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Friday, 26 April 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-12Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM calls urgent meeting over Cyprus issue developments12/02/2004 23:25:04An urgent meeting to discuss the latest developments during negotiations to solve the Cyprus issue taking place in New York was held by the government on Thursday, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis. It was attended by PASOK leader and foreign minister George Papandreou, who cancelled a trip to Cyprus scheduled for Thursday, Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis, Deputy Press Minister Tilemahos Hytiris and a number of advisors and aides to the premier and Papandreou. The meeting followed a surprise proposal by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash requesting a new, accelerated timetable for the UN-brokered peace talks, which will allow a reunited island to join the European Union on May 1. Emerging from the three-hour meeting, Papandreou said the negotiations in the framework of the United Nations had now entered a crucial stage and that Denktash's proposals will be ''examined so that we get a clearer picture''. He stressed that Greece's goal from the start had been that Cyprus' accession to theEuropean Union would make solving the Cyprus issue a priority for the international community. ''It is we that have asked for a solution to the Cyprus issue and for procedures to be set in motion,'' he said. [02] PM briefs ND leader on developments on Cyprus issue12/02/2004 23:22:48Prime Minister Costas Simitis held a telephone conversation with main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis on Thursday afternoon and briefed him on developments concerning the issue of Cyprus. Earlier in the day, Karamanlis was also given a briefing by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos. According to reports from ND's offices, Karamanlis said he supports the government of Cyprus and stands by the people of Cyprus. [03] Jobless rate drops to 8.8 pct in third quarter of 200312/02/2004 23:21:45Unemployment fell to 8.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2003 with employment rising by 1.4 per cent in the same period, the Greek National Statistics Service (GNSS) said on Thursday. The sample survey is harmonised with terms set by Eurostat, the European Union's statistics service, the GNSS said in a statement. The jobless rate in the third quarter of 2002 was 9.5 per cent. Unemployment among men was at 5.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2003; and among women at 13.7 per cent in the same period, the statement said. The highest proportion of unemployment was among youth up to 29 years of age, where joblessness among women was double the rate for men, it added. [04] Archaeological symposium begins at Thessaloniki University on Friday12/02/2004 23:21:00An archaeological symposium will begin at Thessaloniki University on Friday at which artifacts found in Kozani, northern Greece will be presented. The findings, which date back 27 centuries ago, came to light not through archaeological excavations but through the confession to a priest by a gold-digger who gave him the artifacts. The priest in turn gave the artifacts, which weighed more than 100 kilos, to the region's archaeological department. They consist of metal urns, weapons, jewellery, clay pots and copper coins. In a statement on Thursday, archaelogist Georgia Karamitrou-Mentesidi, who will address the symposium on excavations in the Kozani prefecture, said:''We are trying to convince gold-diggers to inform us of the exact location of the findings so we can start excavations. It is necessary for the inhabitants to develop a conscience for the salvation and protection of archaelogical treasures in their region.'' [05] National Olympic Committee members to attend IOC conference in Athens12/02/2004 20:53:09Over 500 members of National Olympic Committees from all over the world will be in Athens between February 24-29 to attend a conference organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at a downtown hotel on the course of preparations of about 200 countries to be participating in the Olympic Games this summer. During the first two days, the members of the National Olympic Committees will be convening among themselves to determine the agenda of talks they will be having with the IOC's Executive Committee which will start work on February 27. IOC President Jacques Rogge and National Olympic Committees President Rania Vaskez will be giving a joint press conference for the Greek and foreign media on the same day. The IOC's Executive Committee will be convening for the first time in 2004 on February 28, while on the next day Rogge will be providing an account of developments during a press conference. [06] Weather Forecast: Snow on Friday12/02/2004 18:28:20Snow is forecast in many parts of the country, especially in the east and south, with storms at sea. Most parts of the centre and north will be icy. Winds northerly, very strong to gale force. Temperatures in Athens -2C to 1C and in Thessaloniki from -7C to -2C. Snow will fall in Attica, heaviest in the east and north. [07] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in brisk trade12/02/2004 18:04:25The Athens bourse finished higher on Thursday with turnover rising from the previous session, traders said. The general share index gained 0.50 percent to end at 2,468.50 points. Turnover was 181.00 million euros. The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.64 per cent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 0.63 per cent higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 1.12 percent. Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 180 to 110 with 64 issues remaining unchanged. [08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Friday12/02/2004 17:58:25Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank U.S. dollar 1.290 Pound sterling 0.682 Danish kroner 7.511 Swedish kroner 9.230 Japanese yen 136.1 Swiss franc 1.589 Norwegian kroner 8.930 Cyprus pound 0.590 Canadian dollar 1.704 Australian dollar 1.640 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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