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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Fair with local cloud on Monday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[03] Athens reiterates positions on Cyprus settlement

[04] Greek minister Anomeritis discusses future of Cyprus' shipping

[01] Weather Forecast: Fair with local cloud on Monday

Cloud and rain are forecast in the northern and eastern Aegean, the Cyclades, Crete and the Dodecannese and fair weather in the rest of the country. Winds north, northwesterly moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 1C to 11C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 6C to 17C; and in the Aegean islands from 10C to 19C. Fair with light cloud in the morning in Athens with temperatures from 11C to 17C. Fair in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 5C to 10C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.018

Pound sterling 0.642

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.194

Japanese yen 122.9

Swiss franc 1.475

Norwegian kroner 7.390

Cyprus pound 0.576

Canadian dollar 1.587

Australian dollar 1.800

[03] Athens reiterates positions on Cyprus settlement

The Greek positions according to which the UN Secretary-General's plan but also the final solution to the Cyprus problem must comply with the UN decisions and resolutions as well as with the European acquis communautaire, given that Cyprus will soon become a European Union member, was reiterated again by Foreign Minister George Papandreou following a three-hour meeting he had with Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Sunday night.

Papandreou stressed that ''Cyprus' EU accession is a sine qua non for us,'' at the same time noting that ''we should work towards the settlement of the Cyprus problem.''

Furthermore, Papandreou said that ''if we can find a solution until(the EU summit in) Copenhagen, well enough, if not, then the negotiations must continue and for us to work for a solution immediately afterwards.''

The foreign minister said that he had telephone contacts on Sunday both with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and other Cypriot politicians and noted that from Monday he will start contacts with the Greek political parties.

Asked on the various scenarios circulating on the contents of the Annan document, Papandreou said ''we know various proposals which have been discussed at times and certain which were examined in the recent direct talks (between Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash),'' adding that ''we have no specific knowledge of the plan which will be sumbitted tomorrow.''

The foreign minister said President Clerides will need some days to study the plan, at the same time noting that the assessment will be made as soon as possible.

[04] Greek minister Anomeritis discusses future of Cyprus' shipping register

NICOSIA (ANA - Th. Lambropoulos) - Greece's Merchant Marine Minister George Anomeritis on Sunday completed his consultations with his Cypriot counterpart Averof Neofytou and Cyprus Parliament President Demetris Christofias.

Discussed at the talks were issues concerning merchant shipping and the future of the Cypriot shipping register after the accession of Cyprus to the European Union, when Cyprus must strictly implement the EU's legislation.

Anomeritis stressed that Greece and Cyprus will create a common front in the international maritime organisations, while his Cypriot counterpart noted that the Cypriot flag will cease to henceforth be a flag of opportunity, as ''the European Commission closed the file of Cyprus' shipping early, approving it.''

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