Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-05-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM meets Patriarchate's delegation, discusses Church crisis

[02] Contreversial Olympic project approaching completion

[03] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Wednesday

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates: Wednesday

[05] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose down in rangebound trade

[01] PM meets Patriarchate's delegation, discusses Church crisis

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday received a four-member delegation sent by the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate in Phanar, Istanbul, which briefed him on the Patriarchate's views regarding a crisis in relations with the Church of Greece.

One of the options discussed, according to sources, is a visit to Phanar on Wednesday by Education and Religious Affairs Marietta Yiannakou, before Patriarch Vartholomeos departs on Friday for engagements elsewhere.

Emerging from the meeting with the premier, Ephesus Metropolitan Chrysostomos said that Karamanlis was extremely respectful of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He refused to comment on the possibility of a visit by the Education minister to Phanar.

He denied asking that presidential decrees for the appointment of the new metropolitans in the 'new land' sees not be signed.

Earlier, the delegation met Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis for talks on all aspects of the crisis, followed by a meeting with Yiannakou.

After the meeting with Skandalakis, the Ephesus metropolitan stressed that ''basic things need to be done so that the Patriarchate does not feel that it's at a disadvantage. We are trying to neutralise the tension that has been created. We are carrying out this dialogue in order to defuse the crisis.''

The delegation is also scheduled to meet Communist Party of Greece (KKE) General Secretary Aleka Papariga and Coalition of the Radical Left President Nikos Constantopoulos.

[02] Contreversial Olympic project approaching completion

Just 100 days before the Athens 2004 Olympic Games' opening ceremony, the famous Calatrava roof of the Olympic Stadium remains the number 1 priority for the government and for the Athens 2004 Organising Committee.

However, after the pace of work on the roof has picked up in recent weeks the government is optimistic that it will be finished soon and may be slid into place over the following days. The initial deadline for the project had been the end of April.

A ''Times of London'' article which reported that the IOC had sent Athens an ultimatum setting a May 20 deadline for the roof's completion, drew sharp reactions from the IOC and the Greek government who deny the reports. ''There is no ultimatum. The time schedule on which the government and the IOC have agreed is being followed,'' Alternate Culture Minister Fani Palli-Petralia said on Tuesday.

[03] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Wednesday

Rain and storms are forecast in most parts of the country. Winds variable, strong to very strong, turning gale force at sea. Temperatures in Athens from 15C to 21C and in Thessaloniki between 13C and 19C.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates: Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.215

Pound sterling 0.680

Danish kroner 7.500

Swedish kroner 9.211

Japanese yen 133.5

Swiss franc 1.564

Norwegian kroner 8.297

Cyprus pound 0.591

Canadian dollar 1.662

Australian dollar 1.674

[05] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose down in rangebound trade

The Athens bourse finished lower in rangebound trade with players focusing on the banking sector, traders said.

The general share index shed 0.19 per cent to end at 2,533.81 points. Turnover was 124.8 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.11 per cent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 1.26 per cent down; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities lost 0.88 per cent.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 220 to 83 with 61 issues remaining unchanged.

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