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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece has great capabilities of cooperation with China, Simitis says

[02] Greece calls for more integration, with its proposals to the EU

[03] Main opposition leader begins visit to United States

[04] Titles 5

[05] Ecumenical Patriarch meets Albanian president, premier aboard ship in

[06] Parliament President Kaklamanis to attend Madrid conference

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[08] Weather Forecast: Hot and humid on Friday

[09] Greek stocks rally for second consecutive session

[01] Greece has great capabilities of cooperation with China, Simitis says

SHANGHAI (ANA - V. Mourtis) - Greece has great capabilities and a comparative advantage compared to other countries even bigger than itself and this ''we should utilize together,'' Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said here on Thursday, at the close of his official visit to the vast Asian country.

Simitis spoke of his intention and that of the government to establish an Asian studies center in Athens, saying that ''we should enrich our knowledge of Asia, as well as of the rest of the world. Therefore, we need specialists''.

He also said that Greek exhibitions will be organized by the ministry of culture in Beijing and Shanghai.

Simitis noted that the Olympic Games are a great opportunity for the country to enable it to realize its aims for better contact with the rest of the world and for the promotion of political and cultural aims.

He provided the example of the Chinese interest in the allotment of a gymnasium for the training of their Olympic team in Athens during the 2004 Olympic Games. Such a request along with others mean the hosting of athletes from all over the world in Greece for eight months.

Simitis said that the results of his visit to China were very positive and foresaw the capabilities of the country to play an important role on the international stage, stressing that Greece's political contacts with China should continue, as well as those with other countries.

Therefore, he said, an inter-ministerial committee of Greece and China will be established to deal with development and cultural issues.

[02] Greece calls for more integration, with its proposals to the EU Convention

BRUSSELS (ANA - B. Demiris) - The alternate representative of the Greek government to the Convention for the future of Europe Panagiotis Ioakimidis on Thursday presented Greece's positions on the development of a space of freedom, security and justice in the European Union.

He submitted 10 proposals drafted by the Greek government, stressing that such a space of freedom, security and justice was the permanent demand of European citizens for what he called ''more Europe''.

Among others he proposed the integration and simplification of the judicial and police cooperation, the establishment of a European nationality, the integration of the Charter of Fundamental Rights to the Union's Treaty, the establishment of institutions for the effective protection of the external borders of the Union and the undertaking by Europol of full operational role within the Union.

[03] Main opposition leader begins visit to United States

NEW YORK (ANA - M. Georgiadou) The head of Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis, arrived in New York on Thursday to begin a seven-day visit to the United States and Canada.

While in New York, Karamanlis will attend a reception in his honour organised by the Onassis Cultural Institute on Thursday night. On Friday he will meet Orthodox Archbishop of America Demetrios and visit the Ground Zero site in the city, before attending a meeting of the Greek expatriate community in Astoria on Friday night.

His next stop is Chicago, where he will arrive on Saturday for talks with the leadership of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) and an address to the city's Greek community.

On Sunday, Karamanlis departs for Toronto where he is due to meet with the Orthodox Metropolitan of Toronto and All Canada and Greek-Canadian organisations.

The Greek main opposition leader will head back to the United States on Monday, arriving in Washington for the International Democrat Union (IDU) Party Leaders meeting that will be opened by US President George Bush.

On Tuesday, Karamanlis will meet members of the US Congress and attend a reception in his honour at the Greek Embassy in Washington, where he will also give a press conference. He will have more meetings with members of Congress on Wednesday.

[04] Titles 5