Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-07-24

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

Last Updated: Friday, 24-Jul-98 21:25:59

CONTENTS

[01] Reppas called psychotic Demirels' statement

[02] 24th anniversary of the restoration of Democracy

[03] Simitis-Farmers

[04] Fires continue to cause damage

[05] Giovanoudas

[06] Sports

[01] Reppas called psychotic Demirels' statement

Suleiman Demirel, who visits Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus Saturday, made the comment in the Turkish daily Milliet.

Suleiman Demirel maintains that while the Ottoman Empire had no choice but to give Crete to Greece, Turkey has no intention of giving Cyprus to Greece.

The Turkish president justifies Turkey's bloody 1974 invasion of the island, saying it saved the Turkish-Cypriots from ethnic cleansing.

Demirel also issues threats against anyone who dares to lay a hand on occupied Cyprus - even though not one has any intention of doing so.

And, consistent with past Turkish threats to annex northern Cyprus outright, he says the occupied territory is going to be economically-integrated with Turkey.

Greece and Cyprus are concerned about the aggressive tones issuing from Ankara.

Cyprus plans to buy Russian anti-aircraft missiles this autumn to defend itself against Turkish aggression.

Ankara says it will prevent the missile deployment. Greece and Cyprus are angry that the western powers are doing nothing to deter Turkey's bellicosity.

The Cypriot government spokesman calls Demirel's latest statement on the integration of northern Cyprus with Turkey proof of Turkish intentions. "The internationl community must stop caressing Turkey and tolerating its actions against Cyprus", he says.

Greece feels the same way. There is irritation in Athens over Washington's apparent indifference to Demirel's latest statement and its persistent application of pressure to get Cyprus to cancel its

missile deployment plans.

After the White House spokesman referred to the 1974 Turkish military campaign in Cyprus as a conflict rather than an invasion, Greek officials responded sharply.

Defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos said the comment was ahistorical, and, since it can only serve to encourage Turkish aggression, it increases the chances of a shooting war between Greece and Turkey.

[02] 24th anniversary of the restoration of Democracy

President Kostis Stephanopoulos held the traditional reception at his official Athens residence.

Stephanopoulos said the anniversary is an important occasion, as it underscroes the fact that a quarter of a century after the end of military rule, the nation's democratic institutions are robust.

"Over the past 24 years", added the president, "several generations have been born who have never known what it's like to live under repression, and be denied basic democratic rights. My message to them is that democracy isn't a given. It was won through struggle, and struggles are needed still to make it better. EVeryone needs to participate in our political life to guarantee a democratic future".

[03] Simitis-Farmers

Kostas Simitis was in the Peloponese.

On Friday he was in Epidavros. Earlier, he was in Argos, and agricultural heartland.

Simitis, whose refusal to increase state subsidies of the nation's farmers has left many who live off the land disgruntled.

But he defended his policies in the Peloponese, saying that modernisation, not hand outs, is the way forward for agriculture.

Simitis said that new technology and new farming methods are the key to higher productivity, and higher productivity is what will make Greek products competitive on the global market.

The prime minister added that he expects young farmers, those who aren't stuck in old ways, to take the lead in changing the face of agriculture.

[04] Fires continue to cause damage

And on Friday, two of the firemen who lost their lives in a fire outside Athens Wednesday were buried.

Two men were missing Friday evening after a fire broke out in the Trapeza region near Aigio in the northern Peloponese.

Once again, high winds proved to be man's worst enemy, pushing the flames on through trees and dry grass, and leaving homes engulfed in smoke.

To the west, the outskirts of port city of Patra were alight - the fire there started just after midnight Thursday, threatening homes on through the night.

In Evia, a fire that began Thursday flared up in several places Friday. That blaze has turned

thousands of acres of farmland into wasteland.

A blaze in Chalkidiki in northern Greece has destroyed over four thousand acres since last Saturday.

The rash of forest fires has cost four lives. Two of the three firemen who died in a blaze in an Athens suburb Wednesday were buried Friday.

Alexandros Diavolis was buried in Athens subub of Nikaia early in the day.

One man who attended that service with a bouquet of flowers said losing a fireman is like losing a friend. The anonymous mourner was pulled out of a burning house a year ago. He never found out who'd saved him, and so wanted to pay his respects to Diavolis.

Themistocles Mavroides and Dimitris Maloukos died along with Diavolis in that fire.

Maloukos was buried Thrusday; Mavroides was laid to rest Friday.

The fourth person who lost his life in that fire is believed to be 20-year- old volunteer firefighter Dimitris Karomolegos. A DNA test will be needed to identify the badly-charred body.

While his parents continue to search the charred woodland for their son, all indications are that the burnt body is Dimitris.

Thanasis Exarchopoulos, also a volunteer, was with Dimitris just before he disappeared Wednesday. "I told him to go into the fire with me, but he insisted on taking his own car", relates Exarchopoulos. "He passed me on the road, and that's the last I saw of him".

[05] Giovanoudas

Dr Ganatsios gave his account of the struggle at the entrance of an apartment building earlier this month.

MP Varsamis Giovanoudas was expelled from New Democracy Wednesday, on the heels of claims by 25- year-old Maria Katavati that he had hit her repeatedly during a quarrel.

Katavati claims she'd had an affair with Giovanoudas and has produced forged divorce papers documenting Giovanoudas's divorce from his wife.

Katavati says that she ended cut all ties with the MP in 1997. But Antenna has learned that he represented her in a case against her employer in February of this year.

Dr Ganatsios's wife maintains her husband had had an on-again off-again affair with Katavati.

Giovanoudas says the charges against him are lies, and that he's been set up. He also says that Katavati's insistence on pursuing her charges are turning the affair into a soap opera.

He intends to press charges against those responsible for distorting the truth in defaming him.

[06] Sports

Kareem Abdul Jabbar arrives in Athens July 30th, where he will instruct kids taking part in the Panellinios-Adidas Street Ball tournament.

Jabbar will also be at the Antenna stand at the world basketball championship to sign autographs.

Jabbar, who starred for the Milwaukee Bucks and

Los Angeles Lakers in the 1960s and 70s, was the NBA rookie of the year in 1969, and went on to win several championships.

He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, and also tops the league's all- time list in blocked shots.

In Athens, Jabbar will take in the three-on-three streeball tournament for youngsters, giving players pointers on their game.

In other basketball news, Greece's prodigal son is coming home. All-star guard Giorgos Sigalas, who spent last season in Italy, has signed a two- year contrct with Aris of Thessaloniki.

The guard who rose to stardom with Olympiakos of Athens before jumping across the Adriatic to play with Stefanel of Milan, will be paid to the tune of 1.4 million dollars by Aris.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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