Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-01-17

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM says milestones in Greece's foreign affairs are approaching

[02] New campaign in Britain for return to Athens of Parthenon Marbles

[03] Archbishop of America visits Thessaloniki

[04] Greek Euro-MP elected head of EU Parliament's women's rights committee

[05] Greek contingent now in training for Afghanistan mission

[06] Greece to assist in preservation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage

[07] Travel firms ask gov't for aid in Sept 11 market crisis

[08] Finance minister sees inflation decelerating from spring

[09] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[10] Weather Forecast: Showery, stormy on Friday

[11] Greek stocks rebound strongly on ASE

[12] Discount book fair to begin at Klathmonos Square on Jan. 31

[13] US embassies, consulate closed next Monday

[01] PM says milestones in Greece's foreign affairs are approaching

Critical milestones for Greece's foreign policy are drawing near, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed in statements following the cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The more than four-hour cabinet meeting focused on foreign affairs and the premier briefed the body on his visit to the United States, while Foreign Minister George Papandreou also addressed the cabinet members.

The upcoming milestones, according to the prime minister, are Cyprus's European Union accession, talks for the resolution of the Cyprus problem and Turkey's accession course to the European Union.

He stressed that all three issues were tabled by Greece in 1994 and 1998, while all this time it has been working for a resolution to the Cyprus problem.

He added that over the next two years all these issues will have to be provided with answers and so Greece should undertake specific initiatives.

Simitis also said that during the same period Greece would take its turn in the EU's rotating six-month presidency and the country aims at running a presidency that would in itself be a milestone for the European Union.

He stressed that the priority of the Greek presidency will be the EU's enlargement and Cyprus's accession to the EU, which is Greece's top priority.

[02] New campaign in Britain for return to Athens of Parthenon Marbles

LONDON ( L. Tsirigotakis) - Three world-renowned actresses, including Vanessa Redgrave, acedemics, journalsists and ordinary British citizens have become the first members of a new campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens from the British Museum.

The new campaign officially began on Wednesday night, headed by British MP Richard Allan.

The event was held at the House of Commons and the British speakers said that it was apparent that the arguments in favour of the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece ware overwhelming.

The British MP said "the Greek government on its part has recently made important moves which facilitate the British Museum and the British government to return the Parthenon Marbles." These moves, he said, include the construction of the new Acropolis Museum.

[03] Archbishop of America visits Thessaloniki

Archbishop of America Dimitrios visited his home town of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on Thursday and concluded his official visit to Greece.

Dimitrios, who was welcomed with special honours, recalled the bombings of Thessaloniki by German occupation forces during WW2 while referring to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11.

Thessaloniki Prefect Costas Papadopoulos honoured Dimitrios during an official prefectural council meeting in the morning, while in the afternoon it was the turn of Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos to honour him at an event held at the town hall.

Dimitrios, expected to leave for the U.S. on Friday, also met earlier with the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Panteleimon.

[04] Greek Euro-MP elected head of EU Parliament's women's rights committee

BRUSSELS (ANA - V. Demiris) PASOK Euro-MP Anna Karamanou on Thursday was elected president of the European Parliament's Committee for Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities.

The European Parliament's Socialist Group decided to give the post to Karamanou in recognition of her total contribution to the women's movement and her activity as an ordinary member of the women's rights committee since 1997.

[05] Greek contingent now in training for Afghanistan mission

The final preparations for sending a Greek contingent to the multinational peacekeeping force deployed in Afghanistan were nearly complete, it was announced on Thursday.

The announcement said that the troops participating in the Greek force had passed all necessary medical examinations and were now undergoing training as a team, in preparation for their departure in February.

Greece will also contribute two C-130 transport planes manned by a crew of 40 to the multinational force in Afghanistan.

[06] Greece to assist in preservation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage

The foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it had sent a letter informing UNESCO that it was prepared to spend 250,000 US dollars for the preservation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage.

The announcement said that the letter had been sent by Foreign Minister George Papandreou to UNESCO's general director in Greece on Wednesday.

[07] Travel firms ask gov't for aid in Sept 11 market crisis

Domestic travel enterprises on Thursday called on the government for assistance in a market crisis sparked by terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 that deterred the public from flying.

"Instead of reacting immediately with measures, the government has, in practice, been indifferent," the Association of Tourism and Travel Bureaus in Greece (HATTA) said in a statement.

HATTA said that many of its 4,500 members would be forced to order redundancies and resort to seasonal hiring; some firms had already been forced to cease operations; and others were on the brink of bankruptcy.

Among measures that would aid the sector were government-subsidised recruitment and tax relief, which had been implemented elsewhere in Europe, the statement said.

[08] Finance minister sees inflation decelerating from spring

National Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said on Thursday that he expected inflation to decelerate sharply from the spring to end the year at an average rate lower than 3.4 percent in 2001.

On Friday, Christodoulakis is to brief Prime Minister Costas Simitis on inflation, structural changes in the economy and privatisation.

[09] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.889

Pound sterling 0.619

Danish kroner 7.489

Swedish kroner 9.354

Japanese yen 117.4

Swiss franc 1.477

Norwegian kroner 7.964

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.434

Australian dollar 1.727

[10] Weather Forecast: Showery, stormy on Friday

Cloud and rain are forecast throughout the country on Friday, with islolated storms, mainly at sea. Snow will fall on high ground on the mainland. The weather will improve from the west in the evening. Winds variable, moderate to strong, turning very strong at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from 0C to 8C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 6C to 13C; and in the Aegean islands from 9C to 15C. Scattered showers and isolated storms in Athens with temperatures between 8C and 12C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 4C to 8C.

[11] Greek stocks rebound strongly on ASE

Equity prices ended Thursday's session sharply higher, rebounding spectacularily after a three day decline on the Athens Stock Exchange.

Traders said institutional investors reappeared in the market buying blue chip stocks and noted that investors have overcome developments in a merger plan between National Bank and Alpha Bank discounting new moves in the domestic banking market.

The general index ended 2.38 percent higher at 2,561.67 points, with turnover an improved Dr 66 billion, or 189.78 million euros.

The Wholesale, Textile and Bank sectors scored the biggest percentage gains (3.43 percent, 3.40 percent and 3.10 percent, respectively), while the Retail sector was the only one to suffer losses (0.02 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 2.76 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 1.92 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 2.56 percent higher.

National Bank's shares ended 2.62 percent higher and Alpha Bank rose 4.83 percent. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 316 to 32 with another 13 issues unchanged.

[12] Discount book fair to begin at Klathmonos Square on Jan. 31

A book fair with a difference is set to start at Klathmonos Square in central Athens at the end of the month, where for nearly two weeks the public will have an opportunity to buy thousands of titles at exceptionally low prices.

The 'Book Bazaar' is organised by the Association of Book Publishers and the Association of Publishers/Booksellers, in collaboration with the Athens municipality.

The books on offer will be grouped together in a single pavilion for all publishing houses, while the fair will operate daily from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. between Thursday, Jan. 31 and Monday, Feb. 11.

[13] US embassies, consulate closed next Monday

The US Embassy in Athens, including the Consular Section, the US Consulate in Thessaloniki and all US government offices in Greece will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21, 2002 in observance of Martin Luther King's birthday, a US national holiday.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article