Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-01-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Premier-EMU-Elections

[02] Ship sinks

[03] Tremor-Athens

[01] Premier-EMU-Elections

Prime minister Costas Simitis said Sunday it was not possible to speak of general elections before the issue of Greece's entry into the European Union's economic and monetary union (EMU) was settled.

In an exclusive interview with Kathimerini newspaper appearing Sunday, Simitis said he could not commit himself to a specific date for elections, "but I can commit myself that I shall not leave the EMU issue to chance".

He said that up to the EU summit in Portugal (in June) "we will be in constant and tough negotiations with our EU partners, and no one can leave this matter in the middle. If this issue is not first settled, we cannot discuss elections".

[02] Ship sinks

A Honduras-flagged freighter sank Sunday after it took on water while docked at Kalamata port, but its five-member crew were safe and accounted for, merchant marine sources said.

The sources said the "Mattheos" sank shortly after noon after two of its lower compartments took on water for as yet unknown reasons.

The freighter, loaded with 2,500 tons of iron, had arrived in Kalamata port for refuelling stop, but was forced to remain in port due to a sailings bank prompted by gale-force winds in the area.

The sources said the ship's two Greek officers and three Tanzanian crew members were all unhurt, while the fuel was being pumped out of the sunken vessel to avoid a spill.

[03] Tremor-Athens

A weak earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale was ecorded Sunday morning in Athens.

The Athens Observatory's Geodynamic Institute said the tremor, struck at 8:32 a.m, with its epicentre in Parnitha, the same fault that produced the devastating 5.9 Richter earthquake that rocked Athens on September 7, 1999, killing some 120 people and leaving thousands homeless.

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