Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-04-18

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

News in English, 18/04/97

TITLES

• Greece says there can be no direct negotiations now, on issues separating it and Turkey.
• Aiding Albania with peacekeepers and food.
• And, Greece's soccer cup final goes the limit.

MALTA

The Greek alternate foreign minister met with the Turkish deputy minister on the sidelines of the Euro-Mediterranean confernce in Malta.

After their discussion, the Dutch foreign minister, representing Holland as the European Union's current chair, said he's optimistic that headway will be made in resolving significant Greek-Turkish differences.

But Greece is more cautious. Alternate foreign minster Giorgos Papandreou said the Dutch minister's job is to be optimistic, to help out. Papandreou added that it's too soon to draw any conclusions on what kind of initiatives will take shape, or what results they'll have.

The Greek government spokesman stressed that the committees would NOT mean the beginning of direct dialogue on issues of substance with Turkey.

There are differences that need to be settled even before the exploratory committees can be set up.

The committees would be composed of Greek and Turkish experts who are NOT politicians. That, says Greece, means the committees recommendations would not be binding.

But Turkey wants them to be binding.

A second difference is that Turkey requests the presence of a third party on the committees, something Greece rejects.

Finally, Greece wants the committees to work on the basis of the tenets of international law - something Turkey rejects.

The suggestion that the committees be set up is the third recent Greek proposal aimed at bringing Greece and Turkey closer together.

The first was the call for Turkey to take all its claims on Greece to the international court.

The second was for the two countries to take a step-by-step approach to their differences.

But Greece has maintained firmly all along that Turkey must agree to resolve its diffences with Greece legally, and without military threats.

After their discussion, the Dutch foreign minister, representing Holland as the European Union's current chair, said he's optimistic that headway will be made in resolving significant Greek-Turkish differences.

But Greece is more cautious. Alternate foreign minster Giorgos Papandreou said the Dutch minister's job is to be optimistic, to help out. Papandreou added that it's too soon to draw any conclusions on what kind of initiatives will take shape.

The Greek government spokesman stressed that the committees would NOT mean the beginning of direct dialogue on issues of substance with Turkey.

There are differences that need to be settled even before the exploratory committees can be set up.

The committees would be composed of Greek and Turkish experts who are NOT politicians. That, says Greece, means the committees recommendations would not be binding.

But Turkey wants them to be binding.

A second difference is that Turkey requests the presence of a third party on the committees, something Greece rejects.

Finally, Greece wants the committees to work on the basis of the tenets of international law - something Turkey rejects.

The suggestion that the committees be set up is the third recent Greek proposal aimed at bringing Greece and Turkey closer together.

The first was the call for Turkey to take all its claims on Greece to the international court.

The second was for the two countries to take a step-by-step approach to their differences.

But Greece has maintained firmly all along that Turkey must agree to resolve its diffences with Greece legally, and without military threats.

The first contingent of Greek troops is in Tirane; a second group is due to drop anchor at the port of Durres Friday morning. It was originally scheduled to dock at Vlore, where the troops are headed, but there are concerns over the unrest there, and fear of acts of sabotage by agents of Sali Berisha in the rebel stronghold.

Members of the Greek peacekeeping mission in Tirane are preparing for Easter by cleaning up the base they've been quartered at on the outskirts of the city.

Greek defence officials estimate it will take a week or so for the troops to get themselves sorted out in their new barracks and begin their main task of escorting aid shipments.

There are no beds, just sleeping bags on the floor, and the troops won't be getting hot food from the canteen until Friday at the earliest.

The international community wants to do what it can help Albania back to stability, and that means providing economic aid and preparing the country for democratic elections, hopefully in June.

The peacekeepers are charged with protecting food and medical aid shipments from armed gangs. And the nations participating in the peacekeeping mission will meet soon to discuss what financial measures need to be implemented to help strengthen the economy of Europe's poorest nation.

As the Greek orthodox Easter approaches, the church is doing its share to help the struggling Albanian people. Metropolitan bishop of KorytsA Christodoulos played an instrumental role in organising a shipment of 12 tonnes of food aid from Greece.

Christodoulos said his desire is to celebrate Easter with Chrisians in the region.

LIANIS

MP Giorgos Lianis, a cousin of Papandreou's widow, Dimitra Liani Papandreou, talks about Andreas's relationship with his wife, and describes events that occurred during the months Andreas Papandreou spent in the hospital just months before he died.

"The Last Leader" is the title of the book launched at the Old Parliament Hall Thursday. Lianis said the title doesn't mean there won't be anymore leaders, just that there won't be another leader like Andreas Papandreou.

Lianis claims the Pasok founder considered another towering post-war political figure, Constantinos Karamanlis, his greatest adversary, but adds that he also held him in high esteem.

At the book launch, Lianis said there was a time when he would never believe that he, a leftist, would end up singing the praises of someone like Andreas Papandreou, whom he once felt stole the left's political vision.

Antenna anchor Terence Quick read an excerpt from the book that reveals the debt Lianis feels he owes his cousin.

"From 1988 on", writes Lianis, "I lived close to Andreas Papandreou, something I owe to Dimitra Liani. I lived his great and difficult moments up close, I lived through his fall at the end of the 80s and his reemergence from the ashes".

"The Last Leader" is the title of the book launched in the Old Parliament Hall Thursday. Lianis said the title doesn't mean there won't be anymore leaders, just that there won't be another leader like Andreas Papandreou.

Lianis claims the Pasok founder considered another towering post-war political figure, Constantinos Karamanlis, his greatest adversary, but adds that he also held him in high esteem.

At the book launch, Lianis said there was a time when he would never believe that he, a leftist, would end up singing the praises of someone like Andreas Papandreou, whom he felt stole the left's political vision.

Antenna anchor Terence Quick read an excerpt from the book that reveals the respect Lianis had for Papandreou.

"From 1988 on", writes Lianis, "I lived close to Andreas Papandreou, something I owe to Dimitra Liani. I lived his great and difficult moments up close, I lived through his fall at the end of the 80s and his reemergence from the ashes".

SOCCER

After 120 minutes of rough, scoreless play, the teams lined up to shoot five penalties each.

And it's Aek that wins the shoot-out, 5-3. The Athens club lifed the trophy for the second straight year, and for the tenth time in the 65- year history of the tournament.

BASKETBALL

On Thursday, Olympiakos and Apollon teed off in game two of THEIR series. Olympiakos won the opener of that one at home by 40 points.

And is looking to wrap it up on the road, so it has time to rest up for the European Championship final four.

At home, Apollon looking to even the series, and maybe even wanting to avenge its 2-point loss to Olympiakos in the cupship final last weekend.

This is a close-fought contest. Apollon takes a six-point lead into the half, but Olympiakos reels off seven straight after the break.

Both teams hang tight from there on in, but Apollon hangs tighter. It goes ahead for good with 10 minutes to play, and hangs on for an impressive 78- 77 victory, against a team many rate as Europe's best.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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