Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] IOC chief Rogge certain Athens will organise good Games

[02] ATHOC president presents progress report to IOC

[03] President Stephanopoulos sends condolences for Trajkovski's death

[04] Exhibition of Japanese art at Melina Mercouri Arts Centre

[05] Bulgaria and Greece cooperate on cross-border security

[06] Weather Forecast: Cloud and rain on Saturday

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

[01] IOC chief Rogge certain Athens will organise good Games

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Dr. Jacques Rogge on Friday expressed certainty that Athens would organise a good Olympic Games, and assured that although much still remained to be done before the Games in August, the time remaining was sufficient for everything to be ready on time.

Addressing the 14th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) currently taking place in Athens, Rogge noted the delays in Olympic preparations in the initial years of 1997 to 2000, saying that the timetables were pressing, but added that if the present pace in preparations was kept up, everything would be in place on time for the Games.

Rogge also gave kudos to Greece on its security planning for the Games, saying: ''The Greek government has taken all the necessary measures, in cooperation with countries advanced in the field of security, and all possible eventualities have been studied.''

[02] ATHOC president presents progress report to IOC

Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organising Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki briefed the IOC Executive Board on the progress of Olympic Games preparations including: infrastructure and projects, the Games' volunteer program, ticketing, security, and the city's functionality.

Daskalaki made the following statement after the presentation: '' Progress has undoubtedly been made to date, but there are serious challenges ahead of us.''

Among these she cited, ''the completion of the tram, the suburban railway, the Marathon projects and, of course, the roofs over the Olympic Stadium and the Swimming venue.''

While much effort will be required to accomplish the above goals, ''we didn't come this far to let these challenges stop us now,'' Daskalaki said.

[03] President Stephanopoulos sends condolences for Trajkovski's death

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on Friday sent a telegram to the interim president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Ljubco Jordanovski, conveying his condolences for the death of FYROM President Boris Trajkovski on Thursday in a plane crash.

''With deep sorrow I learned of the death of President Boris Trajkovski, who definitively contributed to the stability, peace and prosperity of your country. I wish to convey to your Excellency, to the people of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the family of the deceased president my deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences,'' Stephanopoulos said in the telegram.

[04] Exhibition of Japanese art at Melina Mercouri Arts Centre

More than 250 Japanese artists will present their work for the first time in Greece at an exhibition at the Melina Mercouri Arts Centre entitled ''World Peace Art Exhibition''.

This focuses on traditional styles of expression, such as the Japanese sumie ink paintings, calligraphy, pottery, as well as more western styles of artistic expression.

It has been organised by Japanese artists on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Athens, while the organisers in Greece include the Greek-Japanese Chamber of Commerce, the Athens Municipality and the IPA Exhibition Committee of Japan.

It is supported by the Greek Chamber of the Arts, the Japanese Embassy and the finance ministry and is taking place under the aegis of the culture ministry.

The first part of the exhibiton will run from March 10-15 and the second part from March 17-20.

[05] Bulgaria and Greece cooperate on cross-border security

Public Order Ministry Secretary General Dimitrios Efstathiadis met with his Bulgarian counterpart Bovko Borisov on Friday, during the latter's official visit to Greece, to discuss closer cooperation between the two countries on cross-border security issues and cutting down on cross-border crime.

Eustathiades and Borisov agreed to:

Tighten monitoring of the countries' common borders; Check those entering Greece more closely; Crack down on those producing counterfeit money, travel documents, and credit cards; Stop human trafficking, illegal immigration, drug production and trafficking; Exchange information regarding organised crime and illegal entry of aliens from developing countries; Cooperate closely on security issues concerning the Athens Games.

The Greek Chief of Police, Lieutenant General Fotios Nassiakos, and other senior police officers, as well as officers from Thessaloniki, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace were also present at the meeting.

[06] Weather Forecast: Cloud and rain on Saturday

Rain in western and northern Greece, as well as in the eastern Aegean and the Dodecannese. Light cloud in the rest of the country. Winds westerly, south-westerly moderate to very strong. Temperatures in Athens 12C to 18C and in Thessaloniki 8C to 13C.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.251

Pound sterling 0.675

Danish kroner 7.511

Swedish kroner 9.305

Japanese yen 136.7

Swiss franc 1.590

Norwegian kroner 8.806

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.689

Australian dollar 1.628

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