Antenna News in English 300596

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: [email protected]

News in English, of 30/05/1996

TITLES

• Greece calls on Turkey to prove it wants to be a good neighbour.
• After May flowers...come May showers.
• And, the mentally-handicapped get a neighbourhood of their own.

PANGALOS

Relations between Greece and Turkey took a turn for the worse in January, when Turkey claimed the Greek island of Imia in the Aegean, staged a military build-up around the island, and boldly landed troops on one of the Imia rocks.

Greece has said the road to better bi-lateral relations runs through Turkey changing its behaviour.

But, as Tom Alexopoulos tells us, Turkish provocations have continued, and Greece says that's no basis for talks.

The Greek foreign ministry gives three reasons for deciding not to let the meeting between foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos and his Turkish counterpart, Emre Gkionensai, go ahead Monday.

Greece says that Turkey talks about wanting to build bridges with Greece, but that's all: it just talks. In practice, it provokes Greece. The latest incident came Tuesday: a Turkish boat hit a Greek patrol boat which had warned it repeatedly to leave Greek waters near the island of Imia.

Greece also believes the fall of fall of the Turkish government of Mesout Gilmaz is imminent, making Gkionensai a lame duck foreign minister, and there's not much point taling to a lame duck.

The third factor leading to Greece's decision to put the foreign ministers' meeting in Berlin on the shelf, was the lack of progress made by Greek and Turkish diplomats in Geneva Tuesday, where they discussed the Berlin meeting agenda. It became apparent in Geneva, say Greek diplomats, that Turkey intends to add more items to the list of demands it is making on Greece.

In its announcement explaining its decision, the Greek foreign ministry says Mr Gilmaz and Gkionensai have recently stepped up their territorial demands on Greece. The same pattern, it goes on, was detected in Geneva. Turkey has continued to violate Greek airspace and territorial waters, disregarding the obligation it has undertaken to respect the status quo in the Aegean as it was before the Imia episode. The announcement concludes that a meeting of the countries' foreign ministers would be of no use under the current circumstances, and calls on Turkey to avoid creating situations in the Aegean that endanger peace.

The European Union wants to see Greek-Turkish dialogue. But during a press conference, Greek interior minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos backed the decision to cancel the Berlin meeting. He said the EU must understand that Greece's decision is a result of Turkey's refusal to respect international law and international treaties", the foundation of Greek sovereignty in the Aegean. "All Greeks", he added, "are united in the view that as long as Turkey is unwilling to adopt the principles adhered to by the entire civilised world, EU cooperation with Turkey cannot advance." The Greek government, he said, will guarantee the Turkey's relations with the EU develop no further until Turkey changes its behaviour.

ALBANIA

Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers denounced election-code violations, and the Albanian government has been accused of not cooperating with foreign election observers.

Albanian police arrested Socialist Party vice president Servet Peloumbi, Social Democratic leader Skender Gkinoussi, and Democratic Alliance leader Neritan Tseka.

On Tuesday, police used force to quell a demonstration by opposition groups in Tirane. But Albanian president Sali Berisha blames the opposition for the violent clashes that have occurred.

The election results haven't been officially announced, but the ruling Democratic Party is already celebrating victory, claiming upward of 60 per cent of the votes.

FINANCE

It's also recommending all bonuses paid to workers, be they in the public or the private sector, be incorporated into their regular paycheques...and taxed.

The committee's president says that all income must be taxed.

There are 59 categories of bonuses: they include extra pay for dangerous work, and allowances for uniforms, and work-related travel expenses.

The committee also wants to see government bonds taxed at a 15 per cent rate. The government says that's not on the agenda right now though.

SIMITIS

Neither prime minister Kostas Simitis nor the finance and national economy ministers made any comments after their meeting. But sources say they talked about ways of rolling back spending in 1997 and 1998.

RAIN

The downpour didn't last long, but was strong enough to cause some confusion and trouble.

Motorists were surprised on the Athenian roads. The water built up to a foot-and-a-half at some points, bringing traffic to a crawl, and the fireman in to help people drive out of a potential stall. Some unlucky drivers didn't make it out with engine running, and had a visit to the garage to add to their list of things to be done during the day.

On the other side of the sidewalk, a number of basement shops and apartments were flooded outas calls for emergency assistance flooded in to state agencies.

The outlook is for umbrellas: the weather service says the bursts of rain will continue for the next four or five days, though with less intensity than on Wednesday.

FOUNDATION

A special home has been set up for people with special needs, which will try to ensure that three important human needs are satisfied: the need to coexist, work, and be exposed to culture.

Mentally-handicapped people can live, work and spend their spare time with the people who take care of them.

The Agios Nikolaos Foundation followed the example of a centre in Germany in establishing the special home, which is an entire neighbourhood for those who live there.

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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