Kurdish organisation:"Turkey a state of mobsters"
NEWS IN DETAIL
Greece-Cyprus joint defence doctrine
Greece yesterday assured Cyprus that all the initiatives and exercises
which began or were planned during 1996 within the framework of the joint
defence doctrine between the two countries would proceed normally also
during 1997.
Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of two-day talks with his
Cypriot counterpart Costas Eliades, National Defence Minister Akis
Tsohatzopoulos reiterated that the joint defence doctrine "constitutes the
political reply against any external threat, specifically against Turkey,
which threatens both Greece and Cyprus." Informed sources said that
specific decisions were taken at the meeting concerning the purchase of
defence equipment, the realisation of infrastructure works to boost Cyprus'
defence and the better use of manpower.
Asked to comment on UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's report
attributing responsibility for the recent bloodshed in Cyprus to the
Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sides, Mr. Eliades said that the Turkish
provocations could not but be recognised "since there are cold-blooded
assassinations of innocent people in a region which falls under the command
of the United Nations."
Asked to comment on the Turkish-Israeli military agreement, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos
said it did not affect the joint defence doctrine, "our political reply to
Turkey's threats."
Kaklamanis to address Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council today
President of the Greek Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis will today address
the 8th Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Council which began its sessions yesterday.
On the sidelines of the Tbilisi meeting, Mr. Kaklamanis held a meeting
yesterday with his Georgian counterpart focusing on strengthening ties and
cooperation between the two parliaments.
Mr. Kaklamanis renewed his proposal to his counterpart to visit Greece in
the first six months of 1997.
Greece will assume the rotating six-month-long presidency of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation Parliamentary Assembly Plenary in January. Mr.
Kaklamanis also held a meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister Mr.
Menagarisvili focusing on issues of mutual interest especially cooperation
between the two countries in the framework of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation and the Inter-Orthodox Parliamentary Assembly.
Farmers` blockades continue,country `held hostage`,gov`t says
Serious traffic and transportation problems continued yesterday as farmers
showed no signs of backing down from their 14-day blockades of roads
throughout the country.
PASOK Central Committee Secretary Costas Skandalidis said after chairing a
broad meeting at party headquarters that although farmers' and other
working peoples' demands for improved income were legitimate, "the pursuit
of a total political confrontation by some, three months after the election,
" was not.
Mr. Skandalidis added the government was trying to solve the admittedly
real problem of Thessaly's cotton farmers, and called again for a lifting
of the blockades that would permit the commencement of a dialogue for a
"national agricultural policy".
The topics of this dialogue, he said, would include the setting of a
ceiling for cotton production in 1997, a deadline for the drafting of a
Farmers` Register, a framework for claims in the European Union and
structural changes in the sector.
Northern Greece
Farmers yesterday moved to block Thessaloniki's last exit to the east, and
access to the city's 'Macedonia' airport could only be gained with extreme
difficulty through small side roads.
But two minor roadblocks were lifted in the region, one liberating the old
Kavala to Thessaloniki road, and the other easing traffic around the city
of Alexandroupolis near the Greek-Turkish border.
Nevertheless, traffic from the city to the border, and the town of
Oresteiada and the Greek-Bulgarian border posts to the north remained cut
off. More than 150 TIR vehicles, mostly headed for Turkey, remained blocked
in the Evros district.
Meanwhile, businessmen in northern Greece yesterday called on the Supreme
Court to intervene to end the 14-day farmers blockade of road and rail
links which they say has cost them 150 billion drachmas so far.
Stranded foreign truck drivers provided with assistance
The ambassadors of Britain and the Netherlands visited Interior Minister
Alekos Papadopoulos yesterday for talks on the problem being faced by
British and Dutch truck drivers who have been stranded in Greece due to the
blockading of motorways by protestin g farmers.
Mr. Papadopoulos told the ambassadors that he had instructed regional
governors days ago to take measures for providing food and accomodation. He
added that funds have also been provided for expenses.
Simitis to discuss Dublin Summit issues with Dutch counterpart
Prime Minister Costas Simitis and his Dutch counterpart Vim Kok are
scheduled to meet today in order to discuss a range of issues to be raised
during the Dublin Summit on Friday and Saturday, including the consolidation
of security and territorial integrity of the European Union member-states
and the protection of the Union's external borders.
Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos also arrived at The Hague
yesterday, while the prime Minister, who is accompanied by Alternate
Foreign Minister George Papandreou, leaves for Dublin today to attend the
Summit on the Intergovernmental Conference and the revision of the
Maastricht Treaty as well as on the Economic and Monetary Union and the
single currency process.
Greece rejects Ciller proposal
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas yesterdeay rejected a proposal
by Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller at the NATO Foreign Ministers
Summit on Tuesday for rotating the Presidency of NATO headquarters in
Larissa between Greek and Turkish commanders "adding that the proposal did
not draw the support of any other NATO member.
He described the Turkish diplomacy's failed efforts to upgrade Turkey's
membership with the Western European Union to full member status as being a
"success" of the Greek delegation.
