Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-06-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Hot and sunny on Thursday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[03] Simitis, Prodi discuss Thessaloniki EU Council agenda

[04] Greek FM Papandreou on draft EU Constitution

[05] Greek nuclear expert Dimitris Perricos named acting head of UNMOVIC

[06] MRB poll gives main opposition party 8.3 percent lead over PASOK

[07] General Bank denies press reports on merger

[08] EOT to set up convention promotion bureau

[01] Weather Forecast: Hot and sunny on Thursday

The day will be sunny, with isolated storms likely on high ground in Epirus and Macedonia from late afternoon. Winds northerly, light to strong. In the Ionian, temperatures will range from 20C to 35C; on the mainland from 20C to 34C; and in the Aegean islands from 21C to 30C. Temperatures in Athens between 23C and 34C; and in Thessaloniki from 21C to 32C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.184

Pound sterling 0.710

Danish kroner 7.483

Swedish kroner 9.178

Japanese yen 139.5

Swiss franc 1.550

Norwegian kroner 8.240

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.606

Australian dollar 1.792

[03] Simitis, Prodi discuss Thessaloniki EU Council agenda

BRUSSELS (ANA/V. Demiris) -- Issues pertaining to the preparation of the European Union Thessaloniki Council, to be held at the end of the month in the resort area of Halkidiki, have been central to a meeting here on Wednesday between Greek Prime Minister and EU Council president-in-office Costas Simitis and European Commission President Romano Prodi.

In statements after their meeting, Simitis and Prodi said that the Council will primarily deal with the results of the Convention on the Future of Europe and the draft EU Constitution, the Unions immigration and asylum policy, Transatlantic relations, the European security policy and EU relations with the Western Balkans.

In addition, Simitis said the Council should decide on the opening of the intergovernmental conference in October, which should have been concluded by the 2004 Euroelections.

Referring to the draft EU Constitution to be tabled at the Thessaloniki Council by the Convention, the Greek premier said there is already consensus among EU member-states over the draft Constitution, adding that the agreement that would be reached by the majority of member-states should form the basis for the eventual outcome.

Speaking on the same issue, Prodi noted that the draft EU Constitution should be the starting point for the intergovernmental conference, to follow the EU Council, while he proposed that the Thessaloniki Council should send out a strong message for the EUs economic recovery.

[04] Greek FM Papandreou on draft EU Constitution

BRUSSELS (ANA/G. Zitouniati) -- A comprehensive draft of the European Union Constitution is to be presented by the Convention on the Future of Europe to the EU Thessaloniki Council, later this month, according to Foreign Minister and president-in-office of the General Affairs Council George Papandreou.

However, crucial issues relating primarily to institutional affairs are to be referred to the Intergovernmental Conference, opening in October 2003.

Papandreou, who participates in the Conventions Presidium, said on Wednesday that Greece promoted its objectives on both national and European level, aiming at safeguarding equality among all EU member-states, a democratic and efficient functioning of institutions, the enhancement of Europes voice and the evolution of a dynamic towards a federal direction.

The draft EU Constitution would be presented to the EU Thessaloniki Council by Convention President Valery Giscard d' Estaing.

[05] Greek nuclear expert Dimitris Perricos named acting head of UNMOVIC

New York (ANA - P. Panagiotou) - Greek nuclear expert Dimitris Perricos has been named as acting executive chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), effective on July 1 after the retirement of UN chief arms inspector Hans Blix.

The UN decision to name Perricos as the acting UNMOVIC executive chairman was announced late Tuesday (early Wednesday, Greek time) by UN secretary general Kofi Annan's press spokesman Fred Eckhard in New York.

The 67-year-old Perricos, currently serving as Blix's deputy executive chairman and director of the planning and operations division, headed the UNMOVIC team carrying out on-the-spot inspections in Iraq and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency action team carrying out the first inspection in Iraq after the first Gulf War. He has also served in several other high-leval positions during his 28 years at the IAEA.

Perricos was born in Piraeus in 1935 and holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Athens.

[06] MRB poll gives main opposition party 8.3 percent lead over PASOK

The main opposition New Democracy party leads ruling PASOK by 8.3 percent in an MRB opinion poll released on Wednesday evening, while ND leader Costas Karamanlis appears to be ahead of Prime Minister Costas Simitis with a 1.3 percent lead on who would make best premier.

Analytically, 38 percent of respondents said they would vote for ND in the next elections, 29.7 percent for PASOK, 5.3 percent for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), 3.9 percent for the Coalition of the Left, of the Movements and Ecology, 2.5 percent for the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI), 2.4 for the newly formed party LA.O.S. headed by Parliament deputy George Karatzaferis and 3.4 said they would vote for another party while 14.9 percent answered don't know/won't say.

On the question on who was most suitable for prime minister, Karamanlis came first with 40.1 percent and Simitis second with 38.8 percent.

The poll was conducted by June 3, using a specimen of 2,000 people from all over the country.

[07] General Bank denies press reports on merger

The General Bank of Greece on Wednesday announced that it is still in the early stages of seeking a strategic partner, following a joint decision of the board of directors and the main shareholder, which is the Army Pension Fund.

The announcement came following press reports of a possible merger of the bank with the Bank of Attica or the Post Bank, which may have lead to the value increase of the General Bank's shares in the Athens stock exchange, by 10.6 per cent.

[08] EOT to set up convention promotion bureau

The Hellenic Tourist Organization (EOT) on Wednesday announced that soon the ''Athens Convention Bureau'' (Athens CVB) will be a reality, aiming to develop convention and conference tourism in Athens and in Greece at large.

EOT officials stressed that the charter of the new organization will be signed by all the agencies that will participate in the realizing this new effort.

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