Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-04-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] ECOFIN president: Assessment of economic repercussions from war

[02] IAAF selects afternoon start time for 2004 Olympic marathon

[03] 'Olympic Truce' signed in Nicosia

[04] Weather Monday -- Rain

[01] ECOFIN president: Assessment of economic repercussions from war difficult

Greek Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, the current presiding chairman of the ECOFIN group, noted over the weekend that any comprehensive assessment of economic repercussions from the ongoing Iraq conflict is very difficult at present.

?However, no matter what the repercussions are, nothing can compare with the massive human tragedy of the war that is taking place, therefore, humanitarian aid is a priority for the European Union at this phase,? he said during a press conference on Saturday at the conclusion of an informal ECOFIN meeting near Athens.

The meeting marked the last time such an informal ECOFIN meeting takes place in its present form, as finance ministers from newly acceded EU member-states will participate as observers in future sessions before becoming full members when the entire accession process is concluded.

[02] IAAF selects afternoon start time for 2004 Olympic marathon

The IAAF over the weekend announced an afternoon start time for the popular marathon events during next years Olympic Games in Athens.

Specifically, the mens and womens marathons will take place on Aug. 29 and Aug. 22, respectively, and begin at 6 p.m. (16.00 GMT). The mens marathon will, in fact, close out the competition for the 2004 Games, as it is traditionally the last event held during the Summer Olympics.

The international athletics federation had initially considered a morning start time for the arduous event in a bid to avoid the mid-afternoon heat and humidity in the Greek capital.

The 2004 Olympics marathons will be run on the ?classical route? connecting the Marathon plain in eastern Attica prefecture the site of an immensely crucial victory by an Athenian citizen-army and their allies the Plataians over an invading Persian force in 490 B.C. --with downtown Athens all-marble Panathinaiko stadium, the venue that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896 and the finish line for the 2004 marathon.

Most historians agree that the battle of Marathon paved the way for Classical Greek civilisation, with the event held in antiquity in honor of an Athenian messenger that heralded the battlefield victory to his fellow citizens before dying of exhaustion.

[03] 'Olympic Truce' signed in Nicosia

NICOSIA (ANA) -- Several politicians as well as social and sports associations here signed the ?Olympic Truce? initiative over the weekend -- in favour of promoting the ideals of the Olympic movement, peace and a reconciliation of peoples.

Only one Turkish Cypriot politician, however, was able to pass into the free areas of the island republic, as the Denktash regime in the Turkish-occupied areas prevented most other T/C politicians from attending the ceremony. Alpai Dourtouran was the only T/C politician that attended the event.

[04] Weather Monday -- Rain

Rain is forecast in parts of western, central and northern Greece on Monday morning, spreading to the rest of the country by mid afternoon. Snowfall in the mountainous regions is also possible. Westerly and northerly winds, moderate to gusty. Temperatures between 1C to 8C in the north; 3C to 14C on the rest of the mainland and 8C to 16C on the islands.

Chance of rain and thunderstorms in Athens, 6C to 13C; the same for Thessaloniki, 5C to 8C.

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