Prior to that meeting, Mr. Simitis is presiding over a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of the Environment, Planning and Public Works and the Minister Aegean, Nikos Sifounakis, on island public planning issues.

Also, at 13:30 the Prime Minister will meet with Kostas Laliotis and at 7pm he will meet with the Minister of National Economy, Nikos Christodoulakis.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Consulting Director of "Athens 2004", Mr. Tsoukalas, referred to the relation between books and volunteerism, and he stressed the importance of the written word in the development of the movement of Volunteerism and the spreading of ideas. As he characteristically mentioned: "Free choice of reading and free choice of action allow people to search for values in life, as well as for ways in which we can turn society into a community and make citizens happy".

"Athens 2004" is participating in the Fair with a special stand aiming at informing, sensitizing and attracting volunteers to the Olympics. Volunteer request forms, as well as other informative material, are being distributed at the stall, so that the th ousands of expected visitors of the Fair, get a fuller view of the ways in which the can participate in the Olympics as volunteers. The Fair will last until April 28 and more than 220 publishing houses are participating, with 45,000 titles.

The joint Greek-Turkish initiative is still inactive, since there was no positive result from the visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region, while, at the same time, Israeli authorities do not seem willing to guarantee a safe meeting with

Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.

The Foreign Ministry is in the "unfortunate position" - as noted by diplomatic authorities - to have to explain the advisability and prospects of this action, which is regarded with many reservations in the country's interior. This has occurred, as ascer tained by many political analysts, because this action has so far not born any fruits, but was announced for "public relations" reasons of the two Ministers.

Mr. Papandreou stated to "NEA" newspaper today that the crisis in the Middle East is a threat for Europe and Greece, while he continues to insist on the usefulness of a joint initiative with Ismael Cem.

Today he is in Berlin and this afternoon he will visit the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, and he will continue to the Foreign Office. In the evening he will be shown around the exhibition on: "Greek Classical Art".

He will also be in Berlin tomorrow, where he will meet with the coordinator of Greek language from the city's high school, and he will visit the International Fair and the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

On Thursday, he will travel to Munich, where he will have a series of meetings, and at 6pm he will give a lecture at the Institute of Southeastern Europe, on "The new role of Greece in the Balkans". At 8pm he will visit the General Consulate of Greece an d he will meet with members of the Greek community.

On Friday he will visit the facilities of Siemens, the Parliament of Bavaria and the Ministers of Federal Affairs and Sciences of Bavaria.

The representatives of the National Council for the Claiming of German Debts to Greece, of the "Greek Holocausts" Martyr City Network of Greece, and the Panhellenic Federation of Nazi Occupation Victims' Unions, called citizens to be present at the Supre me Court tomorrow, during this crucial trial.

The funding comes from the EU initiative INTERREG II and will cover Greek and Bulgarian initiatives aimed at the improvement of inter-border infrastructures, promotion of economic development, creation of new job positions, improvement of living standard s and environment protection.

Specifically, it is estimated that a total of 260.000 cars will be sold by the end of the year compared to 279.600 last year and 289.300 in 2000. The figures were presented in a press conference on the occasion of the 3rd Car & Moto-Boat Show Exhibition that will be held in Thessaloniki on April 18-21.

Most of last year's car sales were made in Athens, namely 142.334, corresponding to 50.9% of the total number of cars sold across Greece.

The leading role in the slowdown was played by the sectors of textiles, footwear, plastics and non metal minerals.

According to the Greek National Statistics Agency, December's negative figures are due mainly to the very bad weather conditions that canceled or delayed production in many businesses in all sectors.

One of the facts that make Greece very sensitive on the issue of drug-trafficking is its geographic position, being at the crossroads of the drug corridors through which most of drug-trafficking is being done. Greece is the so-called Balkan corridor and according to Interpol figures, 80% of the central Asia produced heroin is being distributed across Europe through that road.

The drug-caused deaths increase steadily and according to statistics for the year 2000 official figures showed that a total of 309 people died from drugs. Most of them (98%) died from heroin and their ages were between 21 and 30.

In Greece, hashish smokers make up 9%, while in the rest of Europe they reach 16%. Regarding other drug substances, the percentage is almost at the same level with the rest of Europe namely, 4% for Greece compared to 6% in the rest of Europe.

Of the stocks trading today, 153 recorded gains and 164 had losses, while the value of 60 stocks remained unchanged.

He pointed out that the agreement was reached through free collective bargaining and will contribute considerably to the smooth course of the Greek economy, development and competitiveness.

The government, said Mr. Protopapas, expresses its satisfaction for the outcome of the negotiations and regards the successful conclusion of the free collective bargaining as very positive development for the Greek economy.

from Northern Ireland, who is in Thessaloniki on the occasion of the seminar on economic crime organized for EU candidate-states by the European Support Office in cooperation with the Greek Ministry of Finance. He also pointed out that his country faces a big problem because of the increase in the economic crime linked with contraband cigarettes and fuel.

The opening of the borders facilitates the work of the law enforcement agencies because they can move with greater flexibility, said the police official from Northern Ireland.

He said that economic crime is a big problem for all EU member-states and especially, money laundering that takes place through off-shore companies. The establishment of OLAF, the European agency against corruption, gave a new momentum to the efforts mad e to combat crime, he stressed, adding that the law enforcement authorities from every European country are now able to communicate with each other through this agency and exchange information for their investigations to be fruitful.

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that the government categorically rejects the absurd demands made by the former King and is not willing to negotiate with him.

Even a discussion for a symbolic compensation should take under consideration a number of factors which in essence reduce to zero any demand. Such factors are issues that are linked with property and inheritance taxes, while certain of the real estate cl aimed by the former King has been declared forest land and archaeological sites, stated characteristically Mr. Protopapas.

Mr. Nastase will speak at the "Economist" magazine conference in Athens, on the contribution of Southeastern Europe in world stability and development.

The Council expressed its full support of the mission of peace of US Secretary of State Colin Powell, and repeated its appeal for immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territories and ceasing fire.

"The idea we were promoting for an international conference is slowly being accepted, and we believe that it can contribute to a substantial procedure for resolving the Palestinian problem", stated Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou. He pointed out that

during the Council's meeting the need to connect all proposals made on the Middle Eastern issue was stressed.

It was also agreed that a substantial dialogue should take place among the "15" and Israel in the Euromediterranean Conference to be held in Valencia, Spain, on April 23 and 24, while the "15" left the possibility of holding the EU - Israel Connection Pr ogramme, which has been scheduled for December, sooner.

The Council of EU Foreign Ministers also greeted the Greek-Turkish initiative of sending the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers, Giorgos Papandreou and Ismael Cem, to the region in an attempt to defuse the situation.

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