Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-05-05

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM has telephone talks with U.S., Syrian counterparts

[02] PM to embark on tour of Baltic, East European countries this week

[03] Greece seeks closer energy ties with FYROM

[04] Kaklamanis sends message to Turkish counterpart over quake

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[06] Weather Forecast: Warm, sunny on Tuesday

[07] ASE ends above 1,750 level on Monday

[01] FM has telephone talks with U.S., Syrian counterparts

Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Monday had a telephone conversation with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, according to a briefing by foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis.

Beglitis said that Papandreou briefed Powell on the results of the informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers' council in Rhodes and Kastellorizo, focusing on the EU-USA relations, Middle Eastern developments, after the release of the road map to peace, and the reconstruction of Iraq and the role the UN should assume in this country.

[02] PM to embark on tour of Baltic, East European countries this week

Prime Minister Costas Simitis began the week with the swearing in of new Deputy Public Order Minister Pantelis Tsertikidis and a meeting with President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said on Monday.

On Tuesday morning the prime minister is to depart for a tour of the Baltic states and and eastern European countries. On his itinerary are stops in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, Budapest, Bratislava and Prague.

[03] Greece seeks closer energy ties with FYROM

SKOPJE (ANA/N.Frangopoulos)- Greece would like to evolve closer ties in the energy sector with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in order to complete connection with trans-European networks for oil, natural gas and electricity.

Speaking to reporters in FYROM's capital on Monday,Greek Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said the two countries also were examining protection of the environment in connection with energy projects, especially conservation of Doirani Lake and the River Axios.

In addition, Tsohatzopoulos told FYROM's prime minister, Branco Cervenkovski, during talks that Greek firms were interested in investing in the neighbouring country.

Among them was the Athens-quoted Public Power Corporation, which may seek to acquire FYROM's state electricity utility under a privatisation project.

[04] Kaklamanis sends message to Turkish counterpart over quake

Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis on Monday sent a telegram to his Turkish counterpart Bulent Aridc expressing the ''particular sorrow of the Greek people over the killer earthquake that hit the area of Bingol and caused the death of scores of innocent people''.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.130

Pound sterling 0.705

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.156

Japanese yen 134.5

Swiss franc 1.525

Norwegian kroner 7.928

Cyprus pound 0.592

Canadian dollar 1.605

Australian dollar 1.788

[06] Weather Forecast: Warm, sunny on Tuesday

Warm, sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud on the mainland from late afternoon. Winds northeasterly, light to strong. In the west, temperatures will range from 14C to 31C; on the rest of the mainland from 13C to 29C; and in the Aegean islands from 16C to 27C. Temperatures in Athens between 17C and 27C; and in Thessaloniki from 16C to 28C.

[07] ASE ends above 1,750 level on Monday

Greek stocks jumped on Monday pushing the general index above the 1,750 resistance level - the highest closing in several months - in the Athens Stock Exchange. Traders said buying activity intensified after the market successfully surpassed the 1,700 level in the previous week.

The general index ended 1.81 percent higher to 1,751.87, with turnover an improved 146.6 million euros. National Bank's shares rose 5.26 percent leading the day's advance.

The IT Solutions (6.34 percent), Food-Beverage (3.90 percent), Banks (3.84 percent), Metals (3.05 percent) and Investment (2.75 percent) sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 2.45 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.52 percent higher, the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 2.40 percent up and the wider FTSE/ASE 140 index jumped 2.29 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 284 to 51 with another 28 issues unchanged.

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