Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-09-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece unveils plan to promote exports

[02] Programmes and policy to dominate PM's meetings in coming week

[03] Foreign minister to visit Nicosia on September 10-11

[04] Greek Foundation for Culture organizes two exhibitions in Ukraine

[05] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Tuesday

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[07] Greek stocks remain under pressure, end lower

[01] Greece unveils plan to promote exports

Greece's National Exports Council on Monday announced a package of measures aimed to promote exports, to draft an export strategy and to reduce bureaucracy.

The measures include the hiring of Chinese and Japanese experts by the Greek state to promote exports, securing funds from a public investments' programme to support exports and offering special incentives to exporters.

The council meeting, chaired by Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, agreed that measures to promote Greek exports should be based on three axes:

-Measures to facilitate exports such as simplier procedures to enter an exporters' register, and simplified procedures in transport and custom services.

-Promoting a business programme drafted by the Export Promotion Organisation, creating a communication and information distribution network, establishing export promotion offices abroad and supporting pilot programmes.

-Promoting Greek exports to Canada and Turkey and adopting a business plan ahead of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[02] Programmes and policy to dominate PM's meetings in coming week

Prime Minister Costas Simitis met Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos on Monday morning to discuss the programme for Greece's financial contribution to the reconstruction of Balkan countries, government spokesman Christos Protopapas announced.

Immediately afterward, the premier met the leadership of the Union of Industry of Northern Greece (SBBE), followed by a meeting with Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and PASOK Central Committee Secretary Mihalis Chrysohoidis.

On Tuesday at 10:00, Simitis will chair a meeting of the Inner Cabinet to discuss economic policy, particularly the economic and social package.

On Wednesday at 10:00, the prime minister will meet Interior Minister Costas Skandalidis and at noon he will tour the Hymettus ring road. On Wednesday evening he is due to speak at a PASOK event to mark the 29th anniversary since the party was founded on September 3, 1974 at the Panhellenic stadium.

On Thursday morning, Simitis will chair a regular cabinet meeting focusing on the government programme for the coming six months, while on Friday the premier is to meet Christodoulakis, Macedonia-Thrace Minister Haris Kastanides, Press and Media Minister Christos Protopapas and Deputy Press and Media Minister Tilemahos Hytiris to discuss preparations for the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), where the prime minister makes the annual speech outlining the government's economic policy for the coming year.

At 12:30 on Friday, meanwhile, Simitis is to meet IOC Honorary President Juan Antonio Samaranch before departing for Thessaloniki and TIF at the head of a government delegation.

[03] Foreign minister to visit Nicosia on September 10-11

Foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis on Monday confirmed that Foreign Minister George Papandreou was scheduled to visit Nicosia on September 10-11.

While in Cyprus, Papandreou will meet the Cypriot political leadership and representatives of opposition parties in the occupied parts of the island republic.

Responding to questions, Beglitis referred to the persecution of teachers at a school in Rizokarpaso by the illegal Turkish-Cypriot regime, saying that this confirmed the continued intransigence of Rauf Denktash and undermines the rulings of the International Court of Human Rights.

[04] Greek Foundation for Culture organizes two exhibitions in Ukraine

The branch of the Greek Foundation for Culture in Ukraine is organizing an exhibition of photographs entitled ''Groups with cultural distinctiveness'' and a second one of paintings of children, entitled ''Ecological conscience. Natural environment. Fauna and Flora''.

The exhibitions are co-organized by the Friends of the Melina Mercuri Foundation and will be hosted in the Odessa exhibition galleries of the Greek Foundation for Culture branch between Sept. 7 and Oct. 6.

[05] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Tuesday

Scattered cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, with isolated storms in Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace; and in the Ionian from evening. Winds northerly, light to moderate, turning strong at sea in the south. In the north and west, temperatures will range from 19C to 31C; on the rest of the mainland from 20C to 35C; and in the Aegean islands from 24C to 32C. Temperatures in Athens between 20C and 35C; and in Thessaloniki from 19C to 31C.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.105

Pound sterling 0.703

Danish kroner 7.484

Swedish kroner 9.244

Japanese yen 128.6

Swiss franc 1.549

Norwegian kroner 8.290

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.523

Australian dollar 1.711

[07] Greek stocks remain under pressure, end lower

Greek stocks ended lower on Monday with the Athens Stock Exchange unable to follow other European bourses higher.

The general index ended 0.62 percent lower at 2,196.94 points, below the 2,200 level reflecting heavy losses in blue chip stocks like Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (it ended 3.81 percent down).

All sector indices ended lower, with the Insurance, IT Solution and Food-Beverage indices suffering the heaviest percentage losses of the day (6.09 percent, 5.99 percent and 4.54 percent, respectively). The Bank index recorded the smallest losses of the day (-0.46 percent).

Turnover was a moderate 166.5 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.39 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 2.36 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index plunged 4.08 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 313 to 39 with another 12 issues unchanged.

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