Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-05-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] New round of Greek-Turkish exploratory talks to begin on Monday in

[02] Former PM Mitsotakis successufully undergoes arterial aneurysm surgery

[03] Greek edition of Foreign Policy magazine presented

[04] Greek & foreign Eurodeputies call for return of Parthenon Marbles to

[05] Cyprus Airways to launch Greek airline in 2003

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[07] Weather Forecast: Mostly sunny on Thursday

[08] ASE steady around 2,300 level on Wednesday

[01] New round of Greek-Turkish exploratory talks to begin on Monday in Athens

The new round of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey will take place in Athens on Monday, Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis said on Wednesday.

Greece will be represented by General Director of Political Affairs Ambassador Anastasios Skopelitis and Turkey by its foreign ministry's General Director Ambassador Ziyial.

[02] Former PM Mitsotakis successufully undergoes arterial aneurysm surgery

Former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis on Wednesday successfully underwent corrective non-surgical correction of an abdominal arterial aneurysm at the American Health Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

A newly developed procedure was used by the hospital's medical staff on the former premier and main opposition New Democracy (ND) honourary president, which requires only local anesthesia, while it is not even called ''surgery'', but ''procedure''.

Mitsotakis will remain in the hospital two to three days and he will return to Athens by the middle of next week, if his post-op recovery is as expected.

His daughter Dora Bakoyianni, an ND deputy and Athens mayoral hopeful, was at his side and is expected to return to Athens on Sunday.

[03] Greek edition of Foreign Policy magazine presented

The Greek edition of the U.S. bi-monthly magazine Foreign Policy was presented in Athens on Wednesday by its publishers.

The magazine is published in the U.S. since 1970 and today is published in five languages (English, Italian, Spanish, Turkish and Greek), covering 128 countries.

The May-June edition includes an interview with Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

[04] Greek & foreign Eurodeputies call for return of Parthenon Marbles to Greece

BRUSSELS (ANA - G. Zitouniati) - Greek and foreign Eurodeputies called for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece at an event held at the European Parliament here on Wednesday evening.

Taking part in the event, as well as at the inauguration of an exhibition titled ''Marbles in Exile'', were, among others, former French education minister Jacques Lang, California University professor St. Miller, Benaki Museum director A. Delivorias and film director Jules Dassin.

Speakers at the event included Greek Eurodeputies Dimitris Tsatsos (PASOK), Stavros Xarhakos (New Democracy) and Alekos Alavanos (Coalition of the Left and Progress).

[05] Cyprus Airways to launch Greek airline in 2003

NICOSIA (ANA) - Cyprus Airways is to launch a Greece-based airline in April 2003 that will serve European destinations.

The parent company's chairman, Haris Loizides, said on Wednesday that the new firm to be named Hellas Jet would have its headquarters at the Eleftherios Venizelos international airport near Athens.

Hellas Jet would focus on low prices and punctuality of flights, Loizides said.

It would attain low operating costs through alliances in Greece and other countries in Europe, he added.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.939

Pound sterling 0.642

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.230

Japanese yen 116.8

Swiss franc 1.477

Norwegian kroner 7.465

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.435

Australian dollar 1.662

[07] Weather Forecast: Mostly sunny on Thursday

Mainly sunny weather is forecast in most parts of the country with unsettled weather in the northeast, including showers and storms. Winds northwesterly, moderate to strong. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 14C to 24C; on the rest of the mainland from 15C to 28C; and in the islands from 17C to 26C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 18C and 29C. Light cloud in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 16C to 26C.

[08] ASE steady around 2,300 level on Wednesday

Greek stocks were rangebound on Wednesday with the general index moving around the 2,300 level for one more session in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The index ended 0.18 percent lower at 2,298.79 points in improved turnover of 135.7 million euros.

Analysts said the market is locked in tight ranges, moving between 2,298 and 2,310 points.

The Construction and Textile sectors scored the biggest percentage gains (2.54 percent and 0.72 percent, respectively), while the Telecommuications and Metals sectors suffered the heaviest losses (1.0 percent and 0.77 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.12 percent lower, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.51 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.27 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 154 to 150 with another 54 issues unchanged.

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