Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-05-24

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX RESPONSE

[02] HARILAOS FLORAKIS' BODY IS LYING IN STATE

[03] MEETINGS IN GREECE AND BULGARIA ON THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS OIL

[04] SEA ACCIDENT INVOLVING A GREEK TANKER SHIP

[05] THE CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH PAPOULIAS AND MOLYVIATIS

[06] EARTHQUAKE IN THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS

[07] THE PAN-ORTHODOX SYNOD CONTINUES

[01] CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX RESPONSE

The Pan-Orthodox Synod called by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew examines ways to overcome the crisis in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The Patriarchs die on their throne as Patriarchs, stated Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem who met yesterday with the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Patriarch Irenaeus is expected to dispute the legality of his dethronement by the Jordanian King.

Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, the representative of the Patriarchate of Moscow and Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria are in the Fener, Istanbul for the Pan-Orthodox Synod.

Archbishop Christodoulos stated that they had a detailed discussion and Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem told his side of the story.

[02] HARILAOS FLORAKIS' BODY IS LYING IN STATE

The body of Greek Communist Party honorary president Harilaos Florakis lies in state since this morning. Harilaos Florakis died last Sunday from heart failure at the age of 91.

The civil funeral service will take place tomorrow at 6pm and the burial will be held the day after at 4pm at Paliozogloti in the Municipality of Itamos at the Agrafa Mountains in Thessaly.

In a farewell note Harilaos Florakis had stated that he had nothing to leave in his will. The Greek political leadership has expressed deep condolences.

[03] MEETINGS IN GREECE AND BULGARIA ON THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS OIL PIPELINE

Government officials and oil companies from Greece, Russia and Bulgaria visit the construction site of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline on Greek soil today putting in effect the tripartite cooperation memorandum and the relevant protocol signed on April 12.

On May 25 and 26, the three delegations will visit the construction site in Burgas, Bulgaria.

The heads of the Tripartite Committee on the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline will meet in Sofia on May 26-27 with the group of companies that will undertake the establishment of an international company for the materialization of the project.

[04] SEA ACCIDENT INVOLVING A GREEK TANKER SHIP

A tanker ship under Greek flag and a cargo ship collided in the sea region off the coasts of Iran. According to information, all 27 members of the tanker's crew, among them 13 Greek, are well.

According to the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry, the operations' center was informed at 22:00 last night that the cargo ship SAFARI under Panama flag collided with the Greek tanker ASTRO LUPUS in the sea region of Oman Bay, 15 nautical miles off the Iranian coasts.

The tanker ASTRO LUPUS was carrying 224,000 tons of crude oil to Sikka, India coming from Iran's Karg Island. An estimated 800 cubic meters of fuel leaked as a result of the collision. The remaining fuel was transfused to another tanker while the damaged tanker is still in the region.

[05] THE CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH PAPOULIAS AND MOLYVIATIS

The latest developments in Cyprus were at the center of the talks Cypriot Foreign Minister Giorgos Iakovou had with Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias and Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis in Athens today.

Mr. Molyviatis stated that the cooperation between Athens and Nicosia is close and regular and the goal is the reunification of the island and the opening of negotiations on the basis of the Annan Plan and the UN resolutions always in harmony with the principles and values of the European Union.

Mr. Iakovou referred to the issues faced by the Cypriot Republic and specifically, the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate, which will be decided by the UN Security Council, the EU consultations on the customs union of Ankara with the new EU member states and the Islamic Conference.

Responding to a question on press reports according to which, the Patriarch of Jerusalem had sold Patriarchate property in the Turkish occupied northern Cyprus, Mr. Iakovou stated that in a meeting the Patriarch of Jerusalem had with the Cypriot ambassador to Israel he had categorically denied the press reports and refused that there was even a thought to commit such an act.

[06] EARTHQUAKE IN THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS

An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale was recorded this morning and its epicenter was located at the sea region of the Ionian Sea island of Zakynthos alarming the local residents. The tremor was also felt in regions of the Peloponnese, southern Greece.

According to Thessaloniki's Aristotle University geophysics laboratory the earthquake was recorded at 8:51 am and the epicenter was at the sea region between Zakynthos and Peloponnese.

[07] THE PAN-ORTHODOX SYNOD CONTINUES

The Pan-Orthodox Synod continues in the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Fener, Istanbul to examine developments concerning the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The meeting was interrupted at noon today for about 45 minutes.

According to information, all the Christian Orthodox heads addressed the Synod and a proposal to stop mentioning the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the diptychs of the Christian Orthodox Church was put on the table. The hierarchs will approve the proposal through a vote. Responding to the question whether there is a likelihood of a schism, Patriarch Irenaeus said, ask the others.

According to press information, there is tension between the Ecumenical Patriarch and Patriarch Irenaeus who refuses to resign.

Meanwhile, about 10 individuals holding Turkish flags protested against the Pan-Orthodox Synod expressing the view that the Ecumenical Patriarchate does not observe the law of the Turkish state and demanding that it should be forced out of Turkey.

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