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Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-07-15Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.grNews in English, 15/07/97TITLES
CYPRUSThe second round of UN-sponsored talks between Cypriot president Glafcos ClirEEdis and Turkish- Cypriot leader Raouf Denktash will be held in the city of Montreux in Switzerland, on August 11th.This second round will be highly important, said UN general secretary representative Diego Cordovez in a press conference Monday. Cordovez added that he will estimate the reactions of both sides on his recommendations for a common statement of principles, and that talks in substance will start next year. The first round ended this week-end in New York. ClirEEdis and Denktash met with US special envoy on Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke in New York Monday. In his meeting with Clerides, Holbrooke discussed the perspective of a US involvement in the Cyprus issue. UN general secretary's special advisor Diego Cordovez informed the five permanent members of the Security Council Monday, about the results of the talks' first round. This week-end Cordovez presented Clirides and Denktash with revised proposals for a settlement. The changes were based on comments made by Clerides and Denktash to a UN working paper submitted last week. The paper outlines ideas for a new constitution for a unified Cyprus. It also refers to turning Cyprus into a Federal Republic of two equal and identical powers. Furthermore, the UN plan calls on both sides to accept the principle that sovereignty emanates from each of the two politically equal communities. The dual sovereignty formula was proposed by former UN secretary general Boutros Boutros Ghali in 1992. Greek-Cypriots demand that the peace plan include reference to Security Council demands for the withdrawal of the 30 thousand Turkish troops and the right of Greek-Cypriot refugees to return to their homes in the north- occupied territory. Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides told reporters "We're in a very preliminary stage. We have not a common statement yet, because we haven't come up to final decisions on the UN paper". Diplomatic sources, estimating the first round of talks, said that the fact that "the ice was broken" between Clerides and Denktash was the most important result. Diplomat observers said that a new wave of developments is likely to occur by March 1998, when after the presidential elections in Cyprus, Washington will undertake action on the issue, as talks on Cyprus's entry in the EU will begin. ANTENNAAn unbelievably severe decision was imposed to Antenna last week. Antenna, the first Greek station broadcasting in the US, Canada and Australia is prepared to go all the way to the European Court to fight a fine of 378 thousand dollars for a show that allegedly drove a man to suicide.It was the most severe punishment ever imposed against a station in Greece's wide-open private broadcasting environment. Last month, Antenna's daytime programme "To Kendri" or "The Sting" aired a programme on accusations that a man was sexually abusing his 12- year-old daughter. The programme included an interview with the girl, BUT THEIR IDENTITIES WERE CONCEALED. The 47-year-old man, who was awaiting trial on charges of sexual molestation, was found dead shortly before the show was aired. The National Radiotelevision Council, a watchdog group close to the government, imposed the fine and ordered Antenna to suspend "The Sting" for 10 minutes on five consecutive days. This decision was made after a letter- order sent to the Council by government spokesman and Press minister Dimitris Reppas. Reactions expressed by the country's dailies, MPs from all the political parties and religious leaders were immediate. The news were quickly broadcasted by foreign agencies as well. ''The Sting'' doesn't have to make any excuses. It wanted to protect the child", Kostas XydiAs, Antenna's legal advisor told the Associated Press. "The issue was why the child wasn't being protected. If it had been, the case would never have reached television", he added. "The silence had to be broken". The ruling needs government approval before it takes effect. Antenna said that if the Press minister ratifies the decision, it will take legal action and is prepared to take the case to the European Court. MPs from all political parties said that the penalty was exaggerate. Many said that it was probably due to political reasons. One hundred-and-twenty MPs denounced the punishment imposed, 49 from Pasok and 71 from New Democracy. The effort to terrorise and censor a private television station was even made known on Internet. It's noteworthy that the council's decision hasn't been given to Antenna nor to the competent Press minister yet. Greeks from all over the world, and especially the US, are sending Antenna support letters. In his letter, a Greek viewer in the US called "unfair and filthy" the penalty imposed on Antenna and even offered a sum of one thousand dollars to pay off the fine, if necessary. New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis undertook an initiative to react against the council's decision, visiting first the Greek Journalists Union. Karamanlis said that a deontology code should be established and immediately passed in the parliament's competent committee, so that there are no suspicions that unfair penalties are imposed in SOME cases. The matter will be brought up for discussion to the greek parliament by New Democracy MP Angelos Bratakos and to the European parliament by Eurodeputy Pavlos SarlEEs. In his question posed to the Press