Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-04-17

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM holds talks with FYROM and Albanian counterparts

[02] ND leader Karamanlis holds talks with NATO chief Lord Robertson

[03] Greek FM meets with Ukrainian counterpart, discusses bilateral,

[04] FYROM premier Georgievski advocates return of Parthenon Marbles to

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[06] Economist's "Government Roundtable" begins in Athens on Wednesday

[07] Weather Forecast: Mixed outlook on Thursday

[08] Greek stocks rebound strongly on ASE

[01] PM holds talks with FYROM and Albanian counterparts

Prime Minister Costas Simitis discussed bilateral issues and inter-Balkan cooperation with visiting Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and the Prime Minister of Albania Pandeli Majko on Wednesday.

His scheduled meeting with the Romanian prime minister on Wednesday was not held since the two leaders agreed to meet during the visit to Bucharest Simitis will be starting on Thursday.

[02] ND leader Karamanlis holds talks with NATO chief Lord Robertson

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis met on Wednesday with NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson who is currently visiting Athens.

During their talks, which lasted 80 minutes, they exchanged views on the situation in the Balkans, NATO-EU relations and the situation in the Middle East.

No statements were made after their meeting.

Lord Robertson will meet Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Thursday.

[03] Greek FM meets with Ukrainian counterpart, discusses bilateral, regional issues

Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Wednesday met with his Ukrainian counterpart Anatoliy Zlenko in Athens and discussed ways to develop the economic relations between the two countries.

The two men also discussed the efforts of the Ukraine to enter the Euro-Atlantic structures, efforts, which Greece supports.

Papandreou said that they discussed with Zlenko the major regional issues, Black Sea cooperation issues, conditions in the Balkans and developments in the Middle East, which as the Greek minister said ''is very current and a subject we both have concerns and common positions''.

The two ministers also discussed Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem.

Zlenko invited Prime Minister Costas Simitis to visit the Ukraine, a visit that will take place between July 2-3, while he announced that the Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma will visit Athens in September.

[04] FYROM premier Georgievski advocates return of Parthenon Marbles to Greece

Visiting FYROM prime minister Ljubco Georgievski on Wednesday advocated the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens, following a meeting with Greek culture minister Evangelos Venizelos.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Georgievski spoke of the investments made during Venizelos' term in the development ministry, adding that the procedures for the construction of an oil pipeline between the FYROM capital Skopje and the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki would commence in June.

On the culture sector, Georgievski said that collaboration between the two countries in view of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens was intensifying at a rapid pace.

Venizelos said that the oil refinery in Skopje as well as the Thessaloniki-Skopje pipeline were two major plans in full development, adding that the pipeline was a ''true axis of stability and peace, not only between the two countries but also on a broader level''.

On the Athens 2004 Olympics and the Cultural Olympiad, Venizelos said they were not just Greek activities, but also European and Balkan affairs.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.895

Pound sterling 0.619

Danish kroner 7.494

Swedish kroner 9.217

Japanese yen 116.9

Swiss franc 1.482

Norwegian kroner 7.698

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.412

Australian dollar 1.665

[06] Economist's "Government Roundtable" begins in Athens on Wednesday

The Economist groups sixth ?Government Roundtable? began at an Athens seaside resort on Wednesday, with Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) managing director Daniel Franklin stressing that the background for this years session is a ?somber one?.

In opening the conference, entitled ?Leadership Strategy for Global Recovery Through Regional Cooperation?, the EIU executive cited the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the ensuing war in Afghanistan and what he called the worst global slowdown in the last quarter century as having shifted attention from the change-over to the new ?euro? currency in 12 European Union countries.

Lord George Robertson, NATOs secretary general, will address conference delegates later in the afternoon, while Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou will open the evening session, entitled ?The Contribution of the Middle East Towards Global Recovery & Stability?, with former Israeli PM Ehud Barak and League of Arab States representative Amb. Hisham Badr presenting their respective sides perspective.

Three local Greek political leaders followed Franklins introduction, including Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) president Nikos Constantopoulos, who among others, who stressed that the current Mideast crisis ranked as a ?litmus test? for the European Unions determination to play a role on the international political stage.

?During these days, in the Middle East, Europe is coming to terms with its history and its future prospect. Even more so, with its stance and initiatives it is defining the quality of its relations with the countries and peoples of the Middle East in the future, as well as with the so-called Third World in general, Until today the EUs intervention ranks as a painful failure,? he said.

Former Greek foreign minister Antonis Samaras followed, with Euro-MP Georgios Katiforis closing out the first session, entitled ?The Vision for Europe in Fragile Times?.

[07] Weather Forecast: Mixed outlook on Thursday

Cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, turning to showers and storms in the west, centre and north. It may rain in the Aegean islands. Winds west-northwesterly, moderate to strong, turning very strong in parts of the Aegean overnight. In the north, temperatures will range from 6C to 15C; in the west from 9C to 17C; and in the rest of the country from 10C to 19C. Cloud turning to showers, mainly in the late afternoon, in Athens, with storms likely to occur. Temperatures between 10C and 17C. Rain or storms in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 9C to 14C.

[08] Greek stocks rebound strongly on ASE

Equity prices rebounded on Wednesday pushing the general index above the 2,200 level, helped by selective buying in blue chip stocks in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index jumped 1.50 percent to 2,202.11 points, reflecting gains in international markets. Turnover was an improved 93 million euros.

The IT sector was the only one to suffer losses (down 0.55 percent), while the Holding, Wholesale and Bank sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (3.74 percent, 2.32 percent and 2.19 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.81 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 1.01 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.44 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 276 to 51 with another 34 issues unchanged.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article