Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-10-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Thursday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates: Thursday

[03] US State Dep't sees 'secure and successful' Olympics in Athens

[01] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Thursday

All parts of the country will see cloud, rain and storms, easing off from the west overnight. Winds southerly, very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 7C to 15C; in the west from 16C to 21C; and in the rest of the country from 14C to 21C. Temperatures in Athens between 10C and 17C; and in Thessaloniki from 9C to 12C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates: Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.177

Pound sterling 0.691

Danish kroner 7.491

Swedish kroner 9.100

Japanese yen 127.2

Swiss franc 1.563

Norwegian kroner 8.277

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.543

Australian dollar 1.668

[03] US State Dep't sees 'secure and successful' Olympics in Athens

Washington D.C. (ANA - T. Ellis) -- The US State Department on Tuesday reiterated that it had ''every confidence'' that Greece would host ''secure and successful'' Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a regular press briefing, when asked to comment on Greek press information of a report by experts concerning the prospects of terrorist action during the 2004 Games drawn up on behalf of the Greek government, that ''I think there is a report like this just about every day in some Greek newspaper'', adding: ''So I'll tell you what we think about it, and the way we say it every time''.

''The summary is that the Greeks, in our judgment, have the will and the resources to hold a secure and successful Olympics; we have every confidence that they will,'' Boucher said.

''The Greek Government's planning and preparations for Olympic security are well underway. Greece is working with several countries, including the United States, to ensure the full safety of the Olympic Games. Almost a year in advance of the event, the Greeks are assessing their situation, identifying needs and devoting resources to achieving a secure and successful Olympics. Exercises to highlight any potential problems were undertaken with a view to solve all these issues by the day the games open, August 13th of next year,'' he explained.

''The United States has offered expertise and resources of several of our agencies to Greece in order to ensure Olympic security. Ambassador Cofer Black, the U.S. Coordinator for Counterterrorism, visited Greece in September to discuss ways to enhance Olympic security,'' the State Department spokesman said.

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