Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-05-04

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 04/05/1998 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Greece welcomes Euro summit comments
• Athens reiterates position against terrorism
• Nazi compensation trials begin
• Olympic approves agreement with pilots
• Council of Europe priorities for Greece
• Greek, Turkish women call for defence spending cuts
• New electric trains to debut later this year
• Simitis satisfied over euro summit results
• Holbrooke draws blank on Cyprus peace mission
• Greece, Egypt to sign cooperation protocol today
• Tsohatzopoulos to attend Madrid WEU meeting
• Inter-Orthodox conference ends
• Group claims torching embassy car
• London to host Dodecanese anniversary event
• Greek climber falls to his death in Himalayas
• Writer Aris Fakinos dies in Paris
• Skandalidis says Greece moving in right direction
• New leftist movement in October municipal elections
• Greek soccer championship results
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The Euro summit's statements on Greece are a recognition of the effectiveness of the government's policies and encouragement for the government to continue along the same lines until Greece joins Economic and Monetary Union, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said today. Greece's European Union partners on the weekend said they welcomed Greece's intention to join EMU at the earliest date possible and said Greece's bid would be judged on the same criteria as the 11 EU countries adopting the euro in the first wave.

Athens reiterates position against terrorism

Greece is a democratic country which respects the human and civil rights of all and will therefore not permit any terrorist action against governments, wherever it may come from, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said today. The spokesman made the statement in reply to reporters' questions on remarks by Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz who last week claimed in a strong attack on Greece that Athens was supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Nazi compensation trials begin

The first hearings of some 6,000 claims by Greek victims of the Nazi occupation during the Second World War begin in the Achaia prefecture tomorrow. The first case begins in an Aigion court tomorrow, to be following by hearings in Kalavryta on May 13 and Patras on May 19. More than 100 lawyers have been retained to represent the 6000 families claiming compensation from the German state for crimes enacted by the occupation forces.

Olympic approves agreement with pilots

The Olympic Airways board of directors today unamimously approved a draft agreement signed last week between OA managing director Thodoros Tsakiridis and representatives of the union of civil aviation pilots. The agreement, which settles employee grievances and is hoped to enable running of the national carrier to return to normal, had initially been voted down last Thursday by four board members -- representing the ministries of national economy and transports -- who said it went counter to the streamlining of the company.

Council of Europe priorities for Greece

Greece will place emphasis on upgrading the role of the European Court of Human Rights, the protection of human rights, cooperation between Council of Europe member-states on refugee problems and on dealing with the problem of illegal immigration, Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou said today. Greece takes over the presidency of the Council of Europe tomorrow, at a special ceremony in Strasbourg, when the German presidency hands over the reins to Greece.

Greek, Turkish women call for defence spending cuts

Women activists from Greece and Turkey have called on their respective governments to cut military spending by 5 percent by the year 2003. Delegations of women from the two countries also agreed to set up a Women's Initiative for Peace network (WINPEACE) aiming at the consolidation of peaceful relations between their respective countries, during four days of talks on the Greek island of Kos and Halikarnassos on the Asia Minor Coast that ended Sunday, an announcement issued today said.

New electric trains to debut later this year

The Greek state railways organisation OSE will introduce the first electrically-powered train engines on its routes this autumn, most likely in mid-September, an OSE senior executive told the ANA today. He said the first electrically-powered trains would be introduced on OSE's route from Thessaloniki to Eidomeni, near the border with FYROM.

Simitis satisfied over euro summit results

Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday expressed full satisfaction over the results of the EU summit confirming Greece's eligibility for EU monetary union (euro) accession as the 12th member. "It is a historic day because the creation of the unified European currency was decided with the participation of 11 countries," he said, adding that the EU summit results were "extremely positive" for Greece since a special statement was adopted for th e Greek economy confirming the steps of progress it has achieved to date, as well as prospects of its accession to the final phase of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) as the 12th member.

