Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-18

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

News in English, 18/03/97

TITLES

• Chaos in Albania results in thousands trying to leave the country.
• Greece stands firm against the European Union.
• And, New Democracy gears up for its congress.

ALBANIA

But the country is far from though its crisis. There is widespread looting. President Sali Berisha insists on staying in power until the June elections. But the rebels insist that they'll give up their weapons only when he resigns.

Tom Alexopoulos has more.

Perhaps nothing sums up the desperation and fear that have the Albanian people in their grip than the scenes at Albanian ports, where thousands of people crowd the docks, waiting, or even just hoping, that a ship will arrive, and that they can board it and get the country.

Some 5 thousand refugees had reportedly made their way to immigrant centres in Italy by Monday night. On Monday afternoon, the Italian authorities saved 800 refugees on a sinking Albanian warship they'd pirated to go to Italy. The ship went down 8 miles off the Italian coast.

The Italian authorities are concerned by the fact that scores of Albanians, many of them former convicts, have escaped from the immigration centres.

While thousands of people with no hope of a future in their impoverished homeland seek a way out, the nation's political leaders continue their efforts to find a political way out of the upheaval.

There are different views of the way forward among politicians. President Sali Berisha, who granted an amnesty to political prisoners over the weekend, says he wants to stay on until the June elections he's called. If he loses at the ballot box, he explains, he'll leave office.

But the rebels have made Berisha's departure a condition for their giving up the guns and tanks they've seized from military installations.

One of the people granted amnesty is socialist party leader Fatos Nano.

He told Antenna's Stratis Liareli the main problem before the country is crime, and that it would be better if Berisha stepped down.

"The main problem for the near future is the risk of organised crime...of the people to make less harm than possible".

Nano, who will now tour the country, trying to persuade the rebels to give up their arms, was warmly welcomed back to public life by his supporters. He said he would be open to governing the country.

"I'm open to all decisions the party and the people will take".

Nano supports the national unity government of prime minister Baskim Fino, set up by Berisha and opposition leaders last week. Nano says sticking with his friend Fino's government is the best way of restoring order to the country.

Albania is a country wallowing in political chaos, looting, and food shortages, there is hope that the state can regroup in Alania.

In Korytsa, tanks manned by pro-state forces appeared on the streets Monday.

Some people insisted on hanging on to their weapons.

And there, as in many cities, the looting by gangs is widespread.

But some people in Korytsa have turned in their weapons. Ten tanks and 500 guns were handed over to the authorities at the Korytsa police station Sunday.

What the authorities in Albania are hoping is that they can continue to restore order. They've asked the European union to send 150 police advisors to help them with their task.

ALBANIA GREECE

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert visited southern Albania Sunday, meeting with local leaders, rebels, and ethnic Greeks.

More on the Greek response to the Albania crisis in this report.

New Democracy leader paid a surprise visit to southern Albania Sunday, visiting a number of cities and villages. In the city of Argyrokastro, Evert was welcomed by the Greek consulate general, Nikos Kanellos. After their three-hour meeting, Evert said, "Greece claims nothing from any other country, what we want is peace in the Balkans and throughout the world. All of Hellenism, all the Greek political parties have a united position on Albania", he added.

Asked about Albania's newly-appointed prime minister, former Argyrokastro mayor Baskim Fino, Evert said, "Since he's been made prime minister, we support his cabinet, but Albania needs a better long-term solution, it especially needs a constitution".

In Argyrokastro, Evert also talked with rebel leaders. Agim Kozet told him that when president Sali Berisha resigns, the armed populace will surrender its weapons, but not before. "We'll go to Tirane to kick him out of office if necessary" said Kozet.

On his way to the port city of Saranta, Evert stopped off in the village of Mesopotami, where locals, ethnic Greeks and ethnic Albanians alike rushed to greet and talk to him.

In Saranta, the Greek politician was pleased to take part in the first meeting of the new local government, the political parties, and military leaders. If those forces work together, said Evert, then public order can be strengthened.

The Greek government is keeping a close watch on the Albania situation. Prime minister Kostas Simitis met with his foreign and defence ministers Monday, to discuss the terms of Greek participation in an eventual international force sent to keep order in Albania.

Afterwards, defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos said, "Our postiion is clear: to back up EU decisions to support Albania's police and to support the country politically."

In Thessaloniki, development minister Vaso Papandreou told the fourth "Greece and the Balkans" conference that she's optimistic a satisfactory solution to the Albania crisis can be found.

She also said that Greece is aware of the problems Greek businesses in Albania confronting, and recommended that a body be set up to coordinate investment efforts in the Balkans, both of a private and public nature.

