Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-12-31

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

Last Updated: Wednesday, 31-Dec-97 10:36:44

CONTENTS

[01] Turkey

[02] Tsohatzopoulos

[03] Gavdos

[04] Foreign Affairs

[05] Plane crash

[06] Tierry Roussel

[07] Agios Savas hospital

[08] Soccer Awards

[09] Thessaloniki

[01] Turkey

In their stead, Ankara wants a direct dialogue with Athens.

Kaloggiri, three uninhabited Greek rocks in the middle of the Aegean, have become the new point of Turkey's attempt to thrust itself inTī the Aegean.

Turkish military leaders insist on including the rocks in naval-air exercises set to start on January second. In doing so, Ankara is touching once again on Greek sovereign rights.

Military analysts say they're the most strategically important rocks in the Aegean, since they essentially cut through international waters, and join Greece's eastern Aegean islands to the rest of the country.

That, they add, is why Turkey has chosen them as the subject of their latest provocation.

This isn't the first time that Ankara has included the rocks in its exercise plans. But in the past, it has always backed off when it met Greek objections. This time, with the exercises just a few days away, it appears Ankara is going to go to the limit. And the Greek air force will start the new year on alert.

There are other problems stemming from Turkey's planned manoeuvres next month, which will span the entire eastern Aegean.

One of the areas the Turks want to use is east of the island of Andros, and in its firing range.

And the area Turkey wants to use near Ikaria includes another rock isle. Worse, if Turkey holds exercises there, it would cut flight paths to the island off, meaning no air transports could reach it from Greece in an emergency.

On the diplomatic front, Turkey is trying once again to achieve its long- standing goal of dragging Greece into direct dialogue. Turkey hopes that in such a dialogue there would be no pre- conditions, such as both sides agreeing to respect each others sovereign rights, and to take disputes to the international court. Turkey could lay all its claims on Greek territory on the table.

The two members of Turkey's expert committee, set up along with a Greek committee earlier this year to list Greek-Turkish differences and report to the European Union, say in their latest memo to the EU, that in light of the recent decision of the Turkish government to cut off all talks with the EU on Greek-Turkish relations, the committees should be abolished. Instead, there should be direct dialogue between Greece and Turkey, without EU mediation.

The diplomatic move is consistent with Turkey's anti-Europe turn, and its simultaneous attempt to strengthen its alliance with other countries, namely, the US, Russia, and Israel.

Before the Turkish memo arrived in Luxembourg, the Greek committee had sent in its fourth memo. Opening the door to Turkey, the Greek experts recommend that the two committees meet directly, to discuss sending the issue of rights to the Aegean shelf to the international court.

Ankara's real intentions were apparent back in April, when Greek alternate foreign minister Giorgos Papandroeu and Turkish deputy foreign Inour Imen agreed to the committees' being set up.

Imen proposed the committees meet. Papandreou said that would only be worthwhile if they found enough common ground to merit a tet-a-tet.

In September, Greece again rejected a Turkish request for the committees to meet under EU auspices.

But at the EU summit in early December, Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis agreed to let the committees meet. This time, Turkish prime miinister Mesout Yilmaz, who had been told

by the EU to improve relations with Greece, help solve the Cyprus problem, and clean up its human rights record, said no. Seeing that the EU was not going to give succour to its expansionist designs on Greece, Turkey lost interest in the EU's mediation of Greek-Turkish differences.

[02] Tsochatzopoulos

Akis Tsochatzopoulos said in Tirane, Albania Tuesday, that he'd like the conference to have the same scope and importance as the meeting of Balkan leaders in Crete in November.

[03] Foreign Affairs

The bi-monthly journal adds that if Turkey wants eventually to join the European Union, it will have to change its ways.

In her article, Marcia Kristoff Kourop, who recently visited Greece, says that from the day Simitis took power Greece's foreign and domestic policy tactics have changed.

Greece now understands, she explains, that it's a part of Europe, and its political and economic success are bound up with they way it has cultivated its relations with the EU and its Balkan neighbours.

Kourop goes on to say that Greece's poor relations with Turkey are a drag on its attempt to get its

economy ready for European monetary union, since Greece is forced to spend more on defence per capita than any other Nato member.

[04] Plane crash

The disaster cost all 72 people on board the airliner their lives. The commercial flight from Odessa, Ukraine lost its bearings after a failed first landing attempt in Thessaloniki. Instead of reentering the holding pattern in preparation for a second approach, it veered off into the mountains southwest of the city.

On Monday, flight controller Yiannis YiannakOpoulos, on duty in the control tower at the time of the accident, told the public prosecutor he had strictly followed all international landing procedures.

In a few days, the Greek authorities will have in their hands the results of the analysis of the airliner's black box, which is being conducted in Germany.

At a later date, there will be a recronstruction of the flight, using the same type of plane - a Soviet- built Yak-42 - under the same weather conditions.

[05] Tierry Roussel

members.

Roussel is father of Athina Onassis, granddaughter and sole heir of billionaire Aristotle Onassis.

Roussel stands accused of perjury, unfounded complaint, as well as defamation.

It all started last year, when Roussel accused the Onassis Foundation, guardian of Athina and her estate until she turns 18, of poor management and economic irregularities.

Roussel sued four members of the leading council of the Onassis foundation, but they were cleared of the charges. Foundation president Stelios Papadimitriou in turn brought suit against Roussel.

[06] Agios Savas hospital

Announcing his generous donation, Angelopoulos said the gift is to ensure that the hospital can continue the top-quality service it has provided to cancer victims over the past 22 years.

Health minister Kostas Gitonas called the philanthropic deed an act of love, a gift of life.

And it's not the first gift of its kind.

In 1975, the Angelopoulos family also donated a radiotherapy machine to the hospital. At the time it was one of just 14 machines of its kind in the world. To date, 300 thousand people have been treated on it.

[07] Ermou

Now, shoes are taking over the whole show.

On Tuesday, Ermou was turned into pedestrians-only zone by the environment minister and the mayor.

Speaking of the novel pedestrian walkway, Environment minister Kostas Laliotis said, "Ermou is going to be an example for other streets throughout the country".

Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos added that the city is constantly changing, becoming more modern, more human.

Former Left Coalition leader Maria Damanaki, who recently announced her candidacy in next year's mayoral election, was on hand as Ermou went car- free.

[08] Soccer Awards

Kostas Frantzeskos, Christos Kostis, and Demis Nikolaides shared best player honours.

Best foreign player went to Christof Vazecha; the best young player was Dimitris Eleftheropoulos, and Giorgos Parashos was named best coach.

Two of the people who help make players famous - journalists Stavros Tsochos and Manolis Mavromatis were cited for their coverage of the sport.

[09] Thessaloniki

The long tone means the light is red, the short one, green.

The new system was launched by Macedonia and Thrace minister Filippos Petsalnikos at a central city intersection .

Similar systems will be installed at another 33 traffic lights in the city centre.

Eleftherios Hatzifotiou, president of the local Union of Blind People says the sound assistance will make it much easier for those without sight to walk along busy streets.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

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