Antenna News in English 070696

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

News in English, of 07/06/1996

TITLES

• The prime minister tells Turkey to start respecting international law.
• Meagre pension raises raise the ire of pensioners.
• And, a cyclist rides to clean up doctors' tarnished image.

GAVDOS

On Monday, Turkey questioned the legal status of the Greek island of Gavdo, near Crete.

The prime minister and his ministers talked about how Greece should react to Turkey's moves.

Arriving in Thessaloniki Thursday, prime minister Kostas Simitis warned Turkey to stop casting jealous glances at Greek soil, and start respecting international law and borders.

Mr Simitis's comments came on the heels of Turkey's latest provocation, this time over the isle of Gavdos.

The Turkish government says the island, the population of which is Greek, is of questionable status, and should be included in a package of talks about the Aegean.

He said the Turkish leaders disregard international law. And he advised Turkey to stop stirring up trouble with Greece as a way of taking the pressure off the unstable political situation at home.

Meeting Thursday, Mr Simitis, defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis and foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos looked specifically at what Greece can do within the ranks of Nato to underscore internationally the injustice of Turkey's latest claims about Gavdos.

Neither Mr Simitis nor his ministers made any comments after Thursday's huddle, but the extent to which Turkey appears willing to go in its diplomatic offensive against Greece has raised eyebrows even in Athens, so used to Turkish provocations.

Pangalos said Wednesday that the new Turkish claim is "outrageous. Previous Turkish claims were also outrageous, but this one reaches new limits".

Greek foreign ministry spokesman Kostas Bikas called Ankara's Gavdos claims "indefensible and funny", adding that Nato will not understand them.

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert says the "most important thing for Greece now is to get the message out to the world that the Greek people are determined to defend their sovereign rights".

Evert believes the president of the parliament should work at putting together a statement expressing that determination, a statement that would have the backing of all the country's political parties.

SIMITIS / PANGALOS / ARSENIS

People living on the island have been up in arms since Turkey picked a diplomatic fight with their home on Monday.

Manolis Bikoyiannakis, a priest, says "Gavdos was, is and will remain Greek. We will defend this particular piece of our homeland with all means".

The islanders' patriotism and national pride are running high and they want Turkey to know they'll spare no effort in resisting Turkish audacity.

One boy says "They won't take Gavdos. They would have to take Crete first, and then try to take Gavdos".

Residents held a symbolic raising of the Greek flag over their island, letting their love of homeland be seen by all.

NEW INCIDENT

Two Turkish ships carrying European tourists anchored off the Greek rocks of Platis, between the Greek islands of Kalymnos and Pserymos.

The ships were spotted by a Greek coast guard craft, which led them to the port of Kalymnos.

The captain of the "Arik Kaptan" claimed that his ship had suffered damage, so he called for the second Turkish boat, the "Tank Kelly", to tow him.

The Imia crisis that climaxed in January was rooted in a December incident: a Turkish boat aground on Imia refused Greek assistance, claiming it was in Turkish waters.

On Thursday, all the "Arik Kaptan" passengers were boarded onto the "Tank Kellly", which sailed to nearby Kos.

There were also violations of Greek airspace Thursday. Turkish air force jets entered Greek airspace during military exercises near the islands of Samos and Chios.

SIMITIS / PENSIONS

At a press conference, prime minister Kostas Simitis explained that with its new pension plan, the government has tried to meet two commitments: one is extending social solidarity to those who really need it; the other is keeping state spending on a tight rein, so Greece can fulfill European Union economic targets.

The pension problem is a big one, acknowledged the prime minister, as he talked about why he and his governmental committee decided to reject a more generous plan, that would've brought the lowest pension up to the pay for 20 days unskilled labour.

The 20-day plan backed by the trade unions also had the support of the labour minister. Evangelos Yiannopoulos distanced himself from the government's decision. Taking the microphone after Mr Simitis at the press conference where the changes were announced, Evangelos Yiannopoulos said he is not a member of the governmental committee. Naming all the members of the committee, he said they unanimously support the prime minister's recommendations.

Yiannopoulos also reminded everyone that Pasok had promised to bring back the 20-day system, which was abolished by the last New Democracy government.

Under the new plan, pensioners making 400 dollars a month will get 44 dollars more. Those getting up to 440 dollars a month, will get between 22 and 30 dollars more. Anyone with bigger pensions will get no raise.

Mr Simitis said that despite the need for belt- tightening, the government is determined to make sure that those who are really hard up, will get more money.

But trade unionists and pensioners are unhappy with what they say are miserly raises. They're planning rallies and strikes in protest.

One angry woman told Antenna the penny ante raises are shameful, and wondered if the government ministers would like it if they had to live on a few hundred dollars a month.

ALKO POLL

The poll, conducted in Athens and Thessaloniki, tapped into people's preferences a few weeks before Pasok's party congress meets to choose a vice president, to assist party leader Andreas Papandreou.

Mr Simitis polled first, the top choice of 31 per cent of people who say they support Pasok today, and of 29.9 per cent of those who voted Pasok in the 1993 national election.

Mr Simtis's main rival, Akis Tsochatzopoulos, beaten by Mr Simitis in the parliamentary race for the premiership in January, is a distant second.

Tsochatzopoulos polled 18.6 per cent and 11.2 per cent.

Defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis, justice minister Evangelos Venizelos, and development minister Vaso Papandreou are even further back.

CYCLIST

Yiannis Ouzounides is going to tour Greece on his bike in the name of the world's healers.

He's 50 years old, but Guinness Book cyclist Yiannis Ouzounides will soon be pedaling it for doctors.

His latest attempted feat will be a 3,900 kilometre trek around Greece in 16 days.

Why is he doing it? "I'm dedicating this trip to doctors from all over the world, because I believe they've been treated unfairly in recent years, because of publicity given to a few bad eggs".

Ouzounides's first first stop will be the White Tower in Thessaloniki.

His journey will also take him across the Greek mainland, and even onto two islands joined to the mainland by bridges: Levkada and Evia.

Ouzounides already has a 42-day tour of Europe notched into his bike chain, the stunt that landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Far from looking ahead to his upcoming trip with dread, Ouzounides raves about cycling. "People should leave their cars at home and go by bike", he says, "for their health and to protect the environment".

And, looking even further ahead with enthusiasm, the Guinness record holder dreams of making a bike trip around the world. But the logistics are a little prohibitive: he reckons he'll need 730 days and 60 thousand dollars to make the 115 thousand kilometre trip that would take him through 135 countries.

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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