Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-09-27

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

News in English 27/09/97

TITLES

• The Greek foreign minister's testy response to a Turkish affront at the United Nations.
• The mayor of Athens talks about what the 2004 Olympics will mean for his city.
• And, Olympiakos on a European roll.

PANGALOS

Theodoros Pangalos, who earlier used heavy terms in referring to the Turkish occupation of Cyprus and its attempt to seize Greek isles in the Aegean, called the circular "unethical".

While Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos was meeting with UN secretary general Koffi Anan, and the UN's Cyprus representative, Digo Cordovez, Turkey's UN reps were distributing a press release at the UN calling Pangalos quote "a psychopath", unquote.

The press release, signed by a Turkish foreign ministry spokesman, referes to Pangalos's earlier reference to the Turks as quote "murderers and robbers" unquote, for their bloody invasion of Cyprus in 1974, and for their insistence on trying to annex Greek isles in the Aegean.

The Turkish statement calls Pangalos statement quote "uninformed, impolite, and psychopathic", unquote.

And the document says such words make any Greek- Turkish dialogue meaningless.

Reacting, Pangalos said Turkey's goal is to bring more and more demands on Greece's sovereign rights to the negotiating table.

"It is impossible to tolerate....territorial claim....to the victim of the murder.

Talks between Pangalos and the Turkish foreign minister got nowhere this week, when the Turkish side rejected a Greek offer to release EU money to Turkey, IF Turkey agreed to take its claim to the Greek isle of Imia to the international court. Instead, the Turks asked that all issues go to the court together. Greece says that would amount to Turkey lending substance to its claims on dozens of Greek islands by sending them into arbitration.

Greek government MPs are backing up Pangalos. Justice minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos believes everyone in the government supports the foreign minister. "Greece can't be toyed with for so long when it comes to the Turkish occupation of Cyprus".

Alternate foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou says the Turkish UN circular is unacceptable, and reveals that the Turkish position has led to an impasse in Greek-Turkish relations and over Cyprus.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas says Greece wants good relations, and that the November meeting of the Greek and Turkish prime ministers will be a chance to reverse what happened in New York because of Turkey's stance.

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis says the government has been on the wrong track in recent months. It's sending out the wrong message to a country that sees moves at reconciliation as signs of weakness. Karamanlis adds that Greece needs to reassert its basic principles, and send out the message that it is determined to defend its rights.

Papandreou hopes that the prime ministers' meeting in November will allow headway to be made in getting problems solved within the context of international law.

Though he also believes the prime ministers' meeting is an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted, former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis of New Democracy is less optimistic. Commenting on Turkey's demand that Greece demilitarise its Aegean islands, he says, "It's clear Greece can take no step forward". We can never accept dialogue on our right to defend the Aegean islands while the Turkish threat remains. Every country has the right to defend itself.

Mitsotakis believes though, that there's no cause for alarm, because Greece's international position is so strong it can wait out the problems Turkey is trying to cause, and there's no threat of armed conflict in the Aegean.

CABINET

The cabinet is also setting up a watchdog to keep an eye on defence outlays, and on prices in the nation's stores.

The goernment moves to keep a firmer control on state spending and prices was spurred primarily by the 2004 Olympics, as enormous contracts will be handed out to developers undertaking to build stadiums and other infrastructure.

U-2

A customs strike had threatened to cancel the date Thursday, when 28 trucks carrying the band's equipment couldn't get across the border. But the strikers finally caved in, and let the gear through.

Thousands of fans and cars crowded into the area around the port in Thessaloniki starting early Friday afternoon, as everyone was eager to get a spot close to the stage.

A lot of hassle, but the Irish band made it all worth it.

Those who didn't get a ticket - and there were plenty - weren't disappointed. They took in the gig on four large video screens set up around the city.

ALBANIA SHIPS

Since docking with their fuel cargo 18 days ago, the 45 sailors on board have been stuck at the port, after a strange Albanian customs demand.

The Jenson, Kevayo, and Rosini docked in Dyrrachio on the 8th and 9th of September with their kerosine cargos.

When they went to unload, the Albanian authorities said they weren't carrying kerosine, but jet fuel, and slapped upped the customs levy 5 times. The companies in Greece were informed, and ordered the ships not to unload, but return home.

