Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-11-21

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 21/11/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Simitis attends EU leaders' summit on employment
• Karamanlis says recent monetary union reveals gov't timidity
• Greece favours Turkey's European orientation under conditions
• Papoutsis: Coordinated action needed on unemployment 'time-bomb'
• Papariga continues tour with arrival in Canada
• Constantopoulos support for Damanaki mayoral bid
• Onassis Foundation funds study on Ioannina lake
• New fair POLIS opens in Thessaloniki
• Proposal to create technology park in Thrace
• Importance of Greek flag for merchant shipping stressed
• Athens meeting on Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline
• Meeting focuses on wider inter-bourse cooperation in Balkans
• State auditors find illegal payments in public finances
• Six insurance companies have licences suspended
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The European Union's extraordinary summit started here last night with the participation of Prime Minister Costas Simitis, while some 20,000 demonstrators called for immediate measures to combat unemployment.

Mr. Simitis told reporters late last night that EU expansion and EU-Turkish relations were discussed during the closed-door affair.

During today's talks, the 15 leaders will attempt to locate the points where the EU can contribute effectively to efforts to decrease unemployment, given that the EU budget as well as national budgets leave little ground to find the necessary funds to create the required conditions for unemployment to be decreased.

Earlier, EU socialist leaders voiced their satisfaction with the text the EU presidency will present at the summit.

EU leaders set out in June to send a signal to the bloc's citizens that it wanted to turn fair words into action to try and curb the blight and get millions back to work.

EU leaders are expected to adopt certain guidelines to decrease unemployment which will not be binding and will not burden the budget of each country with additional costs.

The main targets of these guidelines will be decreasing unemployment among young people and increased training possibilities in specialties having increased demand in the labour market of all the unemployed.

Karamanlis says recent monetary union reveals gov't timidity

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis yesterday said the recent monetary crisis revealed the weaknesses of the Greek economy, accusing the government of lacking the will to proceed with structural reforms.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Bank of Greece Governor Lucas Papademos, Mr. Karamanlis said: "The monetary crisis revealed the true nakedness of the Greek economy inspite of the beautifying the government is attempting".

The main opposition leader said that because of the crisis "it became apparent that the Greek economy is very weak."

He added that this was due to "a lack of will and ability on the part of the government to forge forward with the necessary structural changes".

According to Mr. Karamanlis, Greece is moving further away from Economic Monetary Union (EMU) targets.

The combination of the crisis and the problems of the economy "burden directly every Greek family and the average Greek," he concluded.

Greece favours Turkey's European orientation under conditions

Greece is in favour of Turkey's European orientation, but certain issues must be resolved for objections to be lifted, Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou told the Turkish television station NTV yesterday.

"As you know, we don't believe in the necessity of a European conference. A decision has not been made in the European Union whether there will be a conference or not. Greece is in favour of Turkey's Eiuropean orientation, and I would say, more than ot her EU member-states. But there are specific issues which we would like to see resolved. These are the only ones that impede good relations between our two countries," he said.

"If Turkey wishes to help by making specific steps to promote solutions in the problems it has created, such as the Cyprus issue, then we shall also be able to help," he added.

Papoutsis: Coordinated action needed on unemployment 'time-bomb'

Greece's European Commissioner for Energy, Tourism and small and medium- Sized Enterprises Christos Papoutsis said yesterday that unemployment was a time-bomb threatening European society and undermining the credibility of the European Union.

Speaking at the 3rd European Conference on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Mr. Papoutsis said the key to creating new jobs lay in tourism and small and medium-sized businesses as these were more flexible and amenable to different approaches.

A more favourable environment could be created in the sector by means of an improved legislative framework and improved public administration, easier access to banks, more favourable terms for funding, and financial assistance for the first three years of operation.

"All of the above can only be achieved through coordination between member states and by giving the European Commission the means to act as coordinator, " he said.

Papariga continues tour with arrival in Canada

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga arrived in Toronto on Wednesday at the invitation of the Canadian Communist Party for an exchange of information and views.

