Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-09-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek FM departs for U.S. where he will also meet Turkish counterpart

[02] SAE pavillion officially opens at Thessaloniki Fair

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloud on Tuesday

[05] Greek stocks plunge 1.45 percent on Monday

[01] Greek FM departs for U.S. where he will also meet Turkish counterpart

Foreign Minister George Papandreou departs for Washington on Tuesday where he will hold talks with Congressmen on issues of mutual interest as well as on European developments given that Greece is participating in the troika and will assume the EU presidency in the first half of 2003. While in the U.S. he will also meet his Turkish counterpart Sukru Sina Gurel and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

In a briefing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis emphasised that Papandreou's visit coincided with the particularly spectacular developments in the confrontation of terrorism and noted that the purpose of the foreign minister is to highlight this issue both to the American Congress and the American mass media.

According to Beglitis, Papandreou will further discuss developments in the Cyprus issue, Cyprus' EU accession course, Turkey-EU relations and the tense climate which has arisen in EU-US relations.

On September 11 Papandreou willvisit New York where he will participate in a series of events marking the first anniversary since the terrorist attack. The foreign minister will also attend the UN General Assembly which starts on September 12, in the margin of which he will have a series of contacts with counterparts from the EU, the Balkans, Middle East and Latin America.

Papandreou is scheduled on September 12 to meet with his Turkish counterpart Sukru Sina Gurel with whom he will discuss the Cyprus issue, the course of bilateral relations and Turkey's European prospects.

On September 16 Papandreou will meet US Secretary of State Colin Powell for talks on bilateral relations, international and regional problems and EU-US relations.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, meetings are planned on the level of the Eu 15 foreign ministers with third countries, as well as a series of meetings on the level of the European troika at which Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis will attend.

[02] SAE pavillion officially opens at Thessaloniki Fair

Launching several innovations and featuring two special participations, the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) on Monday inaugurated its pavillion at the 67th International Fair of Thessaloniki.

The organization and development of regional SAE branches, network reinforcement, the organization of the Helleniad (Olympiad for Hellenes Abroad), the support programs for Black Sea Hellenism and the promotion of Cypriot civilization in European capitals in view of the EU enlargement, are only some of SAE's innovations, while the distinguished guests are Greek-origin 14-year-veteran firefighter Peter Critsimilios, who participated in the rescue efforts of 11 September 2001 in New York and Olympic medallist Demosthenes Tabakos, a member of the Helleniad Council.

The inauguration was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Magriotis, SAE President Andrew Athens, Hellenism Abroad Secretary General Dimitris Dollis, as well as the US general consul in Thessaloniki John M. Koening.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 0.987

Pound sterling 0.633

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.277

Japanese yen 117.7

Swiss franc 1.469

Norwegian kroner 7.416

Cyprus pound 0.577

Canadian dollar 1.541

Australian dollar 1.807

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloud on Tuesday

Light cloud is forecast in all parts of the country that may turn to storms, mainly in the north. Winds north-northwesterly, light to moderate. In the north, temperatures will range from 14C to 28C; on the rest of the mainland from 17C to 30C; and in the islands from 20C to 29C. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 29C; and in Thessaloniki from 17C to 28C.

[05] Greek stocks plunge 1.45 percent on Monday

Greek stocks plunged 1.45 percent on Monday hit by a negative climate in international markets, news of higher inflation in August and slower growth in the second quarter of 2002, figures that raised investors' fears over economic developments in the country.

The general index ended at 2,036.89 points, off 1.45 percent, with turnover an improved 93.67 million euros, reflecting block trades in Attica Bank.

The Holding, IT Solutions, Wholesale and IT sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (4.50 percent, 4.23 percent, 2.30 percent and 1.64 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 1.41 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 1.52 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.44 percent lower. The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks fell 1.77 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 290 to 33 with another 30 issues unchanged.

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