Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-09-03

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

Last Updated: Thursday, 03-Sep-98 21:50:31

CONTENTS

[01] 8 Greeks among the passengers

[02] Athens stock exchange

[03] Poland-Economy

[04] Simitis-Thessaloniki trade fair

[05] Elli Lambeti

[01] 8 Greeks among the passengers

55-year-old Nikos Kefalides and 42-year-old Chronoula Bonanou-Ikonomopoulou were among eight passengers on the plane who had Greek names. The other six were citizens of other countries.

The cause of the Swissair flight SR111 disaster was unknown Thursday night.

But there was virtually no hope of finding any survivors.

Among the 229 people onboard were eight Greeks. Six of them were travelling on foreign passports. The identities of the other two were made public after their relatives in Greece were informed.

55-year-old businessman Nikos Kefalides was a frequent traveller between the US, where he lived, and Greece.

Prominent in the Greek-American community, he was known for his philanthropic work. He did much to help the Greek-American community; he was a close friend of former Greek-orthodox archbishop of the Americas Iakovos; and he had close ties to the patriarchate.

An inconsolable friend talked to Antenna in Kefalides's native city of Alexandroupoli: "I was waiting for him to arrive today. We've lost an exceptional friend. He helped a lot of Greeks in the US".

Kefalides is survived by his wife Lauri and their three children.

There was mouring in Patra too.

Chrisoulas Bonanou was expected at her music conservatory Thursday evening.

Returning from her third trip to the states this

year, she'd just been to New York to enroll her daughter in college. Her son had also studied in the US; her strong attachment to both her children necessitated frequent trips to see them.

Bonanou was loved and respected in Patra, where she started her music school 15 years ago.

Relatives of the dead Greeks left for Halifax Thursday to identify the remains of their loved ones.

A Swissair spokesperson in Athens said nineteen of the 215 passengers on the flight were booked on connecting flights to the Greek capital.

The MD-11 airliner was en route from New York to Geneva when the pilot saw smoke in the cockpit. He warned the passengers and the 14 crew members that they would be making an emergency langing in Halifax.

Thursday's crash was the first suffered by Swissair since 1979, when a DC-8 overshot the runway in Athens. Fourteen people died when the plane burst into flames.

[02] Athens stock exchange

The drachma registered gains on the dollar, as the world's investors continued their search for safe havens for their money.

Stock broker Kostas Panagides warns that if the international bourses don't stabilise and the problems in Russia and Latin America aren't sorted out, then Greece will have problems too.

Commenting on the Athens exchange slide, broker Kostas Dalamanis said today's fall was logical, a

correction following Wednesday's unjustifably large gains.

His advice to investors is to maintain their equanimity - panic selling is ill-advised, especially since the current volatile situation is set to continue.

[03] Poland-Economy

That according to Poland's deputy finance minister. Voitsech Katner talked to Antenna's Nikolas Vafiades.

While the world shudders at the crisis in Russia, Poland is trying to use the crisis to its advantage, hoping to attract foreign investors looking for a stable place to invest.

Voitsech Katner says his country looks relatively attractive.

Poland is Europe's fastest developing economy. It's GNP was seven per cent in 1997, and the projected GNP for 98 is 6.3 per cent.

Katner believes the Russian crisis will send foreign investors to central and eastern Europe. He hopes that some of those investors will choose to relocate businesses from Russia to Poland, because of Poland's stability and free market.

In Athens, Katner met with Greek government officials and businessmen. In all of his contacts, he stressed the warmth of bilateral relations, and insisted that economic relations could be further developed.

Economic cooperation between the two countries is concentrated in the food, energy, textile, tourism and naval construction industries.

Katner says Greek holidays have become the new fad in his country.

[04] Simitis-Thessaloniki trade fair

Members of the media tried to get a sneak preview at the annual reception Kostas Simitis held in their honour Wednesday night.

The prime minister didn't reveal the content of his address.

But hundreds of journalists discussed the econonomy and politics late into the night, amongst themselves and with government ministers.

The main thing on everyone's mind was how long the global crisis will last, and how hard it will hit Greece.

[05] Elli Lambeti

The city of Athens held a retrospective for Elli Lambeti Wednesday night - the famous actress died of cancer fifteen years ago.

For Greek cinema and theatre lovers the loss of a star like Lambeti was significant.

Friends, associates and people who just loved her movies attended the event for the great lady of Greek motion pictures.

Throughout her 40-year carreer, Lambeti was not only the quintessential Greek actress, but also the soul of the Greek theatre.

Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos called the tribute a chance for everyone to re-experience some of the great moments in her films, to see once again her unique talent in action.

"Kardoula mou" - or "Heart of Mine", "A Street Car Named Desire", and "Children of a Lesser God" are a few of the plays she brought to life on the stage.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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