Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-10-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Turkey

[02] Albania

[03] Bakas

[04] Simitis - Tour

[05] Karamanlis

[06] Drug awards

[07] Olympiakos

[01] Turkey

(Updated: 18/10/1997, 10:30)

The US state department says it can't be sure whether or not Turkish warplanes dangerously buzzed the Greek defence minister's plane twice this week.

That, despite the fact that Greek fighters were sent to chase the Turks away, and a camera on board the minister's C-130 videoed the Turkish jets as they menaced the plane on its flight from Cyprus to Crete Thursday. - Greek F-16s rushed to protect the C-130 carrying defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and his wife to Crete Thursday.

For several minutes, there was a war of nerves in the air, as Turkish F-16s flew threateningly around the C-130, and the Greek escort and other Greek fighters tried to push the intruders away.

In Crete, Tsochatzopoulos said that Turkey's behaviour is costing its international reputation.

The Greek defence minister explained that since February, the constant Turkish incursions into Greek air space have been recorded and sent to Nato headquarters - for the international record.

The past week saw wave after wave of violations by Turkish jets in the triangle between Cyprus, Crete, and Rhodes. Greek observers think Ankara's intention was to disrupt the joint Greek and Cypriot exercises being carried out in and near

Cyprus at the same time.

Despite the ongoing flagrant harassment of Greece and Cyprus, and the fact that Greece has lodged official protests over the C-130 episode with the US, the European Union, Nato and Turkey, the US appears to be sitting on the fence.

Greece has a wealth of photographic proof. And Tsochatzopoulos has given Nato secretary general Javier Solana detailed reports on the C-130 incident and Turkey's constant illegal activities in the Aegean. But the state department says the US does not have the technical means of confirming that the C-130 was harassed.

The latest developments come as the US hopes that the meeting between the Greek and Turkish prime ministers in Crete will defuse the current tensions in bilateral relations.

Greek deputy defence minister Dimitris Apostolakis says the US policy of keeping an equal distance from both Greece and Turkey is politically motivated.

And Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas says its inconceivable that the international community should be indifferent to the Turkish provocations, because doing so questions its sincerity about trying mediate between Greece and Turkey.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos says Turkey is choosing the road of tension rather than reconciliation: as it sees its prospects for joining the EU fading on the distant horizon, it wants to make its presence felt militarily. The EU has repeatedly told Turkey to abide by the rules of international law if it wants to get closer to Europe.

The international community is concerned about the current tensions. United Nations secretary general Koffi Anan says he's worried about the turbulence in Greek-Turkish relations.

Anan says the hostile climate generated by the week's events could have ended in armed conflict. Greece wants better relations with its neighbour.

Greek European commissioner Christos Papoutsis restated the EU's conditions for an improvement. Turkey must abide by the precepts of international law; and it must show it wants to be a good neighbour to Greece, by putting an end to its threats of military force.

[02] Albania

Following the starting of a branch in Bulgaria, the bank's first branch in Albania was officially opened.

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis and Albanian premier Fatos Nano were at the opening ceremony in Tirana Thursday.

National Bank director Thodoros Karat-zAs said the aim of the bank is to open other branches in other Albanian cities.

The Tirana branch has actually been operating for a year. It provided financial security to its depositors earlier this year, after a number of high-interest yielding investment houses collapsed, robbing thousands of families of their life savings, and touching off months of upheaval and chaos.

Greece and Albania see the bank as a key instrument in fostering investment cooperation between the two countries.

Karatzas says the Tirana branch has already turned a profit in excess of 15 million dollars.

[03] Bakas

Vassilis Bakas fled Albania when he and five other members of Omonia were falsely charged of treason by the government of Sali Berisha. Following an international outcry, all of them were eventually cleared.

As we hear in this report, there are suspicions that Bakas was murdered by his enemies in Albania.

When he was shot Thursday, 67-year-old historian Vassilis Bakas was working on the Greek-Albanian newspaper "Northern Ipirus", and as a guard at the Napoleon Zervas National Resistance Museum in Athens.

The police are looking for a 54-year-old woman who they believe may know something about who killed him.

According to sources, Bakas had in his possession documents that his murderers didn't want to become public information.

Before coming to Greece in 1994, Bakas was an active member of the ethnic- Greek organisation Omonia in Albania. Bakas left the country when he and five other leading Omonia members were charged with spying.

