Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-01-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM unveils new Olympic press centre

[02] FM and Cyprus president hold repeated telephone conversations on Annan

[03] Public order minister to visit Moscow on three-day official visit

[04] Bodies of 5 illegals found in Evros; search continues at sea for others

[05] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Saturday

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

[01] PM unveils new Olympic press centre

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Friday inaugurated the new Main Press Centre (MPC) that is adjacent to the main Olympic complex (OAKA) in the Maroussi district, the state-of-the-art facility where accredited print media professionals will be based during the Games.

The OAKA complex includes the main stadium (Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the athletics events), the tennis venue, as well as the Olympic Indoor Hall (gymnastics artistic, trampoline and the basketball finals), the velodrome and the Olympic Aquatic Centre all within a short distance from the MPC.

?Olympic projects are being continuously delivered (to organisers); theyre changing the image of Greece and proving that every euro is well spent,? Simitis said, a reference to the post-Olympics use of facilities and venues. The MPC will house the state-run general sports secretariat and the newly created firm Olympic Real Estate S.A.

?If in 1996 someone had said Greece would in the near future host Olympic Games, he would have been met with astonishment,? he added.

[02] FM and Cyprus president hold repeated telephone conversations on Annan talks

Foreign Minister and PASOK party leadership candidate George Papandreou held repeated telephone conversations with Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos on Thursday night on the latter's talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Papandreou had conversations with the Cyprus president both before his meeting with Annan and immediately afterwards for a briefing on its content, while he is also due to communicate with Annan himself on Friday.

According to foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis, the Cyprus president notified Papandreou that he had a very constructive discussion with Annan, reiterating to him that the Greek Cypriot side is ready to begin talks on a solution to the issue of Cyprus based on the Annan plan ''even as of tomorrow morning if the secretary general decides suchy a thing himself.''

[03] Public order minister to visit Moscow on three-day official visit

Public Order Minister George Floridis will leave for Moscow on Sunday on a three-day official visit. He will be accompanied by Greek Police chief Fotis Nasiakos and the head of the national intelligence service, Pavlos Apostolidis.

Floridis and Russian officials will be discussing issues of bilateral concern, particularly issues related to the security of the Olympic Games, according to a relevant announcement by the public order ministry.

[04] Bodies of 5 illegals found in Evros; search continues at sea for others

The bodies of five illegal immigrants, apparent victims of freezing temperatures that plagued the northeast Evros border region a week ago, were found in an rural area near the Ferres township on Thursday.

Police said the bodies belonged to Asian males, aged between 20 and 30 years old, while an initial investigation did not indicate foul play.

The five victims are believed to have crossed the Evros River from neighbouring Turkey. However, they apparently lost their direction during a snowstorm in the area.

The body of another man, linked to the same group, was found in the same area several days ago.

Meanwhile, coast guard officers searching for 17 illegal immigrants who went missing on Thursday when a boat hauling them from Turkey sank off the rocky islet of Petalioi, SW of Evia island, found three bodies on Friday.

Twenty-six illegal immigrants survived the vessels sinking.

[05] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Saturday

Rain and storms are forecast mainly in the east and south, easing off from evening. Winds northerly, gale force. The weather will be colder. Temperatures in Athens 1C to 8C and in Thessaloniki 1C to 7C. Light snow may fall in Attica with sleet in the southern suburbs of Athens, easing off later in the day.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.248

Pound sterling 0.690

Danish kroner 7.509

Swedish kroner 9.267

Japanese yen 132.1

Swiss franc 1.575

Norwegian kroner 8.788

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.665

Australian dollar 1.652

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