Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Simitis, Cyprus president Papadopoulos confer ahead of UN talks

[02] Papandreou officially takes over the reins of ruling PASOK

[03] EU official says Greece's overall handling of funds is positive

[04] EU endorses first cross-border pact for Greece, Turkey

[05] Greece and Cyprus sign research and development protocol

[06] Trade between Greece, Israel up 27 pct in 2003

[07] State to issue savings bonds Feb 16-20

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

[09] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud, showers on Tuesday

[10] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop in cautious trade

[01] PM Simitis, Cyprus president Papadopoulos confer ahead of UN talks

Greece and Cyprus on Monday reaffirmed their full identity of views on matters concerning the course of UN-brokered Cyprus talks as well as on the isues of substance, during a meeting in Athens between Greek prime minister Costas Simitis and visiting Cyprus president Tassos Papadopoulos.

The target remained of reaching a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions, the EU 'acquis communautaire', and full respect of human rights, Simitis told reporters after a meeting with Papadopoulos, who arrived in Athens Sunday night for consultations with the Greek political leadership before continuing on to New York for the commencement of Cyprus negotiations under UN secretary general Kofi Annan's auspices.

[02] Papandreou officially takes over the reins of ruling PASOK

Newly-elected leader George Papandreou on Monday officially took over the reins of ruling PASOK from his predecessor Costas Simitis at an emotionally-charged ceremony at the party's headquarters at Harilaou Trikoupi Street.

Passing the party's helm over to Papandreou, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed that his successor was most fit to lead the country in the crucial period that lay ahead, especially with regard to developments in the Cyprus problem.

Papandreou pledged to honour this trust and continue to overturn obstacles in relations between the party and the public and, as a government, between ordinary citizens and the state.

[03] EU official says Greece's overall handling of funds is positive

BRUSSELS (ANA/B.Demiris) - European Union Commissioner Michel Barnier said on Monday that the general assessment was positive on Greece's handling of EU structural funds, and that authorities had made positive progress in management of Community monies.

Barnier was replying to a reporter's question on progress in implementation of the Third Community Support Framework in Greece.

Citing an example, the commissioner said that Greece had been removed from the EU's ''v-2'' ruling, which envisages a longest permissible absorption delay of two years, as funds had been correctly absorbed.

[04] EU endorses first cross-border pact for Greece, Turkey

BRUSSELS (ANA/B.Demiris) - The European Union's executive Commission on Monday approved the first cross-border programme between Greece and Turkey, which will receive part-funding under the bloc's Interreg III initiative for 2004-2006.

The programme is worth 66 million euros with 35 million euros of the total for disbursement by the EU.

It focuses on creating conditions for economic growth and employment through business cooperation between Greece and Turkey; also including improvement of the quality of life, protection of the environment and the preservation of cultural heritage.

[05] Greece and Cyprus sign research and development protocol

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Cypriot Finance Minister Marcos Kyprianou signed a protocol on research and development in Athens on Monday.

Speaking after a meeting with Kyprianou, Tsohatzopoulos said Greece

and Cyprus decided to cooperate further and in a more effective

manner in the field of research and technology.

[06] Trade between Greece, Israel up 27 pct in 2003

Trade between Greece and Israel rose by 27 per cent in 2003 to total 372 million US dollars from 292 million dollars a year earlier, the Israeli embassy in Athens said on Monday.

Exports from Israel to Greece rose by 39.1 per cent in 2003 to 218 million dollars, with Greek exports to Israel up 13.8 per cent to total 154 million dollars, the embassy said in a statement.

On February 26, a business meeting will be held in Israel ahead of the Athens 2004 Olympics, the statement added.

[07] State to issue savings bonds Feb 16-20

The state is to issue savings bonds to the public on February 16-20 2004 that are tax-free if held until maturity, the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The one-year paper has a yield of 3.60 per cent, which is anticipated to outstrip inflation, the statement said.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.281

Pound sterling 0.689

Danish kroner 7.509

Swedish kroner 9.179

Japanese yen 135.5

Swiss franc 1.581

Norwegian kroner 8.767

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.700

Australian dollar 1.648

[09] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud, showers on Tuesday

Scattered cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, turning to showers in the east and south. Winds northerly, moderate to strong, turning gale force at sea. The weather will be colder. Temperatures in Athens 7C to 11C and in Thessaloniki 4C to 7C.

[10] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop in cautious trade

The Athens bourse finished lower on Monday with an early rise reversing to a decline as institutionals started selling, traders said.

The general share index shed 1.12 percent to end at 2,417.75 points. Turnover was 135.2 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.97 per cent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 1.96 per cent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with losses of 1.59 percent.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 260 to 48 with 47 issues remaining unchanged.

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