Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-08-26

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 26/08/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Greece rejects Turkish criticism, sticks to Madrid communique
• Cyprus President meets with Karamanlis, Tsovolas
• Bilateral relations with Croatia 'excellent'
• Gov't denies rift with Ecumenical Patriarchate
• Talk of joint Athens mayor candidate "premature", Pangalos says
• Gov't, party discuss nation's top priorities
• Disagreements over VAN quake prediction method aired
• Police target drunk drivers, stiff fines
• Gov't satisfied with implementation of '97 budget
• Greek stocks tumble 1.75 pct on '98 budget jitters
• Greece hosts international farming conference
• Xiosbank mutual fund management posts increase
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said yesterday that Greece is correctly interpreting the Madrid communique, adding that Greek-Turkish relations should not be based on the use of or threat to use force.

He was commenting on statements yesterday by Turkish-European Union and Cypriot Affairs Minister Sukru Gurel, who said that he doubted Greece's intentions regarding the Madrid communique and attributed responsibilities on the Greek side over delays in work by the "experts committees" set up by the two countries to record Greek-Turkish differences.

In an interview with Athens daily "Exousia", Mr. Gurel also said that unless the European Union decided by the end of this year to include Turkey among the nations to join it, Ankara would consider withdrawing its application for full accession to the 15-member Union.

Asked if Mr. Gurel's statement was compatible with the spirit of the Madrid communique, signed between Greece and Turkey on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid this summer in an effort to normalise relations between the two NATO allies, Mr. Pangalos said:

"The Madrid communique is just a written statement of intent. It does not solve any problem. Greece is interpreting correctly the joint communique and relations between states should not be based on the use of violence and the threat of use of violence."

Mr. Pangalos added that Turkey was behaving in an irrational manner since in essence it was forcing Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to freeze face-to-face consultations with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

"Turkey is driving itself to marginalisation," the minister said, adding that this was not desired by Greece, a country which favours the development of Turkey's European orientation.

Turkey expressed its opposition to the commencement of accession talks between Cyprus and the European Union, maintaining that Cyprus cannot become an EU unless Turkey joins the Union at the same time.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas attributed Turkish statements to "the fluidity of political life in Turkey," He said statements were made in view of political developments in Turkey, adding that Greece should not be "disoriented by such statements."

Regarding Mr. Gurel's statement that Turkey would consider withdrawing its application for full membership from the European Union, he said that Turkey was far away from meeting even the most basic criteria for equal participation into the European Union.

"The European Union will not succumb to blackmail," he added.

Cyprus President meets with Karamanlis, Tsovolas

Main opposition New Democracy fully supports Cyprus' struggle for a just solution to its protracted problem, ND leader Costas Karamanlis stressed yesterday after talks in Nicosia with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr. Karamanlis said he assured the Cypriot president of his personal and ND's commitment to a just solution to the Cyprus problem in compliance with relevant UN resolutions.

He also affirmed New Democracy's full support for Cyprus' bid to become a European Union (EU) member. this should be formalised" he said.

Mr. Karamanlis told the press he had a "very thorough discussion on all aspects of the Cyprus problem" with President Clerides, particularly at this "very crucial stage", during which the Turkish side continues and intensifies its provocative policy.

Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) President Dimitris Tsovolas who also held talks yesterday with President Clerides told reporters later that "we should all help towards projecting (to the international public opinion) Turkey's intransigence, because this ongoing violation of international legality and Cypriot Hellenism's human ri ghts can no longer be tolerated".

Bilateral relations with Croatia 'excellent'

Greece's relations with Croatia are excellent, the Greek ambassador to Zagreb Constantinos Gerokostopoulos was reported as telling the 'Novi List' newspaper, published in Rijeka.

He also said the two countries hold identical views on many international issues, adding that Athens was interested in the development of economic cooperation with Croatia in all sectors.

He specified that this interest is particularly focused on the use of the port of Rijeka, and the provision of aid for the construction of a national highway along the Adriatic coast, which will extend as far as the Greek border via Albania.

Gov't denies rift with Ecumenical Patriarchate

The foreign ministry does not intervene in relations between bishoprics and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said yesterday in response to press questions.

Referring to reports of Patriarch Vartholomeos's dissatisfaction that Mr. Pangalos failed to pay the Patriarch a visit while he was in Istanbul, Mr. Pangalos said it was a great honour to be invited to dinner with the Patriarch but that the nature of his visit excluded his attendance. Mr. Pangalos was in Istanbul to attend the summit of Black Sea countries.

In related statements, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas categorically denied that the government was pursuing a breach in relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

On the contrary, Mr. Reppas said, "it is inconceivable that these relations could no longer be relations of friendship, love and cooperation."

Greece, Mr. Reppas said, supported the work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, adding that relations between the Patriarchate and the Greek government were very good and cooperation between them unhindered.

Asked why Mr. Pangalos did not pay a visit to Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos during his visit to Istanbul, Mr. Reppas said a visit to the Patriarchate was not on the minister's agenda.

Asked if the Patriarch would visit Athens, Mr. Reppas said the government did not interfere with church matters.

Talk of joint Athens mayor candidate "premature", Pangalos says

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos yesterday called "premature" statements by Press and Media Minister Dimitris Reppas on a possible joint PASOK and Coalition of the Left and Progress candidacy for Athens mayor in next year's municipal elections.

