Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK in the course of electing leader

[02] Solidarity expressed to Archbishop Christodoulos

[01] PASOK in the course of electing leader

Speaking during a press conference, the former minister and party secretary added that the whole procedure should assume a "clear political character, without creating dividing lines and leading to inter-party conflicts without any substance."

"What scares me more than defeat is a tendency to turn to the past," Skandalidis said, making an indirect reference to criticism aimed at former prime minister and ex-party president Costas Simitis' governments between 1996 and 2004.

Asked to name what sets him apart from the other two contenders, namely, current leader George Papandreou and Thessaloniki-area deputy Evangelos Venizelos, Skanadalidis said: "What I say, what I represent, what I commit myself to, what I have been steadfastly proposing in all my historical course ... I am absolutely committed to being elected PASOK's president," he said.

Referring to an eventual participation of grassroots PASOK supporters, apart from registered party members, in the election procedure, Skandalidis tabled a handful of questions to his rivals concerning citizens' future status in relation to party structures.

"I consider no one as my opponent," he emphasised, while responding to a question over what his decision would be in case of a second election round, saying that "the policy of the second round will depend on the policy formulated during the party's national conference on November 2-4, and the result of the first round."

Skandalidis appeared certain that there would be a second round, predicting at the same time that he will be present in the second round.

[02] Solidarity expressed to Archbishop Christodoulos

Archbishop Christodoulos, 68, was diagnosed with cancer in June and flew to Miami in August to wait for a compatible liver donor. He went into surger for a liver transplant operation on Monday that was finally aborted after doctors found his cancer had spread to the abdomen.

In their letter, the clergymen assure the Archbishop that "all of them, as well as the Clergy and the people are praying to God to enable him to have his valuable health back again, to return to the fatherland soon, strong in both body and spirit, and to exercise his duties."

During the session of the Holy Synod on Wednesday, on the second and last day, the Metropolitan of Zakynthos Chrysostomos read his report on the theme of "The Church and the Environment."

In another development, the Patriarch of Alexandria Theodoros II, who is currently on an official visit to Russia, and the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexiy II extended their warm wishes from Moscow on Wednesday for the speedy recovery of Archbishop Christodoulos.

Lastly, Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos expressed his "shock" over developments concerning the health of Archbishop Christodoulos.

"At a time when we were waiting for the transplant, the bad news came," he said.

Archbishop Chrysostomos said that in the past years there had been good cooperation with the Archbishop of Athens, who was "always interested in the issue of Cyprus." In addition, he said that he will communicate by phone with Archbishop Christodoulos and that he will visit him when he returns to Athens.

He also referred negatively to talk of the succession of the Archbishop of Athens, saying that "the holy brothers are not doing well in raising such an issue at a time when the Archbishop needs support and love."

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