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Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-05-03

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 03/05/1998 (ANA)


MAIN HEADLINES

  • Greek PM welcomes EU's euro decisions
  • Group claims responsibility for attack on embassy car
  • Greece dismisses Yilmaz statements
  • Three separate labour rallies held in Athens
  • Fifteen dead in road accidents on May Day exodus
  • Three arrested, police officers implicated in bogus papers case
  • International law on Athens side
  • Greek FM says no EU enlargement if Cyprus entry blocked
  • Athens satisfied with Ecofin euro recommendations on Greece
  • State securities to be auctioned
  • Weather
  • Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Greek PM welcomes EU's euro decisions

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said in Brussels today that the European Union summit's results on the issue of the common currency (euro) were extremely positive for Greece.

The prime minister stressed the fact that Greece's entry into the third phase of European monetary union (EMU) will be based on the same criteria used for the other 11 countries which just entered the system.

Mr. Simitis expressed his total satisfaction over the results of the long- drawn out session of this summit, which began yesterday and ended early this morning with the election of Dutchman Wim Duisenberg as the first President of the European Central Bank.

The premier said that within the next few days he will inform President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and the political leadership of the country on the outcome, and discuss the results with them.

Mr. Simitis said that the road toward the adoptation of a common currency will not be without problems. A common currency without a common government and a common taxation system is a new experience, he added.

Finally the prime minister dismissed press reports of an impending government reshuffle and said that the differences within PASOK are normal of any '' living'' political party.

Group claims responsibility for attack on embassy car

An organisation called Arsonists of Conscience claimed responsibility for setting fire to a car early this morning belonging to the Yugoslav Embassy in Athens. No injuries were reported.

The claim for setting fire to the car, which was parked in the suburb of Ambelokipi, was made by an anonymous caller to Flash, a private radio station.

Firemen put out the blaze, which occurred at 0215 local time.

Greece dismisses Yilmaz statements

Greece has dismissed as an "unacceptable provocation" statements by Turkish premier Messut Yilmaz that Athens was deeply hostile towards Ankara.

"The statements by the Turkish premier are an unacceptable provocation and confirm once again Turkey's weakness to adjust itself to international legality," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis rejected Yilmaz's statements as "anachronistic, provocative and lacking any historical basis".

Three separate labour rallies held in Athens

Workers turned out en masse in Athens to celebrate Labour Day on Friday but the trade union front showed little unity as illustrated by the holding of three separate rallies almost simultaneously in the city centre.

What was supposed to have been the major event, the rally organised by the General Confederation of Greek Labour (GSEE), the Civil Servants' Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) and the Athens Labour Centre, attracted only an estimated 2,000 workers.

Addressing the rally, GSEE president Christos Polyzogopoulos accused the organisers of similar events "just a few hundred metres away" of harming the unity of the trade union movement.

In contrast, the rally organised in Syntagma Square by trade unionists affiliated to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) attracted an estimated 6, 000 workers.

They urged trade unions to become more militant and not participate in the social dialogue with the government and employers.

Trade unionists affiliated to left-wing parties not represented in Parliament organised a separate rally in Omonia Square, followed by a march to nearby Kolokotroni Square, where they joined groups of Turks, Kurds, Africans, Albanians and other immigrants.

Fifteen dead in road accidents on May Day exodus

Fifteen people had lost their lives on Greek roads by Saturday during the long May Day weekend, with another 215 injured - 65 seriously - in 145 traffic accidents since Thursday night, officials announced.

Traffic police will step up measures ahead of the expected return of holiday-makers this evening.

Three arrested, police officers implicated in bogus papers case

Three people have been arrested and at least six others are wanted by police for questioning in connection with offences involving the use of forged documents, official seals and bribery to furnish foreigners with papers supposedly granting them Greek citizenship.

According to the police, the three arrested claimed during questioning that a number of police officers with positions in aliens bureaus were involved in the case.

According to the police, the gang has supplied at least 1,000 people with false citizenship documents for a payment of between 5 and 7 million drachmas in each case.

International law on Athens side

International law and the Treaty of Lausanne clearly define the Greek sovereignty of islands and islets in the Aegean, Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said on Thursday.

Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony on the MEKO-200 frigate "Psarra", the second of three being constructed by the Skaramanga Shipyards, Tsohatzopoulos said that if Turkey had any doubts about the sovereignty of islands in the Aegean then it should refer to the International Court of Justice at The Hague to get this clear answer.

Greek FM says no EU enlargement if Cyprus entry blocked

Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos has said there will be no European Union enlargement if anyone creates a political problem over Cyprus' accession.

"If a political problem is created in Cyprus' accession course, this would undermine the smooth function of the EU itself and consequently there will be no enlargement," Pangalos said in an interview to the Athens afternoon daily Eleftherotypia.

Cyprus, he said, was part of package with the other membership candidates. Negotiations would be held separately with each candidate and each candidate would be judged on the basis of its pros and cons, the minister added.

Athens satisfied with Ecofin euro recommendations on Greece

National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said late on Friday that Greece was pleased with recommendations by the European Union's economy and finance ministers that the country's economy had marked progress in meeting convergence criteria and could participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union from January 1, 2001.

The Ecofin ministers' statement was as follows:

"The Council notes the substantive progress achieved by Greece in meeting convergence criteria. The Council expresses its satisfaction over the determination of the Greek government in implementing its policy on fiscal restructuring and structural adjustment to enable Greece to participate in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union as of January 1, 2001. Then, Greece's progress will be judged in the same way as the member states which will participate in EMU as of January 1, 1999 were judged."

State securities to be auctioned

An auction of state securities will be held on May 4, according to an announcement by the finance ministry. The date of issue and settlement will be May 6, 1998. The securities to be auctioned will be treasury bills of a three-month duration amounting to 70 billion drachmas and six-month T-bills amounting to 50 billion drachmas.

WEATHER

Overcast weather turning to rain or showers is forecast for most parts of the country tomorrow. Winds southerly, strong to gale force. Cloudy weather and showers in Athens and Thessaloniki with temperatures ranging from 16C to 25C in the capital, and 14C to 22C in the second city.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Friday's rates (buying)

U.S. dollar 314.166 British pound 523.974 Japanese yen(100) 238.308 French franc 52.072 German mark 174.592 Italian lira (100) 17.682 Irish Punt 440.964 Belgian franc 8.455 Finnish mark 57.603 Dutch guilder 155.099 Danish kr. 45.830 Austrian sch. 24.822 Spanish peseta 2.058 Swedish kr. 40.495 Norwegian kr. 42.061 Swiss franc 210.175 Port. Escudo 1.706 Aus. dollar 203.955 Can. dollar 218.716 Cyprus pound 596.807

(C.S.)


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