Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-10-14

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 14/10/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Greece and Cyprus' right to self-defence inalienable
• Turkish warplanes buzz Greek Defence Minister's plane
• Clerides in Athens for high-level contacts
• Defence Ministry pleased with NATO exercise results
• Greek-Turkish meeting on Aegean environment
• Model of new Pontian town presented to public
• New Greek-Bulgarian border post
• Premier chairs meeting on drug abuse
• Telecoms deal between Yerevan, Tehran and Athens
• Transitional period proposed for mineral water bottlers
• Report recommends 3 major changes to salvage social security
• Greek stocks edge up in wake of correction
• Greens urge EU action on Mediterranean fish stocks
• Greek exporters in German wine fair
• President vows to protect Mount Athos' special status
• Strong earthquake hits Peloponnese
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Turkey's attitude will not change Greece's policy, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday, adding that "no one can deny our country's right to safeguard its rights or Cyprus' right to defend itself".

He said the Cypriot national guard exercise "Nikiforos" and the Greek naval- and-air exercise "Toxotis" were being conducted "within the framework of legitimate procedures and are of a defensive nature".

A total of 68 Turkish F-16 and F-4 aircraft yesterday committed as many violations of the Athens and Nicosia Flight Information Regions (FIR). In all cases the Turkish aircraft were intercepted by Greek F-16, Mirage 2000 and F-1 planes, while in thirty-five cases the procedure developed into engagements. On Sunday, 60 Turkish fighters infringed the Athens FIR in the same area and violated Greek and Cyprus airspace.

The pilots of the Turkish jet fighters refused to identify themselves, contrary to international air traffic regulations. Around 40 Greek Mirage- 2000 and F-16s then intercepted successfully the Turkish jet fighters.

Nicosia said it was making representations to the United Nations and the International Civil Aviation Organisation over Sunday's mass violations of the Greek and Cypriot airspace by Turkish jet fighters.

Turkish warplanes buzz Greek Defence Minister's plane

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said 1998 may see "significant positive changes in the Cyprus question".

He was speaking at Larnaca Airport upon arrival on the island republic to view the final phases of the National Guard's military exercise 'Nikiforos'.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos also reiterated Greece's staunch support for Cyprus, noting that close military cooperation between the two countries aims at "dealing with the common threat."

He described Turkey as a "destabilising factor" in that it questions international law and claims to reverse the status quo in the Aegean.

The Greek minister chastised Turkey for denying millions of its own Kurdish citizens the right to self-determination and restricting their human rights, while at the same time threatening to annex Cyprus' occupied areas if Cyprus joins the EU.

Referring to Turkish interference with Greek air manoeuvres, he said these were part of Turkey's offensive designs against Greece and Cyprus.

"We are strong enough to ensure that Turkey's designs will not succeed," he added, stressing that the matter was not simply bilateral.

During the Greek defence minister's flight to Cyprus on board a Hellenic Air Force C-130, two Turkish F-16 flew at a distance of two miles while it was approaching the Nicosia FIR, and were intercepted by Hellenic Air Force F-4s.

Tomorrow he will be received by President Glafcos Clerides and will attend the military parade at the end of the manoeuvres.

Clerides in Athens for high-level contacts

Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides yesterday strongly denounced violations of Cyprus' airspace by Turkish warplanes, although he expressed satisfaction with the lightning response of the Hellenic Air Force.

Mr. Clerides was speaking upon arrival in Athens yesterday evening.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Mr. Clerides will chair a meeting today on developments on the Cyprus issue at 1 p.m. The Cyprus president is expected to brief the Greek premier on meetings he had during his trip to the US, Strasbourg and London.

Commenting on recent violations of the island republic's airspace by Turkish fighters, Mr. Clerides said: "I denounce them but I commend the Hellenic Air Force for responding accordingly".

Defence ministry pleased with NATO exercise results

The mediterranean-wide NATO exercise "Dynamic Mix '97" ended yesterday, after involving nearly 6,000 soldiers from 14 member-countries.

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, speaking in Thessaloniki yesterday, said that the ministry's leadership were satisfied with results, which would be evaluated in detail over the following days.

"NATO can become a basic tool for maintaining and guaranteeing peace, security and stability in the eastern European and eastern Mediterranean area," he said.

Greek-Turkish meeting on Aegean environment

Aegean Minister Elizabeth Papazoi will inaugurate a Greek-Turkish meeting of prefects and mayors from the Aegean basin in Mytilene on Sunday.