minister and the parliament, Bratakos talks about a selective decision made by the radiotelevision council which directly hits against the constitutionally established freedom of press. The New Democracy MP also asks whether the government will take any measures to lift the, quote unacceptable, unquote, decision. Another New Democracy MP, Ioannis Varvitsiotis also expressed his discontent over such a severe punishment. "When it's your first decision made, you can't make it so exaggerate", he said, adding, "I believe that IF there was any offence committed, the penalty should be just warning. And especially for Antenna, the radiotelevision council should be extremely careful, since Antenna makes an immense national contribution with its programmes aired in the US and Canada. This station brings Greece close to Greeks all over the world". European parliament's vice-president Giorgos Anastasopoulos said that the fine CAN be considered as exaggerate and unfair. "Antenna is a station which is not politically controlled by the government and is not caracterised by lack of sense of responsibility nor by efforts to impress in any way", he added. "I believe that such measures don't improve the television's level, especially when they are related with political motives". Many MPs from the ruling party also4;2H7mÔÝëïòmC7måêôýðùóçò.m supported Antenna's stance. Anastasios Peponis said that the penalty was extremely severe and unfair. MP Dimitris AlabAnos said, "In the case of Antenna, I'm very sorry for the independent group which is called Radiotelevision Council. I wish and hope that the government will realise this injustice and repair it". Another Pasok MP, Lefteris Veryvakis said, "No penalty can be imposed wihtout law. In the case of Antenna, there's been a violation of both general and special rules, which should have taken effect. There SHOULD be a revision of the ruling". Antenna television and radio has received hundreds of phone calls and faxes from viewers expressing their support to the station. STEFANOPOULOSThe Greek-turkish non-violence agreement signed in Madrid last week was the main issue discussed by Greek president Kostis Stefanopoulos and prime minister Kostas Simitis Monday morning."I informed the president on the Nato summit held last week in Spain", Simitis told reporters after the meeting. "I talked to him about the most recent developments in the North-Atlantic Alliance as well as the Greek- Turkish common statement of principles signed in Madrid", he added. The two men also discussed the Greek government's policy on the Greek- turkish relations and the perspectives of future steps. Later in the day, President Stefanopoulos met with Left Coalition leader Nikos Konstantopoulos, who called for a political leaders meeting headed by the president of the republic. "The government has the duty to inform the political parties, the parliament and the greek people on foreign issues", he added. CONSTANTINOPLEOne Greek man died and three Greeks were wounded in a car accident near Constantinople Monday.The accident occurred in a region at about 80 kilometers far from Constantinople. The driver of a truck lost control on the vehicle, due to bad weather conditions, passed on the opposite line and collided with the tourist bus heading from Ankara to Constantinople. Seven people died and 28 were wounded in total. Six out of the 28 wounded are in critical condition. The bus carried tourists from different countries, Greeks, Rumanians, Russians and Polish. KARAMANLISNew Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis expressed his party's full support in Athens bid to host the Olympic Games of the year 2004. Karamanlis was briefed by the Athens bid committee president Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki Monday.The briefing kicked off a series of information meetings with all political leaders on the committee's preparation just two months before the International Olympics Committee picks the host of the Games in September. Athens bid committee officials have done an excellent job promoting the Greek capital's nomination. Five cities are bidding for the Games : Athens, Stockholm, Cape-Town, Buenos Aires and Rome. SAILING/FORMULA 1American Scott Guilman was the winner at this year's Formula One Speedboats Race which was held in Corfu this week-end.Twenty-four pilots participated in the race with 350 HP engines able to run at 220 kilometers per hour. The race was organised by the Corfu Municipality and the Corfu Speedboat Club. SAILING/AEGEANIn nautical news, the 34th international sailing rally reached its second day Monday. A record number of 42 sailing boats are competing in the sun and winds of trhe Aegean in this year's event.Thousands of sea lovers watched the rally at its first stop, the island of Milos. On Tuesday, the sailing boats will reach the island of Leros. This year's event is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the reunion of the Dodecanese islands with Greece after their return from Italy in 1947. INTERNET/LOTTOGambling is now possible on ...Internet. "Plus Lotto", the first gamble game instaured on a web site, has had already a winner : a Greek player won 850 thousand dollars, but didn't want to make his identity known.Talking about the great success of gambling on the net, an Interlotto official says "We have players from China to Chili". The first jack pot was recorded in Greece; the Greek winner couldn't be reached after it was known he won. He apparently left the office to celebrate his gambling fortune. © ANT1 Radio 1997Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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