Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-10-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] Chinese Premier arrives in Athens

[02] Papoulias appeal to Turkey

[01] Chinese Premier arrives in Athens

Shortly afterward touching down at Athens international airport, where he was welcomed by government vice-president Theodoros Pangalos, the Chinese premier arrived at the Maximos Mansion where he was officially welcomed by Prime Minister George Papandreou and Greece's political leadership.

The two leaders, after reviewing an honour guard that played the national anthems of Greece and China, entered the Maximos Mansion for a meeting. This was followed by a broader meeting that also included delegations from the Greek and Chinese governments that focused on political and economic ties and the prospects for investment in Greece.

At the end of this meeting, Greece and China are to sign more than 10 bilateral agreements focusing mainly on the sectors of commerce, shipping, tourism and culture.

The two prime ministers will hold a joint press conference and make statements at 17:00 on Saturday afternoon and then visit the facilities of the Chinese shipping company COSCO in the port of Piraeus.

This is the first visit by a Chinese premier to Greece in the past 24 years and acquires even greater significance in view of the current acute difficulties faced by the Greek economy, as well as that of Europe.

Wen Jiabao's three-day visit to Athens is the first stop on a European tour, during which he will also visit Brussels for the ASEM and EU-China summits, Italy and Turkey. (ANA-MPA)

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[02] Papoulias appeal to Turkey

In his address at an event to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus, in Nicosia, on Friday, Papoulias noted that Cyprus membership to the European Union defines the basic aspects of the solution to the Cyprus problem.

''Today is a day to remember the important achievements of the Cypriot people, but also to recollect our course,'' Papoulias said, adding ''this is a day of remembrance and honour to President Makarios, a symbolic figure and a point of reference to all of us.''

Papoulias also said ''the Cyprus problem remains an open wound, with the reunification being the issue at hand.''

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