EU

At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Holland over the weekend, Greece's Theodoros Pangalos restated Greece's view that Turkey must ACT European if it wants to get closer to the EU.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos was asked by German counterpart Klaus Kinkel if Greece is prepared to let EU funding of Turkey go ahead, in view of the scheduled EU-Turkey Association council scheduled for April 29th.

When Pangalos answered "no", Kinkel walked out of the meeting.

Though Pangalos repeated that Greece is in favour of Turkey's EU orientation, he also said that Turkey has got to clean up its human rights record and stop making claims on Greek soil - unless it wants to do so through the International Court.

Asked about Kinkel's behaviour, Pangalos said issuing an ultimatum is no way to try to get your way.

The presiding Dutch foreign minister, Hans van Milos, told journalists afterwards that Greece is holding up development of EU-Turkish relations. He also said he'd like to see Turkey be more flexible in resolving its differences with Greece.

EU commissioners Jaques Santer and Hans van den Brook also said they'd like to see Greece and Turkey work out their problems, because Turkey is an important country, and one the EU wants to get close to.

ND

A week of intense deliberation, discussion, and campaigning has begun in New Democracy, as the four candidates for the leadership to be decided at the congress that starts Friday, start trying to pull in the delegate votes.

MP Kostas Karamanlis invited the 1100 delegates from the Athens area to hear him out on Monday.

MP Giorgos Souflias is scheduled to speak to party youth organisation members on Wednesday.

Only party leader Miltiades Evert appears to be above the vote scramble, as he insists on concerning himself solely with national issues, especially the Albania crisis.

There's plenty of activity in the wings. Former prime minister and former party leader Constantinos Mitsotakis says in a newspaper interview that the congress could be the last good chance New Democracy will have at holding itself together.

"The congress must chart a clear course ahead for the party", he says. "It must give the party a clearly-defined physiognomy, and once again become the large neo-liberal party that can fill the right and centre of the political spectrum". Mitsotakis expresses the view that the next party leader should be someone who can guarantee the party's unity and future prospects, and handle the heavy task of governing the country.

Former prime minister Giorgios Rallis says he's worried going into the congress, but adds that he's always worried. If logic prevails, he thinks that the party will be OK.

MP Stephanos Manos, a staunch opponent of Evert and Karamanlis says in another interview that if either of those two men is elected, then the chance of a split in the party will be greater. "Evert and Karmanlis have both said that if they are elected, they will brook no opposition", explains Manos, suggesting that there would be no room for different opinions in the party if either man were elected.

But Evert supporter and MP Giorgos Panagiotopoulos thinks Manos is self- contradictory: "He wants the party leader elected every two years", says Panagiotopoulos, "yet says the party will split if someone he doesn't like is elected. That's anti- democratic".

The outcome of the race is unclear. What is certain is that there will be plenty more volleys in the days leading up to the congress.

TEACHERS

Education minister Gerasimos Arsenis repeated his commitment to make sure the school days are made up. The government has pushed the final exam dates back a week - testing will now start on June 25th, says Arsenis. The last day of lessons will be June 6th, but in some cases after that date, if the teachers decide it's necessary.

The kids may also lose three days of their two- week Easter break, if they haven't covered enough material by then.

In the schoolyards, the students said Monday that they've got a lot of work and pressure ahead of them.

With the teachers back at work, Arsenis says he's ready to commence dialogue with them on a number of education-related matters.

SOCCER

Olympiakos has 19 wins, four draws, and two losses on the season.

Victory number 19 is an easy matter, at least in the second half, when the home team picks up all four of its goals in shutting out number 15 Edessaikos.

Aek remains six points, or two wins, behind Olympiakos after its weekend triumph. Panathinaikos is in third place, losing ground as it falls to Paniliakos.

Next back are winners Ofi and Paok.

Number six Kavala is a loser over the weekend.

Elsewhere, Kalamata wins on its own pitch, and Athinaikos and Veria get draws at home.

BASKETBALL

And while those two teams are neck-and-neck for a first-place finish with just two games left in the regular season, three teams are battling for third - place.

One of them is Aris, which takes the lead against Panionios after falling 16 points behind in the second half, only to fade at the end. Panionios wins that contest 96-90, dropping Aris into fourth place.

Tied for third are weekend winner Panathinaikos and weekend LOSER Peristeri, this year's cinderella team, which comes up three points short against Iraklis.

Elsewhere, Papagou knocks off Piraikos, and Sporting squeezes by Apollon.

TREASURE

Now the local council has decided to see if the story's myth or fact.

On March 27th, an excavation will be carried out inside the ruins of the Frankish church, built in 1204.

Mayor Athanasios Hatzis explains that a small hole will be dug, 80 centimetres deep, to see if the treasure's there.

Hatzis says locals have been clamouring for the excavation, so they can find out once and for all if there's anything buried beneath the remains of the church, in this town which was once the capital of the principality of Morea.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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