Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-03-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] An evening in Vienna dedicated to Greek writer P. Markaris

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

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

[04] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks slump on Mideast woes

[05] PM Karamanlis, Europarl. chief Cox,discuss Cyprus, Madrid attack,

[01] An evening in Vienna dedicated to Greek writer P. Markaris

(VIENNA/ANA-D.Dimitrakoudis) The Vienna-based Austrian Literary Society will be devoting a literary evening to Greek author, translator, and drama professor at the Aristotelio University of Thessaloniki Petros Markaris, on Tuesday.

Markaris will read excerpts from his latest novel ''Che Committed Suicide,'' which was recently published in German by the Swiss publishing company Diogenes. Austrian writer and translator of Markaris' latest work, Michaela Printzinger will also be present.

Markaris has special ties with Austria, having graduated from St. George Austrian College in Istanbul where he was born in 1937 and later completing economic studies in Vienna. His books, translated in German, have frequently made the best-seller list in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

The Press Office of the Greek embassy in Austria and the Austrian Literary Society are the event's organisers.

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

Scattered showers are forecast in all parts of the country, with showers in the west and Macedonia. Storms are expected in the northwest from evening. Winds southerly, strong to very strong. Temperatures in Athens 12C to 22C and in Thessaloniki from 9C to 20C.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.245

Pound sterling 0.674

Danish kroner 7.506

Swedish kroner 9.292

Japanese yen 133.2

Swiss franc 1.569

Norwegian kroner 8.496

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.653

Australian dollar 1.656

[04] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks slump on Mideast woes

The Athens bourse finished lower on Monday, tracking a decline in world players on a fresh eruption of violence in the Middle East, traders said.

The general share index shed 3.77 per cent to end at 2,276.32 points. Turnover was 171.2 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 3.88 per cent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 4.78 per cent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities lost 6.51 per cent.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 343 to 6 with 13 issues remaining unchanged.

[05] PM Karamanlis, Europarl. chief Cox,discuss Cyprus, Madrid attack, EUconstitution

Europe was growing and changing, and therefore could increase its pace, prime minister Costas Karamanlis said Monday, reiterating his standing position for ''Greece's strong participation in a strong Europe''.

Speaking after a meeting with visiting European Parliament president Pat Cox, Karamanlis spoke of a Europe of solidarity among its member states that would advance and ensure the particular interests of its member states.

He also endorsed the Irish EU presidency's efforts for finding a solution for the new constitutional treaty which, he said, must be finalised before the Europarliament elections.

Karamanlis welcomed the EU enlargement, which will become official on May 1, with the entry of 10 new member-states, including Cyprus.

''We seek the strengthening of the European democratic institutions and transparency in the new Europe being built,'' Karamanlis said, and reiterated his position in favour of upgrading the role of the European Parliament.

With respect to confronting international terrorism -- following the attacks in Madrid -- Karamanlis endorsed the EU presidency's proposal for efficient coordination of action by the member-states, noting that ''we demand continuation of the efforts and cooperation''.

Cox agreed with Karamanlis that the European constitution must be advanced prior to the European Parliament elections, and expressed satisfaction with Greece's and Turkey's participation in the UN-sponsored Cyprus talks.

''We hope that they will play a significant role so that a reconciled Cyprus will join a reconciled Europe,'' Cox said.

The Europarliament president reminded that Turkey had its own rendezvous with the EU soon, and noted the close relations between the Greek and Turkish prime ministers.

On the recent violence in Kosovo, Cox said that the problems in the region must be resolved with determination, while he called the terrorist attack in Madrid an ''insult to democracy'', noting that a clear message must be sent that there can be no zones or havens for terrorists in the European Union.

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