Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-09-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens bourse may call off trade on Wednesday

[02] US embassy issues press release thanking Greece for its solidarity

[03] Greek PM expresses condolences to Bush over terrorist attack

[04] Greece - Condemnation - Terrorism

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[06] PM sees trouble-free launch of euro on January 1, 2002

[07] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Wednesday

[08] Greek stocks end nine-day fall on Tuesday

[09] Greek GDP up 4.9 percent in second quarter

[01] Athens bourse may call off trade on Wednesday

Authorities of the Athens Stock Exchange are to meet at 08.30 am on Wednesday to decide whether or not to hold the day's trading session in the wake of a spate of terrorist attacks in the US.

A decision will be taken after the response of markets elsewhere in the world has been gauged, the authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Athens stockbrokers trade group has recommended closure of the domestic market on fears of panic selling. Other European markets dropped on Tuesday due to adverse sentiment.

Wall Street is to remain closed on Wednesday.

A plane crashed into the Pentagon on Tuesday soon after separate crashes into New York's World Trade Center. President George W. Bush has blamed terrorists for the attacks.

[02] US embassy issues press release thanking Greece for its solidarity

The United States embassy in Athens issued a press release on Tuesday thanking the Greek people for their show of solidarity, in light of the horrific terrorist attacks in the US.

"We are shocked and horrified at the events unfolding in the United States. As President Bush said, this is a national tragedy. Prime Minister Simitis has expressed his sympathy and he sent a message to President Bush expressing the sympathy of the Greek people and of his government," the press release said.

"Private Greek citizens have been calling our Embassy to express their outrage against this heinous crime. The Greek authorities have also promised us their full support. We are grateful for their show of solidarity," it concluded.

[03] Greek PM expresses condolences to Bush over terrorist attack

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Tuesday expressed his condolences to U. S. President George Bush, in light of the devastating multiple terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

"I am deeply shocked by today's terrorist crime against your country, let me express to you my sincere condolences, as well as the condolences of the Greek government and those of the Greek people to the American people, and especially to the families of the victims," Simitis said in his telegram to the White House.

"Greece condemns, in the most stern way, these horrific actions. We hope that the culprits will be found and answer before the justice immediately," he concluded.

[04] Greece - Condemnation - Terrorism

Greece sternly condemned the horrific terrorist attacks in the United States on Tuesday, while stressing that heightened security measures have been taken for all foreign diplomatic missions in the country.

A foreign ministry spokesman emphasised that the Greek government was ?deeply shocked? by the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington.

Additionally, Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis sent a telegram to US President George W. Bush offering his governments condolences, while Foreign Minister George Papandreou also sent his condolences to US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Spokesman Panos Beglitis noted that the Greek foreign minister was in constant contact with other ministers as well as with his European Union counterparts in order to formulate the Communitys common stance vis-a-vis the unprecedented attacks on US territory.

The spokesman added that the Greek government believes that conditions ?now exist that necessitate international coordination to combat terrorism.?

Finally, he said Greeces consulates in the United States have been ordered to monitor developments in both cities and to investigate whether any Greek citizens are among the victims of the terrorist attacks.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Indicative tourist buying rates

U.S. dollar 377.102

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 549.100

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.424

Swedish kroner 35.591

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 309.266

Swiss franc 223.179

Norwegian kroner 042.534

Cyprus pound 589.716

Canadian dollar 241.718

Australian dollar 193.674

[06] PM sees trouble-free launch of euro on January 1, 2002

Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Tuesday that he expected a trouble-free launch for the euro as a physical currency on January 1, 2002.

"A disruption in our daily lives in the first two months of 2002 should not worry us. Let's see introduction of the euro for what it is - a new, optimistic and dynamic start for the economy," Simitis told a cabinet meeting.

The eurozone's single currency and the drachma will circulate in parallel until February 28 when the former national currency will be withdrawn.

Simitis said the shift to the euro was a move that would lead to a change in attitudes and have an impact the workings of the economy, representing more than a simple change in currency.

"Our new currency, the euro, is one of the world's powerful currencies, along with the dollar and yen. Its stability and strength will protect the purchasing power of wage earners and pensioners," the prime minister said.

Also taking part in the cabinet meeting were central bank governor Lucas Papademos and his two deputy governors.

[07] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Wednesday

Sunny weather is forecast in most parts of the country on Wednesday, with Thrace and the eastern Aegean islands likely to see showers or short-lived storms. Winds northwesterly, moderate, turning strong at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from 14C to 28C; in the west from 17C to 30C; and in the rest of the country from 18C to 31C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 20C and 30C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 18C to 28C.

[08] Greek stocks end nine-day fall on Tuesday

Equity prices ended Tuesday's session moderately higher, ending a nine-day sharp fall that pushed the general index 9.58 percent lower, helped by an improved climate in international markets and some technical buying.

The general index ended 0.75 percent higher at 2,555.94 points, off the day's highs of 2,584.12 points, with turnover a low 143.71 million euros, or 48.97 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 1,435.77 points, up 0.60 percent, the FTSE/ASE 40 index rose 0.85 percent to 277.62 points, and the Small Cap index ended at 811.98 points, up 0.69 percent.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended at 246.88 points, up 0.44 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 256 to 69 with another 34 issues unchanged.

ASE chairman, Panagiotis Alexakis said that the Greek market's fall was attributed, mainly, to a turmoil in international markets and urged investors to remain calm to avoid any further worsening of the climate.

Alexakis said he hoped that the situation would stabilise and that it would not last long. "We are monitoring developents and we will take measures and action if and when needed," he said.

Alexakis noted, however, that "there is not such reason at the time."

[09] Greek GDP up 4.9 percent in second quarter

Greece's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.9 percent in the second quarter of 2001 compared with the same period last year, National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, Papantoniou said that the country's growth rate improved sharply from a 1.6 percent rate in the first quarter of 2001 for an annual growth rate of 5.5 percent in the first half of th year.

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