Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-04-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] IOC top official pleased with progress at Schinias site

[02] Development minister and Bulgarian minister discuss Burgas oil pipeline

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[04] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Thursday

[05] Greek stocks end 0.84 percent higher on Wednesday

[01] IOC top official pleased with progress at Schinias site

High-ranking IOC inspection team continued its crucial visit here on Wednesday by visiting a handful of under-construction venue sites, including the Schinias complex.

?We are very much impressed by the progress ? Schinias was one of the venues where we had difficulties,? Denis Oswald, who again heads-up the IOC team, said after a brief tour of the Shcinias site. The venue, east of the Greek capital, will host the 2004 Olympic Rowing and Canoeing/ Kayak flatwarter competitions.

Earlier, the IOC team had inspected the Markopoulo shooting and equestrian venues.

Oswald noted that the pace of progress ascertained at the Schinias site should be kept up at all the other under construction sites and even increase.

On his part, legendary pole vaulter Sergei Bubka said that this was his first time on and inspection related to the Athens 2004 facilities, before praising progress. The Ukrainian former track star said time was of the essence and that ?everything had to be precise?, in reference to the preparation.

Oswald is set to hold a press conference on Thursday.

[02] Development minister and Bulgarian minister discuss Burgas oil pipeline

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Bulgarian Regional Development and Public Works Minister Valentin Cerovski discussed latest developments regarding the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline in talks in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on Wednesday.

Greece and Bulgaria declare themselves ready for the creation of a consortium of companies to undertake the construction of the project and what remains to be done is the completion of cooperation processes with the Russian side.

Referring to this issue, Tsohatzopoulos said ''what remains to be done now is, through the visits both Mr. Cerovski and I will be making to Moscow, in April and early May, for us to be able to complete this cooperation through the agreement of Russia on the creation of a single consortium which will utilise the construction of the project and its operation. We are optimistic in this direction. President Putin's recent visit to Bulgaria confirmed Russia's interest in supporting this project.''

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.082

Pound sterling 0.695

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.210

Japanese yen 129.8

Swiss franc 1.499

Norwegian kroner 7.864

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.589

Australian dollar 1.794

[04] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Thursday

Scattered cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, with showers in the northwest. It will rain on the mainland from mid-afternoon. Early morning mist is expected. Winds variable, moderate to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from -4C to 12C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 2C to 19C; and in the Aegean islands from 9C to 18C. Temperatures in Athens between 5C and 16C; and in Thessaloniki from 2C to 13C.

[05] Greek stocks end 0.84 percent higher on Wednesday

Greek stocks rose on Wednesday reflecting increased demand for smaller capitalisation stocks in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index ended 0.84 percent higher at 1,579.62 points, with turnover a low 73.2 million euros.

The IT Solution, Wholesale, IT and Textile sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (4.0 percent, 2.43 percent, 2.42 percent and 2.09 percent, respectively), while the Investment and Telecommuniations sectors suffered losses (0.29 percent and 0.09 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.86 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.18 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.48 percent and the FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 0.98 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 219 to 82 with another 62 issues unchanged.

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