Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-09-03

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 03/09/1999 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Morning quake jolts Athens
• FM on Turkey EU candidacy
• FM welcomes rescue workers back
• Government condemns murder
• Archbishop may see Vatican emissary
• Parliament President to visit Germany
• Weather
• Foreign Exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

Seismologists in Greece recorded a strong earthquake at 8.30 this morning, registering 4.6 on the Richter scale at a distance of 65 kilometres north- northwest of Athens. Seismologist Vasilis Papazahos told ANA that "the phenomenon itself should not cause concern, but it took place in an area with high seismic activity and therefore, if the sequence continues with quakes of equal magnitude this may raise some questions for us". The epicentre of the quake was located in the Eubean gulf, at the so called Atalanti fault.

FM on Turkey EU candidacy

Foreign Minister George Papandreou said on Friday that Greece was keen to see Turkey become a candidate for European Union membership but that this also required that Ankara meet certain obligations. "More than anyone we want to see Turkey as a candidate country but Turkey and our partners can not overlook the fact that the neighbouring country has responsibilities and obligations," Papandreou told reporters after briefing Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos. "If Turkey is ready to undertake these responsibilities we have no objection to helping," he said.

FM welcomes rescue workers back

Foreign Minister George Papandreou welcomed back Greek rescue teams working among Turkey's earthquake victims and praised them for doing much to forward peace and rapprochment between the two countries. Papandreou was speaking after meeting with members of non-governmental organisations such as Doctors of the World and the Red Cross, representatives of the Greek emergency services and of the Church, all of whom were involved in relief and rescue work in Turkey in the wake of the devastating 7.2 Richter earthquake on August 17. The foreign minister praised the courage and self- sacrifice of those involved in relief operations, saying their only motive was the need to provide help to their fellow humans. "They showed compassion and understanding and this is a guarantee for the future of Greece," he said.

Government condemns murder

Greece on Friday called the murder of a 68-year-old Cypriot man in the Turkish-occupied regions of Cyprus "a brutal act" but rejected attempts to link the crime to Turkish officials. "This is a brutal act that has been condemned by all sides in Cyprus, even in the occupied territory," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said. Stelios Harpas, a Greek Cypriot living in the Turkish-occupied village of Rizokarpasso on the island's eastern tip, was found murdered on Tuesday. Four Turkish Cypriots are being questioned in connection with the murder.

Archbishop may see Vatican emissary

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos may meet with a representative of the Vatican on Saturday, fuelling speculation that Pope John Paul II is going ahead with his plans to visit Greece. The Vatican's Cardinal Edward Cassidy and the archbishop will be in the northern Greek town of Veria on Saturday to attend a theological conference. Cassidy, who is a close aide to the pope, will pass on to the conference a message from Pope John Paul II. The message is not thought to refer to the Pontiff's desire to visit Athens as part of a re-enactment of Christ's wanderings in the year 2000. Speculation that the Pope was planning a visit to Greece for this purpose has caused some consternation among the ranks of the Orthodox Church and may be a focus of discussion if the cardinal and archbishop meet particularly as the Synod of the Church of Greece will be discussing the issue on Monday.

Parliament President to visit Germany

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis leaves for Germany on September 5 to participate in a summit of the presidents of legislative assemblies of Council of Europe and G-8 countries. The summit will be held in Bonn and Berlin in the framework of events to mark the the 50th anniversary of the operation of two German assemblies, the Bundestag and the Bundestrat, and the inauguration of the New Federal Parliament House in Berlin. Kaklamanis will address the special session of the German federal parliament on the issue of "European unification and international cooperation". Kaklamanis returns to Athens on September 8.

WEATHER

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