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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-02-11

Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1112), February 11, 1997

Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca


CONTENTS

  • [01] Athens reiterates to UN that Cyprus issue a problem of invasion, occupation
  • [02] Athens unhappy with slant of UN chief's letter
  • [03] UK's Rifkind fears war over Cyprus
  • [04] Commission sees positive results in Greek economy
  • [05] Melbourne to host conference on Hellenic research foundations
  • [06] Stephanopoulos urges increase in productivity during Pyrgos visit
  • [07] Stephanopoulos, Constantopoulos to meet tomorrow
  • [08] Synaspismos denounces police actions in Albania
  • [09] Simitis, Skandalidis meet on ruling party issues
  • [10] Open Skies Treaty trial flights scheduled over Larisa
  • [11] Gov't says no winners, losers surfaced from recent farmers' protests
  • [12] Next round
  • [13] Opposition
  • [14] Health care reforms unveiled
  • [15] Striking teachers take continuing mobilizations to downtown Athens
  • [16] Evert
  • [17] Public child-care centers
  • [18] Papariga criticizes Gov't for 'false promises' to Thrace residents
  • [19] Venizelos, Laliotis meet on Athens archaeological park
  • [20] State film award winners announced
  • [21] EU reports 45,000 deaths, 1.5 million injuries from road accidents per year
  • [22] Transport ministry's priorities discussed
  • [23] Research reveals improvement of women's position in the workplace
  • [24] Conference on EU's 'Employment' program held
  • [25] OA, Hertz offers special fly-drive deal
  • [26] Macedonia-Thrace Bank enters EU investment program

  • [01] Athens reiterates to UN that Cyprus issue a problem of invasion, occupation

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Greece reiterated yesterday to the United Nations secretary general's envoy on the Cyprus question that the problem on the island republic was one of invasion and occupation and not only of intercommunal differences.

    Speaking to the press after talks with the UN chief's envoy, Han Sung Joo, Foreign Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis said Mr. Han had briefed him on the results of his recent talks in Nicosia and Ankara, and that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's letter to Prime Minister Costas Simitis was also discussed.

    Mr. Han Sung Joo, who arrived in Athens on Sunday, met yesterday morning with Mr. Kranidiotis and later with Mr. Simitis.

    Mr. Kranidiotis said he stressed that the Cyprus issue was not only a difference between the two communities on the island republic but a question of invasion and occupation, and in that sense, the key to future developments was in Turkey's hands.

    He reiterated Athens' position that the Cyprus issue was an international and a European problem, which did not solely concern relations between the two communities on the island republic or between Greece and Turkey.

    "What constitutes an anomaly in Cyprus is the Turkish occupation and certainly not the Cypriots' right to self-defense," Mr. Kranidiotis added.

    Greece supported a proposal by Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides for the demilitarization of the island and the installation of a multi-national force to maintain peace and stability, he added.

    Greece also supports the resumption of direct talks in Cyprus.

    "(These talks) should begin as soon as possible," he noted, adding, however, that "common ground" should first be found, that is, a convergence (of views) providing for some chance of success in the talks.

    He noted, however, that there did not appear to be much cause for optimism with regard to this "common ground" and added that efforts would continue and current contacts had not been completed.

    Mr. Han confined himself to thanking Athens for what he called "important talks" which formed part of a tour of the region in an attempt to explore all possibilities for promoting an agreement on resolving the Cyprus issue through the resumption of direct talks.

    Asked whether he shared Mr. Kranidiotis' estimate that Turkey held the key to further developments, Mr. Han avoided a direct answer, noting the importance of the support of the international community, including Greece and Turkey, to solving the problem.

    [02] Athens unhappy with slant of UN chief's letter

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas yesterday expressed the government's displeasure with the content of a letter from UN Chief Annan to the premier on the Cyprus issue, which was published in the Sunday newspaper "To Vima".

    "Of course (the government) cannot be pleased when certain problems are not dealt with at their source," he noted, reiterating the position that the Cyprus problem was a question of invasion and occupation. With regard to a potential initiative by Washington on the issue, Mr. Reppas observed that the Greek government had no official knowledge of any position on the part of the US.

    Questioned on recent statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash objecting to Cyprus' accession into the European Union, Mr. Reppas stressed that Cyprus could not be held hostage to Turkey.

    Referring to Greece's decision to submit figures on violations and infringements of Greece's airspace in the Aegean to NATO, Mr. Reppas said the figures would be submitted over a period of four months and that it was in the country's interests to prove its claims.

    [03] UK's Rifkind fears war over Cyprus

    London, 11/02/1997 (Reuter/ANA)

    British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind said in the early hours of this morning there was a serious possibility of Greece and Turkey going to war over Cyprus.

