Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-10-03

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 03/10/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• US official hopeful on Simitis-Yilmaz meeting on Crete
• Turkish allegations aim at instability, defence minister says
• Greece, U.S. working closely on fighting terrorism
• Simitis: new hospitals and a better health system
• Ecumenical Patriarch stops over in Xanthi before leaving Greece
• Antiquities peddlers remanded in custody
• Patras hosts international obstetrics-gynaecology conference
• Draft decrees tabled on legalising illegal immigrants
• Cyprus is not Turkey's "colony", says Clerides
• Turkish Cypriot denounces human rights violations
• Greek bourse turns bearish, ends lower
• Ergobank sets up new mutual fund
• Pavlides sees l997 profits up 25 percent
• Eurobank has new official name
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Marc Grossman was hopeful yesterday that next month's meeting between Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz on the sidelines of a Balkan summit in Crete would result in "progress in Greek- Turkish relations".

Mr. Grossman arrived in Athens Wednesday night on a tour of Athens, Ankara and Nicosia in a bid to keep channels of communication open between Greece and Turkey after the collapse of last week's talks in New York between the two countries' foreign minis ters.

Mr. Grossman, a former US ambassador to Turkey, had talks yesterday with Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou which focused on NATO enlargement and European Union (EU) relations with Turkey, Cyprus and the United States.

According to informed sources, Mr. Grossman expressed the view that the perspective of Cyprus' accession to the EU could act as a catalyst for resolving the longstanding Cyprus problem.

Turkish allegations aim at instability, defence minister says

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos yesterday placed responsibility for tension and destabilisation in the area on Turkey and underlined that Greece rejects terrorism in every way.

"Those who are trying to attribute responsibilities for conditions of tension and destabilisation in the region anywhere else than to Turkey are wasting their time. Greece rejects terrorism in every way and is fighting steadily as a force of peace, secu rity and stability in the region for human rights, human freedoms and international law," he said.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos made his statement in Maastricht, Holland, when asked to comment on reports in the international press accusing Greece of supporting terrorist Kurdish organisations, as well as on Wednesday's reference by the US State Department's spokesman.

He said there was a series of fabricated charges and suspicions that only succeed in creating certainty that it is a coordinated act to create false impressions aimed at concealing other ulterior motives.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos warned that it is dangerous to play with fire and once again denounced Turkey for its destabilising attitude, the questioning of international law on its part and its effort to change the existing status quo with the threat of the use of force or with the actual use of force.

Greece, U.S. working closely on fighting terrorism

U.S. State Department spokesman Jim Foley yesterday reiterated the displeasure of his country regarding the existence of offices of dissident Kurdish organisations in Greece, when he was asked to clarify the confusion arising from another statement he made on Wednesday.

"We have not reached the conclusion that Greece is a state which supports terrorism. My statement yesterday concerned the existence in Athens of the offices of two Turkish (sic) terrorist organisations. We regret their presence there. But we are working very closely with the Greek government to fight terrorism," he said.

"We consider Greece a close ally, a country with which we have fully positive relations, and I would like to repeat White House spokesman Mike McCurry, who said that there is no reference in the annual State Department report which would confirm any hint that Greece is a country which supports terrorism," he added.

Simitis: new hospitals and a better health system

Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday discussed with the Health Ministry leadership ways to create a health "safety-net" for every citizen saying that although significant steps had been taken, problems still existed.

He said that priorities for the next few years were the creation of a satisfactory standard of primary health care, based on the introduction of general practition ers, and welfare networks around the country.

Pilot programmes, the prime minister said, are to begin within the next few months and are to be gradually expanded around the country.

He added that 25 hospitals were to be renovated and plans existed for the construction of 15 more.

With regard to pharmaceutical prices, the prime minister said recent interventions were a "courageous step" towards regulating expenditures and securing public health.

"We have shown with these measures that a reduction in the price of medicines is possible," he said, adding that a unified pharmaceuticals list was being drawn up to meet citizens' every need.

More emphasis would also be given, he stressed, to groups such as drug addicts, the mentally ill and AIDS patients.

