Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU finance ministers back Greek stability plan

[02] Parliament ratifies EU enlargement treaty, PM hails accession of Cyprus

[03] Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR

[04] Inclement weather warning for Thursday

[05] Visit to Cyprus by PASOK leader announced officially

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Wednesday

[07] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in higher turnover

[08] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Wednesday

[01] EU finance ministers back Greek stability plan

BRUSSELS (ANA/V.Demiris) -The European Union's finance ministers on Tuesday supported Greece's updated economic stability programme, saying the country was anticipated to maintain high growth rates in coming years.

At the same time, Greek economic policy should better align with the bloc's basic orientation, the ministers said in a statement adopting the country's 2003-2006 stability plan that was released in the Belgian capital.

''The updated programme complies to a very great degree with requirements of the revised behaviour code in terms of the content and form that stability and convergence programmes should have,'' the statement said.

''An update of the analysis of the long-term viability of public finances would be useful in light of the previous evaluation that was made, placing emphasis on the danger of long-term imbalances,'' it noted.

[02] Parliament ratifies EU enlargement treaty, PM hails accession of Cyprus Republic

Parliament ratified the European Union's enlargement treaty on Tuesday which concerns the accession of 10 new member-states to the 15-nation EU, including the Republic of Cyprus.

Voting for the treaty were ruling PASOK deputies, main opposition New Democracy party deputies and Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology party (Synaspismos) deputies, while the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) voted against.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis termed the ratification a historic landmark in the course of Hellenism, as well as for the EU's development.

[03] Turkish warplanes infringe Athens FIR

Three formations of Turkish warplanes made an equal number of infringements of air traffic regulations in the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) on Tuesday, press reports said.

The ten Turkish aircraft were recognised and intercepted by Greek warplanes, while in two cases the interception process developed into an engagement.

The reports said two of the Turkish aircraft were armed.

[04] Inclement weather warning for Thursday

The national meteorological service EMY on Tuesday issued a warning on inclement weather expected to hit Greece later in the week.

In an urgent weather bulletin, EMY warned that a serious deterioration in the weather conditions was expected on Thursday, beginning in northern Greece and spreading by midday to the rest of the country.

The main characteristics of the bad weather front were a sharp drop in temperatures, snowfall with local snowstorms and storm-force northerly winds.

More details on the development of the weather conditions would be forthcoming in weather up-dates.

[05] Visit to Cyprus by PASOK leader announced officially

NICOSIA (ANA - G. Leonidas) A visit by PASOK leader George Papandreou to Cyprus on Thursday has been officially announced by the PASOK Prefectural Committee in Cyprus.

In its announcement on Tuesday, it says that Papandreou will arrive at Paphos airport on Thursday and address a gathering of Greeks and repatriated Black Sea Greeks outside the Paphos town hall.

Papandreou will then address a political event organised by the local PASOK committee in Nicosia at 20:00 in the evening.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.286

Pound sterling 0.687

Danish kroner 7.510

Swedish kroner 9.199

Japanese yen 135.5

Swiss franc 1.581

Norwegian kroner 8.889

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.703

Australian dollar 1.642

[07] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in higher turnover

The Athens bourse finished higher accompanied by an increase in turnover on Tuesday in the wake of a decline in the previous session, traders said.

The general share index gained 0.62 percent to end at 2,432.67 points. Turnover was 157.4 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.52 per cent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 0.31 per cent higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 0.87 percent.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 143 to 137 with 74 issues remaining unchanged.

[08] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Wednesday

Scattered cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, with rain or sleet from evening in the north. Snow is expected on high ground. Winds northerly, moderate to strong, turning very strong at sea. Temperatures in Athens 4C to 11C and in Thessaloniki 2C to 9C.

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