Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-10-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[03] Gov't employment policy a success, PM says

[04] Greece reiterates support for Albania's EU convergence

[05] FM starts round of meetings in light of Greek EU presidency

[06] Atmospheric quality satellite system tests in Athens

[01] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country, with light cloud in the east and north. Winds northerly, moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 06C to 21C; on the rest of the mainland from 11C to 25C; and in the Aegean islands from 14C to 24C. Temperatures in Athens between 14C and 24C; and in Thessaloniki from 10C to 21C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 0.996

Pound sterling 0.634

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.168

Japanese yen 122.4

Swiss franc 1.471

Norwegian kroner 7.371

Cyprus pound 0.577

Canadian dollar 1.585

Australian dollar 1.832

[03] Gov't employment policy a success, PM says

By the end of its four-year term, the government may even have exceeded its target of creating 300,000 new jobs, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Thursday, following a meeting of the cabinet to discuss employment issues.

Expressing satisfaction with the success of government employment policies, Simitis said these were effective and had driven unemployment levels to single-digit figures (9.6 per cent in the second quarter of the year) for the first time since 1997, down from 10.2 per cent in 2001.

The premier said Thursday's cabinet meeting had focused on planning to create 5,000 work opportunities for women with three children and one-parent families, 5,000 work opportunities for young people aged 18 to 30, with preference for those who had not yet had a job, and 4,500 work placements for the long-term unemployed aged 45 to 60.

Turning to international developments, Simitis noted the continued uncertainty in the global economy, with a recovery for Europe now pushed back to the second half of 2003. Similarly, uncertainty in international markets could be expected to get worse due to the crisis in Iraq and the prospect of war, he said.

In spite of these developments, he added, the Greek economy had inner resilience that would allow it to withstand the pressure and continue its efforts for true convergence.

''We are working hard for the security and faith of Greeks that the moral and social injustice of unemployment will be fought,'' he said.

[04] Greece reiterates support for Albania's EU convergence

Albania's European course and the prospect for the beginning of negotiations for a stability and association agreement with the European Union were the focus of Thursday's meeting between Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis and visiting Albanian Minister of State at the Prime Minister's Office for EU Integration Sokol Nako.

During the meeting, the Greek minister reaffirmed Athens' support for Albania's convergence with the EU and reiterated Greece's will to assist Albania with the completion of relative legislative and administrative changes.

The joint Greek-Albanian Commission also had a meeting on Thursday within the framework of the Albanian government official's visit, focusing on the provision of know-how to the Albanian side on issues pertaining to the adjustment of the country to the acquis communautaires.

[05] FM starts round of meetings in light of Greek EU presidency

Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Friday will meet with EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy within the framework of meetings with all EU commissioners in the light of the upcoming Greek EU presidency.

The foreign minister, as well as Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis, will participate in a Friday noon meeting between Prime Minister Coasts Simitis and his Danish counterpart President of the European Council Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is touring the EU capitals in the light of the upcoming unofficial European Council meeting on 24 and 25 October in Brussels.

Papandreou on Monday will depart for Lausanne where he will meet with International Olympic Commission President Jacques Rogue to discuss issues related to the preparation of the Olympic Games, as well as initiatives for boosting the Olympic Truce idea.

In Lausanne, the foreign minister will also meet with the president of UEFA to discuss the Greek-Turkish initiative for a joint candidacy to organize the European Soccer Championship in 2008.

[06] Atmospheric quality satellite system tests in Athens

BRUSSELS (ANA - M. Spinthourakis) - Initial tests for a new satellite system to check atmospheric quality in cities will be presented in Athens on October 15. The 11 partners of the ICAROS-NET programme, funded by the European Commission, cooperated in its construction.

According to a relevant announcement, airborne particles created by atmospheric pollution constitute one of the greatest hazards for human health. The new system will check the accumulation of airborne particles in the atmosphere in urban regions by using satellite detectors.

The satellite detectors will check atmospheric pollution in atmospheric zones having a minimum diametre of 30 metres, measuring the quantity of light being obstructed by the airborne particles.

The use of the new satellite system is expected to be much cheaper than ''traditional'' land-based systems.

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