Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-06-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] ND leader says he will not request early general elections

[02] Posidonia 2002 opens its gates with record number of exhibitors

[03] Simitis calls for increased Greece-China trade volume

[04] Patriach, Pope to sign pact on environmental protection in Venice

[05] President Stephanopoulos arrives in Australia

[06] Turkey cancels Efes military exercise in the Aegean

[07] FYROM Church to consider re-naming to 'Archdiocese of Ohrid'

[08] New Athens airport posts loss in first nine months of operation

[09] Parliament approves extension of operation of two U.S. radio stations

[10] Greek Washington envoy says Greece supports anti-terrorism campaign

[11] ND honourary president returns from U.S.

[12] Event held at U.S. Ambassador's residence in memory of victims of

[13] HSBC raises mortgage rates

[14] New Athens airport posts loss in first nine months of operation

[15] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[16] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Wednesday

[17] Greek stocks end lower in ASE

[01] ND leader says he will not request early general elections

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis said on Tuesday he will not request early general elections and nor does he relate the issue to the outcome of October's local government elections.

Karamanlis, who was speaking in an interview with the Star television channel, said he wants the government to take the initiative and speed them up so that the ''lack of government'' will not be prolonged.

In the interview, given shortly before leaving for Brussels and the United States, Karamanlis said he is not asking for elections because he cannot impose them, adding that ''for this reason I have avoided this so far.''

Karamanlis said he will present a legislative settlement in Parliament on the optional listing of religion in identity cards and accused the government of lying that its removal is imposed by the European Union.

[02] Posidonia 2002 opens its gates with record number of exhibitors

Posidonia 2002, a biannual international shipping trade fair, officially opened its gates on Tuesday at the Piraeus Port Organisation's exhibition centre in Piraeus.

The 18th Posidonia attracted a record number of exhibitors, a total of 1,600 from 80 countries around the world.

Merchant Marine Minister George Anomeritis, in his inauguration speech stressed that the ministry supported competitiveness and business activity in the shipping sector and the shipping profession.

''Sea transport must be more friendly to the environment,'' Anomeritis said, while he urged for a shift from ground transport to sea transport.

''Piraeus is the base of shipping, with 1,150 shipping enterprises in the city,''Anomeritis said. He noted that the government would soon announce significant decisions that would change the city's and the harbour's image.

[03] Simitis calls for increased Greece-China trade volume

BEIJING (ANA V. Mourtis) -- Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Tuesday called on Greek and Chinese entrepreneurs to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, before adding that Athens and Beijing share a ?common vision? for a world void of poverty, where human rights are respected and where technology and education are available to all citizens.

In briefly addressing a seminar in Beijing on Greek-Chinese economic and trade relations, the Greek premier said both sides must also better promote cooperation in agriculture, tourism, biotechnology and telecommunications.

Moreover, Simitis referred to what he said was a ?small miracle? by the Greek and Chinese economies.

With the smooth development of Greece-China economic relations and increasing bilateral trade volume in recent years, both countries have bright prospects in the field of economic and trade cooperation, he said.

In terms of cooperation for the Olympics, Simitis forecast that the upcoming Games in Athens (2004), and four years later in Beijing, open up a new field of opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

According to official Chinese figures, the Greece-China bilateral trade volume reached US$752 million in 2001, a year-on-year increase of 20 percent, with the trade balance overwhelmingly in favour of the Far East country. Greece mainly exports marble and fertilisers to China.

[04] Patriach, Pope to sign pact on environmental protection in Venice

The Ecumenical Patriarchate-sponsored fourth international symposium on the environment, entitled ?The Adriatic: A Threatened Sea, A Common Goal?, will begin this week aboard a Greek flagged ferryboat cruiser.

Presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, the symposium aims at highlighting the nagging problem of water pollution and its consequences for humanity.

The symposium, aboard the Minoan Lines high-speed vessel ?Festos Palace?, will take place as the ship sails in the Adriatic towards Venice.

