Antenna: News in English (PM), 97-10-19

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Turkey Review

[02] Holbrooke Review

[03] Simitis Clirides Review

[04] Constantine Review

[05] Karamanlis

[06] Drug awards

[01] Turkey Review

As we hear in this report, on two occasions, Turkish jets harassed the C- 130 carrying the Greek defence minister.

- The Turkish air space violations started Sunday, and went on through Thursday.

Each day, scores of Turkish planes conducted flyovers in the triangle between Cyprus, Rhodes, and Crete. And on several occasions, they flew over the Cypriot air base at Pafos, taking photographs.

The most dangerous episode came Thursday, when four Turkish F-16s strafed the C-130 carrying Greek defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and his wife to Crete.

On one occasion, the Turkish aircraft flew dangerously in front of the C- 130 at close range.

Greek escort F-16s engaged the Turkish fighters, and chased them away after several minutes of a war of nerves.

Tsochatzopoulos's plane was also harassed during its flight TO Cyprus on Tuesday.

Landing in Crete Thursday, Tsochatzopolos quipped that it seems Turkey now wants to make a tradition of providing Greek leaders official escorts. On a more serious note, he said he hopes that Greece will see no more of such behaviour, which is redolent of Cold War tactics.

Greece launched official protests over the week's episodes with Nato and other international organisations.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos said it's obvious that Turkey is following a well thought-out programme of antagonising Greece.

Pangalos and other Greek officials stressed that the international community should take Turkey's hostile tactics seriously. Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said failure for it to do so, would cast doubt on the sincerity of the international community's efforts to promote better relations between Athens and Ankara.

Turkey's acts are an international issue, said Pangalos. No one has the right act like that, and no one can do so without there being consequences.

UN secretary general Koffi Anan expressed his concerns over the week's events. He said the war

of nerves could well have turned into a shooting war.

Reppas and Pangalos both believe Turkey's turn toward flexing its military muscle reveal much about its role in the region. Athens says that Turkey, seeing its prospects of joining the European Union recede into the distant future, is relying on its military muscle to make its presence felt.

Turkey's massive air space violatons during the week coincided with Greek and Cypriot military exercises Nikiforos and Toxotees, conducted in and around Cyprus.

If their goal was to foil those exercises, the Turkish planes failed.

The manoeuvres were capped by a parade in Larnaca Wednesday. Turkish jets tried to stop Greek fighters from flying over that parade, but failed.

As they engaged the parade-bound jets, other Greek planes entered the fray, freeing up the jets heading for Larnaca.

Tsochatzopoulos and Cypriot president Glavcos Clirides praised their nations' men in uniform. They said the exercises were a display of their commitment to defend their countries against Turkish aggression, and to work together within the framework of the Greece-Cyprus joint defence doctrine.

"Peace", said Tsochatzopoulos, "means a strong defence, which is what we saw today".

Greece wants better relations with its neighbour. Greek European commissioner Christos Papoutsis said Friday that the pre-condition is Turkey taking its claims in the Aegean to the international court, and putting an end to its flagrant threats of violence.

[02] Holbrooke Review

Holbrooke said he heard nothing new.

Richard Holbrooke said in Ankara that in conducting military exercises, Greece and Turkey are quote losing valuable time, time that should be used in repairing their strained relations.

The American diplomat said he was impressed by Turkey's leaders, and that the Cyprus issue poses no problem for US-Turkish relations.

After meeting with Turkish deputy chief of staff Echevit Beer, Holbrooke called him an admirable man, a strong and decisive military commander.

As Turkish jets entered Greek and Cypriot controlled air space uninvited, Holbrooke said Beer had explained to him that Turkey feels threatened.

The US mediator was also impressed after his first meeting with Turkish prime minister Mesout Gilmaz. Holbrooke said he outlined his country's views clearly, and has a long-term vision on many issues.

Holbrooke says that in Turkey, he is listened, and didn't propose anything on the Cyprus issue or for Greek-Turkish relations.

But the US is hoping that the meeting of the Greek and Turkish prime ministers in Crete early next month will get them back on the road to better relations.

Following a non-aggression agreement reached by the two sides in July, relations have soured, with Turkey continuing its anti-Greek propaganda and renewing its threats over Cyprus.

Now, sources say the US would like the two sides to reach a NEW agreement in Crete, one that will revive the spirit of the non-aggression pact.

Which, say Greek officials, may be why the US refused to chastise Turkey for its provocations of Greece and Cyprus during the week.

Despite the wealth of video Greece captured on the Turkish escapades involving the Greek defence miniser's C-130, and the fact that Greece lodged protests with Nato and the US, the state department said Friday that it didn't have the technical means to establish whether or not the Turkish aircraft harassed the Greek transport plane.

[03] Simitis - Clirides Review

Last week the Greek and Cypriot prime ministers met in Athens to discuss joint defence and Cyprus's admission into the EU.

[04] Constantine Review

Constantine was on CNN's "Larry King Live Show", last Wednesday evening.

Constantine's throne was abolished by a referendum in 1974, after the fall of Greece's military government.

But he told Larry King on CNN that the monarchy is not necessarily obsolescent.

"Monarchs have an enormous influence if they have the love and the respect of the people. In the old days, the kings, and to a certain extent the queens, in different countries protected the people from the landlords and abuse. Today, the sovereign, the king or the queen, is there to look after the people through influence, through advice, and protect them from things like plutocracy or oligarchy or monopoly of power".

Asked about the difficulties a monarch faces, Constantine said that a modern king or queen isn't as free as a prime minister or president of a country when talking to the press.

And, as for the institution of the constitutional monarchy:

"the important thing is to find a way of keeping the respect and the love of the people, but at the same time to keep above political fighting".

When asked about the role of the monarchy in protecting democracy, he cited king Juan Carlos of Spain as an example for emulaton. Constantine added it was unfortunate HE couldn't do the same for Greece in the case of the junta.

"I tried to overthrow them but didn't succeed. But at least I tried with several officers to do it.

At least the king, or the queen, stands for freedom, for liberty. A king or a sovereign co- existing with a dictatorship is an oxymoron, it doesn't work, it only works if the people want it and are free to have it".

Referring to the virtues of a modern monarch, Constantine said that they must be patient and tolerant. And most important of all, place the people above everything else.

[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.

Last Updated: Sunday, 19-Oct-97 13:20:22

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article