Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-03-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens expresses 'disappointment, sadness' at Cyprus talks' failure

[02] Yiannitsis hails the institution of the International Criminal Court

[03] Greece, Turkey to debate closer business ties Weds

[04] Greece to participate in three book exhibitions abroad

[05] Delay in tourist bookings for 2003 amid Iraq war fears

[06] Attica taxi drivers on strike Friday

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[08] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Wednesday

[09] Greek stocks plunge 2.52 pct on Tuesday

[01] Athens expresses 'disappointment, sadness' at Cyprus talks' failure

The Greek foreign ministry on Tuesday expressed Athens' ?disappointment and sadness? at the failure of intense UN-brokered Cyprus unification talks at The Hague this week, following Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's rejection of yet another revised UN peace plan.

Spokesman Panos Beglitis stressed that the Turkish Cypriot leadership bore the full blame for the talks' collapse.

''Throughout this period the goodwill and constructive stance of the Greek Cypriot side was ascertained,'' he said, adding that new Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos had demonstrated his genuine desire for a resolution of the long-standing problem.

The Greek side, Beglitis said, also thanked UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for his efforts, and believed that The Hague round of talks was ''not the end of the road'' or of efforts for a Cyprus solution.

Replying to press questions, Beglitis said the process had not been terminated, and that from the secretary general's announcement -- issued after the collapse of The Hague talks -- Annan remained at the disposal of the two Cypriot communities for a continuation of efforts.

In a statement by Annan read out at The Hague by his special envoy for Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, the UN chief said:

''My plan remains on the table, ready for the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to pick it up and carry it forward to a solution if they summon the will to do so. If I see that there is clear and realistic prospect of finalising negotiations, with the full backing of the motherlands, I will be ready to assist. Let us hope that that day is much closer than it seems this morning.''

Continuation of the process was also a strategic target of the Greek side, Beglitis said.

Replying to other questions, Beglitis rejected speculation that Cyprus' EU accession was put at risk by the breakdown of talks. Additionally, he said Cyprus' accession course would continue normally, culminating in the signing of Cyprus' EU accession treaty in Athens on April 16.

''We remain firmly ... at the side of the Greek Cypriot side, with which we are in close cooperation,'' Beglitis added.

Asked to comment on the Turkish government's stance, Beglitis said the Turkish side had its share of the responsibility, but noted that the negotiations were carried out by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash himself.

Finally, he said the negative conclusion at The Hague did not contribute to the advancement of Greek-Turkish relations, although he expressed a view that Greek-Turkish relations had reached a level that now acts as a deterrent to tension.

Govt: No hope for Turkish EU bid without Cyprus solution

In later statements, a Greek government spokesman echoed the foreign ministrys stance on the aborted Cyprus talks, saying the blame lies in the intransigence of the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish sides.

Spokesman Christos Protopapas added that T/C leader Denktash merely traveled to The Hague ?in order to not agree, supported by the Turkish sides stance.?

?Greece wants a solution and will continue to work (for one) until the Turkish sides stance changes, given the fact that Turkeys own European course depends passes through a solution to the Cyprus problem. Its not possible for Turkey to hope that it will join the European Union without a Cyprus solution,? Protopapas warned.

Moreover, he cited a phone conversation on Monday between Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and the leader of Turkeys ruling party, Tayyip Recep Erdogan, following the latters crucial election to Turkeys national assembly a development that allows him to assume the premiers post.

In terms of the latter contacts, he said Athens did not link its policy over the issue with deadlines.

[02] Yiannitsis hails the institution of the International Criminal Court

Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis represented Greece on Tuesday at the official opening ceremony of the operation of the International Criminal Court.

?I personally feel that it is a privilege to represent my country at this significant moment, and it is crucial for our countries to be committed to fighting war crimes, genocides and crimes against humanity, to support this new institution and not to hesitate to be exposed to its judgment, providing in this way an essential confirmation that they would refrain from committing such acts?, Yiannitsis said in a statement.

He added that the International Criminal Court was a real achievement for the international community, an institution that would contribute to fighting and averting the most serious of crimes and strengthening global peace and security.

The alternate foreign minister said the European Union has pledged on principle to support international institutions defending human rights and facilitating the peaceful co-existence of peoples.

[03] Greece, Turkey to debate closer business ties Weds

ANKARA (ANA/A.Ambatzis) - Greece and Turkey are to hold two-day talks in Ankara on Wednesday seeking closer economic cooperation between the two countries.

Head of the Greek delegation to the Greek-Turkish ministerial committee meeting will be Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos.

The committee first met in Athens on February 12-13 when it signed a memorandum of cooperation.

An aim of the committee is to secure the abolition of double taxation.

[04] Greece to participate in three book exhibitions abroad

Greece will participate in three book exhibitions in 2003, in London, Paris and Leipzig in a coordinated effort to strengthen Greek book production in the world book market.

The effort is coming from all the relevant agencies. Namely, the National Book Centre, the Panhellenic Federation of Publishers and Booksellers, the European Translation Centre of Literature and Human Sciences and the Writers' Society.

The book exhibitions will take place in Leipzig on March 20-23, London on March 16-28 and Paris on March 21-26.

[05] Delay in tourist bookings for 2003 amid Iraq war fears

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said on Tuesday that tourist bookings to Greece were sluggish due to fears of war on Iraq, part of a trend of delay in southern Europe.

''Certainly there will be a slowdown, a later start for the tourism market, although the season's peak will be little affected,'' Tsohatzopoulos said in Berlin on the sidelines of a world tourism trade fair.

''There will, however, be a shortage in April and May, which we hope can be made up at the end of the year, in the ensuing months, so that we secure a favourable average,'' Tsohatzopoulos said.

[06] Attica taxi drivers on strike Friday

Attica taxi drivers are to stage a 24-hour strike on Friday, their union, SATA, said in a statement.

Demands are withdrawal of a ruling that bars taxis from bus lanes and the creation of taxi ranks, which SATA says the state has promised for 10 years.

Friday's strike begins at 0500 hours, and taxi drivers will march along Athens bus lanes at 1000 hours in protest.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.116

Pound sterling 0.696

Danish kroner 7.486

Swedish kroner 9.369

Japanese yen 130.3

Swiss franc 1.478

Norwegian kroner 7.997

Cyprus pound 0.586

Canadian dollar 1.633

Australian dollar 1.828

[08] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Wednesday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud in the Cyclades islands and Crete. Winds north-northwesterly, light to strong, turning very strong in parts of the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 0C to 14C; in the west from 5C to 19C; and in the rest of the country from 7C to 16C. Temperatures in Athens between 5C and 16C; and in Thessaloniki from 3C to 14C.

[09] Greek stocks plunge 2.52 pct on Tuesday

Greek stocks plunged to new multi-year lows on Monday in the Athens Stock Exchange, hit by uncertainties over developments in Iraq, a negative climate in international markets and worries over increased inflationary pressures in the domestic economy.

The general index ended 2.52 percent lower at 1,501.90 points, with turnover a low 78.6 million euros.

The IT Solutions, IT, Publication, Cement and Construction sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (6.53 percent, 6.26 percent, 6.17 percent, 5.10 percent and 4.72 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 3.0 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 2.75 percent, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index fell 3.79 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 3.05 percent down.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 314 to 21 with another 16 issues unchanged.

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