Additionally, Vartholomeos will officiate at a historic service at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Venice, the first by a Patriarch in the famed ?canal city? since the Great Schism of 1054. The Patriarch is also scheduled to sign a memorandum -- the so-called ''Venice Pledge'' -- with Roman Catholic leader Pope John Paul II over joint efforts by the two Churches to promote protection for the environment.

The Festos Palace will depart Greeces largest port of Piraeus on June 5.

[05] President Stephanopoulos arrives in Australia

MELBOURNE (ANA - N. Megadoukas) - Melbourne's large Greek community staged a warm welcome for Greek President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, who arrived in the city on Tuesday on the first leg of his official visit to Australia.

Stephanopoulos will be in Australia until the end of the week, visiting both Canberra and then Sydney, before departing for New Zealand on Sunday.

Shortly after his arrival on Tuesday evening local time, the Greek president addressed a large crowd gathered at Melbourne's Exhibition Building at an event organised by the Greek Consulate in Melbourne.

He outlined Greece's current problems and struggles and its efforts to improve its position within Europe and also referred to a spate of major public works being carried out throughout the country, which he said were ''changing the face of Greece.''

Upon his arrival in Melbourne, the Greek president met with the governor of the state of Victoria, while on Wednesday he will visit the Victoria parliamentary assembly.

His itinerary on Wednesday also includes an appearance at a Greek-Australian business forum, a visit to the Orthodox college of St. Ioannis and a meeting with the Victoria State premier.

Stephanopoulos is the third Greek president to visit Australia.

[06] Turkey cancels Efes military exercise in the Aegean

ISTANBUL (ANA - A. Kourkoulas) A decision by the Turkish military to call off an annual exercise dubbed 'Efes' was a 'gesture' toward Greece and a bid to further improve Greek-Turkish bilateral relations, diplomatic sources and the Turkish press said on Tuesday.

An announcement by the Turkish armed forces general staff said the decision was linked to ''international developments''.

This is the first time that the Efes war games, which take place in Turkish and international waters in the Aegean and simulate beach landings on islands, have been cancelled in 25 years.

[07] FYROM Church to consider re-naming to 'Archdiocese of Ohrid'

SKOPJE (ANA - N. Frangopoulos) -- The possibility of again naming the self-proclaimed ?Orthodox Church of Macedonia? active in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) into the ?Archdiocese of Ohrid? has apparently caused reactions amongst the land-locked Balkan countrys ecclesiastical and political circles.

The name change proposal was aired during meeting between delegations from the Orthodox Church of Serbia and the FYROM Church in the Yugoslav city of Nis last month, with the latter falling within the formers jurisdiction in exchange for an autonomous status vis-a-vis the Serbian Patriarchate.

The Archdiocese of Ohrid was the name used prior to 1967 and before the FYROM Church broke away from the Serbian Orthodox Church. However, the Skopje-based Orthodox Church in the years to follow failed to earn the official recognition of any other Orthodox Church in the world.

[08] New Athens airport posts loss in first nine months of operation

The international Eleftherios Venizelos airport, which opened to passengers on March 28, 2001, reported losses of 9.64 million euros in its nine-month year, and an operating profit of 7.74 million euros.

Management said in a statement that the losses were due to high spending on interest, including payments to banks and hefty amortisation.

Turnover totalled 183.59 million euros, the statement said.

[09] Parliament approves extension of operation of two U.S. radio stations

Parliament's Public Administration, Public Order and Justice Committee on Tuesday approved by a majority vote the agreement between the U.S. and Greek governments to extend the operation in Greece of the radio stations ''Radio Free Europe'' and ''Voice of America'' for another six years.

Voting against the agreement were the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) who termed it as being ''politically unacceptable.''

