Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-02-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM to pay working visit to Romania on Tuesday

[02] Protopapas expresses support for quake-stricken Turkish people

[03] Amnesty International Greek chapter calls for Daniel Perl's release

[04] Parties band together in effort to promote Olympic Truce

[05] Fresh deadline in Olympic Airways sale tender

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud on Tuesday

[08] Greek stocks end slightly lower on Monday

[09] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Monday

[10] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[01] PM to pay working visit to Romania on Tuesday

Prime minister Costas Simitis will pay a working visit to Romania on Tuesday, aimed at advancing bilateral political and economic relations.

Simitis is slated to hold talks with Romanian president Ion Iliescu, prime minister Adrian Nastase, and other government officials.

Simitis' talks in Bucharest will focus on developments in the wider region, as well as on Romania-EU relations

The Greek premier will be accompanied by alternate foreign minister Tassos Yannitsis and deputy minister Andreas Loverdos, who will meet with their Romanian counterparts.

[02] Protopapas expresses support for quake-stricken Turkish people

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas on Monday expressed support and solidarity for the quake-stricken people of Turkey, as they dealt with the aftermath of yet another destructive earthquake over the weekend.

He also reiterated the Greek government's intention to offer all possible and necessary help.

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale rocked western Turkey on Sunday, killing at least 45 people and injuring more than 170.

Tremors hit the mainly agricultural province of Afyon, some 250 km (155 miles) southwest of the capital Ankara.

Turkish officials said more than 100 buildings had collapsed from the quake, and scores of people were hurt by falling masonry as they fled their homes.

[03] Amnesty International Greek chapter calls for Daniel Perl's release

The Greek chapter of Amnesty International on Monday called on the unknown until now self-styled organization "National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty" to release journalist Daniel Perl, a Wall Street Journal employee, it has abducted.

"The taking of hostages is a serious violation of human rights and it is totally unacceptable. It is an action that threatens the fundamental right to life, to personal integrity and to freedom and it is forbidden expressly by international law. The taking of hostages is unjustified under any circumstances," a press release issued by the organization said.

Perl, a corespondent for the New York based newspaper was apparently abducted during his effort to interview leaders of an Islamic organization in Karachi, Pakistan.

[04] Parties band together in effort to promote Olympic Truce

The political parties are to join forces in efforts to promote the idea of an Olympic Truce prior to the start of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, it was announced on Monday.

Parliamentary deputies, Euro-MPs and other officials will take part in missions to various destinations, bearing letters to their counterparts in foreign countries from President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Foreign Minister George Papandreou that call for a world-wide cessation of hostilities during the 2004 Games.

So far, delegations have been scheduled to visit India, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel and Palestine.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday appealed for the observance of the Olympic Truce by those involved in hostilities during then duration of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, for the safe transit of athletes taking part in the Games.

The UN Secretary-General noted that, even though limited in its duration and purpose, the Olympic Truce could nevertheless offer neutral ground for agreement, open a window in time in which to carry out dialogue and offer a brief reprieve and temporary relief to suffering populations.

[05] Fresh deadline in Olympic Airways sale tender

The government has granted IAS, a consortium that is interested in acquiring national carrier Olympic Airways, an extension to its deadline last week for submittal of a financial profile and a down payment, government sources said on Monday.

According to the sources, extension of the January 31 deadline was allowed by the economy ministry following consultations with the government's consultant in the tender, Credit Suisse Boston.

The third extension, which is for several days, was given in order to pursue more negotiations with the group, the sources said.

At the end of last week, it was unclear whether or not pilots of Olympic would take part in the consortium, and how much they would contribute.

Commenting on the extension, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said: "We are obliged to exhaust all possibilities for a certain solution that would ensure the viability of the national carrier, without the Greek public having to pay its debts every so often."

"We should not trap ourselves within narrow time limits," Protopapas added.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.871

Pound sterling 0.614

Danish kroner 7.487

Swedish kroner 9.288

Japanese yen 116.14

Swiss franc 1.492

Norwegian kroner 7.900

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.385

Australian dollar 1.706

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud on Tuesday

Scattered cloud is forecast throughout the country, which is likely to build up and turn to isolated showers, especially in the Aegean. In the west, the weather will be fair; and the Aegean may see storms. Winds variable, light to moderate. In the north, temperatures will range from 1C to 16C; on the rest of the mainland and the Ionian from 4C to 18C; and in the Aegean islands from 10C to 17C. Cloud over Athens, with temperatures between 6C and 16C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 2C to 15C.

[08] Greek stocks end slightly lower on Monday

Equity prices ended the first trading session of the week lower reflecting lack of buying interest in the market.

The general index fell 0.26 percent to close at 2,588.98 points, with turnover a low Dr 35.3 billion, or 103.7 million euros.

The Construction, Retail and Wholesale sector suffered the heaviest percentage losses (2.87 percent, 1.63 percent and 1.57 percent, respectively), while the IT Solutions, Holdings and Telecoms sectors scored moderate gains (0.92 percent, 0.63 percent and 0.43 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.22 percent lower, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index fell 0.61 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.36 percent lower.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 255 to 59 with another 45 issues unchanged.

[09] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Monday

Scattered cloud is forecast throughout the country, which is likely to turn to light rain mainly in the south. Winds variable, light to moderate, turning very strong in the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 1C to 15C; on the rest of the mainland from 4C to 18C; and in the Aegean islands from 10C to 17C. Light cloud over Athens, with temperatures between 7C and 16C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 4C to 14C.

[10] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro until Monday

U.S. dollar 0.870

Pound sterling 0.614

Danish kroner 7.487

Swedish kroner 9.261

Japanese yen 116.59

Swiss franc 1.489

Norwegian kroner 7.903

Cyprus pound 0.581

Canadian dollar 1.381

Australian dollar 1.706

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