[01] PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGNS BEGIN WITH LEADERS CRISS-CROSSING THE COUNTRY

[02] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS TO VISIT ISLAND OF KOS ON SATURDAY

[03] FOUR CARETAKER MINISTERS SWORN IN TODAY

[04] POLITICAL PRESS CONFERENCES TO BE BROADCAST THROUGH PRIVATE TV TOO

[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER TO BE AWARDED GOLDEN KEY OF LEMESSOS

[06] AUSTRALIAN LEADER ASKS US TO RESOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE BEFORE ELECTIONS

[07] EU ANNUAL INFLATION RATE STAYS AT RECORD LOW, BUT GREECE'S IS HIGHEST

[08] NINE PERSONS KILLED BY THUNDER LIGHTNING IN FYROM, 41 OTHERS INJURED

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGNS BEGIN WITH LEADERS CRISS-CROSSING THE COUNTRY

With the election campaign about to hit its stride, party leaders are hopping on their touring wagons criss-crossing the country.

Prime Minister and ruling party PASOK President Kostas Simitis will begin his tour on Monday aboard the "victory expess" whose first stops will be the northeastern Aegean islands of Chios and Lesvos.

Main opposition party leader, New Democracy's Miltiades Evert, will kick off his campaign in Athens, beginning with Nea Ionia and Philadelphia.

Minor opposition Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras will give a press conference this afternoon where he will develop his party's pre-election strategy.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Paparega is visiting a hospital in Athens and in the evening will tour Kaisariani.

Leader of the Coalition of Left and Progress (Synaspismos) Nikos Konstantopoulos is touring Corfu, while President of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas has a speaking engagement in Larisa this evening.

[02] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS TO VISIT ISLAND OF KOS ON SATURDAY

President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will visit the island of Kos tomorrow in order to inaugurate the session of the First International Medical Olympiad.

President Stephanopoulos will be accompanied by the undersecretary of Health and Welfare Theodoros Kotsonis and the Secretary-General of the Republic, Ambassador Emmanuel Gikas.

[03] FOUR CARETAKER MINISTERS SWORN IN TODAY

Four caretaker ministers will be sworn-in today in the presence of President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

All being university professors, the four service ministers are Vassilis Skouris, taking over the Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration, Dimitris Konstas in the Press and Media Ministry, Argyris Fatouros, Justice Minister and Kostas Beis, Ministry of Public Order.

[04] POLITICAL PRESS CONFERENCES TO BE BROADCAST THROUGH PRIVATE TV TOO

The members of the inter-party Committee, composed of representatives from all parties, have unanimously accepted the Radio and Television Counci's recommendations that regulations on election coverage imposed on state-owned media be extended to private stations as well.

According to the Council's recommendations, the Committee agreed that the privately-owned television channels will broadcast live -or taped- and uninterrupted the 60-minute press conference to be given by each party's leader.

Moreover, it was agreed upon that each channel must organize at least four discussions with representatives from all parties and to allocate at least ten minutes of air time weekly to every party in Parliament or Euro-parliament.

Lastly, the Committee agreed that windows shown on news broadcasts and in talk shows provide equal representation of all parties.

Ruling party PASOK President -and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis- and main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert have tentatively agreed to a single debate on September 13, but not to a format for that meeting.

[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER TO BE AWARDED GOLDEN KEY OF LEMESSOS

The golden key of the cypriot city of Lemessos will be awarded to the Greek National Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, an honor granted for the first time ever to an official.

Upon his arrival at the city's port on Sunday, Minister Arsenis will be greeted by the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides, various Cypriot ministers as well as church officials.

[06] AUSTRALIAN LEADER ASKS US TO RESOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE BEFORE ELECTIONS

The leader of South Australia's main opposition party, Mike Ryan, has asked the United States to resolve the Cyprus issue prior to November's presidential elections and has stated that the US can play a key role in uniting the divided island.

In a letter addressed to 100 US Senators and Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Mr. Ryan also emphasized that following the recent killing of the two Greek-Cypriot men by turkish military forces, and has said that "the time has come for the US to adopt a hard line towards Turkey."

[07] EU ANNUAL INFLATION RATE STAYS AT RECORD LOW, BUT GREECE'S IS HIGHEST

European Union annual inflation remained at a record low of 2.5 per cent in July, the same as in June, although -while seven EU members featured figures below two percent- Greece's rate was the highest by far at 8.6%.

According to data provided by Eurostat, the European Commission's Statistical Office, the June and July rates are the lowest since Eurostat began compiling these figures in 1983. With the exception of earlier months this year, the previous low was 2.9 per cent in 1987.

In July annual inflation was below the EU average in all but four EU member-states, with the lowest being Finland's 0.5 per cent.

[08] NINE PERSONS KILLED BY THUNDER LIGHTNING IN FYROM, 41 OTHERS INJURED

Religious celebrations ended in tragedy in FYROM yesterday, when 41 persons were killed when struck by lighting and 41 others were injured, while in a Berovo church's courtyard.

Celebrating the Accession of the Virgin holiday, about 15,000 church goers had exited the church service and waited for the celebration to begin when thunder suddenly broke out and lighting struck.

According to Skopje police reports, none of the injured persons are in critical condition.

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