Merchant marine minister to attend EU Council on Friday
Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis leaves for Brussels today to
participate in the EU Maritime Transport Ministers Council to be held on
Friday. The Council will focus on such issues as the European Commission's
proposal to amend an existing directive on sea transportation of dangerous
and toxic cargoes, the safety of more than 24-metre-long fishing vessels
and the Community strategy on the improvement of the EU shipping industry
competitiveness.
"We are firm on our positions regarding competitiveness and the reinforcement
of the Greek flag," Mr. Soumakis told a press conference.
Greek-Turkish business conference viewed favourably by Turkish press
A Greek-Turkish business conference which ended in Athens on Tuesday gained
positive coverage in the Turkish press, which ran articles under headlines
such as "search for an economic peace with Greece," and "Slogun: Business
not war."
Most press reports consider the conference, organised by the Business
Consultants Company "Kantor," as the "beginning of a serious rapprochement,
" noting that "trade will make politicians more flexible."
President of the Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists Association, Halis
Komili said that businessmen wanted to improve economic relations between
the two countries, believing that this will also have an effect in
politics.
Credits earmarked for road, port, anti-flood projects
The Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Ministry has earmarked
credits amounting to 1.63 billion drachmas for roadworks, anti-flood and
port improvement projects.
Of the above amount, 290 million drachmas will go to restore the Xanthi-
Ehinou-Bulgarian border highway, 100 million for lights and improvements at
crossroads in the Attica region, 100 million for works to contain the
Kosynthos River and 1.05 billion fo r works at the Kasteli-Kissamou port on
the island of Crete.
Arab Emirates interested in Greek products
Businessmen in the United Arab Emirates have shown great interest in
importing Greek products, it was announced yesterday. Representatives from
the biggest chain of consumer goods in the region, "Soultan Center," who
arrived in Greece on Monday at the invitation of the Greek Organisation for
External Trade, expressed interest in importing Greek products.
Basketball match between Greek, Turkish teams degenerates into brawl
A basketball match between Aris Thessaloniki of Greece and Besiktas of
Turkey was abandoned yesterday when the game degenerated into a general
brawl during the second half, after a Turkish player punched a member of
the Greek team to the ground and threw him off the pitch.
Aris, playing on home ground in Thessaloniki, was winning 40-31 at the time
the scuffle broke out and was tipped to qualify for the next round of the
European Korac Basketball Cup after beating Besiktas 65-64 in Istanbul a
week ago.
The commissar of the FIBA basketball association took the two referees to
the dressing room where it was decided to abandon the match. The fate of
the match is expected to be decided by the reports they will make.
Turkey 'a state of mobsters', Kurdish organisation says
A National Liberation Front of Kurdistan (NLFK) spokesman yesterday
described Turkey as "a state of mobsters" at a press conference at which he
presented a dossier of information, mainly from the Turkish press,
concerning the involvement of the Turkish po lice, army and politicians in
criminal activities.
NLFK spokesman Chevded Amet said that "the reality of the Turkish state of
mobsters which is increasingly coming to light is strongly linked to the
barbaric, dirty war being waged against our people."
Listing Turkey's deep economic problems and Ankara's insistence on spending
approximately 15 billion dollars a year on the war, Mr. Amet alleged that
the military's main source of funding, apart from tourism, came from drug
trafficking and other illegal activities in which the state was directly
involved.
Film festival in Brussels dedicated to Greek cinema
The International Film Festival in Brussels, entitled "70 years of the
Greek Cinema: 1926-1996," will present about 30 Greek films in the Belgian
cities of Brussels, Gent and Mons.
The festivial is being organised with the cooperation of the Greek Film
Centre and the participation of "Fonds Culturel Hellenique", based in
Brussels, as well of Eurodeputies from all parties.
Films to be screened will include "Stella" by Mihalis Kakoyiannis, "Maria
Pentayiotissa" by Andreas Madras, "Rembetiko" by Costas Ferris, "Attilas
'74" by Mihalis Kakoyiannis and "Never on Sunday" by Jules Dassin.
WEATHER
Rainfalls and cloudy skies in most parts of Greece especially in the west.
Unstable weather in the rest of the country with local rain and storms in
the Cyclades, Crete and the Dodecanese. Athens will be overcast with
occasional showers and sunny spells with temperatures ranging from 10-15C.
Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 6-12C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
(Closing rates -buying) U.S. dlr 241.453, Can. dlr.177.290, Australian dlr.
191.332, Pound sterling 400.014, Irish punt 401.661, Cyprus pd 517.725,
French franc 46.285, Swiss franc 183.629, Belgian franc 7.600, German mark
156.667, Finnish mark 52.358, Dutch guilder 139.708, Danish Kr. 40.930,
Swedish Kr. 35.603, Norwegian Kr. 37.513, Austrian Sh. 22.278, Italian lira
(100) 15.850, Yen (100) 214.212, Spanish Peseta 1.864, Portuguese Escudo
1.553.
(C.E.)
