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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek exporters want lifting of trade barriers in Turkey

[02] Russian Fleet vessels to visit port of Patras

[03] FM Papandreou gives pep talk to Greek national basketball team

[04] Aegean Airlines, Air One forge deal on flights to Italy

[05] Gas station owners call off strike

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud turning to rain on Wednesday

[08] Greek stocks continue losing ground on Tuesday

[01] Greek exporters want lifting of trade barriers in Turkey

Greek exporters are demanding the lifting of all trade barriers imposed by Turkey to Greek exports, in their effort to boost exports to the neighbouring country.

The Greek Exporters' Union, in cooperation with the state-sponsored Export Promotion Organisation, have informed the country's economy and finance ministry over problems facing in their transactions with Turkey.

Ministry officials said that problems facing Greek exports were attributed to lack of information over the prospect of raising exports and to the fact that Turkey was a manufacturer of similar products with Greece and that it was imposing trade barriers to protect its producers.

Greek exports to Turkey rose by 10 percent only in the first four months of 2003, while imports from Turkey soared 76 percent over the same period.

[02] Russian Fleet vessels to visit port of Patras

Two Russian warships, belonging to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, will be visiting the western port of Patras on Thursday and Friday, and several events have been scheduled for the duration of the visit.

The naval cruiser ''Moskva'' and the frigate ''Smetlivy'' will arrive in the port of Patras on Thursday, September 11, carrying vice-admiral N. Massorin. While in Patras, the crewmembers will visit the church of Aghios Andreas to worship the relics of the Saint, who is the patron saint of the city and also of the Russian navy and is depicted on the flags of all the Russian naval vessels.

Two concerts have been planned in the central streets and squares of Patras during the vessels' visit, by the Russian Navy's woodwind orchestra, on Thursday and Friday.

[03] FM Papandreou gives pep talk to Greek national basketball team

STOCKHOLM (ANA/F.Karaviti) - The Greek men's national basketball team, which is competing here in the European Basketball Championship, has qualifed for the last ''8'' of the tournament.

Greece will play against Italy in the quarter-finals on Thursday evening.

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who is currently visiting Sweden and participating in the Swedish govenment's campaign in support of the adoption of the euro, on Tuesday visited the Greek team during a training session.

''On a number of times you have made us proud of your perfomance. We are close with you in soul and body for the next phase,'' Papandreou said,'' directing himself to both the players and coach Yiannis Ioannidis.

The latter thanked the minister ''for the great honour'' but also the Greek community in Sweden who all these days support the efforts of the national team.

[04] Aegean Airlines, Air One forge deal on flights to Italy

Aegean Airlines said on Tuesday that it had signed an agreement with Air One allowing commercial flights to Italy.

Under the terms of the contract, Aegean's passengers will have the right to fly to five regional Italian airports with connecting flights via Rome, undertaken by Air One.

In addition, passengers of the Italian airline, the second largest in the neighbouring country, will be able to use two daily flights linking Rome and Athens on Aegean Airlines jets.

The new services are due for launch on September 15.

[05] Gas station owners call off strike

Petrol station owners on Tuesday called off a strike following agreement with the government in lengthy talks.

A union general assembly meeting was expected to endorse the pact later the same day.

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos chaired the meeting, which included representatives of the union, oil trading firms and the finance ministry.

Gas station owners agreed to install electronic cash registers at the pumps compatible with tax department regulations; and a price ceiling will be set in two weeks on liquid fuel in Corfu, Crete, the Dodecanese islands, Arta, Ioannina and the Cyclades islands.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.122

Pound sterling 0.708

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.205

Japanese yen 130.6

Swiss franc 1.556

Norwegian kroner 8.322

Cyprus pound 0.587

Canadian dollar 1.537

Australian dollar 1.717

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud turning to rain on Wednesday

Cloud, rain and storms are forecast in the west, moving to the mainland by nightfall. Winds south-southwesterly, moderate to strong. In the west and north, temperatures will range from 17C to 27C; and in the rest of the country from 16C to 30C. Temperatures in Athens between 19C and 30C; and in Thessaloniki from 18C to 25C.

[08] Greek stocks continue losing ground on Tuesday

Greek stocks remained under heavy pressure for one more session to end sharply lower in the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

The general index fell 1.39 percent to end at 2,062.72 points reflecting heavy losses in bank shares, particularly National Bank (-4.40 percent) and Alpha Bank (-4.0 percent).

Turnover was a moderate 155.9 million euros. The Cement sector was the only one to score gains (+0.02 percent), while the Publication (5.10 percent), IT Solution (4.06 percent) and Holding (3.25 percent) sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 1.89 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.80 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index dropped 2.24 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 284 to 47 with another 30 issues unchanged.

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