Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-10-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus-Tsohatzopoulos-Arrival

[02] Simitis-Patriarch-meeting

[03] Yugoslavia-Greece-new ambassador

[04] Greece-Cyprus-Turkey-Infringements

[05] Former FM-Turkey-Cyprus

[06] Vartholomeos-Inauguration

[07] ASE-German presentation

[08] Vatera SA-internet auctions

[09] Sex Form SA-Harrod's-deal

[10] Panafon-National Bank-deal

[11] Greece-EU-railways

[12] ASE-close

[01] Cyprus-Tsohatzopoulos-Arrival

NICOSIA (ANA - G. Leonidas) - National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos arrived in Cyprus on Friday night to watch Saturday the final phase of the military exercise "Nikiforos-Toxotis" jointly executed by Greece and Cyprus.

Speaking on arrival at Larnaca airport, Tsohatzopoulos said the joint exercise confirmed that Greece and Cyprus are mutually strong enough to handle any threat and any danger.

Tsohatzopoulos added that the exercise signaled the strengthening of the joint security and defence of Cyprus and Greece in the framework of the joint defence doctrine.

[02] Simitis-Patriarch-meeting

The Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek state are two institutions that will cooperate closely, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Friday, following his half-hour meeting with visiting Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos.

Simitis added that Vartholomeos is the leader of the Orthodox Church, which has a very important role to play under his tutelage.

The Church ?has to communicate the message of love and solidarity, which it should disseminate. It has to attend to the promotion of humanist principles and what is of concern to us and is very important- the dialogue of civilisations and churches and the presence of Orthodoxy in the world,? Simitis said.

?The Phanar (the seat of the Patriarchate in Istanbul) and the Greek state are two institutions, which will cooperate closely. We look to the Patriarchate to promote Orthodoxy,? he said.

The Patriarch inaugurated on Thursday the Patriarchate's representation office in Athens.

On his part, Vartholomeos, who is conducting a private visit in Greece, said ?I thanked the prime minister for his trust in us as the pinnacle institution of Orthodoxy?.

?We are looking forward to a harmonious cooperation and to a future of common benefit, for the promotion of dialogue between religions, civilisations on issues regarding man and the ecological problem, so that people may live in greater prosperity,? Vartholomeos said.

Later on Friday evening, President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Education and Religious Affairs Minister Petros Efthimiou received Vartholomeos during a special event at the Benaki Museum.

Vartholomeos inaugurated a Byzantine art exhibition of icons of the ?Mother of God? and was then hosted to a dinner by graduates of the Halki School of Theology operated by the Patriarchate, until it was forcibly shut down by Turkish authorities.

On Saturday, Vartholomeos will visit Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, in light of the latters name-day celebration.

[03] Yugoslavia-Greece-new ambassador

BELGRADE (ANA - M. Mouratidis) Greek Ambassador Mihalis Spinelis on Friday became the first new European diplomat to present his credentials to newly elected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, following the recent political changes and after the lifting of the European Union embargo on the Balkan country.

During an event conducted according to protocol, Spinelis said that this day was historic for Yugoslavia, Greece and Europe as ?it is the first indication of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and the rest of the world?.

?My emotions run high, since I had the great honor to be the first ambassador to present my credentials to you (Kostunica), the first democratic president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,? Spinelis said.

He also expressed the wish for Yugoslavia to ?walk along? with Greece on the path of the united democratic Europe.

On his part, Kostunica thanked Spinelis for his well wishing and said that Yugoslavia felt obliged to the Greek people and the Greek leadership for their "disinterested aid and support during the difficult years" of his countrys course to "democratic rebirth".

[04] Greece-Cyprus-Turkey-Infringements

Turkish fighter jets on Friday infringed on the Athens and Nicosias Flight Information Region (FIR) to contradict a joint military exercise of Greek Armed Forces and Cyprus National Guard, entitled ?Nikiforos-Toxotis?, reports said.

According to the same reports, 38 Turkish aircraft infringed on the Athens FIR 12 times over the Greek island of Rhodes and Nicosias FIR 8 times. Greek warplanes intercepted the Turkish planes in every instance, while in 14 cases the interception led to unarmed engagement.

This was the second day in a row that Turkish fighters harassed Greek aircraft, during the Greek-Cyprus ?Nikiforos-Toxotis? joint military exercise.

Meanwhile, Greek A7 Corsair bomber planes concluded successfully their participation in NATOs ?Destined Glory 2000? exercise, passing over the eastern Aegean Greek island of Limnos and from there entering the Istanbul FIR.

