Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-09-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Soccer-UEFA Cup-Greek Results

[02] Greece-Cyprus -UN

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates-Friday

[04] Weather Forecast-Friday

[05] European day without cars-Laliotis

[06] Constitution-Amendments-Agreement

[07] Popular Bank-mutual funds

[08] Greece-cabinet-EU funds

[09] Greece-stock market-political confronation

[10] ASE-close

[01] Soccer-UEFA Cup-Greek Results

Three Greek soccer teams played first round, first leg matches for the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

PAOK Thessaloniki beat Israel's Betar Jerusalem 3-1 at home, Iraklis Thessaloniki drew 0-0 away with France's Gueugnon and OFI Iraklion drew 0-0 away with Yugoslavia's Napredak Krusevac.

For the same tournament, AEK Athens drew 2-2 away with Vasas Budapest on Tuesday.

[02] Greece-Cyprus -UN

NEW YORK (ANA-G.Georgiadou/CNA) - Greece and Cyprus are in close contact and coordinate their efforts with a view to promote a Cyprus settlement in the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, Foreign Minister George Papandreou said in New York on Wednesday night.

Speaking after a lengthy meeting with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, Papandreou avoided any comment on a statement by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, noting that any announcements would be made by President Clerides.

"Greece stands by the efforts of the Cyprus government and President

Clerides to promote a Cyprus settlement," Papandreou said, adding

that "there was close cooperation."

He also said Athens stands by Cyprus "at this crucial moment".

"We coordinate our moves closely and we also brief each other on the

efforts we make," he added.

Papandreou said "the goal is to promote a solution of the Cyprus

question in the known framework, which for Greece cannot be violated,

and that is a bizonal, bicommunal federation".

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates-Friday

Indicative rates released by the central bank for the next working day.

Fridays rates (buying)

Euro 335.802

U.S. dollar 386.731

German mark 171.692

French franc 051.193

Pound sterling 546.275

Irish punt 426.380

Belgian franc 008.324

Luxembourg franc 008.324

Dutch guilder 152.380

Italian lira (100) 017.343

Austrian schilling 024.403

Danish kroner 044.983

Swedish kroner 039.878

Finnish mark 056.478

Spanish peseta 002.018

Portuguese escudo 001.674

Japanese yen (100) 360.493

Swiss franc 219.753

Norwegian kroner 041.803

Cyprus pound 585.260

Canadian dollar 258.813

Australian dollar 213.513

[04] Weather Forecast-Friday

Sunny weather is forecast in most parts of the country on Friday, turning showery in the south. Early morning mist is expected in the Ionian and on the mainland. Winds northerly, light to moderate, turning strong in the southeastern Aegean. Temperatures in the north will range from 13C to 31C; on the rest of the mainland from 16C to 32C; and in the islands from 20C to 29C. Mostly sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 20C and 32C. Scattered cloud in Thessaloniki, with temperatures ranging from 17C to 31C.

[05] European day without cars-Laliotis

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works (PEHODE) Minister Costas Laliotis on Friday will hold a press conference with 60 mayors from around the country to present Greeces programme for the ?European day without cars in a city without cars?.

The ?European day without cars in a city without cars? is scheduled for Sept. 22 and was a joint initiative of environment ministers from all 15 member-states of the Union.

Sixty municipalities from around the country are participating under the auspices of the ministry of environment.

[06] Constitution-Amendments-Agreement

Ruling PASOK and main opposition New Democracy (ND) on Thursday reached a gentlemens agreement on proposals for the amendment of Constitutional articles regulating ratification of international agreement, through their representatives participating in the relevant Parliament Committee.

The relevant articles, 28, 36 and 80 will allow for speeder ratification of international agreements, especially those with the European Union, modernizing the Greek constitution and facilitating Greeces entry into Union institutions including the European Monetary Union (EMU), PASOK representative on the Committee Evaggelos Venizelos said.

[07] Popular Bank-mutual funds

Popular Bank on Thursday launched a new equity mutual fund through its affiliate Popular Mutual Funds Management.

The new fund, "Popular Domestic Blue Chips", will invest 70 percent of its portfolio to the 40 biggest companies listed in the Athens Stock Exchange, based on their market capitalisation, with the remaining 30 percent to be invested in smaller capitalisation stocks with dynamic long-term growth prospects.

Popular Bank manages three more mutual funds, an equity fund, a bond fund and a money market fund.

[08] Greece-cabinet-EU funds

The Greek cabinet unanimously approved on Thursday proposals by national economy ministry for changes in the management, payment and monitoring of funds from a Third Community Support Framework, as envisaged by EU regulations.

The proposal envisages the formation of new authorities (mechanisms) with staff from high-ranking public sector officials, or new hirings.

National Economy and Finance Minister, Yiannos Papantoniou, stressed the need for closer cooperation between public sector's agencies, regional authorities and ministries, to ensure a more efficient and speedier absorption of EU funds.

National Economy Deputy Minister Christos Pachtas said the country needed new mechanisms and services in the public administration to fully absorb funds from a Third Community Support Framework.

[09] Greece-stock market-political confronation

The Greek government and the ND main opposition conservative party clashed in parliament on Thursday over a draft bill for the restructuring of stock market transactions.

ND leader Costas Caramanlis accused the government of intervening in the Athens bourse in the pre-election period using the Public Securities Corporation (DEKA). He unveilled that the corporation borrowed 288 billion drachmas, with another 100 billion in government subsidies to strengthen its financial position.

National Economy and Finance Minister, Yiannos Papantoniou, replying to ND's accusations said that it was the main opposition party that intervened in the market in the pre-election period.

Papantoniou said that the Public Securities Corporation issue was in the hands of prosecutor and predicted that the truth would be known.

[10] ASE-close

Foreign investors returned to the Athens Stock Exchange on Thursday, following a three-day correction of the market, pushing the general index 6.42 percent higher.

Buying interest focused on blue chip stocks, such as Commercial Bank, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank and National Bank which were the biggest percentage gainers.

The session begun with share prices moving moderately lower, but the reappearance of foreign institutional buying dramatically changed the climate, traders said.

The general index ended at 4,247.12 points, up 6.42 percent, near its day's highs. The index had lost 8.92 percent in the previous three sessions of the week.

Turnover was a moderate 156.42 billion drachmas. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended at 2,428.20 points, up 6.81 percent and the FTSE/ASE 40 index surged 5.10 percent to end at 567.96 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 8.16 percent higher at 684.54 points.

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