The othre five were sentenced and imprisoned, but later released after international pressure was brought to bear on the government of Sali Beisha.

In 1991 Vassilis Bakas worked with Antenna television on an historical documentary, entitled "1940: the ethnic Greeks living in southern Albania haven't forgotten".

Bakas's friends and associates will not forget him, nor will all those who knew of the contributions he made to Hellenism.

What remains to be learned is whether or not the finger on the trigger of the gun that killed him belonged to political enemies who hadn't forgotten him.

[04] Simitis - Tour

He was warmly welcomed in the village of KastaniA, near Kozani.

He told residents that the main goal of his trip is to check on progress on large infrasturcture projects in the region.

Over the next few years, said Simitis, 2.5 billion dollars are going to pour into public works there.

One of the major projects in northern Greece is the Ignatia superhighway that will join the western port of Igoumenitsa with Alexandroupoli in the east.

The prime minister said his government wants dialogue with local officials, to ensure that emphasis is placed on the right development projects.

It is significant that Kastania was Simitis's first stop. The village was rebuilt from scratch after it was levelled by an earthquake.

[05] Karamanlis

Karmanlis was warmly welcomed at the airport of Chania, where he is set to begin a five-day tour of the island.

Greeted by reporters at the Chania airport Thursday night, Karamanlis indirectly complimented former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis by referring to Crete as the birthplace of great public figures.

He said, "I'm very pleased to be in Crete. This

island has given birth to many important public figures. With its rich history and fighting record, it represents the uncompromising and free spirit of Hellenism".

Later in the day, Karmanlis and his delegation were invited to a traditional Cretan dinner at the Mistotakis home. Amid the fine Cretan appetizers, were the famous 'dolmadakia' or stuffed vine leaves of Marika, Mitsotakis's wife.

Mitsotakis treated Karmanlis and his party to "tsikoudia", a local alcoholic drink. Raising his glasss he made a toast to unity, wishing success to all present.

Mitsotakis said the "tsikoudia" they were drinking was made from plums given to him by Serbia's Slobodan Milosevitch during a recent visit to Belgrade.

During and after the meal, Karamanlis and Mitsotakis had the opportunity to discuss a number of important political issues. They also agreed on positions concerning Greek-Turkish relations.

On Friday, Karamanlis and party MP's Dora Bakoyianni, Vangelis Meimarakis and Christos Markoyiannakis visited the city's central market shaking hands with citizens.

One of the first stops on Karmanalis's tour was the village of Therisso, where Elevtherios Venizelos started the 1905 revolt against Turkish rule.

Venizelos remains one of the most admired prime ministers and democrats in Greek history.

Karamanlis and his party visited the place - now a museum - where Venizelos mapped out his strategy in 1905. Karamanlis and Mitsotakis then stopped at the Venizelos home in Akrotiri, laying a wreathe in his honour.

Karamanlis said Venizelos's policies weren't always successful, but he also showed he wasn't a coward, which is what we need to remember today.

[06] Drug awards

The Macedonian Union of Customs Employees CITED the narcotics agents who work at border points for their efforts in stopping the flow of drugs through Greece to other destinations.

The nine agents recently confiscated 61 thousand anabolic pills and other drugs headed for the United States.

Union members note that since 1988, Greek customs agents have broken up dozens of drug-trafficking rings. And prevented tonnes of narcotics from reaching the streets.

The numbers are impressive: the agents have seized 848 thousand pills, 1065 kilos of heroin, 230 kilos of cocaine, 18 thousand kilos of hash, and 260 kilos of marijuana.

[07] Olympiakos

The Tournament is billed as an unofficial world club championship. Olympiakos defeated latin American champ Atena de Cordoba in Friday night's semi-final.

Olympiakos, the European champ takes its first lead at the end of the first quarter and leads 49- 42 at the half on 55 percent shooting from the field.

Olympiakos extends its lead to twelve after three periods of play.

But the argentians come back with three point baskets at the start of the fourth quarter and its close the rest of the way.

Atena goes up 86-85 with under a minute to play but Olympiakos forward Artouras Karnisovas comes right back with a tray and a free throw and Olympiakos wins it 89-86. Karnisovas nets 23 points for the victors.

Last Updated: Saturday, 18-Oct-97 11:19:08

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

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