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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-01-24
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT TO TURKEY A GOOD OMEN
[02] GREEK ECONOMY DISCUSSED BY EU'S MONETARY COMMITTEE
[03] NEW DEMOCRACY PARTY'S PRE-CONGRESS MEETING ENDS
[04] PASOK YOUTH CONFERENCE WINDS UP
[05] INITIATIVE BY SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL
[06] ATHENS METRO EXTENSION TO OPEN SOON
[07] REDUCTION OF MILITARY SERVICE FORECAST
[01] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT TO TURKEY A GOOD OMEN
Political observers from both sides have concluded that the 4-day
official visit to Turkey by the Greek foreign minister, Giorgos
Papandreou, which ended on Saturday, served to consolidate the good
climate that has prevailed in Greek- Turkish relations in recent
months. At the same time they point out that the signing of 4
agreements on so-called "low- policy" issues opens the way for an
improvement in bilateral contacts. However, the core of the problem
concerning Turkish demands in the Aegean and Ankara's stance over the
Cyprus issue has not been touched upon; this is expected to be a
difficult and lengthy process. Mr Papandreou has categorically denied a
report published in a Turkish newspaper claiming he said Greece would
acknowledge the existence of a Turkish minority in Thrace. He
commented, however, that a step-by-step rapprochement between Greece
and Turkey could only be beneficial to both sides. Cyprus' political
parties have expressed reserved optimism over the rapprochement but
have chosen to adopt a wait-and- see approach. Meanwhile the managing
director of Greek Railways, Iannis Mourmouris, has signed three rail
agreements with his Turkish counterpart in Constantinople. The first
concerns a new line linking Xanthi, Komotini and Alexandroupolis with
Constantinople, scheduled to go into operation on 28th May. The second
agreement concerns a rail-sea link between Volos and Smyrna for
container transport, while a third link connecting Athens with
Constantinople and Smyrna will be established in early summer, for the
benefit of tourist traffic.
[02] GREEK ECONOMY DISCUSSED BY EU'S MONETARY COMMITTEE
The EU's monetary committee is to hold a session today on the Greek
economy. The committee will prepare its final report to ECOFIN which
meets to approve Greece's revised convergence programme on January
31st. The Bank of Greece is to cut its interest rates by one percent in
an effort to curb inflation.
[03] NEW DEMOCRACY PARTY'S PRE-CONGRESS MEETING ENDS
The New Democracy party's first pre-congress meeting at the Stadium of
Peace and Friendship in Athens, which focused on institutional and
transparency issues, wound up yesterday. Addressing the session, the
opposition New Democracy party leader, Kostas Karamanlis, proposed that
the president of the republic should be elected directly by the people.
He also said regional heads should be elected by each region's
electoral body. In addition, he proposed the abolition of deputies'
immunity for common law crimes. Mr Karamanlis appeared optimistic with
regard to the results of the forthcoming general election. He predicted
that the pre-election campaign would be a tough one but said the final
result was a foregone conclusion. Meanwhile in an interview published
in the newspaper Express tis Kyriakis, Mr Karamanlis maintained that
the New Democracy party's popularity had increased, and he implied that
the mayor of Athens, Dimitris Avramopoulos, would stand in the
forthcoming parliamentary elections as a New Democracy party
candidate.
[04] PASOK YOUTH CONFERENCE WINDS UP
The fourth congress of PASOK's youth organisation ended last night with
the election of a new central council. Addressing the congress
yesterday, the national defence minister, Akis Tsohatzopoulos,
criticized the recent arguments and the fact that a group of delegates
walked out of the congress, and he issued a call for unity. The speaker
of the house, Apostolos Kaklamanis, the interior minister, Vaso
Papandreou, and the education minister, Gerasimos Arsenis, also
addressed the assembly.
[05] INITIATIVE BY SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL
The Socialist International is undertaking an initiative for the
abolition of the death sentence worldwide and the protection of
people's political, social and economic rights, as well as the adoption
of measures to protect the environment and women's working conditions.
The decision was made by the Portuguese prime minister, Antonio
Gutieres, at the first meeting of the Socialist International under its
new presidency, which took place at the tourist resort of Sintra,
outside Lisbon. The Greek prime minister, Kostas Simitis, who is the
organisation's vice- president, was represented by the alternate
foreign minister, Christos Rokofyllos, who referred in his speech to
the need to safeguard people's economic rights. Within the framework of
the two-day sessions, Mr Rokofyllos had several meetings with the
representatives of various socialist parties, as well as with the
vice-president of the Turkish government, Erdal Inonu, with whom he
discussed Greek-Turkish relations. Both men expressed their
satisfaction over the first firm steps taken recently towards a
rapprochement between the two countries.
[06] ATHENS METRO EXTENSION TO OPEN SOON
Work on completion of the new Athens Metro is in its final stages.
Between now and 29th January, when two new lines are to be opened, the
public is being given the opportunity to attend special entertainment
events at the news stations with art exhibitions and performances by
music groups, dancers and clowns.
[07] REDUCTION OF MILITARY SERVICE FORECAST
The national defence ministry is preparing a draft bill on the hiring
of 15,000 professional soldiers which will, in its initial stage, allow
the period of military service to be reduced by approximately two
months. Announcing the measure, the defence minister, Akis
Tsohadzopoulos, said that a reduction in military service should on no
account be seen as a pre-election gambit.
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