Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-04-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] IOC's Oswald: 'Now it's time for Athens to shine'

[02] Gov't says Greece has adequate fuel stocks

[03] Spokesman says U.S. Mideast intervention might be beneficial

[04] ND leader critical of Tel Aviv in meeting with Israeli, Palestinian

[05] ASE rally reverses week-long slide

[06] Banks to stage 24-hour strike on April 19

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud on Saturday

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[01] IOC's Oswald: 'Now it's time for Athens to shine'

With the phrase ''now its time for Athens to shine'', IOC vice-president Denis Oswald dashed recent speculation that preparations for the upcoming 2004 Olympics were running behind, before again warning that absolutely no delays are possible if the Athens Games are to succeed.

''I am very happy to report that the situation has improved tremendously since our last visit ... I am confident things will be delivered on time,'' Oswald, the International Olympic Committees ?point-man? in monitoring Greek organisers progress, told reporters during a wide-ranging press conference.

The Swiss IOC executive returned to the Greek capital for the Lausanne-based organisations eight inspection of Athens, flanked by smiling 2004 organising committee (ATHOC) executives at the end of the three-day inspection. In another pointed remark, Oswald personally praised Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis for his personal involvement in jump-starting progress.

[02] Gov't says Greece has adequate fuel stocks

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said on Friday that Greece had adequate fuel stocks, and that a retail price rise due to a mounting political crisis in the Middle East and was no major cause for concern.

Earlier this week, Tsohatzopoulos' ministry announced that retail liquid fuel prices would rise again in April following a surge in March due to the crisis and a resulting hike in global oil prices.

Under indicative retail prices released by the ministry, super petrol is to sell at about 0.724 euros a litre and unleaded at around 0.675 euros, up about half a cent from March 29 and seven cents from March 1.

Industry officials said the increase was also partly due to a rise in profit margins for domestic refiners, traders and gas stations pending legal changes in costing.

The ministry has said a bill to deregulate the market will be ready for parliament in the near future.

[03] Spokesman says U.S. Mideast intervention might be beneficial

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas said on Friday ''the intervention by the U.S. might prove to be particularly beneficial regarding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories.''

[04] ND leader critical of Tel Aviv in meeting with Israeli, Palestinian envoys

Israel's refusal to accept European Union mediators was utterly unjustifiable, New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis told Israel's Ambassador to Athens David Sasson on Friday, during a meeting with Sasson and Palestinian Authority Ambassador Abdullah Abdullah at ND headquarters.

The main opposition leader said he had also asked Sasson that Israel protect the Christian monuments in the region, which were a major part of the world's cultural heritage.

In his talks with the two sides, Karamanlis stressed the need to end the cycle of violence in the Middle East, which could threaten the peace and stability of the entire region if it continued.

He called for an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of the latest decisions of the United Nations Security Council.

[05] ASE rally reverses week-long slide

The Athens Stock Exchange rallied on Friday to reverse a 12-day slide, as the general index ended at 2,228.76 points -- up 1.29 percent.

Turnover reached the 89.56-million-euro mark, a day after the bourse's turnover recorded its lowest levels of the year.

Only the Insurance sector posted losses on the day, 0.40 percent. Gains, meanwhile, were recorded in Wholesale Trade sector (up 2.50 percent), IT Solutions (2.24 percent), Telecoms (2.12 percent) and Textiles (2.11 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks increased by 0.87 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index jumped 1.38 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index increased by 1.41 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 270 to 57, with another 37 issues unchanged.

On a weekly basis, the general index dropped by 2.28 percent.

[06] Banks to stage 24-hour strike on April 19

Bank workers unions have called a 24-hour strike on April 19 following a breakdown in talks with the Union of Greek Banks to forge a collective labour agreement, including pay.

In addition, employees have yet to take a stand on the government's proposals for an overhaul of the social insurance system, the OTOE banking trade union umbrella group said in a statement on Friday.

Union representatives and Labour and Social Security Minister Dimitris Reppas are due to meet for talks on the reform plan on Monday, the statement said.

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud on Saturday

The day will start cloudy and showery, with the weather expected to improve quickly from the west. Isolated storms may occur, especially in the eastern Aegean islands. Winds westerly, moderate to strong, turning very strong at sea in the south. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 4C to 14C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 7C to 17C; and in the Aegean islands from 11C to 19C. Scattered cloud and early morning rain in Athens with temperatures between 8C and 17C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 6C to 14C.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.885

Pound sterling 0.617

Danish kroner 7.493

Swedish kroner 9.103

Japanese yen 116.91

Swiss franc 1.477

Norwegian kroner 7.707

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.410

Australian dollar 1.666

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