Antenna News in English 040996

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

News in English, of 04/09/1996

TITLES

• The prime minister sets his campaign tone outlining the challenges of the new era.
• Michael Dukakis comments on Saddam Hussein's behaviour.
• And, an old train on a new run.

SIMITIS

Mr Simitis said that the national conference he was addressing that the party meeting was an opportunity for Pasok members to renew their optimism and their faith in the principles and ideals that carried Pasok from the shadows of opposition in 1974, to government in the 1980s.

He bgegan with praise of where the party's been. "Our hearts are with the late, great Andreas Papandreou, our teacher and party founder", he said, as the hall boomed with applause.

Mr Simitis built a bridge of continuity. "Just as the thought of Andreas Papandreou fed our movement", he said, "so the thought that comes out of dialogue will nourish our future".

The prime minister said Pasok had met an historic challenge in 1974: "They disparagingly called us a protest party", he said, "and they were right. In the aftermath of the military dictatorship, Pasok stood for democracy, and the end of police controls over people's lives, of the party state based on clientelism, and of state control over the mass media". In 1974, said Mr Simitis, Pasok signed a covenant with the people, promising to bring those who had long languished in the margins of society - the young, women, and workers - into the mainstream. Pasok also swore to turn Greece from a marginal country dominated by others into a sovereign state. In power, Pasok gave Greece to the Greeks. It created a modern welfare state and abolished social inequalities. Pasok had pushed Greece into the 20th century, said Mr Simitis. Now, its task is to lead Greece into the next century. The post-cold-war period is a new challenge argued the Pasok leader. The superpower standoff between the US and the Soviet Union, imposed stability on the world. Countries fell into one or the other camp.

With the collapse of communism, every nation found that there is no longer one big protector. Every country sees new opportunities to play a role in the world. Greece must be everywhere, explained Mr Simitis. Whereas during the cold war, it had a direct line only with Washington, now it must have direct lines with Brussels and the European capitals, with the Balkan capitals, with Moscow, and so on. Greece must have not one vital relatonship with a protector, but many relationships. Particularly in the Balkans, Greece has tremendous opportunities to be a leader in promoting democracy and economic development, but also in spreading culture. If Greece fails to step in, then Turkey, increasingly expansionist, will, and that's bad for Greece. And Greece is ready to defend itself against direct threats from Turkey. It's military is being modernises, the joint Greece-Cyprus defence doctrine and Greece's veto over EU funding of Turkey are all example of how Hellenism is fending for itself.

Another challenge of the future is the increasing global integration of local economies. The Greek leader told his party and the nation that states are finding it more and more difficult to exercise control over their national economies, in an age of super-national economic forces. The left and the right have reacted incorrectly to this development, said Mr Simitis. The traditional left and populist right, he explained, have turned to isolationism. But that would only lead to Greece becoming like Albania, he add. In the modern world, only economic development designed to make the Greek economy more competitive will make Greece economically dynamic. Mr Simitis also criticised the Thatcherite right in New Democracy. It's clinging to old failed policies, he claimed, a model that created discontent and social divisions. In what amounted to the announcement of his campaign platform, the prime minister took up the main aspects of New Democracy's electoral strategy: promising tax relief to the farmers and small businesses. Mr Simitis said the way forward for agriculture and business isn't spasmodic measures that bring termporary relief, but long-term plans to make farms and businesses more competitive. Pasok is giving businesses incentives to import foreign technology, which will make Greek industry more competitive. And it's encouraging young farmers to modernise production methods. Mr Simitis said Pasok is also determined to create a social welfare state that will help those who need help. Pasok will aid social insurance funds, including farmers' pension and healthcare funds, and help poor pensioners, he said. The prime minister made a strong appeal to the centre-left in his speech, calling it the natural ally of Pasok. And he appealed to those who place social cohesion high on their list of political musts. Mr Simitis called Pasok the party that has maintained, and will continue to maintain staility in Greece, through promotion of egalitarian policies.

EVERT

SMALL PARTIES

Communist Party secretary Aleka Papariga toured Athens suburbs Tuesday, and spoke to pensioners. Papariga told reporters that the government's goal has been to destroy the social security and pension system.

Left Coalition leader Nikos Konstantopoulos toured in the island of Rhodes. Dimitris Tsovolas's Democratic Movement has put together its election ticketes. Candidates on its ballots include former Pasok MPs, journalists, and popular singers.

DUKAKIS

After his meeting with Kaklamanis, Dukakis returned to Hussein, calling him clumsy, and a master of miscalculation. Kaklamanis compared the situation in Iraq with Cyprus, saying Greece would like the US to meet Turkish violations of human rights in Cyprus, the same way it responds to Hussein's trampling of human rights. In a similar vein, New Democracy vice president Iannis Varvitsiotis said he wished the US would show the same sensitivity to all violations of international law, that it does when Iraq is the violator.

IRAQ

LAPAROSCOPY

RACK RAILWAY

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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