Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-06

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 06/06/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Pangalos calls on Turkey to stop its bullying tactics
• Turkey refuses to grant permit for new Greek embassy building
• Simitis calls for a 'socialist prospect' for Europe
• US State Dept. on Holbrooke's appointment
• Garbage strike continues
• Australian politician calls for return of the Parthenon Marbles
• Eurocopter's helicopter presented to gov't officials
• Greece to auction fixed-rate bonds
• Stock market loses substantial ground
• Hellenic Sugar invests 6.5 billion dr.
• European financial press meeting in Athens
• Several opera stars to appear together at Herod Atticus
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos yesterday called on Turkey to stop its "bully" tactics and threats of war, and reiterated that Athens was prepared to sign a non-aggression pact with Ankara since this would change the climate in relations between the t wo neighbours. Mr. Pangalos said Ankara was using war threats as part of a policy aimed at creating a framework of relations with Greece in which Turkey would have the upper hand.

He was speaking at the presentation of a book by ANA's Istanbul correspondent, Alkis Kourkoulas, entitled "Imia - A Critical Approach to the Turkish Factor."

Mr. Pangalos described Ankara's policy as "bully" tactics.

"This bullying approach has to stop so that there can be relations of equality which would allow the shaping of a framework of discussion and provision - from the outset - regarding the institutions through which problems may be resolved, institutions w hich are appropriate to the nature of the differences rather than to the nature of the disagreement," he said.

Mr. Pangalos said the threat of war hurled by the Turkish national assembly against Greece's right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles did not hold water for legal reasons, since this right emanated from the International Law of the Sea.

In the event that Greece exercised this right tomorrow, Mr. Pangalos continued, the possibilities provided in the Law of the Sea enabling the passage of warships would automatically apply (safe passage).

Pleasure craft and cargo vessels, he added, would continue to sail in the Aegean as today. "If Ankara wanted to go to war because of Greece's exercising this right, this would be obstructed by the commitment undertaken by the United States through its envoy in Athens, Thomas Niles, that Washington would intervene in any Greek-Turkish conflict.

Mr. Pangalos reiterated that Greece would be willing to sign a non- aggression pact with Turkey "because this would resolve the problem created by the resolution of the Turkish national assembly and would change the climate in our relations."

Turkey refuses to grant permit for new Greek embassy building

Mr. Pangalos criticised Turkey's refusal to grant a building permit for a new Greek embassy in Ankara, saying it was an example of the poor relations between the two countries since the end of World War II. He also described it as "a ridiculous dimension of the point at which the mutual distrust between the two countries has reached."

The piece of land belonging to Greece in the Turkish capital was granted by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Mr. Pangalos said, noting that the refusal to issue a building permit was in violation even of Turkish laws.

Mr. Pangalos said Turkish Foreign Undersecretary Onur Oymen had found a new pretext for not granting the permit, by asking Greece for property of the same surface area in Athens.

"Mr. Oymen is demanding a ransom amounting to billions of drachmas," he added.

Simitis calls for a `socialist prospect` for Europe

Prime Minister Costas Simitis said a socialist prospect for Europe must be consolidated in negotiations for the new EU treaty, adding that the "moment is favourable" since at present socialists are in power in nine countries and participate in coalition governments in four others. The Greek premier spoke at the opening session of a conference of Socialist leaders of Europe, held in this Swedish port city.

Mr. Simitis said "it is common knowledge that something must change in Europe" and that the socialist values and prospect must be consolidated in the new treaty. He said that what is necessary is defining "a supranational cooperation policy between soci alist parties" to set the framework for future moves and discuss tactical issues.

Mr. Simitis expressed the view that the successes of Lionel Jospin in France and Tony Blair in Britain create the preconditions to tackle the problems of Europe and insisted on the need for commitments to be undertaken on common targets, common policies and actions for stability in Europe.

US State Dept. on Holbrooke's appointment

US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns reiterated Washington's determination in promoting a solution to the Cyprus issue yesterday, stressing that the appointment of Mr. Holbrooke was a clear indication of the intention of US President Bill Clinton and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for additional pressure aimed at finding a solution.

Mr. Burns said the aim of the US is the reunification of Cyprus with a status of bi-communal and bi-zonal federation and stressed that Washington will not support a solution not anticipating the reunification of the island.

Replying to a question, Mr. Burns assessed that the "realistic and cooperative government of Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, combined with the 'useful and positive' relation existing with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and the relation with the Turkish government can help in promoting a solution."

He said all the efforts by the US will not be isolated but will be coordinated with Britain, the UN and other interested parties.

On the question of a possible adoption of a Dayton-type process, Mr. Burns said the Cyprus problem differs from that of Bosnia and for this reason Mr. Holbrooke will assess the situation himself and then decide in accordance with what is required by the specific reality in Cyprus.

Garbage strike continues

Sanitation workers are scheduled to meet with Interior Undersecretary Lambros Papadimas this morning in an effort to resolve their rolling strikes, which have left thousands of tons of garbage the greater Athens area's street.

The Panhellenic Federation of Local Authority Workers (POE-OTA) have entered their third 48-hour strike since over demands that workers on short- term contracts be given permanent posts.

Interior Minister Alekos Papadopoulos said "the government has decided not to tolerate this situation any more", and termed the strike as "incomprehensible, unacceptable and fundamentally and legally groundless."

