Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-03-26
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 26/03/1998 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Greece celebrates Independence Day
- Pangalos: Athens and Nicosia fully coordinated on S-300 policy
- Papantoniou praises EU Commission report on Greek economy
- NATO commander meets with Tzoganis
- Speedy solution to Kosovo crisis urged
- Romeos says recent crime wave not as alarming as presented
- Venizelos receives Palestinian Authority counterpart
- High-level meeting focuses on market's smooth operation
- OA unions see progress in restructuring talks
- DEKO employees to call 24-hour strike against restructuring
- 20 Greek companies among Europe's top 500
- 'Economist' conference in Athens
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Greece celebrates Independence Day
Greece and Hellenism yesterday celebrated the 177th anniversary of the
Greek War of Independence against Ottoman rule with parades and ceremonies.
In Athens, President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos took the salute
at a military parade, in the presence of Prime Minister Costas Simitis,
National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and other political party
leaders.
In a statement at the end of the parade, President Stephanopoulos said "the
Greek people, who are being subjected to economic sacrifices to maintain
the fighting strength of the armed forces, can feel satisfied that these
sacrifices are being fully uti lised."
In a similar statement, Mr. Simitis referred to a "strong Greece", having a
role and a voice, adding that this is achieved by combat-ready armed forces
with a strong morale, a stable economy and thanks to social justice.
According to Mr. Simitis, the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and
Defence (KYSEA) will convene on Monday to continue discussions on armaments
for the armed forces which, as he said, are proceeding.
Pangalos: Athens and Nicosia fully coordinated on S-300 policy
Speaking to Greek reporters at a press conference in Washington yesterday,
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said that the governments of Greece and
Cyprus coordinated their policy on a reply to expected pressure from the US
for cancellation of a deployment of Russian-made S-300 missiles on the
island republic.
Mr. Pangalos said that the proposal/reply that he gave to US Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright moved in the framework of the known position of
Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, which had left open the possibility of
the anti-aircraft missiles' installation being cancelled in the event of an
agreement on the gradual demilitarisation of Cyprus.
Replying to a question, Mr. Pangalos said that he did not deliver a non-
paper to his US counterpart on behalf of Mr. Clerides. He said that after
his contacts with relevant US officials these days, he does not discern
serious prospects for substantive progress, as political instability in
Turkey left no powerful and reliable interlocutor in Ankara at present.
Mr. Pangalos disclosed that US officials expressed a desire for him to meet
his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem, adding that if the Turks so desire such
a meeting could take place in Rhodes in May, as he himself has already
proposed.
He said that the presentation of recent proposals by Mr. Cem was a "public
relations campaign" which does not constitute serious diplomacy.
He said that he had very warm contacts with US Senators Ted Kennedy and
Paul Sarbanes on Tuesday, "who are tested and old friends of Greece".
Replyinng to a question by a Turkish reporter during his address at the
Carnegie Foundation on Tuesday regarding Greece's role in Europe, the
Middle East and Central Asia, Mr. Pangalos reiterated the proposal/reply on
installation of S-300 missiles, saying the Russian missiles would not be
needed if Washington or an international organisation guaranteed that
Turkish aircraft will not fly over Cyprus.
Mr. Pangalos said that his US interlocutors listened attentively to his
proposal and stressed the Turks' overwhelming military dominance in Cyprus
and the monopolistic control they exercise in Cyprus' airspace, with
hundreds of warplanes close to the island.
He explained that it was precisely the need to decrease this imbalance
which led the government of Cyprus to purchase the S-300 missiles.
Referring to Greek policy in the Middle East, he said Athens maintains
balance between the Arabs and the Israelis, adding that Greece is opposed
to the defence cooperation between Turkey and Israel because with the
possibilities of exchanging information and military technology, which it
provides, it could turn against Greece.
Papantoniou praises EU Commission report on Greek economy
National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou praised a report
yesterday by the European Commission on the progress of the Greek
economy.
"The report by the European Commission shows the considerable progress
achieved by the Greek economy over the past four years," he said, adding
that in essence the report takes as a foregone conclusion Greece's
accession to Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) as of Jan. 1, 2001.
Mr. Papantoniou said the report's predictions on the course of the Greek
economy in 1998 and 1999 approach the predictions made by the government
more than at any other time in the past, and expressed in the convergence
programme.
"I wish to add that the achievement of these targets and the fulfilment of
accession criteria still demands a great effort and primarily stability and
consistency in implementing our economic policy," he said.
