Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-11-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Overwhelming majority of Turkish Cypriots support island republic's EU

[02] Greek workers' earnings fall 0.4 percent in 2001, report

[03] 'Nov. 17' holiday celebrations begin under heavy security

[04] Energy commissioner Loyola de Palacio holds talks with FM Papandreou

[05] Capital Link company organises economic forum in New York

[06] Greek stocks jump 1.14 percent on Friday

[01] Overwhelming majority of Turkish Cypriots support island republic's EU accession

BRUSSELS (ANA -B. Demiris) - The overwhelming majority of the Turkish Cypriots support the accession of the island republic to the European Union, according to an opinion poll conducted in the northern Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.

The poll conducted for the European Commission showed that 88.4 per cent of the Turkish Cypriots stated that the accession to the Union is ''a good thing'', while 3.5 per cent stated that it is a ''bad thing'' and 7.9 per cent ''neither bad nor good''.

[02] Greek workers' earnings fall 0.4 percent in 2001, report

High inflation rates in Europe absorbed all pay increases to workers' nominal wages last year, a survey by the European Observatory on Labour Relations (EIPO) said on Friday.

The survey showed that the average wage increase in Europe was 0.6 percent last year, while Greek workers suffered a decline of 0.4 percent on their real wages over the same period.

Ireland recorded the highest percentage wage increase, with 3.5 percent, while Spain recorded the biggest percentage decline, 1.3 percent.

Greek workers work more hours than any other European, with an average of 40 hours per week, with France recording the lowest working hours, 35 hours per week. The report noted that these times were conventional working hours and that real working hours were significantly higher throughout Europe.

Women earned less in all European Union member-states, for an average of 79.6 percent of their men colleagues.

[03] 'Nov. 17' holiday celebrations begin under heavy security

Celebrations to mark the anniversary of the November 17, 1973 student uprising against the military junta that ruled Greece in 1967-1974 began outside the Athens Polytechnic on Friday under extremely heavy security.

Among those who laid flowers on the monument for those killed when the dictatorship sent in armed troops and tanks to quell the student protest were representatives of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), the civil servants' union ADEDY and the president of the federation of secondary school teachers OLME.

Five thousands police officers will be deployed to keep order during this year's celebrations as opposed to 3,000 the previous year.

The official celebrations will peak on Sunday afternoon at about 14:30, when the gates of the polytechnic will be shut, while a few minutes later the traditional march to the United States Embassy will begin.

[04] Energy commissioner Loyola de Palacio holds talks with FM Papandreou

Visiting European Commissioner vice-president Loyola de Palacio on Friday met with foreign minister George Papandreou for talks covering Greece's preparations for its EU presidency in the first half of 2003, energy and transport issues, the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, and the upcoming EU summit in Copenhagen next month.

De Palacio, who holds the energy and transports portfolio, arrived in Athens on Thursday for the 1st Ministerial Meeting of the Southeastern Europe Regional Electricity Market, a conference supported by the European Commission, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on energy issues.

Replying after the meeting to press questions on how acute it would be for the EU if only the free part of Cyprus joined, de Palacio said that the important thing was that Cyprus was joining the EU, adding that the Union desired all of Cyprus in the EU.

Saying she did not wish to predetermine the decisions anticipated at the Copenhagen summit -- slated for December 12 -- on which candidate members would be invited to join the EU, de Palacio added nevertheless that Cyprus would join the Union in 2004, precisely as had been already stated by the Councils in Brussels.

[05] Capital Link company organises economic forum in New York

NEW YORK (ANA - M. Georgiadou) - The Capital Link company organised an economic forum here for the sixth consecutive year, focusing this year on the theme ''2004:Greece Going for the Gold'' and on investment opportunities provided by the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The forum was attended by senior officials of the Greek capital market, as well as the banking and shipping sectors.

The inauguration of the event was addressed by Greece's Ambassador to the United States George Savvaidis and the President of Link Capital Nikolaos Bornozos.

Savvaidis referred to progress achieved by the Greek economy, its participation in the eurozone and the holding of the Olympic Games and stressed a series of new economic challenges which can be beneficial for both Greece and the United States.

He further noted that this new economic environment offers unique opportunities for strengthening economic relations between Greece and the United States.

[06] Greek stocks jump 1.14 percent on Friday

Greek stocks ended the last trading session of the week higher in the Athens Stock Exchange, with sentiment encouraged by a positive climate in other European markets.

The general index rose 1.14 percent to end at 1,830.54 points, with turnover an improved 97.56 million euros.

The Metals and Textiles sectors suffered losses (0.62 percent and 0.31 percent, respectively), while the Publication, Wholesale, Insurance and IT sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (2.68 percent, 2.61 percent, 2.40 percent and 2.35 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks jumped 1.17 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.75 percent up and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.82 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 282 to 46 with another 32 issues unchanged.

The general index ended the week with a net loss of 0.31 percent.

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