Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-01-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis speaks with Berlusconi, Blair, ahead of their talks with Bush

[02] FM Papandreou to visit Ankara on Thursday as part of EU troika

[03] 32 Eurodeputies to depart for Baghdad on Sunday, 3 Greeks among them

[04] School organises special event on Olympic Games

[05] Agrotica 2003 trade fair opens in Thessaloniki

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, showery on Thursday

[08] Greek stocks fall to new five-year lows

[09] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, showery on Wednesday

[10] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[01] Simitis speaks with Berlusconi, Blair, ahead of their talks with Bush

Greece's prime minister Costas Simitis, current chairman of the European Council, on Wednesday had telephone discussions with his British and Italian counterparts ahead of their upcoming meeting with US president George Bush.

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas, referring to Simitis' discussions with British premier Tony Blair and Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, noted the Greek EU presidency's constant efforts for forging a common EU position endorsing a peaceful settlement of the Iraq issue.

Berlusconi is due to meet with Bush on Thursday, while Blair is scheduled for talks with Bush at Camp David on Friday.

Protopapas also denied that the possibility of convening an emergency EU summit was being discussed at the present stage.

Asked by the press on the possiblity of a Simitis-Bush meeting, Protopapas said such a thought ''is completely logical'', but added there was ''nothing to announce'' in that respect.

[02] FM Papandreou to visit Ankara on Thursday as part of EU troika

Foreign Minister and current European Union Council of Ministers President George Papandreou will depart for Ankara on Thursday to participate in the EU troika meeting with the Turkish leadership.

Papandreou, along with EU high commissioner for foreign and security policy Javier Solana and European Commissioner for enlargement issues Guenter Verheugen, will hold meetings with the leadership of the country to discuss Turkey's amended association relationship with the EU, which will be tabled by the European Commission in February.

They will also discuss the latest developments in the front of political and legislative reforms in Turkey and the course for Ankara's achievement of the Copenhagen political criteria for accession to the EU.

The Cyprus issue and outstanding border differences will also be on the agenda, along with international issues including conditions in the Middle East, Iraq, the Western Balkans and Afghanistan.

Papandreou will also hold bilateral talks with the Turkish leadership.

[03] 32 Eurodeputies to depart for Baghdad on Sunday, 3 Greeks among them

BRUSSELS (ANA - A. Simatos) - A delegation of 32 Eurodeputies will depart for Baghdad on Sunday, according to a written statement submitted by 110 members of the Europarliament, who stressed the necessity for a peaceful resolution of the Iraq crisis.

Three Greek Eurodeputies will participate in the delegation, which includes deputies from 5 different Europarliament groups.

The Greek Eurodeputies that will participate in the initiative are Alekos Alavanos of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), Myrsini Zorba of ruling PASOK party and Stratis Korakas of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

[04] School organises special event on Olympic Games

The school ''Greek-German training'', organised a special event on the Olympic Games on Wednesday, presenting views by people of literature and art who are fond of Greece and who embrace the Olympic Idea.

The event was addressed by the ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, who said the Olympic Idea is not accompanied by high sports performances alone, but is also closely attached to the idea of peace.

International Olympic Academy President and International Olympic Committee member Nikos Filaretos assured the audience of the successful holding of the Games and called on children and grown-ups to register their participation as volunteers.

[05] Agrotica 2003 trade fair opens in Thessaloniki

The Agrotica 2003 trade fair opened in Thessaloniki on Wednesday, organised by Helexpo.

Inaugurating the event was Deputy Agriculture Minister Evangelos Argyris, who outlined priorities of Greece's current presidency of the European Union.

Among the priorities was an interim review of the 15-nation bloc's common agricultural policy, Argyris said.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.095

Pound sterling 0.665

Danish kroner 7.494

Swedish kroner 9.287

Japanese yen 129.5

Swiss franc 1.479

Norwegian kroner 7.517

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.667

Australian dollar 1.854

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, showery on Thursday

Cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, turning to showers in the west, centre and north, and in the eastern Aegean islands, with storms in the west. Snow will fall on high ground in the north. Winds southwesterly, strong to very strong, turning gale force at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from 1C to 13C; on the rest of the mainland from 1C to 13C; and in the islands from 5C to 14C. Temperatures in Athens between 4C and 12C; and in Thessaloniki from 0C to 10C.It may rain in both cities in the evening.

[08] Greek stocks fall to new five-year lows

Greek stocks ended to new five-year lows on Wednesday in the Athens Stock Exchange hit by worries over economic and geopolitical developments and following a trend in international markets.

The general index ended 0.26 percent lower at 1,665.66 points, off the day's lows of 1,648 points, with turnover a low 64.7 million euros.

Traders said the market found some technical support at the 1,650 level but remained pessimistic over the market's short-term prospects.

Sector indices ended mixed. The Base Metals and Holdings suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (1.98 percent and 0.96 percent, respectively), while the Publication and Retail sectors scored the biggest percentage gains (2.30 percent and 1.40 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.29 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.25 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.42 percent.

Broadly, decliners narrowly led advancers by 147 to 145 with another 65 issues unchanged.

[09] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, showery on Wednesday

Cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, turning to showers in the west, centre and north, and in the eastern Aegean islands. The morning will be misty on the mainland. Winds west-southwesterly, moderate to strong, turning gale force at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from -3C to 10C; on the rest of the mainland from 0C to 13C; and in the islands from 4C to 14C. Temperatures in Athens between 4C and 12C; and in Thessaloniki from 0C to 10C.

[10] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.089

Pound sterling 0.664

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.296

Japanese yen 129.1

Swiss franc 1.481

Norwegian kroner 7.529

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.663

Australian dollar 1.851

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