Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-04
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 04/06/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Pangalos tells Albanians: Cancelling elections spells 'collective
- suicide'
- Greece enjoys the cleanest beaches in Europe
- ND leader to visit Brussels, Luxenbourg
- Greek election observers leave for Algeria
- China's interest on Cyprus, Greek-Turkish relations noted
- Gov't on centre-left, French elections
- Another alleged transit fuel scam brought before justice
- New telecommunications network launched
- Athens bourse rebounds strongly
- Initiative on farm exports in Nordic countries
- Europarliament committee debates sponge fishing in Greece
- New investment plans for eastern Macedonia, Thrace
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Pangalos tells Albanians: Cancelling elections spells 'collective
suicide'
A possible cancellation of Albania's national elections on June 29 would
constitute an "act of collective suicide" and spell disaster for the
neighbouring country, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos warned yesterday.
Speaking at a press conference at the end of his one-day visit to the
Albanian capital, Mr. Pangalos said that "if elections were not held in the
best possible way, we would have an act of collective suicide, we would
have a general catastrophe of Albania for many years".
"All Albanian parties intend to participate in the elections," he explained,
adding that elections were the only way out the country had from its
current severe crisis.
Mr. Pangalos met separately with Albanian President Sali Berisha, Prime
Minister Bashkim Fino, Foreign Minister Arian Starova, opposition Socialist
Party leader Fatos Nano and other Albanian party leaders, including those
of the predominately ethnic Greek party "Omonia".
Informed sources said Mr. Fino and Mr. Starova expressed concern about the
recent flurry of bomb attacks in Albania. Both reportedly asked Mr.
Pangalos for Greece's help in reorganising the police force and customs
authorities.
Mr. Pangalos also held brief talks with the chief of multinational forces
in Albania, Italian Admiral Forlani who assured him that security measures
will be strengthened in the south of the country by detachments of the
multinational force, in light of the upcoming general elections.
Mr. Pangalos called on Adm. Forlani to have patrols increased along the
Kakavia-Gjirokaster-Sarande and Elbasan-Korce motorways, namely, the two
motorways from which the main bulk of Albanians living in Greece are
expected to pass to vote in their country.
He said Greece believed the number of election observers should be expanded,
and would send the largest number.
"For Albanians wishing to travel to Albania to vote, we have decided to
help and will supply them with some document, regardless of their legal
status. This document will allow them to come to Albania to vote and return
to Greece within a month," Mr. Pangalos said.
The Greek minister visited Greek troops stationed in Albania as part of the
multinational protection force later in the day.
Greece enjoys the cleanest beaches in Europe
More than 90,000 tons of garbage were collected in 1996 from approximately
390 beaches in seven prefectures around Greece, while 900 hectares of
coastline were cleaned up, according to Environment, Town Planning and
Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis.
Speaking ahead of the World Environment Day tomorrow, which is dedicated to
the marine environment, Mr. Laliotis said that Greece enjoys the cleanest
waters in the European Union, although he noted that further improvements
could be made.
For this purpose the ministry had earmarked 14 billion drachmas by the end
of 1998 to clean up beaches and to purchase equipment.
Mr. Laliotis said that according to last year's figures, 98 per cent of the
country's beaches met standards of a European Union directive, while Greece
had received 311 "blue flags" designating safe and clean beaches.
ND leader to visit Brussels, Luxembourg
Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis leaves today on a
three-day visit to Brussels and Luxembourg to address the European People's
Party (EPP) plenary session today. He is also expected to meet with
European Commission President Jacques Santer and several EU commissioners
while in Brussels.
On Friday he will visit Luxembourg, which assumes the European Union
presidency on July 1. A visit with Luxembourg's prime minister has not been
confirmed.
The ND leader is due to return to Athens on Saturday.
Greek election observers leave for Algeria
A Greek delegation of deputies and officials from the ministries of the
interior and foreign affairs left for Algeria yesterday to observe the
national elections in the North African country on Thursday.
The group is participating within the United Nations election monitoring
group.
