Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-03-23

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

Last Updated: Monday, 23-Mar-98 21:49:54

CONTENTS

[01] Pangalos

[02] Kosovo-Elections

[03] Tsochatzopoulos-Bulatovic

[04] FYROM-Albanians

[05] Olympic Airways

[06] Athina Onassi

[07] Soccer

[01] Pangalos

CNN asked Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos what role the United States can play in helping to end the Cyprus problem. Turkish troops have been in occupation of northern Cyprus for 23 years. Pangalos says it's time something was done to reunite the island.

"I think the US should bear down on the Turkish position....talks immeidately....bi-communal, bi- zonal with a large degree of Turkish autonomy... process".

The Turkish-Cypriots have rejected an invitation from the Cypriot government to join its negotiating team, when talks on Cypriot accession to the EU begin at the end of this month. The question is, can Cyprus join the EU without the Turkish-Cypriots?

Greece thinks it can, as long as provisions are made for the Turkish- Cypriots to join the EU at a later date. Pangalos says there's even a

"I think it is possible...Germany...is only the control Turkey exercises on the Turkish-Cypriot community....as a hostage, which is not to be acceptable".

Pangalos underscores that Greece wants to see not only the Turkish-Cypriots, but Turkey in the EU. He told CNN that if Ankara lifts the obstacles it is placing in the way of Cyprus joining the EU, then Greece will lift its veto of EU funds for Turkey.

"Greece has said...Tukrey has a European future....the Turks have to work with us...cut all links with the EU....serious mistake".

Meeting with US secretary of state Madeleine Albright over the weekend, Theodoros Pangalos said Cyprus might abandon the idea of purchasing and deploying Russian anti-aircraft missiles as it plans to do later this year.

But only if Turkey ageed to stop its military flights over the island.

"No flights, no missiles", said Theodoros Pangalos in Washington. "And if that happens, we might also be able to reduce the number of tanks and cannons in Cyprus, and thus slowly create a better climate".

Pangalos noted that Turkey is provocative when it comes to the Aegean, as it makes numerous violations of Greek airspace. And he noted Raouf Denktash's isolationist stance in Cyprus.

Albright and Pangalos also talked about the situation in Kosovo. The Greek foreign minister said they agree that the solution should maintain the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia but give the Albanians a considerable measure of autonomy. They also agree that Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevich would have to be involved in any viable solution.

Pangalos and Albright will be meeting again soon, when the secretary of state visits Athens in June. In April, US secretary of state William Cohen will be in Greece.

Both visits are indicative of the US's interest in helping bring the two nations closer together, especially since Washington believes both sides believe the US is the only country capable of acting as a disinterested mediator.

During his CNN interview, Theodoros Pangalos was asked to comment on Russian president Boris Yeltsin's decision to sack his cabinet, a decision that surprised many Western observers.

"I think it's an internal evolution....overall in the world".

[02] Kosovo-Elections

Ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova, the only candidate for the presidency after other Albanians parties boycotted the balloting, received 95 per cent of the votes.

Rugova's position is strengthened by the impressive 85 per cent voter turn out. But no foregin power recognises the so-called Republic of Kosovo, or the elections.

Albanians remained indoors as 15 thousand Serbs marched in angry protest through Pristina Monday.

The protest started just minutes after an agreement was signed, allowing ethnic Albanians, who make up 90 per cent of Kosovo's population, back into state schools and Pristina University for the first time in years.

If it is implemented.

"It's treason!", shouted 15 thousand protesting Serbs in Pristina as they marched past the Serbian government building Monday. They're angry with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevich, who came to power espousing their cause in 1987, but now seeks dialogue with the Albanians to stave off western sanctions.

Said one Serb medical student: "We'll never let Albanians into our classrooms. They will infect them with terrorism and separatism".

The protesters also threw rocks at the windows of Albanian shops, as Serbian police kept watch, ostensibly ready to prevent clashes.

The education agreement, due to take effect by the end of June, was initially signed in 1996, but disagreements over curriculum prevented its being implemented.

University dean Radivoje Papovic called the agreement the beginning of a sellout of the interests of Kosovo's Serbs. "Anyone can attend our university", he explained, "but they can only study in Serbian. We will not allow separatist children to be rocked in a Serbian cradle", he told the protestors, in reference to Albanian desire for independence.

The Serbs say they cannot give up Kosovo, the cradle of their culture and the orthodox church.

After Milosevic stripped Kosovo of broad autonomy in 1989, Albanians were largely fired from or left state firms, hospitals and schools and set up their own institutions.

While it is hoped that Monday's accord is a step toward peace, observers says there's no reason to be too optimistic. The Albanian language studies issue has only been partially resolved.

[03] Tsochatzopoulos-Bulatovic

Meeting with Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos in Athens, Yugoslav foreign minister Pavle Bulatovic reiterated Monday that Kosovo is an internal matter, there should be no foreign interference.

The US and five other leading western nations have given Belgrade until Wednesday to work out some sort of solution with Kosovo's Albanians. The Albanians have been refusing to sit down at the negotiating table until Belgrade agrees to allow a western mediator to be present.

Tsochatzopoulos condemns terrorism by Albanian separatists in Kosovo. What's needed now, are talks with no preconditions.

