GreekNewsBlog: johnmetaxas.com

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Vol. 1, #8
April 1-8, 2006

SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2006

Thanks to all of you who sent me feedback on the web site. I'm working on incorporating some of your suggestions. My next posting should be on Monday morning.

APRIL 7, 2006

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RACE FOR CALIF. GOV. HEATING UP
Angelides and Westly Engage in First Televised Debate

Back in November, when California Treasurer Phil Angelides came to New York for a fundraising event attended by leaders of the city's business community as well as several prominent Greek-Americans, he was riding high. Having announced his intention early to run against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger when others were afraid to take him on, Angelides had managed to win the support of dozens of union leaders and hundreds of elected officials and party leaders. Now he was benefitting from the Governor's dropping poll numbers after the embarassing defeat of ballot proposals Schwarzenegger had backed. Angelides had become, in effect, the first Greek-American politician to reach the national stage since the failed presidential campaigns of Michael Dukakis and Paul Tsongas.

But nothing in politics is easy. Angelides must now over come an opponent in the June Democratic primary, state Controller Steve Westly, before he can even get to challenging Schwarzenegger. And that primary race is heating up.

This week the two candidates engaged in a contentious debate that the L.A. Times reported marked "a sharp negative turn in the race."

"The tart back-and-forth," writes Times Staff Writer Michael Finnegan, "came as Angelides mounted a broad new offensive against Westly, abandoning months of restraint that defied the treasurer's reputation for brass-knuckle campaign tactics. Just before the debate, Angelides delivered a scathing speech on Westly that set the tone for their first face-to-face encounter of the race."

The A.P.'s Laura Kurtzman also reported that "the harsh tone is a departure from the bland television ads both candidates have been running in recent weeks to promote themselves to an electorate that barely knows who they are."

But Finnegan had expected this kind of campaign. Back in January he wrote that with the candidates not differing all that much on the issues, the Westly campaign was trying to make an issue of Phil's past as a real estate developer (he was investment partners with well-known developer and philanthropist Angelo Tsakopoulos.)

As state treasurer, Angelides has been a leader in pension reform, pushing public pension funds to sell their tobacco stocks, invest in urban renewal and pressure corporations to clean up the environment. Getting that message across may prove a challenge in what has become a contentious campaign.

APRIL 6, 2006
BAKOYIANNIS IN CYPRUS... AND MORE
The Greek Economy Minister and the Turkish State Minister for Trade were all smiles (see the photo!) when they met in the afternoon yesterday, promising to work together to increase the volume of trade between the two countries. After all the private sector had already started the process for them with the recent deal by the National Bank of Greece to purchase Finansbank of Turkey.

Would that it were so easy to improve relations on the political front. Greek Foreign Minister Mrs. Bakoyiannis, on her visit to Cyprus, called on Turkey to fulfill its obligations to the European Union in investigating new ways to resolve the Cyprus issue.

The latest round of Greek airspace violations by Turkey was also a topic in her talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister George Iacovou in Nicosia. This issue of the airspace violations is a fascinating one that I would like to return to in a future commentary.

Meanwhile the Cyprus Mail weighed in with two interesting stories. A new poll reveals 48 per cent of Greek Cypriots don’t want to live side by side with Turkish Cypriots, and young Cypriots are even less enamored of living with the Turks. The online newspaper reports, "The overall percentage of people wanting to be reunited with Turkish Cypriots has dropped dramatically since 2003 – the year the checkpoints opened allowing the communities to mingle for the first time in almost three decades."

And now real estate sales in the north have hit an all time low. Agents there say "the bottom had fallen out of the property market as a direct result of several court cases pending against those who had invested in properties abandoned by Greek Cypriots in the wake of the Turkish invasion in 1974."

APRIL 5, 2006
MORE ON THE ANNAN PLAN FOR CYPRUS
A recent poll sees Turkish support for plan dropping

Greek Cypriots have been criticized in many circles for voting down U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan to reunify the island nation. A recent New York Times editorial chided the European Union for failing "to deliver the support of Greek Cypriots, who voted against reunification after Turkish Cypriots had voted in favor."