Ms Papariga, accompanied by KKE central committee member Georgios Skiadiotis, has already had her first contact with officials in Canada while as of today she is scheduled to meet Greek expatriate societies and make an address to local Greeks at Toronto's Community Centre in the afternoon.

During her three-day stay in Canada, Ms Papariga will also hold talks with trade union bodies from Ontario, as well as with federal societies.

Her visit to Toronto will be concluded with events marking the 80th anniversary of KKE and the 76th anniversary of its Canadian counterpart. The main speakers at the event will be Canadian Communist Party Secretary General Miguel Figueroa and Ms Papariga.

Constantopoulos support for Damanaki mayoral bid

Coalition of the Left leader Nikos Constantopoulos yesterday reiterated his support for his predecessor's candidacy for Athens mayor, which she announced earlier this week. His move was interpreted as aiming to ameliorate internal party criticism against Maria Damanaki.

Ms Damanaki herself initiated a round of meetings with several party leaders, beginning with Political Spring's Antonis Samaras, who did not rule out the possibility of supporting her candidacy.

Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) President Dimitris Tsovolas, meanwhile, released a letter he sent to Ms Damanaki, rejecting her request for a meeting on the grounds that his party has launched its own initiative for a grouping of political and social forces in view of the local elections next year.

Onassis Foundation funds study on Ioannina lake

The Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation is financing a two-year study of Ioannina's famous Lake Pambotis in northwestern Greece, a foundation spokesman announced yesterday.

The study will be carried out by Professor Joerg Imberger, director of the Centre for Environmental Fluid Dynamics and Chairman for Water Resources at the University of Western Australia.

Mr. Imberger, winner of the 1995 Onassis Prize for the Environment, will carry out the study and propose measures for the restoration of the lake under a two-year agreement with the Foundation.

The Foundation will fully subsidise the study with 245,000 US dollars.

New fair POLIS opens in Thessaloniki

The first exhibition by local government agencies and state suppliers "POLIS" opened in Thessaloniki yesterday, organised by the state trade fair organisation HELEXPO and the Greek Local Government Association (EETAA).

It is aimed at improving cooperation between these agencies and suppliers of equipment and services in sectors such as waste management, information technology, road safety, parking and recreation.

The exhibition was opened by Minister for Macedonia and Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, who welcomed participants from 14 different countries. Also present were EETAA president, Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, and Environment, Public Works and Town Planning Undersecretary Lambros Papadimas.

The exhibition is to stay open until November 23.

Proposal to create technology park in Thrace

A proposal has been made for a Technology Park in Thrace by National Hellenism Council of America president Thanasis Spyropoulos.

Speaking at the Thessaloniki Rotary Club yesterday, Mr. Spyropoulos proposed the foundation of a community of approximately 80,000 people to develop research, science and technology.

A study has been made by Greek scientist Antonios Tomazinis, who lives in Philadelphia, in the US.

Importance of Greek flag for merchant shipping stressed

Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis said yesterday that the Greek- flagged merchant fleet was one of the country's most important industries, which needed support from expatriate shipowners.

"The Greek flag has historically proved its value. It costs more, but is more valuable. We want to maintain its prestige. The merchant marine needs support. It is one of the most important Greek industries. It is a national issue," he said during a press conference.

Mr. Soumakis held two meetings with expatriate shipowners, whom he described "as a bastion of the Greek shipowning world", and had an exchange of views.

He said he had drawn valuable experiences from two visits to the US Coastguard and the US Naval Academy.

"My colleagues and I drew a very useful experience from these two visits. We formed various ideas which we could see applied in Greece," he said, adding that he was particularly pleased to see that the US Coastguard had many similarities with the Greek one, with one big difference: "We lag behind in means," he added.

He said an intensive programme of strengthening the Greek coastguard with naval and aerial means, and other type of equipment was currently in progress, "to make it competent and effective in the framework of the mission and obligations emanating from our membership of the European Union".

Mr. Soumakis said that as a result of the Schengen Treaty, the Greek coastguard was responsible for protecting and guarding 17,000 km of coastline, given the country's 3,000 small and large islands.

