Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-04-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] Droutsas in Turkey

[02] ASE opening: Decline

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Droutsas in Turkey

On Wednesday, the Greek minister will be received in Istanbul by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Fanar. He will then depart for Ankara, where he will be meeting on Thursday morning with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The meeting will be followed by talks between the two countries' delegations.

After a working luncheon, Droutsas will be received by Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Droutsas' visit is taking place at the invitation of Davutoglu, while the talks will also focus on the preparation of Erdogan's forthcoming visit to Athens in the coming months.

[02] ASE opening: Decline

Individual sector indices were moving mostly downward, with the biggest gains in Insurance, up 2.36 percent; and Commerce, up 0.80 percent.

The biggest losses were in Banks, down 0.56 percent; and Raw Materials, down 0.36 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.15 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.78 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.67 percent.

Of the stocks traded, 21 were up, 33 were down, and 16 were unchanged.

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The skyrocketing of the Greek bonds spread to 4 percent, IMF experts' arrival in Greece on Wednesday for "technical" assistance and the planned changes in the social security system dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Eight billion euros were sent to banks in Switzerland, England and Cyprus - The government's gaffes plunged the Athens Stock Exchange and widened the spread on Tuesday".

APOGEVMATINI: "Nightmare on 'Rumours Street' - Anonymous 'leaks' and also anonymous refutations skyrocketed the spread to 408 points".

AVGHI: "Government lays down red carpet for IMF and new measures'.

AVRIANI: "Markets are leading us to bankruptcy and the speculators are having a party with Greek bonds' interest".

ELEFTHEROS: "They are looking for the speculators' snitch in the government - His leaks to the foreign press skyrocketed the spreads".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Government's triple gaffe sinks the country - The cost of the loan at 7 percent - One step before recourse to IMF".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Tough gambling with the IMF as the trump card".

ESTIA: "Government without goals - It has been improvising over the last six months".

ETHNOS: "Endless torment with the spreads - The cost of state borrowing at record high".

IMERISSIA: "Dangerous turbulence - Spreads set record - Economy in a vise".

KATHIMERINI: "Greece encumbering its borrowing - The country's deficit review and irresponsible statements skyrocketed the spreads".

LOGOS: "Spread skyrockets - Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou: We are not seeking to change the terms of the European agreement".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Government's vagueness and slip-ups skyrocket the spread".

NIKI: "The people's sacrifices at risk of ending up in the speculators' pockets".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Ruling PASOK, main opposition New Democracy and Popular Orthodox Party (LAOS) blackmailing with the pretext of the markets' pressure".

TA NEA: "Speculators' party under the IMF's shadow - Rumors skyrocketed the spread".

TO VIMA: "Rumors 'drove crazy' the spreads".

VRADYNI: "30 percent cutback in pensions, too".

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