Athens News Agency: News Bulletin in English, 07-02-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece, Bulgaria, Russia initial agreement for pipeline

[02] FM wraps up visit to Thrace

[03] FM to meet with German European Affairs minister

[04] Gov't: no new developments on FYROM name issue

[05] UN mediator Nimetz discusses FYROM name issue

[06] Public works minister briefs Economic Committee on environmental protection

[07] PASOK raps deals by NBG, ATEbank and Cosmote

[08] PASOK leader to be released from hospital on Wednesday

[09] ND Congress set for July 6-8

[10] Papariga visits the Sivitanidios Public School

[11] Coordinating committee calls on state-run universities to open immediately

[12] MPs push for regulatory framework for opinion polls in Greece

[13] SAE honourary president Athens hails decision on Turkey by European Court of Human Rights

[14] Afghanistan's deputy culture minister visits Greek Parliament

[15] FM Bakoyannis to address Greek-German event on Europe

[16] Gov't on int'l press reports referring to Greek economy

[17] PASOK spokesman criticises government over GDP increase issue

[18] FinMin departs for official visit to India

[19] Employment Minister Tsitouridis meets social partners on definition of professional frameworks

[20] Restraining order request by Olympic Airlines rejected

[21] Construction of undersea tunnel in Thessaloniki to start in May

[22] Orascom buys TIM Hellas for 3.4 billion euros

[23] Finance ministry report on tax evasion in 2006

[24] MPB says 36.42% of shareholders reject Piraeus Bank's public offer

[25] Cyprus Supreme Court Plenum annuls intermediate order in MPB case

[26] Sit-in ends at PPC power plant in Kozani

[27] Intracom signs 4-mln-dollar contracts with Northrop Grumman

[28] Olympic Airlines reports increased e-ticket reservations

[29] Greek-French business seminar in Paris

[30] Chinese business delegation visits Athens

[31] FW: Foreign investors' share in ASE rose to 48.79 pct in January

[32] Greek stocks fall 0.68 pct on Wednesday

[33] ADEX closing report

[34] Greek bond market closing report

[35] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[36] Contested Greek antiquities to return from Getty Museum by end March

[37] Regional airports to operate on 24-hour basis

[38] SAE presidency meets ministers ahead of first official meeting

[39] Pilot programme on 'Dealing with Citizens' Complaints'

[40] Event in honour of author Samarakis in New York

[41] Waste production by Thessaloniki residents doubled since 1985, study shows

[42] Illicit trade of antiquities arrests in Thessaloniki

[43] Halkidiki farmers stage protest outside Macedonia-Thrace ministry

[44] Journalist Phaedon Leontopoulos dies

[45] Seminar on computers and IT organised by Bodossaki Foundation

[46] UNESCO meeting in Paris on anti-doping approves proposal by Orfanos

[47] Cyprus not dissuaded by Turkish threats concerning oil deposits

[48] Cyprus protests to UN over Turkish threats concerning oil deposits

[49] F� says Famagusta port to open with return of inhabitants

[50] Cypriot House President meets Chinese NPC Standing Committee Chairman

[51] Cypriot President inaugurates British Council's new premises

[01] Greece, Bulgaria, Russia initial agreement for pipeline

Representatives from Greece, Russia and Bulgaria on Wednesday took yet another step towards finalising a long-expected agreement to construct and ope-rate an oil pipeline linking the western Black Sea coast with the northeastern Aegean -- a route bypassing the increasingly congested Bosporus straits.

The Greek side was represented by development ministry general-secretary Ni-kos Stefanou, who initialled the draft agreement in the eponymous Black Sea port of Burgas from where the pipeline will begin before running overland and concluding at the NE Greek port of Alexandroupoli.

"This is a historic moment and a national success ' Results are absolutely positive," Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said from Athens, after he briefed Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on the development.

The Greek minister added that the final tripartite agreement will be signed in Athens early next month, while an exact date remains to be finalised via diplo-matic channels.

In other statements, Sioufas lauded the project's significance for international energy supply networks, for Greece and Bulgaria, as well as regional development as a whole.

Additionally, he praised all the governments since 1993 for their contribution in promoting the project, including current Greek President Karolos Papoulias (who was the foreign minister in 1994) and Latsis group executive Nikos Grigoriadis, who first outlined the idea of such a pipeline.

Finally, the Greek minister listed a handful of projects aimed at transforming the country into a regional energy hub: constru-ction of a Turkey-Greece Nat gas pipeline; the establishment of a SE Europe energy community; an agreement with Rome for the construction of an underwater extension of the natural gas pipeline, and finally, Burgas-Alexandroupoli.

Greece, Bulgaria and Russia have already signed a series of lesser political agreements for the cross-border pipeline, with the last one in September 2006. At the time the project was budgeted at approximately 700 million euros. The 285-kilo-metre pipeline will carry Russian oil from Burgas in Bulgaria to Alexandroupoli in northern Greece and has an estimated investment cost of 750-800 million US dollars with an annual capacity of 35 million tons of oil initially.

PASOK official comments on Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline agreement

Main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) responsible for development, tourism and maritime policy Christos Papoutsis said on Wednesday that the initialing of the draft agreement for the construction and operation of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline was "certainly a good and positive step".

"I want to remind Mr. (Development Minister Dimitris) Sioufas that this is a project on which the governments of (late) Andreas Papandreou and Costas Simitis but current PASOK President George Papandreou personally as well, have worked in a planned and methodical manner," Papoutsis added.