According to a foreign ministry statement, the 15 observers are being sent
to Algeria following a request by that country's government.
"We believe that the Greek observers, along with their colleagues from
other countries, will contribute decisively to the free expression of the
will of the Algerian people and through this to the establishment of
democracy in our friendly country," the statement read.
China's interest on Cyprus, Greek-Turkish relations noted
Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis was assured yesterday by his
Chinese counterpart Li Zhiaoyang of Beijing's interest on the Cyprus
problem and Greek-Turkish relations.
The Chinese official also reiterated Beijing's support for Greece's bid to
become a member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 1999-
2000, a foreign ministry announcement said.
Mr. Li Zhiaoyang is accompanying the president of the People's Republic of
China's Consultative Conference, Li Ruihuan, on an official visit to
Greece. He discussed bilateral relations with Mr. Kranioditis and agreed
that the two countries should establish regular meetings at a ministerial
level.
Mr. Kranidiotis briefed his counterpart on Greece's objectives and
aspirations in the European Union, the situation in the Balkans, recent
developments in the Middle East.
He also set out Greek positions on the Cyprus issue and Greek-Turkish
relations, requesting more active support from the People's Republic of
China - a permanent Security Council member - in efforts being made by UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan for a settlement of the Cyprus problem.
Gov't on centre-left, French elections
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday that the policy
followed by the government safeguards social cohesion and institutions of
social solidarity in a modern society such as that of Greece.
He was replying to relevant questions also related to assessments being
made on the results of the recent French general elections.
Mr. Reppas said this policy is the most suitable to pursue these targets at
economic and social level, adding that Greece is probably the sole European
Union country which has managed to improve economic indicators and at the
same time secure a level of social prosperity and solidarity.
He expressed the assessment that more friendly conditions will exist in the
international environment (following the victory of centre-left forces in
France) for this policy to be exercised and that Athens has played a
leading role in activities concern ing Europe's social image.
Another alleged transit fuel scam brought before justice
A representative of a Piraeus-based fuel supplier, Star Powell has been
charged with allegedly smuggling transit fuel, with estimated tax and duty
losses for the state totalling 387.9 million drachmas. Some 4.42 million
litres of petroleum were reportedly sold illegally.
The new case of transit fuel smuggling employing the method of mock
deliveries involves 353 fuel receipt vouchers from yachts anchored at the
marinas of Floisvos, Zea and Glyfada over the 1994-1995 period, a scam in
which nine customs officials from the 11th Customs Office have been
implicated.
According to evidence collected to date from similar cases, state coffers
have incurred losses resulting from unpaid dues exceeding 12 billion
drachmas. Investigations are also continuing and targetting cruise ships.
Star Powell representative Nikos Souliotis has been charged in the latest
case.
New telecommunications network launched
A new undersea fibre optic cable was inaugurated in Corfu on Tuesday by
Greek Transport and Communications Minister Haris Kastanidis, his Albanian
counterpart Photos Duca and the chairman of Hellenic Telecommunications
Organisation (OTE), Dimitris Papoulias. Mr. Kastanidis said the Adria 1
project was an example of international cooperation in peaceful sectors
such as telecommunications. The network would provide new services
at competitive prices to many users from the Middle East to central
Europe. Mr. Kastanidis added that Greece was seeking new ventures with
other Balkan countries and stressed the need for the development of a
similar network in the Black Sea. Adria 1 is jointly owned by the Albanian
Telecommunications Organisation, Croatia Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and OTE.
Total investment in the project was 15 million dollars.
Athens Bourse rebounds strongly
Strong buying interest in industrial shares helped the Athens Stock
Exchange stage a spectacular rebound on Tuesday, reversing the previous
day's sharp drop in prices. The general index closed 1.90 percent higher at
1,684.38 points with all sector indice s scoring gains. Banking rose 1.28
percent, Leasing was 0.06 percent up, Insurance jumped 2.31 percent,
Investment ended 0.89 percent higher, Industrials soared 2.93 percent,
Construction rose 0.23 percent, Holding was 2.10 percent up and Miscellaneous
increased 1.22 percent. The Parallel Market index rose 0.59 percent.
