Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-10-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Patriarch

[02] NATO-GEM-KRANIDIOTIS

[03] Çïlbrook - Reactions

[04] Åconomy

[05] Êuwait

[06] Õoung-KPMG

[07] Medical

[08] Sculpture

[09] Book

[10] Maros

[11] Soccer

[12] Treasure

[01] Patriarch

Ecumenical orthodox patriarch Vartholomeos received an ovation as Newt Gingrich presented him with the House's highest award, the Congressional Gold medal of honour.

Before making the presentation, Gingrich welcomed the patriarch, whom he holds in awe and profoudndest respect. Addressing Vartholomeos and the House, Gingrich talked about the importance of religious freedom.

"In this period after the collapse of the Soviet Empire.......it is not humans they undermine when they violate religious libery, it is the will of God".

Accepting the honour, Vartholomeos talked of the values that bind Greece and the United States, the modern world, with ancient Greece.

"Like the US, Orthodoxy is composed of many different peoples...'I believe' is the first guarnatee in the Bill of rights, which ...the invilable right of all to choose and practice their religious beliefs".

The ceremonly in honour of the patriarch ended with hymns sung by the Howard University choir, to the acompaniment of the Athens Symphony Orchestra.

Earlier in the day, Vartholomeos attended a banquet at the Greek embassy in Washington. Once again, he laid emphasis on the things that unite the two nations. "The US is a country that protects freedom, democracy, and other high ideals, ideals which were born in Greece. Thus, there's a close bond between this house, this embassy, and the country in which it stands".

Vartholomeos also visited Martha's House, which provides food, shelter, and care for homeless children and their mothers.

There were touching moments as the Patriarch presented one woman with an icon.

"Thank you".

"I shall remember you in my prayers".

"Please do".

For all Christians, children are special, and Vartholomeos mingled freely with these homeless kids, who asked him questions about his staff.

"I love you", the patriarch told them.

Appropriately, as the value of Christian love is one of the main messages Vartholomeos is spreading on his tour of the US.

[02] NATO - GEM - KRANIDIOTIS

At the meeting of Nato military attaches, the Turkish representative made light of his country's bloody invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

"We have no intention of resolving the Cyprus problem with arms", he said. "If we did, we would have easily occupied the entire island in 74".

Turkish naval captain Bostanoglou's conversation- stopper, the gist of which that Turkey did Greece a favour in not taking all of Cyprus in 1974, came as Greek official's briefed their Nato colleagues on the episode in which the Greek defence minister's plane was harassed by Turkish jets last week.

Greek deputy chief of staff, lieutenant general Petinis remained calm. Responding to the affront, he said, "We thank you for your magnanimity".

While the Nato meeting was in progress, Greece had to deal with more air space violations. 8 times, Turkish jets made incursions into Greek air near the island of Lesvos.

The invaders were chased away by Greek planes.

On Tuesday, the Turks appeared to want to lower the tense tones. Meeting in Kiev, Greek deputy defence minister Yiannos Kranidiotis and Turkish foreign minister Ismail Gem reconfirmed that the two nations' prime ministers will meet in Crete in early November.

That meeting in Kiev was the first between Greek and Turkish officials since the recent spate of Turkish violations of Greek and Cypriot air space.

[03] Çïlbrook - Reactions

Last Thursday, Turkish F-16s buzzed a C-130 taking the Greek defence minister from Cyprus to Crete.

After much sidestepping of the issue by Washington, Richard Hobrooke said Tuesday categorically that the Turks had committed a clear act of harassment.

After nearly a week in which US officials refused to accept that Turkey had harassed Greek defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos's plane, American Cyprus envoy Richard Holbrooke set the record

straight Tuesday.

He called last Thursday's harassment of the Greek plane a fact, and chalked previous attempts by the state department to refuse to acknowledge the incident a bureaucratic error.

Tsochatzopuolos says Holbrooke showed with his statement that he's got a grip on reality, and has made an objective assessment of the matter.

The Greek defence minister added that with his comments, Holbrooke has added to his integrity as the US Cyprus mediator.

But for Tsochatzopoulos, the most important thing is Turkey's behaviour. He said the harassment of his C-130, and Turkey's constant intrusions into Greek air space should be on the agenda at the next Nato ministers' conference.

Tsochatzopoulos also said that the Greek air force, which sent fighters to chase the Turks away from his plane last Thursday, had acted well, showing that the nation's armed forces are ready to respond to any provocation. Greece's men at arms, he added, guarantee peace and security in the region.

[04] Economy

And, according to sources, the government is going to foist new taxes on people next year, and hike up existing taxes.

After years of economic belt-tightening, no one was surprised to hear finance minister Iannos Papantoniou say that next year's budget will be lean.

Papantoniou said 1998 will be a difficult budget year. There will be small pay raises for working people - no more than 4 per cent - and there will be

cuts in public spending.

The finance minister explained that 1998 is a critical year for the nation's economy, a year of assessing the progress made in getting Greece in shape for European economic and monetary union.

People can expect two new taxes next year, as the government tries to get the deficit down to EU- required levels.

There will be 90-dollar annual tax on mobile phones; and a small tax on large stock market winnings.

There could also be hikes in existing income and business taxes, and in levies on mutual funds and bonds. State bonds may be taxed an additional 2.5 per cent, taking the total to 10 per cent.

Stamp taxes on licenses, passports, and cars may also be increased. And the corporate gains tax may be raised from 35 to 40 per cent.

Income tax may be eased on incomes below 16 thousand dollars a year.

Papantoniou says his goal is to increase state revenues next year, and roll back spending, by keeping salary increases low and restricting public sector hiring.

To help bring in more money, and boost private initiative, the government is putting 12 state companies on the Athens stock exchange. First on the block will be the electricity company.