The meeting will focus on the issue of "Aegean - Clean Environment."

Participation has been declared by ay least 80 prefects, mayors and regional governors from the western coast of Asia Minor, as well as prefects and delegations from prefectural self-administration bodies in the eastern Aegean area and Evros prefecture.

The event is being organised by the prefectural self-administration body of Lesvos with the purpose of "seeking new ways of handling marine pollution in the Aegean and indeed in cooperation with officials from self-administration bodies on the coast of Asia Minor where the overwhelming majority of pollutant sources exist," according to Lesvos Prefect Alekos Mathiellis.

The Mytilene meeting is the second of its kind taking place this year. The first was held in Cesme, Turkey, last April, during which an initial acquaintance was brought about between self-administration officials from both sides.

Model of new Pontian town presented to public

Plans for a new community to be established in Petrota, Xanthi prefecture for Black Sea (Pontian) Greeks were presented at the Goethe Institute yesterday.

Stuttgart professors, the first vice-president of Parliament and representatives from Pontian associations attended the presentation.

Mihalis Haralambidis, a member of PASOK's executive bureau, who proposed the idea, was the main speaker.

The community is expected to be ready by 2004. Spread over three hectares, it is expected to host up to 50,000 people.

Designing began in 1995, when a group of German and Greek students formed a group to work with Pontian clubs and university professors at the Stuttgart University urban city department to draw plans. The project result was a contribution to the town.

The next step is introducing a draft bill that designates the exact spot and gives state land over for earthworks to begin.

New Greek-Bulgarian border post

A new border post is to be built on the Greek-Bulgarian frontier, near an existing post in the Koulata-Promachonas region.

The Bulgarian government yesterday gave its concent and announced that the new station, which will be funded by Athens, will be in operation by late 1998.

Premier chairs meeting on drug abuse

Prime Minister Costas Simitis chaired a meeting on how to coordinate the fight against drug use yesterday, with the participation of the health ministry leadership, representatives of drug rehabilitation programmes, parents of addicts as well as former ad dicts.

Mr. Simitis contended that it was a mistake to discuss the question of legalising "soft" drugs and to distinguish between "soft" and "hard" drugs, maintaining it did not contribute to solving the problem.

He stressed the role of rehabilitation centres, although admitting that more needed to be done in this direction.

National coordinator on drugs Marietta Yannakou-Koutsikou said she was against legalising drugs because "Greek society is not ready to accept such a move".

Telecoms deal between Yerevan, Tehran and Athens

A cooperation agreement in the telecommunications sector, signed last Sunday in Yerevan between Armenia, Iran and Greece will for the first time enable transmition and exchange of high quality image, sound and computer data between 100 countries at a low cost and better quality.

The plan, estimated to cost $125 million, would link Frankfurt with Shanghai, China through Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Iran and Turkmenistan.

Armenian Communications Minister Grigor Poghpatyan praised the efforts made by Iran to conclude the agreement, which he described as a constructive step towards development, peace and friendship between many nations of the world.

HellasCom, a subsidiary of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE), signed the tripartite agreement on behalf of Greece.

Transitional period proposed for mineral water bottlers

The European Commission is proposing a transitional period of 10 years to allow European Union (EU) member-states to conform with lower levels of bromide ions in bottled mineral or natural water.

According to the Commission's proposal, to be submitted with the EU Environment Ministers Council and slated for Oct. 16, each litre of mineral water should not contain more than 10 milligrams of bromide ions, regarded as a potentially carcinogenic subs tance.

Many Greek brands of mineral water contain much higher levels of the substance. Should the commission's proposal be adopted by the Council, then bottling companies here will have to comply with the new acceptable level.

However, the most important change proposed by the Commission is a drastic cut in lead in drinking water. The current acceptable level is at 50 micrograms per litre and the commission proposes it be lowered to 10 micrograms, as set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Report recommends 3 major changes to salvage social security

A report by noted professor Yiannis Spraos, released yesterday, casts doubt on the viability of the Greek social insurance system beyond the year 2010.

The report recommends the gradual transition to a system based on three "pillars", specifically:

A low, single-level national pension guaranteed by the state; secondly, a pension proportionate to social insurance contributions, and thirdly, higher-level pensions provided by private insurance companies, based on the voluntary payment of premiums.

The report acknowledges that the changes imply a large cost, but stresses that the cost of opting for a "non-solution" would be incalculable. Prof. Spraos notes that limiting evasion of social insurance constributions and the financial returns of social insurance fund reserves will no doubt have a positive effect, but warns that "exclusive reliance on these factors would be evading the issue".

