Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-11-04

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

Last Updated: Tuesday, 04-Nov-97 11:36:26

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis-Gilmaz

[02] U.S-Holbrooke

[03] Summit of the Balkan States

[04] Turkey press

[05] Entert Wives

[06] Vartholomeos

[07] Economy

[08] Sports

[01] Simitis-Gilmaz

They focussed on the non-aggression pact they'd agreed to at the Nato summit in Madrid in July, and ways of getting it back on track.

Earlier, Greece seemed to have abandoned its line that little would come out of the meeting, as did Turkey.

American sources say the US had been urging Simitis and Yilmaz to reach some sort of agreement on confidence-building measures.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos said

Greece believes all problems between the two counries can be resolved on the basis of existing international treaties and the arbitration of the International Court.

On his way to the conference, Yilmaz said he was going into it without much optimism, but willing to discuss confidence building measures and a non- aggression agreement.

Turkish foreign minister Ismael Gem said it was up to the Greek and Turkish premiers to make the meeting productive. He reiterated Turkey's demand for talks on all issues with Greece.

"That means that the Prime minister of Greece ......empty handed.....no results....empty handed....it's up to them". "We're ready to try to solve all problems .....UN charts....arbitration.....we have to talk....the means to solve".

And, while Gem was repeating Turkey's stock line, essentially asking Greece to negotiate away its sovereign rights in th Aegean, by putting all Turkey's claims on the table, 40 Turkish warplanes violated Greek- controlled airspace.

The first F-16s and F-4 Phantoms entered the Greek airspace Monday morning. In one case, jets approached Samos; two more flew as far as the central Aegean; and Turkish jets were intercepted near Chios, Samos, Lesvos, and Limnos. Both Greece and Turkey are conducting military exercises in the eastern Aegean.

[02] U.S-Holbrooke

US Cyprus mediator Richard Holbrooke talked to Antenna's Alexandra Spyridaki And Turkish TV station Kanal Deh shortly before the conference, about Greek-Turkish relations.

Holbrooke said the US does not believe Turkey's assertion that Greece desires conflict in the Aegean.

"Ah, yesterday, high Turkish officials stated publicly....

Richard Holbrooke, who recently met with Turkish- Cypriot leader Raouf Denktash in New York, also talked to Spyridaki and Turkey's KanAl Deh about the Cyprus issue.

Appearing to dismiss the view that Greece is an obstacle to Turkey joining the EU, Holbrooke said its the EU's lack of a central foreign policy that's to blame for much of the lack of coordination between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots when it comes to Cypriot admission into the EU.

"I think the EU would've been better...for the last year..."

"Are you saying Mr Denktash?"

"No, the EU's internal processes are so complicated....EU counterpart".

"Did you propose it and they turned you down?"

"Van den Broek says that that's part of.... versus the presidency".

[03] Summit of the Balkan States

As eight Balkan nation leaders came together, Simitis said the Balkans' goal is to become a mini European Union.

And the Balkan leaders expressed the desire to hold regular meetings, and for finance, trade, foreign and environment ministers also to hold regular meetings.

The Greek prime minister opened the conference, telling his Balkan colleagues, "We must build bridges between our different cultures, promoting our common interest".

Kostas Simitis talked of the importance of financial cooperaton too, the need to build strong networks of communication and transport, and to develop energy sources.

"By building a new reality in our region together", he said, "we can turn the page in southeastern Europe's history, striving for a solidarity that developed nations more or less take for granted".

Asking the eight Balkan leaders to overcome the stereotyped relations of the past Simitis said, "We all have a past which defines us to a certain point, but we should try to overcome it so that we can focus together on the future, united.

I> "We are at a crossroads", he continued, "insisting on maintaining old ways will only lead to defeat. The same holds true if we turn back to a past of hostility and antagonism".

"The only way to achieve solidarity is through hard work and consistency", he added.

All Balkan leaders spoke positively about the summit.

Fyrom president Kiro Gligorov, who had a meeting with Simitis, urged Balkan leaders to put an end to the isolation that exists between them.

Turkish prime minister Mesout Yilmaz congratulated Greece for initiating the summit, and called on all Balkan states to look toward the EU.

Before the summit on Monday, Simitis met with Albanian premier Fatos Nano, who spoke in a spirit of friendship:

"We'll have a new opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation and partnership which already is very substantial and very encouraging for an everlasting future".

Simitis said they agree on the importance of relations between Balkan states, and look forward to building a strong and united southeastern Europe.

Simitis and Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevich met Sunday, agreeing the Crete conference must be a success.

"I expect that relations between the countries in the region will have positive (results) and consequently this meeting will be succesful".

Simitis said they talked about the Kossovo issue. In Kossovo, Serbia, there is a large Albanian minorityh, and there have been frictions.

The Greek premier said Milosevich and Nano would discuss the issue Monday.

Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said the second half of Monday's meetings were given over to discussing commonly accepted international rules of behaviour, democracy, human rights, and the promotion of the free market economy.

[04] Turkey press

The Turkish press termed the Simitis Yilmaz meeting "positive" in the run- up to it on Sunday and Monday.