Other priorities included improvements to the ambulance service, school medical services, the decentralisation of specialised services, day nurseries, the disabled, as well as home care for the aged.

Ecumenical Patriarch stops over in Xanthi before leaving Greece

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos paid a visit yesterday to Xanthi, where he was made an honorary citizen.

Presenting him with the city's key, Mayor Filippos Amoiridis said, "Your arrival in Xanthi is the highest honour and a blessing for the city, where Christians and Moslems live together without discrimination".

The Ecumenical Patriarch officiated at a liturgy in the Theou Sofias church, with Xanthi metropolitan Chryssostomos, and later visited the University of Thrace where he was given the honorary title of professor in the department of environmental engineers.

Later he returned to Thessaloniki where he concluded his official with an appeal for greater interest by all in younger generations which should be aided by a greater concern for the conservation of the natural environment and improvements in the quality of education.

Before flying back home, the Patriarch said that on his return to Istanbul he would be preparing for his visit to the Greek Orthodox community in the United States, the members of which, as he said, "are pressed by the sirens of secularism".

Antiquities peddlers remanded in custody

Police yesterday remanded in custody 48-year old Panayotis Evangelou, a private security guard, and 63-year old Greek- Canadian Andreas Bitar, who were arrested on Tuesday for trying to sell a unique collection of neolithic jewellery, dating back to the 5th millenium BC.

The two were charged with misappropriating antiquities of particularly high value at the expense of the state, in combination with the law on embezzlers of public funds (crime), and illegal possession of weapons.

Lawyers for the accused told reporters that the network of smugglers was much larger than imagined, and described their clients as mere brokers in the attempted transaction, in which policemen posed as prospective buyers.

Patras hosts international obstetrics-gynaecology conference

Oncology professor Vassilis Tsigounis yesterday urged women over 40 to have a mammogram, stressing that breast cancer was the most common form of cancer affecting women.

Greek women were not aware of the health benefits of having mammograms, he said, although one in eleven women risked developing breast cancer.

The professor further pointed out that the incidence of breast cancer was number one on the list of all types of cancer affecting both men and women.

The incidence rate for northern Greece, he added, was quite low, estimated at around 0.4%.

Prof. Tsigounis was speaking at a press conference in advance of an obstetrics-gynaecology conference that opens today in Patras and will run through Sunday.

Several Greek and foreign researchers will be attending the conference, which will focus on modern developments in obstetrics and gynaecology and prospects for the year 2000.

Prof. Tsigounis said heredity was the most significant factor in breast cancer, followed by diet, exposure to the sun and smoking.

Early diagnosis was possible through mammograms, the professor said, noting that physical examination was unable to detect the first signs, thereby reducing the success rate for therapy.

Draft decrees tabled on legalising illegal immigrants

The drafts of two presidential decrees legalising illegal immigrants from non-European Union (EU) countries were submitted to the Council of State for review yesterday by the ministries of labour and public order.

According to the two decrees, and under conditions not publicised yet, illegal immigrants from non-EU countries will be able to take out a limited card allowing them to live and work in Greece for one to three years.

The card would allow holders to work anywhere in Greece under any terms, including free-lance, and give them full wage and health rights.

The card will not be issued to persons who have been sentenced for misdemeanours or criminal offences carrying jail sentences of more than three months.

The ministry of public order will also have the right to deny permission to issue a card to anyone for security reasons.

Cyprus is not Turkey's "colony", says Clerides

Cyprus is neither a Turkish "colony" nor a "protectorate", President Glafcos Clerides stressed in an interview with Turkish journalist Mehmet Ali Birand.

President Clerides' interview was broadcast on "Show TV" and published in the Turkish newspaper "Sabah" and the English-language daily "Turkish Daily News".

President Clerides repeated that the Russian-made defensive S-300 anti- aircraft missile system will be installed on the island, unless progress towards a Cyprus settlement is made or an agreement for the demilitarisation is reached.

The S-300 do not pose a threat to Turkey unless it intends to lauch an attack against Cyprus, President Clerides said.

He referred to Ankara's attempts to prevent Cyprus' accession to the European Union, stressing that Cyprus is neither a "colony" nor a "protectorate" of Turkey.

