Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-03-30

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

Last Updated: Monday, 30-Mar-98 22:26:08

CONTENTS

[01] EU-Cyprus

[02] Burns

[03] KYSEA

[04] Economy

[05] Olympic Airways

[06] Education

[07] Sports

[01] EU-Cyprus

Cypriot officials called the talks that opened in Brussels historic.

As the EU's general affairs council convened to discuss the admission process of the six, to be followed later by four more countries, cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kassoulides said Cyprus's entry into the EU is of strategic significance, and will help the population of the entire island.

Turkish-Cypriots have refused an invitation to join the Cypriot government's team of negotiators with the EU. And Turkey, which occupies northern Cyprus, has threatened to annex the north outright if the accession talks with the Cypriot Republic go ahead.

British foreign secretary Robin Cook, whose country holds the EU's rotating chair, sent a message to Turkey as the talks started in Brussels.

He noted that Turkey, miffed because it hasn't been put on the EU membership candidates' list, can become an EU member in future rounds of expansion.

In December, in an effort to appease Turkey, the EU held a European Conference, including EU members, candidate members, and Turkey. Turkey refused to attend.

Cook says Turkey is invited to the next such conference, to be held in London. But no representatives from Ankara will be there either.

Turkish officials didn't hide their dismay over the start of Cyprus-EU talks. In occupied Cyprus Monday, foreign minister Ismael Cem reiterated that Ankara wants the self-declared Republic of Northern Cyprus - which is recognised only by Turkey - to remain an independent state.

Responding to the start of Cyprus's talks with the EU, New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis said Cyprus is probably the only candidate which already meets the necessary conditions for European economic and monetary union.

[02] Burns

On that score, the American ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns says Washington was pleased by the outcome of the Greek foreign minister's recent visit to the US.

"we have great respect for Mr Pangalos. He has given us some ideas to think about and I look forward to discussing those ideas with him when I return to Athina".

Burns added that the US and Greece are working together to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, and are cooperating to work out the problems in Kosovo too.

The ambassador spoke as he attended the fifth "Greece and the Balkans" forum in Thessaloniki.

Welcoming Burns, northern Greece's industrialists informed him of their adctivities in the Balkans and southeastern Europe.

The American amabassador said he was in Thessaloniki to see if American companies can work with Greek companies in Fyrom, Bulgaria, Albania, and Romania.

[03] KYSEA

At this point, the government and defence officials are still looking at guidelines the armed forces

should apply in choosing their weapons.

The air force is shopping for long-range anti- aircraft missiles. The main candidates are the US- made Patriot and the Russian S-300. The government is willing to pay in the neighborhood of 1 billion dollars.

The air force is also looking at new fighter aircraft, among them the American F-15 and F-16; the French Mirage, the Russian Sukhoi, and the joint European effort, the Eurofighter. The estimated cost of the acquisition of the new fighter is 1.2 billion dollars.

The air force is also considering buying a 400 million-dollar radar plane, and a training plane. That's expected to run 186 million dollars.

The army is looking at short to medium range anti- aircraft systems, priced at over 700 million dollars.

The navy's focus is two new submarines. They'll come from Britain, Germany, or Sweden, and cost 700 million dollars.

The total cost of the government's armaments plans is put at 13 billion dollars.

[04] Economy

The issue was discussed by finance minister Yiannos Papantoniou and other government economic aides.

The government has had lowering inflation at the centre of its economic strategy for several years, and it is currently at 4.7 per cent. It wants to prevent the devaluation spurring an upward price spiral.

Last weeks storms and flooding have opened up another avenue of pressure on prices. Destruction of crops means people will soon be paying more for fresh produce at the market.

[05] Olympic Airways

And came away with major differences.

As the government prepared to put legislation to restructure the company before parliament, management and trade unionists argued over wage freezes and abolition of overtime payments and food allowances.

The government changes at Olympic are geared to save money and make staff more productive. But workers don't want to foot the bill.

On Monday morning, ground crew and management met. Workers' reps said afterward they will never accept the government pay freeze and tougher working conditions.

After their meeting with management, flight attendants' and crew reps said they won't swallow attempts to abolish the job-for-life guarantee Olympic workers have. Said one union rep, the changes the government is proposing go way beyond the norm in European airlines.

If no agreement can be reached, the government is prepared to push its legislation on Olympic through parliament. And Olympic employees are prepared to take industrial action. They said Monday they would bring Olympic flights to a halt if they weren't granted a meeting with the transport minister to discuss pay.

[06] Education

Education minister Gerasimos Arsenis says that after graduation from school, students will enter university and choose one of seven general groups of studies.

A student set on becoming a doctor, for example, may have to switch to nursing if after two years he or she hasn't made the grade.

[07] Sports

Olympiakos is three points ahead of Pao after weekend play.

Alexandris makes it 1-nil Olympiakos, as the division leaders square off with Irakles. That goal comes just seven minutes into the match. Olympiakos gets another in the second half to clinch the victory.

Pao, meanwhile, gets just enough to pick up three points in its match against Proodevtiki.

Aek and Paok are in third and fourth place respectively.

In other matches, Apollon and Kavala emerge triumphant, and all the other teams play to a draw.

In pro basketball, after several years of labouring in the shadow of cross- town rival Olympiakos, Pao looks set to finish Greece's regular season in first place. That would give it the much-treasured home- court advantage throughout the playoffs.

With one game left in the regular season, Pao overcame what many see as the last obstacle to a first-place finish.

Pao emerges victorious from a tough road game over the weekend, nipping Peristeri 53-51. Nikos Ikonomou ices it for the winners with a pair of free throws, making it 53-49 with seven seconds to go.

Olympiakos has no trouble getting past sporting. Olympiakos and Pao both have 20 and 5 records, but Pao has the better aggregate in the rivals' two meetings this season. So if Pao can beat Sporting as expected next week, it'll have the home court advantage in the playoffs.

Paok and Aek are in third and fourth place respectively heading into the final game of the season next weekend.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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