Reaction to the government's plans has been immediate.

Tax official Manousos Doukakis says someone with an annual income of 16 thousand dollars will pay 1100 dollars more in tax next year - a 25 per cent increase.

[05] Êuwait

Kuwaiti parliament vice president Tarek Moubarek Al I-tar said he fervently hopes that the good relations will continue, and will be strengthened in the business and tourism fields. between the two countries".

Tuesday night Kuwait's ambassador to Athens Abdel Hamid Al-bai-djan held a reception for the Kuwaiti delegation.

[06] Õoung - KRMG

Representatives of the two global giants say that in joining forces, they will be able to provide their demanding clients, which include large corporations in key sectors of the world economy, better services.

They say the merger will be easy, since the two accountancy firms have a similar business culture and outlook. And the same goal: top-quality service.

Ernst and Young and KPMG have a projected 1997 worldwide income in excess of 18 billion dollars.

In Greece, the new company will employ some 300 people. Profits in Greece are expected to be over 16 million dollars annually.

[07] Ìedical

Andreas Koupas, plastic surgeon and president of the Greek Aesthetics Society of Laser Surgery talked about the benefits of the technique over the weekend.

Koupas pointed out that the use of lasers in getting rid of old scars is a bloodless procedure.

With lasers, he continued, surgeons can get rid of old, unwanted scars.

Mario Trelles, president of the European Society of Aesthetic Surgery, talked about the problems posed by skin problems prior to laser surgery, as well as the unlimited possibilities the method has opened up.

"All these problems have disappeared with the laser. Simply because according to the type of machine we use...according to the patient's problem, and according to the situation we want to reach, we can program the machine".

Doctors say post-operative care on areas that have been operated on are minimal. After laser surgery, the patient will experience slight reddening of the skin at the site of the operation.

Depending on skin type, the discoloration can last anywhere from two to six weeks. But after the eleventh day, the patient can use cosmetics to cover the reddened area.

[08] Sculpture

The largest exhibit of modern sculpture in Greece has opened its gates to visitors in Thessaloniki.

One hundred and twenty sculpted images crafted by 87 artists are on display in Nea Paraléa. It's part of the events organised by Thessaloniki as the

1997 European cultural capital.

Eva Mela, president of the Greek Chamber of Plastic Arts, says visitors will have the opportunity to see contemporary Greek sculpture.

Mela hopes the exhibition will be a boost for sculpture. She explains that unfortunately, the art form often suffers owing to commercialism and interests that put economics ahead of art.

The exhibition runs through November 11th.

[09] Book

Thousands of people were killed, thousands more fled to Greece before the Turkish onslaught, leaving cities and villages, and centuries of civilisation behind.

The peninsula of Erythria, located between Smyrni, Efesus, and the island of Chios, and one of the greatest centres of Hellenism in Asia Minor succumbed to the same terrible fate.

The historic events are now recorded in a book by Marianna Koromila.

"Erythria, a Sacred Microcosm in the Heart of Ionia" was recently launched at the Panorama Cultural Centre in Athens.

Descendants of the Greeks from Erythria performed traditional dances and shared traditional foods.

The author of the book believes Erythria should be revived within the hearts of all Greeks.

[10] Maros

The event where Maros was honoured was held on the occasion of Oxi Day, which falls next Tuesday.

On October 28th 1940, Greece said "oxi", or no, to Italy's demand for an unconditional surrender at the start of World War II.

Greece stopped the ensuing Italian invasion in its tracks, forcing Hitler to send troops he badly needed elsewhere to subdue the determined Greeks.

Vassilis Maros has been working with Antenna in making the documentary on Oxi Day. Entitled, "Beyond the Call of Duty", it will be shown on Antenna on October 28th.

An earlier Maros documentary on the same subject, "The Glory of 1940" was shown at the Rotary Club event.

Maros says he's proud to have made the films, which constitute a legacy to future generations.

At the Rotary Club event, actress Anna Syno-di-nOU called Maros an outstanding patriot, and an outstanding film director.

Actress Maro Kondou added, "He's done a lot to preserve Greek history with his camera".

[11] Soccer

There's no Spanish hospitality, as Italian Christian Viery scores a hat trick in leading the home side to a 5-2 trouncing of Paok.

Viery opens the scoring just 10 minutes into the contest, and Atletico adds another just 2 minutes later, off a long ball by Lartin.

Kostas Frantzeskos gets Paok back in it with a goal off a foul kick in the 20th minute.

But Viery makes it 3-1 in the 31st minute of the contest.

The second half goes no better for the visitors and the match ends with the score 5-2.

Meaning...that to stay alive in the tournament, Paok would have to win the revenge match by a score of 3-nil or 4-1.

Also in Uefa Cup play, Ofi saw its hopes of advancing to the round of 16 diminish, as it fell 3-1 to Auxerre in France.

[12] Treasure

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Five land owners in Glyka Nera are fighting over a plot of land where treasure is said to have been buried by soldiers during World War II.

The story has it that in 1941, soldiers from New Zealand, stationed in the region of Mihouli, buried their outfit's money somewhere on the property in dispute.

Now, fifty-six years later, two of the five landowners have taken legal action against the other three claiming that all of the land, originally divided into five plots, is theirs.

They have even gone so far as to put electronic surveillance systems around the perimeter of the land to keep trespassers out.

Including three of the landowners. Two of them, Elissavet Mavridou and Irini Tha-nAssi have been

on a hunger strike since Tuesday outside the Justice Ministry. They say they want all of the plots excavated, so the issue can be settled, and they can go back to their plots without the sirens going off.

Last Updated: Thursday, 23-Oct-97 11:40:50

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

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