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Antenna News in English 030996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.grlink="#00000ff" alink="#ff0000"News in English, of 03/09/1996TITLES
SIMITISTalking before his party's Central Committee, premier Kostas Simitis appealed to Greek voters to choose between the political adventure and stability in national issues and economy, directly attacking the main opposition party, New Democracy. Pasok's leader accused New Democracy for showing off an extreme populism and for fake pre-election promises.In the island of Chios, where he arrived Monday morning, prime minister Kostas Simitis was warmly welcomed by local officials and residents at the airport and the capital of the island. In his speech in front of the city-hall, Simitis talked about the two "bastions of hellenism", Evros and Cyprus, and said "We consider the Aegean as the back-bone of our nation". Mr. Simitis added, "Greece is powerful, has powerful armed forces that can avert any Turkish provocation. For us, he added, the Aegean is a highly important place, because it is related with the Greek historical tradition as well as with the future of hellenism". In his first pre-election rally, the prime minister explained his party's programme of development for the Aegean. He supported the foreign policy followed by his government over the past months. He said, "We're entering a new phase of the greek-turkish relations. Turkey is more aggressive now. But, over the past months, we have developped an important diplomatic campaign to inform the international community about Greece's positions and proposals over the two countries relations". Mr. Simitis also reminded that the financement protocol for the EU-Turkey union agreement has been stopped for the moment by all the european countries. And, the prime minister finally referred to the low-pensioners and the unemployed, saying that his government will create "a social protection tissue for the low-income citizens". EVERTThe leading main opposition party , New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert, after his two- day tour in Thrace, northeastern Greece, met with hotel owners and travel agents on Monday to discuss their problems.Evert stressed on the need to increase the country's GNP by 4% and to reduce the unemployment rates, and promised that his party, if it goes to power after the elections, will raise tourismto twenty millions by the year 2000, from the present ten million. "Greece can and must become the European centre of tourism", he told the reps of the hotel owners. In Thrace, New Democracy leader explained to the residents, his party's plans for the region's financial and social development. "We'll put the greek flag all over Greece", he said, while drawing the white-and-blue country's flag on the greek-turkish borders, on Evros the eastern Aegean islands, and on a map at the local Theatre of Alexandroupoli. SMALLPre-election tours and rallies are on the agenda of the rest of the political parties which will participate in the September 22nd's elections.Political Spring's leader Antonis Samaras is touring central Greece, after having strongly attacked Pasok and New Democracy for their economy pre-election promises. Communist party's secretary Aleka Papariga visited the Athens General State Hospital and referred to the first two parties' leaders, who where visiting Greece's remote areas. She said, "They are both returning to the spot of the crime". Left Coalition leader Nikos Konstantopoulos went to Evia this week-end, attacking both the Pasok government and New Democracy over their economy policies. And, Dimitris Tsovolas, leader of the Democratic Movement, also focused his speech on economy, saying Pasok and New Democracy have disappointed the Greek people. PANGALOSGreek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos went to Albania this week-end, where he met with Albanian president Sali Berisha and other officials.Aiming to improve the Greek-Albanian relations, Pangalos discussed issues of bilateral concern with Berisha. The two men agreed on gradually allowing the free transport of residents in the border areas as well as on legalising a part of the illegal Albanian immigrants who have come to Greece over the past years. Berisha and Pangalos also agreed on the formation of the Albanian seat at the Athens University as well as on the creation of a Greek college in Tirana. The foreign minister said, "This college will be an albanian school, which will include the greek language , and which will produce highly-educated Albanians with a good knowledge of the greek language and ARSENISFrom Albania to Cyprus, where Defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis went this week-end. Arsenis visited the families of the two Greek-Cypriots who were killed by Turkish soldiers last month in the Cyprus's neutral zone."The sacrifices of Tassos Isaak and of Solomos Solomou won't be wasted", Arsenis said, before laying wreaths at the graves of the two young men in Derinia. On Monday, Arsenis met with the Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides, the Cypriot defence minister and with the Cyprus National Guard Head Officers. In a press conference he gave later on in the day in Nicosia, the Greek defence minister referred to the joint defence doctrine. He said, "The joint defence pact has already changed the military balance in the region as well as brought positive results for Cyprus and Greece on the negotiations table". DOUKAKISFormer American president candidate Michael Doukakis, of Greek origin, came to Athens this week. The Greek-American politician has never stopped fighting for the interests of Greece, along with the leaders of the Greek-American lobby in the US.Referring to the Cyprus issue, Doukakis predicted that it will be resolved within 1997, as long as Bill Clinton is re-elected, for two reasons : the current political situation in Turkey with the Muslims in power, and the upcoming entry of Cyprus in the European Union. The Greek-American politician said Bill Clinton will exercise pressure on Turkey for the improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations, and expressed the US worries over the approach between Ankara and Teheran as well as the natural gaz agreement, which violates the embargo imposed against Iran. In a press conference he gave Monday, Michael Doukakis apologized for his "bad" greek, saying his greek vocabulary is quite poor, to express himself in political terminology! Mr. Doukakis met with the Greek president Kostis Stefanopoulos. He'll also meet with the prime minister Kostas Simitis, the New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert, the president of the parliament and the foreign minister. EPIDAVROSSir Peter Hall's direction ideas put fire on the ancient theatre of Epidavros, in the Peloponese this week-end, during the world premiere of the double "Oedipus" performance. The British Royal National Theatre presented in a unified performance, the two tragedies of ancient Greek writer Sophocles, "Oedipus the Tyrant" and "Oedipus on Kolonos".Famous director Sir Peter Hall wanted to create a magic atmosphere and so he wanted to use barrels filled with oil and lite them up. Nonetheless, any use of fire in the settings is forbidden by the archeological rules of the ancient theatre. Finally, after the culture minister approved the "hot settings", the over two thousand spectators were amazed at the theatre by the performance, the unique direction and the impressive masks, which were designed by the well-known Greek set director Dionysis Fotopoulos. © ANT1-Radio 1996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |