Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-11-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Albania-Socialists-Greece

[02] EU-Defence-Greeces contribution

[03] Yugoslavia-FM-Greece-Visit

[04] Soccer-Greece- National Division-Results

[05] Greece-wireless auction

[06] Info-Quest-results

[07] Panafon-internet services

[08] Greece-High-end show

[09] Maillis Group-results

[10] Greece-Detrop 2001

[11] ASE-close

[01] Albania-Socialists-Greece

GJIROKASTER, Albania (ANA - M. Barkas) - Albanian Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano has extended an invitation to Greek Prime Minister and ruling PASOK President Costas Simitis to pay an official visit to Albania in order for high-level talks to be held between the Socialist Party of Albania and Greece's PASOK.

In his letter to Simitis, Nano said that Greece remains "a longterm strategic partner of Albania" and expressed optimism that the visit would give a new impetus in the relations between the two parties, which are governing the two countries.

Nano also said that PASOK and the Greek government, under the leadership of Simitis, will play an important role for the support of Albania's accession course in the "European Structures".

[02] EU-Defence-Greeces contribution

BRUSSELS (ANA M. Spinthourakis) - Greece will participate in the ?European armed forces? with a mechanized brigade of 4,000 troops, 30 jet fighters, six reconnaissance aircraft, four transport aircraft, six warships and one submarine, Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said on Monday.

Following a meeting of the European Union member-state defence ministers, Tsohatzopoulos, who represented Greece at the meeting, said that ?Greece is within the nucleus of European policy regarding defence and security issues?.

He added that the ?European armed forces? would be composed of 60,000 men ready to respond immediately and stay in the field for at least a year. Based on decisions of the Helsinki Union Summit this military force should be ready by 2003.

[03] Yugoslavia-FM-Greece-Visit

BELGRADE (ANA - M. Mouratidis) - Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic will arrive in Athens on Tuesday for talks with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou. He will also be meeting President Kostis Stephanopoulos and main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis.

Talks will focus on current political developments in Yugoslavia, focusing on efforts by the country's new political leadership to achieve its return to international economic and political organisations, as well as Greece's assistance in this respect.

Svilanovic has said that one of the countries which had helped Yugoslavia's accession to the UN was Greece.

[04] Soccer-Greece- National Division-Results

Two matches were played on Monday to conclude the seventh round of the Greek National Soccer Division.

Panionios Athens beat Ethnikos Asteras Athens 4-3 at home and PAS Ioannina drew 1-1 at home to Ionikos Athens.

Standings, points after seven rounds: Olympiakos 17, Xanthi 15, Iraklis 14, AEK, Panathinaikos, Aris 13, Ionikos 11, PAOK 10, Ethnikos Asteras 9, Panionios 7, Athinaikos, Kalamata 6, Ioannina 5, Panahaiki 4, Paniliakos 3, OFI 2.

[05] Greece-wireless auction

Public Power Corporation, Greece's electricity utility, on Monday formally filed an application to participate in an international tender for wireless fixed telephony licenses, to be auctioned December 4.

The application was submitted by a joint venture between PPC, National Bank, Alpha Bank and General Bank, with stakes of 9.9 percent, 30.1 percent, 30.0 percent and 30.0 percent, respectively.

[06] Info-Quest-results

Info-Quest, a listed software company, on Monday reported a 208 percent jump in its nine-month group turnover to 113 billion drachmas, while profits totalled 10.8 billion drachmas, up a spectacular 560 percent from the same period in 1999.

The parent company reported sales totalling 55.34 billion and profits of 2.1 billion drachmas in the January-September period, up 62 percent and 35 percent from last year, respectively.

Info-Quest recently created Quest Wireless, a company to be used as a vehicle for its expansion in the wireless telephony in Greece. Info-Quest will bid in an auction for wireless services licenses.

The company is due to complete a share capital increase plan, worth 25 billion drachmas, next Thursday, November 23.

[07] Panafon-internet services

Panafonet, Panafon's internet service provider, continued the expansion of its network with the operation of new transmittors in 11 Greek cities (Volos, Rhodes, Veria, Edessa, Trikala, Xanthi, Cephalonia, Syros, Sparta, Pyrgos and Katerini).

A company statement said the new transmittors were included in the second phase of expanding Panafonet's network with the aim to fully cover the country by early 2001.

Panafonet already operates 19 transmittors around the country, supporting PSTN and ISDN connections.

[08] Greece-High-end show

This year's High-End Show, an advanced sound and vision systems show, will be held at the Athens Hilton hotel, November 25-26.

All the latest high-end products from more than 100 manufacturers from Europe, US and the Far East will be displayed at 40 rooms and suites of the hotel, offering visitors personal sound and vision exhibitions.

[09] Maillis Group-results

Maillis Group on Monday announced that its nine-month sales rose to 57.5 billion drachmas, up 145 percent from 23.5 billion drachmas in the same period last year.

Consolidated pre-amortization, interest and tax profits totalled 10.9 billion drachmas in the January-September period, up 137 percent from 4.6 billion last year. Consolidated pre-tax profits rose 42.5 percent to 6.7 billion drachmas.

A company statement said that nine-month results included significant extraordinary revenues and predicted stronger results in the fourth quarter of the year.

Maillis expects this year's turnover to reach 80 billion drachmas and pre-tax profits at 10 billion drachmas.

[10] Greece-Detrop 2001

Detrop 2001, an international food-beverages-machinery-equipment trade fair, organised by Helexpo, will be held next March two months earlier than initially planned in May.

Helexpo's officials said the change in Detrop's dates was taken to attract more visitors and exhibitors. Helexpo expects a record number of exhibitors in next year's Detrop. From last year's 939 exhibitors, foreign exhibitors accounted for 37 percent.

Detrop 2001 will focus on bakery and confectionary.

[11] ASE-close

Equity prices remained under heavy pressure on Monday, extending their previous week's losses on the Athens Stock Exchange and pushing the general index to its lowest close since April 1999, below the 3,400-point level.

Blue chip stocks were particularly hit as institutional investors sought to liquidate positions, a trend leading to predictions of further significant falls in the market. A total of 110 share prices fell to year-lows on Monday.

The general index ended 2.16 percent lower at 3,338.02 points, off the day's lows of 3,324.30. Turnover was a low 50.41 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.92 percent off at 1,903.32 points, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index dropped 2.60 percent to 403.38 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 2.24 percent off at 352.72 points.

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