    Mr. Rifkind, speaking on BBC Radio, also accused Athens and Ankara of lacking the political will to find a solution.

    "When relations are already bad and tense and difficult and both sides appear to be looking for an excuse to make them worse, that is pretty grim," he said.

    Asked whether there might be conflict between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean, Mr. Rifkind said: "It has to be a serious possibility."

    "I am not as confident as logic would imply because there has been a real lack of political will on both sides," he said.

    Britain expressed alarm last month over a Greek Cypriot decision to buy Russian surface-to-air missiles, saying it could destabilize what is already one of the most heavily militarized areas of the world.

    On a visit to the divided island in December, Mr. Rifkind told Greek Cypriot leaders the planned purchase would be a "big step in the wrong direction."

    The planned acquisition of the S-300 system would neutralize the air superiority Turkey has had since 1974 when its troops invaded the northern third of Cyprus.

    [04] Commission sees positive results in Greek economy

    Brussels, 11/02/1997 (ANA - G. Daratos)

    The European Commission's annual report on the performance of European Union member-states' economies in 1996, expected to be publicized in the next few days, acknowledges in its draft text on Greece that positive results are arising from implementation of a revised convergence program.

    However, the Commission insists on the ascertainment that Greek public deficits have a structural nature, and for this reason structural policies are required to remedy existing fiscal imbalances.

    According to reports, the special chapter on the development of the Greek economy in 1996 is not expected to have major changes, additions and corrections reshaping its present content, but will contain predictions expressing satisfaction over the government's efforts and estimates of a 2.4 per cent growth rate in the country over the past year.

    On the question of inflation, the report assesses an average of 6.9 per cent for 1997 and does not expect unemployment to exceed 9 per cent of the working population.

    The European Commission also hails a package of measures implemented by the government, for the first time in the country's history, and aimed at reducing public expenditures. The Commission anticipates that this initiative will result in almost the doubling of the GDP's primary surplus in 1997 as against 1996, which in turn will contribute to a decrease in the country's excessive public debt.

    The European Commission's report was initially expected to be publicized last week, but certain last-minute changes in the text necessitated a postponement.

    According to sources, the report stresses the crucial nature of 1997 for all the EU countries wishing to participate in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) from the beginning and at the same time adopting a common European currency, the Euro. These countries must reduce inflation and fiscal deficits to levels set out by the Maastricht Treaty, and these decreases must be achieved this year if they wish their accession to the third phase of EMU to be approved, which is expected to begin operation in 1999.

    The report refers primarily to the performances of EU countries in 1996, making hesitant efforts to set out certain predictions for 1997 and 1998 and without yet having received all necessary information from all countries. Consequently, the Commission' s first full predictions for the current year will be included in its next economic report expected to circulate in May.

    The second reason why the European Commission does not wish to risk predictions is the recent worsening of conditions in Germany's labor market, which at 4.6 million unemployed shows the highest unemployment rate (12.6 per cent) since 1993. As a result, a delay is necessary to include these latest developments.

    [05] Melbourne to host conference on Hellenic research foundations

    Melbourne, 11/02/1997 (ANA - S. Hatzimanolis)

    Plans for the Second International Conference of Hellenic Research Foundations to be held this coming August in Melbourne were announced on Sunday at the city's Greek consulate.

    The title of the congress, held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Melbourne's Greek community, is "Hellenism in the 21st Century".

    It will be subsidized by the Greek and Cypriot foreign ministries.

    Guest speakers include academics from Oxford and the Sorbonne as well as from Greece, Cyprus and Australia. Seminars and other events will also be held in other Australian cities on theme of the future of Hellenism.

    [06] Stephanopoulos urges increase in productivity during Pyrgos visit

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos visited the western Peloponnese city of Pyrgos yesterday to attend celebrations marking the feast day of the munici-pality's patron saint, Agios Haralambos.

    The president was declared honorary citizen, while Pyrgos Mayor Georgios Dimitrakopoulos awarded him the town's gold key.

    During his speech, Mr. Stephanopoulos referred to Greece's domestic and foreign problems, stressing that all classes must become productive, as foreseen in the country's obligations towards the European Union.

    Speaking on foreign issues, he said the country faces difficult times with new characteristics, one of which is participation in the EU.

    "Our participation in this... creates obligations for us, one of which is an increase of productivity," he said.

    He added that as regards national issues, Greece is not prepared to back down on any of its sovereign rights.

