Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-11-11

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Last Updated: Tuesday, 11-Nov-97 11:23:19

CONTENTS

[01] Holbrooke

[02] Patriarch

[03] Economy

[04] Karamanlis

[05] Air Force

[06] Skandalides

[07] Diodoros

[08] ̀ilitary service

[09] Gavras

[10] Soccer

[01] Holbrooke

This is Holbrooke's first visit to Cyprus after his appointment as US special envoy to the Cyprus problem. Holbrooke, who touched down in Nicosia on Monday is scheduled to remain in Cyprus until Tuesday.

US Cyprus envoy Richard Holbrooke has scheduled separate meetings with Cliridis and Denktash, before his first common meeting with the two men will take place. Holbrooke will try to rekindle Greek-Turkish relations, deadlocked after Denktash's threats to withdraw from intercommunity talks if Cyprus's entry into the EU commenced.

Ankara has threatened to annex the Northern occupied territories into Turkey if talks for Cyprus' entry into the EU begin.

Noting the arrival of Richard Holbrooke, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismael Gem and presidential minister and specialist on Cyprus Soukrou Gkiourel flew to the Turkish-occupied territories in Cyprus this past weekend to prepare the Turkish side for the talks.

Upon his arrival to Cyprus, the Turkish foreign minister strongly insisted that NO step is going to be made towards Cyprus's entry in the EU, unless the Turkish-occupied territories are recognised as a legal state first.

In President Clinton's bimonthly report to the US Congress, Clinton praised Holbrooke as one of the most competent negotiators. Saying his appointment as US Special Envoy to Cyprus shows the US is committed in helping to find a solution. The report covers events up until last July and refers to the first meeting between Cypriot president Clirides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Raouf Denktash in Troutbeck NY.

Speaking with Antenna, Holbrooke espressed his latest thoughts on the Cyprus problem and what steps should be taken.

"The solution is a federation with a loose government, but a central economic system, a removal of the barriers between the two communities".

[02] Patriarch

Vartholomeos has such an intense interest in environmental matters that he's been called the "Green Patriarch".

At the ecology conference at the church of Agia Varvara, Vartholomeos showed why he's sometimes called the Green Patriarch.

He told those gathered that every act that pollutes the environment is a sin.

Among those also at the event, were Bruce Bobbit, the US secretary minister also known for his green affiliations; and Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of the late oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.

On Sunday morning, patriarch Vartholomeos took part in a divine liturgy attended by thousands of the orthodox faithful at the LA Convention Centre.

[03] Economy

The Pasok-led union bosses had some trouble though, getting the approval vote it needed for the so- called.."Agreement toward 2000" document it's hashed out with the government.

The document covers wage and pension related matters.

Maria Fragkiadaki is a Pasok supporter and member of the General Workers' Union's governing council. She didn't vote at all in the motion to give the smaller union secretariat the green light in negotiating on the basis of the existing "Agreement Towards 2000". She said after the meeting, "Today's haste in bringing the matter of agreement to a close was intended to give the government a free hand in putting together a very harsh 1998 budget, at the expense of workers and pensioners.

In exchange for accepting the "2000 Agreement", the union leaders have been asking the government to continue to discuss a number of issues: retirement age, supplementary pensions, the income tax threshold, pay raises, and pension withholdings.

On Monday, the labour minister intervened in the bargaining, announcing that the minimum pension will be increased by 20 per cent next year; that there will be no limit to the size of supplementary pensions, as the government has been talking about; and that people will be eligible for pensions after 35 years of work, regardless of their age. The government had been talking about slapping an age requirement on pension recipients.

While Pasok was split in Monday's union vote, other political parties represented on the union's governing body voted against the"2000 agreement".

Giorgos Mavrikos, the union secretary, says the economic situation is going from bad to worse.

Giannis Manolis, union vice president, says it amounts to giving the government a blank cheque to do what it wants.

And alternate secretary Alekos Kalyvis warns that workers won't accept the agreement as it stands.

[04] Karamanlis

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis and the leaders of Europe's other centre-right parties were in Toulouse France, for the European Popular Party congress.

Along with Karamanlis, German chancellor Helmut Kohl and Karl Yungkers, the prime minister of Luxembourg - the current EU chair - said that EU funding is needed to fight joblessness in Europe.

Highlighting the seriousness of the problem, Karamanlis warned that unemployment is a stick of dynamite that could shatter the EU's very foundations, and hinder the movement toward further European integration.

"That", he explained, "is why special attention needs to be given to the problem. We don't just need statements, but need to follow a thought-out, coordinated course of action, political action to create jobs".

Karamanlis believes small businesses are a key to job creation, and should be assisted by EU policies.

[05] Air Force

This year marks the 85 anniversary of the first Greek warplane to fly in Greek skies. Air Force officials celebrated by opening up the air bases to the public for three days.

