Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek ports need to accelerate restructuring projects

[02] 8th International Comics Festival to begin in Athens on Thursday

[03] Greek tourism organisation to host international sector conference

[04] Greece theme country at Berlin international literature festival

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Thursday

[07] Greek stocks continue moving lower on Wednesday

[01] Greek ports need to accelerate restructuring projects

Greece's passenger shipping sector sailed in ''calm waters'' in the summer season, a trend likely to continue with the help of Harbour Police' systematic presence, Merchant Marine Minister George Pashalides said on Wednesday.

Pashalides noted, however, that privatised Greek harbours should accelerate their restructuring trend as the passenger shipping industry was progressing more rapidly with its restructuring plans.

The Greek minister stressed that Greek ports needed more money than the 600 million euros earmarked by the government to complete their infrastructure projects.

Pashalides said he expected to unveil a ''master plan'' for the Greek shipping industry for the period 2004-2008.

[02] 8th International Comics Festival to begin in Athens on Thursday

The 8th International Comics Festival will begin at the Technopolis Centre in Gazi, Athens on Thursday and run until Sunday.

It features well-known foreign and Greek artists and is organised by the magazine Babel under the auspices of the Culture Ministry.

This year's festival will include fewer artists than in previous years but with more extensive treatment of their work.

The lion's share of space will go to the works of Argentine comics legend Alberto Breccia, with 100 of his original works on show.

[03] Greek tourism organisation to host international sector conference

The Greek National Tourism Organisation is to host an international conference ofthe Association of International Scientific Experts in Tourism (AIEST) in Athens on September 8-11.

The meeting will focus on sports and tourism, organisers said on Wednesday.

[04] Greece theme country at Berlin international literature festival

A series of cultural events dedicated to Greece and entitled ''Focus Griechenland'', will be organised by the Berlin international Festival of Literature and the Greek Cultural Foundation in Berlin from September 10-21.

Greece is the theme country at the Berlin international Festival of Literature, in the context of which is incorporated the programme-dedication ''Focus Griechenland''.

The programme of events include a seminar on the translation of Greek literature, readings, music evenings, debates, poetry readings and film projections.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.086

Pound sterling 0.695

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.222

Japanese yen 126.4

Swiss franc 1.544

Norwegian kroner 8.300

Cyprus pound 0.587

Canadian dollar 1.517

Australian dollar 1.707

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Thursday

Rain and isolated storms are forecast in most parts of the country, with a little cloud in the west. The weather will improve from afternoon, starting in the north. Winds northerly, moderate to strong, turning gale force in parts of the Aegean. In the west, temperatures will range from 17C to 28C; on the northern mainland from 15C to 25C; and in the rest of the country from 18C to 29C. Temperatures in Athens between 20C and 27C; and in Thessaloniki from 16C to 25C.

[07] Greek stocks continue moving lower on Wednesday

A wave of renewed profit taking late at the session reversed an early advance of prices and pushed Greek stocks lower for the third consecutive day this week in the Athens Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

The general index ended 0.36 percent lower at 2,142.67 points, with turnover a moderate 185.2 million euros.

The Telecommunications, Wholesale and Metal sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (1.11 percent, 0.59 percent and 0.32 percent, respectively), while the IT Solutions, Publication and Insurance sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (2.12 percent, 2.05 percent and 1.94 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.74 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index eased 0.51 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 0.52 percent down. The wider FTSE/ASE 140 index eased 0.68 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 174 to 146 with another 45 issues unchanged.

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