Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-01-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM says majority of EU countries want peaceful settlement of Iraq

[02] DM discusses Iraq and European defence policy during Algeria visit

[03] Greek and Finnish deputy FMs discuss development cooperation

[04] Southeast European telecoms school to be set up in 2003

[05] Heleco 2003 to open its gates Thursday

[06] State hospital doctors to strike Wednesday

[07] Ferry staff at Rio-Antirrio link freeze strikes until Feb 15

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[09] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, showery on Wednesday

[10] Greek stocks end 1.31 pct lower on Tuesday

[01] FM says majority of EU countries want peaceful settlement of Iraq problem

BRUSSELS (ANA - M. Spinthourakis) - Foreign Minister and current EU Council of Ministers President George Papandreou said on Tuesday the majority of European Union countries want a peaceful settlement of the problem of Iraq.

Papandreou, who was addressing the European Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, said in the event of military escalation, most countries would want this to occur after a relevant decision is taken by the UN.

The foreign minister said coordination of the position of EU member-states participating in the UN Security Council on the issue of Iraq will continue, indicating that disagreements existed in the EU over Iraq.

[02] DM discusses Iraq and European defence policy during Algeria visit

Defence Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, currently on an official visit to Algeria, discussed the issue of Iraq and European security and defence policy in talks with Algerian Armed Forces Chief Mohamed Lamari and Air Force Chief Mohamed Benslimani on Tuesday.

''There is great concern here in Algeria and in all the Arab countries regarding the possibility of military intervention in Iraq, without backing by the international community,'' Papantoniou told reporters.

He said the reason for this is that if this happens there is the risk of a very negative climate being created in the Arab world against the United States and of this climate ultimately undermining the final outcome of the struggle against international terrorism.

''For this reason the effort being made by the Greek government, being the European Union's presiding country, to lead matters to a peaceful settlement of the issue with insistence on UN procedures is of very great importance,'' he added.

Papantoniou said the second issue discussed was European security and defence policy, the Mediterranean dimension of this policy and the open character of this policy, adding that the issue of security is a global one.

[03] Greek and Finnish deputy FMs discuss development cooperation

Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos and his Finnish counterpart P. Majanen on Tuesday discussed the priorities of the European Union's Greek presidency in the development cooperation sector.

Majanen congratulated Loverdos for the presidency's agenda, with regard to development issues, and confirmed his government's support for this effort by Greece.

Loverdos in turn briefed Majanen on issues to be discussed at the informal Development Cooperation Council in Alexandroupoli, northern Greece, in June and referred to the significance of the EU's 10 new member-states participating with observer status.

[04] Southeast European telecoms school to be set up in 2003

A telecommunications school is to be established in the northern port city of Thessaloniki in 2003, its founders said on Friday.

The Southeast European Telecommunications Academy (INA Academy) is to be set up by the Institute of Telecommunications and Infotech Research and Studies Institute for Southeastern European countries (INA).

Work on the school's premises will be completed by the end of March, INA's president, Vasilios Takas, told a news conference on Tuesday.

The new school is to be funded from European Union funds, national monies, and by the institute. Other financing is likely to be sought.

It will also have branches in other southeast European countries, Takas added.

INA has worked on the project with the communications ministries of countries in the region, backed by Greek government authorities.

Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos has shown interest in the scheme.

Loverdos is handling Greece's reconstruction plan for the Balkans.

[05] Heleco 2003 to open its gates Thursday

Heleco 2003, an international trade fair and conference on environment technology will officially open its gates to the public on Thursday, 30 January, until Sunday, 2 February.

The fourth Heleco exhibition and conference, organised by the Technical Chamber of Greece under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, will be held at the Helexpo trade fair centre in Maroussi, Athens.

More than 100 Greek and international industries and companies and famous scientists are expected to participate in this year's conference.

The agenda of the exhibition and the conference includes the sea environment, the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and the environment, environment and globalisation, urban planning and environment and others.

[06] State hospital doctors to strike Wednesday

State hospital doctors are to stage a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, seeking permanent status for colleagues working in the national health system on a contractual basis.

The Federation of Hospital Doctors' Unions said in a statement on Tuesday that hospitals would have skeletion staff to handle emergencies, as required by law.

Unions are also seeking payment of a 176 euro bonus that other state workers have received since January 1, 2002; and more government spending in the health sector, the statement said.

[07] Ferry staff at Rio-Antirrio link freeze strikes until Feb 15

Workers on ferries plying the Rio-Antirrio route in the west of the country said on Friday they would suspend work stoppages until February 15.

The seamen are protesting a lack of berthing space.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.089

Pound sterling 0.664

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.296

Japanese yen 129.1

Swiss franc 1.481

Norwegian kroner 7.529

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.663

Australian dollar 1.851

[09] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, showery on Wednesday

Cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, turning to showers in the west, centre and north, and in the eastern Aegean islands. The morning will be misty on the mainland. Winds west-southwesterly, moderate to strong, turning gale force at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from -3C to 10C; on the rest of the mainland from 0C to 13C; and in the islands from 4C to 14C. Temperatures in Athens between 4C and 12C; and in Thessaloniki from 0C to 10C.

[10] Greek stocks end 1.31 pct lower on Tuesday

Greek stocks remained under pressure to end near their five-year lows in the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday, reflecting investors' worries over developments in Iraq.

The general index ended 1.31 percent lower at 1,669.97 points, off the day's lows of 1,666.74 points. Turnover was a low 64.1 million euros.

The Publication, IT and IT Solution sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (2.62 percent, 2.24 percent and 2.04 percent, respectively), while the Cement sector suffered less (0.13 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.47 percent down, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.08 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index fell 1.76 pecent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 259 to 41 with another 53 issues unchanged.

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