Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-04-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Friday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[03] Defence Minister Papantoniou concludes visit to the U.S.

[04] Greece, China to launch talks on tourism cooperation

[05] Archbishop to announce $500,000 in food for Palestinians

[01] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Friday

Rain is forecast on the mainland, in the Ionian area, and northern Aegean, turning to storms later in the day. In the rest of the country, there will be cloud, probably turning to rain mainly in the evening. Winds variable, moderate to very strong, turning gale force in the Ionian at times. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 8C to 16C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 11C to 21C; and in the Aegean islands from 14C to 24C. Cloud in Athens turning to rain, probably from late afternoon, with storms also likely. Temperatures between 12C and 20C. Rain in Thessaloniki and storms from afternoon, with temperatures from 9C to 15C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.886

Pound sterling 0.617

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.159

Japanese yen 116.7

Swiss franc 1.479

Norwegian kroner 7.684

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.409

Australian dollar 1.658

[03] Defence Minister Papantoniou concludes visit to the U.S.

WASHINGTON (ANA - T. Ellis) - Greek Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, in a press conference he gave at the close of a five-day visit to the United States, said that U.S. officials did not exert pressure or voice disagreements on issues concerning the European rapid deployment force.

Commenting on the talks he had in Washington, mainly with his U.S. counterpart Donald Rumsfeld and with U.S. President George W. Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice at the White House, Papantoniou said that he was given the opportunity to expound on the Greek positions for the need of ''securing the interests of all the interested parties and for there to be a balance.'' Having assessed that this has not yet been secured, he reiterated that ''it is purely an institutional issue within the European framework.'' He added that ''we did not come here to negotiate but to exchange views.''

[04] Greece, China to launch talks on tourism cooperation

Greece and China are to begin talks in May on formally declaring the Mediterranean country a tourism venue for the Chinese.

The talks will begin when the deputy president of China's government, Hu Jintao, visits Athens on May 16-17.

The decision was taken during meetings held in Beijing by Deputy Development Minister Dimitris Georgakopoulos, who accompanied Foreign Minister George Papandreou on an official visit to China.

[05] Archbishop to announce $500,000 in food for Palestinians

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos is expected to announce humanitarian aid in food worth 500,000 dollars, destined to meet the needs of suffering Palestinian families, in Jerusalem on Thursday night, where he arrived earlier in the day.

The Church of Greece, in the framework of its solidarity for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, will also offer 50,000 euros at an initial stage.

In the afternoon Archbishop Christodoulos met with the Ecclesiastical Affairs director of Israel's Foreign Ministry Gola, attended a meeting with the heads of Christian denominations in Jerusalem and also met Deputy Tarzui, who is responsible for the PLO's ecclesiastical issues.

Earlier, Archbishop Christodoulos and his entourage were welcomed by Jerusalem Patriarch Irineos, visited the Temple of the Resurrection and prayed at the Holy Sepulchre for peace in the troubled region of the Holy Lands.

Archbishop Christodoulos and his entourage will leave for Athens on Friday.

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