Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-27

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

News in English, 27/03/97

TITLES

• The new, young leader of the main opposition party gets good words from the president.
• Greeks everywhere remember independence day.
• And, searching for a way back to law and order in Albania.

KARAMANLIS

Kostis Stephanopoulos told Kostas Karamanlis, elected party leader last Friday, that age shouldn't be an obstacle to any politician moving up, provided he's able.

Kostas Karamanlis had his first meeting as New Democracy leader with Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos.

Wishing him every success in his new post, Stephanopoulos told Karamanlis he think's it's important that a relatively young politician has become the main opposition leader.

Stephanopoulos added that, of course, age shouldn't be the criterion by which politicians are judged. He said that ability, not age, should be the criterion.

Karamanlis agreed.

After the meeting, Karamanlis said the main opposition party plays a crucial role in a democracy, calling it democracy's reserve. But playing second fiddle is not Karamanlis's ambition. He also said the task before the party now is to create the conditions so it can quote play a leading role in contributing to the nation".

Before his meeting with the nation's president, Karamanlis officially moved into his new office at New Democracy headquarters, where staff members gave him a warm welcome.

Among those who met with Karamanlis was the man he replaced: Miltiades Evert. Evert briefed his replacement on party matters. Afterwards, Evert issued a plea to his party colleagues, one he said he couldn't issue when HE was leader. That plea was that everyone leave the public statements to the party leader.

PARADE/MILITARY

Today's men and women in uniform also showed that the armed forces are still prepared to defend their country.

Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos and the rest of the country's political leadership were on hand to honour the country's people in uniform, past and present, as they marched on independence day.

Stephanopoulos said, "What matters is that this national holiday revives our sense of patriotism, which is itself nothing more than a reminder of our duty to our country".

Prime minister Kostas Simitis said the paraded showed that morale in the ranks is high. He added that his government's goal is to give them even better arms, so they'll be even better prepared to defend the country.

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis said national regeneration requires national consensus, and quality in speech and behaviour.

Defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos said the country's armed forces guarantee the nation's security.

A mass was held in memory of the revolution at Athens Metropolitan Cathedral. After the service, parliament president Apostolos Kakalamanis talked about Greek-Turkish relations, saying that Greece should close all of it foreign policy fronts, and deal with the danger from Turkey.

Before the parade began the President of the republic Kostis Stefanopoulos laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

There was also a military parade in Thessaloniki. There, students marched ahead of the armed forces. Representing the government, Macedonia and Thrace minister Philippos Petsalnikos said that in forging national unity, we must build the basis for a stronger Greece, one which will be a basic factor promoting peace and democracy in the region.

PARADE/NY

Archbishop of America Spyridon said, "This parade is majestic - it leaves no one untouched. We should be proud of such events, which honour every Greek".

Greek public order minister Giorgos Romeos, who also attended the parade, said, "Through their parade, the Greeks of the diaspora showed that they are present - that's important to the ongoing defence of Greek independence".

And president Bill Clinton sent an independence day message, praising the great contribution of Greeks to philosophy, literature, architecture, and the influence of Greek ideas on the US founding fathers.

Citing the close relatons that bind Greece and the US, Bill Clinton says the US looks forward to close cooperation with Greece in the years ahead, as both countries look for ways of advancing peace around the world.

TURKEY

Comments attributed to Turkish prime minister Netzmetin Erbakan angered German foreign minister Klaus Kinkel.

Erbakan reportedly said that Europeans should bow their heads in shame before Turkey.

That prompted a harsh reply from Kinkel, who said no European will ever bow his head, and warned Turkey that IT will not become an EU member until it works out its problems with Greece and improves its human rights record.

While Germany admonished Turkey, the chief of Turkey's military joint chief of staff, Ismail Hakki Karantagi made a show of apparent goodwill toward Greece, visiting the Greek embassy in Ankara on Greek independence day. It was the first time since 1991 that a Turkish chief of staff attended a formal Greek embassy function.

Karantagi told the Greek ambassador their countries should start a dialogue with his country, saying that what unites the two countries is greater than what divides them. The general also invited his Greek counterpart to visit Turkey.

Despite the show of apparent good intentions, though, Greece saw more of what it's used to: two Turkish F-16s flew provocatively over the Greek island of Kastelorizo Wednesday.