In a letter to the Times, the AHI's Eugene Rossides wrote that the editorial mischaracterized the vote as one "against unification" without bothering to point out that the Annan plan would have "provided the 18% Turkish minority with a veto over all key legislative and executive decisions over the 80% Greek Cypriot majority."

Rossides also pointed out that the editorial failed to mention the 40,000 Turkish troops still illegally occupying northern Cyprus.

Now a Turkish voice has come out pointing out that the Annan plan seems to be losing support in Turkish circles. Our friend, Col. Andonios Neroulias has pointed us to a thoughtful report by Turkish correspondent Sahin Alpay, written after meeting with Turkish settlers in northern Cyprus. Alpay writes:

"I chatted with some of them, and asked whether they believe Cyprus will ever be united. A lady replied: What we now have is what is best for all... The gates between the two sides have opened. The Greeks are able to come to see the north, and we are able go to see the south It is best when all live where they belong."

"According to the impressions I gathered in this trip, the ... opening of the gates seems to have had a very positive effect. Up to now, there has been about 10 million crossings between the two sides. Thanks to these visits both the Turkish and Greek Cypriots seem to have realized that if their island is to be united one day, it can only happen in the form of a bi-zonal, bi-communal, loose federal state."

"One of the basic assumptions of the Annan Plan was that most Cypriots would prefer to go back and settle in their original homes once the island is reunited. That assumption seems to have proven groundless."

"... Although the reunification of the island seems to be a remote possibility today, contacts between the two sides increase, and the process of two sides getting to know each other is continuing."

"What would be the result if there was a revote on the Annan Plan today? Information I gathered indicates that the Greek Cypriot side has no regrets over having said no.... The yes vote seems to be on the decline among the Turks. A recent poll revealed that it has dropped to about 50 percent."

To read Alpay's full report, click here.

With recent comments from Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis that the Annan Plan is "history," the question becomes what kind of framework, if any, will take its place?

TO COMMENT ON THIS ENTRY, CLICK HERE.

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APRIL 4, 2006: POSTED @ 7PM EASTERN
YANNI CLEARED
Goes on Larry King Live
My friend, Chris Kokenes of CNN, on the Yanni beat, writes to let me know that after being cleared of domestic battery charges -- a story that generated worldwide headlines last week -- Yanni is appearing on Larry King Live. On his website, www.yanni.com, Yanni says: "I want to thank my family, friends, fans and everyone who has supported me through this very difficult and painful time." We are considering appointing Chris as our Yanni correspondent.

NEWS NOTES: APRIL 4, 2006
GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS

NOTE TO OUR READERS:
You may have noticed that I have been working on the layout of this Greek News Blog, and recently have updated my archived feature articles to include both audio and extended commentary. As you can see, some of the topics of interest to me include the Greek Orthodox Church, Greek-Turkish relations and Greek and U.S. politics. I am ready to move the blog into its full-launch phase and would appreciate feedback as to what topics interest you, what regular format will work best and how often you surf to this site. Also, if you have any thoughts on what blogging software best straddles the line between functionality and the ability to maintain a blog's own distinctive look, let me know. Please send me an email by clicking on the "CONTACT" link. Thank you. -- John Metaxas

TODAY'S COMMENTARY:

What is the state of Greek-Turkish relations these days? While we are all familiar with the issues between the two countries, recent headlines portray some positive and disturbing developments at the same time. The Kurdish issue is heating up for Turkey -- a destabilizing influence, no doubt. It has led to quite extraordinary comments from the Turkish Prime Minister seeming to threaten even children who take part in protests. And the success of an anti-American film in Turkey seems to be evidence of increasing alienation from the west, even among Turkey's elites. On the diplomatic front, Turkey is carefully weighing the statements by newly-appointed Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis, the former mayor of Athens. Bakoyannis recently warned that if the Cyprus matter is not solved, "Turkey may be blocked at the doors to the EU." On the trade front, however, Greeks and Turks are making strides. A Greek bank has just agreed to buy a Turkish bank and a business conference was held in New York last week to promote Greek-Turkish cross investment.

