Antenna: News in English, 96-12-12

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

News in English, of 09/12/1996

TITLES

• The government in search of a way to end the farmers' roadblocks***.
• Boutros Boutros Galli speaks out against the Turkish murder of Greek- Cypriots***.
• And, A doctor practising alternative medicine gets an alternative Nobel Prize***.

FARMERS

With the government saying it cannot meet the farmers' basic financial demands, the farmers are saying they'll spend Christmas on the highways.

The government is trying to find a formula to get the nation's protesting farmers off the highways. Leading Pasok officials held a number of huddles again Wednesday. The ruling party has sent people to try to get Pasok- supporting farmers to pull out of the roadblocks.

The two-week-old stand-off has become a war of nerves. The farmers say they can't back down from their demands. The government says it can't afford to meet those demands.

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert visited the farmers on the roadblocks in central Greece. He said the government has a duty to deal with the farmers' problems, and show the farmers some solidarity during tough economic times. Calling the agricultural problem an issue of national importance, Evert promised that he would fight for the farmers' interests during the state budget discussion in parliament.

New Democracy MP Giorgos Souflias phoned the prime minister, asking him to meet with the farmers to explain the country's financial situation, and not to try to humiliate them.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas called Evert's sympathetic stand toward the protestors "irresponsible".

Reppas also criticised other party leaders, who've attacked the government's handling of the farmers' issue. He said they don't have any viable alternative proposals to what the government's come up with so far. Reppas added that the government's economic policies are the only way Greece can guarantee its future in the European Union.

On the roads, farmers are dismayed by what they see as the government's unyielding, unfair stand.

And around the country, the problems, like the goods that can't get through, are piling up. Some cities are reporting shortages of some foods and fuel. Businesses have had to close down in Larisa and Volos - many establishments don't have the cash to make their December payrolls. And many drivers working for the national bus carrier have been suspended - the company isn't moving passengers, and doesn't have money to pay the drivers.

Winter holiday resorts are also feeling the economic pinch from the protests. Graphic montagnard Metsovo should be moving into its main tourist season. But with the roads closed, there won't be many holidaymakers turning up on the hotel doorstep.

RALLIES

Seamen are also joining the strike wave. They've announced a series of two- day stoppages starting next week.

The seamen rallied in Piraeus Wednesday. They, like the teachers, have a number of financial problems they want the government to solve.

IMIA

Now, a professor of international law points out that Turkey accepted that it had no claim on Imia - back in 1932.

Professor Dimitris Konstanopoulos explains that Turkey went to the international court in 1929, over the border that separated Italy's Aegean possessions from Turkey's western maritime border.

In 1932, Italy and Turkey signed an agreement, under which the area around Imia went to Italy. Because of that agreement, the court said in 1933 that it couldn't rule on the border issue. With their 1932 agreement, Turkey and Italy had effectively taken the matter out of the court's hands.

After the Imia episode this year, the Turkish ambassador to Italy told the Turkish prime minister making an issue out of Imia had been a mistake. He may have been aware of the fact that Turkey had already withdrawn the issue from the court over 60 years ago.

TURKISH/MAFIA

This photograph was taken at the Brenner Hotel in Baden-Baden, Germany, on May 26th, 1995.

In it together: retired Turkish admiral Orhan KarAmboulOUt, a member of a far-right political party of AlparslAn TourkEs; the husband of current Turkish foreign minister Tansu Ciller, Ozer OutsourAn Ciller; Ideen DogAn, publisher of two large Turkish papers, Houriet and Milliet; and, Hussein DumAn, wanted in Turkey for heroin trafficking, and leader of the right- wing group, the Grey Wolves.

The meeting was captured on film by Alladin TsAkintzi, considered one of the most powerful of Turkish mafia figures. He is wanted by Interpol for trafficking in heroin.

