Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-11-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN plan for Cyprus a ''starting point for further negotiations'',

[02] President Stephanopoulos says Annan plan should lead to reunification

[03] Conference on fourth Greek EU presidency in Athens

[04] Fenerbahce will play without presence of its fans at UEFA Cup match in

[05] UN's De Soto delivers blueprint to Cyprus President Clerides and

[06] EU Commission official says Cyprus should have one voice

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[08] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Tuesday

[09] Greek stocks end mixed to higher on Monday

[01] UN plan for Cyprus a ''starting point for further negotiations'', Simitis says

The United Nations blueprint for the resolution of the Cyprus problem is a ''starting point for further negotiations,'' Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Monday night, hours after he received the plan drafted by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Simitis spoke of the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal, federation with one sovereignty and one citizenship for the island's people, stressing that any final solution must adhere to the European Union acquis communautaire and allow for the ''implementation of the common (EU) policy and the acquis communautaire, elements that by themselves constitute a dynamic pressure toward'' the preservation of the human rights and prosperity of all citizens on the island.

''An initial evaluation allows us'' to begin negotiations ''without the constraints of deadline type of dilemmas,'' the Greek premier said in a televised speech, which did not have the form of a press conference.

''This is an especially important day for the Greek Cypriots, the Turkish Cypriots, the Greeks and Turks,'' Simitis said, reiterating Greece's position that this is a historic ''opportunity to arrive at a resolution''.

He added that in a Europe that developments led to the overturning of dividing lines, it is time for Cyprus to also overcome its political problem and move on for the benefit of itself and the region at large.

The premier closed his statement, announcing that he will meet with Cyprus President Galfcos Clerides on Saturday to discuss the plan in detail.

[02] President Stephanopoulos says Annan plan should lead to reunification of Cyprus

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos said on Monday that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for a political settlement of the Cyprus problem should fulfil two terms, the reunification of the island and not reconfirm the partition of the island's regions and it should also be a viable proposal.

Speaking from the northern Aegean island of Hios in the early afternoon at a luncheon hosted by local officials on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the liberation of the island and its union with Greece, Stephanopoulos noted however that what was first needed was for there to be understanding among the Greeks so that whatever plan proceeds before the holding of a referendum both by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, expressing the hope that ''this time national unity will be proven, which is so important.''

The presidentsaid ''we must remember'' that it was the Greek side that wished for a settlement of the Cyprus issue, noting that ''the other side was saying these past 28 years that the problem was solved with the occupation of a large section of the island by Turkish troops and that there was no scope for another solution.''

Concluding, Stephanopoulos said ''we wished and wish for a settlement of the Cyprus problem and for this reason we feel grateful to all those who intervened with a willingness for a just solution to be found.''

[03] Conference on fourth Greek EU presidency in Athens

A conference on the fourth Greek European Union presidency, organised by the Greek European Studies and Research Centre in cooperation with the Inter-European Union of European Policy Studies and with support by the European Commission and under the auspices of the foreign ministry, will be held in Athens on November 14-15.

The conference has taken place in the past as well (on each occasion before the country assumed the presidency), while this time it will be titled ''The fourth Greek Presidency of the EU. The building of a new Europe:stable foundations-new concepts.''

Foreign Minister George Papandreou is expected to address the conference on the Greek presidency's priorities and will be followed by Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis, Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos and other speakers.

[04] Fenerbahce will play without presence of its fans at UEFA Cup match in Athens

Fenerbahce Istanbul will play the second round, second leg UEFA Cup match against Panathinaikos Athens in the Greek capital on Thursday without the support of its fans.

The decision, which basically suits Panathinaikos, was taken on Monday by the Turkish soccer club which claimed that the Greek police could not guarantee the safety of its fans.

Characteristic is the fact that Panathinaikos's management was prepared to make a proposal to the Turkish club's officials, asking them not to receive the maximum of 800 tickets which Fenerbahce was entitled to, for fear of a recurrence of the serious incidents which took place in Istanbul on October 31.

Therefore, only 150 Turks will be present at the ''Apostolos Nikolaidis'' stadium and will be seated in the officials' stand. Furthermore, police security measures are expected to be changed.

Panathinaikos had drawn 1-1 with Fenerbahce in the first leg match.

[05] UN's De Soto delivers blueprint to Cyprus President Clerides and Denktash

NICOSIA (ANA/G.Leonidas) - The conclusions of the UN Secretary-General

from his deliberations on the next steps in negotiations on the

Cyprus problem, were delivered to Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides,

Koffi Anan's Special Advisor, Alvaro de Soto, said after meeting

Clerides here on Monday evening.

