Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-04-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Powell conveys to Papandreou U.S. interest in promoting ME solution

[02] Films on Mediterranean archaeology and folklore to be screened in

[03] Int'l conference on water resources, climate on Samos

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[05] Weather Forecast: Showers on Friday

[06] Greek stocks end slightly higher on Thursday

[01] Powell conveys to Papandreou U.S. interest in promoting ME solution

Greek Foreign Minister and EU Council of Foreign Ministers President George Papandreou had a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday afternoon.

During the talks, conducted at the initiative of the U.S. side, Powell conveyed to his Greek counterpart the U.S. administration's interest for the promotion of a solution to the Middle East issue, now that the war in Iraq is nearing its end.

Powell told Papandreou that the U.S. will place great emphasis in this procedure and that it is particularly interested for there to be an immediate resumption of the peace process in the Middle East, at the same time noting the need for there to be close cooperation with the European Union in this direction within the framework of the Quartet.

[02] Films on Mediterranean archaeology and folklore to be screened in Thessaloniki

Films on the archaeology, ethnography and folklore of the Mediterranean region will be screened from Saturday at the ''Agon'' Thessaloniki Cinema Museum.

A total of 25 Greek and foreign films will be projected, 14 of which have already received awards in international competitions.

The films will be projected daily (from 6 p.m.) until April 18.

[03] Int'l conference on water resources, climate on Samos

An international conference on water resources and climate change in the eastern Mediterranean began on the Aegean island of Samos on Thursday. The conference is sponsored by the European Union and will end on April 12.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.089

Pound sterling 0.695

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.219

Japanese yen 130.2

Swiss franc 1.506

Norwegian kroner 7.949

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.594

Australian dollar 1.798

[05] Weather Forecast: Showers on Friday

Showers are forecast in all parts of the country, easing off from the west in the afternoon. Winds south-southeasterly, moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from -2C to 12C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 0C to 19C; and in the Aegean islands from 11C to 18C. Temperatures in Athens between 5C and 17C; and in Thessaloniki from 5C to 14C.

[06] Greek stocks end slightly higher on Thursday

Greek stocks moved cautiously higher on Thursday with market sentiment remaining positive in the Athens Stock Exchange on hopes that the war is ending in Iraq.

The general index rose 0.26 percent to end at 1,583.78 points, with turnover an improved 96.4 million euros.

The Textile, Cement and Insurance sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (4.0 percent, 2.83 percent and 1.93 percent, respectively), while the Metal, Retail and IT sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (1.29 percent, 1.16 percent and 0.54 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.18 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.04 percent up, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.55 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 0.20 percent higher.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 176 to 138 with another 49 issues unchanged.

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