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.)