Turkish media saw it as a chance to reduce Greek- Turkish tensions.

The daily "Hurriyet" was the only paper to carry it on the front page. It carried prime minister Mesout Yilmaz's statement that quote "if we're not careful we could have an accidental military episode in the Aegean" unquote.

Most of the other Turkish dailies ran the summit on the third or fourth page though, referring mainly to Simitis and Yilmaz's warm and brief meeting at the Balkan leaders' banquet.

[05] Entertainment of prime minister's Wives

Balkan leaders and their wives were entertained by folk dances, and Takis Biniaris, who sang the songs of Manos Hatzidakis and songs from the other Balkan countries.

Biniaris said he discovered that Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas has a great voice.

Prime minister Simitis sat between the Turkish prime minister and his wife, and Fyrom leader Kiro Gligorov and his wife.

On Monday, the Balkan leaders' wives did some sightseeing with Mrs Simitis.

The Turkish leader's wife was the only one who didn't join the party as it visited the Iraklio Archeological Museum Monday.

A gold copy of the famous Cretan Bee was presented to all the Balkan leaders' wives, who later visited the city hall.

In the afternoon, they visited the monastery of St Irini in Rethymno, before ending the day with a supper at a traditional taverna.

[06] Vartholomeos

Vartholomeos said both King and the Orthodox Church are committed to the same ideals of freedom and justice.

Welcoming ecumenical orthodox patriarch Vartholomeos to Atlanta at the Martin Luther King Centre, King's widow, Coretta King, called him an apostle of love and equality.

"This occasion today honours my husband as one of the great....great courage and commitment in meeting this challenge".

Vartholomeos said he felt it incumbent upon him to pay homage to King at his tomb.

Said the patriarch:

"We visited the memorial of a man who sacrificed his life at a very young age to the ideals of freedom and justice, for human rights, and for equality. He was a martyr of freedom".

Vartholomeos added that former orthodox archbishop of America Iakovos had frequently communicated

with civil rights leader King.

The patriarch said he's confident that the new archbishop, Spyridon, will continue to honour King's memory, as will all Greek-Americans, because King's ideals are common to all humanity. "They are the lofty principles", expalined Vartholomeos, "which the Orthodox Church has taught through the ages".

Vartholomeos was welcomed to Atlanta not only by Coretta King, but by the orthodox faithful. There were flowers and enthusiastic warmth awaiting the spiritual leader of hundreds of millions of people at the Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral, where the patriarch took part in a doxology of thanks.

Vartholomeos also took part in an ecumenical prayer for peace at the Olympic park in Atlanta.

Vartholomeos addressed the youth.

"We humbly pray for a prize still greater humbly before the Lord, we beseech him for this greatest of all gifts, the gift of peace and understanding between human kind".

Then the patriarch symbolically blessed two doves, beacons of peace that were then released into the air.

And a banner was unfurled, depicting a dove holding an olive branch in its mouth.

In Chicago, where he arrived on Saturday morning, and where he marked six years since being made patriarch, Vartholomeos was again welcomed enthusiastically.

His first stop in the Windy City was the Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation for a doxology.

Later, at an orthodox youth rally, Vartholomeos presented young people with small trees, a symbol of hope in a better future.

The patriarch told the young people they are

that future.

"Our beloved spiritual children, as we gaze into your faces, we behold a special glory, today Chicago is a glimpse of Heaven on earth....For you are the hope of the future...more resources....you are the repositories....for you are orthodox Christians".

Throughout his US trip, Vartholomeos has underscored the importance of young people to the world's future. And young people have turned to him for inspiration.

[07] Economy

Bank director Yiannis Christopoulos said the picture is looking brighter.

After the Bank of Greece hiked inter-bank lending rates as high as 150 per cent last week to stop the attack on the drachma, rates dropped back to 50 to 60 per cent.

Interest on deposit accounts is also higher, an incentive to people to start putting their money back in banks.

And the 25 to 30 per cent fall in stock prices on the Athens exchange last week, mean it's a good time for investors to buy good bargains, say analysts.

One result of last week's interest rate hikes was that 70 million dollars has been tacked on to the state's interest payments. And the general view is that the government will try to compensate by making more spending cuts in next year's budget.

[08] Sports

Ionikos going down to its first defeat of the season, at the hands of Xanthi.

Xanthi draws first blood just five minutes into the match, off the foot of Luciano.

Brooster ties it up before the end of the half, but Xanthis comes back in the second half, to win it 4-2.

That leaves Ionikos in a tie for first with weekend winner Pao.

Aek and Olympiakos are in third and fourth, respectively.

They're followed by Apollon and Irakles.

In other matches, Panionios and Pana-chaiki are victorious at home.

In pro basketball, Olympiakos remains undefeated, taking its record out to 7 and oh with an easy 76- 64 victory over Papagou.

Elsewhere, Aris and Pao use wins to move out to 6 and oh on the year. Paok and Iraklio weigh in at 5 and 2.

Aek is 4 and 3, after overcoming a 16 point deficit with 12 minutes to play, to whip Irakles.

And finally, in the only other game, Peristeri picks up its fourth win of the season, knocking off Daphne.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

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