Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-08-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM reviews foreign policy agenda with FM

[02] Govt, employers agree social policy will not undermine economic

[03] Gov't spokesman dismisses talk about early elections

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[05] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud, sporadic showers on Thursday

[06] Greek stocks resume advance on Wednesday

[01] PM reviews foreign policy agenda with FM

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday received Foreign Minister George Papandreou for an overview of developments in the countrys foreign policy front.

Their agenda included the course of Greece-Turkey relations, Turkeys accession path to the European Union, the EU's Intergovernmental Conference, expected to be held in October, and the Cyprus issue.

According to sources, Papandreou is planning to visit Cyprus in the near future.

The foreign minister, following the meeting, announced that more than 100 countries are supporting the Greek candidacy for a non-permanent membership to the United Nations Security Council.

Papandreou underlined that Greece is a country affording total security that made a significant investment in the safety of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and that effort was witnessed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), noting that the articles on Greeces security were due to the general climate of international insecurity.

[02] Govt, employers agree social policy will not undermine economic progress

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday reassured the country's employers union that the government would maintain its fiscal policy.

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting between the Greek Industries Union (SEB) with the Premier and Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, SEB's chairman Odysseas Kyriakopoulos said that the union presented and discussed with the prime minister a series of initiatives aimed to boost competitiveness, contain inflation and support employment in the country.

Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, speaking to reporters, said that the government was in a constant dialogue with all productive classes and businessmen to maintain a steady economy growth rate that would create new job positions.

The meeting also agreed on measures to contain prices to help fight high inflation rate in the country.

[03] Gov't spokesman dismisses talk about early elections

A government spokesman on Wednesday dismissed talk about early elections, while he refused to comment on the reaction of PASOK MPs regarding a recent government initiative for electoral law reform saying this formed part of the ruling party's internal process.

''Conclusions drawn from pertinent discussions will be assessed'', spokesman Christos Protopapas said at his regular press briefing.

Referring to reports over alleged intentions of the Australian government to issue an advisory about travel in Greece, Protopapas stressed Greece was an absolutely safe country, and added the Australian government had taken comparable actions also for Italy, France, Spain and possibly Germany.

The spokesman said that, at any event, the issue would be subject to review by the foreign affairs ministry.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.107

Pound sterling 0.704

Danish kroner 7.542

Swedish kroner 9.406

Japanese yen 130.5

Swiss franc 1.560

Norwegian kroner 8.458

Cyprus pound 0.593

Canadian dollar 1.549

Australian dollar 1.729

[05] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud, sporadic showers on Thursday

Scattered cloud is forecast in eastern and northern Greece on Thursday with the possibility of sporadic showers in the northeast. Sunny weather will prevail in the rest of the country in the afternoon. Winds northerly, light to moderate. Temperatures in the north will range from 19C to 35C; in western Greece from 20C to 37C; and in the Aegean islands from 23C to 34C. Temperatures in Athens between 24C and 36C; and in Thessaloniki from 22C to 34C.

[06] Greek stocks resume advance on Wednesday

Greek stocks resumed their upward trend on Wednesday, after a two-day decline on profit taking, supported by a positive trend in other European markets in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index rose 0.20 percent to end at 2,256.09 points, with turnover a reduced 152.9 million euros.

The Telecommunications and Wholesale sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (1.55 percent and 0.60 percent, respectively), while the Base Metals and Holding sectos suffered the heaviest percentage losses (1.44 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.34 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index eased 0.97 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index fell 0.13 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 165 to 143 with another 56 issues unchanged.

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