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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Communist party holds main election rally, appeals to Leftist citizens

[02] New customs post on Bulgarian side of Promahonas crossing

[03] Athens 2004 - 4th World Press Operations Briefing successful

[04] Greek consul in Istanbul satisfied with military decharacterisation of

[05] Nat'l Bank of Greece governor Karatzas passes away after battle with

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain and snow on Thursday

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates: Thursday

[08] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop in election jitters

[01] Communist party holds main election rally, appeals to Leftist citizens

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga, addressing the party's main rally at the Pedion tou Areos park in Athens on Wednesday night, ahead of Sunday's general elections, appealed to Leftist citizens and supporters of the ruling PASOK party for backing and criticised the two mainstream parties of PASOK and New Democracy for their policies.

Papariga stressed that KKE's steadfast position as an ''intransigent and uncompromising opponent of Right-wing bipartisan politics.''

On the basis of this position, she explained the reasons why citizens must vote against the two mainstream parties and the reasons why they should back KKE with their vote.

''It is not parties and candidates alone who are judged in the elections. The voter is also ultimately judged. He also submits a candidacy before the ballot box. If he will constitute an obstacle for anti-popular policy or he will be used as a rug to enable it to pass,'' she said.

[02] New customs post on Bulgarian side of Promahonas crossing

SOFIA (ANA B. Borisov) Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha on Wednesday inaugurated a new customs post on the Greek-Bulgarian frontier at the Promahonas/Koulata border crossing.

According to Bulgarian officials, the new customs post will better facilitate commercial and tourist traffic, especially in light of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The World Bank contributed to the financing of the 1.3-million-euro facility.

[03] Athens 2004 - 4th World Press Operations Briefing successful

The 4th World Press Operations Briefing which began on February 29 and ended on Wednesday, provided information for a record 210 members of the foreign press on the progress of preparations for the 2004 Olympic Games.

It is the first time that an Olympic Organising Committee has held four such briefings, enabling members of the foreign press to closely follow the progress of preparations and to be informed about the services they can expect from the Athens 2004 Organising Committee during the Games.

During the four-day briefing, journalists had the opportunity of visiting various Olympic venues, including the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre, the Olympic Aquatic Centre, the Galatsi Olympic Hall, the media village in Pallini, the Olympic Village and the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

On the final day of the briefing, journalists visited the Main Press Centre (MPC).

Also present was Australian IOC Vice President and President of the Media Committee Kevin Gosper who expressed his satisfaction with the services provided to the media and was impressed with the MPC which he described as being ''the best'' he has seen throughout his career.

[04] Greek consul in Istanbul satisfied with military decharacterisation of city

ISTANBUL (ANA/A. Kourkoulas) - Greek consul in Istanbul Alexandra Mantzila expressed satisfaction on Wednesday on the city of Ainos in eastern Thrace, in Turkey, being decharacterised as a military region.

The Greek consul attended a ceremony organised in the region and stressed that the city will be open to visitors now, adding that the decision to have it decharacterised as a military region banned for foreigners is an important decision taken on Turkey's course towards the European Union.

The region's mayor thanked Mantzila for her visit and said that talks are taking place with the municipality of Alexandroupoli, northern Greece, to have the sea route between Ainos and Alexandroupoli restored.

[05] Nat'l Bank of Greece governor Karatzas passes away after battle with cancer

National Bank of Greece governor Theodoros Karatzas passed away on Wednesday at the age of 74, after a bout with cancer.

Karatzas was born in 1930, and studied at the University of Athens' Law School, followed by post-graduate studies at the Institute of Higher European Studies in Strasbourg.

From 1982 to 1985 he served as managing director of the Hellenic Bank for Investment and Industrial Development (ETEBA), president of the Hellenic-French Bank and president of ôçå Hellenic Industrial and Metallurgical Investment Corporation (ELEÂME), while in 1985 he was appointed secretary general of the ministry of National Economy.

In June 1987 he assumed a government post for the first time, serving as undersecretary of national economy in the government of Andreas Papandreou (PASOK), but resigned from the post on December 15, 1988 following the political crisis that broke out over the Koskotas-Bank of Crete scandal.

Karatzas was appointed governor of the National Bank of Greece on February 5, 1996 -- a post he held to his death -- under the government of prime minister Costas Simitis, while in March that same year he was elected president of the Union of Greek Banks.

[06] Weather Forecast: Rain and snow on Thursday

Rain is forecast in all parts of the country, especially in the east and north. Scattered storms are also expected, with snow chiefly on high ground. Winds north-northeasterly, very strong to gale force. Temperatures in Athens 08C to 12C and in Thessaloniki from 04C to 07C.Snow on mountains around Athens.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates: Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.224

Pound sterling 0.668

Danish kroner 7.511

Swedish kroner 9.329

Japanese yen 134.8

Swiss franc 1.593

Norwegian kroner 8.768

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.657

Australian dollar 1.632

[08] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop in election jitters

The Athens bourse finished lower on Wednesday in a nervous market dominated by sellers ahead of national elections at the weekend, traders said.

The general share index shed 0.40 per cent to end at 2,437.29 points. Turnover was 130.0 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.34 per cent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper also 0.34 per cent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished 0.40 per cent lower.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 193 to 100 with 60 issues remaining unchanged.

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