Cypriot President Papadopoulos will announce his positions at 9pm tonight and according to speculation, his response to the Annan Plan will be negative. According to information, in favor of the plan is the majority of the AKEL Political Bureau (10 in fa vor, 4 against and 3 abstentions) while party general secretary Dimitris Christofias has not expressed his position yet.

The issue will be discussed in the AKEL Central Committee meeting on Holy Friday and in the party congress on April 14.

In favor of the plan is Alekos Markidis, president of the "Renewal Movement" and former Attorney General.

Even though the timetables are pressing, according to Mr. Karamanlis, he appears optimistic by saying that every time the Greeks decide to cooperate they achieve great things. At the same time, he stresses that Greece guarantees the safety of the Olympic

Games.

The Prime Minister tells his view of nine Olympic Gold medallists and responding to the question in which sport he would like to compete as an athlete, he said that he would like to be a member of the coaching team of the Olympic Football Team.

of Florina and Kastoria alarming the people.

Scientists have to wait for 48 hours before reaching safe conclusions on whether this earthquake was the main one. No aftershocks have been recorded in the region.

Thessaloniki's Aristotle University seismologist Manolis Skordilis stated to MPA that the specific region gives strong earthquakes. He stated that an earthquake of 6.5 on the Richter scale was recorded in 1960, while an earthquake of 6.7 on the Richter s cale shook the region of Ochrid in 1911.

In the letter it will be stated that Greece agrees with the founding settlement that provides for two separate referendums in Cyprus. In the letter it will be mentioned that if the referendums will be positive Greece together with the rest guarantor powe rs will ratify and sign the settlement for the new situation in Cyprus.

Of the stocks trading today, 165 had gains and 105 had losses, while the value of 127 stocks remained unchanged.

Compared to March 2003, the biggest increases were recorded in the sector of alcoholic beverages and tobacco (+7.2%) because of the increases in cigarette prices, in the sector of hotels-coffee shops-restaurants (+4.7%) and in the sector of health (+4.5% ) because of the increase in the prices of medical, dental and paramedic services as well as hospital care.

The head of the government's economic staff added that the New Democracy program for the economic growth of the country, employment and social cohesion is going to be implemented taking under consideration the limitations stemming from the existing situa tion.

The European Commission in its spring report speculates that Greece will exceed the deficit criterion and therefore, in 2004 it will violate the criterion of stability.

Mr. Papandreou stressed that the Annan Plan cannot be evaluated isolated from its past and it should be judged based on its future in the European Union. Mr. Papandreou acknowledged that the plan includes difficult regulations pointing out, however, that

a "yes" will be a brave, historical and patriotic stance.

In any case, Mr. Papandreou said that PASOK is going to support the Cypriot people regardless of their decision.

He also accused the government of defeatism and underlined that no responsible leadership has the right to be silent.

Mr. Papandreou stated that at the initiative of PASOK the European Socialist Party is going to proceed with the establishment of a special committee in the Euro-Parliament to monitor the implementation of the solution in Cyprus.