Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-08-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou addresses Fatah con'f

[02] Prinos oil production triples

[01] Papandreou addresses Fatah con'f

The three-day conference is the first to be convened in 20 years. The previous conference was took place in Algiers in 1989.

Papandreou expressed appreciation for the invitation to address the event, and noted the historic bonds between the two peoples, as well as the close ties between his father, PASOK founder and former prime minister Andreas Papandreou, and Yasser Arafat, the late PLO chairman, first president of the Palestinian Authority, and founder of the Fatah movement.

"Our common values lead us to seeking a united and free Palestine that will be able to live in peace," Papandreou said.

Posing the question of whether there is hope for resolving the Palestinian issue, Papandreou replied that this hope exists, as was proved by the presence of so many delegates from all parts of the world, while he also recalled new US President Barack Obama's recent address in Cairo, noting that the new US administration was discussing a compromise.

Papandreou stressed that a solution cannot be achieved through force of arms, while adding that the Palestinians need to "speak with one voice".

Addressing himself to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Papandreou stressed his support while, turning back to the delegates, he said "we were together, we are together, and we will be together", and expressed hope that "we will find ourselves together in an independent, united, free and peaceful Palestinian state".

Papandreou also had a bilateral meeting with Abbas, with whom he discussed developments in Israel and the wider region, as well as the Obama administration's foreign policy. He also conveyed to Abbas greetings from Greek President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.

Papandreou further met with the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem.

[02] Prinos oil production triples

The well, an investment of more than 38 million euros, was drilled by the Jack-up Rig Energy Exerter of Northern Offshore to a total measured depth of 4,370 meters over the course of 135 days.

Aegean Energy also announced that it planning the first drilling on the Epsilon field. The first drilling will have a total depth of 5,500 metres and is scheduled to begin production in September 2009.

The company employs 280 people and the new oil reservoirs, Prinos North Field and Epsilon, are located in Kavala Bay, 4.3 nautical miles west of the island of Thassos.

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