Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-04-21

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

Last Updated: Tuesday, 21-Apr-98 21:08:09

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis-Health

[02] Cohen-Tsohatzopoulos

[03] Holbrooke-Cyprus

[04] Êosovo

[05] Former King-Property

[06] Stock Market

[01] Karamanlis-Health

In the daily medical statement released from the hospital, doctors say the 91 year old's health has taken a downward spiral. Many of his organs are starting to give out.

Karmanlis suffered a second heart attack on Saturday, further weakening his heart and damaging his kidneys. His first heart attack occured on the 11th of April.

The founder of New Democracy is now on a dialysis machine, and continues to be supported by a breathing machine. Doctors placed Karmanlis on a respirator more than a week ago and have been unable to take him off it.

Admitted into the hospital on the 7th of April for a respiratory tract infection, concerned family members, friends and colleagues are keeping close vigil at the hospital.

[02] Cohen-Tsohatzopoulos

William Cohen met with Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos in Athens Tuesday. Their discussion touched on Nato's proposed confidence- building measures for Greece and Turkey, and the Cyprus issue.

They also talked about the possible sale of American weapons to Greece.

US defence secretary William said in Athens that it would be better for Greece and Turkey to negotiate settlements to their differnces rather than quote "shooting and shouting across the Aegean", unquote.

Greece has rejected direct negotiatins with Turkey, because Ankara wants to use them to get its numerous claims on Greek sovereign territory,

air, and sea rights on the bargaining table.

Athens will not negotiate away its legally- documented rights. Instead, it says Ankara should go to the international court if it wants to make claims on those rights in the Aegean.

During their meeting, Cohen and Tsochatzopoulos also talked about the Greek government's ambitious 24 billion dollar arms procurement plans: Washington would like Greece to choose the American-made F-15 and F-16 the fighter planes for its air force as it heads into the next century.

Greece also intends to buy missiles, ships, and tanks on the international market over the next five years. And the US is but one prospective supplier.

One American competitor is Russia, which is also trying to curry favour for its arms in Greece.

While Cohen says the US does not oppose Greece acquiring modern weapons systems, Washington is not enthusiastic about Cyprus's plans to purchase and deploy Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles this year.

Cohen repeated in his meeting with Tsochatzopoulos that Washington considers the missile deployment unhelpful to efforst to solve the Cyprus problem. Tsochatzopoulos responded that Cyprus has the right to defend itself against a possible air attack from Turkey.

[03] Holbrooke-Cyprus

Preparing the ground for that trip, US state department coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Miller has just visited the island.

After meeting with Miller in Nicosia, Cypriot president Glavcos Clirides thanked the Clinton

administration for making a priority of reuniting Cyprus.

Some observers believe the US is trying to get direct negotiations between Clirides and Turkish- Cypriot leader Raouf Denktash going again, along the lines of the Camp David talks and the more recent Dayton talks, both instances of direct US mediation.

Calling Holbrooke a tried and experienced negotiator, Clirides pointed out that he would be a willing part of any US attempts to solve the Cyprus problem, only if they fit within the framework of United Nations' efforts.

During his upcoming Cyprus visit, Holbrooke will be looking for signs of goodwill on both sides. The impressions he comes away with will greatly influence his ensuing moves.

[04] Êosovo

Since then, Belgrade and Kosovo's Albanians have not been able to sit down to reach a compromise agreement, despite western insistence that they do so.

Tension reached a high point in early March, when some 80 ethnic Albanians were killed in anti- terrorist raids by the Serbian police.

Serbia votes on a referendum Thursday on whether or not outside powers should be allowed to mediate a settlement between Serbia and Kosovo's independence-minded Albanian majority.

Belgrade has said it cannot countenance allowing Kosovo to leave Yugoslavia. Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevich has offered some autonomy to the region, but the Albanians have said that's not good enough. Against Milosevich's contention that

Kosovo is an internal matter, the ethnic Albanians have insisted that a foregin mediator be present at any negotiations.

Following the recent border clashes with Albanians, the Serbs are claiming that Albanians are smuggling arms into Kosovo to aid terrorists. The ethnic- Albanians counter that the Serbs are mounting a military build up in Kosovo, and fear that attacks and war are imminent.

[05] Former King-Property

In 1994, Pasok confiscated the former royal family's property. It also revoked their citizenship until Constantine gave up all claims on the throne that was abolished in a national referendum in 1974; and adopts a surname for his family.

Former king Constantine, his wife, and children were at Tuesday's hearing in Strasbourg, where a commission of lawyers from 40 countries representing the Council of Europe found Constantine's property claims admissable.

On the basis of that finding, the former monarch can now go to the European Court of Human Rights to reclaim his property.

But the Council of Europe commission also found against Constantine in his desire to call himself King Constantine, and demand that he be allowed to go freely to Greece like any other Greek citizen.

In Strasbourg, Constantine said he has never claimed any privileges, just his Greek identity, and the rights stemming from that.

Greek culture minister Evangelos Venizelos says the property issue is tied to the wider issues surrounding the institution of the monarchy. Venizlos says the fate of the former royals property stems from the decision of the Greek people to abolish the crown.

[06] Stock Market

That brings the total gains on the Athens exchange to an astounding 72 per cent since the government devalued the drachma just over a month ago.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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