ALBANIA

Antenna sources say that there have been battles for control of the city of Argyrokastro, between various organised groups of criminals.

As residents fear for their safety and welfare, the concern of the authorities is to restore order.

Gangs trying to sell protection to shopkeepers engaged in shooting street battles inArgyrokastro Wednesday.

Hundreds of Albanians in search of exit visas to Greek waited outside the Greek consulate, which has been hit by bullets.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon 19 people lost their lives in weapon-related incidents.

Daily, people wounded in southern Albania are admitted to hospitals in Corfu and Iannena.

Among them, 65-year-old Sophia Nasou, from a village near Saranta was shot in the stomach by an armed intruder in her home.

She says the man went through everything she owns.

A man wounded in the shooting in Argyrokastro Wednesday, also ended up in the hospital in Iannena, as did 10 other people, most of THEM wounded in Avlona.

Children also have easy access to firearms and explosives; sometimes they pay a high price for that access. One ten-year-old boy was admitted to a Greek hospital after a training grenade he was playing with blew up, injuring his face, and taking off three of his fingers.

Restoring order to the country is the chief aim of the authorities, who are asking the international community for help.

A European Union delegation visited Tirane Wednesday, to study ways of helping the local authorities protect shipments of humanitarian aid, and to consider the possible dispatch of a European police force to help safeguard international aid from criminal elements.

EU commissioner Emma Bonino warns that if international intervention fails to hold things together, then the upheaval could spread beyond Albania's borders.

Rebel leaders in southern Albania still insist that president Sali Berisha must resign before they give up their weapons. But they also say they want law and order.

Local rebel leaders Gkiolek Malay of Tebeleni, Agim Gozita of Argyrokastro, and Tzevat Kotsiou of Saranta met with Merian Tseka, leader of the moderate Democratic Alliance Party.

Afterwards, Tseka told Antenna that what's important, is restoring order.

"I come here to meet people to speak with them and to establish a dialogue between politics and insurrection and local power. The main aim is to organise the normal life here in the south of Albania".

Rebel leaders reject attempts to tie the rebellion to the looting. Malay says that the state secret services are responsible for the looting and robbing.

What ordinary people want, says Thomas Mitsiou, an ethnic-Greek who sits in the Albanian parliament, is their safety guaranteed.

Some ordinary people are saying enough is enough. Residents in one village near Delvino arrested one man, accused of being involved in robberies. The residents say they'll release him when the looting stops.

EU

Antenna's Anna Boutou talked to Stelios Perrakis, secretary of European affairs at the Greek foreign minister, on the EU's 40th anniversary.

The European idea was actually born in 1950, when the same six countries that signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957 - Belgium, France, Germanly, Holland, Italy, and Luxembourg - formed the European Coal and Steel Joint Venture, in an attempt to unite their economies.

Jean Monet, one of the pioneers of the united Europe, said, "We don't want to unite countries, but people".

Today, the EU comprises 15 countries, and a total population of 372 million people.

Four decades after it all started, the question is, is where is Europe going.

Stelios Perrakis, Greece's secretary for European affairs, says that the next step in the new century should be for the EU to take in 11 new members, including Cyprus and nations in central and eastern Europe.

At the same time, he tells Antenna's Anna Boutou, the EU has got to change qualitatively, deepening the ties between existing members.

Perrakis says that Greece has been altered by its membership of the EU, which began in 1981.

The quality of life has improved, there's more proteciton of the environment and consumers, and there have been improvements in transportation. Perrakis also says that EU membership has meant good incomes for Greek farmers. He adds that wherever EU policy is implemented, it has a clearly positive effect.

Perrakis says that the EU is about more than just economic union. "Though it took time", he explains, "there is a new idea being developed today, especially after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, the idea of a European nationality, and the rights of European citizens".

ARSAKIO

The first meeting of drama students from around Europe was held in Athens. It was sponsored by the Arsakio school, the Karolos Koon art theatre and the University of Athens.

Giorgos Babiniotis, chairman of the Friends of Education Society, told reporters that the ambitious new theatrical programme will bring European schoolkids closer together.

The city of Athens is helping ensure the initiative is a success, providing state campgrounds for the participating students to stay at.

BASKETBALL

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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