a new beginning in Greece's Balkan policy.

In Belgrade, Mr. Simitis will meet with his Yugoslavian counterpart Dragisa Pesic, the President of Yugoslavia Voislav Kostunica, Deputy Prime Minister Labus Miroljub, Serb Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic of the Lower Parliament of Yugoslavia, Dragoljub Mi cunovic. The President of Monte Negro, Milo Djukanovic, will also travel to Belgrade today, in order to have discussions with Mr. Simitis.

During his two-day visit to the Yugoslavian capital, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will be received by the Patriarch of Serbia, Paul, while he will participate in a meeting of Yugoslavian and Greek businessmen, to be held in the Belgrade "Hyatt".

The Greek Prime Minister will return to Athens tomorrow afternoon

Mr. Papantoniou pointed out that the text was drafted outside EU procedures, and he stressed that if its positions are adopted, it would cause a breakdown in the Joint European Security and Defense Policy, since Turkey would be able to make unfounded cla ims against Greece within the EU.

Mr. Papantoniou referred to the Cyprus issue, underlining that there is a historic opportunity approaching in the accession of Cyprus to the EU. He observed that Cyprus' accession would also benefit the Turkish Cypriot side, while he stressed that resolv ing the Cyprus issue would be a positive development for Turkey as well, removing another obstacle in its course for EU accession, while at the same time ensuring improvement in Greek-Turkish relations.

Referring to the Middle Eastern crisis, he stressed the necessity of intervention by the International Community, in order to stop violence and begin negotiations for the final solution of the problem immediately, and he added that the solution cannot be

military, but must be the result of negotiations.

He also made special mention of developments in the Balkans, pointing out that after a long crisis period, the requirements for incorporation in the European Security System and accession to the EU are now available. As he said, such a development would be a positive contribution to stability in Southeastern Europe and the development of these countries.

In closing, Mr. Papantoniou underlined the priorities of the Greek Presidency in the sector of EU defense.

Mr. Christodoulakis, accompanied by a small group of businessmen, will meet with his Turkish counterpart, Cemal Dervis, as well as Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

At the same time he will have meetings with the board of directors and member-businesses of the Turkish Industrialists' Association, in order to discuss prospects of Greek-Turkish alliances in the business world.

His agenda also includes examining promotion possibilities for economic cooperation in the broader Southeastern Europe region, with the creation of Greek-Turkish businesses, as well as cooperation in EU frameworks.

Mr.Christodoulakis' visit to Turkey is in the framework of further efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, efforts that have lately become systematic.

It should be noted that Greece and Turkey recently signed two memoranda of cooperation in the key sectors of natural gas and electricity.

At 8:30pm he will meet with Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis at the Government House, and will attend a dinner in his honor there. Tomorrow morning he will depart for Ouranoupoli in Chalkidiki, and from there he will go to Mt. Athos. He will stop at Daphne, Karyes, where he will have contacts with Mt. Athos' civil administration, and he will stay at the Holy Zografou Convent until Saturday afternoon.

He will depart for Bulgaria from Thessaloniki on Sunday afternoon.

"The major issues of Political Unification and Broadening are the main point of focus of discussions on the future of Europe. A future that European and national leaderships, and people most of all, must not allow to be blemished by the activation of pol itical cancer cells of extreme right nihilism, populism, europhobia and the simplification of the "anti-everything" position", underlined Mrs. Diamantopoulou.

"If 50 years ago the appeal of Robert Schuman was addressed to the leaderships of the European peoples, today the materialization of the European ideal concerns both leaders and individual citizens", she ended.

According to the monthly bulletin issued by the ECB, annual inflation is expected to drop in the following months. However, it is not clarified if the price index will drop below the 2% target as it was maintained last week in the text accompanying the b ank's decision to keep the Euro interest rates unchanged.

The ECB's monthly bulletin also maintains that price stability depends on the course of oil prices and the wage demands that will be raised by the workers.

For the record, the index in question was at 2.8% in the month of February.

Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority namely, 221 recorded gains and 86 had losses, while the value of 66 stocks remained unchanged.

million Euro in 2002.

Mr. Floridis presented the innovations that will be included in the drawing-up of the new state budget, stressing that an emphasis will be given to the more systematic evaluation of expenditures.

Present at the memorial service were Brigadier Saunders' widow, the British Secretary of Defense, Geoff Hoon, and representatives of the Foreign Office and Scotland Yard. In the speeches of the two Defense Ministers, the close cooperation and will of the

authorities to effectively confront international terrorism, and bring the killers of Steven Saunders to justice, were expressed.

Mr. Papantoniou stated that "it was necessary for Greece to be present at this event".

"Greece has stated that it is fighting to find these murderers, the instigators of this crime, and that there is very close cooperation between Greek authorities and the corresponding British services, aiming at finding the guilty parties and in general revealing the culprits of N17's murders. I have stated this with great emphasis and I want to hope that these efforts will be effective", he underlined.

Mr. Papantoniou also noted that he expressed the support of the Greek people to Mrs. Saunders, and he assured her that Greeks will give any help they can in memory of her husband.

In the conference on Democracies Faced with Terrorism the issues that will be discussed concern terrorism and ways in which the problem can be faced by democratic societies. The conference participants will also discuss the adoption of a charter defining

the obligations of the states.

It is the first formal visit by a Greek Prime Minister to Belgrade in 16 years. This fact was stressed by Mr. Simitis, who underlined that there is a desire for a new beginning in bilateral relations.

Mr. Simitis characterized the discussion with his Yugoslav counterpart as friendly and warm and stressed that the two countries have a common purpose namely, cooperation, peace and development in the Balkans.

Yugoslavia is looking forward to the stability plan funds in which Greece's participation is US$500 million. For the record, Yugoslavia will receive half of the Greek economic assistance. Also, Yugoslavia is looking forward to further economic assistance

from Greece and wants the improvement of bilateral trade relations.

Mr. Simitis stated that Greece will back Yugoslavia's accession into the Council of Europe and the Euro-Atlantic structures, stating that the country's accession is expected to take place in September 2002. Also, Greece backs the development of closer re lations with the EU and finally, Yugoslavia's accession into the EU. In addition, Greece backs the redefinition of relations between Serbia and Montenegro and the relevant agreement signed by the two countries.

Mr. Simitis is scheduled to have meetings with Federal Parliament President Mr. Mitsunovic, the Serb President, and the President of Montenegro. Tomorrow, he will meet with the Yugoslav President and the Deputy Prime Minister. Earlier, he will have a me eting with Patriarch Pavle of Serbia.

The visit of the Greek Finance Minister to Ankara coincides with the recovery of the Turkish economy which facilitates cooperation with Greece, stated Mr. Dervis after the meeting he had with Mr. Christodoulakis.

Mr. Christodoulakis is accompanied by important businessmen namely, Nikos Nanopoulos of Eurobank and Mr. Georganas of the Bank of Piraeus, who had extensive talks with Turkish banking system officials.

At a political level, Greece wants Turkey to consolidate its democratic institutions through its relations with the EU, stated the Minister of Finance.

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