Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-06-18

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

News in English, 18/06/97

TITLES

• European Union leaders renew their commitment to a single currency.
• Southern Albania remains hostile to the country's president with elections on the way.
• And, a British concert in summertime Athens.

AMSTERDAM

But they have also renewed their commitment to economic belt-tightening as the EU heads toward monetary union.

The leaders of the 15 EU states spent two days hashing out Europe's future in Amsterdam.

The Amsterdam Agreement, as it's called, keeps the January 1st, 1999 deadline for monetary union on track, with no slackening of the criteria for joining Euro currency. Which is what Germany wanted.

The Amsterdam Agreement also makes specific reference to the need to fight unemployment in the European Union, currently at 18 million. Which is what the new socialist government in France wanted.

Most important on that issue, though, Germany has made sure that fighting unemployment won't add further burdens to the EU's budget.

The money to fight unemployment will come out of exisitng EU funding programmes - the pie won't be getting any bigger, it'll just be divided up differently.

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis said the EU's position was clear in Amsterdam: economic stabilistion programmes are necessary for economic development - national budget deficits and inflation must be minimised. "But that's not enough", continued Simitis. "We have to move in a new direction and focus on employment and working people.

But the emphasis is on the bottom line: Greece's finance minister made it clear that there will be no loosening up on tight government purse strings around Europe.

"European socialists of today", said Iannos Papantoniou, "fully accept that economic stability is the basis of economic development. There's no question of relaxing the EU's fiscal criteria. They're the foundation of economic success".

Also on the table in Amsterdam was the issue of the veto in EU decision- making. Differences of opinion extended the deliberations for several hours Tuesday night. The big question is, who will have the upper hand in the EU in the next century. Germany wants to abolish the unanimity principle in EU decision-making. Smaller states want to keep their veto. The Dutch EU chair proposed that the larger EU states now get 2 commissioners on the European commission, which ratifies EU decisions. The smaller states would have one commissioner, as now. The Dutch say that commission could then ratify decisions with a simple majority, abolishing the veto, but giving the larger states more weight in the commission.

Kostas Simitis said Tuesday afternoon that the unanimity principle will still hold on matters of interest to Greece, and he's satisfied with that. Simitis is also happy that the new EU agreement makes it clear that the EU will defend its external borders. That means Greece's borders. Simisitis expresses satisfaction, too, over the fact that the EU foreign policy and defence part of the agreement makes special reference to the Greek islands.

GREEK-TURKISH

The EU has been mediating between Greece and Turkey. Committees in each of those two nations have sent reports to the EU, listing bilateral differences as they see them.

The Turkish committee's report in the hands of the Dutch EU chair, lists 30 differences between Greece and Turkey, according to Turkish sources.

High-ranking Turkish officials accuse Greece of impeding the committees from bringing the two sides closer together.

Greece says the first step to better relations has to come from Turkey, which must quit threatening Greece with war to get its way in the Aegean, and agree to respect Greece's sovereign rights.

HOLBROOKE

Holbrooke met with deputy Greek defence minister Iannos Kranidiotis in Washington.

Holbrooke said his country wants to promote stability in the eastern Mediterranean

The American envoy repeated his view that the key to smooting out Greek- Turkish relations is resolving the Cyprus issue.

Kranidiotis said Holbrooke's appointment creates new hope that a solution may be found at last for Cyprus. Greece and Cyprus, he added, want to cooperate in any US initiative. He explained that with Cypriot talks to enter the European Union ready to start, US efforts over Cyprus should be coordinated with those of the EU.

Tom Miller, until now charge d'affaires at the US embassy in Athens, has been appointed to assist Holbrooke in his new duties.

ALBANIA

Citizens committees have been calling for Berisha to resign ever since an investment scandal in February robbed thousands of families of their money.

Berisha is particularly unpopular in the rebellious south. But reports say that there is also growing indifference toward him in the north, which he considers his strongest area of support.

International observers are concerned that the unfettered operations of armed gangs in the south may throw a monkey wrench into the elections scheduled for June 29th.

24 people have lost their lives in violent episodes in the past day.

