Antenna: News in English, 97-01-09

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

News in English, 09/01/97

TITLES

• Turkey threatens Cyprus with war***.
• New Democracy pulls together for its congress***.
• And, Christmas for Orthodox Christians on the Julian Calandar***.

CYPRUS

The US is concerned by free Cyprus's decision to purchase a Russian anti- missile system.

A US official will visit Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus in coming days, attempting to convince all sides that armaments are not the way to resolve anything.

But Greece and Cyprus say the problem is Turkey's threats, and its military occupation of northern Cyprus.

US state department Southern Europe Bureau director Carey Cavanaugh hopes he can use a week-long trip to Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to defuse tensions in the region and promote goodwill between neighbours.

He will urge Turkey and Greece to restrict their military flights over Cyprus and reduce the number of troops manning the line between free and Turkish-held Cyprus.

US concern over tensions in the area haS grown in the face of a Cypriot decision to buy Russian land-to-air missiles to strengthen its defence umbrella against Turkey.

Madeleine Albright, the US secretary of state nominee, told the senate that solving the Cyprus problem is a priority for the Clinton White House.

US ambassador to Greece Thomas Niles expressed American chagrin over the missile sale during a meeting with the Greek foreign minister again Wednesday.

But the military journal, Jane's Defence Weekly, notes the superiority of Turkish forces in Cyprus, and says the Cypriot defence purchase is an attempt to establish a balance.

And, citing Turkey's military stranglehold on northern Cyprus, and Ankara's bullying words and behaviour, Greece and Cyprus say the missile purchase falls within any state's rights to defend itself.

Cyprus is determined to instal the Russian anti- missile system, for defensive purposes.

On Wednesday, the Turkish defence minister provided a characteristic sample of Turkey's approach to diplomacy, issuing a threat that Turkey would repeat what it did in 1974, when it launched an invasion of Cyprus, if it deemed such action necessary.

The British foreign office intends to ask the Turks for an explanation of that provocative comment.

In Greece, there is widespread consensus that Cyprus must beef up its defences.

Education minister and former defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis says Greece should avoid creating tensions, but should not back down before Turkish aggression either. He adds that the joint Greece- Cyprus defence doctrine is the cornerstone of Greek and Cypriot defence against Turkey.

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas challenges the Turks to turn to real diplomacy in soving the problems of cyprus, and work for total de- militarisation of th island.

Pasok MP Thodoros Katsanevas cites Turkey's constant threats to use force against Greece and Cyprus in explaining the need for an effective deterrent.

"As an independent state", he says, "Cyprus has a right to protect itself".

He turns the criticism of the missile deal around, asking why Western nations haven't been more energetic about demilitarising Cyprus, which would mean getting Turkey's troops out?

Another Pasok MP, Thanasis Matis, says 22 years of occupation of the north by Turkey is reason enough for free Cyprus to arm itself.

Greece can well empathise with Cyprus in its fear of Turkey. Greek forces have been keeping a wary eye on Turkish ships violating Greek waters in the Aegean. Turkish war games which include exercises to prepare troops for landings on Greek islands, are under way.

And two Turkish oceanographers, the Piri Race and the Sismik were out in the Aegean recently, also testing Greek nerves.

ND

The party's executive bureau unanimously ratified points of agreement worked out by the two men likely to be the main leadership contenders at the congress: Miltiades Evert and Giorgos Souflias.

On Tuesday, New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert, MP Giorgos Souflias and party vice president Yiannis Varvitsiotis came to an agreement on some of the congress-related issues that have been creating discord. And the agreed that the congress, which will elect a new leader, should be held on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of March.

Evert will now meet with former prime minister Georgios Rallis to see if he's willing to take on the job of heading the congress steering committee.

The main issue separating Evert and Souflias is how the additional delegates to the congress are to be chosen. Souflias wants them elected by the party base. That has not been accepted. Instead, 774 added delegates will be chosen by two committees, one of three members, the other of seven.

And reports are that MPs close to Evert opponent Constantinos Mitsotakis are upset with Souflias for what they see as backing down on the issue.

But most of the party's MPs are relieved at the agreement, and happy that the congress looks set to happen without any quibbling over organisational questions.

Andreas Karagounis says party unity is the only consideration, not the desires of groups or individuals.

Giorgos Karatzaferis hopes that the congress will resolve the leadership issue and put an end to what he calls the introspection that has been gripping the party since 1990.

And Antonis Foussas is optimistic that the road to an open, democratic congress has now been paved.

TAXES

Deputy finance minister Giorgos Dris submitted to parliament the government's amendments to its own 1997 tax bill.

Greeks living abroad, who have deposits in Greek banks for fixed periods of time will not pay tax on current deposit contracts. But interest gained on future contracts will be taxed.

The government has accepted a shipping companies' request that a 2.4 per cent government levy on their foreign bank loans be abolished.

And the bill will reduce the tax threshold on second homes. The old threshold was homes 120 square metres and over; now it will be 100 square metres and up.

TRANSPORT

Within a week, there will be more public buses in service, and there will be extended services to other parts of the Attic Peninsula.

There will also be complaint boxes for bus-riders with a grumble.

And, on the other side of the comlaint fence, people used to riding without a ticket, look out: the bus company says it's going to be more rigorous about handing out fines to the unticketed. It adds that of the 37 million passengers who use Athenian buses monthly, 4 million don't bother to pay the 30-cent charge.

X/MAS

People who use the Julian calendar hold Christmas on January 7th, instead of December 25th.

"Our Saviour's" Cathedral in Moscow was jammed for the Christmas mass said by Russian orthodox patriarch Alexios the Second.

Orthodox Serbs also follow the "Julian calendar". Thousands of supporters of the Serbian opposition parties ignored the government ban on large public gatherings, and assembled in central Belgrade on their Christmas Eve Monday.

At Saint Savas cathedral, patriarch of Serbia Pavlos said mass.

In Bethlehem, thousands of people filled the Church of Genesis for Christmas mass.

Palestian leader Yiasser Arafat attended the mass, showing his solidarity with Orthodox Palestinians.

PAYROLL

According to the government's proposal, a minimum entry-level wage of 183 thousand drachmas will be instituted, while the ending-level wage will be of 413 thousand.

Furthermore, civil servants will get an additional amount of 2.5 percent raise (διορθωτικό) by January the 1st and will see their wage increased by 2%, while by July the 1st the wages' increase will be of 2.5%. Public workers' wage will increase by 6 to 9% in average during the year.

© ANT1-Radio 1997

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