NEWS IN DETAIL

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is due in Athens on Monday for talks with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and other government officials. Fischer is due to meet with his Greek counterpart George Papapandreou and Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis. On the agenda of the talks are reconstruction of the Balkans, European Union relations with Turkey and the Cyprus issue. Meanwhile, U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen arrives in Athens on Tuesday for two days of talks centring on terrorism and Greek- Turkish relations. Cohen will meet with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and the foreign and defence ministers. Also on the agenda of his talks are multipartite cooperation in Kosovo and southeastern Europe.

Tunisian defence minister on official visit

Tunisian Defence Minister Habib Ben Yehia arrives in Greece on Monday on the start of an official visit at the invitation of Greek counterpart, Akis Tsohatzopoulos. Ben Yehia and Tsohatzopoulos are scheduled to have talks on Monday at the defence ministry. On Tuesday, Ben Yehia will meet with Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis and President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos.

Majority of Greeks approve of deportations

The majority of Greeks approve of the practice of deporting illegal immigrants, according to an opinion poll published in Sunday's edition of daily Ethnos. Some 89.5 percent said they favoured deportation, with 76.5 percent saying they believed most criminals were Albanian. Some 79. 2 percent said they believed more foot patrols by police would curb crime. Slightly more than half, or 59.4 percent, said they bellieved introducing a green card for immigrants to work legally in Greece was a positive measure, while 34.9 percent believed it was to the detriment of Greek workers.

Young Communists in border protest

About 2,000 members of the Communist Party of Greece's youth branch blockaded the Evzones border post on the Greek-FYROM border late on Saturday as a protest against NATO's involvement in the Balkans. Protestors gained entry to the netural zone between the two countries and pulled down and burnt a European Union flag. The blockade lasted for about an hour. During the protest customs officials diverted traffic to other roads.

Albanian embassy car torched

A vehicle belonging to the Albanian embassy was set on fire early on Sunday as it was parked in the Athens suburb of Zografou. Police said the car, with diplomatic corps licence plates, was doused in petrol and set alight. The subsequent fire also damaged a car parked next to the Albanian embassy vehicle. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.

Firebombs hurled at suburban bank

Masked arsonists attacked a branch of the Agricultural Bank of Greece in suburban Kolonos with eight fire bombs early on Sunday, causing some damage but no injuries. The bombs damaged the entrance to the bank.

PASOK vows to fight on against conservatives

PASOK's front against the main opposition New Democracy and the forces of conservatism remains open and will continue being the focus of its strategy, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said in his concluding address to the ruling party's Cental Committee session on Saturday. Simitis expressed confidence that despite a disappointing performance in last month's Euroelections, PASOK was in a position to win next year's national elections, but this required unity and an end to introversion and internal friction.

Greek, Dutch firms acquire Bulgarian telecom

Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) and KPN of the Netherlands yesterday reached agreement with the Bulgarian government for acquisition of 51 percent of the BTC state telecom following a privatisation tender. The two firms will also jointly acquire Bulgaria's second GSM mobile phone licence, plus a 51 percent stake in the country's Mobikom analog mobile operator. The buyout cost OTE and KPN 510 million US dollars. Another 200 million dollars will be spent over three years on investments to expand existing telecoms networks and develop the GSM network.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Monday's rates (buying)
U.S. dollar          316.775
Pound sterling       491.695
Japanese yen (100)   258.585
French franc          49.202
German mark          165.018
Italian lira (100)    16.669
Irish Punt           409.804
Belgian franc          8.001
Finnish mark          54.282
Dutch guilder        146.456
Danish kr.            43.410
Austrian sch.         23.455
Spanish peseta         1.939
Swedish kr.           37.031
Norwegian kr.         39.779
Swiss franc          200.959
Port. Escudo           1.610
Can. dollar          215.264
Aus. dollar          210.765
Cyprus pound         560.778
Euro                 322.747

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