Antenna: News in English, 97-01-12

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

News in English, 12/01/97

TITLES

• The US tells a threatening Turkey to keep its hands off Cyprus***.
• New Democracy's leaders come together for the sake of the party congress***.
• And, Greece celebrates Epiphany***.

CYPRUS

The Turkish defence and foreign ministers issued the threat, attempting to dissuade Cyprus from purchasing an advanced Russian land-to-air missile system.

The S-300 system would greatly enhance Cyprus's defence umbrella in the event of an attack.

Despite the insistence of Cyprus, Russia, and Greece, that the system is purely defensive, the US and Britain began the week trying to persuade the Cypriots not to buy it.

But by week's end, Washington was taken aback by Ankara's war-mongering, and warned Turkey to keep its hands off free Cyprus.

Warnings, provocations, and threats of war against Cyprus from Turkey - the latest: a threat to invade Free Cyprus if it buys a Russian land-to-air missile system, to enhance its ability to better detect and deflect an oncoming Turkish attack from the air.

But this time it seems that Ankara has gone too far. US State department spokesman Nicholas Burns reminded Turkey that there is such a thing as international law Thursday.

"There can be no question that Turkey must respect the rules which are no country and specifically in this case Turkey, should threaten the use of military force against Cyprus. No country, specifically Turkey, should undertake military force against Cyprus".

Russia sent its own message to Ankara. Russian ambassador to Cyprus Yiorgi MourAtof told Antenna television Cyprus that Russia's reaction to any Turkish move against the island will be harsh. "We'll protect our relations with the Cypriot republic, and defend our right to develop relations to our mutual benefit.

The statements from US and Russia were welcome in Greece, even if Athens thought them belated, coming after several days of truculent talk from Turkey over the defensive weapons agreement.

Prime minister Kostas Simitis says the American and Russian posture vindicates his policy of keeping a cool head in the face of Turkey's provocations, and insisting that Ankara obey the tenets of international law.

On Wednesday, Mr Simitis had spelled out his policy: Greece would be playing into Turkey's hands if it overreacted every time Ankara made a provocative move, he said at a press conference. "We would be dragged into a climate of crisis", he explained, "while in fact our strength lies in our equanimity and insistence that international law and treaties be adhered to".

It's the same policy Mr Simitis followed last year, when Turkey staged a military landing on the Greek rocks of Imia. Then, too, the international community accepted that Turkey was out of bounds.

Deputy defence minister Giorgos Papandreou was also pleased with the American reaction to Turkey's provocative posturing.

He said it's a clear message to Turkey that it must act in accordance with international law, and respect its neighbours and Greek borders.

Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras agreed that the state department message was positive. He added that what all Greeks must do, is stand united.

CYPRUS/SIMITIS REVIEW

She repeated that if the Russian missile system is deployed on the island, her country might well launch a military strike.

ND REVIEW

Party leader Miltiades Evert, and the man will challenge him for the top spot at the congress met Tuesday, coming to a truce over some of the congress-related issues that've been keeping them apart.

EPIPHANY REVIEW

© ANT1-Radio 1997

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