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Antenna News in English 170796Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.grNews in English, of 17/07/1996* MEDA/REACTIONSGreece and the European Union are waiting to hear whether or not Turkey will agree to respect Greek sovereign rights.The EU has told Turkey that if it doesn't abide by the EU's request, it won't get money from the EU. After the European Union member states issued a joint statement calling on Turkey to respect Greece's sovereign rights and international law, Greece agreed to lift its veto over Turkey getting 500 million dollars from the EU through the MEDA funding programme - IF Turkey accepts the conditions laid out in the statement. In the document formulated in Brussels at Greece's request Monday, the EU says that it is extremely concerned about the consequences of the issue Turkey has made of the Greek isle of Imia. In January, Turkey laid claim to the isle, and staged a military landing on one of its rocks. US intervention defused the situation, but Turkey has continued its provocations since, talking of "grey areas" of questionable sovereignty in the Aegean, and questioning the status of the Greek island of Gavdos. The EU memo says the EU stands in solidarity with Greece, an EU member. It also says it wants to develop closer ties to Turkey. The EU says relations with Turkey must be based on the respect of border treaties and international conventions concerning the territorial integrity of EU members and Turkey. The EU believes that disputes should be resolved on the basis of international law, and without threats of violence. If Turkey insists that it has rights to Imia, then it should take its claim to the international court. Greece and the EU have opened the door to Turkey. Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos says the message to Turkey is clear: it can't violate the principles of international law with impunity. He hopes Ankara will respond positively to the EU's terms, and that relations will improve all around. European parliament president Claus Hens says, "The money set aside for the MEDA programme will reach its destinations only if the countries it is targeted for respect international law". The money isn't due to be released until mid-September. Turkey's reply to the EU memo is expected Wednesday, and all indications are that Turkey will ask the EU to drop its conditions. Greece is pleased with the EU's position. Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas says that for the first time there has been an understanding shown for Greece's views, and a message has been sent to Turkey. A number of Pasok MPs also found the EU's stand positive, but are unsure whether or not Turkey will comply. New Democracy is also taking a wait and see approach. Party spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos says his party hopes the EU and Greece have done what is necessary to stop Turkey from damaging their integrity. * ALBRIGHTThe American ambassador to the United Nations is discussing Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue with Greek politicians in Athens.Madeleine Albright's first meeting was with Greek defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis. During that meeting, a high-ranking Greek air force officer briefed Albright on the recent upsurge in Turkish violations of Greek air space in the Aegean. Albright is accompanied by US special Cyprus envoy Richard Beatty, US state department Cyprus coordinator James Williams and US Southern Europe Bureau director Robert Cavano. * PASOKGreece's government has committed itself to two policies that are hard to balance. On the one hand, it's tightening the public spending belt, to reduce the deficit and inflation. On the other hand, it's going to give working people pay raises slightly above the projected inflation rate next year.After meeting with the prime minister, economy minister Yiannos Papantoniou said the government has no projected inflation rate for 1997 yet. But it will come up with a figure by the time next year's budget goes to parliament this November. And that budget will also contain the government's pay policy for 1997. Another issue that figures strongly in the government's plans is absorption of European Unionset aside for large infrastructure projects. Those projects are seen as vital to generating economic growth in Greece. Deputy economy minister Christos Pachtas is optimistic that over 4 billion dollars in EU money will be absorbed by the end of this year. * NDThe government says it's got the country on the road to a brighter economic future. But New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert says the opposite is true: the country's economic woes will force Pasok to call early elections.Evert told leading party members that New Democracy will win those elections, adding that in a month he'll tell them which posts they'll be taking up in the next New Democracy governemnt. The opposition leader said the aim of everyone in his party is to help Greece out of it financial, social and foreign policy difficulties. Having just returned from a tour of the Aegean islands, Evert slammed the government. "On my trips around Greece", he said, "I've had the chance to see how the Greek people have been abandoned...the lack of activity everywhere. I've heard a lot about theories, meetings, and programmes, but I haven't seen any practical solutions to people's problems". * SPORTSIn sports, briefly, Greece's national basketball team showed it's got a chance of winning a medal at the Atlanta Olympics. Greece keeps it close in a friendly game with one of the world's top teams,Lithuania. Lithuania wins the exhibition contest 85-83. * BOOKAuthor Despina Tatakis has just released her fourth book, entitled "Ulysses' Wrath".At the book launch at the Athens Metropolitan Theatre, Tatakis said one of her desires is to give something to other people through her book. Her other desire is to contribute something of importance to the Greek language, and she believes her book satisfies that desire. The book is prefaced by another writer, Tasos Athanasiades, and director Manousos Manousakis. At the launch, actors Giorgos Moutsios, Dimitris Lignadis, and Stelios Kalathas read selected passages from the new book to the accompaniment of Katerina Vafeiadou's guitar. © ANT1-Radio 1996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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