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Athens News Agency: News in English, 97-02-04

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

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.forthnet.gr/ape>


NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 04/02/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

  • Solution to Cyprus problem will cancel possibility of conflict
  • State Dept. cites important commitments by Nicosia
  • Athens cautions 'respect' for Belgrade protesters
  • Greek, Turkish journalists stress inviolability of borders
  • Dead Russian was headed to Italy for contract killing
  • Protesting farmers insist on blockades
  • Physicians at all Greek spas as of May

    NEWS IN DETAIL

    Solution to Cyprus problem will cancel possibility of conflict

    Greece said yesterday it believed that political solutions would be found to the 23-year-old Cyprus problem that would rule out any possibility of military conflict.

    Asked by a correspondent of a Turkish newspaper if a military conflict was possible if there was no positive developments in the Cyprus problem during 1997, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas replied:

    "If diplomatic and political efforts fail, and given Turkey's aggressive behaviour towards Greece, this eventuality cannot be ruled out." The spokesman added, however, that Greece believed political solutions would be found for the Cyprus problem , "which will then rule out this possibility (conflict)".

    "But both sides must work in this direction," Mr. Reppas said, charging that Turkey, on the other hand, is doing everything possible to dynamite all peaceful initiatives aimed at finding diplomatic or political solutions to differences.

    Constantopoulos meets with Cyprus' leadership, Turkish Cypriot delegation

    Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos called for the strengthening of both Cyprus' and Greece's negotiating and diplomatic position at an international level in order to enable them to utilise mobility on the Cyprus issue as well as to influence developments.

    In a statement after meeting with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides yesterday, Mr. Constantopoulos also expressed support for the demilitarisation of Cyprus, which he said will facilitate the effectiveness of present mobility.

    He expressed the view that the closer that Cyprus approaches a start to negotiations for accession into the European Union the more pressure will increase, adding that Cyprus and Greece must choose the policies and diplomatic initiatives highlighting Turkish intransigence, while at the same time will contributing to finding a feasible, just and secure solution to the Cyprus issue.

    Constantopoulos also held an hour-long meeting with a Turkish cypriot political party delegation at the AKEL party offices. The president of the Republican Turkish party Ali Talat said afterwards that "there is always hope for progress in the Cyprus issue, otherwise, there is no reason for us to try."

    State Dept. cites important commitments by Nicosia

    The United States yesterday insisted that Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides promised a visiting US State Department envoy last month that Greek fighters would not be stationed at the Paphos air base, currently under construc tion, before the end of his term in March 1998.

    "The assurance we have is that Greek military aircraft will not be placed at the Cyprus base for 13 months," State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said.

    "We (also) have very serious commitments on the part of the Cypriot government that they will not install the Russian missiles," he added.

    "These are very important concessions, very serious statements from the Cypriot government," he noted. Regarding the sale of four Seahawk helicopters to Turkey, Mr. Burns said: "We have a defence relationship with both Greece and Turkey, and American aid to both countries will continue in the framework of NATO. Nobody here is talking about ending defence relationships that are crucial to the US".

    Athens cautions 'respect' for Belgrade protesters

    The government said yesterday that the lawful demonstrations by opposition party supporters in Belgrade should "in a democracy" be confronted with respect.

    "No one can applaud the use of force and the injury of citizens and political leaders," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas added.

    Serbian security police attacked thousands of peaceful demonstrators last night, injuring more than 100.

    Replying to questions, Mr. Reppas underlined the need for the implementation of what was agreed during Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos' visit to Belgrade.

    Defence undersecretary meets with British counterpart in London

    National Defence Undersecretary Dimitris Apostolakis, currently on a working visit to Britain, held talks yesterday with British Defence Undersecretary James Arbuthnot.

    An announcement by the defence ministry said the 30-minute talks focused on issues of bilateral cooperation in the defence industry sector.

    The British side showed particular interest in specific sectors of armaments programmes, while the Greek side stressed that all offers made will be discussed on the basis of mutual benefit.

    Mr. Apostolakis was also accepted an invitation to pay an official visit to Britain. The date of the visit will be established through diplomatic channels.

    Greek, Turkish journalists stress inviolability of borders

    Greek and Turkish journalists who met on the eastern Aegean island of Hios over the weekend, stressed the role of dialogue in the resolution of differences between the two countries with concurrent respect for international treaties and established borde s.

    "We consider that any existing problems must be solved through dialogue, on the condition of respect for international treaties and the internationally established borders between the two countries, as determined after the end of World War II, and given the Treaty of Lausanne, which we consider non- revisable," a joint resolution issued at the end of the three-day meeting said.

    The event, organised by the "Journalists in the Aegean and Thrace for Peace", and reflecting on the one year anniversary since the Imia crisis as well as Greek -Turkish relations and the media, included four discussions on issues of particular interest.

    The resolution also stressed the need for working towards uncovering the role of "nationalist and war-mongering circles" in the two countries, as well as of those powers "who, on the one hand, treat the two countries as their best clients for weapons sy stems, and on the other, appear as arbitrators in the resolution of any existing problems".