"In anticipation of the final signature on the interstate agreement, the development minister must brief the House on the definite share composition of the company, which will undertake the management and construction of the project, on all financial and ecological parametres of it and all other details contained in the agreement," the PASOK official concluded.

ELPE-Thraki Joint Venture hails initialling

The ELPE-Thraki Joint Venture hailed with satisfaction on Wednesday the achieved inter-state initialling of the agreement on the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline.

It added that the project exceeds the narrow limits of a trinational economic investment and has a wider geopolitical significance for Greece.

The joint venture points out that "following today's initialling of the Inter-State Agreement, the responsibility of imple-menting the project now passes to the shareholder companies of the international company. The Greek side, that will participate in the international company with a minority percentage, will continue negotiating, at a business level now, to achieve the further promotion of the implementation of the pipeline."

It also noted that achieving this important agreement was the result of efforts made for many years by officials, from all political leaderships and from the Greek companies themselves that participated and promoted the idea of the pipeline's construction from 1993 until today.

Coalition party calls for clarifications

The Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Sy-naspismos) party, with a statement by Political Secretariat member and economic and social policy chief Panayiotis Lafazanis, said "we call on the government to table analytically before the national delegation immediately all data concerning the cost, the construction and the terms of the pipeline's functioning, to facilitate a substantive discussion in Parliament in time and before the final agreement and for parties to state their positions with knowledge of all the factors."

He added that "the government must provide full explanations on if and how the substantive protection of the environment in the regions where the pipeline will pass is safeguarded with the agreement on the Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline, particularly in the sea region of the port of Alexandroupoli, the Evros Delta and the Aegean. At the same time, the government is called on to announce the participation percentages in the International Company and analytically the terms for assuming the cost, construction and operation of the pipeline. We declare our full and categorical opposition to the awarding of the Greek participation in the pipeline to private interests."

[02] FM wraps up visit to Thrace

She added that the government is particularly pleased and determined to proceed with its developmental policy, saying it will change completely the image of eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

Bakoyannis met earlier on Wednesday with Metropolitan Panteleimon of Xanthi and afterwards visited the school at the village of Drosero situated on the outskirts of the city of Xanthi, a Rom settlement.

The governments developmental policy in Thrace was outlined by Bakoyannis in an event at the Commerce and Industry Chamber of Xanthi on Tuesday held in the presence of Mace-donia-Thrace Minister George Kalantzis, Deputy Foreign Minister Evripides Stylianidis, Deputy Minister of Rural Development Alexandros Kontos and local authorities.

During her three-day tour of Thrace, the FM toured a handful of villages populated by members of Thrace province's Muslim minority, while she also announced a series of measures for the Muslim minority.

[03] FM to meet with German European Affairs minister

Gloser will also meet with deputy foreign minister for European Affairs Yannis Valynakis.

Talks are expected to focus on current European affairs, such as the future of Europe, the European Constitutional Treaty, enlargement, and other topics, according to a foreign ministry announcement.

Bakoyannis will further meet with the new president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), Stefanos Tamvakis, and the SAE presidium.

Turkish FM to visit Greece 'in the near future'

Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul will visit Athens "in the near future", Greece's foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis said Wednesday in Xanthi, while on a tour of Thrace prefecture.

Bakoyannis winds up her three-day tour of Thrace on Wednes-day.

[04] Gov't: no new developments on FYROM name issue

Alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros made the comment in response to a press question referring to such talks late last month under the auspices of UN special envoy Matthew Nimetz.

[05] UN mediator Nimetz discusses FYROM name issue

The UN secretary general's special mediator on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) name issue, Matthew Nimetz, has met in New York with the representatives of Greece and FYROM, the permanent representative at the UN, Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis and Ambassador Nikola Dimitrov respectively, following his recent visits to Athens and Skopje.

According to a relevant announcement by the international organisation's General Secretariat, the meeting was held on January 31, 2007, and the sides continued to express their views in the framework of article 5 of the Interim Agreement, which was signed in New York on September 13, 1995. They also decided to meet again at a date to be agreed on.

[06] Public works minister briefs Economic Committee on environmental protection

"We are proceeding with the completion of national environ-mental planning on renewable energy sources, which we will publicise by April, while in mid-February the bills on industry and tourism will be publicised," the minister said.

Souflias said that the ministry places emphasis on measures to protect the environment and considerable work has been accomplished, adding that procedures to harmonise Greek with European Union legislation on sustainable development have been speeded up. He also noted that Greece is expected to receive 4.4 billion euros from the 4th Community Support Framework for this programme.

The minister said that polution caused by cars in the Attica prefecture (encircling Athens) poses a great problem and pointed out that the extension of the Metro to Haidari and Piraeus will contribute considerably to its decreasing.

[07] PASOK raps deals by NBG, ATEbank and Cosmote

Four files detailing what PASOK claims is wrongdoing were submitted on the party's behalf by PASOK Parliamentary spokesman George Floridis and PASOK sector-head for eco-nomic issues Vasso Papandreou. Emerging from the meeting with Sanidas, Papandreou stressed that "there were serious questions that had to be answered" in all four cases, noting that the government had so far refused to provide these answers and that the Greek public had a right to know.

Specifically, PASOK has criticised the purchase of Turkey's Finansbank by the National Bank of Greece (NBG), at a price that the main opposition party claims was much greater than its market value; the acquisition of the retail electronic goods chain 'Germanos' by the mobile phone service provider Cosmote, a subsidiary of Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE), for a price that PASOK said was roughly four times higher than Germanos was worth; NBG's acquisition of the P&K brokerage firm at "several times its real value"; and what it said were risky foreign investments by ATEbank and commission it paid to a company called Ealy.