Meanwhile, the public health office of Athens municipality has been spraying garbage heaps near schools, hospitals and restaurants with pesticides, to combat health hazards.

Australian politician calls for return of the Parthenon Marbles

The premier of the Australian state of New South Wales has sent a letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair calling the new Labour government's recent decision not to return the Parthenon Marbles "harsh". "As a collea gue and an admirer of the British Labour Party," Bob Carr writes, "I appeal to you to rescind your decision and to honour the position of the former Labour Party leader Michael Foot who had promised to return the Marbles to the Parthenon where they belong ." Mr. Carr, who is due to visit Greece in September to clinch a deal with the Greek government regarding Sydney hosting an antiquities exhibition during the Olympic Games in 2000, said that he believed 2000 would be "the ideal time for such a big-hearted and civilised gesture from Britain".

Eurocopter's helicopter presented to gov't officials

A helicopter touted as capable of being used in police missions, rescue operations and firefighting missions was presented to government officials and representatives of public organisations and private enterprises in Athens yesterday.

The presentation was made by the PROMOT E.I. Lainopoulos S.A. company, the representative in Greece of the Eurocopter company, which manufactures the helicopter.

PROMOT president Ioannis Lainopoulos referred to the need to use helicopters, due to the country's geophysical formation and the nature of its terrain. He said successful cooperation between his company and Daimler Benz has led to cooperation with Euroc opter, in which Daimler Benz participates.

Eurocopter officials underlined the success of rescue operations with the use of helicopters which, in contrast to ambulances, can be used during traffic rush hours and over long distances.

Greece to auction fixed-rate bonds

Greece will auction a new series of fixed rate three-, five- and seven-year bonds on June 19 worth 250 billion drachmas, Finance Undersecretary Nikos Christodoulakis said.

Christodoulakis was presenting details of the socialist government's internal borrowing plan for the second half of the year. Due to increased internal borrowing requirements, the ministry would reduce external borrowing from an initial target of 4.2 billion dollars to 3.5 billion for the current year, he said. The government would raise money in the capital markets of the United States, Japan and Europe. Part of the capital would be raised through private placements.

Stock market loses substantial ground

Share prices came under strong selling pressure on the Athens Stock Exchange to lose substantial ground as the market looked set for a correction. Traders said that the sharp fall in volume was a worrying factor. The general index closed 1.52 percent lower at 1,644.66 points with all sector indices losing ground. Banks fell 2.07 percent, Leasing was 1.0 percent off, Insurance dropped 2.15 percent, Investment eased 1.93 percent, Industrials were 0.78 percent down, Construction dropped 2.31 percent, Holding was 1.63 percent off and Miscelleaneous fell 1.26 percent. The Parallel Market index ended 1.51 percent lower. Trading was moderate with turnover at 17.7 billion drachmas, almost half the previous two-week average.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 177 to 40 with another 28 issues remaining unchanged. Papoutsanis, Interinvest and Ippotour scored the biggest gains while Vis, Parnassos, Elviemek and Alkar-Aemet suffered the heaviest losses of the day. National Bank of Greece ended at 36,980 drach mas, Ergobank at 18,900, Alpha Credit Bank at 19,940, Titan at 26,500, Intracom at 13,650 and Hellenic Telecommuications Organisation (OTE) at 7, 140 drachmas.

Hellenic Sugar invests 6.5 billion Dr

State-run Hellenic Sugar Industry SA has ploughed 6.5 billion drachmas of its own capital into a modernisation plan for two sugar producing units it owns in northern Greece. General manager Theodoros Anthomelidis said the investment aimed at modernisation of the two units in order to compete in the European market. The investments would be used to help reduce costs, improve quality, automate operations and modernise the two units' machinery. The factories would produce 100,000 tonnes of sugar from a culti vated area of 165-170 hectares this year, providing employment for around 9, 500 farmers. Xanthi sugar factory would proceed with the production of a new light sugar product and launch a new packaging unit worth 1.2 billion drachmas, Anthomelidis said.

European financial press meeting in Athens

Greece will host the annual general assembly of European Financial Press Unions on June 11-14 attended by the publishers of major financial newspapers and magazines in Europe.During the meeting the future of the financial press will be discussed and an an nual prize awarded to the best performing company for 1996. The name of the winner will be announced at a ceremony on June 13 to be attended by Development Minister Vasso Panadreou. The members of the union will meet Prime Minister Costas Simitis and be b riefed on the Greek economy by National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, Bank of Greece governor Lucas Papademos, and National Bank of Greece chairman Theodore Karatzas.They will also meet with Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos for a bri efing on Athens' candidacy to host the 2004 Olympic Games. Naftemboriki and Express, two of Greece's top daily financial newspapers, and Economikos Tahydromos, an economy weekly, will represent Greece at the assembly.

Several opera stars to appear together at Herod Atticus

Well-known foreign-based Greek opera singers will appear at the ancient Herod Atticus theatre on June 11 for an event entitled "Legendary Moments of the Opera".

The event is organised by the Hellenic Centre for Fighting Illiteracy Among Adults.

Singers include baritone Dimitris Kavrakos from the United States, soprano Jenny Drivalas from Switzerland, tenor Marios Frangoulis from Britain and mezzo-soprano Pamela Pantos from Germany.

John Apeitos will conduct the European Festival Orchestra.

The performance is under the aegis of the embassies of the countries in which the performers live and perform.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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