Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-04-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] Conference on stability, security in SE Europe in Athens this week

[02] Meeting on making Thessaloniki a Balkan agrologistics hub

[03] Members of Greek-Turkish Chamber visit SE Turkey

[04] Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos to receive award in Crete

[05] Strikes on Thursday

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[07] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Wednesday

[08] Greek stocks end mixed to higher on Tuesday

[01] Conference on stability, security in SE Europe in Athens this week

The Greek defence ministry is organising a conference in Athens this week focusing on the all-important issues of stability and security in southeast Europe, as part of events to commemorate the 50th anniversary since NATOs establishment.

NATO General Secretary Lord Robertson is expected to participate, as is EU Common Foreign Policy and Defence chief Javier Solana, along with defence ministers of Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania, Romania, FYROM, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia.

According to reports, bilateral contacts are expected on the sidelines of the conference, whereas a meeting by ministers from Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania may also take place, as the latter two states are NATO candidate-states.

[02] Meeting on making Thessaloniki a Balkan agrologistics hub

The Association of Northern Greek Industries announced on Tuesday that it would hold a meeting on April 18 with the Netherlands embassy and Agricultural Bank of Greece on how the northern port city of Thessaloniki could become an agrologistics hub for the Balkans.

The meeting was proposed by the embassy's agricultural section and Agricultural, a state-owned bank active in the farming sector, the association said in a statement.

[03] Members of Greek-Turkish Chamber visit SE Turkey

ISTANBUL (ANA/A.Kourkoulas) - Officials of the Greek-Turkish Chamber of Commerce are visiting four southeastern Turkish cities as part of a programme to inform businesses of investment opportunities in Greece.

Also arranging the visit is the Greek consulate in Istanbul and Turkey's Council for External Economic Relations.

''This is the second such tour we have arranged in Turkey, and great interest has been shown by Turkish businesses in opportunities for alliances with Greek firms,'' said the chamber's president, Panayotis Koutsikos.

Economic ties between Greece and Turkey rose sharply in 2000 with trade totalling one billion US dollars.

[04] Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos to receive award in Crete

The Technical Institute of Crete's award will be given this year to Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos.

The decision was taken unanimously by the institute's board and announced on Tuesday by its president Markos Karanastasis.

He said that the award ceremony will be held on June 15 and that the award will be presented to Vartholomeos by either the President of the Republic or the education minister.

Karanastasis said Patriarch Vartholomeos was being honoured for his efforts towards the rapprochement of churches and for the prevalence of peace in the world.

The award will be presented in June as the Patriarch will be paying a private visit there at the time.

[05] Strikes on Thursday

Workers on state railways and the Piraeus-Kifissia metro line will stage a 24-hour strike on Thursday, along with hospital personnel.

In addition, a work stoppage has been called for Athens metro employees for 5-9 am, and a three-hour strike by teachers, both on Thursday.

Trollies and buses will run normally.

Finally, taxi drivers are to stage a 48-hour strike on Wednesday and Thursday.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.887

Pound sterling 0.617

Danish kroner 7.492

Swedish kroner 9.218

Japanese yen 116.66

Swiss franc 1.481

Norwegian kroner 7.694

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.408

Australian dollar 1.671

[07] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Wednesday

Cloud turning to rain and storms is forecast in most parts of the country, chiefly on the mainland. Winds variable, strong to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 9C to 16C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 11C to 19C; and in the Aegean islands from 12C to 18C. The day will start sunny in Athens with cloud later in the day that may turn to rain and storms. Temperatures between 10C and 18C. Storms from late afternoon in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 9C to 16C.

[08] Greek stocks end mixed to higher on Tuesday

Equity prices ended Tuesdays session mixed to lower on the Athens Stock Exchange reflecting lack of fresh incentives and directions from the Greek bourse.

The general index rose 0.10 percent to end at 2,169.65 points with turnover an improved 78.35 million euros, of which 15 million euros were block trades.

The Investment, Cement and Industrial sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (1.22 percent, 1.22 percent and 0.73 percent, respectively), while the Textile, IT and Bank sectors suffered the heaviest losses (0.69 percent, 0.62 percent and 0.62 percent.).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.07 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 0.09 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 0.03 percent lower.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 162 to 152 with another 50 issues unchanged.

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