Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-09-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Draft law for "viable development of Attica"

[02] Derivatives Market Close: Equity futures down, tracking main market

[03] 66th TIF closes its doors marking a slightly increased number of

[04] Defence, Development ministry inaugurate maritime research program

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[06] CORRECTION - Royaumont Initiative chief receives Austrian "Globe Art"

[07] Greece stresses commitment to meeting NATO obligations

[08] Bond Market Close: Prices fall in heavy trade

[09] Royaumont Initiative chief receives Austrian "Golden Art" award

[10] Tuesday weather: Cloudy throughout the country

[11] 'Big Brother' hearing postponed until November

[12] Suspected migrant-laden vessel issues distress call

[13] More Afghan, Iraqi migrants detained on Greek isles

[14] Greek bourse extends trading until 18.00

[15] Olympic resumes North American flights

[16] Appellate court freezes seizure of German state properties

[17] Papantoniou urges markets to remain calm

[01] Draft law for "viable development of Attica"

Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis announced on Monday that the two ministries are advancing a new draft law for "a viable development of Attica", which will replace presidential decree 84/84.

The ministers said 106 billion drachmas will be alloted for the improvement of the environment and for enterprises to assume initiatives for the protection of the environment.

They noted that the demand for an ecolocical readjustment of production was imperative.

[02] Derivatives Market Close: Equity futures down, tracking main market

Equity futures on the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Monday finished at a discount, tracking the main market in heavy trade.

The underlying FTSE/ASE-20 index for heavily traded stocks and blue chips shed 1.67 percent; and the underlying FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation stocks ended 4.44 percent down.

Changing hands were 19,916 contracts on turnover of 114.1 million euros, traders said.

[03] 66th TIF closes its doors marking a slightly increased number of visitors

The 66th Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF) closed its doors on Sunday evening, overshadowed this year by the heinous terrorist attacks in the United States of America last Tuesday.

The first statistics that became public regarding the success of the TIF showed increases in both visitors numbers and ticket sales. Specifically, 295,950 people visited the exhibition this year, compared to 285,561 people last year. Ticket sales rose to 225,950 this year, compared to 219,583 during the TIF of 2000.

TIF served 1,210 exhibitors, of which 581 were directly and 629 were indirectly exhibiting their products and services, among them 45 state agencies and enterprises, including the national economy ministry, which co-organized with the culture and Macedonia-Thrace ministries, with the support of the National Bank of Greece and the European Commission an exhibit on the euro, the Union's common currency.

Businesses from nineteen different countries participated in this year's event. Companies from Egypt, Albania, Bulgaria, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Cyprus, Libya, South Africa, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Tunisia and the Czech Republic exhibited their products and services on 43,000 sq. meters of space, along with a large number of Greek companies.

[04] Defence, Development ministry inaugurate maritime research program

The ministries of defence and development on Monday inaugurated a cooperative effort for maritime research via the "Posidon" system, used by the National Center of Maritime Research (EKTHE).

Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis jointly inaugurated the program, which would allow the defence ministry to use the "Posidon" system for research in sea-surface, below surface and measurement research that is conducted by the research vessel "Aegean" and the bathyscaph "Thetis".

The internet support system for used by the EKTHE will also be available for the defence ministry studies. This system was funded by the European Union with four billion drachmas and was conducting environmental and earthquake research, among others.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Indicative tourist buying rates until Tuesday

U.S. dollar 364.672

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 536.208

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.419

Swedish kroner 34.813

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 311.215

Swiss franc 227.166

Norwegian kroner 041.910

Cyprus pound 590.186

Canadian dollar 232.245

Australian dollar 182.913

[06] CORRECTION - Royaumont Initiative chief receives Austrian "Globe Art" award

In the headline and the first paragraph, please read ?Globe Art? instead of "Golden Art", as incorrectly stated.

A corrected repetition follows

VIENNA (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis) - Former Greek Minister Panagiotis Roumeliotis on Monday was awarded the Austrian " Globe Art" award for his efforts on behalf of the European Union toward Balkan stability.

Roumeliotis headed the EU's Royaumont Initiative that aimed at achieving cooperation between countries in southeastern Europe, the development of relations of good neighborliness and the consolidation of stability in the region, shaken by the Bosnian crisis. The initiative completed its cycle five years after its creation last May and it was incorporated in the Balkan Stability Pact.

[07] Greece stresses commitment to meeting NATO obligations

Greece on Friday stressed that it ?will honour its commitments to the letter? as emanating from the activation of NATOs Article V, following last weeks shocking terrorist attacks on US soil.

In a related development, Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis was briefed by Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos on Monday over the latest international developments and measures taken by the Greek armed forces.

"When a military-type attack is recorded you must answer accordingly, while at the same time raising the issue of democracy, international law and internationally recognised democratic rights in seeking 'the right formula'," Tsohatzopoulos said. He also stressed that NATO and the European Union are organisations which can delineate the conditions of such an 'answer'.

In separate comments, foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis added that no specific request has as yet been forwarded by Washington via NATO channels. He also said that whatever decision is taken will be the product of discussions among the alliances members.

[08] Bond Market Close: Prices fall in heavy trade

Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Monday finished lower in heavy trade focusing on 10-year paper, with buying restricted to short-term securities.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.29 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 51 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 1.4 billion euros.

