Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Foreign Exchange Rates: Wednesday

[02] Weather Forecast: Cloud, light rain on Wednesday

[03] ND leader says party's economic programme offers solutions

[04] PM Simitis inaugurates new hospital in Pyrgos

[05] Greece suggests Greek-Cypriot-Lebanese business cooperation

[06] Flights, passengers on the increase from Athens international airport

[07] Greek stocks end lower on Tuesday

[01] Foreign Exchange Rates: Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.268

Pound sterling 0.689

Danish kroner 7.510

Swedish kroner 9.250

Japanese yen 133.8

Swiss franc 1.578

Norwegian kroner 8.752

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.687

Australian dollar 1.655

[02] Weather Forecast: Cloud, light rain on Wednesday

Cloud with possibility of light rain. Winds northerly strong to very strong and gale force in the east. Some cloud in Athens, with temperatures of 7C to 13C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures of 5C to 9C.

[03] ND leader says party's economic programme offers solutions

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis presented his party's economic programme on Tuesday in light of the election on March 7.

''We are proposing an agreement of honour to each social group and each citizen separately for the policy of the next four years, an explicit and absolutely binding one,'' he said.

Karamanlis criticised the government for the policy it has implemented and said ''we know that the problems of the economy we shall be receiving are many and serious. However, solutions exist, funds exist and a mood for us to work exists. We know the problems, as well as the solutions and we want and can succeed. Today, it is more than obvious that the PASOK system is unable to meet the issues of the new era and to promote necessary reforms and it has even lost the ability for management.''

The ND leader referred analytically to commitments contained in his party's programme and stressed that it will lead to growth, employment and social justice.

''The new economic policy we are ready to implement as of March 8 constitutes a basic demand of the new era and a demand for a wide social alliance which shall lead our country to a new chapter of confidence and optimism,'' he added.

[04] PM Simitis inaugurates new hospital in Pyrgos

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Tuesday inaugurated a new hospital in the western Peloponnese city of Pyrgos, where he cited what he called his major governments achievements in the healthcare sector over the past eight years.

Among others, he stressed that 17 prefectural hospitals have been opened in the country under his tenure, while the national healthcare system (ESY) is also being constantly upgraded. Conversely, he criticised main opposition New Democracy party as wanting to abolish ESY.

Simitis last month announced that he would step down as prime minister immediately after the March 7 general election. Foreign Minister George Papandreou will, by all accounts, succeed Simitis as the leader of ruling PASOK at an extraordinary party congress this weekend.

The hospital in Pyrgos is named in honor of PASOK founder and three-time premier Andreas Papandreou, the late father of the current foreign minister.

[05] Greece suggests Greek-Cypriot-Lebanese business cooperation

Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andreas Loverdos has proposed to Cyprus Finance Minister Marcos Kyprianou a three-party cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Lebanon on issues that concern business, industry and tourism.

Kyprianou said already the relevant ministry departments are working on holding in Nicosia the first business council between the three countries, to be held around end of spring.

Loverdos said there is clear interest from both Cyprus and Greece while Lebanon was chosen because it is considered the gateway to the Arab world.

He explained, during a press conference in Nicosia on Monday with Kyprianou, that the first suggestion to formulate this cooperation was made during Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos� visit to Beirut, noting that Greece has been contemplating the idea for the last two years.

Loverdos said the three-party council that will be organised in Nicosia will provide an initial forum for business people of all three countries to get to know one another.

On his part, Kyprianou described the suggestion as ?very interesting?, noting it will help the countries and their business people to further develop economically.

[06] Flights, passengers on the increase from Athens international airport

Traffic from Athens international ''Eleftherios Venizelos'' airport marked a 3.6 percent increase in 2003 compared to the previous year, totalling 12.3 million passengers.

According to data provided by the airport, there was also a 6.7 percent increase in flights, which reached a total of 170,000.

[07] Greek stocks end lower on Tuesday

Greek stocks fell on Tuesday, with investors continuing taking profits on lack of fresh incentives in the Athens Stock Exchange. The general index ended 0.76 percent lower at 2,416.56 points with turnover a moderate 160.6 million euros.

The IT Solution and Textile sectors were the only ones to score gains (up 4.09 percent and 0.80 percent, respectively), while the Insurance, IT and Holding sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (2.13 percent, 2.06 percent and 1.90 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.91 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index dropped 1.73 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 0.18 percent lower.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 236 to 72 with another 51 issues

unchanged.

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