Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-08-21

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Church of Greece humanitarian aid for Lebanese refugees

[02] Mideast communist, labour parties decide joint initiatives

[03] Greece beats Lithuania in World Basketball Cup match

[01] Church of Greece humanitarian aid for Lebanese refugees

Christodoulos presented local Shiite leader Abdullah Nizaam 30 out of the 80 tons of pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and clothing aid collected by Allilegii via donations in Greece, and in cooperation with the Greek foreign ministry.

"Greece was one of the first countries to act for the end of the vicious circle of violence," Nizaan said, while referring to the role of religious leaders, while praising the good relationship between Muslims in Damascus with Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch and all the East.

"The purpose of our trip here is humanitarian but also religious, since with our presence here we represent the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece," Christodoulos said.

"As representatives of the Orthodox Church, we do not close our eyes or shut our ears to the great evil of war, which God does not bless. I am happy both to meet with the leader of the Shiites of Syria and because I believe that the delivery of this assistance also contains a deeper symbolism. The representatives of religions must declare in all directions the unity of humanity; that we are all children of God, and that the oil of our religion must never ignite wars. On the contrary, it must be used as the primary material in the candle of prayer to God," Christodoulos said.

The Archbishop later went to the Red Crescent centre for the collection of humanitarian assistance, where he delivered another 10 tons in humanitarian aid, while the remaining 40 tons will be distributed directly in Lebanon by Allilegii.

The Greek delegation, which also included a handful of ecclesiastical leaders and foreign ministry officials, was received afterwards by Patriarch Ignatius.

[02] Mideast communist, labour parties decide joint initiatives

A KKE announcement said that the conference was concluded early Sunday afternoon with success and important results, as the participating parties had agreed on a specific programme of common initiatives and actions, as well as coordination of their efforts against the imperialist plans at the expense of the peoples of the Middle East and the wider region.

The conference opened Saturday morning with an address by KKE secretary general Aleka Papariga, who expressed disagreement with the content of the recent UN Security Council resolution on the Mideast crisis, but also with Greek participation in the multinational peacekeeping force that will be deployed in Lebaonon.

The meeting was also addressed by Israeli communist party general secretary Issam Makhoul, Lebanese communist party general secretary Haland Handata, Palestinian People's Party general secretary Bassan al-Salhi, and Jordanian communist party general secretary Monir Hamarna.

The conference included an analytical briefing on the new situation arising throughout the entire region, according to the KKE announcement, which added that "the participating parties assesses as important and irreplaceable the role and contribution of the communist parties of the region in revealing the imperialist plans as well as in the development of the popular anti-imperialist movements".

It further said that the parties participating in the Athens counference welcomed and expressed their solidarity with the "heroic resistance of the Lebanese people, the consistent militant stance of the Lebanese communist party, and the resistance of the Palestinian people and the parties and organisations fighting for its indepdence, the creation of its own sovereign and viable state in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital".

They also welcomed "the consistent internationalist stance of the Israeli communist party", the announcement said.

[03] Greece beats Lithuania in World Basketball Cup match

The 10-minute intervals had the following results: 18-22, 44-37, 58-57, 69-69 (full time) and 76-81.

Greece's third match will be with Australia at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, while its last two matches in the group will be against Brazil and Turkey.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article