DIMITRA/ANDREAS

In an interview with the daily "Ta Nea", she also says her husband's will to play a part in political developments, remained strong even after his health collapsed.

Dimitra Papandreou reveals that she there were signs from her husband on the morning of his last day, that his end had come.

"He asked us to get Takis Karatzis, his faithful driver and bodyguard for him", she recalls. "But he'd been dead for a few years. Andreas Papandreou was doing what all people approaching the end of their lives do: asking to see those already departed".

Andreas Papandreou was gravely ill for over half a year before he died at home a year ago. Nonetheless, says his widow, when his end came it was a shock. "A nurse came running to tell us that he was suffering from arhythmia. anic struck. We all rushed to his room. We called for the doctors. The only other thing I remember is dropping to my knees. 'God, don't do this to me', I prayed.

Dimitra Papandreou also has kinder memories. She remembers her late husband's fondness for nice clothes and shoes.

She refers to the numerous reports that she had troubled relations with her husband's children, all from a previous marriage. She denies she ever tried to cut them off from their father.

Finally, Dimitra Papandreou remembers her husband's fighting political spirit. Despite his serious illness, he wanted to attend Pasok's third congress. As fate would have it, Andreas Papandreou died shortly before that event.

Dimitra Papandreou says even if her husband's health prevented him from attending, he would have at least wanted to send a message to the congress, to show that he was still present politically.

Mrs Papandreou's periodic references to her husband in a political context bother some politicians.

Pasok MP Moschos Gikonoglou says it's time that people quit talking about Andreas Papandreou, and just left him alone.

Dimitris Tsovolas, today leader of the Demoratic Movement and former leading Pasok member, says the issue of Andreas Papandreou's life is irrelevant to people today, facing economic difficulties.

KYRKOS

"When he first entered politics in 1963, Andreas Papandreou was very friendly with me", remembers Kyrkos. "But only because I was useful to him. When the US embassy pressed him cut his relations with me, he did so. He wanted to show the Americans that he listened to them.

Asked if the socialist Papandreou was against those further to the left, Kyrkos replies: "He wanted to isolate the left. He wanted to dominate politics with his party. And he succeeded.

Andreas Papandreou carried Pasok to three election triumphs in the 1980s and 90s. Kyrkos says he understood better than most people the weaknesses of the Greek people. Papandreou cultivated those weaknesses, he continues, and used them. Unfortunately, he didn't cultivate the Greek people's great abilities.

LOANS

The first department of the high court has judged that compound interest can only be charged on late loan repayments if the bank and the debtor concerned have reached a prior agreement.

If the court as a whole ratifies the decision, a number of banks may have to return enormous sums received in the form of compound interest on late repayments.

ATHOS

Religious treasures from the ancient monasteries of Mount Athos were sent off to Greece's second city, to take their place in an exhibition.

Government representatives headed by the culture minister were welcomed by the monastery bells, and holy father Callinicos.

A special mass was held to wish the priceless exhibition items a safe journey to Thessaloniki.

Culture minister Evangelos Venizelos called the exhibition a blessing to ecumenical orthodoxy.

Father Callinicos thanked all those who've made the event possible: orthodox Christians, Greece, and especially, he said, Thessaloniki.

WATER POLO

Fouras hailed what he called the greatest achievement ever in a group sport by a Greek team.

Greece was beaten in the final of the world water polo championship by the United States.

MIAOULIA

Hydra mayor Constantinos A-na-sta-sO-poulos says the so-called "Mia-oulia" - named after admiral Miaoulis, one of the heros of 1821 - honours all those who fought for Greek independence from Turkish rule.

This year will be the 45th annual celebration in a row. The mayor calls it Greece's great naval festival.

Commemorative events include reenactments of historic naval battles, and lighter entertainment, like folk songs and dances.

CONCERT

Among those there was British ambassador Michael Lewellen Smith, who had a hand in making the performance possible.

Gerasimos Apo-sto-lAtos, president of the Society for the Study of Greek History, said, "Ambassador Smith has been good enough to provide us with this night, which serves to enliven memories of the decades of cooperation between our two peoples".

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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