NEWS IN DETAIL

Greece not satisfied with Burns statements on Imia

"These (new) statements (by US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns) bring us back to the previous situation and do not clarify the issue of the sovereignty of the Imia islets," Foreign ministry spokesman Constantine Bikas told reporters.

He was referring to Burns's statement yesterday expressing his regret at "confusion" over earlier comments that it was "up to Greece and Turkey to decide to work together amicably, peacefully without the threat of force, use of force, to decide the disposition of these disputed islets".

Burns said that the United States did not "take sides in the difference between Greece and Turkey over the disputed island which is called Kardak and Imia".

Bikas said that Greece would refer to the recent declaration by US President Bill Clinton calling for a peaceful resolution of Greek-Turkish disputes based on respect for recognised borders and international treaties.

The US was in favour of the Imia dispute being referred to the International Court at The Hague and was strongly opposed to 'superficial' territorial claims such as Turkey's questioning of Greek sovereignty over the island of Gavdos earlier this year, Clinton said in a campaign message to the US Greek community earlier this month.

Referring to a recent proposal by Foreign Undersecretary Christos Rozakis that the moratorium on military exercises in the Aegean over the summer be extended, Bikas reiterated comments by government spokesman Dimitris Reppas yesterday that "it was Turkey which should make the first move and then we will discuss and examine it".

Bikas added that a recent US Congress study on the 1932 treaty between Turkey and Italy on sovereignty of the Dodecanese islands in the main supported "solid" Greek positions.

Prime minister pledges full support for Athens 2004 Olympic bid

"It was a very good beginning. Mr. Simitis guaranteed that the government would support Athens' bid to host the Olympic Games," Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou told reporters after the reception of the committee, which arrived this morning.

The meeting was also attended by Sports Undersecretary Andreas Fouras, Sports Secretary-General Yiannis Sgouros, the president of the Athens 2004 committee Yianna Daskalaki-Angelopoulou and Greece's members of the International Olympic Committee Nikos Filateros and Lambis Nikolaou.

Officials were pleased at a comment by the German president of the committee, Thomas Bach, that the Olympic Games "did not only refer to the future but to the past", saying the statement was a "key" to a successful bid.

Daskalaki-Angelopoulou said that the good relations between the government and the Athens 2004 committee were an added advantage in the "difficult effort to host the Games".

Impressions from the first contacts with Athens were overwhelmingly positive. IOC member Nikolaou noted "that the evaluation committee's luggage arrived at the hotel before they did. And you know what an important role small details play..."

The official reception for the committee members will be held tomorrow morning at the Zappeion Mansion, in the presence of Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, the Athens 2004 committee members and other officials.

The presentation of Athens candidacy will begin immediately after the reception at Zappeion. Bach said the 19-member committee would assess Athens' bid over three days and after receiving answers to 600 questions.

The committee members are also scheduled to meet Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos tomorrow at 1.30.

Evert says balance of power in post-election period has changed to ND's benefit

Addressing the party's central committee yesterday, Mr. Evert said that the balance of power in the post-election period had changed to the benefit of New Democracy. He said these changes include the fact that the Political Spring (POL.AN) party lost its parliamentary seats at the September general election.

"This new development," he added, "will allow New Democracy to broaden, without delay, its influence" to include POL.AN's liberal voters.

In a direct call on POL.AN's supporters, Mr. Evert said that "New Democracy keeps its doors open for everyone who accepts its principles and its positions,...(for everyone) who does not return to partitions of the past, but aspires to convergences of th e future."

Mr. Simitis is to be accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos.

The summit is due to discuss the possibility of a more in-depth cooperation between members or a possible enlargement of the organisation. It will also explore the possibility of turning the BSEC, which was founded in 1992, into an international organisation.

Cyprus' accession 'a binding decision by the EU', Reppas says

Mr. Reppas reiterated that Cyprus' accession constitutes a binding decision by the EU, adding that Greece will contribute towards having all obstacles overcome and have accession completed in the time scheduled.

Stephanopoulos visits WWII concentration camps before leaving Poland

He was taken on a tour of the premises and installations where thousands of people, mostly Jews, from all over Europe were imprisoned and killed.

President Stephanopoulos laid a wreath at the wall used for executions and signed the visitors' book before leaving for the nearby Birkenau concentration camp.

President Stephanopoulos returned to Athens late last night at the end of his three-day visit to this eastern European country.

Tsohatzopoulos says possibility still exists for Turkey to create new `Imia incident`

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, who toured military units in the Evros Prefecture yesterday, expressed satisfaction over the readiness and high morale of the armed forces and said Greece is completely prepared to confront any Turkish design and that Ankara is aware of this message.

Speaking to members of the 12th and 16th Infantry Divisions in Alexandroupolis and Didimotiho, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said Turkey continues to dispute the status quo in the region and international treaties, such as the Lausanne Treaty, adding that the neig hbouring country has expansionist designs and is promoting the tactic of coercive diplomacy to lead Greece to negotiations.

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said that despite the fact that in past days a great deal of violations have been ascertained at operational level, Turkey is aware that Greece has military readiness and political will to put an end to all of Ankara's designs.

"The European Union, on the basis of its July 15 statement, continues to expect a reply from the Turkish government regarding the problem of its relations with Greece, and we hope that this reply will be such that will allow us to improve our relations with it," he said.

He refused to elaborate, apparently in view of todayYs vote in the European Parliament regarding budgetary provisions for Mediterranean Assistance (MEDA) programme credits to Turkey.

Meeting on absorption of EU social funds

According to reliable sources, the labour ministry proposed benefits for those on low pensions to be funded by the budget instead of by social security funds.

The same sources said proposals were made for promoting and accelerating procedures for the legalisation of immigrants living in Greece.

Strong quake registered off Pylos

The tremor's epicentre was located 215 kms southwest of Athens in the sea region off Pylos, which has seen a number of tremors registering above 4.0 in recent weeks.

Seismologist Vassilis Papazahos, of the Geophysical Laboratory at the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, told the ANA the latest tremor was worrying.

"The new quake does not follow the usual characteristics ... the strength of the new quake, only 15 days after a similarly strong quake, is not a normal development of seismic activity in the region," he said.

The region saw a tremor registering 5.1 Richter on October 9 and has a history of seismic activity.

The strongest quake in the region - 7.5 Richter - was recorded in 1886.

Captain charged with smuggling illegal migrants

Ignatius Markodoulis, 49, and his four-member crew were arrested yesterday when port authorities found the 33 Pakistanis hidden in the "Mona's" hold.

Police are also seeking two members of the vessel's owner company, as accomplices in the smuggling of the illegal immigrants.

The Mona has been the focus of police investigation before, when as the "Patricia V" it was found sailing southeast off Crete with 23 tonnes of hashish.

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