Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-06-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek president wraps up Melbourne visit, next due in Canberra

[02] Greek PM tours ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an

[03] Athens praises Turkish decision to cancel military exercise

[04] Maurice Bejart ballet to perform at Herod Atticus from June 6-8

[05] Best olive oil in the world in 2002 comes from Sitia, Crete

[06] Ecumenical Patriarchate's 4th ecology ''floating'' conference to begin

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[08] Weather Forecast: Hot, humid on Thursday

[09] Greek stocks end 1.44 percent up on Wednesday

[01] Greek president wraps up Melbourne visit, next due in Canberra

MELBOURNE (ANA - N. Megadoukas, S. Hatzimanolis) Greek President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, currently on a Asia-Pacific tour taking in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, wrapped up his visit to the Australian city of Melbourne on Wednesday, after which he is due in Canberra for meetings with the Australian federal government.

The Greek president will depart for Canberra on Thursday morning for the second leg of his official visit to Australia on June 4-9. While in Canberra he will meet Australian Governor-General Peter Hollingworth and Australian Prime Minister John Howard for talks on bilateral and international issues.

He ended his stay in Melbourne by meeting Victoria Premier Steve Bracks late on Wednesday night local time and attending an official reception given by Bracks in his honour.

Stephanopoulos had been received at Victoria's Parliament building by a historic joint session of the Victorian Parliament and Senate - the first time a joint meeting has been activated to greet a foreign head of state.

[02] Greek PM tours ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an

XIAN (ANA V. Mourtis) Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday continued his six-day tour of the Peoples Republic of China, with the ancient Chinese capital of Xian on his itinerary.

During his stopover in the city, Simitis and his high-ranking delegation toured a museum housing the famed terra cotta army of thousands of warriors and their horses, an entire army designed follows a 2nd century BC emperor into eternity.

Simitis was also received by the governor of Shanxi province. The Greek delegation departs for Shanghai on Thursday.

[03] Athens praises Turkish decision to cancel military exercise

The Greek government on Wednesday called this week's decision by Ankara to cancel its annual 'Efes' military exercise in the Aegean as a ''positive'' development.

In response to questions during his regular press briefing, acting government spokesman Telemachos Hytiris added that the fact that another Turkish military maneuver -- code-named 'Seawolf' -- wasn't cancelled cannot be ''considered a positive development''.

[04] Maurice Bejart ballet to perform at Herod Atticus from June 6-8

The ballet of Belgian choreographer Maurice Bejart will perform at the Herod Atticus Theatre from June 6-8.

The proceeds of Thursday's perforamce will go to the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer ''Elpis'' for the construction of the Oncological Centre.

The ballet will be perfomed to the music of Mikis Theodoraks and Manos Hatzidakis.

[05] Best olive oil in the world in 2002 comes from Sitia, Crete

MADRID (ANA - M. Kourmousi) - Following a world-wide competition among olive oil producers, the Madrid-based UN agency International Council of Olive Oil chose an olive oil from Sitia, Crete as the best in the world for 2002.

The olive oil is produced, bottled and distributed by the Union of Acricultural Cooperatives (EAS) of Sitia.

The Sitia olive oil won the ''Mario Solinas'' gold medal. Taking part in the competition were hundreds of products from all the olive oil producing countries which are members of the UN. Among them were many Greek olive oils.

Other Greek olive oils also received distinctions, including one by the ''Minerva'' company and the olive oil of Botsakis producers from Iraklio, Crete.

[06] Ecumenical Patriarchate's 4th ecology ''floating'' conference to begin on Thursday

ISTANBUL (ANA - A. Kourkoulas) - The Ecology Conference organized by the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate will begin on Thursday and will focus on the protection of the Adriatic Sea's environment.

This will be the 4th such conference organized by the Patriarchate and will begin in Dures, Albania, where Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will board a ship along with the rest of the participants to travel to Venice, stopping in all major coast cities of Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia, while he will also visit land locked Bosnia.

Albania's Archbishop Anastasios will also participate in the ''floating'' conference.

In Venice Vartholomeos will sign the ''Commitment of Venice'' for the protection of the environment with Pope John Paul II.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.944

Pound sterling 0.648

Danish kroner 7.492

Swedish kroner 9.199

Japanese yen 117.4

Swiss franc 1.482

Norwegian kroner 7.462

Cyprus pound 0.584

Canadian dollar 1.449

Australian dollar 1.649

[08] Weather Forecast: Hot, humid on Thursday

Hot and humid weather is forecast in all parts of the country with scattered cloud. Showers are likely in the northwest. Winds southerly, light to moderate, turning strong at sea. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 14C to 32C; and in the islands from 17C to 28C. Mostly sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 18C and 32C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 16C to 29C.

[09] Greek stocks end 1.44 percent up on Wednesday

Greek stocks ended Wednesday's session sharply higher in the Athens Stock Exchange in what traders described as selective buying of stocks across the board.

The general index ended 1.44 percent up at 2,290.92 points, with turnover at 100.5 million euros.

The Insurance sector was the only one to suffer losses (-0.10 percent), while the IT Solutions, Retail and Telecommunications sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (2.60 percent, 2.08 percent and 1.84 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.52 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 1.40 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.35 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 274 to 55 with another 29 issues unchanged.

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