De Soto told reporters after his long-awaited meeting with Clerides

at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia that the president, as well as

Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, who was given exactly the same

thing in New York, have enough pressure on them.

The UN diplomat urged reporters not to talk about deadlines regarding

a reply from Clerides and Denktash.

De Soto said he ''delivered to Mr. Clerides the conclusions of the

Secretary-General's deliberations on the next steps in the

negotiations on the Cyprus problem'', adding that ''in a few hours

there will be a formal statement that will be delivered in New York

and here (Cyprus)''.

To a question if it is a plan, De Soto avoided answering, saying he

would ''wait until the statement has been issued'', only to repeat that he has ''delivered to him (Clerides) the conclusions of the

Secretary-General's deliberations''.

When asked if he gave the president a letter, De Soto said ''a letter

and a few other things'' but did not elaborate.

He replied positively when asked if he expects a reply from President

Clerides, and to a question when, he said, ''we will talk about that

later''.

''Exactly the same'' document was delivered to Denktash, said De Soto,

through his chief aide, Ergun Olgun, by Sir Kieran Prendergast, the

Undersecretary General for Political Affairs ''at exactly the same

time at UN headquarters''.

He said the same thing was expected from Denktash and when asked when

will the Turkish Cypriot give his reply, De Soto said ''I don't want

to put more pressure on them than there already is''.

To a question what is the deadline, De Soto replied, ''let us not talk

about deadlines''.

According to an ANA dispatch from New York, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's advisor, Ergun Olgun, said the document which was presented to him by Sir Kieran Prendergast Monday was not a ''take it or leave it kind of document''.

Olgun told reporters after meeting Prendergast at the UN headquarters

that he was going to take the document to Rauf Denktash, recovering

from open-heart surgery in a New York hotel, for his evaluation and he

expected Denktash would make a statement later.

''I have taken delivery of the ideas, the suggestions, that the United

Nations has produced to have the process move forward'', said Olgun.

''It's not a take it or leave it kind of document'', Olgun pointed

out, adding that he will take it to the ''president'', as he called

the Turkish Cypriot leader ''for his evaluation'' and that Denktash

''may make a statement later'' which could be written.

When asked if he received one or two documents, Ergun said he was

''not in a position to discuss the document''.

To a question if Denktash would be leaving New York on Friday to

return to the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus or would remain in the

US for more discussions, Olgun said ''after we see this (the document)

we will make a decision''.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and

occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

[06] EU Commission official says Cyprus should have one voice

BRUSSELS (ANA - V. Demiris) - The European Commission's spokesman said on Monday, that Cyprus should function with one voice at the European Union's institutional bodies and the future state should be in a position to cope with its obligations as an EU member-state and fully implement the acquis communautaire.

The spokesman, who was speaking during a regular press briefing, said that lately the European Commission has been ''in constant contact'' with the UN's secretary general on the tabling of the solution plan, but added that there has been no cooperation between the two sides on the document's preparation.

''We have been replying to questions put to us and for this reason we cannot state our position in advance as to whether the document is compatible with the acquis communautaire,'' he said.

He further said the Commission has not received and, of course, it does not have the complete solution plan for the Cyprus issue at its disposal and explained that the agreement's institutional framework is determined on the basis of the UN's decisions and resolutions.

Commission sources also clarified that, in relation to the implementation of the acquis communautaire, there is a precedent according to which certain transitional regulations had been anticipated in previous EU enlargements which limited, according to the case, certain fundamental freedoms such as the freedom of settlement and movement, as well as freedom to purchase real estate.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.020

Pound sterling 0.642

Danish kroner 7.487

Swedish kroner 9.169

Japanese yen 121.8

Swiss franc 1.474

Norwegian kroner 7.355

Cyprus pound 0.576

Canadian dollar 1.603

Australian dollar 1.822

[08] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Tuesday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud in the west and north. Winds northwest, light to moderate. In the north, temperatures will range from 0C to 15C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 4C to 20C; and in the Aegean islands from 10C to 19C. Temperatures in Athens between 9C and 18C; and in Thessaloniki from 4C to 14C.

[09] Greek stocks end mixed to higher on Monday

Greek stocks ended the first trading session of the week mixed to higher helped by a wave of buying activity in the last hour of trading in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index, however, fell 0.23 percent to end at 1,832.13 points, reflecting weak bank share prices. Turnover was a low 63.2 million euros.

The Insurance sector soared a spectacular 9.60 percent, while the Base Metals and Retail sectors followed with gains of 3.59 percent and 3.52 percent, respectively.

The Bank and IT sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (1.38 percent and 0.26 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.83 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 0.84 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.38 percent higher.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 216 to 95 with another 47 issues unchanged.

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