Floridis stressed that the time had come for the Greek people to learn the whole truth about four "serious affairs that concern their own money", noting that both the government and the state-appointed managements of the companies in question had refused to discuss the four deals in Parliament.

Though all three companies are listed on the Athens bourse, they are essentially state controlled, with boards and CEOs directly appointed by the government and the state remains a major shareholder in all three.

According to the Supreme Court prosecutor, preliminary inquiries into three of the four cases have already begun at the Athens First-Instance Court prosecutors' office, while PASOK's complaint about the acquisition of P&K will be referred to a prosecutor for investigation.

Government accuses PASOK of sensationalism

Commenting on PASOK's action, alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros accused the main opposition of resorting to "sensationalist moves" that were not capable of changing the "steady course followed by the government, which is concerned with solving specific issues and problems".

"It is clear that all PASOK's effort is directed toward creating a political climate that finds no response in the public. The parties must listen to the citizens and it is clear that the citizens have signalled their desire for the government to continue its work and respond to the country's problems," Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis commented.

Deputy FinMin Doukas on PASOK's submittal

of reports to the public prosecutor

Deputy Economy and Finance Minister Petros Doukas on Wednesday accused the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) of attempting to "rid itself of its internal problems" by submitting reports to the public prosecutors.

Replying to reporters' questions regarding the submittal of reports by PASOK, Doukas said:"The specific move is part of, as the no-confidence motion, the effort of PASOK to rid itself of its internal problems. The government supports complete transparency and this is a fundamental principle."

He accused PASOK of "cultivating impressions," adding that "one needs irrefutable proof otherwise, one becomes a common slanderer, one causes a negative climate in the market and stock Exchange and one should assume one's responsibilities."

[08] PASOK leader to be released from hospital on Wednesday

Papandreou was taken to the Attiko Hospital on Tuesday evening, due to the persistence of a high fever he developed on Sunday during a debate in parliament on a motion of no-confidence against the government tabled by PASOK, which was defeated in the 300-member House.

Due to a previous case, (pneumonia), it was deemed necessary for him to be hospitalised in order for the necessary tests to be conducted, but testing revealed that his current fever was unrelated to the pneumonia. Indications are that the PASOK leader was suffering from a flu strain that has recently broken out.

No medical bulletin was issued by the hospital, since Papandreou's condition presented no cause for concern.

Health minister Dimitris Avramopoulos visited Papandreou in the hospital.

[09] ND Congress set for July 6-8

Zagoritis commented afterwards, responding to press questions, that general elections will be held at the end of the government's current four-year term, adding that the prime minister has been clear on that issue.

On the on-going election talk, Zagoritis said that it is just an effort by main opposition PASOK to "excorcise" elections, adding that the government has work to do and will table draft laws on Education and the Greeks abroad. Zagoritis also added that the government has to deal with problems left behind by the Simitis (PASOK) governments in which George Papandreou had participated as a minister.

He stressed that the government efforts have begun yielding fruit, the economy is improving, unemployment is dropping and the government can proceed with measures in favor of the weak social groups.

[10] Papariga visits the Sivitanidios Public School

The KKE general secretary added that any other division in education before the age of 18 is class-based and unfair, reproducing and increasing discrimination directed at labor and worker class children.

Responding to a question on the comments made in parliament by the leader of PASOK accusing the KKE party of essentially backing right-wing policies, she stated that her party, unlike others, did not vote in favor of the despicable 0.77 euros a day (wage increase) collective labour agreement.

[11] Coordinating committee calls on state-run universities to open immediately

The professors stress that "it is the obligation of the university community to be the frontrunner in the procedure of change and upgrading of the university, utilising the positive and negative experience which it has accumulated, the positions and the ideas which have been expressed many times by groups and movements, institutional organs and isolated university profes-sors."

The coordinating committee of the group agrees and lauds the relevant decision of the five points, which the rectors agreed on in their recent meeting on open universities "and the immediate tabling of the new, and we hope, radically changed, draft law by the Education Ministry."

[12] MPs push for regulatory framework for opinion polls in Greece

Members of the committee decided to discuss the issue with journalists' association, such as the Athens Union of Journalists ESHEA and others, and with Minister of State Theodoros Roussopoulos.

In making the proposal, Sourlas noted that 10 years had passed since New Democracy submitted a proposed bill in 1997 but successive governments had failed to adopt any kind of framework. He charged that the last municipal elections, in particular, had seen major attempts to use spurious opinion polls to manipulate the beliefs of party supporters and candidates.

He was seconded by PASOK MP Apostolos Kaklamanis, a former Parliament president, who spoke of an "orgy" using opinion polls in the local government elections and said that many surveys were not conducted on a serious basis.

The proposal was also backed by Communist Party of Greece (KKE) MP Liana Kanelli and Fotis Kouvelis of the Coalition of the Left, of Movements and Ecology (SYN) party.

Interior minister grants three-month extension for immigrants' residence permit applications

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos agreed on Wednesday to a three-month extension to enable immigrants to submit their applications for residence and work permits.

Speaking during the discussion on articles of a bill on the social integration of immigrants, Pavlopoulos accepted the proposal made by the opposition for an extension to be provided for the time limit enabling the submission of relevant applications, that will expire on 30/09/2007 (instead of 30/06/2007 that had been initially anticipated).