Last Wednesday, during the exercise, Turkish jets intercepted the Greek A7 Corsair in effect cancelling their participation in the exercise.

Greece reacted by lodging complaints with NATO and according to reports, NATO accepted Greeces positions and enforced the initial plans of the exercise.

Reports also noted that early this morning Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos sent a letter to NATOs Secretary General Lord Robertson, containing Greeces positions on the issue.

[05] Former FM-Turkey-Cyprus

Late Greek premier Andreas Papandreou and also late Turkish President Turgut Ozal concluded an agreement in 1988 during a meeting in Davos, Switzerland, dictating the withdraw of Turkish occupation forces from northern Cyprus, former Greek foreign minister Carolos Papoulias said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis, the ruling PASOK deputy confirmed that he made that statement during a session, Thursday night, of the Parliaments foreign affairs and defence committee, which he chairs.

He also said that he believed the agreement would have been implemented, if where not for Ozals untimely death.

Papoulias said that Ozal himself worked on the agreement, underlining that Greek-Turkish rapprochement at that time was the most substantive ever.

He wished current Foreign Minister George Papandreou to also have similar results regarding the Cyprus problem, during his tenure, adding that substantive Greek-Turkish rapprochement would decisively contribute to the liberation of Cyprus from the Turkish occupation forces.

[06] Vartholomeos-Inauguration

Visiting Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos on Friday inaugurated the new Metropolitan mansion in the Athens suburb of Peristeri in the presence of many clergymen, Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis, Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos and crowds of people.

Addressing a message of unity at a local cathedral later, Vartholomeos said God is pleased when people are united without schisms, adding that unity and cooperation are great virtues.

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos officiated at a church service on the island of Cephalonia on the occasion of Saint Gerasimos' name day. Stressing the endurance of the Orthodox faith, he said it "resembles a hammer hitting a nail. The more it is hit, the steadier it becomes".

[07] ASE-German presentation

The Athens Stock Exchange's chairman, Panayiotis Alexakis, on Friday presented the Greek market's investment opportunities and new regulatory measures to a group of German institutional investors and journalists.

The presentation was made at a special event organised by the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce in Athens.

[08] Vatera SA-internet auctions

Vatera SA, a company created with the support and cooperation of e-vision - owners of Deremate.com, the biggest internet auctions company in Latin America - aims to promote e-auction services in Greece.

Panayiotis Gomopoulos, the company's chief executive, said its plans were to create a users' community on the internet (using its website www.vatera.com) to trade in cross-border transactions.

Vatera SA plans to expand in Eastern Europe, launching new websites in Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey and Hungary in the next six months.

[09] Sex Form SA-Harrod's-deal

Sex Form SA, a Greek listed underwear manufacturer, announced a deal with world famous UK stores Harrod's for the production of luxury underwear under the name Harrod's Private Labels.

The Greek company also completed the purchase of a 50 percent equity stake in Prestige SA, a fabric manufacturer, for 1.26 billion drachmas.

Sex Form also announced a share capital increase plan for its recent acquisition Petit Elephant International ABEE, a children clothes manufacturer, aiming to upgrade its production equipment, improve its building facilities and expand its sales network.

The company has recently signed cooperation agreements with UK stores John Lewis, Dunnes Stores, Freeman's order catalogue, Replay clothes and Fashion Box SPA Italy.

[10] Panafon-National Bank-deal

Panafon, Greece's largest mobile phone operator, and National Bank of Greece, the country's largest financial institution, announced a deal offering Panafon's customers payment services through the bank's ATMs.

The deal will also offer Panafon's non-contract customers the ability to extend their mobile cards' time through National Bank's ATMs.

National Bank's ATMs network totals 840 units around the country. The bank expects to increase its network to 1,000 early next year.

[11] Greece-EU-railways

Greek Transport Minister Christos Verelis and EU Regional Development Commissioner Michel Barnier on Friday discussed a programme on the expansion of Greece's railways network and a Greek demand for increased community funds on the project.

"We discussed a project of building a new, modern and safe railway network layout on a double track, electrically-powered," Verelis said after the meeting.

[12] ASE-close

Equity prices recovered more ground on Friday, extending their previous day's gains, helped by renewed buying interest in blue chip stocks on the Athens Stock Exchange.

Traders said an improved climate in international market encouraged sentiment on the Greek bourse.

The general index ended 1.95 percent higher at 3,787.44 points, off the day's highs of 3,830.22 points, for a net gain of 2.32 percent in the week. Turnover was an improved 96.29 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 2.32 percent higher at 2,187.14 points, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index rose 1.25 percent to 455.95 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 0.87 percent higher at 448.49 points.

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