Antenna News in English 160896

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

News in English, of 16/08/1996

TITLES

• Another Turkish bloodbath in Cyprus.
• A quiet holiday exodus.
• And, Greece's weight-lifters get a hero's welcome.

FUNERAL/EPISODES

And again, paid in blood.

Shortly after Isaak's funeral, some 500 demonstrators gathered at the neutral zone in Derinia, near the spot where Isaak had been beaten to death, as he tried to return to free Cyprus with other people protesting the Turkish occupation.

A Turkish soldier shot and killed Isaak's cousin, 26-year-old Greek Cypriot Spyros Solomon after he tried to lower the Turkish flag just inside the occupied territory.

Solomon had climbed the flagstaff just metres away from the Turkish guard post. His symbolic act was repaid with bullets in the mouth, the stomach, and the neck.

Turkish soldiers fired on other people. One 60-year- old woman shot in the abdomen is in serious condition. Five other civilians, two policemen, and two UN peacekeepers were also shot.

The protests started at around 2pm, after Isaak had been buried in nearby Paralimni. The demonstrators wanted to lay a wreathe on the spot where Isaak had been murdered.

They managed to get around a strong Cypriot police contingent anticipating further episodes. Then they entered the neutral zone. A group of around 40 demonstrators came to blows with United Nations peacekeepers in the zone, managing to hang a flag and lay a wreathe at the spot where Isaak had died.

A short distance away, Turkish troops were deployed behind trees in the occupied area. The tragedy unfolded as the demonstrators approached the Turkish guard post.

Tension ran high in the area all morning, as Cyprus buried Isaak. The 24-year-old's parents, and his 8-months-pregnant wife, who left the hospital for the funeral, were inconsolable figures.

Isaak's mother fainted under the burden of her grief.

Among those attending the funeral were many of the motorcyclists from Europe whose attempt to ride into the Turkish-occupied zone on Sunday had been met with barbaric attacks.

Cypriot president Glavcos Kliridis was also at the funeral, as was archbishop Chrisostomos. He eulogised Isaak as a "hero of our liberation struggle, who fell to the blows of the barbaric invaders".

A number of government figures from Cyprus were at the funeral; so were representatives of the Greek president, prime minister and political parties.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos announced that the Greek state would like to be the godparent of Isaak's unborn child. He also said that Greece has lodged protests over the murder with a number of international organisations.

The matter will be discussed by the European Union foreign ministers when they meet in early September.

SOLOMON REACTION

Hellenism has been stunned by the two murders.

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis says he will personally attend the funeral of Spyros Solomon. Commenting on the bloodshed, he said unleashing co-ordinated troops on peaceful demonstrators reveals that the Turkish military occupation of northern Cyprus is propped up by common criminals.

Mr Simitis expressed the condolences of all Greeks over the bestiality and brutal murder of the two young men. He assured Nicosia that Athens will do what is required to put an end to the divided Cyprus drama.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos says the Greek state would like to be the godparent of Isaak's unborn child.

He adds that Greece has protested the shootings to international organisations, and the the European Union foreign ministers will discuss the episodes in Cyprus when they meet in early September.

FRIGATE/KOS

The Turkish frigate Giavouz, which took part in the the Turkish operation against the Greek isle of Imia in January, was freed with Greek assistance Wednesday.

The Greek defence ministry said the ship's captain was not trying to provoke Greece by sailing so close to Kos, adding that the vessel was making a harmless trip through Greek waters. Defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis said the ship's captain had simply made a mistake.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos said the ship had permission to sail through Greek waters.

Discussing the ship's plight, the Greek and Turkish authorities agreed that Greek ships should be used to release the frigate from its sandy prison, in accordance with international practice.

A Greek officer boarded the Turkish warship to oversee the operation, and Greek divers searched for damage to the craft before it was finally freed.

PANGALOS ELECTIONS

The main opposition party, New Democracy, has contended for months that the government will call elections before its term expires in the autumn of 1997.

But Pasok has so far ruled out early balloting.

As one front-page headline screamed that the prime minister plans to call an election in September, Pangalos said Wednesday that the government's never discussed the prospect of early voting.

"I've never talked about it with the prime minister", he told reporters. And added, "Goverment stability is good for foreign policy. Unresolved issues, like when elections are to be held, aren't".

Pangalos said Pasok governments are in the habit of completing their four-year terms.

EXODUS

This year, the holiday is marking a first, according to those who keep tabs on how many people are leaving Athens, and when.

They say this year fewer people are leaving the capital to celebrate the 15th.

Backing up that claim is the fact that ships heading for the two most popular spots on this holiday, Tinos and Paros, left Piraeus only half full, way down on recent years.

Port authority officials say the 30 ferry boats scheduled to take vacationers to the Aegean islands Wednesday were more than enough to get everyone to their destination with plenty of elbow room.

Officials say they don't know what, if any, impact a ships' engineers strike on Monday and Tuesday will have on the move back to the capital.

OLYMPIC ATHLETES

Three weight-lifters who made their sweaty preparations for the Olympics in the northwestern Greek city were given the key to the city.

Leonidas Kokkas, Giorgos Tzelilis, and Victor Nitrou all left Albania, and were embraced by Spartacus Athletic Society in Iannena.

Spartacus trainer Giorgos Ikonomou said, "They deserve this honour. They all achieved what they did without any help. We thank them".

Olympic silver-medalist Kokkas says he'll hold his Olympic medal high, and go for gold in Sydney in 2000.

Tzelilis is of like mind. Thanking the people of Iannena for honouring him, he said he'll try to turn his fourth-place finish in Atlanta into a first-place finish in the next Olympics.

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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