Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-16
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 16/06/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- President Stephanopoulos denies resignation reports
- Greek premier at Amsterdam EU summit
- 20 people killed in Whitsun mass exodus
- Black Sea Pact Assembly meeting in Athens
- Filipino president to visit Greece for first time
- Turkish businessmen to visit Rhodes
- Replica of ancient trireme in Thessaloniki
- Increase in tourist arrivals from Middle East expected
- Greek athletes win 14 medals in Mediterranean Games
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
President Stephanopoulos denies resignation reports
The President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos yesterday denied press
reports that he intended to resign because of health reasons. Speaking to
reporters at the end of a three-day tour of the Cycladic islands, Mr.
Stephanopoulos said the rumours apparently stemmed from his brief visit to
a hospital recently to check an "ordinary virus."
Greek premier at Amsterdam EU summit
Prime Minister Costas Simitis and National Economy Minister Giannos
Papantoniou are participating in the key European Union summit in Amsterdam
today and tomorrow. The government has noted that most of Greece's
objectives had been attained "since the issues in question are included in
the text which will serve as a guideline for discussion "at the summit.
Papantoniou said that irrespective of the summit's outcome, Greece's
economic policy will not change even in the event of a relaxation of the
criteria for EMU.
20 people killed in Whitsun mass exodus
Twenty people were killed and 289 were injured in 227 road accidents during
the mass exodus from Athens and other big cities for the Whitsun holiday.
Police will be taking extra measures today to ease possible congestion on
national highways, when thousands of holidaymakers return home from the
three-day weekend.
Black Sea Pact Assembly meeting in Athens
The Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic Cooperation Pact (PABSEC),
whose six-month rotating presidency is held by Greece, meets in Athens on
June 17-19 to discuss a wide range of economic, political and social
issues. PABSEC, founded in 1993, is the parliamentary arm of Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
Filipino president to visit Greece for first time
The President of the Philippines Fidel Ramos will pay a three-day official
visit to Greece beginning June 22 at the invitation of President Kostis
Stephanopoulos. During his stay, Mr. Ramos will sign a bilateral cultural
accord and an informal agreement between the Greek overseas trade council
and the equivalent Filipino agency.
Turkish businessmen to visit Rhodes
One hundred Turkish businessmen, all members of the Commerce and Industry
Chamber of Izmir, will visit Rhodes for the first time on June 29 and 30 to
discuss cooperation and commercial exchanges. The event is being held after
an initiative by the Izmir chamber. Delegation members will meet with local
chamber representatives and other agencies to discuss cooperation in
tourism, coastal shipping and promotion of Turkish products on the
island.
Replica of ancient trireme in Thessaloniki
A full-scale, sea-going replica of an ancient Athenian trireme "sailed"
into the port of Thessaloniki on Friday.
The "Olympias", a copy of a 5th century BC trireme, accomodating 170 rowers,
has linen sails and bronze rams. It was transported to Thessaloniki by a
Hellenic Navy landing craft. With the help of a floating crane and tug-
boats, the trireme was placed on a specially designed platform where it can
be visited by the public.
The trireme, built on ancient shipbuilding methods, has generated
archaeological and naval interest throughout the world. It was built in
Perama, near Piraeus, with the assistance of two British history professors
and officers of the Hellenic Navy general staff.
The naval vessel which transported the trireme, the "Ikaria", also anchored
at the port, while an exhibition entitled "The Hellenic Navy," which will
be open to the public, will be officially inaugurated by National Defence
Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos on Tuesday.
Increase in tourist arrivals from Middle East expected
A significant increase in the number of tourists from the Arab gulf states
and the Middle East is expected this year, according to the National
Tourism Organisation (EOT).
EOT and Olympic Airways participated with a joint pavilion in the recent
Arabian Travel Market 1997 exhibition in Dubai.
EOT representatives also participated in a meeting of about 400 travel
agents, organised by Emirates Holidays, a subsidiary of Emirates Airways,
on the occasion of Greece's inclusion in its programmes for 1997-98.
The tour operator last year included Athens in one of its European
destinations, with two weekly direct flights from Dubai. Greece was
presented as a competitive destination, together with Malaysia, South
Africa, Kenya, Australia and Yemen.
Greek athletes win 14 medals in Mediterranean Games
Greek athletes won 14 medals -- six gold, four silver and four bronze -- at
the ongoing Mediterranean Games in Bari, Italy, weekend ranking 4th in the
medals table.
Weather
Mostly sunny weather with some local clouds and light northerly winds is
forecast for most parts of Greece today. Temperature will drop slightly
reaching 35 degrees in Athens, and 32 in Thessaloniki and the islands.
Foreign Exchange
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 271.927
Pound sterling 443.305 Cyprus pd 527.486
French franc 46.584 Swiss franc 188.311
German mark 157.172 Italian lira (100) 15.993
Yen (100) 237.574 Canadian dlr. 196.515
Australian dlr. 204.491 Irish Punt 413.565
Belgian franc 7.619 Finnish mark 52.530
Dutch guilder 139.743 Danish kr. 41.303
Swedish kr. 35.083 Norwegian kr. 37.662
Austrian sch. 22.348 Spanish peseta 1.860
Port. Escudo 1.554
(A.X.)
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