At the meeting, the men allegedly discussed illicit trafficking in Osmio, used in the making of missiles. The plan was reportedly to get the substance to Turkey from the Ukraine via Azebaijan. From there, Ciller's husband would use his state connections to sell the contraband to Iran, and other interested countries.

Another key figure in the Osmio sale is said to be MetIn SelvI, who reportedly had excellent relations with the KGB and who, according to a German secret services document, was involved in smuggling nuclear materials.

The Osmio would be moved through a Germany company, Locosa, with which DumAn, Ideen, and Ozer Ciller had signed a secret agreement.

These revelations are confiermed by an interview with a representative of the Kurdish National Liberation Front, and Pasok MP Stelios Papathemelis.

Part of the profits from the sale of heroin in Europe by the Turkish dealers is allegedly used to pay for Turkey's military campaign against the Kurds.

CYPRUS/ARMAMENTS

Akis Tsochatzopoulos was asked by reporters about Turkey's claim that it will NOT allow Russian anti- aircraft missiles to be set up on the island.

Tsochatzopoulos also talked about Cyprus's armaments programme after he met with the Cypriot defence minister.

The Greek defence minister said that programme will go ahead as scheduled.

Tsochatzopoulos also met with president Kostis Stefanopoulos. Afterward, he said, the right to defence is sacred, reiterating that scheduled joint military exercises with Cyprus will go ahead as planned.

UN

In his report concerning the continuation of UN peacekeeping forces on the island, UN secretary general Boutros Boutros Gali calls the murder of three unarmed Greek-Cypriots by Turkish extremists and soldiers in recent months unnecessary and excessive acts of violence. He says they are the worst displays of violence since Turkey invaded the island in 1974.

The UN secretary adds that mistrust and hostility between the two communities has grown. He also expresses his concern at the growth in the amount of military hardware and number of troops in Cyprus.

US/KALOGIRI

US state department spokesman Nicholas Burns was clear when asked about the status of the island. All US government maps show the island as Greek, he said.

DIMITRA

In the interview, she says she has a strong interest in politics.

Dimitra Liani Papandreou tells Paris Match, "Close to Andreas Papandreou, I fell in love with politics".

In the magazine to be released Thursday, Mrs Papandreou talks about her late husband's political legacy, her relations with his children, and her future plans.

Dimitra Liani Papandreou says that Andreas Papandreou's legacy belongs to Pasok, the party he founded, and to the Greek people. She goes on to say that she considers it her duty to defend that legacy and his memory.

Mrs Papandreou also reveals that she intends to write a biography about her husband's life. She says it will be both personal and political.

Before he married Dimitra Liani Papandreou, Andreas Papandreou had four children. His widow calls his eldest son, Giorgos, "dignified, calm and reasonable".

She adds that she also has warm relations with her late husband's youngest son, Andrikos.

Dimitra Liani Papandreou says Andreas Papandreou's death made an impact on all the Greek people. And with a note of despair, she adds that she can hardly bear the fact that he has passed away. She says that life goes on, but with difficulty, and that she reads a lot to alleviate the pain of her loneliness.

ALL STAR

Players took time out from practice to give presents to kids at the St PantelAYmon Welfare Foundation.

Dinos Angelides, who plays for Aris, said the players all want to reach out and touch kids in need. "We're all human", he added, "and should take care of each other".

VYTHOULKAS

The "Right Way of Living Award", as it's called, was presented to the Greek homeopath in the Swedish parliament a day before the Nobel Prize ceremony held by the Swedish Academy.

The Greek doctor has dedicated 36 years to research in homeopathy. He also founded the Classical Homeopathy Academy on the Aegean island of Alonissos. For the past twenty years, VythOUlkas has been teaching European and American doctors.

"Every year, doctors from a number of countries come to our Academy to take homeopathy courses", he says. "I think that's very important for Greece".

His books have been translated into over twenty languages. He's currently putting together a sixteen-volume work on homeopathic pharmacology.

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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