Pavlopoulos also accepted the proposal for immigrants involved in agricultural work to be given the possibility of legalisation without documents certifying their previous employment.

[13] SAE honourary president Athens hails decision on Turkey by European Court of Human Rights

The honourary president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) and president of the United Greek-American Congress, Andrew Athens, in an announcement on Wednesday hailed a decision of the European Court of Human Rights for religious freedom in Turkey and for the rights of the Greek Orthodox community in Istanbul.

"We can hope that this decision will create a res judicata on the basis of which the Turkish authorities will be compelled to be in harmony with the international rules on human rights, giving the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all the other religious mino-rities the opportunity of exercising their religious rights without fear of oppression," Athens said.

[14] Afghanistan's deputy culture minister visits Greek Parliament

According to a Parliament announcement, Sultan offered thanks for Greece's aid in the democratisation of Afghanistan and referred to his past visits to Greece, when he had taken part in the archaeological digs at Vergina and Dion under noted archaeologist Manolis Andronikos.

The two men also discussed drug trafficking and the fight against narcotics, given that Afghanistan is estimated to produce 92 percent of the global production of heroin.

Sourlas is to visit Afghanistan in March in his capacity as president of the Anti-Narcotics Front, in addition to that of Parliament vice-president, and he is expected to discuss the issue of fighting the drug trade with Afghan officials, among them Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai.

[15] FM Bakoyannis to address Greek-German event on Europe

The forum is organised under the auspices of the House speakers of the two countries.

Financial News

[16] Gov't on int'l press reports referring to Greek economy

Antonaros, however, sharply criticised main opposition PASOK, saying the latter has turned the practice of presenting false economic figures into "policy, fears and truth."

Moreover, he cited another article published by the Wall Street Journal, which he said wrote that the "the European patient", namely, Greece in this case, is being cured, a reference to Greece's reduced deficit and steady growth rate.

[17] PASOK spokesman criticises government over GDP increase issue

Referring again to the report in the CNN network's website that termed this act "one of the most foolish economic options in 2006," he said that the government is mistaken if it believes that it has no responsibility.

He spoke of the country's "degradation" and reminded that in the past when PASOK had been in power when the country was degraded, resorting to international courts took place.

Efthymiou said that "it is a question of dignity" and added that there is no reason for Greece to be downgraded by the options of Alogoskoufis. He said that the appeal must be made by the government.

[18] FinMin departs for official visit to India

Alogoskoufis will meet on Thursday with India's Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram and afterwards he is scheduled to address the country's leading entrepreneurs in a conference organised by the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The Greek minister will also meet with Indian Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, while the Greek business delegation's members will meet with Indian.

On Friday, Alogoskoufis will meet with Indian reporters and afterwards he will hold a meeting with India's Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath. Later in the afternoon of the same day, he will give a press conference and attend the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) and the Confederation of Indian Industry, CII.

[19] Employment Minister Tsitouridis meets social partners on definition of professional frameworks

Taking part in the meeting were the president of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), Yiannis Panagopoulos, the president of the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB), Dimitris Daskalopoulos, as well as representatives of the General Confederation of Professional Craftsmen and Small Manufacturers of Greece (GSEBEE) and of the National Confederation of Greek Trade (ESEE).

Tsitouridis underlined that the procedure for defining a professional framework includes the title, the definition and the analysis of the profession or specialty, the necessary knowledge and skills which the working person will need and even the ways, procedures and means, so that these required prere-quisites to be achieved.

The aim, Tsitouridis underlined, is the strengthening of the quality, competitiveness and credibility of the professional training programmes and their closer link to the needs of the labour market.

For the necessary studies aimed at the description of the professional framework for the first 55 professions, the social partners will be allotted 1.65 million euros (a sum which will arise from the funds of the 4th Community Support Framework for the period 2007-2013). A study will follow for the next 150 professions with a budget of five million euros, while at the disposal of the social partners will be placed the 2 per cent of the operational programme "Development of Manpower", which may reach 50 million euros.

[20] Restraining order request by Olympic Airlines rejected

The European Court announced on Wednesday that the first instance court president did not accept a request by the Olympic Airlines company for a restraining order against a decision taken by the European Commission by which Greece allegedly allocated Olympic, in an abusive manner, state subsidies amounting to 452 million euros.

The Commission had requested from Greece to repossess these state subsidies. The main reason for the rejection of the restraining order was, according to the president of the first instance court, that the case was not of an urgent nature and, at this stage, there was no question of irreparable harm for Olympic.

The issue concerned a decision taken by the Commission on September 14, 2005, by which it had been ascertained that state subsidies, that were incompatible with European Union law, had been given to Olympic Airlines in the past.

[21] Construction of undersea tunnel in Thessaloniki to start in May

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias spoke of "an important junctional project of top priority for the government, which Thessaloniki immediately needs to deal both with its traffic and environ-mental problem."

He said that "the construction of the project will start in May, its anti-seismic strength is double than that which buildings can withstand and there will be no problem because the group which has undertaken it has great experience."

[22] Orascom buys TIM Hellas for 3.4 billion euros

Orascom, whose main shareholder is Egyptian businessman N.Sawiris, holds a large equity stake in Tellas -a telecom services company in Greece in which Public Power Corporation has a majority stake. After completion of the purchase, including both TIM Hellas and Q-Telecom, Orascom will own a powerful telecommunications organisation, offering both mobile and fixed-telephony services to million of customers in Greece.