At that, the Albanians changed tack: agreeing that the ships were indeed carrying kerosine, the unloading began. But the Albanians changed their minds AGAIN, returning to the jet fuel version of their story, and demanding the surcharge.

At that point unloading stopped. The Albanians have refused to let the ships set sail since then, more or less holding them and their crews hostage.

KARAMANLIS

Kostas Karamanlis promised the 22nd General Assembly of the European Women's Union that equal rights will be one of his priorities, as the assembly met in Athens Friday.

Karamanlis said his party is working for the creation of a modern and democratic society where women and men contribute to meeting society's goals on an equal footing, regardless of religious, political, ethnic, or cultural differences

He said he will do anything he can to lift obstacles to women participating in decision- making bodies.

CONSTANTINE

In 1974, Karamanlis returned to Greece to lead the country into democratic elections. In a referendum later that year, the monarchy was abolished.

In Crash, former king Constantine remembers how his phone rang in 1974, on what turned out to be the eve of Constantinos Karamanlis's triumphal return to Greece as the military dictatorship collapsed.

"They called me to the phone", he says. Hearing it was quote "The president of Paris", unquote, where Karamanlis was living in exile, Constantine says he hung up, thinking it was a journalists' prank.

But the queen understood that it must've been Karamanlis on the line, so when it rang again shortly afterward, Constantine picked up the receiver himself. It was indeed Karamanlis.

"Karamanlis said, 'There are people gathered outside here, asking me to return to Greece'. That was when I felt a betrayal was beginning", continues Constantine, adding, "But logic followed emotion, and I told him to go. Before we hung up though, I told him I had always kept him abreast of developments, and hoped he would do the same for me".

Constantine appears to believe that he should have been the one to go back to Greece to oversee the political transition.

In recent statements, the Queen of Spain says as much directly, accusing Karamanlis of usurping the authority that rightly belonged to the monarch.

In his Crash interview, Constantine talks more about his relations with Karamanlis. In 1992, when Karamanlis was Greek president, Constantinos Mitsotakis was prime minister, and the monarchy had long been abolished, Constantine paid a visit to Greece.

He says that Mitsotakis stood by him during his controversial trip, but Karamanlis threatened to resign if he didn't leave the country.

In Crash Constantine also talks about 1965, when Centre Union leader Giorgos Papanadreou was prime minister, and Constantine still had his throne.

"I proposed to Papandreou that the communist party be legalised", recalls Constantine. "But he rejected the idea for two reasons. First, he didn't want to lose his left-wing voters. And second, he felt the return of thousands of communists living behind the iron curtain would create social problems".

Finally, in his interview, Constantine repeats his praise for prime minister Kostas Simitis for making Ianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki head of the Athens 2004 Olympic bid committee. He adds that Angelopoulou would also be a good choice to lead the 2004 organising committee.

AVRAMOPOULOS

Before he left for the United States, where he was to be honoured by the United Hellnic-American Congress, the mayor talked about what the Olympics will mean for Athens and the country as a whole.

But he gave nothing away about his personal political ambitions.

BASKETBALL

Olympiakos playing host to Russia's Chesseka, and the guests make themselves comfortable early on, taking a 43-42 lead into the half.

But that's where the hospitality ends. Olympiakos blows it open after the break, going up by 23 before coasting to an 86-74 victory.

Olympiakos is now 2 and oh in its Euroleague group.

So is Paok, though it does it on the road. Paok maintains control of its game against Kroasia throughout, and hangs on for a 76-74 win over the Croatian team.

EXHIBITION

The exhibition is being sponsored by the European Days of Cultural Heritage, which Greece has been a member of since 1994.

Visitors will see 16 pictures from the archives of Georgios Lambrakis; 31 Byzantine icons; traditional fanlights from Tinos, and works of art in clay. They all have one thing in common: they have to do with the Greek navy and merchant marine, depicting ships and ports.

Culture minister Evangelos Venizelos said at the opening that there will be a number of other cultural events held all over the country within the framework of the European Days. And, this weekend, all museums and archeological sites will be free to the public.

Greece's boats and ports were chosen as the theme of this year's European Days cultural events because shipping and ports are so vital to the development of trade and communication between nations.

The exhibition at the Athens Byzantine-Christian museum will be open until November 25th.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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