    [07] Stephanopoulos, Constantopoulos to meet tomorrow

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and President of the Coalition of the Left and Progress, Nikos Constantopoulos, will hold a meeting on Wednesday during which the latter will brief the president on the result of his recent visit to Cyprus as well as his party's positions on the course of national issues and planned initiatives on Greece's foreign policy issues.

    [08] Synaspismos denounces police actions in Albania

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) issued an announcement yesterday condemning police assaults against protesters in Vlore, Albania, expressing concern at the "existing political repression and terrorism against opposition forces."

    Synaspismos called on Athens to immediately undertake an initiative to see that the European Union will promote a specific series of proposals and measures ensuring political stability and development of all Balkan countries.

    Concerning Albania, the party maintains that "the international factor must abandon its stance of silent encouragement or tolerance exhibited by the Berisha regime and seek respect for human rights and political freedoms in the country."

    [09] Simitis, Skandalidis meet on ruling party issues

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    The restructuring of ruling party PASOK was the focus of talks yesterday between Prime Minister and PASOK President Costas Simitis and PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis. Mr. Skandalidis said that he had put forward his proposals on the next phase of the party's restructuring.

    [10] Open Skies Treaty trial flights scheduled over Larisa

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Greece will co-operate with Germany in the use of a German aircraft for trial flights to observe and photograph the Larisa region between Feb. 10-15 within the framework of preparing implementation of the Open Skies Treaty.

    Observers from Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Italy and Spain have been invited to attend the flights.

    The Open Skies Treaty was signed in Helsinki on March 24, 1992, and establishes a system of overflights over all territory of participant countries, which aims to achieving transparency on military activities. This facilitates control regarding compliance with existing or future agreements on controlling and reducing armaments, while the possibility of preventing conflicts is also provided.

    In this context, every signatory is obliged to accept a number of photo reconnaissance flights, and at the same time it has the right to perform an equal number of flights over other countries. Two or more countries can co-operate in observation flights.

    Countries having ratified the treaty include Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Britain, Georgia, Italy, Kirgizhstan, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, the United States , Hungary and Iceland.

    Parliament ratified the treaty on March 20, 1993.

    Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are expected to follow suit and ratify to enable the treaty to be fully implemented.

    [11] Gov't says no winners, losers surfaced from recent farmers' protests

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    There were neither winners or losers after the end of farmers' protests last week, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas claimed yesterday in summing up the crisis. Expressing the government's satisfaction with the end of farmers' mobilizations on Sunday, he said:

    "Everyone won because calm prevailed, and everyone lost because time was wasted."

    He reiterated the government's commitment to dialogue and said the doors to the prime minister's office were open. However, he noted that farmers' committees had not made any request for such a meeting.

    In response to charges of damages to farmers' tractors parked along roadways during the protest, Mr. Reppas said damages could not have been great, since within a few hours all tractors were driven off.

    Referring to PASOK's agricultural policy, Mr. Reppas said:

    "We should let our work speak for us, not we for our work."

    On Sunday, protesting farmers decided to call off their latest round of mobilizations, after having the wind taken out of their sails on Friday, when police let the air out of tires of some 1,500 tractors parked on national roads in central Greece.

    [12] Next round

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Protesting farmers' representatives, however, noted that they would resume protests again in March, on the anniversary of the Kileler farmers' uprising in 1910.

    The decision to call off the second round of protests came after a rally at the Mikrothives junction in Thessaly, and following speeches at rallies in major farming towns by members of the government and ruling PASOK party.

    Sources close to the protesting farmers' Pan-Thessaly Coordinating Committee, which mostly led protests this month, said farmers had put an end to protests because they were discouraged by recent developments and lack of coordination.

    Small-scale protests continued throughout the weekend although none came close to disrupting traffic on national roads, something the government was determined to avoid.

    In December, a 25-day blockade of road and rail links virtually cut the country in two, and caused extensive disruption to transport networks.

    [13] Opposition

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    On his part, main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert lashed out against the government, saying that "democracy and society" were the losers from the conflict between the PASOK government and farmers.

    In an interview with the Athens daily "Apogevmatini", Mr. Evert was quoted as saying that the government lacked calm, at the same time accusing it of "attempting to turn one social group against another."

    Mr. Evert also accused the government of " slander against farmers."

    Commenting on accusations that ND and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) triggered the farmers' protests, Mr. Evert said that "it is an unfair accusation and a big mistake."

    "I will not allow farmers to be surrendered to the communist party. KKE's proposals conflict with European policy," he added in the interview.

    Meanwhile, the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) issued an announcement saying that the farmers' protests may have been suspended, but that the major problems which caused them had not been solved.

    According to the announcement, Synaspismos calls on the government to give solutions to "certain mature demands of the farmers."

