Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-03-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM addresses letter to EU Commission president for Greek seamen's

[02] Weston in Athens on Tues.

[03] Greece, Commission discuss farm development programmes

[04] Eurocapital Finance SA subsidiary in Serbia

[05] Weather Forecast: Cloud, showers on Tuesday

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

[07] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose down, shedding gains

[01] FM addresses letter to EU Commission president for Greek seamen's release

Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis addressed a letter to European Commission President Romano Prodi on Monday, calling on him to approach the government of Pakistan for the release of five Greek seamen detained in Karachi.

The letter comes after his intervention at the European Union's Council of Ministers on February 16 where the issue of the Greek seamen's detention was discussed at length, at the initiative of Athens.

The EU troika and Commissioner Chris Patten have already made such an approach to the government of Karachi on the issue of the seamen of the ''Tasman Spirit'' which had created pollution following an accident outside the port of Karachi last summer.

[02] Weston in Athens on Tues.

Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis will meet on Tuesday morning (11:30 a.m.) with US Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston at the foreign ministry. Statements to press will follow.

[03] Greece, Commission discuss farm development programmes

The European Commission on Monday reaffirmed its decision to offer increased funding to Greek agriculture development programmes in the framework of a procedure in an intermediate review of a Third Community Support Framework programme, worth 390 million euros.

The announcement was made during a meeting between Greek Agriculture Minister George Drys and a delegation of Commission officials, led by Third CSF special secretary, S. Lourando, to discuss a more effectively implementation of Greek ministry's programmes.

The European Commission accepted the Greek government's positions on the issue, while the meeting completed settlement procedures covering the Second Community Support Framework programme (1994-1999).

The EU executive's delegation expressed their satisfaction over progress made in implementing business programmes by Greece's farm ministry.

[04] Eurocapital Finance SA subsidiary in Serbia

Eurocapital Finance SA on Monday announced the creation of a subsidiary in Serbia under the name EuroCapital AD in which it will hold a majority 51 percent equity stake.

The new company will aim to representing and supporting Greek

companies' activities in the country.

EuroCapital Finance, a company based in Sofia Bulgaria, is the biggest company offering support and organising Greek investments in Bulgaria.

[05] Weather Forecast: Cloud, showers on Tuesday

Cloud and showers are forecast in all parts of the country, with storms in the northwest and Crete. Winds variable, light to moderate. Temperatures in Athens 10C to 17C and in Thessaloniki from 7C to 14C.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.258

Pound sterling 0.673

Danish kroner 7.511

Swedish kroner 9.325

Japanese yen 137.3

Swiss franc 1.590

Norwegian kroner 8.786

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.684

Australian dollar 1.627

[07] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose down, shedding gains

The Athens bourse finished lower on Monday in selling after mid-session following an early rise, traders said.

The general share index shed 0.22 per cent to end at 2,446.16 points. Turnover was 154.3 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.04 per cent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 0.12 per cent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 0.56 percent.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 160 to 144 with 53 issues remaining unchanged.

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