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Antenna News in English 030796Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.grNews in English, of 03/07/1996TITLES
US ON SIMITISThe United States is pleased with prime minister Kostas Simitis's election to the post of Pasok president.US state department Nicholas Burns said the election puts Mr Simitis in a very strong position. TURKEY/GREEKSGreece has been grappling with the problem of getting Turkey to respect the rights of others in Cyprus and the Aegean for decades.Greece has also cited human rights abuses within Turkey as proof that Turkey is not democratic enough. Three Greek observers, members of a human rights organisation, were expelled from Turkey Tuesday, because they wanted to examine conditions in which Turkish and Kurdish political prisoners are being held. Lawyer Dimitris Hatzipanagiotou, his wife Kanella, and Left Coalition representative Magdalini Spiliopoulou were arrested Monday along with German Eurodeputy, Heidi Lippman, outside the Bayrabasha prison. The four observers were waiting to enter the institution, in the context of an international investigation of the detention conditions political prisoners in Turkey are subjected to. After being questioned by the police, the three were expelled, following the intervention of the Greek authorities. PASOKAs we heard earlier, the United States is pleased that prime minister Kostas Simitis is now head of Pasok, and in a stronger position.After the battle for the party leadership, Pasok is getting down to the business of finalising a number of other organisational details. The Pasok congress last weekend couldn't have gone better for prime minister Kostas Simitis. Not only was he made party president; over half the members of the new central committee are in his camp. Friday, the committee will meet to elect the party's new executive bureau and political secretariat. Mr Simitis and parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis will be joined on the political secretariat by four executive bureau members, all supporters of Mr Simitis. But Mr Simitis has said that he will not exclude any leading party members from the executive bureau. Mr Simitis's rival for the presidency last weekend, interior minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, said he doesn't intend to set up an internal opposition group to the prime minister within Pasok. Given that, and the fact that defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis's camp came out of the central committee elections seriously weakened, people in the People in the Simitis camp say the prime minister isn't consdering a cabinet reshuffle or calling early national elections - both moves some observers say he might've considered if he'd felt threatened by his opponents. NDDespite the outcome of the Pasok congress, New Democracy believes that Pasok remains sorely divided, and that the government's inability to handle the country's problems will force it to call national elections this autumn, rather than at the end of its four-year term next autumn.New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert chaired a meeting of his party's election campaign committee Tuesday. They discussed ways the party should prepare for early elections. MP Tzanis Tzanetakis presented a timetable at the meeting, according to which New Democracy will be ready for elections by the end of August. New Democracy MP Angelos Bratakos, one of 40 people present at the meeting said, "We don't care whether Kostas Simitis or Akis Tsochatzopoulos was elected Pasok's president. What is important is that Pasok, in its present state, can't govern our country". MP Sotiris Kouvelas, said "Our opponent is Pasok, a deeply divided and incompetent party". Others talked about ways New Democracy can improve. MP Sotiris Hatzigakis, said his party doesn't need to fear Pasok. All it has to do is make sure it has the policies and the image it needs to win the next elections. SAMARASPolitical Spring leader Antonis Samaras believes that neither Pasok nor New Democracy should be in power. In a speech in the Athens suburb of Vyronas Monday night, Samaras said the two parties are two sides of the same coin.Samaras called prime minister Kostas Simitis and New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert the leading players in the two poles of decay. Samaras, like Evert, believes that the Pasok congress didn't unite the ruling party, and that it's on the road to disintegration. The Political Spring leader said during his speech that New Democracy's in the same boat as Pasok, also riven by dissension. HEATWAVESummertime is here in all its glory. A heatwave is approaching, meaning all over the country, the beach will be the only place to be - or in an air conditioned room.The mercury started climbing today, after a few days of relatively cool weather at the end of June. Whatever number you stick on it, that's hot enough to make even the staunchest of land-lubbers take a dip. It's OK to enjoy the hot weather, but health officials also sound a note of caution, especially for the elderly: be careful not to get too much heat and sun. ACROPOLISHeat is rarely a problem on the Acropolis under the moonlight.Thousands of Athenians looking for something better than the usual to do, got what they wanted Monday night. Responding to an invitation from the culture ministry to visit the Acropolis for free under the light of the full moon, Athenians ascended the rock to take in the ancient sites. People who missed out Monday don't need to pout about it. The Acropolis will also be open on the two other full moon nights this summer, July 30th and August 28th. Closing time will be 1 am. © ANT1-Radio 1996Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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