Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-02-03
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 03/02/1999 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- No dissent over missiles decision
- U.S. says Greek-Turkish conflict less likely
- Greece supports efforts for Kosovo solution
- Police nab elusive immigrant smuggler
- Experts defusing bomb at shipyards
- First clue appears in missing crew mystery
- Austrian teenager found safe
- Illegal immigrants begin hunger strike
- Crowd robs bank
- Weather
- Foreign Exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
No dissent over missiles decision
The government on Wednesday dismissed any notion of a major difference of
opinion between Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and National Defence
Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos on Cyprus' order for Russian S-300 missiles
and the subsequent decision not to deploy them on the divided island.
Nicosia had originally ordered the anti-aircraft missiles to bolster its
defences but President Glafcos Clerides recently decided against their
deployment. Cyprus' plans to install the missiles had been criticised by
the United States and European countries which feared that it would
increase tension in the region. Turkey had openly threatened to prevent
their deployment.
U.S. says Greek-Turkish conflict less likely
The risk of a Greek-Turkish war has declined over the past year, according
to George Tenet, director of the United States' Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) said Tuesday, according to an ANA dispatch from Washington In a brief
reference to Greek-Turkish relations during a briefing of the Senate armed
forces committee, Tenet said that "prospects were improved in the Aegean,
where tension remains but the possibility of an armed conflict between
Greece and Turkey has declined now that Cyprus president Glafcos Clerides
agreed to the deployment of the Russian missiles on Crete (instead of
Cyprus)".
Greece supports efforts for Kosovo solution
Greece on Wednesday voiced support for efforts aimed at finding a solution
to the crisis in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo, referring in particular
to those of US envoy Chris Hill. "Greece supports the efforts to find a
solution in Kosovo. The Hill plan (providing) for the recognition of the
rights of the Moslems of Kosovo and the granting of autonomy to the region
without any change of borders is a good basis for reaching agreement at
talks in France," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said. Hill, the US
Ambassador to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), has for
the past few months been leading efforts aimed at a peaceful settlement of
the crisis in the strife-torn province. The Contact Group on former
Yugoslavia - comprising the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy
and Russia - last week warned the parties to the conflict in Kosovo
to attend peace talks in France at the weekend or face military action
by NATO.
Police nab elusive immigrant smuggler
Greek police said on Wednesday they had arrested a leading figure in the
trade in illegal immigrants as he attempted to 'take delivery' of three
illegal immigrants. Eftyhios Zervoudakis, 43, and an unnamed foreign
accomplice were arrested on the Attica coast, at the summer resort of
Anavyssos, on Tuesday. They were waiting for three Indian illegal
immigrants placed on shore by the Honduras-flagged vessel 'Volha', which
belongs to Zervoudakis. Zervoudakis was one of four Greeks charged with
murder in January 1997, for allegedly causing the deaths of 283 illegal
immigrants by sinking the vessel which was carrying them off the coast of
Sicily on Christmas Day 1996.
Experts defusing bomb at shipyards
The Avlis shipyards in Halkis and a nearby chemicals industry have been
evacuated by police after a live time-bomb was discovered in the shipyard's
floating dock by worker's on the morning shift, police said today. The
Halkis coast guard and merchant marine ministry were immediately alerted,
and ministry officers, including three bomb disposal experts, were on their
way to Halkis, on Evia island, a ministry spokesman told the ANA. The
shipyard and a nearby chemicals industry compound have been evacuated as a
precautionary measure against the potential explosion of the time-
bomb.
First clue appears in missing crew mystery
An amateur fishermen on Wednesday turned over to port authorities in Crete
a wooden fish crate belonging to a trawler that went missing without a
trace nearly two weeks ago. The trawler 'Lyberius', with two Greek seamen
and five Egyptian fishermen aboard, set sail from the port of Keratsini,
near Piraeus, on January 23, destined for the Cyclades Islands. The
Lyberius was last seen the following evening off the coast of the island of
Santorini by another fishing boat. The Coast Guard had been scouring the
area since, but had failed to come up with any traces of the missing
trawler and seamen.
Austrian teenager found safe
A 16-year-old Austrian schoolgirl who went missing five days ago in the
port city of Patras showed up at a police station today, police said,
giving no further details. Silvia Hobarth was last seen on Saturday on the
pleasure boat "Noah", which was docked in the port of Patras. Hobarth came
to Greece on a school trip sponsored by the Austrian government for
"children with social adjustment difficulties". Police declined to make
further statements until the girl completed her testimony, but police
sources said she had gone to Athens with a group of friends.
Illegal immigrants begin hunger strike
Twenty-five illegal immigrants being held at the Drapetsona police station
pending deportation began a hunger strike on Tuesday night to press for
better conditions during their detention. The 25 are all reported to be
Moslems. They are demanding better food and living conditions as well as
access to doctors. The group said they would continue the strike until
their deportation. There was no information on when they would be
deported.
Crowd robs bank
Five armed men held up a branch of the Agricultural Bank of Greece in
Kleitoria, Kalavryta on Wednesday and escaped with three million drachmas.
The masked robbers made their getaway in two cars.
WEATHER
Intermittent rain is forecast in most parts of Greece today with light
snowfall in the mountainous regions and possibly in areas of central
Greece. Winds northerly, light to moderate, turning strong in the Aegean
Sea. Sunny spells in Athens with possible rain in the afternoon and
temperatures from 2-11C. Overcast in Thessaloniki with temperatures from -
2C to 4C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Wednesday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 281.371
Pound sterling 462.847 Japanese yen (100) 248.417
French franc 48.519 German mark 162.726
Italian lira (100) 16.436 Irish Punt 404.111
Belgian franc 7.890 Finnish mark 53.528
Dutch guilder 144.421 Danish kr. 42.791
Austrian sch. 23.130 Spanish peseta 1.913
Swedish kr. 35.869 Norwegian kr. 37.091
Swiss franc 198.564 Port. Escudo 1.587
Aus. dollar 179.478 Can. dollar 186.317
Cyprus pound 549.370
(M.P.)
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