Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-05-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't: Developments on Cyprus issue no cause for optimism

[02] PM to meet with opposition party leaders late next week (adds

[03] Large delegation of Chinese officials in Greece this week

[04] NATO's Southern Region Commander visits Tyrnavos NATO HQ

[05] Genocide of Pontian Greeks remembered, Kaklamanis to deliver speech on

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[07] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Saturday

[08] Greek stocks end week 2.96 percent higher

[01] Gov't: Developments on Cyprus issue no cause for optimism

Developments in the Cyprus problem did not allow optimism, Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas said on Friday, while concurring with the view of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that any conclusions should wait until after the current round of talks had ended.

According to Protopapas, the Turkish-Cypriot side appeared to be intransigent at this time and this was also bad for Turkey, which would have to deal with the negative repercussions of its stance in the positions of international organisations.

Athens was continuing with its strategy as planned, while a meeting between Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis next Wednesday had been arranged in view of the emerging dangers for the progress of talks on the Cyprus issue, the spokesman added.

[02] PM to meet with opposition party leaders late next week (adds Karamanlis)

Foreign policy issues are expected to dominate next weeks one-on-one meetings between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and the countrys opposition party leaders.

Specifically, Simitis has requested separate meetings with main opposition New Demcracy leader Costas Karamanlis on Friday morning; followed by Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga, and finally, with Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) president Nikos Constantopoulos.

[03] Large delegation of Chinese officials in Greece this week

A large delegation of tourism-related officials from the Peoples Republic of China arrives on Crete on Saturday to begin a tour of the country, before departing for Athens on Sunday and talks with Greek tourism state officials and private sector executives.

The 95-member group is led by State Council Vice-Premier Li Lanqing.

[04] NATO's Southern Region Commander visits Tyrnavos NATO HQ

Commander In Chief of the Allied Forces Southern Region, Admiral Gregory G. Johnson visited the headquarters of Joint Command Southcent on Friday and met with Lt. General Nikolaos Katagas.

Johnson was briefed on the mission and activities of JCSC, and conducted a tour of the base.

The visit was completed with an official lunch hosted by the Commander JCSC.

[05] Genocide of Pontian Greeks remembered, Kaklamanis to deliver speech on Sunday

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis will be the main speaker at an event on Sunday evening in Thessaloniki, marking the dark anniversary of the genocide of the Greek people of the southern Black Sea coast, during the first quarter of the 20th century.

Events, in the memory of the heinous crime against a whole peoples, began on Friday with photographic exhibitions and speeches.

On Sunday a whole series of events will take place in the Greek capital of the north.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro until Monday

U.S. dollar 0.922

Pound sterling 0.632

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.292

Japanese yen 116.5

Swiss franc 1.468

Norwegian kroner 7.605

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.430

Australian dollar 1.673

[07] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Saturday

Sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud on the mainland from early evening. Winds northerly, light to moderate. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 13C to 30C; and in the islands from 15C to 25C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 15C and 29C. Same in Thessaloniki, and possibly an early evening storm, with temperatures from 13C to 28C.

[08] Greek stocks end week 2.96 percent higher

Greek stocks ended the last trading session of a positive week with gains, pushing the Athens Stock Exchange closer to the 2,400 level on Friday.

Buying interest spread to all sectors in the market and it was combined with a marked improved in turnover.

The general index jumped 1.62 percent to 2,389.52 points, with turnover at 161.2 million euros.

The textile, Wholesale, Industrial and Telecommunications sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (3.48 percent, 2.05 percnet, 2.01 percent and 1.90 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 1.69 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.27 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.61 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 291 to 46 with another 30 issues unchanged.

The general index ended the week 2.96 percent higher.

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