Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-09-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece pays tribute to victims of September 11 terrorist attacks

[02] Greek Parliament observes a moment's silence in memory of Sept. 11

[03] Greek president receives Maltese counterpart

[04] Gov't : solution for FYROM's name must fall within UN resolutions

[05] Athens bourse slightly up; bank, telecom utility dominate trading

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[07] Weather Forecast: Unsettled on Thursday

[01] Greece pays tribute to victims of September 11 terrorist attacks

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos in a written message read out on his behalf at an event on Wednesday at U.S. Ambassador Thomas Miller's residence in Athens marking the one-year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C., said that ''today's anniversary makes us remember all the victims,'' adding that ''Greece has joined in the war against international terrorism.''

The event was attended, among others, by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis.

The archbishop noted that ''violence is not a gift of God to man...it is a product and proof of the decline of man.''

Tsohatzopoulos in his address said ''this is a day of solidarity, sorrow and decisiveness'' and stressed the importance of world security ''as terrorism is threatening everyone, rich and poor.''

The minister added that ''we have proceeded in eradicating the biggest terrorist group which operated in Greece,'' underlining that ''the Greek government is determined to continue the effort to totally eradicate terrorism, respecting legislation and human rights.''

On his departure from the ambassador's residence, ND leader Karamanlis told journalists that ''in the year that has passed many steps have been taken but many more are yet to be made.'' He said that Greece and in general his party is relentless in the objective of smashing the phenomenon of terrorism.

[02] Greek Parliament observes a moment's silence in memory of Sept. 11

The Greek Parliament on Wednesday held a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the World Trade Center that perished in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001.

Opening the session, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis expressed the body's ''feelings of sorrow and abhorrence of all the Greek people,'' underlining ''the unwavering focus of all of us in the efforts for the total eradication of terrorism, which is a wound and threat for democracy and humanity''.

He spoke of Greece's cooperation with all other countries in the fight against terrorism, stressing that ''Greece's police already forged forward with impressive steps toward eradicating the 'November 17' terrorist organization''.

Ruling PASOK party Parliament Representative Alekos Akrivakis spoke of ''this sad anniversary,'' saying ''it was a hit of terrorism, not only against the United States, but against the international community''.

He added that in Greece, the political spectrum supports the efforts of the police and the judiciary to eradicate home grown terrorism.

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) Parliament Representative Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that Sept. 11 became ''a symbol of memory for all the victims of terrorism around the world and through time, as well as a symbol of the obligation everyone has, to support man and democracy against terrorism''.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Parliament Representative Antonis Skyllakos said that ''we feel compassion for all those that were hurt by this great tragedy, but memory should not be selective - we had victims of state sponsored terrorism in neighboring Yugoslavia, while the numbers of victims in the Palestinian territories continue to grow''.

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) deputy Asimina Xirotiri-Aekaterinari held a similar tone to those of KKE.

''The cooperation against terrorism led to a state of continual war, which overturns the architecture of international law, it overturns the conquests of the civilization of law and of democratic guarantees,'' she said.

Interior Minister Costas Skandalidis called the attacks the ''most illogical attack in the history of humanity'', which changed the course of affairs, adding that ''terrorism is an internal enemy, which devours the planet from within''.

[03] Greek president receives Maltese counterpart

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on Wednesday received his Maltese counterpart Guido De Marco, who is on an official visit to Greece.

Stephanopoulos spoke of the sorrowful anniversary of Sept. 11 and stressed that the tragic events prove the dangers caused by terrorism to citizens and democracy, adding that terrorism should be confronted to achieve the peaceful coexistence of peoples.

''Terrorist acts present a danger against the democratic institutions, thus the sense of security should be strengthened,'' Stephanopoulos said, and condemned in an absolute way terrorism and every thought that could justify it as a war between cultures.

On his part, De Marco said that some times tragic events teach us the ways to understand the causes that made them happen, adding that there should be a rejection of terrorism.

During their meeting the two men discussed bilateral issues, the conditions in the Balkans and the Middle East, as well as the Cyprus issue and the European Union's enlargement.

Stephanopoulos stressed that Greece insists on the Helsinki EU Summit decisions, which, as he said, are supported by all, save Turkey, underlining the efforts of Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides to work out a solution of the Cyprus problem.

''Cyprus' accession will take place, based on those criteria,'' he said.

De Marco said that Cyprus should enter the European Union, as it fulfills the Copenhagen criteria, while its government is working toward a resolution of the island republic's political problem.

[04] Gov't : solution for FYROM's name must fall within UN resolutions

The Greek government desired a solution to the outstanding issue with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the republic's name but such as solution would had to move within the framework of UN resolutions, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said on Wednesday.

Responding to questions, Protopapas said that Greece might be prepared to accept a composite name if this did not cause wider problems.

''Unfortunately, the other side has been inflexible,'' he added.

[05] Athens bourse slightly up; bank, telecom utility dominate trading

Two of the most heavily-traded stocks on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), Alpha Bank and the state-run telecoms utility OTE, dominated investors interest on Wednesday, with the former moving up towards the end of the sessions trading and the latter losing ground throughout.

By the end of Wednesdays session, the general index was slightly up (0.34 percent) from Tuesdays poor showing, ending at 2,043.10 points. Turnover on the day stood at 77.7 million euros, a welcome improvement from Tuesdays three-year low of 46.1 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.41 percent; the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.34 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose slightly by 0.19 percent.

The IT Solution sector posted the biggest gains of the day (1.76 percent) following Tuesdays similar losses; Holdings and Investments rose by 1.10 percent, while the Telecommunications sector lost 0.56 percent. The Minerals-Cement sector fell by 0.51 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 178 to 103, with another 71 issues were unchanged.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 0.982

Pound sterling 0.631

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.240

Japanese yen 117.8

Swiss franc 1.474

Norwegian kroner 7.438

Cyprus pound 0.577

Canadian dollar 1.550

Australian dollar 1.796

[07] Weather Forecast: Unsettled on Thursday

Changeable weather is forecast in all parts of the country with cloud, sunny spells, showers and storms. The morning will be misty in some areas. Winds variable, light to moderate. In the north, temperatures will range from 14C to 27C; on the rest of the mainland from 16C to 30C; and in the islands from 20C to 29C. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 29C; and in Thessaloniki from 17C to 27C.

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