Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-04-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Convention for the Future of Europe directorate discusses permanent EU

[02] Simitis, Rasmussen discuss Athens Summit results

[03] Greece says it can anticipate EU legal developments in OA's case

[04] Greek-Turkish energy conference to be held in May 8-9

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[06] Weather Forecast: Unsettled on Thursday

[07] Greek stocks jump 1.97 percent on Wednesday

[01] Convention for the Future of Europe directorate discusses permanent EU president

BRUSSELS (ANA - V. Demiris) - The Convention for the Future of Europe's directorate on Wednesday discussed proposals by Convention President Valery Giscard d'Estaing concerning the enactment of a permanent European Union president for a period of 2.5 years.

In a statement after the meeting, Foreign Minister George Papandreou said what is required in negotiations taking place in light of the draft constitution to be tabled at the Thessaloniki summit on June 20 is how will stability and continuity be secured in the smooth operation of the Council of Ministers work.

He added that Greece supports close cooperation between member-states and the European Commission, while indirectly expressing reservations over the effectiveness of creating a permanent EU president.

The Greek foreign minister said the high level of dignity should be obtained through a process of democratic legalisation as is the possibility of the EU president's direct election parallel to the holding of Euro-elections.

Referring to d'Estaing's proposal regarding the enactment of an EU vice president, who will be a permanent member of the General Affairs Council, Papandreou said Greece agrees with this initiative on condition that the vice president will alternate.

Papandreou said that in discussions held on the abolition of the rotating presidency, strong objections were raised by many member-states supporting its preservation, stressing that Greece's position is that a current presidency's work programme should be subject to approval by the European Parliament.

[02] Simitis, Rasmussen discuss Athens Summit results

COPENHAGEN (ANA) - Prime Minister and European Council president Costas Simitis met with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen here on Wednesday and discussed the results of the European Union Summit of Athens.

This the fourth of a series of visits in European capitals for Simitis, who will discuss the results of the informal summit in preparation for the June official summit of the Union.

Following their meeting, the two men held a press conference, where Rasmussen welcomed the Greek premier and outlined the issues the two men discussed.

On his part, Simitis noted that he presented the agenda of the June summit to Rasmussen and stressed that the basic issue of the agenda will be the presentation of the draft for the European Union's Constitution, by Valery Giscard d' Estaing, the president of the Convention for the Future of Europe.

Simitis focused on the new constitutional treaty of the European Union, now being drafted and set to be signed after May 1st, 2004.

''The discussion that will take place in the Intergovernmental Conference will be based on the proposals of the convention for the Future of Europe. The Intergovernmental Conference will not discuss all issues from the beginning, because we want to finish quickly,'' Simitis said.

[03] Greece says it can anticipate EU legal developments in OA's case

Greek Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis on Wednesday said that a decision by the EU Commission to refer Greece to the EU Court of Justice because it failed to claim the sum of 41 million euros from Olympic Airways - a sum that the EU's executive believed it was an illegal state subsidy to the national carrier - was an expected move.

Verelis stressed that the Greek side has strong legal arguments in the case and described the issue as of a clearly legal nature, while he announced the speed-up of procedures for the creation of a New Olympic Airways.

''The procedure was announced and it was expected. There are strong legal arguments from the Greek side and as I have already stated, the matter is of a clearly legal nature. A New Olympic Airways is under creation and it is the only way to maintain an Olympic Airways that continues flying and servicing domestic air transport. We believe we can anticipate legal developments with the creation of a New Olympic Airways,'' the Greek minister said.

The European Commission on Wednesday announced its decision to refer Greece to the EU Court of Justice after the Greek government failed to meet an EU executive's decision to repay a total of 194 million euros in subsidies offered to national carrier Olympic Airways since 1998.

[04] Greek-Turkish energy conference to be held in May 8-9

The 1st Greek-Turkish Energy Conference will be held in Athens, May 8-9, on the auspices of Greece's Development Ministry and the Greek-Turkish Chamber of Commerce.

The conference, to be held annually in Greece and Turkey, aims to contribute in improving bilateral relations and promoting cooperation in the energy sector.

The conference will be attended by Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Dr Mehmet Hilmi Guumller, Greece's Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, the chairman of the Turkish-Greek Chamber of Commerce Sarik Tara and the chairman of the Greek-Turkish Chamber of Commerce Panagiotis Koutsikos.

Greek and Turkish experts on natural gas, electricity, oil and market regulation, are expected to present technical surveys on promoting energy cooperation.

The conference will be held at the Atheneum Intercontinental hotel in Athens. It is organised by ''Energy'' magazine in cooperation with Turkey's National Energy Forum, and sponsored by Hellenic Petroleum and Public Gas Corporation.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.103

Pound sterling 0.699

Danish kroner 7.484

Swedish kroner 9.184

Japanese yen 132.6

Swiss franc 1.518

Norwegian kroner 7.897

Cyprus pound 0.592

Canadian dollar 1.597

Australian dollar 1.778

[06] Weather Forecast: Unsettled on Thursday

Unsettled weather is forecast with cloudy spells and rain or storms in many parts of the country, especially on the mainland from late afternoon. Winds northerly, moderate to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 7C to 17C; in the centre from 9C to 19C; and in the south from 11C to 21C. Temperatures in Athens between 11C and 18C; and in Thessaloniki from 9C to 16C.

[07] Greek stocks jump 1.97 percent on Wednesday

Greek stocks ended sharply higher on Wednesday following a positive trend in other European markets in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index jumped 1.97 percent to end at 1,673.50 points, with turnover an improved 113.3 million euros.

The Insurance (8.64 percent), Banks (3.89 percent), Holding (3.11 percent) and Textile (3.02 percent) sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day, while Emporiki Bank (5.07 percent), Alpha Bank (3.99 percent), National Bank (3.98 percent) and Eurobank (3.70 percent) were the biggest gainers in the bank sector.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 2.46 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.75 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.45 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index jumped 2.23 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 262 to 62 with another 39 issues unchanged.

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