The prime minister's adviser on social security issues, Plato Tinios, described expected demographic developments as the nucleus of the problem:

"The number of those paying contributions will fall, while the number of pensioners will increase."

He referred to an 18-month programme for the organisational, functional and economic upgrading of social insurance funds, and the need for their horizontal (sectoral), but also vertical integration of supplementary with main pension funds, the sum of wh ich should in no case reach 100 per cent of wages. This programme, but also the reform as a whole, contains many unpleasant measures for the insured.

The report also proposes the drastic cuts in pensions for the handicapped, abolition of early retirement - including for those holding unhealthy forms of employment - and of other "privileged" arrangements.

Finally, it leaves open to discussion the possibility of raising the retirement age, which is 65 for men at present.

Greek stocks edge up in wake of correction

Greek equities resumed their upward trend on the Athens Stock Exchange yesterday following a temporary correction late in the previous week.

The general index closed 0.41 percent higher at 1,784.05 points reflecting gains in industrials and miscellaneous, which rose 1.24 and 4.08 percent respectively. Other sector indices ended mixed. Banks fell 0.05 percent, Insurance eased 0.24 percent, Le asing dropped 1.53 percent, Investment rose 1.26 percent, Construction fell 1.01 percent and Holding was stable. The parallel index for small cap companies ended 1.4 percent higher.

Trading was heavy and turnover was 25.3 billion drachmas.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 141 to 96 with another 22 issues unchanged.

Sarantis, Rokas, Hellenic Sugar, Tzirakian and Katselis scored the biggest percentage gains, while Sarandopoulos, Kekrops, Macedonian Plastics and Heliofin suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 31,950 drachmas, Ergobank at 19,270, Alpha Credit Bank at 21,340, Delta Dairy at 4,170, Titan Cement at 16,325, Intracom at 16,400 and Hellenic Telecommunications at 6,700.

Greens urge EU action on Mediterranean fish stocks

The European Union should convince Mediterranean countries to take urgent action to save certain fish species from local extinction, environment groups said yesterday.

"Time is running out for the fish stocks and fisheries of this region," Dimitris Karavellas of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said in a joint press release with Greenpeace.

Both groups said EU Commissioner Emma Bonino should make the case for a new Mediterranean fisheries policy at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) general fisheries council, which began in Rome.

The adult blue-fin tuna population in the Mediterranean and East Atlantic has declined by 83 percent in the last 20 years and fleet expansion is continuing at an annual rate of between four and seven percent, the groups said. Over 100,000 vessels were operating in a "free-for-all" system, often flying convenience flags or having no registration at all, and competing for declining resources.

"The European Commission has an important responsibility in ensuring that the Mediterranean governments, particularly EU member states, will take the tough yet necessary management decision to set Mediterranean fisheries on the course towards sustainability," Mr. Karavellas added.

The EU fleet accounts for most of the annual Mediterranean fish catch of 1.3 million tonnes.

Greek exporters in German wine fair

The Hellenic Exports Promotion Organisation (OPE) will participate in PROWEIN, an international wine and spirits trade fair, to be held in Duesseldorf, Germany on March 8-10.

The fair is the most important sector event in Germany. It targets commerce, imports, foodstuffs and hotels.

President vows to protect Mount Athos' special status

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos began a three-day visit to Mount Athos yesterday, reassuring the autonomous monastic community that the Greek state would guard its rights and privileges, particularly the question of its sovereignty that ha s been raised within the European Union.

Speaking at a meeting in Karyes, Mr. Stephanopoulos attributed the reactions within certain EU member states to ignorance as to how the community functions.

The president said the state realised its responsibilities to Mount Athnos and called for particular care on the part of Greece within the EU bodies so that the community's autonomy and privileges were not affected.

Strong earthquake hits Peloponnese

An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale and with an epicentre located about 100 kilometres south of Kalamata, southwestern Peloponnese, was recorded at 4:40 p.m. yesterday. No damages were reported.

Seismologists said later that they were "reserved" as to whether yesterday's quake was the precursor to a stronger one.

Seismologist Gerassimios Houliaras from the Athens University Geodynamic Institute said residents of older homes or homes damaged by previous quakes were advised to evacuate their homes for the next 48 hours as a precaution.

Yesterday's quake came almost exactly 11 years after the catastrophic quake in Kalamata, which killed 20, injured more than 30 and devastated the southern Peloponnese town.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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