On his part, Deputy Press and Mass Media Minister Tilemachos Hytiris backed the agreement, stating that ''the situation has now changed in comparison to the period of polarisation'' and that it would contribute to the preparations for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[10] Greek Washington envoy says Greece supports anti-terrorism campaign

WASHINGTON (ANA - T. Ellis) - Greece's support for the international campaign against terrorism was stressed by Greek Ambassador to the United States Alexandros Philon, during an interview at the C-SPAN, public cable news network.

Philon, who will depart for Greece in about two weeks as his tenure here is coming to an end, stressed that both the government and the opposition, as well as the vast majority of the Greek people, stood by the U.S., following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and since then there has been close cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

The interview was aired live and the Greek ambassador took questions from television viewers, some of whom were Greek-Americans and expressed their bitterness for some anti-American reactions in Greece.

Philon responded that those reactions were voicing the opinions of a very small minority which in no way express the majority of the Greek people.

He also spoke of the Cyprus issue, the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and Greece's relations with Israel and the Palestinians.

[11] ND honourary president returns from U.S.

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party honourary President Constantine Mitsotakis returned to Athens from the United States on Tuesday, after undergoing surgery last week to restore heart function.

On arrival at his home, he said he can continue his life at the same pace since his health has been fully restored.

Mitsotakis extended his gratitude to all who had shown sympathy in Greece, abroad and the United States for the problem he had been faced with and said it was moving.

[12] Event held at U.S. Ambassador's residence in memory of victims of terrorism

An event in memory of victims of terrorist attacks in Greece was held on Tuesday evening at the residence of U.S. Ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller and was attended by Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysohoidis and Justice Minister Filippos Petsalnikos.

''Democracy is a form of government which gives the opportunity to all to express themselves freely. The state should defend this freedom with its institutions and agencies in order for citizens not to feel insecure,'' Chrysohoidis said at the event.

He stressed that the government has decided to radically combat the phenomenon of terrorism and to actively support the families of the victims.

On his part, Petsalnikos stated that terrorism constituted the most vulgar violation of human rights and expressed the conviction that the answer will be given and that the results of the efforts made by the government to combat terrorism will be positive.

[13] HSBC raises mortgage rates

HSBC announced on Tuesday that it was increasing its mortgage rates in line with market conditions.

The bank's fixed mortgage rate for three years is to rise to 6.25 percent from 5.45 percent; and for five years to 6.50 percent from 5.55 percent.

Analysts say that mortgage rates had slid to extremely low levels due to a fiercely competitive market among banks to attract borrowers.

[14] New Athens airport posts loss in first nine months of operation

The international Eleftherios Venizelos airport, which opened to passengers on March 28, 2001, reported losses of 9.64 million euros in its nine-month year, and an operating profit of 7.74 million euros.

Management said in a statement that the losses were due to high spending on interest, including payments to banks and hefty amortisation.

Turnover totalled 183.59 million euros, the statement said.

[15] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.951

Pound sterling 0.650

Danish kroner 7.492

Swedish kroner 9.218

Japanese yen 117.3

Swiss franc 1.479

Norwegian kroner 7.503

Cyprus pound 0.584

Canadian dollar 1.453

Australian dollar 1.653

[16] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Wednesday

Sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud in the northeast from early evening. Winds west-southwesterly, light to moderate, turning strong in the Ionian overnight. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 14C to 32C; in the Ionian from 18C to 30C; and in the Aegean islands from 17C to 28C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 18C and 32C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 16C to 29C.

[17] Greek stocks end lower in ASE

The Athens Stock Exchange followed other European markets lower on Tuesday, with Greek investors reluctant to open new positions in the market.

The general index ended 0.93 percent down at 2,258.29 points, with analysts predicting that it would find support at the 2,250 level in the short-term.

Turnover was a low 79.9 million euros.

The IT sector was the only one to score gains (+0.02 percent), while the IT Solutions, Investment and Wholesale sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (2.26 percent, 2.05 percent and 1.72 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index dropped 1.80 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index fell 0.88 percent and the FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.83 percent lower.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 307 to 25 with another 26 issues unchanged.

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