Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece downed in world basketball final by Spain 70-47

[02] Greek-Korean port agreement

[03] Poll: 2.1-point ND lead over PASOK

[01] Greece downed in world basketball final by Spain 70-47

The convincing loss to Spain, two days after Greece shocked the US national team 101-95, ended its eight-game streak at the 2006 world championship. A spectacular Spain squad, meanwhile, ended the tournament undefeated.

The 2005 European champions trailed the Spaniards from the first seconds of the game and appeared to have 'run out of gas' following the victory against the US "Dream Team" on Friday, whereas the fresh Spanish team put up a flawless defensive effort, while dominating under both baskets.

The showings in Japan were the best ever for both countries, respectively, at the international level.

Caption: Lazaros Papadopoulos (L) of Greece fights for the ball against Felipe Reyes (R) and Carlos Jimenez (2ndR) of Spain during championship game of the FIBA World Basketball Championships in Saitama City, Japan on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2006. EPA/ROLEX D. PENA.

[02] Greek-Korean port agreement

Greece and Korea on Friday signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at the development, management and operation of the port of Tymbaki on the large island of Crete.

"This is a major step for creation of modern infrastructure that will reinforce competitiveness of the Greek port system and global market," the merchant marine ministry said in a statement.

"It is also one more step in the framework of implementation of the country's national port policy to develop ports by attracting foreign investment," the ministry said.

Cooperation in the project is to include a knowhow exchange, feasibility studies, it added.

Signing the pact were were Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyiannis and Korea's Minister of shipping and fisheries, Sung Jin.

[03] Poll: 2.1-point ND lead over PASOK

In terms of the smaller political parties, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) garnered 6.5 percent of respondents' preferences; 3.3 percent for the Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) and 3.3 percent for the out-of-Parliament Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) party. The percentage of 'undecideds' was 17.9 percent.

The poll, conducted by the Metron Analysis firm, was published on Sunday by the weekly "Proto Thema" newspaper. Results were collected between Aug. 29 and Aug. 31 via nationwide telephone interviews on a sample of 1,002 respondents.

A majority of respondents also foresees an electoral victory by ND in the next elections, 59.8 percent, as opposed to 16.4 percent for PASOK.

As far as individual party leaders' popularity, 58.5 percent of respondents have a positive opinion of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, as opposed to 39.1 percent who have a negative opinion. PASOK leader George Papandreou is given a favorable rating by 49 percent of respondents, and a negative rating by 46.9 percent of respondents.

In terms of a handful of other domestic and international issues, 60.3 percent of respondents backed the dispatch of an international peacekeeping force to Lebanon. Moreover, 69.4 percent said the government's stance vis-?-vis the war in Lebanon was positive.

Caption: An ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

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