NATO commander meets with Tzoganis
The commander of NATO forces in Europe, US Gen. Wesley Clark, met with
National Defence General Staff Chief Gen. Athanasios Tzoganis on Tuesday,
accompanied by the US ambassador to Athens.
Ensuing 30-minute talks focused on current issues concerning the alliance.
According to reports, current NATO were discussed, as well as the
alliance's new structure and training issues.
Speedy solution to Kosovo crisis urged
Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis on Tuesday stressed the need for
stepped-up efforts towards a speedy solution to the Kosovo crisis, while he
pointed out Greece's ability of contributing to better understanding
between the two sides involved.
Speaking to reporters after talks with visiting Yugoslav Defence Minister
Pavle Bulatovic, Mr. Kaklamanis said "steps should be made as soon as
possible to seek a political solution, and for a message of commencement of
dialogue to be sent..."
Stressing that the Kosovo problem was an "internal affair of Yugoslavia",
Mr. Kaklamanis said that the rights of Albanians and minorities of Kosovo
needed to be consolidated, "but in no instance should a solution provide
for the creation of a separate s tate entity".
Such an eventuality, he added, would not concern only Yugoslavia, because
it would comprise a "poor precedent for all countries in the Balkans, where
national and religious minorities abound".
Mr. Bulatovic briefed Mr. Kaklamanis on the situation in Kosovo, and
attributed the blame to what he called "foreign powers", which he said were
encouraging the Albanian-speaking community to seek the establishment of an
independent Kosovo state.
"My country considers the situation in Kosovo an internal problem and is
willing to provide not only the Albanian community but all the minorities
living in Yugoslavia with all the guarantees for civil rights and freedoms,
in accordance with the international treaties and the country's constitution,
" Mr. Bulatovic said.
Mr. Bulatovic also renewed an invitation to Mr. Kaklamanis to formally
visit Belgrade from the president of the Yugoslav parliament.
Mr. Bulatovic later went to Thessaloniki accompanied by his Greek
counterpart, Akis Tsohatzopoulos, on the last leg of his official three-day
visit to Greece.
After a tour of the Third Army Corps headquarters, Mr. Bulatovic said his
visit there "underscores the very close friendly relations" between the two
peoples as well as between the armed forces of the two countries.
Romeos says recent crime wave not as alarming as presented
A recent crime wave in Greece is not as widespread as it is being presented,
nor as alarming, Public Order Minister George Romeos said on Tuesday,
adding that it was a temporary phenomenon.
Mr. Romeos, in Australia to attend the Greek-Australian "Antipodes"
festival, attributed the rise primarily to the ongoing process of
legalisation of illegal immigrants in Greece.
In an interview with the ANA, he said that within the context of the
process, which enables illegals who arrived in Greece by late 1997 to apply
for temporary residence and work permits, "there was a tolerance towards
all illegal immigrants in Greece".
Unfortunately, he added, "this tolerance was exploited" by some of those
illegals, as statistics point to the rise in crime as being chiefly due to
foreigners, particularly Albanians.
Mr. Romeos said stepped-up measures were introduced last week, including a
major mobilisation of police and that the situation was under control.
In a related development, the Albanian embassy in Athens issued an
announcement stressing that an "anti-Albanian campaign" by certain Greek
media is contrary to the positive climate in political relations and the
historic bonds between the Albanian and the Greek people.
The announcement said that Albania fully supports measures taken by the
Greek government against an upsurge in crime, but does not agree with the
propaganda of certain media, which "mars the Albanians' image."
Meanwhile, in response to what they called a surge in crime over the past
few weeks, the residents and community council of a small village in Pieria
prefecture announced yesterday that they are implementing radical measures
regarding illegal immigrants in their area, including a dusk-to-dawn curfew
targetting transient aliens.
Specifically, besides the nightime curfew on illegals' movement within the
village's boundaries, community leaders of Palio Keramydi said the
village's stadium will now be the only assembly point for anyone wishing to
find work or be hired.
Meanwhile, the president of the community, Vassilis Kourkoutas, warned that
a "secret security force" has already been established by village residents
to monitor the implementation of the measures.
Venizelos receives Palestinian Authority counterpart
Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos held a meeting with the culture
minister of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Abdel Ramso, at his office on
Tuesday. A discussion was held on cultural cooperation between the two
sides, with particular emphasis being placed on Euro-Mediterranean cultural
cooperation.