    Synaspismos further stressed the need for the immediate operation of the agricultural policy council and the Parliament's interparty committee, with an aim of promoting specific proposals for the finding of solutions in the next two months.

    [14] Health care reforms unveiled

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Health Minister Costas Geitonas said yesterday in Thessaloniki that a draft bill introducing reforms in the national health system will be tabled in the Cabinet in the next few days.

    Mr. Geitonas described the bill as "realistic," adding that it complies with the government's pre-election promises regarding the health care sector.

    Earlier in the day, Mr. Geitonas visited various hospitals in Thessaloniki.

    He later stressed the need for immediate measures to improve both hospital premises and services, at the same time drawing attention to an existing 95-billion drachma project to construct, restore and expand hospitals in Macedonia and Thrace.

    Health Under-secretary Manolis Skoulakis also announced the creation of a new detoxification unit.

    Thrace and Macedonia Minister Philippos Petsalnikos, who attended the press conference, told reporters that health-related issues in northern Greece will be considered by the Macedonia-Thrace special coordinating council as provided by the regions draft bill to be voted in Parliament.

    According to the bill, the Council will convene every three months. Mr. Geitonas said a ministry representative will attend the meetings.

    [15] Striking teachers take continuing mobilizations to downtown Athens

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Striking public school teachers caused traffic jams in the center of Athens yesterday when they marched to the education ministry.

    Protesting teachers' morale appeared to be high as the fourth week of strike actions began, with strikers enjoying a concert outside the ministry before marching off to Parliament and then to the finance ministry.

    Meanwhile, Education Under-secretary Yiannis Anthopoulos told reporters that making up for lost school time by extending the school year "was an extreme situation", and that there were other ways to deal with the situation.

    "These methods will be discussed with the teachers when their strike ends and schools reopen," he said.

    Asked whether there were any margins for improving teachers' wages, one of their main demands, Mr. Anthopoulos said if teachers accepted a proposal put forward by the president of the teachers' federation, Nikos Tsoulias, then they would see a rise in total yearly income of between 400,000-900,000 drachmas.

    He added that plans to form a committee to examine teachers' economic demands had also been brought up and that the drafting of a separate wage scale for teachers may be possible in the future.

    However, the administrative board of OLME, the high school teachers' union, decided yesterday to propose to a general assembly meeting today that the strike continue for a fifth week.

    A final decision will be taken tomorrow, at a meeting of the heads of local teacher unions.

    [16] Evert

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    In a related development, main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert said he was satisfied with the agreement worked out between the education ministry and primary school teachers, following a meeting with parents' representatives.

    A marathon meeting between Education Minister Gerassimos Arsenis and primary school teacher representatives on Sunday seemed to have found a compromise formula that would put an end to the teachers' two-week strike.

    "If there is well-intentioned dialogue, solutions can be found," Mr. Evert said in regard to the continuing strike by high school teachers.

    He added that he agreed with parents that teachers could not return to classrooms "defeated".

    [17] Public child-care centers

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Meanwhile, workers at state child-care centers have given notice that they will join colleagues in strike action this month.

    An announcement said a 48-hour strike had been called for Feb. 12-13 and a three-day strike for Feb. 19-21. In an announcement, the Thessaloniki branch of the union said it disagreed with the recent decision by the health and social security and interior ministries to put the control of state-run centers under local government, saying it was "an opening towards the privatization or even abolition of state child-care centers." Employees will rally in downtown Thessaloniki on Feb. 8-12.

    [18] Papariga criticizes Gov't for 'false promises' to Thrace residents

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga visited the Xanthi region yesterday and criticized the government for having made what she claimed were "false promises" to the area's voters in the pre-election period.

    "For years the residents of Xanthi have been hearing false promises and overblown words on the eves of elections or from government delegations which visit the region," she said, calling on residents to fight for "what the government owes them."

    Ms Papariga said that for years, the wider region has been in the "United States' zone of interest" with the consent of the Greek government, adding that at present the Balkans are being tried by a new cycle of interventions, "the destabilizing efforts of the US, which wants - after Dayton - to directly control the internal developments of Bulgaria, Serbia and so on."

    The KKE secretary general said declarations of equality are not enough, adding that "brave measures must be taken in Xanthi villages, which are inhabited by the Muslim minority, mainly in the education sector."

    [19] Venizelos, Laliotis meet on Athens archaeological park

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis held a meeting yesterday to consider the fastest and most effective way to coordinate a program to unify all archeological sites in central Athens.

    The program, inspired by late culture minister Melina Mercouri, will integrate some 7,000 stremmata of archeological sites, and works have already started in the neighborhoods of Plaka, Keramikos and Psirris.

