Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-09-12

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

News in English 12/09/97

TITLES

• Athens prepares to take on its Olympian task.
• The Greek defence minister meet with a US leading official about Cyprus.
• And, Denmark gives Greece a World Cup boost.

OLYMPICS - DINNER

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis met with Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos Thursday afternoon. The mayor informed Karamanlis on the contract Greece signed with the IOC in Lausanne on the organisation of the 2004 Olympics.

Avramopoulos proposed that the president of the Athens'bid committee, Yianna Angelopoulou- Daskalaki, is assigned as head of the Olympic organising committee.

The New Democracy leader emphasized on the need for a fully transparent organising procedure for the Games.

OLYMPICS - CONTRACT

Athens' contract with the International Olympic Committee contains some tough clauses.

Greece may have be staging the 2004 summer Olympics, but like all Olympic hosts, it answers to the International Olympic Committee, and will have to explain virtually every move it makes to the IOC. Athens' contract with the IOC also includes the host city's obligations when it comes to housing athletes, agents, and members of the media. And of course it regulates the organisation of the athletic and cultural activities and ceremonies at the Olympiade.

Even Olympic sponsors will sign contracts with the IOC rather than with the organising country.

All financial and commercial rights belong to the IOC, and only a few of these can be transferred to the host country, and under certain conditions.

There are even a number of clauses in the Athens Olympic contract that deal with where IOC members will be seated during the games, and where they will stay while in Athens.

Failure by Greece to respect even one of the contract clauses gives the IOC the right to give the 2004 Olympics to another city.

SIMITIS - RAMNOUNDA

On Thursday, prime minister Kostas Simitis visited the archeological site of Ramnounda just outside of Athens. His message was that Greece's ancient archeological sites are about much more than just tourism.

After a guided tour of the area, Simitis announced his full backing for a programme to bring modern man closer to the ancients, at 70 archeological sites around the country. Simitis said, "We want to show that we don't just want to exploit these sites through tourism, but that these ancient ruins are tokens of Greek tradition, components of Greek history, elements from which we draw our identity.

CYPRUS

Neither US envoy Thomas Miller nor defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos revealed the details of their discussion. Asked if he'd brought a specific proposal on Cyprus with him, Miller said even if he had, he wouldn't talk about it publicly, because that would damage any negotiations based on it.

But Richard Holbrooke, the senior US Cyprus negotiator, says Miller's trip to the area is strictly exploratory.

Miller was in Turkey before arriving in Greece. US state department spokesman Jim Foley says Miller urged Turkish officials to put an end to their abrasive approach to Greece, because it is unconstructive.

Following his meeting with Miller, Tsochatzopoulos was asked about Cypriot admission into the European Union, something Turkey opposes. Nonetheless EU talks with the Cypriot Republic will start next year. Tsochatzopoulos said the best thing is to make sure the Cyprus problem is solved before free Cyprus enters the EU.

Contrary to EU policy of starting negotiations with Cyprus regardless of the situation on the island, US Cyprus envoy Richard Holbrooke told archbishop of Cyprus Chrisostomos that Cyprus should enter the EU when it is reunited as a bi-communal federation.

Holbrooke and Miller intend to discuss the US position on Cyprus joining the EU with top European officials in Brussels next week. Holbrooke will visit Greece, Cyprus and Turkey later this year.

Next month he will meet with Cypriot president Glavcos Clirides in New York, to discuss various aspects of the Cyprus problem.

The US is eager to see progress not only over Cyprus, but in Greek-Turkish relations. Foley says a meeting between Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart at the Balkan Cooperation Conference in November would contribute to pushing dialogue between the two sides ahead.

ECONOMY

Analysts urge anyone wishing to transfer property ownership to do it before the end of the year, to avoid the transferral tax hikes.

Pantelis Palaskas says since the government is going to increase the taxable value of property, it follows that the amount of tax due from inheritance or transfer will also increase.

The tax jump will be anywhere from 30 to 35 per cent. Trade unionists say rising property prices are bad news for working people. Panagiotis Voutos says it puts buying a home out of the picture for wage earners.

The higher taxes are especially hard on pensioners who have property they want to give to their children. Pensioners' rep Nikitas Gikas wonders how far the government is going to take its policy of taxing more to make its budgetary ends meet.

SCHOOLS

The opening of school also means change for first- year high school students. The new system de- emphasizes the regurgitation of memorized material.

Education minister Arsenis visited his old alma- mater VarvAaio accompanied by Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos. The two men attended the annual blessing, wishing the students success.

Most pupils are optimistic about the proposed changes. In Thessaloniki, pupils were looking forward to school after the summer holidays. One student said, "I'm glad to see my friends again". Another admitted he even missed school a little.

SOCCER

The Danes have no trouble at home. Bree-AN opens the scoring in the 17th minute...Mika makes it 2- nil in the 36th minute, and it's already 3-1 at the half.

Following that match, as you can see, in group one, Croatia has dropped into third place. Greece can finish first and automatically qualify for Paris if it beats Denmark by at least a goal in Athens on October 11th.

A Greek victory in that final group one match would give Greece and Denmark 16 points. But Greece would advance by virtue of a better goals for-goals against aggregate.

If Greece finishes in second place, it will have to play against a second- place finsher from one of the other 8 groups for a place in Paris.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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