Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-10-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Athens on October 22

[02] Gov't: Greece closely monitoring latest municipal elections in Albania

[03] President Stephanopoulos to arrive in Serbia on Tuesday for three-day

[04] Greece launches annual packaging awards

[05] National defence general staff chief visiting China

[06] Greece to host FIBA's 1st women's 'Diamond Ball' competition

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

[08] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Tuesday

[09] Greek stocks move cautiously higher on Monday

[01] US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Athens on October 22

The government confirmed that US Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Athens on October 22, en route to Madrid where the International Donors' Conference on Iraq will be taking place.

According to diplomatic sources, Powell will visit Athens after accepting an invitation extended to him by Foreign Minister George Papandreou during his latest visit to Washington.

The final confirmation by the State Department of the date of the visit was given to the foreign minister's diplomatic office at noon on Sunday.

[02] Gov't: Greece closely monitoring latest municipal elections in Albania

The Greek government on Monday stressed that it was closely monitoring developments in neighbouring Albania in the wake of this past weekends municipal elections there, especially in parts of southern Albania with a large ethnic Greek presence.

Government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris reiterated that Athens will closely monitor both the election results as well as other developments, following reports on Sunday that one voting precinct official in the predominately ethnic Greek district of Himarra was severely beaten by unknown assailants who subsequently made off with the ballot box. The same precinct had earlier been evacuated except for the 40-year man later attacked when a hand grenade was throw outside its doors.

The man was listed in stable condition at the Ioannina hospital in northwest Greece.

[03] President Stephanopoulos to arrive in Serbia on Tuesday for three-day visit

President Kostis Stephanopoulos will begin a three-day official visit to Serbia-Montenegro on Tuesday. He will be accompanied by Deputy Foreign minister Andreas Loverdos.

Talks he will be having with the country's leadership will focus on bilateral relations, the situation in the Balkans and developments in the European Union.

President Stephanopoulos will hold talks with Serbia and Montenegro President Marovic, Montenegrin President Vujanovic, former President Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian Parliament President Micic, who is also acting Serbian president and the Prime Ministers of Serbia Zivkovic and Montenegro Djukanovic.

He will also be visiting Belgrade Mayor Chrustanovic, the Parliament of Serbia-Montenegro, where he will be making an address and meeting President Micunovic, and the Patriarch of Serbia Pavle.

[04] Greece launches annual packaging awards

The Union of Packaging Material Manufacturers, in cooperation with the sector's trade fairs and the Greek Industries' Union, on Monday launched the ''Greek Stars 2004'' awards to the best packaging.

The awards ceremony will be held next spring, in the framework of an international trade fair ''Packaging 2004'' in Athens.

The awarded products will be able to participate in an World Packaging Organization's annual awards (Packaging World Stars).

[05] National defence general staff chief visiting China

National Defence Generqal Staff chief George Antonakopoulos began an official visit to China on Monday, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart General Liang Guanglie.

Antonakopoulos will be holding talks with China's military leadership on issues of mutual military interest, as well as on ways of widening Sino-Greek military cooperation.

The programme includes a visit to the national defence university, the Beijing guard's third division and the Chinese navy's military base.

The visit will last until October 18.

[06] Greece to host FIBA's 1st women's 'Diamond Ball' competition

Greece will host FIBA's (Federation of International Basketball Associations) 1st women's ''Diamand Ball'' competition in which the women's national teams who are champions in the five continents will participate.

The competition will coincide with the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and is expected to be a great attraction for basketball fans since a high quality of play is expected.

FIBA's 1st men's ''Diamond Ball'' competition took place in Hong Kong in 2000, while the second competition (taking place every four years) will be hosted by Serbia-Montenegro.

The women's ''Diamond Ball'' competition will comprise the national teams of China (Asia), Australia (Oceania), Russia (Europe), Brazil (America) and the champion of Africa, as well as the Greek national team.

FIBA Europe has proposed the dates of August 5-8 or 6-9, 2004, for the competition to be held.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.178

Pound sterling 0.709

Danish kroner 7.489

Swedish kroner 9.078

Japanese yen 127.8

Swiss franc 1.561

Norwegian kroner 8.290

Cyprus pound 0.589

Canadian dollar 1.558

Australian dollar 1.708

[08] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Tuesday

All parts of the country will see scattered cloud. Winds north-northeasterly, light to moderate. In the north, temperatures will range from 8C to 22C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 11C to 25C; and in the Aegean islands from 15C to 24C. Temperatures in Athens between 13C and 25C; and in Thessaloniki from 11C to 22C.

[09] Greek stocks move cautiously higher on Monday

Greek stocks ended a dull session slightly higher in the Athens Stock Exchange on Monday, with investors hesitant at the start of a new week and with no new incentives or directions available in the market.

The general index rose 0.19 percent to end at 2,112.57 points, off the day's highs of 2,125.51 points. Turnover was an improved 177.5 million euros of which 88 million euros accounted for the transfer of a block of Piraeus Bank's shares to institutional investors as part of a deal to sell an 8.0 percent of its equity stake.

The Base Metals and Telecommunication sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (1.24 percent and 0.88 percent, respectively), while the Textile and Construction sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (1.29 percent and 1.06 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.22 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index eased 0.20 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index fell 0.87 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 203 to 94 with another 62 issues unchanged.

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