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Antenna News in English 090896Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.grNews in English, of 09/08/1996TITLES
* TURKEYGreece's reaction was strong toward the new Turkish provocative claims that were published in the daily "Jum Hurriet" The publication was under the form of a report written by Turkish military headquarters officials.The report questions Greece's sovereign rights to one-hundred and seven islands and rocks in the eastern Aegean. Turkish daily "Jum Hurriet" published excerpts from a military report Wednesday, written by Turkish highly-ranking officers after the Imia crisis, during which Ankara questioned Greece's sovereign rights to the islands of Imia in the eastern Aegean. The report refers to one hundred and seven islands; among them, the islands of Gavdos, Imia and even of Kalymnos! Two months ago, Greece and its NATO partners rebuffed another Turkish attempt to question Greece's rights to Gavdos. At a NATO meeting in Naples, a Turkish officer asked that upcoming alliance exercises in the Aegean steer clear of the island of Gavdos, near Crete, the 300 residents of which are Greek. According to the Turkish military report published Wednesday, the islands that were not under Greece's occupation during the Balkan war, as well as those which lie within the six miles defined by the international territorial waters rules, belong to Turkey! Turkish officers also urge their country's government to convince Greece to sit on the negotiating table to discuss the Aegean status quo. It is noteworthy however that international treaties back Greece up : The Paris treaty of 1947 clearly gives Greece the right to all the Dodecanese islands, smaller islands and rocks nearby. The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which was also signed by Turkey, says that islands less than three miles from the Turkish coast belong to Turkey, which is not the case for the Imia islands. Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas called the turkish government to condemn the military report Wednesday. Defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis said, "Turkish provocative policy is not unknown", adding, "The best answer is to remain firm on Greece's positions and if needed to present powerful armed forces, ready for dissuasive operations". New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert strongly attacked Pasok's handling of Turkey, saying it has retreated before Turkey's aggressive propaganda campaign over the Aegean. Thursday, a number of Pasok's MPs talked about a more aggressive foreign policy needed to be followed by Greece. MP Christos Kipouros said "Greece should go to the International Court of the Hague for the cases of Imvros and Tenedos". Following the treaty of Lausanne, Turkey claimed the rights to several Greek islands, among them Imvros and Tenedos. Only 300 elderly people and 7 children remain from the 15 thousand Greeks in these islands. The number continues to dwindle, as Greek language and culture are being beaten back by Turkish oppression, within the framework of the Turkish ethnic cleansing. In the Greek Pentagon, high-ranking officers met Thursday morning to closely examine the military report. After the meeting, the general estimation was that this is another "firework" that has been lit up by Turkey's military regime, and that the new provocative claims are nothing more than signs of Turkey's efforts to raise the temperature in the Aegean. Greek military officials consider that the situation must be faced by the goverment calmly. * THESSALONIKITopping Athens, northern Greece's capital Thessaloniki honoured the country's Olympic winners in a splendid welcome ceremony Wednesday night.Thessaloniki prepared an impressive welcome for its athletes, the Olympic gold and silver medalists who come from northern Greece. Thousands of people gathered at the White Tower square to personally greet the athletes that made the entire Greece proud in the centennial Olympics. Melissanides, Leonides, Pikilides, Saltsides, Rentzias and many others couldn't miss the warm welcome ceremony prepared by Thessaloniki's residents. Deeply moved, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, Yiannis Melissanides, said, "I am in my hometown, Thessaloniki, the capital of Macedonia. I'm home, I'm to your house, I'm to OUR house. I thank you from deep in my heart". Thessaloniki's mayor Dinos Kosmopoulos stressed that every Greek citizen feels grateful before Greece's Olympic winners. The athletes made a tour all over Thessaloniki, through the streets that were full of people who wanted to pay honour to the Olympic medalists. Folklore dances were performed by northern Greek dance groups, and fireworks exploded in the sky, bringing the welcome ceremony to an end. * N.O.B.The honorary events for Greece's Olympic gold and silver medalists didn't end here. Vouliagmeni Naval Club held a welcome ceremony Thursday for its athletes who made Greece proud in the Golden Olympics. Nikos Kaklamanakis, Olympic gold winner in wind-surfing, the national men's water polo team, and Angeliki Skarlatou, who participated in the wind-surfing Olympic games, thanked the Club officials as well as the Greek people for the honours they were paid.Captain of the water polo team, Giorgos Mavrotas, said, "The welcome prepared for us by our Club and by the Athenians, made us think that our hard work was worthwhile". Olympic gold winner Nikos Kaklamanakis said, "I did my best, I've worked hard over the past nine years, and I achieved my goals with the help and the support of my family and of the people who believed in me as well as all of the other Greek Olympic athletes". The Greek men's water polo team finished a respectable sixth, which is the best position it ever got in the Olympics. * MERCHANT MARINEThe Merchant Marine ministry honoured two of Greece's Olympic winners, Niki Xanthou and Olga Vasdeki, in a special awarding ceremony held Wednesday.Xanthou and Vasdeki were awarded with the Harbor Corps coat-of-arms and acclaimed officers of the Corps. Niki Xanthou finished a respectable fourth in the women's long jump, and Olga Vasdeki placed sixth in the women's triple jump, with a 14.44 metre performance. In the next few days, the Merchant Marine ministry will also honour the coach of Greece's national basketball team, Makis Dendrinos, and national polo's team's athlete, Kostas Loudis, who were acclaimed officers of the Harbor Corps, as well. After the Greek state and people paid honour to Greece's Olympic medalists, the sports organisations held their honorary events Wednesday night, the Gymnastics and Track-and-Field Sports Association held an official dinner in honour of the Greek athletes, who made their country proud in the centennial Olympics. * EVERTWrapping up his tours all over Greece, New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert went to Evros in northeastern Greece, on Thurdsay.Evert was briefed by residents of the border area on financial and other problems they face. Dairy production is a key-factor for the financial development of the area, as most of the residents are dairy farmers. Evert told people in Evros, "I believe that the primary sector, especially in border regions like yours, it is not an economy matter, nor a matter of survival among the classess between civilians, produce or dairy farmers ; it is primarily a national issue". The opposition leader has taken his party's platform to people all over Greece, by tours that have two aims, as he once said : to give him a first-hand look at the problems people are facing; and to encourage other political party leaders to make similar tours. * SCOUTSTwo thousand and one hundred children from all over the world were hosted in the international camp of the Greek Scoutmasters Union at KyparissIa, in the Peloponese.The nearly ten-day camp's activities were organised by the Union under the auspices of president Kostis Stefanopoulos. They included sea sports, like sailing, swimming, lifeguarding lessons, traditional wood painting, greek folklore dances and others. Scoutmasters from all over the world said they enjoyed living in the camp. Andriana from Brazil and Juno from Singapure found quite interesting getting to know Greek people and Greece's tradition, as well as performing sea sports. The children left back to their countries this week, but they will certainly not forget the KyparissIa international camp nor the greek hospitality. © ANT1-Radio 1996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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