The celebration held at Dekelia air force base was attended by Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, leaders of the Greek armed forces and special guest, Antenna president Minos Kyriakou.

Starting the celebrations, Tsochatzopoulos said, "Greece's air space is secured by the dynamic, creative and peaceful presence of the Greek airforce".

Anthanassios Tzoganis, chief of Staff said, "Whoever threatens Greek skies will certainly fail and live to regret it".

The defense minister toured the Air Force museum with Mr. Minos Kyriakou, who has donated a number of planes.

Speaking about the museum Mr. Kyriakou said, "We hope that the aircrafts in the museum will continue to be maintained, possibly even flying again, because only then can history be preserved".

The Dedalos air-club chose to fly the Greek flag at the celebrations. Sakis Fit-siOros representative of the club said, "The Wright Brothers were the forerunners of the air force. This is our way of showing off Greece".

[06] Skandalides

The letter, which Skandalides says is a forgery, passes negative comment on the activities of leading Pasok members, including current prime minister Kostas Simitis.

Simitis has already laughed the letter off, as have other Pasok members maligned in it.

Skandalides is suing Men 200 thousand dollars in damages. He intends to donate the money to the Andreas Papandreau Archives Foundation.

The Pasok secretary says the fake letter letter is an attempt to present him as a cheap schemer.

He adds that it's also an attempt sully the memory and legacy of Andreas Papandreou.

[07] Diodoros

Orthodox archbishop of Jerusalem Diodoros visited the rock, or seat, just outside of Jerusalem.

Diodoros hailed the finding as a "great discovery of historical, religious, and ethnic significance".

The limestone rock protrudes from the mosaic floor of the remains of a rare octagonal fifth century Byzantine church, the largest of its kind in the Holy Land.

The rock was unearthed after construction workers laying pipe accidentally damaged the church foundation, necessitating a rescue excavation.

Gedeon Avni, Israeli archeologist, said, "We hope the Seat will become a point of attraction for thousands of tourists from all over the world. The seat is considered one of the most important churches from the byzantine period ever uncovered.

Avni also said that Christians made pilgrimages to a rock, on the five-mile Jerusalem to Bethleem road, at least one thousand 7 hundred years ago, believing it was the place where the Virgin Mary rested.

[08] ̀ilitary service

Defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos says that under the new decision, those who qualify will serve 15 months in the army instead of 18. 18 months in the navy instead of 21 and 17 months in the air force instead of 20.

The decision also applies to students enrolled in universities who are concurrently serving their military term. According to the new decision their service prior to the new law is retroactive.

Under the new decision, students studying abroad returning home to serve will be able to transfer their units to a Greek university and shorten their military service by three months.

The new law does not cover those attending technical or professional schools, observatories or preparatory schools for universities abroad.

Those serving a reduced term or who are interested in become probation officers do not qualify.

[09] Gavras

Starring John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman, the film looks at the role the media and publicity play in people's lives.

In "Mad City", John Travolta, the guard at a Natural History Museum in a small California town, takes a group of students and the museum's curator hostage when he gets the sack.

He hopes that his act will help him get his job back.

An ordinary man who's reaction to a setback would be considered extreme by most people.

"I think planet earth is like this. People are good basically, and they end up doing sometimes bad things, especially when they get confused".

While Travolta takes the hostages to save his job, journalist Dustin Hoffman, at the museum when the drama begins to unfold, seizes on the story as a chance to promote his career.

Reflecting on his role, Hoffman says,

"I talked to another person once, a photographer. He said, you don't understand, but maybe I can. He says that when you're in your work, you're in your work, right ? I said, yes. He says when we're shooting and we're looking through that, it's different, it's different. If you're watching an actual murder, or if you're watching someone getting hit by, it's different. It's hard to explain. It's in frame, it becomes our work. It gets separated from life".

The question is: will the reporter do his job right, or will he sacrifice the truth for success?

That's the main question posed by the movie.

Gavras believes that television, the media have a great responsibility visavis their public. He also thinks that their doing a worse and worse job or living up to that responsibility as time goes by.

Gavras talked about his directing philosophy in his latest work at a forum organised by the Greek Studies Department at Columbia University.

Columbia theatre professor Marina Kotzamani says some 650 people attended the event. She adds that his film was a smash hit with the audience.

[10] Soccer

It's latest victim is Paok, which it knocks off 3- 2, after the visitor comes back to tie it at 2 a piece.

In other action, Pao stayed in a tie for first place with Ionikos.

Pao crushed Xanthi 4-1, Olymbiakos sliding by Kavala 1-0. Athi-nai-kos and Apollon tied 0-0, Herakles winning ProodeftiiI 1-0, Ofi giving Pan-ne- liakOs a run for their money at 3-2, Ethnikos tied with Pana-haiki 0-0 and Kalamata brushing by Veria 1-0.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article