Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-24 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Pope Francis thanks PM Tsipras for his work to support the 'poor and weak' [02] FM Kotzias to visit Nicosia on March 25-28 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Pope Francis thanks PM Tsipras for his work to support the 'poor and weak' Meeting Greece's prime minister in the Vatican on Friday, Pope Francis thanked Alexis Tsipras for all that he has done to support society's poor and weak. In a brief conversation with Tsipras, Pope Francis spoke about his own but also the government's efforts for social justice, thanking Tsipras for all that his government had done and the stance adopted by Greece in the refugee crisis. Pope Francis on Friday received all the EU heads of state and government that are currently in Rome for the European summit on Saturday, which marks the 60th anniversary since the Rome Declaration and the founding of the EU. The Pope had brief meetings and conversations will all the EU leaders. [02] FM Kotzias to visit Nicosia on March 25-28 Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is to visit Cyprus from Saturday until March 28, representing the Greek government at the March 25 anniversary parade celebrating Greece's 1821 war of independence against Ottoman rule. Kotzias is to be received by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on Monday and have meetings with Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and Cyprus Parliament Speaker Demetris Syllouris, as well as the heads of the Cypriot political parties. On Tuesday, at the invitation of Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, Kotzias will deliver a speech at an event being organised by the Makarios III Foundation, at the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus, to mark the anniversaries of 25 March 1821 and 1 April 1955.