Read more about these stories below.

RECENT HEADLINES OF INTEREST:

April 3, 2006
Annan Plan is History, says Greek F.M. Bakoyiannis
The newly appointed Greek Foreign Minister, Dora Bakoyiannis, has warned Turkey that if the division of Cyprus is not resolved, Turkey's accession to the European Union may be blocked. This hard-line stance has drawn the attention of the Turkish media.

Turkish media reports on the Bakoyiannis statement:

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/4192687.asp?gid=74

zaman.com: Bakoyanni: Annan Plan is History

Turkish Weekly reports: Turkey’s European Perspective Faltering
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=29240

April 3, 2006
Greek Bank to Buy Turkish Bank
THE ATHENS NEWS AGENCY is reporting "National Bank of Greece is set to make its largest investment abroad, by winning the bidding for FinansBank, one of the largest Turkish banks, at a price of about three billion euros."

April 2, 2006
Alexandria Cathedral Rededicated
THE ATHENS NEWS AGENCY is reporting that the landmark Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria, Egypt, was rededicated Sunday during an ecclesiastical service officiated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros. Greek President Karolos Papoulias attended the ceremony and was scheduled to be received by Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Monday.

April 1, 2006
BBC
Turkey warns children off clashes
A Kurdish boy waves a baton during protests in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Three children aged under nine have died in clashes with riot police. Turkey's prime minister warns that security forces will act against women and children who he says are being used as "pawns of terrorism".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4867934.stm

March 31, 2006
BBC
Istanbul blast amid Kurd tension
A bomb blast has killed one person and injured 13 others near a bus stop in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4865928.stm

March 31, 2006
COLUMBIA BUSINESS ALUMNI: Greek-Turkish trade quadruples
The Columbia Busines School Alumni Club of New York reports that Greek-Turkish trade has quadrupled in the past five years and now stands at $1.75 billion a year. Their invitation to attend a recent scheduled conference in New York on Greek-Turkish-US Cross Investing Partnership Opportunities, goes on the say:

"The Turkish TV series, “YabancÄ± Damat” (a foreigner for a son in law), or “The Frontiers of Love” as the Greek title goes became a phenomenon last summer in Greece. The show achieved what politicians couldn’t achieve in decades. Last August, when the show ended with a happy ending, i.e., with a marriage between a Greek and a Turk, it broke all records, as almost 1.5 million Greek viewers were glued for two-and-a-half hours every day to their TV sets. Today Turkish companies are expanding in Greece and Greek companies are entering the Turkish market."

I am working to set up an interview with a participant of this conference.

March 29, 2006
Turks Cheer Anti-American Film
Eugene Rossides, President of the American Hellenic Institute has written an eye-opening op-ed about the Turkish Film, "Valley of the Wolves: Iraq." Rossides writes: The film cost $10 million, which is the largest budget in Turkish film history, adding:

"It has an international cast which includes Hollywood’s Billy Zane, who plays an American commander who the New York Times (2-14-06; A4; col.3) writes is depicted as 'a sociopath, killing people without a second’s thought and claiming he is doing God’s will…. Other scenes show ruthless marines killing Iraqis and soldiers mistreating inmates at Abu Ghraib prison, as well as an American Jewish surgeon, played by Gary Busey, who takes what look like kidneys from inmates during surgery to New York, London and Israel.' "

Click here to read the full op-ed by Eugene Rossides.

February 15, 2006
WASHINGTON TIMES
Audiences cheer film's anti-U.S. message
A new film riding on a wave of anti-Americanism is attracting record audiences in Turkey and has drawn approving comments from the wife of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060214-104958-5445r.htm

TO COMMENT ON THIS ENTRY, CLICK HERE.

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