Though Belgrade sees Kosovo as its business alone, Bulatovic backs a Greek proposal for a summmit of Balkan defence ministers as a step toward ensuring regional peace and stability.

Bulatovic said in Athens, "the initiative for such a meeting is a good start toward restoring Balkan peace".

Greece is also proposing the establishment of a Balkan peace-keeping force, but it is unclear whether or not such a force would be welcome in Kosovo.

[04] FYROM-Albanians

When members of Fyrom's Albanian minority take to the streets, waving Albanian flags and singing the Albanian national anthem; when the city of Tetovo, the largest ethnic Albanian city in western Fyrom, is up in arms - then, feel Fyrom's authorities, there's a serious problem.

Especially when in neighboring Kosovo, the Albanian majority is up in arms, demanding independence from Yugoslavia.

According to the last official census - in 1994 - Albanians comprise 23 per cent of Fyrom's population. The Albanians say they make up more than 40 per cent of the total, and in a few years, will be in the majority.

For some slavs, the fact that the Albanian population is growing relatively constitutes a threat to the future security of their newly- formed state.

Some even claim that the relative growth of the Albanian population is a conscious plan: Albanians are brought in from Kosovo to swell the ranks of their brothers in Fyrom. Pregnant women are brought across the border, it is said, to give birth in Fyrom, so their children will have Fyrom citizenship.

To the authorities in Skopje, who for years have tried to stifle moves by ethnic Albanians to assert their autonomy - and the secessionist dreams of some ethnic Albanian leaders, the prospect of a massive wave of refugees from a Kosovo immersed in war - is a worst-case scenario.

They believe it would destabilise their country, and the rest of the southern Balkans.

With relations between Albanians and Slavs at a nadir in both Kosovo and Fyrom, the United Nations is on the alert. It's reopened border posts that were closed for months, in anticipation of trouble.

The Albanians of Kosovo and Fyrom may live in different countries, but there is much that unites them, they believe.

In some cases, since the fragmentation of the old Yugoslavia into separate states, Albanian-speaking families have been separated, one part living in Kosovo, the other in Fyrom.

With most of Fyrom's Albanians concentrated along the border with Kosovo, there is constant contact between the Albanians of the two countries, and they coordinate their respective struggles for autonomy and independence.

For some, recent history is where the roots of their inherent unity are to be found.

Says Nevzat Halili, the president of the ethnic- Albanian Republican Party in Fyrom:

"During WW the Second both the Albanians of Kosovo and macedonia used to organise the national liberation war against the fascists.... thousands of Albanian partizans died for the liberation of Yugoslavia...from Albanians participated in the liberation of Yugoslavia."

For many Albanians in Tetovo, Serbian claims that the Albanians in Kosovo have formed armed separatist bands, are incomprehensible. They believe Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevich is just using that claim as an excuse to launch attacks on Kosovo - and that his agenda is ethnic cleansing.

During the recent blood-letting in Kosovo, where Serbian police killed some 80 Albanians, there were vocal demonstrations in Tetovo and Skopje. The Albanian flag flew, the Albanian national anthem was sung.

Some of the demonstrators even displayed maps depicting a Greater Albania, taking in Kosovo and western Fyrom.

The demos frightened and angered the Slavs. As soon as the crisis in Kosovo subsided, the arrests came. The Fyrom authorities are prosecuting three leaders of the Albanian demos held in solidarity with the Albanians of Kosovo.

[05] Olympic Airways

In a newspaper interview, Papantoniou says successful restructuring is in the hands of employees and management.

A meeting between workers and company officials is set for Tuesday. A three hour work stoppage is set to take place during that meeting.

Employees are unhappy with cost-cutting government plans that will hit them in the pocket. They say government mismanagement and not their salaries, is the problem at Olympic.

New Democracy has responded to the restructuring plan, by requesting a full parliamentary investigation of the first restructuring program which took place in 1994 and cost the country 22 million dollars.

[06] Athina Onassi

Athina was accompanied by her father Thierry Roussel and his family.

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

Roussel said his family and the Patronikola family are quite close, adding that Kalliroi has a picture of their family in her living room. He said, "Athina loves her very much. We all love her".

Visiting the Acropolis Roussel said, "I have a great affection for Greece". Adding, "My bad experience with four people who are Greek should have nothing to do with how I feel about the country. I have always had a love for Greece, even before my marriage to Christina".

Last year 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.

Roussel's hearing is April 3rd.

[07] Soccer

Olympiakos stays three points ahead of Panathinaikos in first place with no trouble.

The visitors get their first goal against Iraklis off the foot of Predrag Georgevich, who knocks in a penalty just two minutes into the match. Dimitris Mavroyenides makes it two-nil fifteen minutes later, and that's where the scoring ends.

Olympiakos now has 23 wins in 27 starts this season, and just three losses.

Pao picks up its 22nd victory, thumping fourth place Paok.

Third-place Aek keeps apace, knocking off Apollon.

Ionikos takes advantage of that, moving into a fourth-place tie with its weekend triumph.

Elsewhere, Ofi, Xanthi, and Athinaikos all win at home. And the other two matches end with smiles for the visitors.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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