Antenna: News in English, 99-03-18

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From: Antenna <www.antenna.gr/> - email: webmaster@antenna.gr

CONTENTS

[01] Pasok's fifth congress

[02] Dimitra Papandreou

[03] Evangelos Yiannopoulos

[04] Karamanlis

[01] Pasok's fifth congress

Kostas Simitis addressed the five thousand plus delegates at the start of a congress that many in the party say is pivotal to the ruling party's fortunes.

Kostas Simitis ended his rousing speech to the congress with the words "We'll succeed together". To ringing applause from most of the 5,800 delegates, he returned to the microphone, shouting "This is Pasok, big, united, strong".

It was the message the prime minister most wanted to send to the party and the nation at this, the fifth Pasok congress.

What preceded the stirring finale was a defence of his policies before his in-house critics, and an unwavering reiteration that it is his policies, and his leadership, that the party and the nation need for the remainder of the government's term of office and beyond.

The prime minister left no doubt that he expects to have the party united behind him by the end of the congress.

"We're here to say no to clashes and intrigues", he said. "And to say yes to ideological and political views, because they are the essence of our party. We're here to consoldiate our unity, to give our ideas strength".

The party must reconcile its differences, added Simitis, and emerge from the congress with clear views of where its going.

"It is we who will lead Greece into European economic and monetary union in 2001", he said. "And we are the ones who, after the 2000 general election, will lead Greece into a period of development in the new century".

The prime minister hailed his economic achievements. Lower inflation and interest rates, he said, have not only allowed Greece to approach its goal of joining the single European currency, they've also made life easier for millions of ordinary people.

When dissenters chanted "Socialism not Modernisaton", Simitis had a ready reply. "Socialism", he said, "is constant change and adaptation, it's modernisation".

Simitis's reference to Pasok leading the country into the next century was a response to defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and others in the party who have recently suggested that a poor showing for the party in June's European elections would put the issue of a new party leader on the agenda.

The prime minister also defended his foreign policy, which has been a source of complaint from Pasok dissenters, particularly since the arrest of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan after he left the Greek ambassador's residence in Kenya last month.

Simitis went on the offensive over Ocalan. His critics suggested that he had failed to do what he could to save the Kurdish leader, and even betrayed him. Simitis said Thursday that the people who'd brought him to Greece in the first place had set the stage for what ensued. Calling his critics "super-patriots", the prime minister said they really constitute a parastate, a group of people with mysterious connections to secret services; a group of people that has its own private foreign policy. They are, he said, people who have no connection to Pasok, and never will.

Interrupted at one point in his discussion of the Ocalan case by a refrain from dissident bleachers "Andreas, you live and guide us", Simitis responded, "Andreas Papandreou did lead us: he led us not to distinguish between so-called patriots and non-patriots; he led us to embrace democracy for all, and to see all Greeks as equal". No one, added Simitis, knows better than everyone else what the nation wants".

The prime minister made extensive references to party founder Andreas Papandreou, perhaps more than he ever has in a major speech.

His hope is that the past can become a pillar of support for the unity around his leadership he wants to maintain.

[02] Dimitra Papandreou

She said after Kostas Simitis's speech that she hopes his frequent references to Andreas Papandreou were sincere.

Mrs Papandreou said she hopes the party will emerge from the congress more patriotic and with its sensitivity to those in society in need of economic assistance strengthened. The country and the people, she said, need that.

[03] Evangelos Yiannopoulos

Physicians at the Athens Medical Centre said Thursday his condition was stable - they'd taken him off the respirator he was put on following Wednesday's operation.

Doctors say the minister is in good spirits, his vital signs are all OK - if all continues to go well, he should leave the intensive care unit Friday.

[04] Karamanlis

His arrival had been delayed owing to a mechanical problem in the plane scheduled to fly him from Montreal to Athens.

Kostas Karamanlis, who was met at the airport by his wife Natasha, is pleased with the outcome of his official trip to Washington.

During meetings with vice president Al Gore, secretary of state Madeleine Albright, and other American officials, Karamanlis had ample opportunity to express Greece's views on Turkey, Cyprus, and Kosovo and he and his hosts discussed ways of furthering cooperation between their countries in advancing mutual foreign policy and security interests.

(c) Antenna 1999

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