Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-05-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek, Spanish FMs stress importance of Euro-Med forum's results

[02] Smuggling costs Balkan states 600 million euros

[03] Sudden, severe thunderstorm hits Athens, causes traffic problems,

[04] Parliament unveils first-ever official logo

[05] Ionian islands celebrate 138th anniversary of Union with Greece

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[07] Weather Forecast: Mostly sunny on Wednesday

[08] Greek stocks overcome profit taking, end higher

[01] Greek, Spanish FMs stress importance of Euro-Med forum's results

The unusual nature of this year's Euro-Mediterranean forum on the Aegean island of Mykonos was stressed by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Tuesday, who told reporters the meeting had ''given substance to dialogue between civilisations.''

During a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart Josep Pique, former United Nations chief Boutros Boutros-Ghali and Greek-French academic Eleni Glykatzi-Arveler, Papandreou and Pique noted that this was the first time such a meeting had also included academics and other prominent non-politicians from the countries taking part.

They all underlined, meanwhile, that greater cooperation and dialogue in areas such as the arts and letters, economics and politics could help establish a single code of behaviour on important issues such as dealing with terrorism, preventing armed conflict, stamping out organised crime and the illegal drug trade.

Papandreou stressed the new approaches and proposals heard during the meeting from participants such as Albania's Archbishop Anastasios, Nobel prize-winning Portuguese author Jose Saramago and others.

Pique stressed the importance of a code of behaviour in issues of terrorism that could be a very useful example for others and for the European Union itself.

He also called for an international forum on the Middle East if the conditions allowed, describing the situation there as 'fragile'.

The 11 countries participating in the Euro-Med forum have decided to create a body to organise cultural activities, meetings and encourage young people in the Mediterranean region to learn about their culture.

[02] Smuggling costs Balkan states 600 million euros

Smuggling costs the economies of Balkan states 600 million euros a year, the special coordinator for the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe Erhard Busek said in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on Tuesday.

Speaking at the inter-Balkan Forum, Busek said the Stability Pact has placed great emphasis on the sector of cracking down on organised crime and corruption.

He also mentioned as an achievement the centre for the destruction of small arms which opened in Belgrade at the Stability Pact's initiative.

[03] Sudden, severe thunderstorm hits Athens, causes traffic problems, flooding

A sudden and severe thunderstorm hit Athens a little afternoon on Tuesday causing havoc with traffic, flooding of underground spaces and destroying shop tents.

The fire department was called on several occasions to empty waters from flooded basements and to manually open elevators that were stuck between floors when electricity stoppages took place.

The storm ended almost two hours later and clouds departed allowing a view of the Attica sky, much clearer as the rain washed away the endemic smog from the atmosphere.

[04] Parliament unveils first-ever official logo

The Greek Parliament on Tuesday unveiled its first-ever official logo, which depicts the Parliament building with the Greek flag flying at half-mast above it and the monument to the Unknown Soldier in front of it.

Up until this day, Parliament used as its emblem various official stamps, such as the cross and laurel wreath, or Athens at the time when the first house of Parliament was built in 1844.

[05] Ionian islands celebrate 138th anniversary of Union with Greece

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos headed official delegations on the Ionian island of Corfu on Tuesday, as the entire Ionian group of islands to the west of the Greek mainland celebrated the 138th anniversary of their union with Greece proper on the same day.

Stephanopoulos began his visit in the region on Monday by touring three tiny islands Othoni, Erikoussa and Mathraki -- to Corfus north aboard the Hellenic Navy frigate ''Salamis?.

He also toured several historical and cultural sites in the city of Corfu on Monday before attending a memorial service at the islands main cathedral of Aghios Spyridon on Tuesday.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.928

Pound sterling 0.637

Danish kroner 7.497

Swedish kroner 9.246

Japanese yen 115.9

Swiss franc 1.464

Norwegian kroner 7.596

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.428

Australian dollar 1.672

[07] Weather Forecast: Mostly sunny on Wednesday

Sunny weather is forecast in most parts of the country, with scattered cloud on the mainland from early evening, and maybe storms on high ground. The Dodecanese islands will be cloudy will showers likely in the morning. Winds northerly, light to moderate, turning strong in parts of the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 12C to 27C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 14C to 29C; and in the Aegean islands from 16C to 26C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 17C and 29C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 16C to 27C.

[08] Greek stocks overcome profit taking, end higher

Greek stocks easily absorbed a wave of short-selling and other profit taking to end higher for the seventh consecutive session on the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

The general index rose 0.15 percent to end at 2,405.57 points, with turnover a steady 120.9 million euros.

The Insurance, Holding and Industrial sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (1.55 percent, 1.0 percent, 0.42 percent, respectively), while the Retail, IT Solution and Textile sectors suffered losses (1.37 percent, 0.55 percent and 0.43 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.14 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.15 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index eased 0.10 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 188 to 119 with another 54 issues unchanged.

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