Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-06-26

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 26/06/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Athens hosts socialist ECOFIN ministers
• FYROM lack of will on name issue - Athens
• Athens reacts to Turkish statements
• Cyprus president to visit Athens
• FM Pangalos in Malaysia
• Norway urges a democratic Turkey
• Ministry delegation to Romania
• Five arrested in drug haul
• National Bank posts profits of 61.4 bln
• OA sets up new charter company
• High level of cooperation in Greek-Yugoslav relations
• EU auditor welcomes Greece's use of Community funds
• WEATHER
• FOREIGN EXCHANGE

NEWS IN DETAIL

Socialist finance ministers from European Union member-states will meet in Athens this weekend to discuss the strengthening of the social state, acceleration of growth and boosting employment in the EU.

The meeting has been organised by National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and will be attended by Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

FYROM lack of will on name issue - Athens

The government today attributed a recent proposal submitted by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) President Kiro Gligorov to UN mediator Cyrus Vance to ''a lack of will'' on the part of Skopje to find a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of the neighbouring state's name.

Replying to reporters' questions, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that according to the government's information, Gligorov had submitted a proposal which was in effect a reiteration of its original position that his country should adopt the name which it currently uses, the ''Republic of Macedonia''.

Due to this stance on the part of Skopje, Reppas said, a problem has arisen because FYROM is not displaying the appropriate will to find a solution to the dispute between the two countries on the basis of their interim agreement.

Asked to comment on reports that Gligorov had been accused in FYROM of attempting to compromise with Greece, Reppas said the government did not intend to get involved in the domestic political disputes of the neighbouring country.

Athens reacts to Turkish statements

The government reacted strongly today to statements by Turkish Foreign Undersecretary Onur Oymen who was reported saying that in Greece, there are people who ''get upset'' with the idea of dialogue between Athens and Ankara.

Stressing that Turkey was currently in a phase of ''searching for balances'', Reppas described Oymen's statements as ''rash, imprudent and harmful for the two countries' relations''.

''The famous Mr. Oymen, with his statements is putting his government up for ridicule and compromising his country which appears not to respect international law and international treaties,'' Reppas said.

Cyprus president to visit Athens

Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides will visit Athens ''in the first days of July'' for talks with Greece's political leadership prior to his direct talks in New York with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash under the auspices of the United Nations, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said today.

The spokesman did not specify the exact date of Clerides' visit.

FM Pangalos in Malaysia

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will pay a two-day official visit to Kuala Lumpur beginning tomorrow, the foreign ministry announced on Thursday.

On Sunday, Pangalos will fly on to Hong Kong to attend events marking the British handover of the city to China.

On July 2, Pangalos will pay a two-day official visit to Alma-Ata, the capital of Kazakhstan, for talks with the country's political leadership.

Norway urges a democratic Turkey

Norway's visiting Parliament President, Kirsti Grondahl, today stressed the importance Oslo attaches to democratisation in Turkey and respect for the principles of international law and treaties governing relations between states.

Gronhdahl, who arrived here yesterday on a four-day official visit, was speaking to reporters after talks with her Greek counterpart, Apostolos Kaklamanis.

During the talks, Kaklamanis briefed Grondahl on the situation in the Balkans, Greek-Turkish relations and the ongoing Cyprus problem.

''The participation of our country in the peace force in Cyprus and in other peacekeeping missions in the Balkans and elsewhere constitute the practical expression of Norway's dedication and respect for the principles enshrined in the Charter and resolutions of the United Nations concerning peace, stability and security in the world,'' Grondahl said.

On the Cyprus problem, Grondahl asked Kaklamanis how he viewed the mission of newly appointed US presidential envoy for the issue, Richard Holbrooke.

Kaklamanis said all initiatives aimed at finding a settlement of the Cyprus problem were welcome, while stressing the need for a more active role by Europe in this direction.

Commenting on Greece's stabilising role in the Balkans, Kaklamanis underlined that the only problem in the country's foreign relations was with Turkey, as a result of Ankara's expansionist policy at Greece's expense, with repeated provocations in the Aegean and Thrace.

The talks between Grondahl and Kaklamanis also centred on bilateral economic and cultural cooperation as well as the functioning of the two countries' parliaments.

Both sides confirmed their desire to further develop relations through contacts at all levels.

Within this framework, Grondahl invited Kaklamanis to pay an official visit Oslo at the head of a parliamentary delegation.

Kaklamanis accepted the invitation.

Ministry delegation to Romania

A delegation of the inter-Balkan co-operation section of the Macedonia- Thrace Ministry will visit Romania on Sunday to promote new flexible policies and create a strong framework for economic, business, commercial and cultural co-operation with a developmental dimension.

The delegation will be headed by ministry general secretary, Chryssa Manolia, and will include representatives of economic and productive agencies of northern Greece.

The mission is within the framework of initiatives being undertaken by Greece for the development of a climate of peace and cooperation between the peoples of the region and is the first in a series of planned visits to the Balkan countries by the Inter-Balkan Co-operation Committee.

During the visit to Bucharest, Manolia will have talks with her counterparts at the Romanian ministries of reform, industry and energy, culture and tourism.

Five arrested in drug haul

Police have arrested five Albanians alleged to be members of a gang which smuggled large quantities of heroin and cocaine into Greece.

