Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-08-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Long queues at border as many Albanians workers return home for holiday

[02] Athens cites negative effects for Turkey's EU course due to T/C

[03] 17 Turkish seamen rescued off SW Peloponnese

[04] Weather forecast - Sunny on Monday

[01] Long queues at border as many Albanians workers return home for holiday

Long queues were reported early Saturday at the Kakavia customs post on the Greek-Albanian frontier, as more than 500 cars and coaches carrying Albanian workers residing in Greece as well as ethnic Greeks of southern Albania waited to cross the border.

Customs officers said traffic was processing smoothly without any particular problems, while adding that the long lines were apparently due to the fact that numerous Albanian guest workers in Greece had chosen to travel en masse for August holidays back to their country.

According to figues, since the end of July more than 15,000 Albanian nationals re-entered the country on Greece's north-west border, a number comparatively smaller than last year during the same period.

[02] Athens cites negative effects for Turkey's EU course due to T/C 'customs pact'

The Greek government on Saturday stressed that a framework pact on a "customs union" between Turkey and a Turkish-Cypriot pseudo-state illegally propped up on territory the Turkish military occupies on the island republic was illegal and a severe breach of international law.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Panayiotis Beglitis said the pact, which was signed on Friday between Ankara and the Turkish-Cypriot pseudo-state, was in breach of international law, the UN's Charter and UN Security Council resolutions, as well as principles and resolutions of the European Union.

The Greek spokesman said the pact was also in conflict with the institutional framework of EU relations vis-a-vis the Cyprus Republic, as well as with Turkey proper, a current EU candidate-country.

Beglitis noted that the pact was an illegal act that could have a negative impact on Turkey's EU course and on its candidacy assessment by the Union's competent bodies.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 percent of the island's territory. An illegal T/C state was declared in 1983 and is only recognised by Ankara.

[03] 17 Turkish seamen rescued off SW Peloponnese

Coast guard official on Saturday said 17 Turkish crewmembers of a Malta-flagged cargo ship were picked up in the sea region some 70 nautical miles southwest off the town of Pylos, in the south-western Peloponnese.

The crewmembers fled the sinking cargo ship "Ogan" and were rescued by the freighter "Ocean Xenophon", after the vessel reached the scene in response to a distress call.

The 17 seamen were transported to Pylos, where they were reported in good health.

According to the "Ogan's" skipper, the vessel, which was carrying iron from the Ukraine to Tunisia, sunk after a fire in its engine room caused flooding.

[04] Weather forecast - Sunny on Monday

Fair and sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country on Monday, with local clouds in the east and north. Winds north northwest, light to moderate in the west, moderate to strong in the east, turning temporarily very strong in parts of the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 18C to 32C; on the mainland from 20C to 35C; and in the islands from 22C to 33C. Temperatures in Athens between 23C and 34C; and in Thessaloniki from 21C to 32C.

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