Italians safe after yacht sinks
NEWS IN DETAIL
Tsohatzopoulos backs Cypriot arms purchase
Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos has countered a charge by his Turkish
counterpart Turhan Tayan yesterday that the Cypriot government is mounting
an arms build up, by reiterating that the island republic is a victim of
invasion and has the elementary right of defence against the aggressor.
Speaking in Thessaloniki today, he also stressed that Greece, as a
guarantor power of Cypriot independence, stands in solidarity and
guarantees its freedom and protection.
The excange has come after an announcement on Saturday that Cyprus had
signed a contract to buy S-300 surface-to-air missiles from Russia.
Tsohatzopoulos said, "the threats from the force of invasion and occupation
on Cyprus singify Turkey's destabilising and expansionist role in the area.
It is everyone's responsibility to denounce the military invasion, coming
from Turkey, that maintains 600,000 under arms, against the minimally armed,
with 5,000 soldiers, Cyprus, which has the right to defend itself against
the invader".
"Cyprus is not alone in this position. The whole of the international
community is with it, and particularly as regards the threat, Greece, as a
guarantor power, and in the framework of the unified defence area, stands
by Cyprus, and guarantees its freedom and protection," he added.
Cultural Capital events schedule
The Sbandieratori di Cammerino group of flag-bearers, dancers and swordmen
from Italy are continuing, today and tomorrow, their spectacular performances
of medieval customs of the 1300-1600 period.
Two large exhibitions are being inaugurated tomorrow night.
The first includes 62 sculptures, collage samples, and a big collection of
photographs and documents from the tumultuous life of their creator,
dadaist and surrealist sculptor Max Ernst, in the city's municipal gallery.
The exhibition has been organised by the Swedish Malmo museum, and will
last until February 22.
The second exhibition is of works by French photographer Robert Doisneau,
at the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) building in Aristotelous Street,
and is scheduled to last until January 28.
Italians safe after yacht sinks
Five Italian nationals were picked up in a lifeboat by a fishing vessel
when their yacht, identified as "IGLOO", ran aground and sank outside the
new port of Rhodes at 3:30 this morning.
The yacht, whose skipper was identified as Mario Sarienga, sailed from
Marmaris, Turkey, last night. The cause of the accident remains unclear.
The US Navy destroyer "Bates" ran aground at the same spot in 1968, carried
away by strong southerly winds.
WEATHER (Tuesday)
Rainstorms spreading in from the west. Moderate to strong easterly winds
in the north, and south-southeasterly of the same strength in the rest of
the country, becoming very stong in the Ionian Sea. Temperature: Athens,
9-16C, Thessaloniki, 3-13C, Aegean islands, 10-18C.
Greek First Division Soccer
Olympiakos - Paniliakos 1 - 0 Panathinaikos - Kavala 2 - 0
Kalamata - Panahaiki 1 - 1 Veria - Xanthi 2 - 0
Kastoria - Ionikos 1 - 2 Apollon - Athinaikos 1 - 1
Heraklis - Edessaikos 3 - 1 PAOK - AEK 0 - 0
OFI - Aris 0 - 1 at half-time
Standings: (points) Olympiakos 35
Panathinaikos 32 OFI 29
AEK 27 Pyrgos 24
Kavala 22 Veria 22
Panahaiki 21 Kalamata 19
Ionikos 18 PAOK 16
Aris, Xanthi 13 Apollon, Heraklis 12
(H.A.)
(M.S.)