    "It is our duty to finish it," Mr. Laliotis said.

    Commenting on delays in the operation of a company which has been established in order to implement the program, Mr. Laliotis said there have been concerns over the company's operation.

    The culture minister said that interventions in the archeological sites in central Athens "is a composite issue which is associated with other cultural interventions such as the Acropolis Museum, the Athens Conservatory and the National Museum of Modern Art."

    [20] State film award winners announced

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Winners of the 1996 state film awards were announced yesterday by Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos after a selection process by the Cinema Advisory Council and the Thessaloniki film critics' committee.

    The first three prizes for feature-length films went to Andreas Patzis for "Slaughtering the Rooster", to Yannis Smaragdis for "Cavafy" and to Yannis Typaldos for "Terra Incognita".

    Prize for best documentary went to G. Zervas and G. Papaconstantinou for "When Chagall cost less than a kilo of potatoes".

    The prizes will be awarded at a special event to be held within the next few weeks in Thessaloniki.

    [21] EU reports 45,000 deaths, 1.5 million injuries from road accidents per year

    Brussels, 11/02/1997 (ANA - F. Stangos)

    Drivers in Greece run three times the risk of losing their life in a traffic accident than drivers in Belgium, and seven times the risk than drivers in Britain.

    Based on recent figures, the European Union is facing up to the grim reality of 45,000 deaths and 1.5 million injuries from road accidents every year, which is also translated into socio-economic costs of ECU 162 billion.

    The figure, double the EU's annual fiscal budget, calls for a common handling of the problem by all European Union partners, and the European Council for Safety and Transport (ETSC) has proposed a "strategic plan for EU road safety" with the aim of decreasing casualties to 25,000 by the year 2010.

    The plan provides for establishment of various road safety-related information systems as well as a series of measures.

    [22] Transport ministry's priorities discussed

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    The transport ministry's secretary general yesterday referred to the basic priorities of the ministry's policies and to the importance of the major projects currently underway.

    Speaking during a speech at the seventh conference of the Greek Chamber of Commerce's transport council, secretary general P. Benetatos referred to Greece's advantageous position as a junction for transportation in the eastern Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Black Sea region.

    He also underlined the necessity for the Egnatia Highway and the road linking Patra, Athens, Thessaloniki and the Evzones border post to be completed as soon as possible.

    The president of the transport council and of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, G. Kasimatis, spoke of the necessity to accelerate the pace of projects under construction for the improvement of Greece's transportation network.

    He also stressed that the country could play a leading role in the transport network as new markets are opening up in the east.

    [23] Research reveals improvement of women's position in the workplace

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Research carried out within the framework of the European Union's "ADEPT" initiative has revealed that the position of working women in society has improved, both in the percentage of working women - now exceeding 50 per cent - and in their educational le vel, with a greater number of women than men holding higher education degrees.

    Research on the workforce's adaptation to industrial change was carried out on chemical, paper, plastics, tobacco and wood industries in Macedonia and Thrace.

    According to the research, specializations in which employers will be most interested in over the next five years will be computing, management and business administration.

    [24] Conference on EU's 'Employment' program held

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    The labor ministry and the National Labor Institute organized a conference yesterday for businesses, organizations, chambers of commerce and other interested parties who wished to participate in the European Union program "Employment."

    The program, to run through 1999, is one of the 13 initiatives of the European Union Structural Funds and aims at promoting equal employment opportunities for women, the improvement of employment prospects for people with special needs and vulnerable social groups in general.

    [25] OA, Hertz offers special fly-drive deal

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    Olympic Airways (OA) has signed a deal with Hertz rent-a-car to offer its economy and executive class passengers, as well as its frequent flyers, cut-rate prices when renting cars in most OA destinations within Greece and abroad. The offer is also available to OA package-ticket (airline and hotel) customers as well as to airline staff.

    [26] Macedonia-Thrace Bank enters EU investment program

    Athens, 11/02/1997 (ANA)

    A draft agreement was signed yesterday on the accession of the Macedonia-Thrace Bank to the financial intermediates network of the European Union's "JOP PHARE-TACIS" program.

    The draft agreement anticipates co-operation between the bank and the EU in the framework of the program of promoting investments in central and eastern European countries, as well as in the Russian Federation, particularly in relation of supporting the creation and development of joint businesses between EU partners and these countries.

    The program's beneficiaries are the small- and medium-sized enterprises of EU member-states and their financial support will be anticipated for establishing, in co-operation with local partners, joint enterprises headquartered in central and eastern European countries as well as in the Russian Federation. Investments to be financed include all sectors and business activities.

    End of English language section.


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