Sell orders accounted for the bulk of turnover.

[09] Royaumont Initiative chief receives Austrian "Golden Art" award

VIENNA (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis) - Former Greek Minister Panagiotis Roumeliotis on Monday was awarded the Austrian "Golden Art" award for his efforts on behalf of the European Union toward Balkan stability.

Roumeliotis headed the EU's Royaumont Initiative that aimed at achieving cooperation between countries in southeastern Europe, the development of relations of good neighborliness and the consolidation of stability in the region, shaken by the Bosnian crisis. The initiative completed its cycle five years after its creation last May and it was incorporated in the Balkan Stability Pact.

[10] Tuesday weather: Cloudy throughout the country

Cloudy in most areas of Greece on Tuesday. South to southeasterly winds, light to moderate. Temperatures between 12C to 30C in the north; 16C to 32C in the rest of the mainland and 19C to 29C on the islands. Light cloud weather in Athens, with temperatures ranging from 19C to 32C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures ranging from 17C to 30C.

[11] 'Big Brother' hearing postponed until November

The hearing of a case filed against the Greek television station Antenna over the Greek version of the reality-TV show 'Big Brother' was postponed until November 5 by an Athens court on Monday.

The hearing concerns two separates petitions that 'Big Brother' broadcasts be ordered to stop, on the grounds that they offend the personality of viewers.

[12] Suspected migrant-laden vessel issues distress call

A freighter suspected of transporting a large number of would-be migrants reportedly broadcast a mayday signal Monday afternoon as it sailed about four nautical miles west of Lefkada, in the Ionian Sea west of mainland Greece.

Greek coast guard vessels, a Greek Navy warship and several fishing boats responded to the distress signal of the as yet unidentified vessel. The freighter was reportedly heading towards Italy.

[13] More Afghan, Iraqi migrants detained on Greek isles

A group of 19 Iraqi illegal immigrants were detained on the eastern Aegean island of Samos early Monday, although an alleged Turkish migrant smuggler escaped arrest.

According to port authorities, the 19 Iraqis -- including four women and three children -- were transported to a remote beach near the port town of Vathy by speedboat from the nearby Turkish coast. The illegals, who were spotted and detained in the early morning hours by coast guard officers, were due to appear before a local prosecutor later in the day.

In repeating reports told by other would-be immigrants over the past few months, the detainees told authorities that there was a large number of Iraqis waiting on the Turkish side waiting to attempt an illegal entry into Greece, which has recently beefed up border controls.

Meanwhile, 23 Afghani illegal immigrants were arrested by police early Monday on another eastern Aegean island, Hios, after arriving on the isles beaches with four inflatable dinghies.

According to reports, the migrants had disembarked from the opposing Turkish coastal region of Cesme with inflatable craft purchased from Turkish migrant smugglers at US$1,000 a piece.

The dinghies were reportedly destroyed and thrown in the sea, police said.

[14] Greek bourse extends trading until 18.00

The Athens Stock Exchange announced a further one-hour extension of trading in the market in an effort to bring the Greek bourse's session more in line with other European markets' trading hours and to better reflect conditions in Wall Street.

Bourse officials suspended trading in mid-session at noon for two hours as an excessively negative climate brought about a nosedive, plunging the general index 8.30 percent to 2,063.81 points as at 11:55 a.m.

The decision was taken after urgent consultations among the president of the Athens Stock Exchange, the chairman of the Capital Markets Committee and other market officials, who assessed that the magnitude of the decline in share prices did not correspond to the international state of affairs.

They decided to temporarily suspend Monday's trading session at noon and reopen trading at 2:15 to enable investors to "calmly assess the current developments". The first decision was to extend trading until 17.00.

ASE said trading hours in the week would be altered from 12.00 to 18.00 local time.

[15] Olympic resumes North American flights

Olympic Airways resumed flights to North America on Monday, as OA flight 423 to Montreal left at 9:50 a.m., while OA flight 411 for New York left at 12:20 p.m.

The state-run airlines management has cautioned passengers to arrive at Greek airports at least four hours before departure as draconian security measures have been implemented.

Passengers whose flights to North American destinations were cancelled over the past days are also kindly requested to contact OA at 96.666.66 and 81.444.44.

[16] Appellate court freezes seizure of German state properties

The execution of a court order to confiscate German state properties in Greece was frozen by an appeals court ruling on Monday, which accepted the arguments put forward by lawyers representing Berlin.

The order to confiscate and auction off the Goethe Institute and the German Archaeological Society building in Athens had originally been issued by a lower court in central Greece as compensation for relatives of the Distomo massacre victims, killed by Nazi occupation troops in June 1944.

In its decision, the appellate court said it had accepted arguments by the German side that the ruling was invalid because the consent of the Greek justice minister was required for the seizure of foreign state assets and this had not been obtained.

The relatives filing the class-action suit against Germany said they would apply to have the Monday ruling revoked by the Supreme Court.

[17] Papantoniou urges markets to remain calm

We need stability and calm to deal with the impact of a terrorist attack against the United States and the world economy last week, Greece's National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Papantoniou said "developments were directly connected with the stability and security climate that the US will create both in an economic and a political level."

He noted that Greece now acknowledged better the benefits from its timely participation in the eurozone, "our strongest shield against forthcoming developments."

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