Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-11-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] IOC pleased with Athens progress, warns against let-up

[02] FM Papandreou hails Russia-NATO agreement

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[04] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks slump in sell-off

[05] Weather Forecast: Unsettled weather on Saturday

[01] IOC pleased with Athens progress, warns against let-up

Progress for the Athens 2004 Olympics received a ?thumbs up? from a visiting International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation on Friday, to the relief of the government and Athens organisers (ATHOC) following two weeks of heated local press speculation citing friction between the two.

?In general terms we are positively surprised by the progress made since our last visit in September ... the general impression is a positive impression,? said Denis Oswald, the IOC vice-president heading a commission overseeing preparations for the 2004 Games.

While praising the progress since his commissions last inspection two months ago, Oswald nevertheless warned, ?there was still a huge amount of work to be done.?

?Accumulated delays still exist,? Oswald said, noting that progress must be continued at an accelerated pace in order to meet test event schedules, with the first a sailing competition -- coming in August 2002.

Prior to the IOC press conference, Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis received the Swiss IOC executive for one hour of talks, a meeting where the Greek premier offered his personal guarantee that all 2004-related projects will be handed over on time.

Publication of the commissions September report in an Athens daily two weeks ago, peppered with details of delays in construction venues and infrastructure works, caused the latest expanded round of press scrutiny, as reports cited friction between ATHOCs leadership and specific cabinet ministers, and at one point even had ATHOC head Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki resigning.

?In the meantime, things have been corrected, and the situation is different today,? Oswald responded to a question.

On her part, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, credited with heading up the campaign to win the Games for Athens, answered a press question on her future with ATHOC by calling preparations and the hosting of the Games ?a once in a lifetime undertaking I was called upon to head up.

?I have never asked for anything, I have never been given anything, Im doing it for my county ... there is no conflict with the government,? she stressed.

[02] FM Papandreou hails Russia-NATO agreement

Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Friday hailed the agreement for the upgrading of relations between Russia and NATO, during NATO General Secretary George Robertson's visit to Moscow.

Papandreou said in a written statement the agreement marked a new era for peace and cooperation in Europe. He noted that it was a major development which will have positive effects in international relations and will decisively contribute to the creation of a new climate of mutual trust.

The foreign minister said that Greece has repeatedly supported, within the framework of NATO, the need for the enlargement, upgrading and strengthening of relations with Russia "because we believe that it constitutes a very important partner in Europe and the international scene."

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates until Monday

U.S. dollar 384.333

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 543.530

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 045.427

Swedish kroner 036.109

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 309.829

Swiss franc 231.252

Norwegian kroner 042.631

Cyprus pound 589.176

Canadian dollar 240.506

Australian dollar 198.722

[04] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks slump in sell-off

The Athens bourse finished sharply lower on Friday, tracking depressed sentiment in markets abroad, with players dumping paper.

The general share index shed 2.65 percent to end at 2,674.98 points. Turnover was 203.3 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 2.35 percent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 3.62 percent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities 4.58 percent down.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 343 to 13 with 8 issues remaining unchanged.

[05] Weather Forecast: Unsettled weather on Saturday

Unsettled weather is forecast on Saturday with cloud, rain and storms, especially in the west and south, accompanied by some sunny spells. Snow is expected to fall on high ground. Winds variable, strong to gale force. In the north, temperatures will range from -3C to 8C; in the Ionian and the rest of the mainland from 3C to 11C; and in the rest of the country from 10C to 17C. Sunny spells, cloud and probably showers in Athens with temperatures from 7C and 11C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 2C to 7C.

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