From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Thu, 19 May 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Dimitris Tsatsos to head PASOK Europoll ticket ----------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Dimitris Tsatsos, professor of constitutional law at Panteios University, Athens, and Hagen University, Germany, will head the ruling PASOK party ticket in the forthcoming Euro-elections, it was announced last night. Prime Minister and PASOK leader Andreas Papandreou said he was certain that PASOK's majority trend will be reiterated at the Euro-elections and Greek democratic and progressive forces will be reflected in major European political configurations." Mr. Papandreou said the PASOK ticket "includes experienced and younger members of the (PASOK) Movement, as well as personalities with special knowledge and wider social appeal." He said Christos Papoutsis will again head PASOK's group at the European Parliament, and was given second place on the ticket. PASOK's Euro-ticket contains three out of nine outgoing Eurodeputies, namely Christos Papoutsis, Paraskevas Avgerinos and George Raftopoulos. Outgoing Eurodeputies not included in yesterday's ticket are Emmanuel Karellis, Sotiris Kostopoulos, Dimitris Pagoropoulos, Panayiotis Roumeliotis, Ioannis Stamoulis and Constantine Tsimas. Mr. Papandreou congratulated and thanked the Movement's outgoing Eurodeputies, saying that they have the same qualifications as those included in the ticket. Due to an increase in the European Parliament's seats from 518 to 567, Greece will raise the number of its Eurodeputies from 24 (in 1989) to 25 in 1994. Other personalities included in PASOK's ticket are Constantine Klironomos, mayor of Heraklion, Ioannis Roumbatis, a journalist, Angela Kokola, former director of the prime minister's office, Stelios Panagopoulos, former governor of the National Bank of Greece, George Katiforis, a professor and economic adviser to the prime minister, Nikos Papakyriazis, a doctor and former Eurodeputy, Irini Lambraki, an attorney and former deputy, Yiannos Kranidiotis, Foreign Ministry Secretary-General for European affairs, and Christos Protopappas, president of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE). All parties to get election subsidies -------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Small parties will also be given state subsidies for the forthcoming Euro-elections, according to a decision taken by the government which tabled a related amendment last night. Subsidies will be given even to parties with only one deputy in the European Parliament. The amendment, signed by Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Finance Minister Alecos Papadopoulos, rules that small parties will share 10 per cent of the total state subsidy for political parties represented in Parliament, namely PASOK, New Democracy, Political Spring (Pol.An) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). The amendment tabled by the government allows for subsidisation of the Coalition of the Left and Progress, the Democratic Renewal Party (DHANA) and the New Left Wave. ND appeal --------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Main opposition New Democracy party has called on political parties to contribute to safeguarding the environment during the run-up to the Euro-elections. ND reiterated its proposal that election posters should not be placed in public places, noting this was even more appropriate now that the economy was fraught with difficulties, making it necessary to restrict election expenditure. Albania: Greece would rather have experts precede FMs meeting ------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Greece would prefer a meeting of senior Greek and Albanian experts to be held before further talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos declared yesterday. "Greece would like a meeting at the level of experts to precede a new meeting between the foreign ministers of Greece and Albania, Karolos Papoulias and Alfred Sereqi," he said. Mr. Venizelos stressed such a meeting could take place at the Greek-Albanian border, and render a further meeting between the two ministers meaningful. Mr. Venizelos revealed that the Greek ambassador in Tirana had talks a few days ago with Albanian Foreign Ministry officials and Ambassador Angelakis who deals with Balkan affairs has conferred with the Albanian ambassador in Athens. Gligorov statement reasserts old stance, no fresh proposal-Venizelos ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos, in a reply to a press question yesterday over an interview by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) President Kiro Gligorov to the Austrian Daily "Die Presse," said that Mr. Gligorov "only reiterated his government's already declared positions, but did not make specific proposals." In the interview, Monday, Mr. Gligorov referred to Skopje's "will for negotiations with Greece on all issues," and described as "mere gossip" recent rumours alleging FYROM's intention to change its flag and symbols. In the interview, Mr. Gligorov was al so quoted as saying that: "There is no practical reason for a dispute between Greece and FYROM, at least there are no territorial claims." Greece insists that Skopje change its flag and name and amend the preamble of its constitution implying territorial designs against Greece's northern province of Macedonia. Pangalos chairs ACP meeting --------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Work opened yesterday at the 19th Meeting of the European Union and Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries in Mbabane, capital of the African country of Swaziland Participants at the meeting will focus on the course of economic and technical co-operation between the EU and countries of ACP, exchanging views on general topics like the decisions of the Uruguay Round and prospects for developing co-operative relations between the EU and South Africa. Also discussed was the opening of the LOME IV Agreement, which will be completed by early 1995. During the Greek Presidency, the EU set the foundation for LOME IV talks, which will lead to establishment of economic, political and social ties between ACP and EU countries. Chairing the meeting, whose discussions will be completed