    It was also decided to establish Feb. 1 as an anniversary for action against what was referred to as "rambo-journalism", citing the media coverage which precipitated in the Imia crisis, thereby bringing the two countries to the brink of war.

    Cacoyiannis collection donated to foreign ministry

    The foreign ministry's historical archives department will establish a special section for preserving and storing film documentaries relating to the history of Greece and Hellenism in general.

    The material will be utilised both in Greece and abroad in order to facilitate better knowledge of modern Greek history.

    The first large collection in the new national archives will be material that renown film director and producer Michael Cacoyiannis will deliver to Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos at the foreign ministry today, and which also concern the history of Cypriot Hellenism.

    Mr. Cacoyiannis' extensive archives include both short and long versions of the well-known film "Attila" on the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

    Dead Russian was headed to Italy for contract killing

    Police in Athens said yesterday that a Russian fugitive found dead over the weekend planned to travel to Italy in the next few days to carry out the contract killing of a prominent businessman.

    Citing information received from Russian authorities, police claimed that Alesandr Solonik was a professional hitman who carried out contract killings for an enormous fee in various countries. They also revealed that six Russian officers had been working with the police here to arrest Solonik, after Interpol alerted authorities to the fact that the Russian fugitive was in Greece. Solonik, 35, reportedly escaped from a Moscow prison in 1995.

    He was wanted in his native country in connection with the killings of four police officers and the wounding of a fifth.

    His body, which showed signs of strangulation, was found in the Athens suburb of Varibobi on Sunday.

    According to an ANA dispatch from Moscow, news of Solonik's death caused a sensation in Russia, as have reports of the arrest of Andrei Koligov, thought to be the head of a Russian organised crime ring.

    Crete to host congress of Mediterranean island development

    Development issues affecting the islands of the Mediterranean will be the focus of an international congress to be held February 6-8 in Iraklion, Crete.

    Organised by the technical chambers of Western Crete, the Dodecanese islands, Corfu and Cyprus and with architectural associations from Corsica and the Balearic islands, the congress will examine the transport, environmental, energy, water resources and telecommunications infrastructure of Mediterranean islands.

    The need for infrastructure works on the islands and how to get funding for these works from the resources of the European Unions will also be examined.

    Protesting farmers insist on blockades

    Protesting farmers' insisted yesterday that they will blockade national roads as scheduled, although they were tight-lipped regarding their route towards highway intersections.

    Protesting farmers refused to give any information as to the exact location where the mobilisations will be held, refusing even to say where their coordinating committee is due to meet today.

    In view of today's scheduled mobilisations, the police chief of Magnisia prefecture yesterday announced that the mass circulation of vehicles on national roadways is forbidden today.

    Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said the government did not impose or accept ultimatums, in response to questions regarding protesting farmers' statements that the government reply to their demands by today at the latest.

    The president of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), Christos Polyzogopoulos, yesterday called on both sides to avert tension and clashes during farmers' protests "for the good of the national economy and social cohesion ".

    Physicians in all Greek spas as of May

    The president of the Greek Municipalities and Communities Spa Federation A. Anastasiadis confirmed yesterday in Thessaloniki that as of this May, physicians will be available in all of the nation's spa resorts.

    Mr. Anastasiadis said 300 billion drachmas will be needed to fully modernise spa resorts. He said that in this direction efforts were being made to find funds to at least implement considerable improvements to installations.

    The president of the European Spa Federation, Christoph Kirsner, also told a press conference in Thessaloniki yesterday that the federation's second conference will be held in Thessaloniki from May 22-24.

    Technical Chamber delegation concludes contacts in Bucharest

    A delegation from the Technical Chamber of Greece's (TEE) department of central Macedonia held talks with government officials and representatives of Romania's scientific community during a five-day visit to Bucharest recently.

    Delegation members met Romanian Public Works Undersecretary Laszlo Babili, who expressed an interest in cooperation between Greek and Romanian firms on development investments in his country as well as with the presidents of the architects' and construction contractors' federations. The Greek delegation, invited by the General Union of Romanian Engineers, also attended a conference on anti-seismic protection for buildings.

    WEATHER

    Fair and sunny, with few local clouds but low temperatures in most parts of Greece. Possible snowfall and sleet in northern Crete and the Cyclades. Athens will be cold but sunny with temperatures between 0-10C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from -5 to 6C.

    FOREIGN EXCHANGE

    Closing rates - buying US dlr. 257.305 Pound sterling 412.692 Cyprus pd 519.808 French franc 46.318 Swiss franc 180.236 German mark 156.399 Italian lira (100) 15.856 Yen (100) 211.098 Canadian dlr. 191.297 Australian dlr. 197.606 Irish Punt 409.498 Belgian franc 7.582 Finnish mark 52.417 Dutch guilder 139.242 Danish kr. 41.003 Swedish kr. 35.206 Norwegian kr. 39.611 Austrian sch. 22.194 Spanish peseta 1.843 Portuguese escudo 1.557

    (C.E.)


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