Greek-Italian trade symposium in Athens
NEWS IN DETAIL
Seamen's strike continues amid scuffles
Seamen and dockworkers held a protest rally and marched through the streets
of Piraeus on Monday as their strike entered its eighth consecutive day,
causing serious problems at ports in the Aegean and Crete.
The rally and march had been scheduled for Athens but the Panhellenic
Seamen's Federation (PNO) switched the protest to Piraeus after receiving
information that some of the vessels tied up in the port would seize the
opportunity to depart.
The strikers marched to the Merchant Marine Ministry building where a
delegation was to request a meeting with minister Stavros Soumakis.
In a letter sent to the PNO late last night, Soumakis said that the seamen
and not the government were solely responsible for the repercussions from
the strike.
From now on, Soumakis added, the government would enforce the law.
Dozens of port police officers have been put on duty at Piraeus harbour,
where seamen were expected to vote later today on whether to continue the
strike.
''The seamen's labour action has taken on a political dimension, because
certain forces are opposing the government,'' government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas said.
He added that the action had ''gone beyond the framework of trade union
protest'' and described the extension of the strike as ''unjustified''.
Ruling out the possibility of mobilizing the striking seamen and dockworkers,
Reppas nevertheless called on them to respect the decision of a Piraeus
court which on Friday ruled that the extension of the strike was ''illegal
and abusive''.
''They must consider the responsibilities for the social and political cost
of the strike,'' Reppas said.
Meanwhile, calm returned to the port of Irakleio, Crete last night,
although tension had mounted in the afternoon when local farmers from
Ierapetra gathered in an effort to exert pressure for the transport of
their perishable produce. Farmers were expe cting two ferry boats to sail
which, according to reports, the Panhellenic Maritime Federation (PNO)
decided to let sail for Athens on the condition that no dismissals
follow.
The ferry "Aptera" sailed from Hania in the afternoon with 70 trucks loaded
with perishable farm products, while some quantities of vegetables were
carried by C-130 "Hercules" military transport planes.
Teachers begin five-day strike
Education Undersecretary Yiannis Anthopoulos today called on striking high
school teachers to enter into dialogue with the government ''so that
solutions might be found and in particular their institutional demands
settled''.
Teachers in Greece today began a five-day strike mainly in support of
demands for higher pay.
Anthopoulos acknowledged that the ''social and economic level'' of teachers
was in need of improvement, adding that both Education Minister Gerassimos
Arsenis and he himself had called on the teachers' union (OLME) to enter
into a dialogue.
He stressed however that such a dialogue could not focus solely on the
teachers' pay demands.
''The dialogue must begin with institutional matters concerning education,
'' he said, while clarifying that this would also include the issue of
''the salary structure'' in the sector.
Anthopoulos indicated that the government would be willing to consider
''improvements'' in the teachers' pay scale in 1998 and 1999.
Citing figures which he clarified were not the ministry's, Anthopoulos said
the percentage of participation in the strike appeared to be quite
high.
''But this is not of great concern to us. We are not dealing with the
strike through the prism of degree of success or failure. The strike is a
negative development, mainly for... pupils,'' Anthopoulos said, leaving
open the possibility of additional teaching hours being added to the school
year to make up for those lost.
Arsenis has asserted that under the new pay scale, teachers will receive
salary increases of between 17,000 and 46,000 drachmas, while teachers
maintain it will result in pay reductions, particularly in the case of
teachers being appointed for the first time.
The strike caused problems at high schools in Thessaloniki this morning.
According to the Secondary Education Directorate of Thessaloniki Prefecture,
the strike had a 39.75 percentage of participation.
This morning, teachers participating in the strike held a meeting at the
Thessaloniki Labour Centre before marching to the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry
building where they handed a resolution to minister Philippos Petsalnikos.
The resolution protests the new pay scale which, they said, would result in
a drop in their incomes.
The teachers are also demanding that the public nature of education be
safeguarded, vacant teaching posts be filled and improvements to school
buildings.
Papandreou calls for serious coordination from EU on Cyprus
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou today asked his European Union
counterparts for ''full coordination and a serious effort'' in order to
find a political solution to the Cyprus problem, according to an ANA
despatch from Brussels.
Papandreou made the appeal in light of negotiations for Cyprus' accession
to the EU which are scheduled to begin six months after the Intergovernmental
Conference (IGC).
Speaking today at the first General Affairs Council under the Dutch
presidency, Papandreou stresed that cooperation between the EU and the
United States should be aimed at ''attaining broader and more stable
results''.