Socrates Kominakis, TIM Hellas' chief executive said that the company has developed significantly in the last two years and added that "the dedication of both workers and the management in implementing a new strategy has changed the status of mobile telephony in Greece and established TIM as one of the leading players in the sector".

APAX and TPG bought TIM Hellas from Telecom Italian for 1.6 billion euros in June 2005. In January 2006, the joint venture purchased Q-Telecom, the fourth largest mobile telephony operator in Greece, from Info-Quest for 360 million euros.

[23] Finance ministry report on tax evasion in 2006

In a report on audits made in 2006, the finance ministry said a special inspections agency conducted 30.13 percent more audits last year and noted that the rate of companies breaching tax regulations rose to 43 percent in 2006, up from 42 percent in 2005.

Inspections resulted in the imposition of additional taxes worth 3.2 billion euros last year, from 1.5 billion in 2005, an increase of 109.9 percent.

[24] MPB says 36.42% of shareholders reject Piraeus Bank's public offer

A MPB announcement said that after Piraeus Bank rejected a mutual disclosure offer made by MPB, that bank's shareholders, PB Powe Capital Management, MFG, Provident Fund, and Laiki Cyprialife - owners of 8.77 percent of shares in Marfin Popular Bank - informed MPB's board that they rejected the bank's public offer.

MPB's main shareholders (Vgenopoulos, Theoharakis and Lanitis) - holding around 28 percent of the bank's equity capital - on Tuesday also rejected the offer.

[25] Cyprus Supreme Court Plenum annuls intermediate order in MPB case

The Cypriot Supreme Court Plenum decided on Wednesday unanimously to annul the intermediate order issued by the Supreme Court on 25 January 2007 in the case of Marfin Popular Bank, saying that the First Instance Court was wrong in its decision.

According to a Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission press release, the Commission's decision of 16 January 2007 continues to be in force after Wednesday's ruling.

The Commission had decided on 16 January that the move by Marfin Popular Bank Ltd to submit public offers for the acquisition of Bank of Cyprus and Piraeus Bank constituted a potential violation of regulation 21 of the Cyprus Stock Exchange regulations of mergers and acquisition, and had imposed a fine of 10,000 Cyprus pounds (one pound is trading at approximately 1.72 euros) on Marfin Popular Bank.

The Supreme Court, in its temporary decree, had said that the Commission had no jurisdiction to judge that Marfin Popular Bank was guilty.

Marfin Popular Bank launched a takeover bid for Piraeus Bank, Greece's fourth largest lender, and the Bank of Cyprus in early January.

But its tenders, launched a day after Piraeus Bank's bid for Marfin Popular Bank, were ruled invalid by the Commission because of the controversy surrounding which of the two made the first move.

[26] Sit-in ends at PPC power plant in Kozani

The decision to end the sit-in was reached after the power company pledged that it will announce new job openings by Easter.

Local residents had staged the protest demanding that the state-run PPC hire more employees from the local villages in the environmentally downgraded district.

[27] Intracom signs 4-mln-dollar contracts with Northrop Grumman

The first agreement, with a duration of 12 months, covers the production of radar components for F-16 warplanes and the second, with a duration of 16 months, covers the production of warning systems' electronic components

[28] Olympic Airlines reports increased e-ticket reservations

Olympic Airlines' site offers services in French, German, Italian, English and Spanish.

[29] Greek-French business seminar in Paris

The Greek-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in an announcement, said the two ministers noted that France was one of the main investors in the country.

French ambassador to Greece Bruno Delaye praised the efficiency of Greek entrepreneurs, a characteristic he said helps significantly in attracting foreign investments with a medium-term target of regional development.

The seminar also discussed ways to further develop tourism between the two countries. Representatives from Greek and French companies met individually during the seminar.

[30] Chinese business delegation visits Athens

The delegation is headed by the director general of the Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Department, Yang Hongji.

On the part of the Greek side, strong interest for cooperation was shown for the flow of tourists to Greece and for the prossessing of fruit.

The Hellenic-Chinese Chamber of Commerce in an announce-ment said that the mission was received by its board at the trade department of the Chinese Embassy.

[31] FW: Foreign investors' share in ASE rose to 48.79 pct in January

A monthly report, by ASE, said turnover in the Greek stock market totalled 9.51 billion euros in January, while average daily turnover (on a monthly basis) was 432.31 million euros, up 43 pct and 23 percent, respectively from December 2006.

The report said foreign investment capital in the Greek market totalled 1.19 billion euros in January. The market's capitali-zation on January 31, 2007 was 175.073 billion euros, up 10.8 pct from the previous month.

[32] Greek stocks fall 0.68 pct on Wednesday

Sector indices ended lower, with the Insurance (2.58 pct), Food-Beverage (2.56 pct) and Telecommunications (2.31 pct) suffering the heaviest percentage losses of the day, while the Chemicals (2.12 pct), Oil (1.0 pct) and Utilities (0.68 pct) scored gains.

The Big Cap index fell 0.77 pct, the Mid Cap index eased 0.23 pct and the Small Cap index ended 0.50 pct lower.

