Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-01-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek PM: European Human Rights Charter should become part of EU

[02] Simitis & Cox call on Denktash to show constructive stance

[03] Greek FM visits Pristina, meets with UN, local leaders

[04] Greek candidate elected European Ombudsman

[05] New bus routes for Athens 2004 Olympics

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[07] Weather Forecast: Mostly fine on Thursday

[08] Greek stocks end moderately higher on Wednesday

[09] Winning design for 2004 Olympic Torch unveiled

[01] Greek PM: European Human Rights Charter should become part of EU Constitution

STRASBOURG (ANA - O. Tsipira) The Human Rights Charter approved by the European Union should be a legally binding text and should be incorporated into the EU Constitution, Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, head of the rotating EU presidency, said on Wednesday after a visit to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

The Greek premier was received by the court president Luzius Wildhaber and Greek European Court judge Christos Rozakis, who briefed him on the activities and operation of the ECHR.

As he departed, Simitis said his visit was a demonstration of the importance attached to the protection of human and civil rights by Greece and the Greek EU presidency.

Incorporating the European Human Rights Charter in the constitution would give the union an additional weapon against oppressive policies and those that do not pay give due attention to human and civil rights, he added.

[02] Simitis & Cox call on Denktash to show constructive stance

STRASBOURG (ANA- M. Spinthourakis) - Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and European Parliament President Pat Cox called on Turkish Cypriot community leader Rauf Denktash to show a constructive stance.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, on departing from the Europarliament building with Cox, Simitis said that ''today is a significant day for the course of the resolution of the Cyprus issue, since talks between UN General Secretary representative Alvaro de Soto and (Cyprus President) Glafcos Clerides and Denktash are starting again''.

The Greek premier also said that the possibility of reaching a solution for the Cyprus problem exists, adding that Clerides has held a constructive stance and has shown positive points, whereas it is up to Denktash to do the same.

On his part, Cox called on Denktash to make the necessary effort for a solution to the Cyprus problem, so that ''a reconciled Cyprus (may enter) a reconciled Europe''.

[03] Greek FM visits Pristina, meets with UN, local leaders

PRISTINA (ANA - E. Boukaouri) - Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou arrived here on Wednesday, the last stop of his extensive tour of the Balkans, and met with the local leadership and the United Nations administration in Kosovo.

Papandreou met with the head of the UN operation in Kosovo Michael Steiner who later said that the arrival of Papandreou expressed the commitment of the European Union for the region's European course.

Papandreou confirmed Steiner's comment, saying that he arrived in Pristina as the minister presiding over the EU, as well as a representative of a neighboring country.

He stressed that ethnic conflicts should become a part of the past, ''we should live together, cooperate and share the same values, which are democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and minorities''.

Later in the day, Papandreou met with Kovoso President Ibrahim Rugova, to whom he stressed that ''we should build a common future as citizens of the European Union, within a European Union, because we are Europeans and we want to live in democratic and tolerant societies.''

[04] Greek candidate elected European Ombudsman

STRASBOURG (ANA - O. Tsipira) Greek candidate Prof. Nikiforos Diamantouros, formerly ombudsman in Greece, was voted European Ombudsman on Wednesday, during the second round of a secret ballot at the European Parliament.

Diamantouros gained first place with 293 votes, followed by UK candidate Roy Perry with 205.

He replaces Jacob Soderman who resigned voluntarily for age-related reasons and will hold the post for 2.5 years.

Three of the candidates that participated in the first round of the election withdrew from the election this morning.

[05] New bus routes for Athens 2004 Olympics

Twenty new bus routes will be established for the Athens 2004 Olympics, the head of the Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA) said on Wednesday.

The frequency of buses on the routes for the duration of the international event will be two to six minutes, OASA president George Papavasiliou told a news conference.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.061

Pound sterling 0.664

Danish kroner 7.490

Swedish kroner 9.245

Japanese yen 125.4

Swiss franc 1.475

Norwegian kroner 7.360

Cyprus pound 0.581

Canadian dollar 1.636

Australian dollar 1.816

[07] Weather Forecast: Mostly fine on Thursday

Most of the country will enjoy sunny weather with scattered cloud in the west and south. Winds northwesterly, light to moderate, turning strong in the southeastern Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from -5C to 12C; on the rest of the mainland from -2C to 15C; and in the islands from 2C to 16C. Temperatures in Athens between 5C and 15C; and in Thessaloniki from -1C to 12C.

[08] Greek stocks end moderately higher on Wednesday

Greek stocks rose moderately on Wednesday pushing the general index back above the 1,700 level in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The index ended 0.28 percent up at 1,720.79 points, with turnover a low 83.8 million euros.

The Retail, Holding and IT Solution sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (6.97 percent, 1.98 percent and 1.41 percent, respectively), while the Publication, IT and Telecommunications sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (1.77 percent, 0.77 percent and 0.63 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.43 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.44 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.43 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 0.43 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 188 to 103 with another 65 issues unchanged.

[09] Winning design for 2004 Olympic Torch unveiled

Athens 2004 organisers (ATHOC) on Wednesday unveiled the much-anticipated winning design for the Olympic Torch, inspired and based on the olive leaf, one of the seminal elements of ancient Greek culture.

The design was presented by visiting IOC President Jacques Rogge and ATHOC President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki at the organising committee's headquarters. Made out of metal and wood, the design was submitted by noted Greek artist Andreas Varotsos.

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