Holbrooke draws blank on Cyprus peace mission

US envoy Richard Holbrooke ended yesterday two days of intensive but inconclusive consultations with the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. Sources said that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's insistence on recognition of his illegal regime as a condition for resuming intercommunal talks, was the cause for the breakdown of the talks.

Greece, Egypt to sign cooperation protocol today

A cooperation protocol between Greece and Egypt will be signed in Cairo today by Development Minister Vasso Papandreou and Electricity and Energy Minister Haber Abaza concerning energy issues. Ms. Papandreou, who carried out a five-day visit accompanied by Development Secretary-General Antonis Papathanasopoulos and other officials, held talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal El Ganzouri, to whom he conveyed greetings from Greek Prime Minist er Costas Simitis.

Tsohatzopoulos to attend Madrid WEU meeting

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos will leave for Madrid today to attend the West European Union's Parliamentary Assembly. In parallel, he will make a working visit at the invitation of his Spanish counterpart Eduardo Sera. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos will be making an address in the framework of the WEU's Parliamentary Assembly tomorrow.

Inter-Orthodox conference ends

The sessions of the Inter-Orthodox conference, held with the participation of representatives of the 15 Autocephalus Orthodox Churches, were concluded at the Cultural Centre of the Thessaloniki Metropolis late on Friday night. The conference opened on Thursday morning and was conducted in camera. It focused on problems faced by certain Orthodox Churches with the World Council of Churches, which have led to the Churches of Jerusalem and Georgia pulling out of the Council.

Group claims torching embassy car

An organisation called "Arsonists of Conscience" yesterday claimed responsibility for setting fire to a car early yesterday 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.

London to host Dodecanese anniversary event

The Foreign Ministry's Historical Archives service will organise an event on the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Dodecanese islands to Greece on May 11 in cooperation with the Greek Embassy in London. The event, due to take place at the Hellenic Centre in London, is expected to start with a 45-minute talk by the director of the Historical Archives service Foteini Tomai-Constantopoulou. She will present historical data concerning the incorporation of the Dodecanese islands according to documents contained in the book "Dodecanese: The long course towards incorporation."

Greek climber falls to his death in Himalayas

A Greek climber plunged to his death on Friday while trying to become the first Greek citizen to scale the world's seventh-highest mountain, Nepal's tourism ministry said yesterday. Nikos Papandreou, 44, a businessman from Athens, died while climbing the 8,167 metre Dhaulagiri I peak in west Nepal, it said. Papandreou was married and had a son and a daughter.

Writer Aris Fakinos dies in Paris

Well-known writer Aris Fakinos died of a pneumonic infection in Paris yesterday at the age of 63. He had been in a comma at the 'intercommunal hospital de Montreuil' over the past three days.

Skandalidis says Greece moving in right direction

Ruling PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis said yesterday that achieving the government's economic targets was not sufficient to solve the country's problems if development, cohesion and the welfare of Greek society was not guaranteed at the same time. "What is important beyond economic targets is to have a development structure which will give to Greece's efforts a perspective," Mr. Skandalidis said, addressing a party meeting in Thessaloniki.

New leftist movement in October municipal elections

The "Leftist Radical Initiative for Athens", which will cooperate with the "Struggle Cooperation for Athens" in the October municipal elections and will support the candidacy of Leon Avdis for Athens mayor, publicised its inaugural proclamation on Saturday. The announcement stresses that it is a municipal movement composed of socially active citizens from Athens who belong to the sector of the renewal radical left.

Greek soccer championship results

Kalamata-Ionikos 2-0 AEK-Athinaikos 1-1 Panathinaikos-Iraklis 1-0 OFI-Ethnikos 3-0 Paniliakos-Kavala 0-2 Xanthi-Veria 4-0 Panionios-Olympiakos 1-2 PAOK-Panahaiki 4-1 Proodeftiki-Apollon 1-0 Standings-points: Olympiakos 82, Panathinaikos 76, PAOK 64, Ionikos 58, Iraklis 47, Xanthi, OFI 42, Veria 39, Apollon 36.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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