Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-01-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece, Russia renew support for UN's Cyprus peace efforts

[02] PM and Norwegian premier discuss Cyprus, EU and bilateral issues

[03] Movement for return of Parthenon Marbles gaining ground

[04] Gov't vows to press ahead with metro for Thessaloniki

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Saturday

[07] Greek stocks continue recovering on Friday

[01] Greece, Russia renew support for UN's Cyprus peace efforts

Greece and Russia on Friday renewed their support for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's efforts for a Cyprus solution, during Athens talks with Annan's special representative on the Cyprus issue, Alvaro de Soto.

UN special representative on the Cyprus issue Alvaro de Soto held separate meetings Friday in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and visiting Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, and briefed them on the ongoing Cyprus peace talks.

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who was present at the UN envoy's meeting with Simitis, told reporters after the half-hour talks that de Soto ''has our full support'', adding that de Soto had ''the volition to continue all efforts for achievement of the goal within the time frame the European Union and secretary general Annan have set out, by February 28.''

De Soto is also scheduled to visit Turkey.

Papandreou, who held talks with Ivanov on Thursday evening, said that Russia's role was an important one, both as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and as a firm supporter of the efforts for a Cyprus solution.

[02] PM and Norwegian premier discuss Cyprus, EU and bilateral issues

The Cyprus issue and the blueprint for a Cyprus solution proposed by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan were among the issues that occupied his meeting with visiting Norwegian Premier Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Friday. Norway was among those countries that supported the Annan plan, he added.

Emerging from the meeting, Simitis also referred to his talks with UN envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and stressed that he had not discussed the tactics that the UN planned to follow on the Cyprus issue.

''It is my personal opinion, however, that pressures on the two sides to accept the Annan plan with marginal modifications will increase as the days go by,'' he said.

In any event, Greece had to be ready to show the international community that it steadily supported a functional, viable solution to the Cyprus problem, Simitis added.

The premier described his meeting with Bondevik as ''good and friendly'' and said it had mainly focused on bilateral issues and matters pertaining to the EU, on account of Greece holding the EU presidency.

The Greek premier clarified that Norway had a unique relationship with the EU since it was not an EU-member but participated in the economic sector. He said that Norway had proposed the signing of an agreement between the members of the European Economic Forum and the European Union on April 16 in Athens.

[03] Movement for return of Parthenon Marbles gaining ground

LONDON (ANA - L. Tsirigotakis) - The movement for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece is gaining ground in Britain with many British Olympic Games gold medallists supporting Greece's request.

Their names will be announced officially on Monday night by liberal democrat Deputy Richard Alan, who has started the campaign titled ''Parthenon 2004'' which is aimed at having the Parthenon Marbles returned on the occasion of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The event will also be attended by renowned British actress Vanessa Redgrave, who actively supports the movement for the return of the marbles to Greece.

[04] Gov't vows to press ahead with metro for Thessaloniki

Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou said on Friday that a project would go ahead to build a metro for the northern port city of Thessaloniki.

''If all goes well, preliminary work for contstruction will begin in the autumn,'' Papandreou said during a visit to northern Greece.

''We are awaiting approval from the European Union's Commission,'' she added.

A day earlier, a European Court ruling vindicated termination by the government of negotiations with a consortium that was the frontrunner in a tender for the long-delyed project.

The ruling was issued in response to a pre-trial question submitted by an Athens appeal court in a case brought by the Macedonia Metro consortium against the Greek state seeking compensation for the termination of negotiations.

Since then, the state has begun talks with another bidder in the metro building tender, a group named Thessaloniki Metro.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.087

Pound sterling 0.665

Danish kroner 7.497

Swedish kroner 9.324

Japanese yen 128.4

Swiss franc 1.478

Norwegian kroner 7.516

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.658

Australian dollar 1.838

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Saturday

Rainy and showery weather is forecast in all parts of the country. Snow will fall on high ground in the centre and north and in low lying areas of Macedonia. Winds variable, moderate to very strong, turning gale force in the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 2C to 7C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 6C to 14C; and in the Aegean islands from 11C to 17C. Temperatures in Athens between 7C and 14C; and in Thessaloniki from 4C to 7C.

[07] Greek stocks continue recovering on Friday

Greek stocks recovered more substantial ground on Friday, extending their gains for the second consecutive session in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index jumped 1.41 percent surpassing the 1,700 level to end at 1,720.99 points.

Turnover was an improved 98.5 million euros.

The Telecommunication, Banks and Investment sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (2.29 percent, 2.08 percent and 1.41 percent, while the IT, Insurance and Food-Beverage sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (0.64 percent, 0.59 percent and 0.36 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 1.86 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.71 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.69 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index jumped 1.55 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 202 to 87 with another 71 issues unchanged.

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