Alpha Grissin (19.90 pct), Interfish (10.62 pct) and Koumbas (9.87 pct) were top gainers, while Zampa (13.23 pct), Desmos (12 pct) and Viosol (11.11 pct) were top losers.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 171 to 88 with another 49 issues unchanged.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Insurance: -2.58%

Industrials: +0.47%

Commercial: -0.31%

Construction: -0.26%

Media: -0.97%

Oil & Gas: +1.00%

Personal & Household: -0.89%

Raw Materials: +0.11%

Travel & Leisure: +0.56%

Technology: -1.38%

Telecoms: -2.31%

Banks: -0.73%

Food & Beverages: -2.56%

Health: -0.55%

Utilities: +0.68%

Chemicals: +2.12%

Financial Services: -0.46%

The stocks with the highest turnover were OTE, National Bank, Piraeus Bank and Alpha Bank.

Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows:

Alpha Bank: 24.24

ATEbank: 4.28

Public Power Corp (PPC): 21.42

HBC Coca Cola: 29.76

Hellenic Petroleum: 11.22

Emporiki Bank: 22.22

National Bank of Greece: 39.88

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 30.80

Intralot: 25.70

Cosmote: 23.10

OPAP: 29.28

OTE: 22.32

Titan Cement Company: 45.02

[33] ADEX closing report

The February contract on the FTSE 20 index was traded at a discount of 0.29 pct, and on the FTSE 40 index at a discount of 0.43 pct.

Volume in futures contracts on the FTSE 20 index was 8,028 contracts worth 103.140 million euros, with 21,569 open positions in the market, while on the FTSE 40 index volume was 687 contracts worth 19.498 million euros with 1,758 open positions.

Volume in futures contracts on equities totalled 9,389 contracts worth 5.919 million euros, while investment interest focused on Hellenic Telecom's contracts (1,673), followed by Eurobank (158), PPC (161), OPAP (187), Piraeus Bank (277), National Bank (701), Alpha Bank (664), Intracom (1,549) and ATEbank (722).

Volume in stock repos totalled 73 contracts and in reverse stock repos 3,123 contracts.

[34] Greek bond market closing report

The 10-year bench bond (July 20, 2016) was the most heavily traded security with a turnover of 945 million euros, while the yield spread between the Greek and German 10-year bonds was 0.256 percent. The Greek bond yielded 4.29 pct and the German bund 4.03 pct.

In the domestic interbank market, interest rates were mixed. National Bank's overnight rate fell to 3.55 pct from 3.57 pct on Tuesday, the two-day rate was 3.57 pct, the one-month rate was 3.60 pct and the 12-month rate was 4.06 pct.

[35] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

U.S. dollar 1.309

Pound sterling 0.663

Danish kroner 7.512

Swedish kroner 9.190

Japanese yen 157.99

Swiss franc 1.624

Norwegian kroner 8.154

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.549

Australian dollar 1.682

General News

[36] Contested Greek antiquities to return from Getty Museum by end March

They are a 4th century B.C. golden wreath from Macedonia and a statue of a young woman or 'kore' made of Parian marble. The agreement for their return had been announced a few months ago.

Greek culture minister George Voulgarakis said the agreement for their return was officially signed on Tuesday night, "con-firming the climate of trust and mutual understanding".

He said this would create new prospects for relations between the Getty Museum and the Greek culture ministry.

[37] Regional airports to operate on 24-hour basis

The two ministers also announced measures aimed at contributing to the improvement of services at the airports with the creation of special reception areas as well as the airports' timely staffing by seasonal personnel.

Liapis assured the tourism development ministry that he would examine the prospect of reducing the usage costs at the airports during the winter months, thus enabling Greek hoteliers to keep their hotels open during the winter months as well, albeit with lower rates, as per their desire.

Further, the establishment of a committee was announced that would comprise the secretaries general of the two ministries, which would discuss day-to-day problems falling under the authority of the two ministries and recommend solutions.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Petralia noted the excellent cooperation between the two ministries, which she said has yielded results, citing as an example the 50 percent increase in passenger movement since last year at Chania Airport in Crete, following the airport's commencement of 24-hour-operation.

Liapis, in turn, stressed that good, dependable movement projected the country's culture.

The two ministers further discussed ways of attracting flights by low-cost airlines to Greece, while they also had an initial discussion on the prospect of using the military airport at Elefsis for for civilian flights as well.

Wednesday's meeting was the first in a series by Petralia with various ministers for discussion of tourism-related matters.

[38] SAE presidency meets ministers ahead of first official meeting

These were the first of a series of meetings with government ministers scheduled in the run-up to the SAE board's first official meeting that begins on Friday in Thessaloniki.

After the meeting, Kassimis said there was a "cooperative climate" among the newly-elected SAE board and predicted that their term was "the start of a good period" from which he expected great things.

SAE officials said the first board meeting would be taken up with organisational issues, operating rules, administrative matters and discussion of regional programmes.

According to SAE President Stefanos Tamvakis, this first meeting would be decisive in giving the SAE the tools for the pratical implementation of its targets.

In a meeting with Palli-Petralia, the SAE presidency discussed ways in which Greeks abroad could contribute to the promotion and development of Greek tourism worldwide.

It was decided to set up an open communications link between the tourism ministry and the SAE since its representatives could act as "ambassadors" for Greek tourism. The ministry will also send out printed and other material for the promotion of its advertising campaign.

The minister briefed the SAE leadership on the new advertising campaign abroad and said that it was now possible to easily book a holiday in Greece from any country via the running campaign on the Internet.

She also agreed to a proposal for a programme to provide hospitality to Greek children living abroad that wanted to get to know Greece, as well as a similar programme for repre-entatives of the media.

[39] Pilot programme on 'Dealing with Citizens' Complaints'

The programme is within the framework of initiatives for the upgrading of the quality of administrative services offered to citizens and the improvement of State-Citizen relations.