Mr. Pangalos was responding to press questions regarding Mr. Reppas' statements in Sunday's "Eleftherotypia" which hinted at a possible joining of forces to back the Coalition's Maria Damanaki as mayor of Athens.

Mr. Pangalos said he respected Ms Damanaki as an opponent, adding "Maria Damanaki is a good candidate but elections are neither a competition or beauty contest. The best person is the winner."

Later, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said he had outlined his personal opinions in the interview and that they were not representative of the position of the government or the prime minister.

Gov't, party discuss nation's top priorities

PASOK political secretariat yesterday spelled out the government's and the ruling party's goals for the next three years, at a meeting that began on Friday and continued yesterday.

According to government sources, there was full agreement between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and PASOK's political secretariat on the government's priorities for the long term.

The priorities, as reportedly proposed by Mr. Simitis, are topped by Greece's inclusion in the Economic and Monetary Union, as formulated by the European Union.

The country's participation in European developments on an equal basis is a second priority.

Greece's presence in the Balkans, another important target, must effectively use its twin advantage of being both an EU and NATO member, as well as being part of the Balkans.

The modernisation of the country is a fourth priority, including great changes in the sectors of education, health and public administration.

Disagreements over VAN quake prediction method aired

Seismologists attending an international congress in Thessaloniki were divided into two camps yesterday following disagreeents on the effectiveness of VAN, a method of predicting earthquakes invented by a team of Greek researchers.

Scientists attending the 29th World Seismology Conference, said the method's results were "entirely vague" and called on one of its founders, University of Athens physics professor Costas Varotsos, to provide infallible scientific proof for the validity of his method. The VAN method, first introduced in Greece in 1981, bears the initials of the three Greek scientists that collaborated in devising it, two physicists and an electronics expert.

Prof. Varotsos defended the method, saying that its success had "been published last year in a serious scientific magazine, which was not replied to by critics".

His comments raised storms of protest from a noted American professor at Tokyo University, Robert Geller, and French professor Pascal Bernard, as well as from Greek professor Vassilis Papazachos.

"The VAN method may be used only as a method of understanding the genesis of the phenomenon of earthquakes, not for their prediction," Prof. Bernard said. The 10-day conference is being attended by about 1,000 scientists from around the world.

Police target drunk drivers, stiff fines

Traffic police in the Attica prefecture are on full alert for those driving under the influence of alcohol following a memorandum from a senior prosecution official.

Traffic police conducted checks on 711 drivers on major roads over the weekend. Sixty-six drivers were found to be driving over the limit. Of those, 48 were served with summons while another 18 were charged yesterday and their vehicles - both cars and motorcycles - confiscated.

Eight drivers found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol over the weekend were handed fines, jail sentences and had their licences were suspended, while all eight will have their vehicles' impounded at least until their cases come before an appeals court.

Fines ranged from 100,000 to 200,000 drachmas.

The eight were the first batch of drivers to feel the brunt of a new "get- tough" police campaign against drunk driving in the greater Athens area.

Gov't satisfied with implementation of '97 budget

The government expects its 1997 budget to attain at least the same rate of implementation as in the last two years, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday.

Replying to questions, Mr. Reppas told reporters that the government had no plans to introduce new taxes, a sign that economic policy so far was effective and targets were being met.

Asked whether the government would resort to foreign borrowing in order to make up state deficits, Mr. Reppas said discussion of loans from abroad was usual while drafting the budget.

Greek stocks tumble 1.75 pct on '98 budget jitters

Greek equities remained under strong pressure on the Athens Stock Exchange yesterday to end substantially lower, extending Friday's heavy losses.

Traders said the market was uneasy ahead of the government's final decisions over next year's budget.

Investors were also awaiting the International Olympic Committee's decision on September 5 on whether Athens would host the 2004 Olympics.

The general index closed 1.75 percent lower at 1,564.99 points with most sector indices losing ground. Banks fell 1.91 percent, Leasing was 0.82 percent off, Insurance eased 1.82 percent, Investment dropped 1.98 percent, Industrials fell 2.05 percent, C onstruction plunged 3.06 percent, Holding fell 2.49 percent.

Miscellaneous bucked the trend to end 0.15 percent higher.

The parallel market index for small cap companies fell 0.16 percent.

Trading remained subdued and turnover was 8.2 billion drachmas.

In the broader market decliners led advancers by 171 to 30 with another 16 issues unchanged.

Halyps Cement, Nafpaktos Mills, Remek and Heliofin scored the biggest percentage gains, while Mouriades, Atemke, Parnassos Enterprises and Aemet suffered the heaviest losses of the day.

National Bank of Greece ended at 35,900 drachmas, Ergobank at 17,100, Alpha Credit Bank at 18,905, Delta Dairy at 3,935, Titan Cement at 14,680, Intracom at 12,280 and Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 6, 365.

In the domestic foreign exchange market the US dollar rose by 0.09 percent against the drachma.

Greece hosts international farming conference

Greek Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas yesterday opened a farming conference on the island of Crete that will debate the internationalisation of farming and its repercussions on production, society and the economy.

Three hundred delegates from around the world divided into 17 working groups are attending the conference, whose language is English.

Xiosbank mutual fund management posts increase

Total mutual fund management by Xiosbank recorded an 85.7 per cent increase in the first seven months of 1997, reaching 143. 238 billion drachmas on August 22.