Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-04-15

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Last Updated: Wednesday, 15-Apr-98 19:12:23

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis-Health

[02] Simitis-Bulgaria

[03] Rand Corporation

[04] Church-Elections

[05] Nikos Machlas

[01] Karamanlis-Health

A hospital report Tuesday said the 91-year-old founder of New Democracy remains in unchanging

condition, and that he is still on a breathing machine.

That is seen by many as tantamount to saying that things are not going well.

Doctors abandoned efforts to take him off the machine Tuesday. On Monday, they had to put him back on it just ten minutes after taking him off it.

There is a ray of optimism though: physicians didn't rule out improvement in their patient's health, they'll try to get him breathing on his own again Wednesday.

Karamanlis, who was prime minister in the fifties and seventies, entered the hospital last Tuesday with a minor respiratory tract infection and a fever. He suffered a mild heart attack last weekend.

Three former prime minsiters, Constantinos Mitsotakis, Tzannis Tzannetakis, and Georgios Rallis, visited him Tuesday.

Said Rallis, "We're all hoping for the best".

Former archbishop of the Americas, Iacovos, and philanthropist Panagiotis Angelopoulos also visited the hospital.

Iakovos called Karamanlis an historic figure, whose life has been inextricably bound up with the fate of the nation.

[02] Simitis-Bulgaria

Concerned at the unrest in Kosovo, the Greek and Bulgarian prime ministers agree that western sanctions on Yugoslavia over the Kosovo crisis should not damage other economies in the region.

Simitis and his Bulgarian opposite number

Ivan Kostov condemned the use of force in resolving the Kosovo problem.

The Greek leader emphasised the need to establish a Balkan rapid deployment force. Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Fyrom, Romania, and Turkey have provisionally agreed to such a force, which would consist of five thousand soldiers.

During the first day of his talks in Bulgaria, the Greek leader also made an effort to make headway on a number of issues troubling bilateral relations. Among those are control over the water of the Nestos River, which the two countries share; and issues related to the pipeline that will carry oil to Greece via Bulgaria.

There are plans to open three border checkpoints between Greece and Bulgaria, and for the two sides to work together in building a bridge over the Danube, as the two nations cooperate in developing the transport and communications infrastrucutre of the region.

[03] Rand Corporation

The cause of the war, it says, will be a dispute over western Thrace.

The leak of the Rand Corporation document comes just a week before the US secretary of defence visits Greece; and just days after the beginning of a dialogue between Greek and Turkish military leaders.

According to the Greek daily Ta Nea, the Rand Corporation report was commiessioned by the US air force.

In the war game scenario, Greece and Turkey are holding separate military exercises near each other in the Aegean.

Two frigates, one from each country, run into

each other.

The climax in the Rand scenario comes with clashes between muslim protesters and paramilitaries in Thrace, in northeastern Greece.

The Turks invade Thrace, and Greece extends its maritime borders from 6 to 12 miles, and unleashes an air attack on Smyrna in western Turkey.

In response, the US intervenes, saying it wants to protect US citizens and end the conflict.

The authors of the scenario are two former US defence and state department officials.

This isn't the first time there have been war game scenarios cooked up in the US. In October 1995, Mike Ruskin predicted a third Balkan War, which would start over where the borders of Serbia should be.

[04] Church-Elections

There are eight people interested in filling the post left vacant by the death of archbishop Serafeim last Friday.

The four favourites are metropolitan bishops Christodoulos of Dimitriada; Ieronymos of Thebes and Levadia; Anthimos of Alexandroupoli; and Theoklitos of Ioannina.

Tuesday, the bishops of Messinia, Mesogea, Peristeri and Corfu told orthodox religious leaders that if they were nominated they would also be glad to be elected archbishop.

[05] Nikos Machlas

Machlas's 30th and 31st goals of the season came in his club's 4-2 triumph over de Hraaskab.

The striker, who joined the Dutch side from Ofi of Crete last season, is also the top scorer in Europe this year.

Machlas says he feels satisfied with his accomplishments, and vindicated in his decision to go to Holland.

There's talk that he may be leaving Vitese, currently in third place in the Dutch first division, at the end of the season. He says if he does pack up, it'll have to be to go to a better club, and a better league.

For now, though, he says he's concentrating on keeping his current team near the top of the Dutch table.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

Antenna News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article