Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-11-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Hania-Asteroid

[02] Papantoniou-Belgrade-Visit

[03] Greece - Turkey - EU text - Yilmaz

[04] Weather - Monday

[05] Whiskey smuggling - Border - Arrests

[01] Hania-Asteroid

An asteroid appears over the community of Alikambos, Hania district, Crete, every evening before sunset and changes colour, shape and size, intriguing local inhabitants and scientists who are expected to examine the phenomenon.

The asteroid has become a household name in the community, while many people also come from the city of Hania, some 30 km away, to see the strange sight for themselves.

Explanations vary on the issue with some believing the asteroid to be a UFO, others that it is related to nearby NATO bases, while quite a few attribute it to tricks of the sky.

[02] Papantoniou-Belgrade-Visit

BELGRADE (ANA - M. Mouratidis) - Greek National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou started his tour of the Balkans with a visit to Belgrade on Sunday where he will be holding talks on Monday with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and Deputy Prime Minister for Overseas Economic Relations Miroljub Labus.

One of the main issues to be discussed will be promoting the Greek Balkan reconstruction plan in the sectors of social and economic infrastructures.

Talks will also focus on continuing economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as on economic aid Greece will give to Yugoslavia to help it meet pressing needs, primarily in the energy sector.

Following a relevant proposal by Prime Minister Costas Simitis, the Greek government has already approved economic aid amounting to 15 million dollars.

A cooperation protocol will be signed during the visit between the Athens Stock Exchange and the Belgrade Stock Exchange in the presence of Serb Overseas Economic Relations Minister Goran Pitic.

Papantoniou is being accompanied on his visit by Minister of Macedonia and Thrace George Paschalidis, Deputy National Economy Minister Yiannis Zapheiropoulos, deputies, senior economy ministry officials and 42 businessmen from all sectors of the economy.

[03] Greece - Turkey - EU text - Yilmaz

ANKARA (ANA) ?Acceptable and reasonable? was one of the terms Turkish Deputy Premier Mesut Yilmaz used over the weekend to describe the text on which the European Union-Turkey partnership agreement is based, without failing, however, to directly mention the provision calling for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

?Turkey is able to fulfil all the conditions included in the text,? Yilmaz said while addressing a political rally in Izmir. ??despite the portion that refers to the Cyprus issue, added to the text at the last minute at Greeces behest, the partnership agreement text is acceptable and reasonable for Turkey,? the one-time Turkish prime minister and foreign minister said.

[04] Weather - Monday

Sunny weather is forecast throughout Greece on Monday, with only some cloud in the eastern portions. Northerly winds, moderate in the Ionian, moderate to strong in the Aegean. Temperatures will range between 5C and 20C in the north, 8C to 23C in the west and 9C to 21C elsewhere in the country. Sunny in Athens with temperatures between 13C and 21C. Some cloud in Thessaloniki and temperatures between 7C and 20C.

[05] Whiskey smuggling - Border - Arrests

Three Albanian nationals were arrested over the weekend on charges of smuggling bootleg liquor into Greece from neighbouring Turkey.

Police said 47 bottles of what appeared to be name brand whiskey were discovered in a car carrying the foreign nationals on the 25th kilometre of the Komotini-Xanthi roadway in northeastern Greece.

According to reports, the suspects acquired the bottles from Turkish smugglers at an unguarded spot on the Evros River, which separates Greece from Turkey in the Thrace province, reports state.

Authorities maintain that the contraband whiskey is adulterated, filled in discarded bottles of well-known brands and sold to unsuspecting nightclub proprietors in Greece at cut-rate prices.

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