Trading was heavy with turnover at 27.2 billion drachmas. Shares of the
Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) again were the highlight of
the session to close at 7,400 d rachmas in a very heavy volume of 440,
000 shares. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 124 to 91 with another
28 issues remaining unchanged. Goody's, Euromedica, Elve and Titan
scored the biggest gains, while Emporikos Desmos, Sigalas, Alkar-Aemet and
SATO suffered the heaviest losses. National Bank of Greece closed at 38,400
drachmas, Commercial Bank at 15,105, Ergobank at 19,040, Alpha Credit Bank
at 20,400, Hellas Can at 10,710 and Intracom at 13,675.
Initiative on farm exports to Nordic countries
The development ministry, the Northern Greek Exporters Association (SEBE)
and a Greek farmers' organisation (PASEGES) have formed a joint proposal
for the creation of a processed foods promotion network in Nordic
countries.
The network would be an extension of an existing programme for the
promotion of processed farm produce in east European countries by SEBE and
PASEGES. A joint company was established with the participation of farm
cooperatives in northern Greece to implement the programme. The network w
ill promote products such as olive oil, canned olives, processed tomatoes
etc. Greek exports of processed agricultural produce to Nordic countries
totalled 11 million Ecu in 1995.
Europarliament committee debates sponge fishing in Greece
The profession of sponge fishing is a declining activity now confined to
the Greek island of Kalymnos, but in May a delegation of the European
Parliament's fisheries committee, comprising Heinz Kindermann, Francesco
Baldarelli, Doeke Eisma and Brigitte Langenhagen observed the Greek
fisheries' problems first hand, according to a European Parliament press
release dated May 30.
The MEPs were undertaking an on-the-spot investigation of the specific
problems of small scale coastal fisheries regions in the Aegean Sea and
heard calls for aid for sponge fishing under the Common Fisheries
Policy.
The local fishermen also asked for EU assistance to help with obtaining
access to more distant waters and were given a sympathetic hearing by the
MEPs who promised to raise the matter in Parliament's fisheries committee.
Other requests made include closed seasons for fishing activities in order
to safeguard the reproduction of fish stocks, the search for methods of
decreasing competition from third country fleets fishing in international
waters adjacent to Greek territorial waters, support for investments aimed
at improving the safety standard of the ageing fleet and the relaxation of
restrictions on motor capacity.
New investment plans for eastern Macedonia, Thrace
The advisory committee of the eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region has
ratified 95 new investment plans whose total investments amount to 34.61
billion drachmas, as well as applications for subsidies totalling 20.499
billion drachmas for the first half of 1997.
The 95 new investments are expected to create 1,130 new jobs in the
prefectures of Evros, Rodopi, Xanthi, Kavala and Drama. The advisory
committee took the examination and ratification of investments and the
viability of each plan and body into consideration as its main criteria.
Other criteria were the competitiveness of the investment, development
repercussions in the region, as well as its economic, social and environmental
cohesion in relation with balanced development.
WEATHER
Fine weather is forcast for most parts of Greece today except for some
local cloudiness, scattered rain and rainstorms in the Thrace, Macedonia
and the eastern Aegean Sea. Winds northwesterly, moderate to strong. Athens
will be sunny with temperatures between 15-28C. Possibility of rain in
Thessaloniki with temperatures from 14-24C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Tuesday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 272.959
Pound sterling 445.904 Cyprus pd 531.514
French franc 46.902 Swiss franc 190.717
German mark 158.125 Italian lira (100) 16.066
Yen (100) 235.352 Canadian dlr. 198.400
Australian dlr. 206.445 Irish Punt 405.728
Belgian franc 7.660 Finnish mark 52.655
Dutch guilder 140.537 Danish kr. 41.549
Swedish kr. 34.992 Norwegian kr. 38.321
Austrian sch. 22.466 Spanish peseta 1.871
Port. Escudo 1.565
(C.E.)
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