Antenna: News in English, 96-11-22

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

News in English, of 22/11/1996

TITLES

• Greece says it won't negotiate away its rights.
• Transplants save the lives of three people
• And, the pride of the Greek merchant fleet.

PANGALOS

At a press conference Thursday morning, Pangalos made Greece's views on Turkey clear.

PANGALOS

Turkey wants these issues delt with simultaneously at the International Court in the Hague.

Greece's foreign minister explained:

"Given the fact that all Greek-Turkish problems stem from Turkey's hostile and agressive acts, demands and claims, a ''package'' of Greek-Turkish disputes wouldd only result in Turkish conquests and Greek concessions. Of course, we couldn't even think of considering such a ''package''".

Mr. Pangalos stressed that a necessary condition for improving bilateral relations is that Turkey must lift its territorial claims of the Greek soil.

Turkey has been trying to intimidate Greece into coming to the negotiating table to discuss the Aegean status quo as a whole.

But, Greece rejects Turkey's moves ,saying it will not negotiate away its territorial rights,because international treaties support Greece's sovereign rights in the region.

FM Pangalos said, "I'm giving a reply to the Turkish proposal over the two countries' relations. This proposal, allow me to describe it in my own words, is of the ''let's sit at the negotiating table to work it out''kind.

This is an old position expressed by Turkey, which means, in political terms, to proceed to talks without any legal framework, without principles and without defined limits, in an atmosphere of threats of violence and war".

"Turkey, considers itself more powerful,and wishes to impose its solutions on a country it considers to be weaker, meaning Greece".

Pangalos continued. "Well, we cannot accept that as a method and/or a mentality of contact between the two countries", he added.

In an exclusive report, Antenna revealed that, Next Monday, the Irish chairmanship of the EU will propose to the Union's foreign ministers Council, to find, quote,"a satisfactory formula confirming Turkey's intention to resolve its differences with any EU member, according to the international law, and with the help of the international court".

When asked by reporters to comment on the Irish report, Pangalos called it a " quite bad text". The report is expected to be rejected by Greece in the up-coming EU's foreign ministers council.

INTELLECTUALS

NATO's considering charging Italy, Greece or Turkey with responsibility for Alliance operations in the Aegean, according to circumstances.

The protest statement says the NATO plan would in reality form a joint Greek-Turkish defence area in the Aegean, without specifying what the operational authority limits would be.

The NATO plan would lead to the partition of the Aegean, according to the statement. Prominent Greeks and Cypriots who signed the protest document say what would be needed is specification of Nato's operational control over Greek and Turkish military forces in the region.

ECONOMY

The civil servants' trade union announced that its members will strike over the government's 1997 pay proposals on November 28th.

Primary school teachers are going to strike a day before that, and high school teachers will be out in early December.

Pensioners, unhappy with the raises their getting next year are holding a protest rally on December 10th.

TRANSPLANT

A fifteen-year-old boy who died in a car accident, gave three people new hope for life. 20-year-old Giorgos KanOUlas received a new heart, and 55- year-old Eleftherios DOUbas a new kidney. Doubas's daughter warmly thanked the donor's family for having drawn life out of death.

49-year-old Christos KassOUmis underwent a liver tranpslant. His family members, deeply moved, also thanked the family of the unfortunate boy.

Last week, there were eleven transplants carried out at the Ippokratio Hospital in Thessaloniki, an encouraging number which gives added hope to people whose only chance of a longer life is a transplant.

BASKETBALL

MERCHANT MARINE

Merchant marine minister Stavros Soumakis said, "Only in a free environment can there be a competitive shipping industry, with all the benefits that brings to internationally.

"Greek shipowners have proved for over four thousand years that they can adapt to any circumstances", City University professor Kostas Grammenos said.

Alexios Rodopoulos, of the Royal Bank of Scotland the future of Greek merchant fleet is in very good hands.

The Greek fleet is the largest in the European Union and the third largest in the world. The fleet boasts half of the EU's carrying capacity, and 7 per cent of the world's capacity.

©ANT1-Radio 1996

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