NEWS IN DETAIL

Asked whether Greece intended to block the enlargement of the EU with respect to countries of central and eastern Europe if substantial progress is not made in the procedure for Cyprus' accession to the Community, Mr. Reppas replied:

"Greece in any case has such a weapon in its hands in the event that Cyprus' accession to the EU is undermined."

Mr. Simitis will participate this morning in the EU Socialist leaders' meeting. Sources said that the Greek side will invite European Socialist leaders to a European congress, organised by PASOK next April on the issue "socialism today."

Mr. Evert received 103 votes against 84 for Mr. Souflias. There were three blank votes, one invalid, while two electors were absent. The party's 108 recently elected MPs, its nine Eurodeputies and 76 electors selected in polls earlier this week in the party's prefectural committees throughout the country voted in the election.

Mr. Evert, 57, resigned from the leadership immediately after the party's electoral defeat became apparent, saying he took full responsibility.

News of his resignation brought several contenders for the post, including ND deputy Dora Bakoyianni, the daughter of ND honorary president and former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, and Stephanos Manos, a former economy minister in the Mitsotaki s government.

Following moves from within the party to convince Mr. Evert to re-contest the leadership, Ms Bakoyianni and Mr. Manos dropped out of the race and joined forces with Mr. Mitsotakis in supporting Mr. Souflias in his bid for the party leadership.

In a statement after his re-election, Mr. Evert appealed for party unity and said the party elections had opened a "new prospect and dynamic" for New Democracy.

"There are no losers and winners in these elections," Mr. Evert said, adding that if this was not understood within the party, then it would fail in its mission.

Mr. Evert called on all the party members to "forget the rivalries and turn a new page, so that we may go to a party congress in the first half of 1997."

"The battle begins with the government's policy statements (in Parliament next week) where ND will applaud every positive action and will criticise every negative one," he said, calling on cadres "to work together for the unity of New Democracy, to list en to the problems of society and to conclude with joint positions."

In congratulating Mr. Evert, Mr. Souflias said that regaining the essential unity of the party was necessary, and that the target was its victory in the next Parliamentary elections.

Mr. Evert first took over the party's leadership in 1993 when his predecessor, Mr. Mitsotakis, lost Paliamentary elections that year to a PASOK party led by the late Andreas Papandreou.

Mr. Mitsotakis resigned following the defeat to become honorary president of New Democracy.

Mr. Evert held a number of cabinet posts between 1976 and 1991. In 1986 he resigned as a member of Parliament after being elected mayor of Athens on a ND-backed ticket.

Following Mr. Evert's re-election, former ND minister Andreas Andrianopoulos proceeded with a move he had already pre-announced before the leadership contest, that in the event of an Evert victory he would establish a new political force.

True to his promise, he called on social forces "to rally towards an effort to form a new reform political initiative for greater freedom and less statism".

"It is time someone erected a mound against a definite weakening of the brutally taxed middle classes," he said.

The Coalition returned to Parliament in general elections on September 22 after a three-year hiatus, gaining ten seats in the 300-member House.

Constantopoulos told the central committee that the percentage gained by the Coalition in the elections was ''the first step towards a change in the political scene'' in Greece.

Commenting on the two major political parties, Constantopoulos said the main opposition New Democracy was in the throes of a serious identity problem, while the ruling PASOK party was facing enormous outstanding problems because of ''the reduction of its popular base and simmering internal problems''.

''It is clear that PASOK, being a government of 41 per cent (of the Greek people) and facing serious problems, is seeking support and an alibi,'' Constantopoulos said, commenting on statements by Prime Minister Costas Simitis shortly after his party's election victory seen by many as an opening to political forces of the centre-left.

''But the Coalition will not be an accomplice to the continuation of political impasses or to ineffective and socially unjust government administration,'' Constantopoulos said.

Calling on the government to immediately shape new institutions which would enable the implementation of new policies, Constantopoulos enumerated the Coalition's priorities as being a change in economic policy, changes in the manner of government, including decentralization, changes in the management and administration of public enterprises and the creation of institutions to secure transparency.

In addition, he said, the Coalition was calling for a re-orientation of foreign policy, the upgrading of Parliament's role, changes in the functioning of the Cabinet, changes in the electoral system and the revision of the Constitution.

Constantopoulos said however that his party's positions would take their final form according to the new government's policy statements.

''The Coalition will react vigorously to any attempt by the government to further reduce workers' income and weaken the social state,'' Constantopoulos warned.

He added that the first indications of government practice were not encouraging and forecast that its policy in many sectors would not change.

The ceremony is expected to be attended by the current and former presidents of the republic, former prime ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, the mayor of Athens, the armed forces chiefs, ecclesiastical officials and other dignitaries.

On the following day, Parliament will elect its president by secret ballot, and on Wednesday the rest of the 15-member presidium.

The three-day debate on the governmentYs policy statements will begin on Thursday, and will be concluded on Saturday evening with a roll-call confidence vote for the government.

Reports said that the homemade bomb planted in the car belonging to Colonel Antonis Roussos may have been the work of the shadowy November 17 group.

Col. Roussos had recently left his position at NATO headquarters in Naples and was due to take retirement from active service in a months' time.

Experts said the remnants of the bomb and the timing mechanism were similar to bombs used by November 17 in previous attacks.

Col. Roussos told police that he had not received any threats and could not explain why his car had been targetted.

The car, parked in an underground garage, sustained serious damage.

According to diplomatic circles, discussions between Greece's permanent representative to the UN, Christos Zacharakis, and the representative from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Ivan Tosevski, are scheduled to last for one day only.

The same sources estimate that negotiations will be accelerated following Mr. Vance's return to New York after his 10-day visit to Bosnia.

The CPI rise was due to increases in the prices of foodstuffs, rents and fuel, according to figures released today by the National Statistical Service (ESYE).

According to ESYE, inflation is at a point at which a further decrease is considered to be "difficult".

The stability of the rate over the past two months indicates that measures taken to push down the figure are no longer enough by themselves.

The rate is still three times the EU average.

(S.S.)

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