Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 03-08-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Merchant marine minister announces series of measures for Thessaloniki Port

[02] Magriotis tours Alexandroupoli region

[03] First batch of FYROM political refugees take advantage of 'visit permits'

[04] U.S. State Dept. spokesman responds to NYT related report on Greece

[05] ND blasts gov't over food poisoning during rowing 'test event'

[06] Greek industrial production up 2.8 pct in June, yr/yr

[07] Greek gov�t bond prices fell significantly in July

[08] Greek stocks end lower on Monday

[09] Historic Marathon township opens Olympics info bureau

[10] "Greek Flame" Festival in Montreal promotes Athens 2004 Game

[11] Gov't denies it acknowledges British 'ownership' of Marbles

[12] Hail ruins crops in Larissa, Trikala

[13] Cypriot parties condemn 'agreement' between Turkey and illegal regime

[01] Merchant marine minister announces series of measures for Thessaloniki Port

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

According to the plans announced by the minister, Pier 6 will be extended an extra 500 meters to achieve a 15-meter depth capability, so as to serve larger vessels, while on August 22, a meeting will take place between officials of the finance and merchant marine ministries to discuss proposals for the best possible development of Piers 1 and 2.

Paschalidis also announced that the government was studying the issue of the Thessaloniki Port S.A.�s loading and services section, with the proposal being tabled to bring in private companies that would undertake the excess work of the port, in the event that the Federation of Greece�s Port Workers agrees with such a development.

In concluding his announcements, concerning the Thessaloniki Port, the minister underlined that his ministry will aid the efforts to restructure and decongest the port side road network, based on a proposal for funding through a unified agency that will manage the Thermaikos Gulf, also dealing effectively with sea pollution.

[02] Magriotis tours Alexandroupoli region

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

Magriotis had a meeting with prefectural and local authorities, as well as local PASOK cadres.

Speaking during a political gathering in the afternoon, the deputy minister noted that PASOK's pre-election mobilization had already been under way, which - as he put it - it would end up in the party's victory.

Magriotis referred to the development path the region of Thrace was on and the support it had by the government, as well as to the necessity to intensify the ruling party's work in all sectors, with an emphasis on regional development.

He added that all PASOK forces must be stimulated to open up a social and political dialogue to formulate the party's program for the coming four-year tenure.

''The objective would be social and regional convergence,'' Magriotis said.

On Tuesday, the deputy minister is scheduled to address the ''VI Congress of Thracian Hellenism''.

[03] First batch of FYROM political refugees take advantage of 'visit permits'

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

Conversely, the foreign ministry noted that a bus carrying such individuals was prevented from crossing the Niki border post because none had proper visas for entry into EU member-state and Schengen Pact member Greece.

However, Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos stressed Athens will continue to allow visits by such political refugees until the autumn.

�As we had previously announced, implementation of the humanitarian measure for the issuance of visit permits for (travel to) Greece to political refugees who reside in FYROM began yesterday (Sunday), and everything is proceeding smoothly and without problems,� Loverdos said in a press release.

The Greek deputy FM also stressed that the measure involves political refugees excluded under a 1982 law. The permits are good for 20 days, while the provision lasts from Aug. 10 to Oct. 30, 2003.

Loverdos said Athens has requested that visitors taking advantage of the measure use new FYROM travel documents, namely, newly issued passports issued by the land-locked state to Greece�s immediate north, as well as necessary entrance visas.

The foreign ministry will review the measure after its conclusion in order to decide whether it is repeated, Loverdos said

The Greek government officially announced the decision on Sunday.

Finally, the foreign ministry said all 10 individuals taking advantage of the measure passed through the Niki border post and were traveling by themselves.

[04] U.S. State Dept. spokesman responds to NYT related report on Greece

WASHINGTON 12/08/2003 (ANA � T. Ellis)

Speaking in response to a question that concerned the same NYT report on activities of Al Qaida in Greece, Reeker also referred to the U.S. State Department report, saying that those positions express the U.S. government�s stance, while he referred the question on the safety conditions of the Athens airport to the FAA.

Last week the New York Times published a report that claimed that the terrorist organization Al Qaida was active in the region of Greece, which, a position however not shared by the U.S. State Department report on Greece, while the same report lauded efforts of the Greek government in combating terrorism.

[05] ND blasts gov't over food poisoning during rowing 'test event'

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

''For two years now we have been pointing out to (Prime Minister Costas) Simitis' government and his supposedly competent ministers that our country's preparation in terms of public health protection measures, and specifically in terms of the program 'Health 2004', is, at best, inadequate,� ND deputy Nikitas Kaklamanis stated in a press release on Monday.

Kaklamanis, who oversees ND's social affairs sector and is a physician by training, charged that ''it took a food poisoning and an international embarrassment for the country -- which was the subject of negative press by the international media -- before competent ministers and agencies woke up and ordered inspections that should have been carried out long ago.''

The ND deputy also said the government bore a huge responsibility and could not hide behind a judicial probe that has been initiated over the incident.

Moreover, he demanded that the government provide answers to the following questions:

-- How many and which hotels have been selected for the 2004 Games?

-- Have the necessary health inspections been carried out, and what are the results?

-- Was the specific hotel where the food poisoning incident occurred properly licensed to operate a restaurant?

-- Had Athens 2004 organizers selected the specific hotel and has it received any funds for upgrading its infrastructure?

[06] Greek industrial production up 2.8 pct in June, yr/yr

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

NSS said that mining production fell 8.2 percent, reflecting the closure of a mining factory in Halkidiki, manufacturing production rose 2.0 percent and electricity-natural gas-water production jumped 7.0 percent in June.

[07] Greek gov�t bond prices fell significantly in July

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

In its monthly report on the bond market, the Bank of Greece said that Greek government bonds, traded in the domestic electronic secondary market, suffered significant losses, ranging between 59 and 264 basis points, in July, reversing all gains recorded in the period from mid-April to mid-June.

The 20-year Greek bond, maturing on October 22, 2022, suffered the heaviest monthly losses, ending at 112.29, down from 114.93 in June. The 10-year benchmark bond ended at 102.95 (yielding 4.22 percent) from 104.96 (3.98 percent) in the previous month.

The average yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German government bond fell to new historic lows at 13 basis points, from 15 bps in June.

At the end if July, the yield curve flattened slightly reflecting higher yields in the short-term in July, with the five-year bond yield curve rising by 28 bps in July, compared with a 21 bps rise in short-term bonds (three year), while the long-term bond yield rose by 19 bps in July.

The yield spread between the three- and the 20-year bond fell to 216 bps in July from 218 bps in the previous month.

Trading activity in the Greek electronic secondary market remained intense in July, with turnover rising to 60.34 billion euros, very near the year record of 61.94 bln euros in June, sharply up compared with a turnover of 46.24 billion euros in the same month last year.

From a total of 10,561 orders executed in July, offers accounted for 52.77 percent, with the remaining 47.23 percent being bids, the central bank's report said.

Long-term bonds, particularly 10-year maturities, remained at the focus of investors' attention in July, attracting 78 percent of total turnover.

[08] Greek stocks end lower on Monday

Athens, 12/08/2003 (ANA)

The general index fell 0.69 percent to end at 2,132.22 points with turnover an improved 132.7 million euros.

The retail sector was the only one to score gains (up 0.15 percent), while the Textile, Insurance and Publication sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (2.39 percent, 2.33 percent and 1.57 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.79 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index eased 0.56 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index dropped 1.34 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 248 to 84 with another 35 issues unchanged.

Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 90.06 mln euros Monday

Equity Index Futures: