Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-11-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Friday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[03] Culture minister meets with IOC Coordinating Committee president

[04] Christodoulakis, O'Sullivan discuss Greek EU presidency

[01] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Friday

Rain and storms are forecast in all parts of the country. Winds variable, moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 3C to 14C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 10C to 19C; and in the Aegean islands from 15C to 19C. Temperatures in Athens between 16C and 20C; and in Thessaloniki from 7C to 13C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.009

Pound sterling 0.643

Danish kroner 7.489

Swedish kroner 9.212

Japanese yen 122.9

Swiss franc 1.475

Norwegian kroner 7.413

Cyprus pound 0.576

Canadian dollar 1.566

Australian dollar 1.790

[03] Culture minister meets with IOC Coordinating Committee president

Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Thursday met with International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordinating Committee President Denis Oswald and Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki at the culture ministry.

Oswald has arrived in Greece to inspect the progress of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Following the meeting Venizelos said ''my colleagues and I had a very interesting and long talk with Mr. Oswald, who will hold tomorrow, on Friday, his customary press conference''.

''Mr. Oswald stressed time and again and with great emphasis that the visit is particularly successful, that there is very great satisfaction with the progress of the Olympic preparation. In comparison with the last visit and in comparison with the condition that existed last year, today's picture of the Olympic preparation is really excellent and time and again he congratulated all the ministers that are participating in the Olympic preparations and in the organizing committee,'' the minister stressed.

''I am absolutely certain that tomorrow at the press conference he will reiterate, with a very clear way, these statements,'' Venizelos said.

[04] Christodoulakis, O'Sullivan discuss Greek EU presidency

Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis met in Athens on Thursday with European Commission Secretary General David O'Sullivan, and discussed issues related with the Greek EU presidency.

The meeting was also attended by Vasilis Rapanos, chairman of the Council of Economic Experts.

Greece takes over the rotating six-month EU presidency from Denmark on January 1, 2003.

O'Sullivan also met Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis.

The two men and their respective delegations discussed the prospects of the Cyprus issue and it was stressed that the Copenhagen summit will conclude the enlargement process, with or without the resolution of the political problem. They also noted that the developments concerning the Cyprus issue over the next few weeks will be crucial.

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