Andreoulakos sent a circular to the relevant services with directives for the implementation of the programme, which aims at the increase of the effectiveness of public admi-nistration.

It will be implemented in the social insurance system and in social welfare.

[40] Event in honour of author Samarakis in New York

The english translation of Samarakis' "The passport and other stories" -published by 'Cosmos Publishing'- will be presented at the event in the presence of the author's widow Eleni.

[41] Waste production by Thessaloniki residents doubled since 1985, study shows

It found that the daily per capita waste generated in the city had increased from just under one kilo in 1985 to 1.9 kilos in the first half of 2006.

Of this, between 20.23-35.31 percent was organic materials that could be used composted, while 17.31-35.84 percent was paper and 1.46-5.33 percent was glass. Another 15.43-24.69 percent was plastic, 2.39-17.02 percent was 'inert' materials and 3.27-14.69 were leather, textile, wood and rubber.

According to Prof. Eleftheria Papachristou, the study showed a shift in the habits of Greeks, who were now using alot more paper than in the past, and also that the amount of waste that each Thessaloniki resident was sending to landfills each day was significantly greater than the waste produced by the average western European, which ranged between 400-700 grammes a day.

[42] Illicit trade of antiquities arrests in Thessaloniki

The objects were illegally in their possession and were kept hidden at a semi-basement storage area in the restaurant run by the 57-year-old.

According to archaeologists, the two Holy Gates (also called Beautiful Gates or Royal Doors) had been removed from a post-Byzantine era church templon or iconostasis (a wall of icons and religious paintings in Eastern Orthodox churches separating the laity in the nave from the priests preparing the sacraments at the altar).

[43] Halkidiki farmers stage protest outside Macedonia-Thrace ministry

Police did not allow the farmers to return to their initial positions, despite assurances that they do not intend to block the street, resulting in the creation of tension and scuffling on a limited scale in the evening.

Farmers attempted to break through the police cordon, but were pushed back by the police, without any injuries being reported.

The farmers are continuing to have their tractor engines running in Agiou Dimitriou street, at a distance of about 100 metres from the ministry, and declared that thay would stay there all night if they are not allowed to return to their previous positions.

[44] Journalist Phaedon Leontopoulos dies

He worked as political editor with Athens dailies Eleftherotypia, Athinaiki, Rizospastis, 24 Ores, and Alithia, while he also worked with Flash 9.61 radio, the state-run ERT television and Channel 29.

He had studied chemistry and biology and was fluent in English, French and Swedish.

[45] Seminar on computers and IT organised by Bodossaki Foundation

Sports

[46] UNESCO meeting in Paris on anti-doping approves proposal by Orfanos

He proposed the support of the developing countries in the combatting of doping. At the same time, Orfanos announced that the Greek contribution to the voluntary fund for the support of these countries will be 40,000 euros annually.

Orfanos' proposal is as follows:"Given that the developing countries do not have the possibility of inspection, there is centred our own proposal to support them, because otherwise it can be a step of entry of forbidden substances."

Cyprus Affairs

[47] Cyprus not dissuaded by Turkish threats concerning oil deposits

Cypriot Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said on Wednesday that threats by Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul about red lines on the issue of oil deposits was taken into consideration but did not dissuade the Republic of Cyprus from exerting its legal sovereign and internationally recognised rights.

Commenting on a letter sent by Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, requesting that the issue of oil deposits in the island's sea area be settled through a solution of the Cyprus problem, Pashiardis reiterated that the Cypriot government, in the framework of its national rights and legitimacy, has taken some decisions, and will proceed with their implementation, irrespectively of any reactions by Talat or Ankara.

Turkey has reacted with threats to agreements signed by Cyprus with neighbouring countries, regarding the exploration and exploitation of possible oil reserves or natural gas in the sea area off the island.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

[48] Cyprus protests to UN over Turkish threats concerning oil deposits

Cyprus' Permanent Representative at the UN Andreas Mavro-yiannis has sent a written representation to the UN

Secretary General and the President of the Security Council over Turkish threats as they appear in a Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement dated 30 January 2007, concerning Cyprus' decision to explore and exploit hydrocarbon deposits in the sea area of Cyprus.

In his letter, which was sent after instructions of the Cypriot government and circulated on Tuesday as an official document of the UN, Mavroyiannis says that the Turkish statement is ''yet another provocative action'' against the Republic of Cyprus, ''specifically the threats and attempted intimidations'' contained in the statement of 30 January 2007.

''It should be stressed that the relevant decisions of the government of the Republic of Cyprus are in full conformity with its sovereign rights stemming from the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,'' he points out.

Mavroyiannis notes that the statement, ''which has formalised an unprecedented campaign of disconcerting and tension-oriented articles

published recently in the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot press on this issue, following a similarly provocative declaration by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, constitutes a flagrant violation of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus.''

''Moreover it constitutes not only a dangerous provocation and a threat to the regional peace and stability, but also an unconcealed and irresponsible violation of fundamental prin-ciples of international law, of norms of just cogens and of the letter and the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations,'' he points out.

[49] F� says Famagusta port to open with return of inhabitants

Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs George Lillikas has said that if there is a possibility of opening the Turkish occupied port of Famagusta, this is ''always in conjunction with the return of the legitimate inhabitants of the fenced off city of Famagusta,'' noting that ''there is a binding decision and commitment by the EU's COREPER that this is a package.''

