Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-04-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Foreign Exchange Rates-Monday

[02] Labour Minister-EU Commissioner

[03] Weather Forecast-Sunday

[04] Gov't-Policy Statement-Reactions

[05] Papandreou-Serbs-Kosovo

[06] China-President Zemin-Kaklamanis-Avramopoulos

[07] Gov't-Parliament-Policy Statement

[01] Foreign Exchange Rates-Monday

Following are indicative foreign exchange rates for commercial banks released by the central bank for the next working day.

Monday's rates (buying)

Euro 332.866

U.S. dollar 355.007

German mark 170.191

[02] Labour Minister-EU Commissioner

Labour and Social Security Minister Tassos Yiannitsis on Saturday met Anna Diamantopoulou, the European Union's commissioner for employment and social affairs, for talks in Athens.

[03] Weather Forecast-Sunday

Cloud turning to showers or storms are forecast throughout the country on Sunday.

The morning will be misty in mainland Greece. Winds will be westerly, light to moderate.

[04] Gov't-Policy Statement-Reactions

The conservative New Democracy (ND) party, which came second in national elections on April 9, said on Saturday that the government's policy statement delivered in parliament the same day could not be construed as a plan of action.

"What the prime minister said in parliament today could be called anything but a policy statement," ND spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos said in a statment.

[05] Papandreou-Serbs-Kosovo

Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Saturday met with a three-member delegation of Serbs from Kosovo who are attending a conference organised in Athens by the Serbian opposition.

Papandreou, who described his meeting with the delegation as "very constructive", said Greece believes that the Balkans need a policy of principles based on peace and cooperation and "a unified voice".

[06] China-President Zemin-Kaklamanis-Avramopoulos

People's Republic of China President Jiang Zemin on Saturday morning met with Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis and Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Zemin arrived in Greece on Friday on a three-day official visit at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kostis Stephanopoulos. He is the first Chinese president to visit Greece.

In his meeting with Kaklamanis in the parliament building, Zemin underlined the identity of views between Greece and China on current major international issues and the particularly friendly and historic ties linking the two countries.

Kaklamanis expressed Greece's gratitude over China's positive stance concerning major Greek issues, in particular that of the Cyprus issue, and said Zemin's visit will contribute to the further development of relations between the two countries.

Also underlined at the meeting was China's major role as a force of stability and peace in the world.

Zemin also visited the Athens Town Hall where mayor Avramopoulos presented the Chinese president with the Gold Medal of the City of Athens. In his address, Avramopoulos hailed China's role and Zemin's personality.

[07] Gov't-Parliament-Policy Statement

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Saturday told parliament that his Panhellenic Socialist Movement would keep the pledges it made before winning national elections on April 9 and assuming government.

"The commitments we made before the Greek public will be fully adhered to," said Simitis, delivering his government's policy statement before the new parliament to emerge from the polls.

The goverment's main priorities were taking Greece into the euro zone by January 1, 2001; supporting employment, education and wages; and improving health services, the prime minister said.

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