Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-01-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU Commission arrives in Athens, welcomed by G. Papandreou

[02] Greek EU presidency inaugurated with performance by European Youth

[03] Socialist group supports Diamantouros for European ombudsman

[04] EU Commissioner lauds archaeological unification project

[05] Another alleged 'N17' terrorist member arrested

[06] Greek president extends condolences over air crash in Turkey

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[08] Weather Forecast: Cloud expected on Friday

[09] Greek stocks remain under pressure on Thursday

[01] EU Commission arrives in Athens, welcomed by G. Papandreou

Greece's Foreign Minister and current President of the EU Council of Ministers George Papandreou on Thursday welcomed the members of the European Commission, headed by Commission President Romano Prodi, on their arrival at Athens International Airport at 18.20 on a special flight from Brussels, essentially inaugurating the Greek EU presidency.

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou was at hand at the airport to welcome the Commission in Greece, which was then taken to the Plaza Hotel in Central Athens under heavy security measures.

Later in the evening the members of the European Commission were due to attend a performance by the European Youth Orchestra at the Athens Megaron Concert Hall marking the commencement of the Greek EU presidency, while at 10 pm the EU commissioners will attend a reception hosted in their honor by Prime Minister Costas Simitis at the Athens Concert Hall.

On Friday, 10 January, Simitis will meet with Commission President Prodi, while parallel meetings will be held between the EU commissioners and the respective Greek government ministers at the Zappeion Mansion. Simitis and Prodi are expected to give a joint press conference at noon.

[02] Greek EU presidency inaugurated with performance by European Youth Orchestra

The fourth Greek EU presidency was inaugurated on Thursday evening with a performance by the European Youth Orchestra at the Athens Megaron Concert Hall.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister George Papandreou, accompanied by their wives, received the 20 European Commissioners, headed by Commission President Romano Prodi.

The performance was attended by ministers, deputies, diplomats, main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis, Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and many other officials.

In written messages, both Simitis and Prodi praised the orchestra, stating that it was proof of inter-cultural cooperation between the youth of Europe.

Simitis said that the Europe of citizens passes necessarily through the Europe of youth, while Prodi said that music has the ability of overcoming barriers and borders.

Prodi noted that the European Youth Orchestra ''can be proud that it is in the vanguard of the course for the historic enlargement towards the east of the EU, and this, because it was always open to the great composers and maestros of eastern Europe.''

[03] Socialist group supports Diamantouros for European ombudsman

BRUSSELS (ANA - G. Daratos) - The European Parliament's socialist group, following an audition for all candidates for the post of European ombudsman, unequivocally supports the Greek candidate professor Nikiforos Diamantouros, according to an announcement by its President Enrique Baron on Thursday.

The election of the European Union's new ombudsman will be carried out by a European Parliament plenum in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Baron said the socialist group will support the candidate who has the capabilities and the experience to achieve success.

''It is evident for every objective observer that professor Diamantouros fully meets all the preconditions required by the post of the European ombudsman and I am ascertaining with satisfaction that his candidacy is also supported by Eurodeputies belonging to other groups, apart from the socialist one,'' Baron said.

[04] EU Commissioner lauds archaeological unification project

European Commissioner for the environment Margot Wallstrom on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the use of Community funds for the unification of archaeological sites around the centre of Athens, during a visit to the Acropolis in the morning.

She was accompanied on a tour of Dionysis Areopagitou street, one of the pedestrianised roads forming part of the archeological unification on which work was recently completed, by a high-ranking environment ministry official and the president of the company in charge of the works, who briefed her on the details of the project.

[05] Another alleged 'N17' terrorist member arrested

Authorities announced the latest arrest a of suspected ?November 17? terrorist on Thursday the 19th -- apprehending a 40-year-old bank employee in northern Greece and later flying him to Athens aboard a police helicopter.

Counter-terrorism squad officers arrested Anestis Papanastasiou in the port city of Thessaloniki on Thursday morning as he was leaving his home for work at a foreign bank branch.

Papanastasiou is a cousin of suspected ?N17? terrorist Nikos Papanastasiou, who is currently jailed at an Athens-area prison pending trial for various terrorism-related felonies.

According to reports, although Anestis Papanastasiou -- married and the father of one -- is believed to be involved with N17, he is not considered one of the deadly groups assassins. Authorities said he worked at a local HSBC branch in the city for the past 12 years.

Public order ministry sources said Papanastasiou was arrested after his fingerprints were found in one of two N17 hideouts in Athens. However, authorities did not clarify whether his fingerprints were found on movable objects in the hideout or on stationary spots, such as a wall, a pertinent element in substantiating any indictment against him.

Nikos Papanastasiou, 50, was arrested in Athens last July and charged with complicity in the November 1983 assassination of US Navy officer George Tsantes and his driver Nikos Veloutsos, among others.

Authorities have identified Nikos Papanastasiou in an indictment as the ?N17? member with the alias of ?Nikitas?, one of the terrorist gangs founding members and among its top lieutenants.

[06] Greek president extends condolences over air crash in Turkey

President Kostis Stephanopoulos on Thursday sent a telegram to his Turkish Counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer, extending his condolences to the relatives of victims of the plane crash in Diyarbakir province.

Likewise, Foreign Minister George Papandreou sent a similar message to his Turkish counterpart Yasar Yakis expressing the sorrow of the Greek people over the tragic accident.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.059

Pound sterling 0.658

Danish kroner 7.489

Swedish kroner 9.183

Japanese yen 126.1

Swiss franc 1.471

Norwegian kroner 7.283

Cyprus pound 0.579

Canadian dollar 1.650

Australian dollar 1.831

[08] Weather Forecast: Cloud expected on Friday

Cloud is forecast for most parts of the country on Friday, while in the west and north, there may be local rains later in the day. Winds southerly, strong turning very strong on locally of gale force. In the north and center, temperatures will range from 6C to 16C; in the west from 8C to 18C; and in the rest of the country from 13C to 19C. Scattered cloud in Athens with temperatures between 10C and 17C. Cloud and rain in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 10C to 15C.

[09] Greek stocks remain under pressure on Thursday

Greek stocks ended Thursday's session slightly lower unable to recover from the previous day's sharp drop as investors remained worried over the prospects of the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index eased 0.25 percent to end at 1,721.94 points, with turnover an improved 87.8 million euros.

The Telecommunications sector was the only one to score gains (up 0.42 percent), while the Food-Beverage (2.28 percent), Cement (2.03 percent), Holding (1.64 percent and Wholesale (1.60 percent) sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.74 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index eased 0.67 percent, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index fell 1.09 percent and the FTSE/ASE 140 index eased 0.76 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 222 to 83 with another 50 issues unchanged.

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