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER DISAGREE
[09] ATHENS AND NICOSIA IN CONSTANT TOUCH
[01] GREEK LEADERS DISCUSS GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS AND CYPRUS
During a meeting chaired by prime minister Kostas Simitis at the
Maximos Mansion yesterday, Mr Simitis discussed with the foreign and
defence ministers the results of the informal session of the European
Union foreign ministers' council held in Finland and the latest
developments in the Cyprus issue in view of Cypriot president Glafkos
Kliridis' visit to Athens. In statements to journalists after the
meeting, foreign minister Yorgos Papandreou reiterated that although
the present situation had led to an improvement of the climate between
Greece and Turkey, the problems between the two countries still
remained. In a letter to Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis, American
president Bill Clinton congratulated him for the aid despatched to
quake-stricken Turkey.
In the meantime, the New Democracy press spokesman accused the
government of undermining its own policy and harming Greece's interests
in order to be praised by third parties. He also stressed that the
upgrading of Turkey's relations with the European Union took place
without Turkey's meeting any of the conditions set by the European
Union. In answer to New Democracy spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos'
strongly worded statement, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said
Greece has delineated Turkey's relations with the European Union in
ways safeguarding national interests, adding that the government's
policy was a correct and efficient one, a policy of principles, and
would remain unchanged.
[02] NEW DEMOCRACY CADRES DISCUSS EARLY ELECTIONS
During a meeting chaired yesterday by New Democracy party leader Kostas
Karamanlis, the party's cadres discussed the eventuality of early
elections in March 2000 and the election of a new President. Mr
Karamanlis accused the government of presenting the Greek people with
blackmailing dilemmas, while the New Democracy press spokesman said the
prime minister made use of blackmail in view of his final electoral
defeat.
[03] INFLATION 2% IN AUGUST
Inflation in Greece dropped to 2% in August as compared to 2.1% in
July. Governmental officials, who will table in Parliament today a
draft bill on tax reductions, hope that inflation will have dropped to
1.7% by the end of the year.
[04] GREEK PRESIDENT TO SPONSOR FIRE-FIGHTING VOLUNTEERS
During his meeting yesterday with interior minister Vasso Papandreou
and public order minister Michalis Chrysohoidis, Greek president
Konstantinos Stefanopoulos accepted the government's proposal to put
under the auspices of the presidency of the republic an initiative for
the establishment of a volunteer corps for the protection of forests.
In the framework of the government's initiative, volunteer firemen will
be eligible to the same benefits permanent firemen are receiving.
[05] THESSALONIKI TO BE TURNED INTO BALKAN CENTRE
Government officials had contacts in Thessaloniki in the part few days
concerning infrastructure projects for turning Thessaloniki into a
major centre in the Balkans. The national defence ministry has decided
to cede to local administration 82 camps covering a total of 15 million
square metres, where 12 modern camps will be built.
[06] CHURCH OF GREECE SETS CONDITIONS FOR POPE'S VISIT
A decision reached by the permanent Holy Synod has said the Church of
Greece clarifies Pope John Paul the second is welcome to visit Greece
as a head of state, as Greece does not close its borders to anyone. But
in case he wishes to visit Greece as head of the Roman Catholic Church,
he will have to express regret over past interventions by the Roman
Catholic Church.
[07] WHOLE OF GREECE RESPONSIBLE FOR 2004 OLYMPICS
Athens and Thessaloniki will not be the only cities to assume
responsibility for the 2004 Olympics, but the whole of Greece. This was
stressed by vice-president of the Organising Committee Niki Tzavela and
managing director Kostas Bakouris at a press conference held in
Thessaloniki yesterday.
[08] GREEK HOUSE SPEAKER AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER DISAGREE
The Kosovo issue as well as the warning by German foreign minister
Joschka Fischer to Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic that the
policy he is following might lead to the autonomy of Montenegro and
Vojvodina was a point of strong confrontation between the German
minister and speaker of the Greek parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis. The
two men argued during yesterday's meeting of Council of Europe
parliament speakers with representatives of the Group of Eight.
[09] ATHENS AND NICOSIA IN CONSTANT TOUCH
Cypriot government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou has said Athens and
Nicosia were in constant touch about developments in Greek-Turkish
relations. He said Greek foreign minister Yorgos Papandreou spoke with
his Cypriot counterpart Yannakis Kassoulidis yesterday and briefed him
on the informal session of the EU foreign ministers' council in
Finland. He also reiterated that any normalization of relations between
Turkey and the EU would necessarily entail a Cyprus solution.
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