Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-03-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece sees major crisis due to Iraq war, says primary role belongs to

[02] ND leader on Iraq crisis

[03] Gov't focuses on measures in fuel sector

[04] Orthodox faith to make proposals in view of shaping of European

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[06] Weather Forecast: Mostly cloudy on Wednesday

[07] Greek stocks jump 3.34 pct on Tuesday

[08] Foreign ministry issues travel advisory on Kuwait

[01] Greece sees major crisis due to Iraq war, says primary role belongs to UN

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed Athens' support for a leading role by the United Nations in developments concerning Iraq on Tuesday, while predicting that a war in that country would trigger a major international crisis.

''We support that the UN plays a primary role in developments and and that the United Nations should be the guarantor of peace,'' Simitis said after an emergency government meeting to discuss the possible repercussions of war in Iraq.

He also made it clear that Greece would not participate or allow itself to be drawn into the war and that Athens believed the use of force should be the last resort. At the same time, however, he said Greece would fulfill any obligations arising from treaties that it had signed, indicating that Athens did not intend to block the use of U.S. bases, such as that of Souda Bay on Crete.

The Greek premier and current head of the European Council also made it clear that the crisis would have no effect on Europe's course but stressed that European countries had to have a common foreign policy and defence.

The Spring EU summit that would convene in Brussels on Thursday would discuss Iraq but also developments concerning Europe.

''It is our obligation and our choice to continue our course,'' he added.

[02] ND leader on Iraq crisis

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday called for additional measures by the Greek government to protect the national economy in the face of an expected US attack on Iraq.

In speaking to his partys sector coordinators, Karamanlis expressed his view that war is very probable.

The ND stressed that the Greek economy appears more vulnerable that other economies due to what he called the governments policy, before calling for measures to better monitor the fuel sector.

Moreover, he said the sensitive tourism sector an all-important industry for Greece must be supported, included a new promotional campaign. Additionally, he said measures to prevent waves of migrants, fleeing the embattled areas, from inundating Greece are also imperative.

Finally, he advised calm-headedness discretion.

[03] Gov't focuses on measures in fuel sector

A high-ranking government meeting focusing squarely on the Iraq crisis was held here on Tuesday, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis, with a series measures decided to assure fuel supplies, prevent profiteering in the sector as well as to block waves of potential refugees fleeing the war zone.

According to government spokesman Christos Protopapas afterwards, state services will be ordered to more closely monitor domestic markets, while security levels have been raised at airports and other possible targets.

In a related development, the spokesman stressed that the Greek economy built on ?strong foundations?, ?although, of course, no one is invulnerable to international economic developments due to the crisis in Iraq. Thats why were taking necessary measures,? he said.

Finally, the Greek government on Tuesday said it was evacuating all diplomatic staff from its embassy in Baghdad.

[04] Orthodox faith to make proposals in view of shaping of European constitution

A two-day inter-Orthodox meeting on proposals which the Orthodox faith will make in view of the formulation of the European constitution began in Iraklion, Crete on Tuesday in the presence of Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

It is a working meeting of representatives of the Orthodox Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches of Europe and is being held under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Venizelos said in an interview that an acquis communautaire exists in the European Union which, among other things, regulates the matter of religious freedom, religious equality, the forbidding of discrimination and the right of parents to determine the education of their children.

''The European Union's charter on fundamental rights, in combination with the constitutional traditions of the member states and with the European human rights treaty, fully protects religious freedom and equality,'' the minister said. ''Therefore, what should be done is the full implementation of the charter and its incorporation in the future European constitution, with the greatest possible legal validity,'' Venizelos concluded.

The sessions of the inter-Orthodox meeting is expected to be concluded on Wednesday with specific proposals.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.067

Pound sterling 0.682

Danish kroner 7.487

Swedish kroner 9.310

Japanese yen 127.0

Swiss franc 1.483

Norwegian kroner 7.918

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.583

Australian dollar 1.811

[06] Weather Forecast: Mostly cloudy on Wednesday

Cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, likely to turn to showers in northern Crete. The west will be mostly sunny. Winds northerly, light to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from -3C to 11C; in the west from 1C to 15C; and in the rest of the country from 3C to 13C. Temperatures in Athens between 3C and 13C; and in Thessaloniki from 1C to 11C.

[07] Greek stocks jump 3.34 pct on Tuesday

Greek stocks staged a spectacular rebound on Tuesday following a recovery in international markets as investors began sensing a quick end to the crisis in Iraq.

The general index soared 3.34 percent to end at 1,538.15 points, with turnover a low 81.2 million euros.

All sector indices ended higher with the Publication (9.31 percent), Textile (8.49 percent), IT Solutions (6.98 percent), Construction (6.87 percent) and Metal (5.88 percent) sectors scoring the biggest percentage gains of the day.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 3.42 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index jumped 4.36 percent, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 5.63 percent and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 3.79 percent up.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 337 to 14 with another 16 issues unchanged.

[08] Foreign ministry issues travel advisory on Kuwait

The Foreign ministry of Greece on Tuesday issued a travel advisory advising all Greek citizens due to travel to Kuwait to put off their trip under the present circumstances.

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