Tomorrow at 1pm, President of the Republic Konstantinos Stefanopoulos will meet with the executive committee of the European Women's Association.

At 4pm, the European Women's Association along with the Western Balkan Democracy Initiative and Great Britain's Westminster Foundation, will participate in a forum on: "The role of women in strengthening Democracy, development and security in countries o f the Western Balkans".

The congress will end with its President's speech on Saturday at 12:15 pm.

Specifically, he had a one hour meeting with the Commander of the Armed Forces, General Masoussos Paragioudis, with whom he discussed issues on terrorism, Greek-American and Greek-Turkish relations. According to information, the possibility of replacing US troops in the Balkans with European forces was discussed, if the US decide to make such a move.

In talks that Mr. Miller had with Air Force Commander, D. Lytzerakos, they discussed accommodations for US aircraft, for their attacks on Afghanistan, while with the Navy Commander, vice Admiral G. Theodoroulakis, he discussed Greek support of US Navy fo rces and the use of the Souda Naval Base.

These task forces will be responsible for operational organization in such cases, while police, fire fighting and Armed Forces, as well as scientists from the Special Infections Research Center, the Atomic Energy Committee and other bodies will participa te. Their coordination will be the responsibility of the special group created by the Ministry of Health.

The group convened today for the first time with the participation of the second in Command of the Armed Forces, the Chief of Police, Paramedic Units, the Special Infections Research Center, the Fire Department and the Coast Guard.

According to the Central Committee of Political Protection, three work groups will be created by scientists, whose job it is to develop new emergency plans to deal with chemical, biological or nuclear incidents.

Based on this protocol any member-state, providing judicial guarantees, can ask for necessary information on bank accounts within the borders of another member-state, during a criminal investigation of certain serious offences, including organized crime.

The protocol was mainly signed to fight the legalization of income from illegal activities, which is often connected to terrorist funding.

The topic mainly discussed at the Emergency Meeting of EU Ministers of Justice was the European arrest warrant, which, with the latest regulation, may replace extradition of wanted or convicted individuals from one European country to another. This will cancel checking if the crime committed in the country that issued the arrest warrant is punishable in the country where the wanted party is at the time.

The Greek delegation was against the broad definition given for terrorism, which included supporting terrorism and urging others to commit terrorist acts. In coming meetings a definition of terrorism which will not restrict the expression of opinion on t errorism is expected. The Greek delegation supported that the notion of terrorism should include among its other characteristics, the elements of terrorist intent, and intention to incite fear in citizens, so that there is a clearer difference from other similar illegal activities, which cannot be considered terrorism.

The immigrants crossed into the country by boat with the help of three men, one Turk, one Iraqi and one Greek. The last of the three, Giorgos Margiolas, took them from the Turkish bank to the Greek one, and led the 44 illegal immigrants, on foot, to Poro s, in order to transfer them to Athens by truck. Margiolas was arrested, while the other two traffickers are being searched for.

The illegal immigrants paid $2000 each in Istanbul for their transportation. The arrested parties will be referred to the Alexandroupoli District Attorney.

Mr. Laliotis warned of a «political earthquake» when the evidence concerning a Liberian company case will be revealed. He said that Mr. Mitsotakis will have the same fate with German chancellor Helmut Kohl and New Democracy will have the same fate with G ermany's Christian-Democratic Party, adding that politicians have the fate they deserve.

Mr. Laliotis also attacked New Democracy spokesman Thodoros Roussopoulos calling him an «out and out liar» and stated that he should read what he was writing as a journalist when Mitsotakis was the prime minister.

UNESCO's medium-term strategy programs for the five-year period of 2002-2007 aimed at contributing to peace and economic development through education, culture and science, will be among the issues that will be discussed in the meeting, while a draft dec laration on cultural diversity will be adopted.

In public statements she made, Ms. Damanaki has pointed out that she disagrees both with the Coalition of the Left stance on the issue and its participation in anti-war demonstrations.