They also seized 1.7 kilos of heroin and 20 grams of cocaine which was found in their possession.

The five were named (phonetic spellings) as Afrim Barhi, 26, Atzim Barta, 34, Julio Riva, 27, Tetzial Bukari, 45 and Antalatik Antzi, 27.

During a search of their Athens apartment the police also found and confiscated 5 million drachmas, three bank books, a precision scale and a motorbike.

The police, who were acting on information received, believe that the five have smuggled large quantities of narcotics into Greece in the past.

Meanwhile, Athens police arrested a further four Albanians believed to be members of another narcotics trafficking gang.

The four were named as Spyros Gizgopouli, 28, his cousin, Lazar Gizgopouli, 44, Ardian Moka, 42 and Giorgi Exorchi, 26 (phonetic spellings).

The four were arrested near the Pedion tou Areos park in central Athens after being found in possession of 800 grams of heroin. The police also seized 15 million drachmas and two bank books for accounts containing 10 million drachmas.

According to the police, the four were responsible for smuggling five kilos of heroin into Greece during the last three months, which they allegedly sold for a total of 25 million drachmas.

National Bank posts profits of 61.4 bln

The National Bank of Greece's net profits before provisions rose to 61.4 billion drachmas in 1996 from 53.5 billion in 1995, marking a 14.2 percent increase, the bank's chairman Theodoros Karatzas said today.

Presenting last year's results to the annual shareholders meeting, Karatzas said that consolidated net profits were 127.3 billion drachmas from 93.3 billion the year before, up 36.4 percent.

The bank's share price jumped 145 percent since the start of the year compared with a 92 percent rise of the banking index on the Athens Stock Exchange, Karatzas said.

National Bank of Greece's pre-tax profits almost doubled in the first five months of 1997 totalling 24.1 billion drachmas from 12.1 billion in the corresponding period last year.

Karatzas said the bank had changed since last year due to modernisation and major cuts in operating expenses.

The bank's workforce shrank to 14,832 in 1996 from from 15,178 in late 1995, he said

National Bank will hold a share capital increase by the end of the year in order to boost its capital base and increase its solvency rating to 14 percent from 9-10 percent.

The bank also plans to open new branches in Sofia, Bucharest and Tirana and launch a new round of expansion in the Balkans focusing on Skopje and Belgrade.

Karatzas also said the bank wouldn't hesitate to ease interest rates further, conditions allowing. He expressed satisfaction over progress in the economy, and optimism over the Greek stock market's future.

OA sets up new charter company

Olympic Airways, Greece's national carrier, will set up a charter flights company with Macedonian Airways and Olympic Aviation, Transport and Communications Minister Haris Kastanidis said.

Speaking at an inauguration ceremony for new facilities at Macedonia airport in Thessaloniki, Kastanidis said the new charter firm would be a subsidiary of the Olympic Airways Group.

State-run Olympic Airways would improve services by launching a two-year restructuring programme in the autumn, he said.

The four-billion drachma project at Macedonia airport includes extension of the main passenger lounge and arrivals and departure halls, and facilities for handicapped people.

Scheduled for tendering by end-year are 11 billion drachmas of projects. They include runway improvements and extension of the airport's main building to incorporate the control tower and house the new charter subsidiary, Kastanidis said.

The projects would help to transform Macedonia into an international airport, he said.

High level of cooperation in Greek-Yugoslav relations

Prime Minister Costas Simitis and visiting Yugoslav counterpart Radoje Kontic expressed their satisfaction at the level of coop- eration between the two countries after their meeting yesterday.

Mr. Simitis said the recent investment by the Greek public telecoms organisation OTE in Yugoslavia and other investments in mining operations in Kossovo were an example of "very good cooperation".

He said the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was supportive of Greece's proposal to convene a summit of Balkan countries towards the end of the year, adding however, that all Balkan countries should participate in this meeting. "Relations (between Balk an countries) have to be normalised as soon as possible," the Greek premier said.

Mr. Simitis said that the European Union had to develop a Balkan policy and that Greece should play a leading role towards achieving this goal.

"Greece is obliged to take initiatives for peace in the Balkans," he said.

On his part, Mr. Kontic said the "sincere, friendly and construc- tive" talks focused on promoting bilateral relations, multilateral Balkan cooperation, the reintegration of Yugoslavia into internat- ional organisations and peace procedures.

He said he had extended an invitation to Mr. Simitis to visit Belgrade and that the Greek prime minister had given in principle his agreement for Yugoslavia's increased use of the port of Thessaloniki, following the signing of relevant agreements by the chambers of commerce in both nations.

Mr. Kontic said trade between the two countries was projected at US$500 million for the next year and thanked Mr. Simitis and the Greek government for working to reintegrate Yugoslavia and to lift obstacles to its relations with other countries.

EU auditor welcomes Greece's use of Community funds

European Audit Department chairman Bernard Freeman yesterday expressed satisfaction with Greece's use of EU funds.

"We are particularly happy with the use of structural funds by Greece," Mr. Freeman told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

Greece had received almost 5 billion Ecus in structural funds over the last few years, he said.

Commenting on the socialist government's economic policies, Mr. Freeman welcomed a decline in inflation, interest rates and the public debt. "(We are also satisfied with) the fact that the premier and the Greek government will continue privatisation in order to boost the productivity of the Greek economy", Mr. Freeman added.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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