Antenna: News in English, 97-01-10

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

News in English, 10/01/97

TITLES

• The prime minister says prudence and a strong defence are the way to deter Turkish expansionism***.
• Art on the block in aid of the homeless***.
• And, Babo's day***.

SIMITIS/CYPRUS

Kostas Simitis spoke after discussing the latest developments around the Cyprus issue with foreign ministry officials.

Turkey issued its latest threat against Hellenism this week, threatening a military strike on free Cyprus, like the ones in 1974.

The Greek prime minister discussed developments over the Cyprus issue with leading Greek foreign policy-makers Wednesday.

The meeting came as tension ran unabated, with Turkey threatening military action against Cyprus if it goes ahead and buys a Russian land- to-air missile system.

The S-300 missiles would greatly enhance Cyprus's defences. The system could detect Turkish aircraft taking off from bases in Turkey - providing early warning of an imminent attack.

The Cypriot purchase and Turkish threats have concerned the West.

And after meeting with his advisors, Mr Simitis talked at length about Greece and Cyprus's approach to the Turkish threat.

He said that a period of significant developments for Cyprus is beginning.

He explained that next year talks on Cypriot admission into the European Union will begin, so Greece must be ready to intervene politically to make sure things go Greece and Cyprus's way.

The prime minister added that Cypriot president Glavcos Clirides will be invited to Athens this month so the two sides can look at issues of joint interest.

"Turkish aggression has been with us for some time", said Mr Simitis, noting that last year Ankara questioned Greek sovereignty, by saying there are so-called grey areas in the Aegean, of disputed sovereignty. In the past, there have been other Turkish provocations of the type we're seeing today, he continued, like military exercises in the Aegean.

Greece would be playing into Turkey's hands if it became very upset every time Turkey made a provocative move, said Mr Simitis. "We would be dragged into a climate of crisis", he explained, "while in fact our strength lies in our remaining calm, and in our steadfast insistence that international law and treaties be adhered to when it comes to border issues".

Greece's strength also lies in its armed forces, and the determination to make them an ever-more- effective deterrent, said the premier.

"We aim for peace and stability", he added, "and so need to show prudence and composure, because that's the only way we'll be able to dominate developments. Fear and worry won't help us, they will only indicate that developments are running ahead of us".

Western states are concerned by the latest tension over Cyprus. State department official Kerry Cavanaugh begins a visit to Athens, Ankara, and Nicosia this weekend.

Mr Simitis said his government will listen to what the US has to say, and offer Cavanaugh Greece's views on the tension in the region.

But the premier also added that Cyprus is a sovereign state, with the right and obligation to take any measures it believes necessary to defend itself. Greece stands by Cyprus in its efforts to defend its rights, he added.

The Greek defence minister backed those words up in a statement of his own. Noting that there were 12 violations of Greek airspace by Turkish fighters over the Aegean Wednesday, Akis Tsochazopoulos said "Greece is strong. And Cyprus is getting stronger, so Hellenism has nothing to fear".

Commenting on the planned missile sale, the Russian ambassador to Athens says it is a purely defensive weapons system. Vassily Kornienko adds that his country is in contact with Turkey and other states that have expressed concerns over the sale. He hopes to allay their worries.

Wednesday, the US warned Turkey not to attack Cyprus as it has threatened. The state department spokesman said this is not the time for Turkey to be making dramatic statements that find no support in the international community. Nicholas Burns added that Turkey must respect international rules of behaviour, which prohibit the threat of violence against Cyprus. No nation can take military action against Cyprus, he said.

Thirty Pasok MPs have signed a statement of solidarity with the Cypriot government in its decision to by the Russian missiles.

Panagiotis Kritikos says its "an expression of national indignation over moves against Cyprus's national rights".

Haris Tsiokas adds, "The politicians, intellectuals, and scientists of Greece stand by Cyprus's decision to reinforce its deterrent". He says the Cypriot purchase falls within the framework of the Greece-Cyprus joint defence doctrine.

Fivos Ioannides says no one should forget Turkey's permanent policy over the past 50 years, of exapanding at Greece's expense.

