Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-06

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

News in English, 06/03/97

TITLES

• Greece takes steps to guarantee the safety of the Greek minority, as tension mounts in southern Albania.
• Kostas Simitis says increased productivity, not handouts, is the tonic for Greek agriculture.
• And, the glory of Byzantium in New York.

ALBANIA

Rebels in cities and villages throughout the southern part of the country are armed, and bracing themselves for government attacks.

Antenna's correspondents are in the rebel strongholds.

The people of Agiou Saranta rallied on the city waterfront Wednesday night. They wanted the world to see through the lens of Antenna's camera, that the Albanian government's claims that the flame of rebellion is dying out, is a lie.

People of the town, young, old, men, women and children, shouted anti- government slogans, and fired shots of enthusiasm and exasperation into the air.

Antenna correspondent Argyris Dinopoulos says he hears the same thing everywhere he goes: these people say they are stone's throw from Greece and Italy, and they want to be a part of Europe. They don't want war, just a better life, and they say that can only come with a new government.

As government tanks move into close off the rebel areas, the mood of defiance is growing.

Earlier Wednesday evening, there was a large rally in the central square in Agiou Saranta. One of the main speakers was an army officer who has defected to the rebels, and is organising the town's defence. His name has been withheld, but some speculate that he is also assuming a political role.

There was fighting in Stiari and Delvino Wednesday afternoon, as rebels and government forces stepped up their struggle for control of southern Albania.

Four people were wounded, one of them seriously, as the government forces moved in to pry the area out of rebel hands. All the wounded were taken to the hospital in government-held Argyrokastro.

The hospital is short of supplies, and appeals have been made to Greece to send oxygen and blood.

The Greek government says it is open to sending humanitarian aid to Albania.

Anticipating the attack by 60 commandos sent down from Tirane, insurgents had moved their only tank into the Delvino area from a roadblock outside Agiou Saranta Wednesday morning.

On the way to defend Delvino and Stiari, one man told Antenna's Argyris Dinopoulos, "This tank is in good condition. It's got three big guns. We're ready for Berisha".

The tank and about a hundred rebels reached Delvino at about 11:30 am, firing their automatic rifles triumphantly into the air as they began their occupation of the town.

500 troops in the town reportedly either went over to the rebels, or fled to government-held Argyrokastro nearby.

The insurgents stood ready to blow up bridges in the Delvino area to stop the advance of government tanks.

And the stage was set for the clashes later in the day.

Its rebels having marched off to defend Delvino, coastal Agiou Saranta, considered one of Albania's most beautiful towns, was quiet Wednesday, after days of unrest. But the tension is there. Outside the town, the rebels have set up roadblocks, waiting for government forces to attack.

The past several days have seen a transition in southern Ablania. Protests over the collapse of get-rich-quick investment schemes have turned into a direct, acroos-the-board political challenge to the authorities.

Avlona, another rebel-held town in the southwestern part of the country, was also surrounded by government forces Wednesday. But the residents were in a fighting mood.

"We're armed", one man told Antenna's Vassilis Hitos. "We're not going to accept Berisha's army coming in here".

Two other rebels said that Berisha is pushing them into civil war.

"We don't want war", explained one man. "We just want back the money we lost to the investment schemes".

Added another rebel, "We're not afraid".

Outside the town, groups of armed citizens stood watch for the government troops, which were some 30 kilometres away Wednesday afternoon.

They've rigged one bridge with explosives. If they can't stop the army, they said, they'll blow up all the bridges in the area to impede the army's advance.

Initial forays by government forces to enter the rebel strongholds were resisted with determination determination. Just as attempts by commandos to enter Delvino were greeted by anger Wednesday, residents of Agiou Saranta repelled an effort by police to enter their town Tuesday afternoon.

Secret service vehicles were burnt. One policeman was killed, another taken prisoner, and two others escaped.

Shortly after the episode, a rebel roadblock was set up two kilometres outside the town. One man said, "I want to tell Berisha not to send his army in, because he'll regret it".

In Tepelini, chaos reigned Wednesday afternoon. As in many other places, youths were out with automatic rifles, firing them into the air, sometimes from car windows. Unarmed residents gathered to cheer them on.

There, as elsewhere, the people say they don't want war. But they also says they want Berisha to go, and will fight if they have to.

GREEK REACTION

The Greek prime minister discussed THAT issue and the safety of the Greek minority with the Albanian president Tuesday night.