The above were stated today by foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis issuing an appeal to both sides to display self-restraint and proceed bravely and with a sense of responsibility with the negotiations that will lead to peace.

Mr. Beglitis also repeated the invitation for a meeting of Palestinians and Israelis in Athens.

The invitation that was issued by foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou and the Greek initiative for a religious dialogue under the auspices of the EU and European Commission president Romano Prodi were welcomed yesterday by the EU foreign ministers in the

general affairs council meeting.

Mr. Papandreou briefed his EU counterparts on the latest contacts he had in Syria and his imminent trip to Iran and Egypt.

The 15 EU foreign ministers reiterated the EU political will to strengthen cooperation with the Arab-Muslim countries and expressed their political reservations concerning the spread of the military operations in Afghanistan to other target-states.

They will also discuss developments concerning the circulation of the Euro that will begin next year and the future of Europe in view of the European Council meeting in Laaken.

During the formal dinner, the EU leaders will have the opportunity to discuss developments in the fight against international terrorism and the stance the EU should adopt, while they will also deal with the issue of the EU enlargement.

Ways to combat terrorism will be discussed in the European Conference that will be held in Brussels on Saturday with the participation of the 15 EU countries, and the western Balkan states, while Russia, Ukraine and Moldavia have been invited to the form al luncheon.

Mr. Papandreou stated that there should be no panic because the Greek authorities can deal with the situation, adding that the people's everyday life should continue as usual.

The foreign minister also underlined that Greece participates actively in all EU initiatives against terrorism and in the effort to solve the Palestinian problem. Referring to the Palestinian issue, he said that developments in the Middle East are very a larming. He said that the situation was deteriorating for some time, adding that after the assassination of the Israeli minister of tourism it is imperative that a solution should be found and the international community must undertake an initiative aimed

at moving ahead with the peace process.

Mr. Papandreou stated that the prime minister will present in the Gent EU Summit meeting the Greek proposals for a solution to the Palestinian issue.

The mobilization of the responsible authorities was immediate and the building was placed in quarantine. The employees were not allowed to leave the building, while the envelope was isolated and is being examined by a group of specialist scientists forme d precisely for this purpose. The likelihood of a hoax is also being considered.

The news was confirmed by government spokesman Dimitris Reppas and health ministry general secretary Mr. Sofianos.

Mr. Rousopoulos stated that New Democracy is the first Greek political party that invited auditors to check on its financial state, adding that the initiative became a law after 1996.

Of the stocks trading today, 62 recorded gains and 272 had losses, while the value of 28 remained unchanged.

The above were stated by Aristotle University biochemistry and toxicology professor Anastasios Kovatsis speaking in the 1st Science Fiction International Conference that opened in Thessaloniki today.

Professor Kovatsis stated that the foundations for the DNA research were laid by the Greek pre-Socratic philosophers. The basis of the DNA, its description, its applications, and everything Empedocles said 2.500 years ago were fully confirmed and today f orm the basis of biology and medicine. Professor Kovatsis said that today, we know that the DNA applications do not concern only the cure of certain illnesses but can contribute to the creation of humans or other species that will be better, more resistan t to illnesses and will have a longer life expectancy.

The article underlined that after September 11, humanity and the world of sports, discovered that the cost of insurance coverage has skyrocketed, which may have cancellation of certain sporting events as its consequence, due to unbearable economic burden s. Especially vulnerable, are international sporting events.

Among other things, the following reference to the 2004 Olympics in Athens was made:

"It is a fact that the responsible parties for the security of the Sidney Olympics, had to examine the far fetched possibility of a plane crashing into the Olympic Stadium during the Games' opening ceremony. That possibility is no longer far-fetched for the organizers of the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Greece, just like FIFA, may face a cancelled insurance contract. But, they have not to this date negotiated their insurance coverage.

As long as they continue to do so, they may find out that the cost is forbidding, even more than the Greek government can offer as a subsidy".

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