High-level meeting focuses on market's smooth operation
National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou on Tuesday
chaired a meeting aimed at ensuring the smooth functioning of the market
during the next few days, following a recent 14 per cent devaluation of the
drachma.
The meeting was attended by Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, Labour
Minister Miltiades Papaioannou, Transport and Communications Minister
Tassos Mantelis, Development Undersecretary Mihalis Chrysohoidis and other
officials.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Papantoniou said the general view was that
developments had been positive since the drachma's devaluation, following
the national currency's incorporation into the Exchange Rate Mechanism
(ERM) of the European Monetary System.
He said the Greek market was behaving in a much more mature manner than
what the country had been accustomed to.
"There is cool-headedness, calm among the general public and in the
business world. There are, however, indications of speculation and
profiteering, which the government is determined to stamp out," Mr.
Papantoniou said, referring to stepped up inspecti ons of the market.
Ms Papandreou later chaired a meeting attended by representatives of
supermarkets and the foodstuffs industry, after which she told reporters
that it was the common objective of the development ministry and producer
classes to safeguard the positive results anticipated from the drachma
devaluation and to increase the competitiveness of Greek production.
OA unions see progress in restructuring talks
Olympic Airways employees said on Tuesady they were pleased with the first
round of talks with management, regarding a five-year restructuring plan to
save the ailing national carrier.
OA trade union chairman Mihalis Perros said that a first positive step in
talks was made and negotiations would continue.
Earlier on Tuesday, a three-hour work stoppage by OA workers to protest the
revitalisation plan had no impact on flights, as skeleton staff, whose
presence is compulsory by law, were able to cope.
Under the new government plan, OA must find ways to save 50 billion
drachmas a year for five years, or face closure.
According to sources, OA workers will accept a three-year wage freeze at
1997 levels and the re-allocation of personnel, including the transfer of 1,
000 supervisors to posts with a higher workload.
However, they are not likely to accept the abolition of collective labour
agreements.
DEKO employees to call 24-hour strike against restructuring
Greek unions will call a 24-hour nationwide strike to protest against the
government's plan to restructure state-run utilities and enterprises
(DEKOs).
The strike, which is to be called by the General Confederation of Greek
Labour (GSEE), is likely to be staged on April 9.
Among GSEE's demands are that Olympic Airways, whose management has
announced a severe cost-cutting scheme, should respect collective labour
agreements.
Civil servants are also due to call a strike early in April over reforms
slated for the public sector.
Greece has pledged to privatise many state companies as part of plans to
tighten up the economy for European economic and monetary union.
20 Greek companies among Europe's top 500
Twenty Greek companies are included in the list of Europe's 500, the
organisation which assesses Europe's 500 most dynamic and fast developing
companies every year stated.
For reasons of comparison, it is noted that from Austria and Belgium 18
companies have been selected and from Sweden 17.
The official announcement and rewarding of the 500 companies took place at
Europe's 500 conference held in Munich from March 19-21. One of the main
speakers was EU Commissioner Martin Bangemann.
The main criterion for a company to join Europe's 500 is the Birch
indicator which measures the increase in turnover combined with the
increase in human potential. Another criterion is the company's stable
profit-making over many years.
'Economist' conference in Athens
The "Economist" publishing group will organise an international conference
on April 8 and 9 in Athens on the topic of "Welcoming the New Business
Age".
EU Commission President Jacques Santer, former US secretary of state
Lawrence Engleberger and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President
Juan Antonio Samaranch are tentatively expected to speak at the conference.
WEATHER
Cloud turning to rain, snow and rainstorms accompanied by gale force winds
are forecast throughout the country today, with an improvement expected in
the evening. Winds northeastly and southeasterly, strong to gale force.
Heavy rain and gales in Athens with snow expected on mountains around the
city and temperatures from 4C to 9C. Sleet or snow in Thessaloniki with
temperatures between 2C and 5C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Tuesday's closing rates (buying): U.S. dollar 318.521
British pound 533.379 Japanese Yen(100) 243.963
French franc 51.943 German mark 174.091
Italian lira (100) 17.672 Irish Punt 437.036
Belgian franc 8.437 Finnish mark 57.403
Dutch guilder 154.410 Danish kr. 45.656
Austrian sch. 24.740 Spanish peseta 2.052
Swedish kr. 40.168 Norwegian kr. 42.122
Swiss franc 213.414 Port. Escudo 1.700
AUS dollar 212.883 Can. dollar 223.855
Cyprus pound 596.192
(C.E.)
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