More on the reaction in Greece in this report.

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis spoke with Albanian president Sali Berisha for half an hour Tuesday night.

During their phone conversation, Simitis expressed his disapproval of attempts by Albanian state TV to lay the blame for the rebellion at the feet of the Greek minority.

Shortly afterwards, the Albanian government said the ethnic Greeks are NOT behind the insurgency. Athens wants to protect the Greek minority from being used as a pawn in a propaganda game.

After the Simitis-Berisha phone call, the Greek government spokesman was confident that Berisha will NOT try to start a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Greek minority.

He added that Greece has told Berisha he is responsible for the well-being of the Greek minority.

And, after talking to Berisha, Simitis said the Albanian leader had given him assurances that he'll do all he can to safeguard the ethnic Greeks.

Earlier Tuesday evening, New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert had visited Simitis, urging him to talk to the Albanian leader.

Expressing his concern at the deterioration of the situation in Albania, Evert said an international force must intervene if the need arises.

Greece is in close contact not only with Albania, but with its western allies as the crisis develops.

US state department spokesman Nicholas Burns says the US is working closely with Greece and Italy, at hammering out a common line on Albania, the goal of which will be to end the trouble there.

Kostas Simitis also spoke to his Italian counterpart. Italy has expressed its willingness to send peace-keeping forces to Albania, if need be.

ANTENNA ROUND THE WORLD

Days after most foreign journalists were evacuated from the south, Antenna's Argyris Dinopoulos continues to inform CNN of developments from the heart of the crisis.

Dinopoulos's voice was broadcast on CNN newscasts throughout the day, bringing the world the latest the dramatic developments.

BYZANTIUM, NY

They underscored how important to Greece the unique exhbition of Byzantine treasures is.

All those who have visited the "Glory of Hellenism" exhibition, and taken part in the events organised around it, have come to two conclusions: that civilisation and culture go together; and that the impact of this exhibition will be felt for years, to Greece's benefit.

Orthodox archbishop of America Spyridon told Antenna's Alexandra Spyridaki, "It's a tremedous effort. We should all support it. Everyone should see, Greeks and non-Greeks alike. I wish it every success".

Antenna president Minos Kyriakou said all he could add to that was the observation that this rare exhibition was the product of great efforts by the sponsors, among them the Credit and City Banks.

"When you've got the blessing of our church", he added, "success is guaranteed".

Greek culture minister Evangelos Venizelos said the exhibition is of great importance, because it shows that the glory of Byzantium lives in the memory and conscience of all Greeks. "We're showing the world", he explained, "that Byzantium is a part of Greek history, and that it bridges the classical age and the Renaissance".

Yiannis Kostopoulos of the Credit Bank said the exhibition is a "wonderful thing. It's been organised with passion, and is being seen with passion by Americana - that's great to see", he added.

The exhibition has won the applause of all those who have had the opportunity to take in its majesty and its beauty.

SIMITIS

Kostas Simitis said achieving competitiveness, development, and a social safety net for the farmers are the aims the principles guiding his agricultural policies.

The prime minister defended his refusal to give in to farmers' demands for higher state subsidies, addressing the national conference of Pasok farmers.

Farmers held weeks of protests and set up roadblocks in December and January, pushing their demands, but the government didn't give in.

Simitis says tight economic policies are necessary if Greece is to shape itself up for closer European Union integration.

The government has come under fire from the opposition parties over the agriculture issue. But Simitis slammed politicians who try to score points with the farmers by saying they should get more money from the government.

"That's clientele politics and demagoguery", the premier told the conference. "They promise to give out crumbs just to make an impression. But their approach is economically irrational, and would have no real results for the farmers".

Simitis also told the Pasok-supporting farmers the upcoming elections to the nation's farming cooperative councils are important to the success or failure of the government's plan to improve agriculture's products and the agricultural economy.

He explained that success will depend on having the right people on the cooperative councils, people who are interested in the good of all, and who are familiar with both the problems of individual farmers and agriculture as a whole.

ND

Supporters of the four candidates spent the day canvassing the votes of some 70 thousand party members who went to the ballot boxes.

The four candidates, among them, current party leader Miltiades Evert, will meet Thursday to try to work out a joint position on what changes the congress delegates should make to the party charter.

Evert says the attempt to work together is necessary to prevent dissension from erupting at, and after, the congress.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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