Mr. Birand, who came to Cyprus for the interview, said the anti-aircraft missiles do not pose a threat to Turkey but claimed they could reverse strategic balance between Greece and Turkey.

Turkish Cypriot denounces human rights violations

A Turkish Cypriot student has denounced human rights violations by Ankara and its puppet regime in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

In a letter to US President Bill Clinton, Ibrahim Denizer, 27, says Turkey's ulterior goal is to obliterate the Turkish Cypriot community.

"Ankara wishes to assimilate the Turkish Cypriot community with Turkey and this runs contrary to the wishes of the Turkish Cypriots to live in a reunited Cyprus", Mr. Denizer stressed.

The letter never reached its destination because it was seized by the occupation regime and Mr. Denizer was arrested.

After a long delay it reached the International Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Cyprus.

The Association's vice president Christos Clerides told CNA that he received Mr. Denizer's letter in September which calls for help to halt the violation of human rights of Turkish Cypriots in the occupied areas.

Mr. Denizer condemns the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, human rights violations, as well as Turkey's educational, cultural and social interference in the occupied areas.

In a letter to US Ambassador to Cyprus Kenneth Brill, Mr. Clerides called for Mr. Denizer's protection.

Mr. Brill was also asked to forward Mr. Denizer's letter to President Clinton.

Greek bourse turns bearish, ends lower

Greek equities yesterday came under renewed selling pressure to end substantially lower on the Athens Stock Exchange.

Traders said sentiment was bearish because of rumours that the government was planning to raise corporate taxes and impose a tax on securities transactions.

The general index closed 1.43 percent lower at 1,745.72 points with all sector indices losing ground.

Banks fell 1.61 percent, Leasing was 0.10 percent off, Insurance dropped 1.24 percent, Investment fell 0.95 percent, Industrials were 1.14 percent lower, Construction dropped 2.96 percent, Holding eased 0.82 percent and Miscellaneous ended 0.28 percent down.

The parallel market index for small cap companies bucked the trend to end 0.14 percent higher reflecting persistent buying interest in smaller stocks.

Trading was heavy and turnover was 23 billion drachmas.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 155 to 70 with another 19 issues unchanged.

Sanyo, European Credit, Metrolife and Ermis scored the biggest percentage gains, while Balkan Export, Sato and Alysida suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 34,500 drachmas, Ergobank at 18,370, Alpha Credit Bank at 20,095, Delta Dairy at 3,850, Titan Cement at 16,420, Intracom at 14,840 and Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation at 17, 500.

Ergobank sets up new mutual fund

Greece's Ergobank, which is listed on the Athens bourse, has launched a new domestic mutual fund targeted at customers who wish to invest in the middle to long term. Private Ergobank's mutual fund subsidiary, which is handling the new venture, says it wil l offer high returns at minimum risk.

The fund aims to achieve a balanced portfolio with investments in domestic fixed-income securities and selected blue chips on the Athens bourse.

ErgoInvest, the investments arm of Ergobank, reported a spectacular 133 percent rise in profits in the first nine months of 1997 compared with the same period last year.

Pre-tax profits were three billion drachmas in January to September and total capitalisation was 7.5 billion drachmas.

The bank's share price has shown an 84 percent rise since the start of the year.

Pavlidis sees 1997 profits up 25 percent

Greece's Pavlidis,a listed chocolate manufacturer, sees profits rising to 1.6 billion drachmas in 1997, up 25 percent, on sales of 16 billion drachmas, management said yesterday.

A one-billion drachma project was underway to update the firm's computer system, and an investment plan worth three billion drachmas had been submitted to the development ministry in a bid to secure part-funding, management said.

Pavlidis has a 33-34 percent stake in the chocolate market, nearing Ion, its toughest competitor.

Eurobank has new official name

The European Investment Bank has been officially renamed "EFG Eurobank S.A." as of October 1, and will continue to operate under the name "Eurobank".

The same name is be used to designate the Interbank branches merged with Eurobank.

Eurobank is a member of the European Financial Group (EFG), part of the Geneva-based Latsis International Banking Group.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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