Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Foreign minister on results of National Foreign Policy Council

[02] Greek PMI rebounds to 50.2 in May

[03] PM inaugurates Tsolozidis art collection exhibition

[01] Foreign minister on results of National Foreign Policy Council

Representatives of all the political parties in Parliament, except the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), attended Wednesday's meeting chaired by Molyviatis.

"There are differences on various aspects, as well as criticism and reservations, but it is important in a country such as Greece for there to be consensus with regard to strategic targets," he said.

Also present was Sotiris Hatzigakis, Parliamentary vice-president in charge of European Affairs, who said there had been "substantive and productive discussion" on all current foreign policy issues, particularly the discussion on upgrading Greece's role in relation to the United States and the results of the French referendum for the European Constitutional Treaty.

Representing main opposition PASOK was the head of the party's Political Council for Foreign Policy, Security and Defence Christos Papoutsis, who stressed the importance of Greece's relations with the U.S.

The Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology party was represented by Panos Trigazis, in charge of foreign policy, defence and international relations for his party. He said the Coalition had asked the foreign ministry to provide prompt and in-depth briefings on foreign policy issues, especially in view of the European Council later in June.

He also argued that the Greek government should attend that summit with the view that the course of European unification should be re-examined after the French rejection of the Euro-Constitution.

The issues discussed during the meeting included the Cyprus problem, developments in the EU after the French referendum, Turkey's European accession course, bilateral relations with Turkey, events in the Balkans, especially the situation in Kosovo and the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Greek-U.S. relations.

[02] Greek PMI rebounds to 50.2 in May

Only two out of a total five sector indices improved in May, with production up moderately and new orders slightly improving from the previous month. Delivery times shrank, employment was slightly lower and supply inventories fell in May.

Production in the manufacturing sector rose slightly reflecting a weak domestic demand. Exports rose for the fourth consecutive month, recording the highest growth rate in the last 10 months, while total production rose for the 18th month.

Employment fell in May for the sixth consecutive month, while price increases moderated in May.

Supply inventories fell for the ninth consecutive month. The PMI is a composite index measuring business activity in the manufacturing sector. Readings above 50 indicate a growing sector, and below 50

[03] PM inaugurates Tsolozidis art collection exhibition

"Culture is the privileged sector which can be useful as an example of coordination for the activities of the state and private citizens," Karamanlis said.

The 220 exhibits shed light on the day-to-day life of that period and on the expression of private and public worship of Byzantine and post-Byzantine years.

The exhibition will remain open until August 31.

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