Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-02-27

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

Last Updated: Friday, 27-Feb-98 15:58:30

CONTENTS

[01] Archbishop Serafeim

[02] Greece-Turkey

[03] New Democracy

[04] Vegoritida

[05] Sports

[01] Archbishop Serafeim

The 84-year-old Archbishop who suffers from kidney failure was admitted Tuesday, after showing flu like symptoms including a high fever and cough.

Serafim is being periodically hooked up to an artificial kidney machine doctors say, in an effort to avoid possible failure of other organs.

He is also being given wide-spectrum antibiotics to combat a viral infection.

Yiannis Papadopoulos, director of the Laiko hospital says when the archbishop entered the hospital his condition was critical and remains so.

Earlier Thursday, Serafim's condition deteriorated slightly, but by late afternoon he said he was feeling better and even received visitors: President Kostis Stephanopoulos, education minister Gerasimos Arsenis and health minister Kostas Gitonas.

Stefanopoulos said, "He's feeling fine. He was lucid and we spoke for a little bit".

Arsenis said, "I conveyed get-well wishes from the prime minister and the government. He was feeling fine".

[02] Greece-Ôurkey

Greece believes that a rapprochement can only be brought about on an issue by issue basis. The first step would be Turkey agreeing to drop its claim to the Greek isle of Imia, or take it to the international court.

Turkey's proposal is an-across-the-board dialogue to resolve all bilateral differences together, a proposal Greece rejects.

Kostas Simitis told parliament that Greece will never accept the Turkish proposal for bilateral dialogue with no preconditions. <brt> Ankara's aim is to get its numerous claims on Greek rights in the Aegean onto a bilateral negotiating agenda.

Said prime minister Simitis: "Greece will not discuss its sovereign rights. We favour a step-by- step approach to bilateral issues".

Greece has no desire to see the legal status quo altered in the Aegean, and says that if Turkey wants to question something, it should go to the

international court.

Simitis repeated in parliament that the only pending bilateral issue Greece recognises in the Aegean is that of the continental shelf rights. Greece is ready to submit to the judgement of the international court on that issue.

The leader of New Democracy attacked the government over its handling of Turkey. "Pasok has no strategy", he charged, "there's no long- term planning that would allow us to help shape international developments. We're tagging along behind developments forged by Turkey or other international players".

[03] New Democracy

Party leader Kostas Karamanlis has come into open conflict with Constantinos Mitsotakis, a former leader of the party.

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis has expelled three of his dissidents and suspended three more; and he's effectively removed former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis from the party's decision- making bodies.

Now, Karamanlis says the only thing he's interested in is getting on with the job of being the leader of the main opposition party.

But his conservative opponents are unlikely to let him do so.

MP Giorgos Souflias, one of those expelled the party for ignoring the party whip in a parliamentary vote several weeks ago, launched a new broadside Wednesday.

Once again, he hammered home the point that Karamanlis has turned New Democracy into his own

private estate. And hinted that a new party may be formed.

"The party that will emerge from the ownership obsession", he predicted, "will be yet another party that cannot express the political views of the rank and file. That's why I believe regrouping our party is urgent".

MP Iannis Varvitsiotis shares the view of Karamanlis, that there's no chance of a new party being formed at this juncture.

Mitsotakis was quiet Wednesday, after telling the press Tuesday that quote the party isn't moving forward, unquote.

The former prime minister is in contact with a number of MPs - sounding them out on the state of the party. But he's either not sure what his next move will be, or isn't telling. Asked by reporters Wednesday if there will be developments soon, he responded, "We'll see".

Some in the party wish that everyone would just get along, for the SAKE of the party.

Anastasios Papaligouras says the party can only hope to be elected back into power again if the quote self-destructive road of expulsions and splits is abandoned.

[04] Vegoritida

The illustrious Japanese cultivator says that he can turn a desert into an oasis by using a very simple and easy method.

Thousands of acres of arable land are lost daily to pollution, fire, illegal logging or climate change. Masanobou Foukouoka says he can reclaim that land.

Citing several examples in India, Somalia and

Kenya, Foukouoka says his next mission will be to reclaim infertile land in Iraq. He says, "Twenty years ago a UN scientist approached me asking me to help reclaim the deserts of Iran and Iraq with my method. I never got around to doing it. Now I hope that dream will come true".

The 85 year old expert says the secret lies in nature itself. Parroting Socrates who once said 'One thing I know is that I don't know anything', he says, "We can learn a lot from nature. We should let her do her job".

To reclaim land in Edessa, Foukouoka says he will simultaneously sow a variety of seeds from trees, bushes, plants, shrubs, vegetables and grains before the rainy season. The seeds will be embedded in lumps of potter's clay for protection, and dropped in their thousands from aircraft.

The reclamation project starts March 7th.

[05] Sports

In the doordie second leg, league leading Pao leaves nothing to chance. Taking command from the outset, it guns Aris down 2-nil.

Joining Pao in the semis is Paok. Paok drops its second leg match to Xanthi 1-nil, but goes through on aggregate because of its 2-nothing victory in the opener.

In the semifinals, Pao meets Irakles, and Paok is up against Irakles.

In basketball news, Greece's national team is in danger of being left out of the European championship tournament in 1999. Greece is in third place in its qualifying group after dropping a 74-71 decision to Germany in Stutgart.

Things are going all Greece's way until early in the second half, when the Germans slap on the press and use 15-nothing run to go ahead 48-42.

Things don't get any better for the visitors either, as the Germans extend that run to 21-1, leaving Greece down by 11 with four minutes to play.

The visitors come back to within one on the strength of two trays, but it's too little too late.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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