Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-04-24

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

News in English, 24/04/97

TITLES

• The EU tells Turkey to be a good neighbour to Greece.
• Greece sends food to Albania.
• And, Olympiakos hoping its third trip to the European championship final ends in a trophy.

PANGALOS

At the EU-Turkey Association Council on April 29th, the EU will tell Turkey to be a good neighbour, and settle its differences with Greece in accordance with international law.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos says the European Union sees things Greece's way when it comes to Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.

At the EU-Turkey Association Council on April 29th, the EU will call on Turkey to reject violence as a way of resolving its differences with Greece, and to commit itself to solving problems on the basis of international law and the spirit of goodwill.

Pangalos made it clear that if Turkey agrees to the EU's request, then Greece will lift its veto over EU funding of Turkey.

The EU text dedicates two paragraphs to Cyprus. Pangalos says they are positive.

But the Greek foreign minister is more ambivalent when it comes to Turkey's intentions. He points out that the Turkish foreign minister walked out of a previous Association meeting.

Greece has agreed to take part in a committee to look at ways of facilitating a future Greek-Turkish dialogue.

The Pasok government has come under criticism at home for that: some people fear that the committee could be a way for Turkey to create a Greek- Turkish agenda of issues Greece does not acknowledge exist, namely, Turkish claims to Greek soil.

But Pangalos says the committee of Greek and Turkish experts will not even meet; they'll submit their proposals to the EU, and no conclusions will be drawn from their reports if they are not accepted by both Greece and Turkey.

TURKEY

The US secretary of state and the EU's foreign affairs commissioner agreed during their meeting that improving Greek-Turkish relations is important to maintaining regional stability.

EU commissioner Hans van den Broeke said after meeting with secretary of state Madelaine Albright, that the US and the EU would like to see steps taken to relieve the tensions between Greece and Turkey.

And state department spokesman Nicholas Burns said the US backs all initiatives aimed at resolving problems between Greece and Turkey, and the Cyprus issue.

Van den Broeke added that while the US and the EU want to encourage Turkey's western orientation, they cannot ignore important issues that need to be resolved.

The EU and Greece called on Turkey last summer to stop threatening Greece with violence, to respect international law, and to take its claim on the Greek island of Imia to the international court.

So far, Turkey has not responded to that call, and its relations with Greece remain strained, its moves to get closer to the EU on hold.

In January 1996, Turkey tried to take hold of Imia by staging a military landing there.

And in Cyprus, two peaceful protestors were killed by Turkish occupation forces and Turkish mobs. A third Greek-Cypriot was shot in cold blood by Turkish soldiers.

Van den Broeke says the US and the EU were alarmed by the Imia episode, and the Cyprus incidents.

The Cypriot Republic wants to join the EU. Van den Broeke says the EU is trying to convince the Turkish Cypriots that Cypriot accession would be in everyone's interests.

SIMITIS

The Greek prime minister arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, after spending three days in Austria.

Simitis meets with German chancellor Helmut Kohl Thursday.

On Friday, the Greek leader will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Marbourg.

ALBANIA

After the men and their vehicles - tanks, jeeps, and trucks - were shoreside, they headed for Tirane in convoy.

Along the route, people cheered them and waved.

The peacekeepers will be billeted at Isberis Camp, outside Tirane.

In all, there are some 700 Greeks taking part in the multi-national peacekeeping force. The Greek forces will be ready to start their mission of protectingt and delivering humanitarian aid shipments next week.

ALBANIA/AID

The aid shipment was organised by the Macedonia- Thrace ministry. The minister, Filippos Petsalnikos, said a second shipment of 20 tonnes of food and medicine will be sent in the next few days.

"The aid will go to people who desperately need it in the neighbouring country", Petsalnikos told reporters.

B.BALL

David Rivers led the Greek club to a 74-65 victory with 28 points.

Olympiakos meets Barcelona in the final Thursday night.

The Spaniards hung on to beat France's Villerban 77-70 in the other semi- final Wednesday.

Barcelona and Olympiakos are two teams in search of a holy grail of sorts.

Olympiakos was denied in the finals twice in the past four years, only to see cross-town rival Panathinaikos become the first Greek team to ever lift the trophy last year.

Barcelona has been to the final three times, and, like Olympiakos, has always come up empty-handed. Last year's loss to Pao was a one-point heart- breaker.

Which team will keep on searching for the holy grail will be decided Thursday night. But after Olympiakos semi-final win, it was time for celebration on the streets, in cities all over Greece.

MUSIC

The singer, Ludwig of Anogia, as he calls himself, gave a concert in keeping with the holiday spirit.

Anogia is a region in Crete. Women from Anogia don't just mourn in the normal way, they express their feelings through dirges.

And Ludwig of Anogia carried his audience in an Athens suburb to the mystical world of dirges, the songs which express the pain of loss through simple melodies.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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