Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-10-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] NATO chief Robertson, PM Simitis discuss EU defence, 'new' NATO

[02] Athens, IOC agree on banned substance list for 2004 Games

[03] Fourteen Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR

[04] FM to begin Latin American tour on Saturday

[05] Athens News Agency to become shareholder of European Photography Agency

[06] 'Outlook' modern art exhibition to open in Athens this week

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud, showers on Friday

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Friday

[09] ASE ends below 2,100-level on Thursday

[01] NATO chief Robertson, PM Simitis discuss EU defence, 'new' NATO

The development of European defence, NATO's new administrative structure, and the Alliance request for the dispatch of Greek army helicopters to (the NATO-led peacekeeping force in) Afghanistan were examined in Athens on Thursday at a meeting between outgoing NATO secretary general Lord George Robertson and prime minister Costas Simitis, which was also attended by foreign and defence ministers George Papandreou and Yannos Papantoniou.

On the NATO request, Simitis said that Greece could not comply this time, due to increased financial requirements in 2004 in view of the Olympic Games to be hosted by Athens.

Robertson, who arrived in Athens on Wednesday on a farewell tour of Alliance member countries, said that although he was disappointed with Greece's rejection, he nevertheless understood the Greek position.

At the same time, he said he had no doubt that in the event of a UN Security Council resolution to expand the operations to outside the Afghani capital of Kabul, Greece would despatch additional forces.

[02] Athens, IOC agree on banned substance list for 2004 Games

Athens organisers (ATHOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have reportedly agreed that next years 2004 Games will be the first Games where a list of banned performance-enhancing substances will be in force, complete with customs restrictions at entry points.

The measure, part of efforts to combat doping, was among the topics discussed on Thursday by members of a high-ranking IOC inspection team and the Olympic Organising Committee, as inspectors were briefed over a handful of programmes managed directly by ATHOC as opposed to venue construction, transports and security, among others, which are the governments responsibility.

In a briefing for an IOC committee chaired by Dr. Patrick Schamasch, the organisations medical director, ATHOC officials promised to work with the Greek government so that listed performance-enhancing substances are banned from import into the country.

Officials want the list, compiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the IOC, to come into effect on Jan. 1, 2004, while noting however, that no legal framework currently exists in Greece to ban the import of such substances.

[03] Fourteen Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR

Ten formations of Turkish warplanes infringed the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) five times on Thursday, press reports said.

In all cases the 14 Turkish aircraft were recognised and intercepted by Greek jets, while in two cases the interception process developed into a mock engagement.

It was reported that four of the Turkish warplanes recognised and intercepted were armed.

[04] FM to begin Latin American tour on Saturday

Foreign Minister George Papandreou will begin a tour of Brazil, Chile and Peru on Saturday, while on November 3 he will be participating in a discussion at the UN General Assembly on the draft resolution on the Olympic Truce, to be held at Greece's initiative.

Foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis told reporters that Turkey, as announced by its Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, will jointly sponsor the resolution's text together with other countries.

The foreign minister has invited Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, 2004 Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki and Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni to participate in the discussion at the UN General Assembly.

[05] Athens News Agency to become shareholder of European Photography Agency

The Athens News Agency (ANA) will become the 10th shareholder of the European Photography Agency (EPA) as of January 1, 2004, both agencies announced on Thursday.

The EPA, established in 1985, began its new global photography service on May 1, 2003,

''Since then the EPA has become one of the most important international photographic services for the mass media in Europe,'' said ANA general director Andreas Christodoulides.

''We are very pleased to accept the ANA as the 10th shareholder of the EPA, following the national news and photography agencies of Austria (APA), Belgium (Belga), Germany (DPA), Italy (ANSA), Holland (ANP), Poland (PAP), Portugal (LUSA), Spain (EFE) and Switzerland (Keystone),'' EPA board President Walter Grolimund said.

[06] 'Outlook' modern art exhibition to open in Athens this week

One of the most ambitious and large-scale exhibitions of modern art ever attempted in Greece, the ''Outlook'' International Art Exhibition, is to open its doors to the public in Athens on Saturday at three separate venues flanking Pireos Street.

Sponsored by the Cultural Olympiad and costing the astronomical sum (for Greece) of 2.3 million euros, the exhibition has taken three years to prepare and features over 200 works of art - including paintings, sculptures and installations - by 85 artists around the world.

During the official opening on Thursday, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos and exhibition organisers said 'Outlook' was being groomed as the top event within the Cultural Olympiad.

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud, showers on Friday

All parts of the country will see cloud, with showers on the mainland and in the Ionian and northern Aegean, turning to storms in the west and north. Winds variable, moderate to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 13C to 24C; in the west from 17C to 26C; and in the rest of the country from 18C to 28C. Temperatures in Athens between 20C and 28C; and in Thessaloniki from 17C to 24C.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.188

Pound sterling 0.702

Danish kroner 7.490

Swedish kroner 9.107

Japanese yen 130.3

Swiss franc 1.559

Norwegian kroner 8.300

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.552

Australian dollar 1.699

[09] ASE ends below 2,100-level on Thursday

Greek stocks remained under pressure for the second consecutive session in the Athens Stock Exchange, following a trend in other European markets.

The general index ended below the 2,100 levels, at 2,092.19 points, down 1.65 percent on the day. Turnover was a moderate 118.4 million euros.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation's shares led the decline and affected heavily the general index of the market, reflecting pressures in international markets.

All sector indices ended lower, with the Textile (4.11 percent), Publication (3.34 percent), and IT Solution (2.24 percent) sectors suffering the heaviest percentage losses of the day.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 1.60 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 2.08 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 2.76 percent down.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 304 to 30 with another 25 issues unchanged.

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