BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN (27/02/1996) 2o

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@uranus.ee.auth.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

February 27, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER ADVISES GREECE TO REMAIN CALM

"Greece has no reason to be disappointed by the outcome yesterday's session," Mr. Van Den Broek said, adding that "there is not a problem without a solution."

The Commissioner explained that the Council's statement referring to the greek-turkish crisis, which in the end did not receive the stamp of approval by the Council as a whole, while it is not of a legally binding nature, it continues to maintain an integral political significance.

Mr. Van Den Broek advised the greek government to proceed calmly into the Ministerial Council of March 25, which will prepare the Council for the imminent Union of Turkey with the Community, scheduled to take place on March 26.

The Commissioner suggested that Greece begins to examine the various ways and the alternate solutions that exist regarding its protest of Turkey's Customs Union with the Community.

[02] PASOK SPOKESPERSON COMMENTS ON MINISTERIAL COUNCIL

Specifically, according to Mr. Reppas, the turkish territorial claims in the region constitute an issue of international law concern that should be brought before the International Court of Justice at The Hague, although Turkey itself could resort to this venue.

Moreover, referring to various critics that have accused the Greek Premier Kostas Simitis as being overly optimisitic regarding the results brought about by his recent tour of european capitals, Mr. Reppas reminded that Mr. Simitis himself applied a "measure of success" to his tour.

It would be an overstatement to say that the greek government is boasting, said Mr. Reppas, adding that it would be equally unfair not to recognized its success, which is displayed in the fact that Greece's european allies recognize the problems created by Turkey and have suggested the route of the International Court at the Hague.

[03] BRITISH PRESS CRITICIZES EU COUNCIL'S LACK OF MEETING OF MINDS

Meanwhile, the british press today reported on the british objections to the greek-turkish issue, although an unnamed british diplomat speaking to the european issue of the "Wall Street Journal" stated that while his country may have presented verbally the strongest objections to the declaration, other countries were not particularly willing to sign this declaration.

"The whole issue is of such sensitive nature that it is difficult to find agreement between Greece and other european countries," the diplomat is quoted as having said.

When a Foreign Office representative was asked if the british government was influenced by pressures of euroskeptic deputies in the ruling party, he responded that "Mr. John Major was very busy on Monday with other critical issues."

[04] BELGIAN PRESS LIKENS GREEK-TUKRISH DISPUTE TO A SOCCER MATCH

On a more serious note, the belgian paper reports on Greece's objections to the granting of economic funding to Turkey by the Community and quotes Italy's Foreign Minister Suzanna Agnieli, who holds the Presidency of the Council, as saying that Athens will demand from the future turkish government to formally commit itself not to declare war against Greece."

[05] CYPRUS WEEK COMMENCES IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

Participating at the Exhibition will be cypriot exporting companies and organizations in the areas of food, clothing, dairy products, toy industry, pharmaceuticals, furniture, building supplies, etc.

An official gala, scheduled for tomorrow evening, will inaugurate the Exhibition and will be attended by the Cypriot Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Yiannis Christofis as well as by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos.

[06] PASOK LEADER'S HEALTH STEADILY IMPROVING

The PASOK leader and former Prime Minister underwent dialysis this afternoon. Starting tomorrow he will be subjected to a series of examinations that will test his respiratory and renal functions, thereby assessing Mr. Papandreou's readiness to be released from the hospital.

The treating physicians estimate that the likeliest date of Mr. Papandreou's release will be next Saturday, March 2, although it is not ruled out that his hospitalization could be extended throughout the following week.

[07] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE REPORT

CURRENCY          FIXING         BUY       SELL
ECU               303.7600     302.8490  304.6710
U.S. Dollar       239.2300     238.5120  239.9480
Deutsche Mark     164.8000     164.3060  165.2940
UK Sterling       368.4500     367.3450  369.5550
French Franc       47.9550      47.8110   48.0990
Swedish Crown      35.6970      35.5900   35.8040
Danish Kroner      42.6500      42.5220   42.7780
Norwegian Crown    37.7560      37.6430   37.8690
Italian Lira       15.3780      15.3320   15.4240
Swiss Franc       202.6400     202.0320  203.2480
Spanish Peseta      1.9564       1.9505    1.9623
Finnish Mark       53.1300      52.9710   53.2890
Yen               230.3400     229.6490  231.0310