accident or if there were other causes for the fall.

"Patra is entering the essential stage of its preparations more dynamically, in order to promote European cultural values, develop programs oriented towards the dimension of the common EU denominator, which is its culture, its cultural variety, as the Cu ltural Capital of Europe", pointed out Mr. Venizelos, adding that there will be "cooperation with all member-states and naturally with the Commission, in order to give as practical and as essential dimensions as possible to the institution of the Cultural

Capital of Europe, which owes its conception and application to Melina Merkouri".

According to the announcement of the Thessaloniki port authorities, the deceased are the driver Aggelos Nanoussos, aged 30, and his 65-year-old mother, Georgia, both Thessaloniki residents.

Their vehicle went off course and fell into the sea in the Nea Paralia area, but the cause of the accident has yet to be determined. However, according to information, the driver may have lost control when one of the tires burst. Investigations are under

way to discern the exact cause of the accident.

use forbidden substances without knowing about it, through nutritional supplements. However, many of these substances prove to be destructive to their health in the long or short term, due to their side effects, such as sudden cardiac death, heart attack s, liver cancer, hypertension, impotence, etc. Unfortunately, in our age, the commercialization of everything has struck also sports. With the tolerance of society, the victory of a team, a country or an athlete, has become the primary goal with large fin ancial and moral consequences. All the modern means available from science and the pharmaceutical industry were brought in towards that goal.

This was pointed out during an interview by Professor of Sports Medicine at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, cardiologist Asterios Deligiannis, drawing on the 2nd Panhellenic Conference "Medicine of Sports in the 21st century", organized by the Spor ts Medical Department of the Department of the Science of Physical Education and Sports (TEFAA) of AUTh, which will be held in Thessaloniki in the amphitheater of the University of Macedonia from May 9 to May 11, 2003. Prevention, information, periodic ch ecks, locating forbidden substances and proposals on instituting measures to deal with these issues by relevant bodies are some of the main goals of sports medicine at the dawn of the new millennium, added Mr. Deligiannis, Chairman of the conference's org anizing committee.

However, there is a large portion of athletes that takes forbidden substances without knowing about it, because they are included in many nutritional supplements, without being recorded in the label, according to Professor at the University of Kologne M.

K. Parr, one of the speakers at the conference. The German scientist stressed that in two recent studies, high doses of the metandienone anabolic steroid were found in nutritional supplements, without any indication on the label. This substance, which ca n only be bought with a doctor's prescription, is highly toxic and is connected to liver cancer. The nutritional supplements found containing doping substances in Germany, had been purchased from the Netherlands (25.8%), Austria (22.7%), Britain (18.8%), and the US (18.8%).

In the conference, that will be held within the framework of the Greek EU Presidency, will participate about 180 delegates from EU candidate states as well as government officials. The conference will offer an opportunity to exchange experiences and view s aimed at strengthening the implementation of quality in policies concerning work and employment issues as well as, life and labor relations.

The meeting will take place in Athens on May 8-9 and is co-organized by the Greek EU Presidency and the European Commission. It will be formally opened by Greek Minister of Defense Yiannos Papantoniou.

The European Commission has already launched the review of the existing EU policy on space ( the "Green Paper on Space" procedure).

In the meeting will be present a total of about 100 Greek and foreign representatives of EU Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as delegates from the new EU members and representatives of the European Aerospace industry.

Of the stocks trading today, 170 recorded gains and 135 had losses, while the value of 70 stocks remained unchanged.

The EU member states condemn with distress these atrocious murders and express their hope that all possible efforts will be carried on at safeguarding the persons still kidnapped, in respect of the supreme value of human life. In this respect the EU unde rlines that hostage taking is a crime recognised as an act of terrorism and calls on the liberation of all hostages without preconditions.

The EU strongly believes that, above all in these moments, it is necessary to avoid the further escalation of violence and every effort should be made to start up again as soon as possible the concrete research of a humanitarian agreement and a negotiate d political solution to the conflict.

The EU reiterates its full support to democracy in Colombia and to the active engagement of the government of President Uribe to establish the rule of law throughout the country, including the fight against terrorism.

On their part, the opposition Parliament deputies stated that they will vote against the draft bill accusing the government of making no effort to strengthen the Capital Market Committee and restore the prestige and credibility of the stock market throug h institutional means.

This view was expressed by Undersecretary of the Interior Lambros Papadimas addressing the Parliamentary Committee on Equality on the issue of the simplification of the procedures for the registration and legalization of immigrants.

Mr. Papadimas stated that already the Greek government is in consultations on the issue with the Albanian Interior Ministry.

be given to him on June 7 in a downtown Manhattan hotel. The Liberty Award is presented to individuals who contributed to the freedom of Cyprus.

As Mr. Stefanis said, the group of people checking travelers into Greece includes medical and nursing staff. In contrast, "other countries only consist of administrative personnel that hands out a questionnaire, asks certain questions, nothing more", sai d the Minister.

Mr. Stefanis underlined that there is no diagnostic test to ascertain if someone has been infected by SARS. "So far the diagnosis is mainly based on the combination of the epidemiological history with clinical symptoms".

He also pointed out that EU Health Ministers commonly ascertained that "we are dealing with a virus which is unknown to us. We do not know when we will be in a position to develop an effective therapeutic means, we are not in a position to know when we w ill have a vaccine".

On his side, the President of the Center for the Control of Special Contagious Diseases, Giorgos Saroglou, stressed that those who end up with SARS are not more than 5% to 8% of those who initially show the clinical symptoms.

In the meeting they will discuss the adoption of the conclusions reached in Seville and Thessaloniki on the complete management of external borders, measures against illegal immigration, repatriation, asylum and cooperation with third countries. Also, th ey will hold a debate on the continuation of the Schengen negotiations with Switzerland, the EU-US agreement on extradition issues and mutual judicial assistance, as well as the framework decision on the implementation of the mutual recognition principle in the case of financial penalties.

solution way.

The above were stated by Mr. Papandreou in his lecture at Oxford University last night.

Responding to the question, to what extent Cyprus' EU accession into the EU could play a more important role in the effort to find a solution, Mr. Papandreou stated with Cyprus' EU accession the Cyprus issue becomes more and more a European affair.

Called to comment on the recent joint statement by the G8 Justice and Internal Affairs Ministers, that terrorism is still a global threat, and on the Spanish Prime Minister's proposal to the UN Security Council suggesting that the international organizat ion should draw up a list with the terrorist organizations active around the world, Mr. Simitis stated that terrorism continues to be a threat but he sees no reason for a new list to be drawn up.

He said that the EU has decided on a list with terrorist groups and he sees no reason, for the moment, for a new list to be drawn up.

Mr. Simitis stated that terrorism continues to be a threat and we should be very careful. He added that we should not think that things have changed because of Afghanistan and the developments there.

He pointed out that terrorism has its roots to economic problems and to ideological factors, while certain fronts are still open (like the Israeli-Palestinian issue).

He said that efforts will be made to reactivate the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians for the "road map" that was presented by the UN, the EU, the US and Russia to be implemented by both sides.

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