And former justice minister Stelios Papathemelis complains about what he calls the west's hypocrisy in criticising Cyprus for buying the missiles, while Trukey provokes.

Papathemelis adds that the only reply to the Turkish threat is the determination of Hellenism to defend itself.

Turkish defense minister TourhAn TayiAn threatened Greece Wednesday night that his country will do what it did in Cyprus in 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the island and occupied nearly the half of its territory. Furthermore, Turkish foreign ministry spokesman OmEr AkbEl said that his country won't be indifferent in any development which would endanger the security of the Turkish community in the island.

In Athens, 30 Pasok MPs signed a text of solidarity to the Cypriot government's decision to upgrade the quality of its defensive armament. MP Panagiotis Kritikos explained, "This is an expression of national protest to what is happening against the sovereignty rights of Cyprus and of nations in general". Another MP, Charis Tsiokas, said, "The political, intellectual and scientific world of

Greece expresses its solidarity to Cyprus's initiative within the framework of the joint defense doctrine to reinforce its ability of dissuasion". And MP Fivos Ioannides said, "Of course nobody must forget that Turkey's permanent policy in the last 50 years has been a policy of expansion against Greece". Former justice minister Stelios Papathemelis said, "West's hypocricy is outrageous and Turkey's attitude is further more provocative. But there is one answer: hellenism's determination".

NEA DIMOKRATIA

The atmosphere has often been fractious at the top of the party since it lost the September national elections.

And the congress will vote for a new party leader. But this week, Evert and his leading opponent bridged some of the gap over how the crucial congress is to be organised.

- With the momentum towards unity going following his successful meeting with his main leadership rival Giorgos Souflias, party leader Miltiades Evert appealed to his MPs and New Democracy central committee members to maintain a calm climate in the run-up to the congress.

Both Evert and Souflias will be seeking the leadership mantel at the congress, so both are keenly interested in HOW the congress will be organised, and how the 700-plus additional voting delegates will be chosen.

The two men agree on some organisational details earlier this week, but Evert has not acceded to Souflias's request that the delegates be elected by the party rank-and-file.

Nonetheless, all sides want to see the congress come off without any hitches. And Evert focussed on the unifying themes Wednesday. He told the party that there will be two pre-congress conferences. And he said he hopes that Souflias's choice to head the congress steering committee - Giorgos Rallis - will accept the job.

Evert said that there are vested interest groups that want to weaken and even split New Democracy, and blamed the party's loss in the September elections on discord within the ranks.

Addressing the MPs and Central Committee members Wednesday, Souflias insisted once again that the additional delegates to the congress be elected by the party members.

He also said that the new party leader should be appealing to the voters of other parties, a quality many observers believe Souflias possesses.

KOSTAKOS

The efforts to bring the ship up from its resting place a depth of 160 metres is expected to last 40 days. A crane with a lifting capacity of a thousand tons will be used in the operation.

The most difficult part of the salvage operation is detaching the ship from the muddy seabed.

FOURAS

Juan Antonio Samarank and the IOC will choose one of eleven competing cities to host the 2004 games: Athens, Buenos Aires, Capetown, Constantinopole, Leeds, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Seville, Stockholm, St Petersburg and San Juan.

The winning city will be announced in the autumn of 1997.

HOMELESS

Centre chairwoman Elli Evangelidou explains, "Since October, the city's been giving homeless people free meals. Our next step is to provide them with hotel rooms before the shelter can be built".

Art wasn't the only thing on the auction block: Atlanta Olympic gold medalist Nikos Kaklamanakis donated the sail from his Olympic wind-surfer. The auction raised a total of 30 thousand dollars.

BABO

The midwife used to have a special place in villages and small towns. She delivered most of the babies.

Hospitals may have taken most of the "Babo's" work away, but she hasn't been forgotten in the village of SkepastO.

Every January 8th, married women take part in a ritual of celebration: they wash the hands of the village midwife, who then visits the village homes. In keeping with tradition, the "Babo" delivers the baby of a woman ready to give birth. In the ritual, a doll is used to signify the new- born infant.

Single women and men are not allowed to take part in the celebration.

© ANT1-Radio 1997

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