Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-09-20

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

News in English 20/09/97

TITLES

• The prime minister's goal of a strong Greece with an emphasis on social solidarity
• Greek teams get off to a fast start in the European basketball championship tournament.
• And, an Athens festival for movie-lovers.

SIMITIS

Kostas Simitis addressed Pasok's central committee Friday.

Kostas Simitis told his party that to achieve his goals of a strong nation and a society based on solidarity, Greece has got to enter European monetary union on an equal footing with the stronger EU states; it needs a comprehensive foreign and defence policy; and it must have a modern, competitive economy.

Commenting on his administration, Simitis dismissed claims that there's no coordination between his ministers, that each department acts on its own.

"Things aren't like that at all", he said. "All governent decisions are part of a general plan, a strategy to modernise the country".

As Pasok heads toward mid-term, Simitis told his party's central committee that next year's municipal elections will have a political character, and that Pasok should try to exploit them by getting its political message across.

The prime minister also made a plea for party unity, saying that a party's decay begins with internal squabbling. He warned everyone he will not allow Pasok to become an arena for indivduals to win publicity or self- aggrandizement by disagreeing with the leadership.

Commenting on criticisms of his policies, from both within and outside the party, Simitis said they've been unconstructive, because they are not supplemented with any alternative proposals.

TURKEY

Turkish prime minister Mesout Gilmaz says that if Cyprus deploys anti- aircraft missiles next year, that will constitute a threat to Turkey.

Cyprus wants the Russian missiles to ward off a possible future air attack from Turkey, which has been in occupation of northern Cyprus since 1974.

Gilmaz says if the missiles are deployed, then Turkey will take implement quote "supplementary military measures", unquote.

Cyprus and Greece insist that Cyprus has a right to defend itself, and that implementing the defensive missiles is a threat to no one.

BAKOYIANNI

New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyianni, recently appointed the opposition party's shadow development minister, met with union leaders Friday.

They areed that cooperation between all the political parties would be useful in confronting problems of importance to working people, like unemployment.

"New Democracy's aim is to work for the best possible solutions to labour problems in cooperation with other parties", Bakoyianni told reporters.

Union president Christos Polyzogopoulos said contact with political problems is a new way for workers to communicate their problems to politicians, and garner their support in solving them.

MILITARY

The defence minister and military chiefs of staff observed Friday's manoeuvres.

"Philippos" runs parallel to the naval exercises "Storm", being held in the Aegean.

LIANI

The book generating all the interest is to be published in about three weeks.

As we hear in this report, if any of what an Athens paper says is in the book is true, it could cause more controversy than it has already.

Dimitra Liani Papandreou's book jumped into the headlines this week, when an Athens newspaper published an advance preview.

Athinaiki says the book reprints a controversial transcript of a 1996 meeting between prime minister Kostas Simitis and US president Bill Clinton. The document, which both Washington and Athens say is a forgery, has surfaced in the past, and has Simitis telling Clinton he'll tow the US line on important foreign policy issues, effectively putting Greek interests in the back seat.

Liani Papandreou denies that the paper's report of what's in her book is accurate. But many Pasok MPs have already reacted with scorn to the claim that the transcript is being included. And if the transcript IS in it, observers say following the controversy, Liani Papandreou's now got to decide whether or not she should keep it there.

Athinaiki also reports that Liani Papandreou says of Andreas Papandreou's second wife, Margaret:

"I understand the psychology of a woman betrayed".

And the paper says she also claims to have persuaded her late husband to appoint her cousin sports minister.

Following the leaks, a number of internet "hackers" tried to break into the publisher's file, and read the real McCoy, and who knows, perhaps alter it. That prompted the publisher to seal off the file, denying net users access to it altogether.

EDUCATION CONFERENCE

Reinolds took part in an international conference in Crete last week entitled, "School education in the information society".

The conference, attended by over three hundred educators and scientists from all over the world looked at how technology helps to structure education programs.

Greek education officials noted that one thousand schools throughout Greece already have students working with personal computers on a daily basis. They are hoping to expand that number. Schools in Iraklio, Crete are set to be connected to cultural and educational institutions via computers. And students at a high school in Iraklio have already had a taste of the new technology, discovering that they could study Byzantine history in a totally new and exciting way: running through one thousand pages of history with a CD.

It seemed fitting that such a conference be held in Crete. It is from this island that the "Phaestos" tablet, the first form of information was chronicled. The disc-shaped tablet is product of

Crete's Minoan civilization dating back to the 17th century BC. The 45 inscriptions on it are pictorial and appear on both sides. A remarkable feature of the tablet is that it was made with two separate tools. It was unique in the ancient world in form and technique.

The conference was sponsored by the Lambrakis Foundation of Studies.

BASKETBALL

Following Olympiakos's 70-67 Group A road win over Turkey's Efes Pilsen, Paok and Aek also came up winners.

Paok also does it in the road in its six-team Group B, handing Porto of Portugal a crushing 88- 71 loss. This one is virtually over at the half, with Paok already leading by 13 at the break.

Over in Group D, as Aek and Racing Paris tipped off in Athens, two coaches who know each other well also joined battle once again.

Ioannis Ioannides on the bench for the Greek team, and Bozdar Malkovich is on the French bench, after leaving Panathinaikos at the end of last season.

And it's Ioannides who comes out victorious, as Aek overcomes a 2-point half-time deficit to win it 57- 52.

CINEMA

The organizers of the non-competitive event say they are hoping to make the art of cinema more accessible to Athenians.

Giorgos Tzotzios, the editor of Cinema, says last year the screenings took place at two movie houses in the capital. It was so successful that this year they've expanded it.

The first day opened with a comedy by Sotiris GorEEtsas entitled, "Balkanizer".

The festival runs until September 25th.

SOCCER - AEK SALE

The firm paid an estimated 14.5 million dollars for a majority stake in the club.

The new British owners are also paying 3.8 million dollars to cover the team's debts. The final contracts will be signed next Tuesday, and the new administration will start work on October 15th.

The sale means a new team president will be chosen. A number of people who've held the job in the past are applying.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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