Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-11-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek, Turkish FMs due to meet in Ankara on December 4, according to

[02] National Bank of Greece opens new branch in Belgrade

[03] Deadline ends on Friday in Olympic Airways sale tender

[04] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Wednesday

[05] Paralympics committee president lauds efforts toward 2004 Games in

[06] Group to call boycott on banks overcharging for late payments

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[08] Greek stocks end slightly lower on Tuesday

[01] Greek, Turkish FMs due to meet in Ankara on December 4, according to sources

WASHINGTON (ANA - T. Ellis) - Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou will visit Ankara on December 4 for talks with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Yakis. He is also expected to have consultations with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal.

According to reliable sources, the final decision for the visit was taken during the telephone conversation the two countries' foreign ministers had on Monday.

Papandreou, who is currently visiting the United States, is due to have a meeting at the White House later on Tuesday with U.S. President George W. Bush's National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

Their talks will centre on U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan for a comprehensive settlement of the political problem of Cyprus and on the U.S. request for the setting of a date for the start of negotiations for Turkey's accession to the European Union.

The Greek foreign minister is expected to state that the U.S.'s position for the setting of a date for the start of the accession negotiations for Turkey finds Athens in agreement, on the precondition that Ankara and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash show a spirit of cooperation on the Cyprus issue and accept Annan's blueprint as a basis for negotiations.

[02] National Bank of Greece opens new branch in Belgrade

BELGRADE (ANA/N.Pelpas) - National Bank of Greece, a blue chip on the Athens bourse, on Tuesday launched a new bank in Belgrade, its second so far in Yugoslavia.

The Yugoslav unit's managing director, Athanasios Panagopoulos, told the Athens News Agency that National would open another three outlets in Yugoslavia by Christmas, with a network of 15 branches planned in the country by the end of 2003.

[03] Deadline ends on Friday in Olympic Airways sale tender

The deadline of a privatisation tender for Olympic Airways is on Friday, with authorities declining to divulge whether or not any bids are likely to be received.

The evaluation of offers will begin immediately, and special attention is likely to be paid to details of financial status given by any bidders.

Acting as consultants to the transport ministry in the tender are National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank and Commercial Bank of Greece.

[04] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Wednesday

Rain and storms are forecast in most parts of the country, with eastern Macedonia, Thrace, the north and eastern Aegean islands and Dodecanese islands clear until the evening, when it may rain. Winds south-southeasterly, strong to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 08C to 16C; in the west from 14C to 18C; and in the rest of the country from 11C to 20C. Temperatures in Athens between 12C and 18C; and in Thessaloniki from 10C to 15C.

[05] Paralympics committee president lauds efforts toward 2004 Games in Athens

The preparations for the Paralympics in Athens in 2004 moves ahead at speedy rates, while significant progress has been made in the so important sector of accessibility, International Paralympics Committee President Phil Craven said on Tuesday following his meeting with Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

''I believe that the organizing process progresses very well. The projects are developing smoothly. We believe that there is work underway, especially concerning the accessibility of sites in the city of Athens,'' he added.

On his part, Venizelos said that ''we have made great progress and I am glad that the Paralympics of 2004 give us the unique opportunity to make Greece an accessible country, the buildings, as well as the hearts of people''.

[06] Group to call boycott on banks overcharging for late payments

The Greek Institute for Banking Research said on Tuesday that it would call a boycott on banks that breach regulations on transparency in transactions with the public, and that advertise loans and credit cards at interest rates above ordained levels.

The president of the institute, Takis Christodoulopoulos, told a news conference that courts ruled in favour of customers in disputes with banks over late loan payments when the interest sought was above the current 9.25 percent.

In addition, banks harassing late-paying customers in their workplace could face court action from January 1, 2003. The banks hired private firms to press for the money, Christodoulopoulos added.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 0.998

Pound sterling 0.639

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.107

Japanese yen 121.8

Swiss franc 1.485

Norwegian kroner 7.322

Cyprus pound 0.576

Canadian dollar 1.569

Australian dollar 1.784

[08] Greek stocks end slightly lower on Tuesday

Greek stocks ended Tuesday's session slightly lower in the Athens Stock Exchange as lack of follow-through orders for blue chip stocks - that lead the market's advance on Monday - left share prices vulnerable to profit taking.

The general index fell 0.32 percent to end at 1,866.78 points, with turnover a low 83.3 million euros.

The Publication, Investment and Retail sectors scored the biggest percenta gains of the day (1.27 percent, 0.35 percent and 0.25 percent, respectively), while the Insurance, Metals, IT and Textile sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (1.37 percent, 1.15 percent, 0.86 percent and 0.83 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.29 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.56 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.20 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 158 to 146 with another 63 issues unchanged.

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