At this point, he raised the Cyprus issue and the need to promote a
political solution to the problem.
''We believe that conditions are now ripe in order for a framework
agreement to be found for a settlement of the problem,'' Papandreou
said.
On the issue of Turkey, Papandreou agreed with his counterparts that an
effort should be made to normalise relations and promote cooperation, but
on the condition that Ankara made some goodwill gesture in the spirit of
the EU declaration of 15 July last year, to which Turkey has not yet
replied.
Preparations under way for Europartenariat
Businessmen from Europe, the U.S., the Middle East and Asia will be in
Athens on January 23-24 to discuss new cooperation prospects, in preparation
of the Europartenariat Hellas to take place in June.
More than 3,000 businessmen from 77 countries will converge in Piraeus on
June 23-24 for the Europartenariat Hellas.
For the first time, Greece, the Greek economy and 400 select enterprises
will be promoted in a systematic and organised way by local specialised
organisations at world level.
Europartenariat organisers will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. on
January 23 at the Athens Hilton's "Esperides" hall, where representatives
of the National Economy Ministry and the European Commission will present
the targets of the Europartenariat for the Greek economy.
The preparatory meeting is financed one-third by the National Economy
Ministry and two-thirds by the European Union.
Simitis to attend Socialist International meeting
Prime Minister Costas Simitis leaves for Rome this afternoon to attend a
session of the Socialist International council tomorrow and on Wednesday.
He will be accompanied by PASOK`s foreign policy secretary and recently
namede foreign undersecretary, Yiannos Kranidiotis, central committee
Secretary Costas Skandalidis and executive bureau member and Eurodeputy
Paraskevas Avgerinos.
The council's agenda will focus on the Middle East and support for the
peace process, the Dayton agreement, Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi and the
reform and renewal of the Socialist International.
The agenda does not include Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.
However, according to press reports, Mr. Simitis will refer in his address
to the two issues.
Reference will also be made, according to reports, to the installation of
Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus by Erdal Inonu who,
together with Deniz Baykal, will represent the Turkish Republican People`s
Party.
Cypriot socialist EDEK party leader Vassos Lyssarides will outline the
situation created in Cyprus. The council will be attended by 350 representatives
of 139 socialist parties from 120 countries.
Contract for new Patras port signed
A contract for construction of a new port in Patras has been signed between
the president of the Port Fund, as well as representatives of the
sponsoring joint venture, Christiani and Nielsen LTD-Teng SA-Bachy Ltd. ,
and environment, town planning and public works ministry officials.
The contract concerns the first phase of building the new port of Patras
and anticipates works amounting to 13 billion drachmas.
In a statement, Port Fund President Yiannis Dimaras stressed the great
significance of the contract for the construction of the new port, which
will enable the Port Fund to continue competition with the other two ports
in the region (Igoumenitsa, Astako s) with much better means.
Greek-Italian trade symposium in Athens
The second Greek-Italian symposium entitled "Exporting the Greek economy"
began at a downtown Athens hotel on Saturday with an address by Development
Minister Vasso Papandreou.
"1997 is a crucial year for all European economies. However, it is
particularly crucial for the Greek economy, since it is called on to
accelerate its step more than all, both on the course of development and
the course of the adjustment of fiscal imbal ances," she said.
Finance Undersecretary George Drys said "attainment of high targets, such
as coverage of health and social insurance needs, support for employment
and equal opportunities, care for the environment and the avoidance of
phenomena of social marginalisation requires a strong economy with high
development rates.
"However, development means planning and controlling the contribution of
each project in a chain aimed at increasing the total product. Development
means choices and classifications," he said.
WEATHER
Fair weather with local fog in most parts of Greece with some occasional
cloudiness. Light winds turning to moderate in the Aegean. Athens will be
sunny to partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from 5-16C. Same for
Thessaloniki with temperatures between 1-12C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
(Friday's closing rates - buying) US dlr. 247.792
Pound sterling 414.973 Cyprus pd 517.130
French franc 45.892 Swiss franc 179.056
German mark 154.643 Italian lira (100) 15.934
Yen (100) 212.010 Canadian dlr. 185.286
Australian dlr. 193.331 Irish Punt 405.827
Belgian franc 7.505 Finnish mark 51.981
Dutch guilder 137.749 Danish kr. 40.616
Swedish kr. 35.541 Norwegian kr. 39.347
Austrian sh. 21.988 Spanish peseta 1.857
Portuguese escudo 1.554
(M.P.)
