Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-12-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

[02] Foreign minister comments on arrest of Saddam Hussein

[03] Turkish-Cypriot opposition, pro-Denktash parties neck and neck in

[04] Karamanlis: Theory of ND 'parenthesis' in gov't will be dispelled

[05] Nationwide taxi strike to continue on Monday

[06] UN review cites 3.7% GDP increase in Greece for 2003

[01] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.235

Pound sterling 0.706

Danish kroner 7.498

Swedish kroner 9.037

Japanese yen 133.2

Swiss franc 1.562

Norwegian kroner 8.250

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.618

Australian dollar 1.662

[02] Foreign minister comments on arrest of Saddam Hussein

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Sunday expressed hope that the arrest of Saddam Hussein would finally bring to a close a ''dramatic chapter in Iraqi history''.

He also said Sunday's events should accelerate the process of political reconstruction and stability in the country and hasten the transfer of power to the Iraqi people.

''The Iraqi people must soon, with the assistance of the international community and the active participation of the United Nations, take into their hands the fate of their country and work in conditions of peace and reconciliation for its progress and prosperity,'' Papandreou said.

[03] Turkish-Cypriot opposition, pro-Denktash parties neck and neck in 'elections'

Rival Turkish-Cypriot party blocs were neck and neck in the ''elections'' held on Sunday in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus, according to the latest reports, with an equal share of seats in the Turkish-Cypriot assembly in spite of a marginal lead for the pro-Europe, anti-Denktash opposition.

CNA (Cyprus News Agency) reports quoting the semi-official Turkish news agency Anadolu, with 70 per cent of the vote counted, said the parties supporting the policies of Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and those opposed got an equal share of seats in the 50-seat ''assembly''.

At the latest count the opposition bloc still had 51 per cent of the vote against 45 per cent for the ''government'' coalition parties, but it lost seats under the complicated ''electoral system'' in the occupied territories, which bars parties with less than 5 per cent from gaining a seat in the assembly.

Earlier reports by the ANA correspondent in Nicosia, with 60 per cent of the vote counted, put the Republican Turkish Party of Mehmet Ali Talat in the lead with 36.74 per cent of the vote, while the Peace and Democracy Party of Mustafa Akkinzi was second with 14.4 percent and five to six seats. Under these estimates the opposition bloc gained a four to five-seat lead in the Turkish-Cypriot ''assembly''.

[04] Karamanlis: Theory of ND 'parenthesis' in gov't will be dispelled

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Costas Karamanlis was quoted over the weekend as stressing that his party is entirely ready to assume the countrys reins, while warning that various theories citing a ND ?parenthesis? between PASOK governments will be disproved.

Karamanlis was quoted in an interview published in the Sunday edition of the Athens daily ?Kathimerini?, as heightened political developments continue ahead of general elections expected in the spring.

In further statements, Karamanlis the namesake and nephew of late Greek statesman and ND founder Constantine Karamanlis promised a ?revolution in quality? as far as the states services are concerned.

Moreover, he warned that if elected ND would review public contracts where the tendering, implementation or costs appear legally dubious.

[05] Nationwide taxi strike to continue on Monday

Taxis throughout the country will be on strike on Monday, as taxi owner unions continue to oppose government attempts to force them to install cash registers in their vehicles by January 2004.

A new meeting between union representatives and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and PASOK Central Committee Secretary Mihalis Chrysohoidis has been set for Monday.

If no breakthrough is achieved during this meeting, the strike committee has warned that there will be a major rally in Athens, reinforced by taxi drivers from the provinces, on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, four major radio-taxi firms representing more than 1,500 vehicles in Athens and hundreds in other parts of the country have already broken ranks with the hard-liners and decided to go back to work on Monday.

[06] UN review cites 3.7% GDP increase in Greece for 2003

NEW YORK (ANA) The United Nations annual economic and social review has listed a 3.7-percent increase in Greeces GDP for 2003, with a projected figure of 3.9 percent given for 2004, the year when Athens hosts the 2004 Olympic Games.

The same report projects a continuation of the Greek economys growth rate above the ?euro-zone? average, which includes the economies of the more developed western European countries. Construction-related growth, especially as related to Olympic projects, as well as continued strong domestic consumer demand are cited in the UN report on the Greek economy.

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