Addressing the House European Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Lillikas assured that the Republic of Cyprus has ''many points to raise'' which are ''unshakable'' in relation to EU member states' efforts to adopt a clause on trade between the island's Turkish occupied areas and the EU.

Lillikas said that after the failure of previous EU presidencies regarding the regulation for trade with the Turkish Cypriots, Cyprus took the initiative to ask the current German presidency to push forward the issue from where it was left off by the previous presidency and consultations are underway.

He noted that the joint commitment of both sides is not to make any statements about the meetings or the amendments discus-sed or the positions submitted by each side.

''The EU, the European Commission and some EU member states will insist on the trade clause,'' Lillikas said, adding that ''the clause was introduced after an intense discussion and the insistence of a specific Minister of Foreign Affairs of a specific country, which was not innocent.''

He pointed out that ''if we are to be sincere, the EU countries, all 27 of them, which are bound by a decision that says that the solution of the Cyprus problem will be on the basis of EU principles and reunification, then no one can pursue direct trade between the occupied areas and the EU.''

''Those developing or trying to develop separate interests, with mathematical accuracy are leading to the division of Cyprus,'' Lillikas said, adding that ''the issue is clearly political.''

He also said that the trade regulation, ''as it has been prepared, does not refer to the opening of ports or airports in the occupied areas, but specifies the preferable regime regarding the taxation of Turkish Cypriot products, when they enter the European market.''

Referring to the Ankara Protocol, Lillikas said the Turkish Cypriots have said in Brussels that when the Turkish ports and airports open to Cypriot ships and airplanes, then Turkey will not be able to use ports and airports in the occupied areas of Cyprus and trade will be transferred to the government controlled areas.

''If the Turkish Cypriots really want reunification, they should not be concerned with such issues, because the proposal we have made for Larnaca Port is much more beneficial for them,'' he pointed out.

Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

[50] Cypriot House President meets Chinese NPC Standing Committee Chairman

Cypriot House of Representatives President Demetris Christofias and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the

National People's Congress of China Wu Bangguo expressed their joint position that as Cyprus supports the policy of ''one China'' concerning Taiwan, so China supports ''one Cyprus'', a united Cyprus, based on the principles of international law and UN resolutions.

Christofias and Wu Bangguo met on Wednesday in Beijing, noting that the meeting reflected the friendly relations between the parliaments of the two countries.

Welcoming Christofias and his delegation, on an official visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese official, Wu Bangguo said Christofias had contributed greatly to the promotion of international relations between Cyprus and China, adding that ''bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries will be promoted even further with this visit.''

Christofias said that during the meeting they reviewed the relations between the two parliaments and ''expressed the joint view that they are traditionally friendly relations and over the past few years they have taken on an intensive development because they are based on the principles of international law, parity, mutual respect and solidarity.''

He said Wu Bangguo had ''underlined with great clarity the support to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus.''

''We have decided that the further development be placed on a more organised basis and, apart from the fact that he has accepted an invitation to visit Cyprus soon, to create friendship groups between the two parliaments, not because our relations are not developed and our exchanges are not often, but because this will send a message of a more organised development and deepening of the relations between Cyprus and China,'' Christofias added.

He noted that ''we have also reviewed the role of Cyprus in the EU in relation to the connection or development of relations between the EU and China,'' adding that ''Cyprus supports the deepening of relations between the EU and China and of course the lifting of the embargo that had been imposed by the EU on China.''

''Furthermore, we reviewed international relations and it is our joint view and position that the new order is a disorder, the effort to impose a reign of certain states, such as the United States, on humanity does not benefit humanity, and the international law and all norms, which have been created by humanity after bloody struggles, must be respected,'' he said.

Christofias added that they also talked about the status of developing countries, the distribution of world wealth and world production, noting that they agreed that ''these countries must be relieved of the clutch of the multinationals smothering them, they must be helped to tackle the blight of poverty, starvation and of course the death of millions of people and especially children due to this situation.''

Earlier on, Christofias and his delegation visited the Summer Palace in Beijing and the Temple of the Sky.

[51] Cypriot President inaugurates British Council's new premises

Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos has expressed hope that the close cooperation between Cyprus and Britain in the sector of education will extend to other sectors, especially those concerning the EU.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new British Council building in the old city of Nicosia, along with Director General of the British Council Sir David Green, President Papadopoulos said the close cooperation between the two countries in education is included in the agreement for a structured dialogue, which was announced during his visit to London in 2005.

Sir David said ''our investment in this new centre provides, I believe, a strong demonstration of the British Council's commitment to our work with you in Cyprus,'' adding that there is ''a continuing and deep relationship between Cyprus and the United Kingdom, particularly in the area of education.''

Director of the British Council in Cyprus Richard Walker said that the inauguration of the new building was ''a special moment in the history of the British Council in Cyprus,'' noting that ''we have been working in partnership with you since 1940.''

He explained that the British Council moved to its new premises because it was a better location and that ''we are now located very near what we all hope will be the next pedestrian crossing at the end of the Ledra, enabling our Turkish Cypriot customers to walk through to visit us here.''

Speaking after the ceremony, British High Commissioner in Nicosia Peter Millet said the new building proved the interest and commitment of the British Council in Cyprus, and pointed out the large number of Cypriot students in British universities, and of those taking exams at the British Council.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of the Interior and Minister of Education and Culture Neoklis Sylikiotis, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Cyprus Michael Moller, Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou, University of Cyprus Rector Stavros Zenios and Ministry of Education and Culture Permanent Secretary Olympia Stylianou, among others.

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