tomorrow, was Under-secretary of Foreign Affairs Theodoros Pangalos. UNESCO in broad Greek monument renovation, protection drive ---------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): UNESCO will place under its protection the Ayia Sofia monument in Istanbul and supervise the monument's on-going renovation works, the Organisation's Director General Federico Mayor said yesterday. "If funds are limited or exhausted, UNESCO will allocate funds to see that renovation is continued," Mr. Mayor told the press, announcing a series of projects endorsed by the Organisation. Specifically, Mr. Mayor said UNESCO would start co-operation with the Melina Mercouri Foundation aiming at returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, to be permanently exhibited in the Acropolis Museum. Mr. Mayor said he had promised Melina Mercouri that he would do everything possible to return the marbles to Greece. That promise, he said, kept him bound to resolving the issue. He referred to Mercouri, who died in March, as "a woman of international radiance who believed in the rights of the individual, in freedom and in equality." Mr. Mayor said the Organisation also adopted the running international programme for protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage of the Greek Archipelago, titled "The Aegean Archipelago," and that it would agree to its additional funding. He said the Greeks of the Diaspora would also be requested to make a contribution to the programme. The creation of a South-eastern Mediterranean Centre for the Development of Mediterranean Studies and Relations with the co-operation of UNESCO and the Greek Foreign Ministry, was another plan under consideration by the International Organisation, Mr. Mayor said. Mr. Mayor yesterday held meetings with Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos and Aegean Minister Kostas Skandalides focusing on the cultural priorities of the Greek state. The creation of a bi-annual International Conference for the World's Cultural Heritage to be organised in Athens in 1996 at the initiative of Mr. Mikroutsikos was also adopted in the meeting. "Culture is in the limelight of the political agenda and Greece is called upon to play a leading role," Mr. Mayor told the press. Mr. Mayor yesterday visited the grave of Melina Mercouri. "Melina, with her dazzling glance, could promote the issue of peace which is the sole purpose for the establishment of UNESCO," he told reporters. "I loved Melina," he said. "I still do, because stars can never die..., "he said. The majority of European Parliament deputies yesterday signed a declaration for the return of the Parthenon Marbles, at the initiative of Greek Eurodeputy A. Alavanos. "...We believe that the Parthenon Marbles, which are in London, are an inseparable part of the historic Monument of the Acropolis...," wrote the 269 deputies from all European Member States and all political groups that signed the declaration. House C'ttee proposes seven to 10 Greece-Turkey ratio ----------------------------------------------------- Washington, 19/5/1994 (ANA-D.Dimas): The House of Representatives' Foreign, Military and Economic Credits Subcommittee yesterday proposed approval of military funds for Greece and Turkey in 1995 on a seven to 10 ratio. However, the subcommittee ratified an amendment providing that the final 25 percent instalment to both countries be withheld until the Clinton administration submits reports to the subcommittee concerning allegations that Greece is violating the economic embargo against Serbia and Turkey is making flagrant violations of its Kurdish population's human rights. Subcommittee President David Obi (D-Wisconsin) said the subcommittee has the right to cut or release the last 25 percent instalment which will be withheld in accordance with its assessment of US government reports. The Clinton administration has proposed for 1995, and in accordance with the seven to 10 ratio, military funds amounting to 317 million dollars for Greece and 453 million dollars for Turkey. According to a subcommittee spokesman, an initial 10 percent cut is proposed for these amounts, a percentage affecting all countries and from the figure finally ratified 25 percent will be withheld as the subcommittee has decided. EU presidency travel advisory lists Yemen "danger zone" ------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): The Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory cautioning European Union citizens against visiting Yemen because of the civil war there. "In view of the situation which has recently developed in Yemen, the necessary guarantees for the safety of travellers no longer exist," the announcement said. "Yemen is considered a region to be avoided by travellers, ships and aircraft of the European Union," the announcement added. Latest dollar ECU bonds raise GRD 200 bln ----------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): The latest issue of dollar and ECU-linked bonds has attracted over 200 billion drachmas, informed sources said yesterday. The sources added a net inflow of foreign exchange totalling 21 million dollars for bond purchases will help the drachma, in the wake of the removal of all restrictions on foreign exchange transactions in Greece since Monday. Moreover, 300 billion drachmas was raised from the latest issue of state securities on May 3, some 214 billion drachmas having been invested in Treasury bills and 87 billion in bonds. Meanwhile, according to the fortnightly bulletin of the National Economy Ministry Economic Policy Division, the value of the drachma fell by 1.8 percent against the dollar and 1.2 percent against the pound sterling in the first fortnight of May. In the same period, the drachma remained steady against the German Mark and the ECU and rose 1.8 percent against the Yen. Shipping currency inflow lower Jan/Feb --------------------------------------- Athens, 19/5/1994 (ANA): Shipping exchange February inflows fell to 123 million dollars from 128.1 million dollars in the same month in 1993, an approximate drop of four percent, the Merchant Marine Ministry said yesterday. Total shipping exchange for January/February also fell to 241 million from 255.5 million dollars in the same period in 1993, a drop of 5.7 per cent, the statement added.