Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-02-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Simitis briefs President on Iraq developments, EU emergency summit

[02] Powell-Papandreou phone contact on Iraq

[03] Spanish royal couple receives ATHOC chief; briefed on 2004 progress

[04] Hellenic Sugar Industry buys plant in Serbia

[05] ANA, Macedonia-Thrace Ministry discuss cooperation in view of EU summit

[06] EU takes Greece to court for curbs on foreign engineers, teachers

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[08] Weather Forecast: Sleet, snow on Thursday

[09] Greek stocks end flat on Wednesday

[01] PM Simitis briefs President on Iraq developments, EU emergency summit result

Prime minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday briefed President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos on latest developments in the Iraq crisis and the outcome of an emergency EU summit on the issue held earlier in the week in Brussels, called by the Greek EU presidency.

Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Stephanopoulos praised the prime minister for his initiative and the summit result, as the leaders of the 15 EU member states reached a common position on the Iraq issue.

Simitis said that the volition had existed for a common confrontation of the problem, and added the hope that ''we shall continue like this in the future''.

He warned, however, that tension was anticipated as ''the Iraq issue is not finished'', but added that ''no one can proceed alone, without the cooperation of the others''.

After the 90-minute meeting, Simitis said he and the President had discussed international affairs, developments in the European Union and the results of the EU leaders' meeting in Brussels on Monday.

He described Monday's summit as a success ''because Europe's common desire to play a role'' was made apparent.

''War is not inevitable,'' he said, reiterating the common EU position agreed at the summit, adding that Iraq must comply with the Security Council resolutions.

Simitis further assured that the Greek government's effort for a peaceful solution were continuing ''because everyone must realise the misfortune that war brings''.

[02] Powell-Papandreou phone contact on Iraq

US Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou by phone on Tuesday evening, with the Iraq crisis in the aftermath of Mondays special EU Summit expectedly dominating the conversation.

?He (Powell) understood that we are requesting a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the Iraq crisis, within the framework of Resolution 1441, with the granting of necessary time to (UN weapons) inspectors, but at the same time, we are holding Saddam Hussein responsible for this actions,? Papandreou told reporters shortly after leaving a meeting with the prime minister in Athens.

[03] Spanish royal couple receives ATHOC chief; briefed on 2004 progress

MADRID (ANA) Spanish King Juan Carlos I on Wednesday was the latest head of state to receive Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organising Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, as the ATHOC chief briefed the Spanish monarch and his wife, Queen Sophia, over the course of preparations for the coming Summer Games.

Honorary International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch as well as Spanish Olympic Committee President Jose Maria Echevarria also attended the briefing in the Spanish capital.

On her part, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki reminded that the Olympic Torch relay will pass through the Catalan capital of Barcelona, the host city of the very successful 1992 Games, while she also cited the contribution of a pair of well-known Spaniards to the ongoing preparations, architect Santiago Calatrava and ISB Managing Director and broadcast executive Manolo Romero.

Moreover, she said some 200 Spanish citizens have already submitted applications to serve as volunteers during the Games.

[04] Hellenic Sugar Industry buys plant in Serbia

Hellenic Sugar Industry SA, which is quoted on the Athens bourse, on Wednesday signed a contract for the acquisition of 70 percent of the Crvenka Fabrika Secera Akcionarsko Drustvo Iz Crvenke plant in Serbia.

The cost of the acquisition is 3.0 million euros, with the buyer committed to investing 7.8 million euros in the plant over the next five years to expand capacity.

The Serbian plant produces sugar, molasses and livestock feed pellets, Hellenic Sugar said in a statement.

[05] ANA, Macedonia-Thrace Ministry discuss cooperation in view of EU summit in June

Macedonia and Thrace Minister George Paschalidis and Athens News Agency (ANA) Director General Andreas Christodoulides on Wednesday discussed the issue of cooperation between the news agency and the ministry in view of the EU summit in Thessaloniki in June and this northern city's bid tohost the world exhibition EXPO 2008.

Paschalides said after the meeting that the Macedonia and Thrace Ministry will support the ANA on technological equipment issues for the setting up in Thessaloniki of a unit which will aim at providing the best possible information on activities in the northern Greek city on the occasion of the June summit.

''Within this context, we also want to help the citizens' movements who will be coming those days to Thessaloniki to have the best possible access to the information networks and on this matter we are asking for the ANA's help,'' the minister said.

On his part, the ANA chief said the news agency will try to give, particularly for foreigners, in English and French, information about Thessaloniki, the city which will host the EU summit. ''We will start this effort very soon,'' Christodoulides underlined.

[06] EU takes Greece to court for curbs on foreign engineers, teachers

BRUSSELS (ANA-B.Demiris) - The European Commission decided on Wednesday to take Greece to the European Court for curbs that discriminate against engineers and teachers from other EU countries seeking jobs or entry into professional registers.

Greece failed to properly incorporate Directive 89/48/EEC into it national legislation, which meant it was out of step with EU law, the Commision said in a statement.

The directive sets up a system of recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three years' duration. The Directive was incorporated into Greek law by Presidential Decree 165/2000 of 23 June 2000.

The Commission said it did not consider the incorporation to be consistent with Community law, particularly on compensatory measures (aptitude test or adaptation period) that might apply to migrants; and exclusion of persons who have already practised their profession in Greece under non-regulated arrangements.

Commenting on the decision, EU Internal Market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein said: ''If European law on the recognition of professional qualifications is not respected, qualified persons run the risk of not being able to exercise their right to practice their profession in any of the Member States.?

It would also appear from complaints received from engineers that the Directive has been incorrectly applied, since Greek authorities require equivalence between diplomas for recruiting engineers in the public sector and determining their conditions of employment; and for registering migrant members of the profession with the competent professional body - the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.080

Pound sterling 0.678

Danish kroner 7.491

Swedish kroner 9.174

Japanese yen 128.5

Swiss franc 1.484

Norwegian kroner 7.585

Cyprus pound 0.585

Canadian dollar 1.635

Australian dollar 1.822

[08] Weather Forecast: Sleet, snow on Thursday

Sleet or snow are forecast in all parts of the country, with rain likely in the southwest. Storms are forecast in the evening for the southern Aegean. Winds northerly, moderate to gale force. In the north, temperatures will range from -5 to 2C; on the rest of the mainland from -2C to 6C; and in the islands from 3C to 9C. Temperatures in Athens between 1C and 5C; and in Thessaloniki from -1C to 2C. Snow is likely to fall in both cities.

[09] Greek stocks end flat on Wednesday

Greek stocks ended Wednesday's session flat, as lack of follow-through buying and worries over geopolitical developments halted a two-day rally in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index eased 0.02 percent to end at 1,693.44 points, with turnover a low 61.8 million euros.

The Insurance, Wholesale and Bank sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (2.54 percent, 2.01 percent and 1.21 percent, respectively), while the Telecommunication and Construction sectors suffered losses (1.10 percent and 0.13 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.06 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.32 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.77 percent. The wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 0.17 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 195 to 81 with another 74 issues unchanged.

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