Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-04-23

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Cloudy on Tuesday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[03] Athens to obtain special buses for Paralympics

[04] PM Simitis on first round presidential results in France

[01] Weather Forecast: Cloudy on Tuesday

The day will start cloudy in all parts of the country, turning to showers and storms mainly in the centre and north. Winds northerly, light to strong, turning very strong in parts of the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 8C to 18C; on the rest of the mainland from 10C to 21C; and in the islands from 13C to 20C. Light cloud in Athens with temperatures between 12C and 20C. Rain or a storm likely in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 8C to 18C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.895

Pound sterling 0.618

Danish kroner 7.491

Swedish kroner 9.281

Japanese yen 116.2

Swiss franc 1.478

Norwegian kroner 7.670

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.408

Australian dollar 1.659

[03] Athens to obtain special buses for Paralympics

Athens will be obtaining over 300 buses capable of carrying 10-15 wheelchairs, as well as specially-equipped taxis to serve handicapped people, on the occasion of the 2004 Paralympic Games.

At the same time, the suburban railway, the tram and the Metro will be absolutely accessible to handicapped people and people using wheelchairs.

This was disclosed on the first day of the three-day meeting between the International Parolympic Committee's Coordinating Committee and representatives of the Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC) on Monday.

Members of the International Paralympic Committee said the accessibility of Athens's means of transport, as well as accessibility to the city and installations, will constitute the most important legacy the Paralympic Games will be leaving for the country.

[04] PM Simitis on first round presidential results in France

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis expressed his surprise with the results of Sunday's first round French presidential election, while saying the poll also contained a ''significant message''.

?The French election was a major surprise. Its message is significant and has many recipients. I did not expect this result,? Simitis said.

Furthermore, the Greek premier referred to an attempt by ?certain quarters? to ?equalise? different policies, while cultivating a climate of ?confusion and indifference? that favoured a turn to conservatism, ?something that resulted in the significant showing by the far right?.

Simitis also pointed to the Lefts responsibility, ?because many a times it has become ensnared in policies that heightened phenomena of confusion ... The leftist forces must resist such phenomena of conservative regression, instead they should comprise an obstacle to whatever efforts by extreme conservative powers to steer Europe towards dangerous directions,? he said.

Finally, he also praised socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospins stance in the aftermath of his disappointing third-place showing, stating:

?In politics you cannot uphold a position without repercussions. He did the right thing to resign. He assumed his responsibilities, and with his stance he demonstrated that everybody is not the same, and that everyone does not have the same views,? Simitis said.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article