Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis-Turkey-Balkans

[02] Thessaloniki-PM-Press Conference

[03] Germany-Greece-Soccer-World Cup

[04] Weather Forecast-Monday

[01] Simitis-Turkey-Balkans

Prime Minster Costas Simitis called for insistence in negotiating on the Cyprus problem, during his traditional speech at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, on Sunday.

?We should insist in negotiating, to get up and leave, would be the worst service we can provide,? he said, adding that ?(Rauf) Denktash is playacting? and that ?we should make clear to the international community?.

Speaking on Greek-Turkish relations, the prime minister said that as far as Greece is concerned there is only one problem to be resolved with Turkey and that is the continental shelf issue, adding that this will be accomplished by relating to everybody that the demands and the questions set forth by the other side from time to time ?are not in any way acceptable by Greece?.

He said, however, that the policy of completing and signing side-issue agreements with Ankara would continue.

Simitis, also, noted that with the Helsinki decision to accept Turkeys candidacy to the European Union, ?we included Turkey to a process? which by itself is creating pressures to make decisions and forces Turkey to recognise the rules of International Law".

?We will continue to attempt to bring Turkey to recognise its responsibilities and then its up to it to act or to find it self left at the margin,? he said, adding that the remarks of President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on Greek-Turkish relations were correct.

[02] Thessaloniki-PM-Press Conference

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Sunday gave a press conference in Thessaloniki at the end of his three-day stay in the northern city where he inaugurated the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF) on Friday.

"You will see me for many more years to come," Simitis said when asked whether he would be a candidate for prime minister in the next four year term and a candidate for president of the ruling PASOK at its next congress. He went on to explain the reasons why the political horizons of his personal plans will exceed by far the four-year period.

"I have received a mandate from the Greek people to complete my work," he said, adding that his work and PASOK's objective is henceforth, following Greece's approval into the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), "for the country to proceed even more into the real convergence."

"We are at 70 per cent of the average standard of living of the citizens of the EU-member countries. There is still a distance on issues such as education, health and infrastructure. Greece must take more steps and we should not forget that Greece was once an underdeveloped country," Simitis said.

The prime minister went on to dismiss as totally false and slanderous impressions being cultivated that the government is being controlled by powers and economic interests.

Of course vested interests and pressures exist, but the government is aware of this problem and has taken a series of measures to check all agreements, as well as through a new legislation for the assignment of projects," he said.

"There are rules and the rules will be respected. We must also not forget that there are European Union rules, and those who are interested can recourse to the European Commission as has been done in the case of the Thessaloniki Metro," Simitis added.

The prime minister was also categoric on the issue of the new police identity cards. He said that the government and the state was not in juxtaposition with the Church and that their roles are different. The issue of the IDs is of the competency of the state and this issue is closed, he stressed.

Simitis said that issues which could constitute an object for dialogue with the Church hierarchy are those of ecclesiastical education, church property and ecclesiastical justice.

[03] Germany-Greece-Soccer-World Cup

Germany beat Greece 2-0 in a World Cup soccer (Group Nine) qualifying match in Hamburg on Saturday night for the 2002 finals. Germany's goals came from Sebastian Deisler in the 17th minute and by an own-goal by Greece's Marinos Ouzounidis in the 75th.

In another Group Nine match, Finland beat Albania 2-1. The other team in the group is England which has yet to play.

[04] Weather Forecast-Monday

Hot and humid weather with scattered cloud is forecast throughout the country on Monday.

Scattered showers in the northwest, particularly in the evening.

Winds will be westerly, light to moderate.

Temperatures in the north will range from 15C to 31C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 18C to 35C; and in the Aegean from 23C to 32C.

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