Athens meeting on Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline

Experts will discuss a project to build an oil pipeline between Bourgas in southeastern Bulgaria and the northeastern Greek town of Alexandroupolis in Athens on December 4-5, Deputy Prime Minister Evgeni Bakurdjiev said on his return fro m Greece on Wednesday.

Mr. Bakurdjiev held meetings with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and cabinet officials. The two sides discussed cross-border cooperation, the oil pipeline and other energy projects.

The pipeline is 280 km long and will cost an estimated US$ 680-700 million to build, Mr. Bakurdjiev said.

Russia will take part in laying the pipeline on its territory and will build facilities at the port of Novorossiisk. This, along with tenders by the companies carrying the oil, will guarantee that the pipeline will be used, the deputy prime minister said.

An oil pipeline linking Bourgas, Sofia, Skopje and Vlore was not discussed, Mr. Bakurdjiev said. It will be 920 km long and will cost US$ 850 million according to estimates, he said.

Greece projects natural gas consumption in 1997 at 180-200 million cubic metres, but is planning to increase it. Part of this amount may be transited across Bulgaria, Mr. Bakurdjiev said.

The weakest link in the gas pipeline is the section between Ihtiman and Stara Zagora. It is technically feasible to lay the pipeline in twelve months, he said.

Greece will complete its part of the section between Drama and Gotse Delchev by November 1998.

"At the end of the winter we will invite tenders for the Bulgarian part of this section but we will be way behind our neighbours," Mr. Bakurdjiev said.

Meeting focuses on wider inter-bourse cooperation in Balkans

The second meeting of the Technical Committee on the Balkans, focusing on widening the possibilities of inter-Balkan stock exchange cooperation, was held in Bucharest on Nov. 18-19.

The meeting was attended by the presidents and representatives of the bourses of Bucharest and Athens.

Cooperation was decided on three products: Greek Certificates (ELPIS), the Investment Capital of Emerging Markets (EKKA) and the Portfolio Companies of Emerging Markets (EXAA) which will be negotiated at the Parallel Market of Emerging Markets at the Th essaloniki Stock Exchange Centre.

Meanwhile, the board of the Athens Stock Exchange has approved the partial privatisation of the Athens Stock Exchange.

According to the clauses of law 2533/1997, private investment can amount to 2,450,000 shares, namely 49 per cent of the company's share capital.

State auditors find illegal payments in public finances

Greek state auditors have found a barrage of irregularities and violations in 1995 public finances.

In a report released on Wednesday, the Audit Council reported that it had blocked illegal payments of 19.5 billion drachmas.

Another 671 million drachmas in payments were made illegally and proceedings were underway to have the amount returned, the report said.

Breaches in state finances included the absence of legally required public procurement tenders calling for the lowest bidder, and violations in the execution of public works that led to overspending.

Other unwarranted payments included staff travel expenses, family benefits, non-existent overtime, and unsanctioned recruitment.

Six insurance companies have licences suspended

Six insurance companies have had their operating licences revoked for not paying damages to customers, Development Undersecretary Mihalis Chrysohoidis said yesterday, adding that another 18 companies had been fined between one and seven million drachmas each for irregularities such as not submitting financial records for 1996.

The six companies that have had their operation suspended are Nordic American Standard, Apollon, Themis Insurance, National Insurance Foundation of Greece (Ethniko Idrima Asfalion Ellados), Propontis-Merimna and Express.

Compensation owed by these companies will be paid by the insurance companies' reserve capital. Vehicles insured with these companies are entitled to coverage for a period of one month following the revocation of the companies' licences.

Mr. Chrysohoidis said that the operating licence for Mesogeios Zois had also been revoked but that, after negotiations, the companies' insurance policies would be assumed by Ethniki Asfalistiki.

The Insurance Companies' Union of Greece welcomed the move, saying that the reserve capital was enough to cover the damages, which amounted to billions of drachmas.

Mr. Chrysohoidis added that the government was coming good on its pledge to extend consumer rights in the insurance market, with new legislation that would require insurnace companies to provide potential clients with information before signing policies.

Also provided for in the new legislation are measures to highlight the "fine print" in contracts and bring provisions to the attention of consumers and allow consumers to have their money refunded.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(C.E.)

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