Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-04-07

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Last Updated: Tuesday, 07-Apr-98 19:58:56

CONTENTS

[01] WEU conference

[02] Holbrooke-Cyprus

[03] Turkey-Greek forests

[04] Polish president visit Athens

[05] Archbishop Serafeim-Health

[06] Sports

[01] WEU conference

The conference is scheduled to be held Monday and Tuesday.

The two men met for about one hour at the Astir hotel in Vouliagmeni. After their meeting, Greek chief of staff Athanassios Tzoganis told reporters, "We met today on the sidelines of the WEU conference and we exchanged views on military issues. We both expressed the desire to exploit similar cases to meet together in the future as well."

When reporters asked him whether this meeting marked the beginning of a military dialogue between the two countries, Tzoganis said, "This was not about a military dialogue and noone pressed us to do something like that. We talked about military issues in general and within the framework of WEU and Nato".

Briefing the Turkish reporters after his meeting with Tzoganis, Turkish chief of Staff Ismael Karadayi said that they discussed Greek-Turkish military issues. He added that from now on, similar meetings will continue whenever there is a chance given to both military leaders.

[02] Holbrooke-Cyprus

Holbrooke made a snap visit to the island over the weekend, in a bid to melt the ice that keeps pushing a solution to the Cyprus problem further off onto the horizon.

After meeting separately with Cypriot president

Glavcos Clirides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Raouf Denktash Saturday, US envoy Richard Holbrooke had noting new to report.

He said Denktash quote "did not yield inch", unquote.

Denktash remains adamant in his opposition to Cyprus's admission into the European Union: EU- Cyprus talks started officially last week.

He also wants his breakaway republic of north Cyprus recognised internationally.

Before those two conditons are met, he says, there can be no restarting talks on the reunification of Cyprus.

Clirides has repeatedly invited Turkish-Cypriot representatives to sit in on the negotiations, but to no avail.

Instead, Denktash says the resolution of the divided Cyprus problem must precede EU admission. He could well be resting his hopes on the statements of various EU leaders, to the effect that Cyprus cannot join the EU until it is reunited.

Turkey, which is in military occupation of Denktash's northern Cyprus also objects to Cyprus joining the EU before it does.

And last week, Turkey and northern Cyprus announced the signing of an agreement that will further institutionalise the political and economic bonds between them.

Sources say that over the weekend Holbrooke had hoped to persuade Denktash to soften his stand, and that he wanted to pave the way for a meeting between Denktash and Cyupriot president Glavcos Clirides some time in the next few months.

But the American diplomat also refused to give in to Denktash's demands.

"We cannot grant recognition", said Holbrooke. The United States recognises the Republic of Cyprus and Glavcos Clirides as its president".

Holbrooke will visit Cyprus again in May, in

another bid to get the Turkish-Cypriots to change their tune. Sources say that in the meantime, he will keep pushing to get Clirides to cancel plans to purchase and deploy Russian S-300 ground-to-air missiles, which Turkey opposes vehemently, and which Clirides says is vital to the defence of the island from possible Turkish aggression in the future.

Greece's foreign minister said recently that if Turkey would stop military flights over the island, then it's possible that the S-300 order could be cancelled.

[03] Turkey-Greek forests

A Greek Sunday newspaper has published a report that comes from the office of the Turkish prime minister. The document confirms that Turkish agents and Turkish para-state organisations have carried out atacks on Greek soil. Among the hits mentioned is one on a military base in Lamia.

And there's much more.

In the summer of 1994 there were a number of forest fires on the Greek islands. And in July of that year, a bomb exploded in a refuse bin in Rhodes - miraculously, there were no casualties.

Then-public order minister Stelios Papathemelis immediately suspected a foreign hand in the series of fires and the bombing. Calling them acts of provocation, he would say no more.

But the authorities have continued to investigate.

Now, the published account comes as confirmation of Turkish involvement.

There have also been periodic admissions by Turks - like the ultra-right- winger Kalib Kircin - that they have taken part in operations on Greek

soil.

The report that was published in Greece Sunday refers exclusively to events that took place during the time that Tansu Ciller was Turkish primem minister. Some observers speculate that the document is being used by her rival, the current prime minister Mesout Yilmaz, as a weapon in their perennial power struggle.

[04] Polish president visit Athens

The Polish president opened the Greek-Polish Business Conference in Athens Monday.

The foreign minister held an official lunch in honour of the Polish president, who was accompanied by Pangalos's Polish counterpart, at the foreign ministry.

The lunch was also attended by the industry deputy minister Anna Diamantopoulou and Poland's honorary consul and Antenna president Minos Kyriakou.

The main issues which were discussed during the lunch, were expected to be financial and political as well. Large financial relations have been developed in the past few years between Greece and Poland. Poland is on the same path with Cyprus in the course to the EU, as entry talks for Poland started on March 31st, the same day when entry talks for Cyprus started.

As for political issues, it is clear that Greece and Poland have common views regarding many major for Greece issues, like the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.

Greece has supported Poland in its efforts to enter the EU and Nato. This support was also confirmed by Greek president Kostis Stefanopoulos, after his

meeting with his Polish counterpart Monday.

Stefanopoulos said, "Poland is a very important country to Europe. As you know, Poland is in the anteroom (lobby) of Nato and started entry talks to the EU on March 31, as other European countries did. Greece is willingly and sincerely supporting these plans of our country and friends, because it believes that Poland, as well as the other central European countries are an inseparable part of Europe from a geographical, political and cultural point of view. Greece will do its best to help in making Poland's entry to the EU easier".

Later in the day Stefanopoulos held a dinner for his Polish counterpart.

[05] Archbishop Serafeim-Health

Doctors have begun administering antibiotics again after Serafeim came down with a high fever on Friday.

The 84 year old archbishop has been hospitalized since late February when he developed what were described as flu-like symptoms.

Doctors say the health of Serafeim, who suffers from kidney failure and undergoes dialysis treatment three times a week, is fragile due to his age and chronic health problems.

Given his failing health, some metropolitan bishops within the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox church believe that it would be best if the archbishop resigned or was replaced.

The Synod is set to reconvene on Tuesday. It is expected that the issue of Serafeim's health will be brought to the forefront.

[06] Sports

With just five matches left in the season, Olympiakos has two wins more, and two losses fewer, than its rival. And for Pao the ground will be hard to make up.

Pao hopes the home field will be to its advantage Saturday, but no such luck. Stelios Yiannakopoulos opens the scoring for the visitors in the 23rd minute....And Dimitris Mavrogenides adds another ten minutes later.

There's no scoring in the second half, which gives this one to Olympiakos, 2-nil, and the Piraeus club has a clear shot at a repeat.

For Aek, dreams of a title were all but mathematically dashed over the weekend - that's Veria's first-ever victory over the Athenian powerhouse.

Aek is now 13 points behind Olympiakos, but should be looking the other way: Paok is just a win behind Aek in fourth place.

Ionikos is three points behind Paok in fifth, followed by weekend loser Irakles, Xanthi, and Ofi.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article