Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-02-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek and Syrian presidents express common desire for widening of

[02] FM extends Greek sympathy and solidarity over Turkish quake

[03] Seismologist: Afion quake unrelated to local seismic activity

[04] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Monday

[05] President Stephanopoulos meets Antioch Patriarch

[06] Greek and Syrian presidents discuss bilateral relations

[01] Greek and Syrian presidents express common desire for widening of relations

DAMASCUS (ANA - N. Megadoukas) - Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos, currently on a three-day official visit to Syria, and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asad expressed their common desire on Saturday night for the further widening of commercial and economic relations between the two countries.

Moreover, such a development also includes the signing of two agreements on the avoidance of double taxation and protection for investments to facilitate business activity.

President Stephanopoulos invited President Asad to pay an official visit to Greece, while it was stressed during a joint press conference that the two countries have common views on political issues.

Greece and Syria underlined the need for the implementation of international norms and agreements, as well as of UN resolutions on the problems of Golan, Cyprus and Lebanon and the Palestinian issue.

Referring to the problem of terrorism, President Asad stressed the need for a distinction to be made between the meaning of terrorism and the meaning of resistance and that a special UN conference should be convened on the issue.

President Stephanopoulos said that acts carried out in the framework of national liberation struggles should not be directed at unarmed citizens, adding that President Asad assured him that there was no such case with the Hizbollah organisation.

President Stephanopoulos said the European Union should intensify its efforts to achieve a common foreign policy and be in a position to intervene in global developments in a better way.

President Asad, referring to the Palestinian problem, stressed the need for the implementation of UN resolutions. On the question of the waters of the Euphrates River, a problem in relations between Syria and Turkey, he said both sides have the inclination of promoting a solution.

Both presidents agreed that cooperation between Greece and Syria should be promoted in the tourism and cultural exchange sectors. They also discussed energy issues, particularly oil and natural gas pipelines.

[02] FM extends Greek sympathy and solidarity over Turkish quake

Foreign Minister George Papandreou expressed Greece's sympathy and solidarity to the hard-hit Turkish people and the Turkish government, upon hearing of the earthquake which struck in the Bolvadin area in Turkey on Sunday.

Acting on instructions by Papandreou, the Greek ambassador to Ankara has already contacted the Turkish foreign ministry and Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister Ilkin, expressing the Greek government's availability and readiness for the immediate sending of humanitarian aid to the earthquake-stricken region.

[03] Seismologist: Afion quake unrelated to local seismic activity

One of Greece's best-known seismologists on Sunday warned against linking the 6.2 on the Richter scale quake that struct west-central Asia Minor in Turkey earlier in the morning, claiming the life of dozens of people.

"The region of Greece was not influenced nor is it expected to be influenced," Thessaloniki University Prof. Vassilis Papazahos said.

[04] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Monday

Scattered cloud is forecast throughout the country, which is likely to turn to light rain mainly in the south. Winds variable, light to moderate, turning very strong in the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 1C to 15C; on the rest of the mainland from 4C to 18C; and in the Aegean islands from 10C to 17C. Light cloud over Athens, with temperatures between 7C and 16C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 4C to 14C.

[05] President Stephanopoulos meets Antioch Patriarch

DAMASCUS (ANA - N. Megadoukas) - President Kostis Stephanopoulos, continuing his three-day official visit to Syria, attended a church service on Sunday morning and met with the Patriarch of Antioch Ignatios.

President Stephanopoulos exchanged gifts with Ignatios who told him "God and people should love you a great deal to be in a position to exercise power appropriately."

Later in the day, President Stephanopoulos held private meetings with Syria's first Vice President Hadam, Prime Minister Miro and the Parliament president with whom he discussed bilateral issues and the Middle East question.

In the evening, President Stephanopoulos will be giving a reception in honour of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, while earlier he will be contacting the Greek community in the country.

[06] Greek and Syrian presidents discuss bilateral relations

DAMASCUS (ANA - N. Megadoukas) - Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos, currently on a three-day official visit to Syria, and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asad expressed their common desire on Saturday night for the further widening of commercial and economic relations between the two countries.

Moreover, such a development also includes the signing of two agreements on the avoidance of double taxation and protection for investments to facilitate business activity.

President Stephanopoulos invited President Asad to pay an official visit to Greece, while it was stressed during a joint press conference that the two countries have common views on political issues.

Greece and Syria underlined the need for the implementation of international norms and agreements, as well as of UN resolutions on the problems of Golan, Cyprus and Lebanon and the Palestinian issue.

Referring to the problem of terrorism, President Asad stressed the need for a distinction to be made between the meaning of terrorism and the meaning of resistance and that a special UN conference should be convened on the issue.

President Stephanopoulos said that acts carried out in the framework of national liberation struggles should not be directed at unarmed citizens, adding that President Asad assured him that there was no such case with the Hizbollah organisation.

President Stephanopoulos said the European Union should intensify its efforts to achieve a common foreign policy and be in a position to intervene in global developments in a better way.

President Asad, referring to the Palestinian problem, stressed the need for the implementation of UN resolutions. On the question of the waters of the Euphrates River, a problem in relations between Syria and Turkey, he said both sides have the inclination of promoting a solution.

Both president agreed that cooperation between Greece and Syria should be promoted in the tourism and cultural exchange sectors, while also discussing energy issues, particularly oil and natural gas pipelines.

President Asad gave an official dinner in honour of his Greek counterpart later on Saturday night.

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