According to the report, the organs came from children, who were murdered in Albania, and were brought to Greece and Italy.

According to the newspaper report, the illegal network began its activities in 1994 and selected children with special needs mainly from Albania. Their organs were removed with the permission of their families or the directors of orphanages and instituti ons where they were hospitalized.

The transplant operations took place at hospitals in Italy and the mastermind of the network is allegedly an Italian professor. Regarding Greece, investigations focus on a gynecologist who works in a clinic at a city in central Macedonia, northern Greece .

Four Albanian doctors are also involved in the network as well as other five Albanians who acted as mediators.

Mr. Voulgarakis stated that the United States acknowledge that Greece made all necessary steps to host safe Olympic Games and preparations proceed in a very satisfactory manner.

Responding to the question if the US suffers from tromophobia, Mr. Voulgarakis underlined that the American public opinion is very sensitized, adding that each country has its own experiences and operates based on its own reality while it has its own pla ns.

Mr. Voulgarakis stated that Greece is concerned with the safety of the Olympic Games and many talks were held on this issue, stressing that all necessary steps have been made to ensure safety.

Responding to a question concerning the explosions outside the police station in Kalithea, Athens he said that it was an event that obviously brought difficulties to the talks.

Mr. Christofias stressed that the "no" does not mean rejection of a solution in Cyprus and reiterated the goal for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on the Annan Plan. He said characteristically that "it is our house that was burnt down and we mus t rebuilt it" and speculated that the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots could agree on some changes on certain issues on the Annan Plan.

On the handling of the Cyprus issue, he said that the moves made by former Cyprus President Glafkos Clerides were not the best in order to have a better plan on the table.

A meeting of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis with Mr. Samaras to discuss the issue is not ruled out in the following days.

Of the stocks trading today, 215 had gains and 80 had losses, while the value of 88 stocks remained unchanged.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos wished success to new Hellenic Army General Staff Chief Nikolaos Douvas, while he thanked honorary Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff Panagiotis Harvalas for his valuable contribution to the armed forces for a total of 39 years.