[01] PREMIER EMBARKS ON PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN, OPPOSITION FOLLOWS SUIT

[02] DOUKAKIS, GREEK-ORIGIN POLITICIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE IN GREECE

[03] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT ASKS THAT US INITIATIVE BE CANCELLED

[04] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER SPEAKS ON GREECE-CYPRUS JOINT DEFENSE DOCTRINE

[05] SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S STATE PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

[06] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ADDRESSES INTERNATIONAL CYPRIOT ORGANIZATIONS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] PREMIER EMBARKS ON PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN, OPPOSITION FOLLOWS SUIT

"Greece is strong and through its powerful armed forces can avert any imposition," stated Prime Minister and PASOK President Kostas Simitis from the island of Chios, where he began his pre- election campaign tour today.

The Premier emphasized that the Aegean Sea constitutes the backbone that links Thrace and Cyprus, the bastions of hellenism.

Expected to present his party's program for the development of the Aegean Sea, Mr. Simitis will met with the mayor of Chios and various local officials and in the evening will depart for the island of Lesvos.

Main opposition party New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert, speaking from Evros during his pre-election campaign tour, stated yesterday that if his party were brought to power, it would reduce by half all of indirect taxation, give tax incentives to farmers and increase farmer's pensions from 25,000 GRD to 35,000 GRD.

Minor opposition leader Political Spring's Antonis Samaras, who is touring Euboia and Lamia, asked the governing PASOK and the main opposition if the day following the election they would do away with the policy of austerity and if they would continue to defend national interests.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Paparega has accused PASOK and ND of withholding the truth about the economy from the Greek people. She is to visit the Athens General Hospital this afternoon.

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Konstantopoulos also accused the governing party and the main opposition of trying to mislead the Greek people. Mr. Konstantopoulos will speak in Pireaus this evening.

President of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas has cancelled his scheduled-for-today press conference, during which he was to present his partys proposals, in protest to the decision drawn by the state-owned television station ERT not to provide live coverage.

[02] DOUKAKIS, GREEK-ORIGIN POLITICIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE IN GREECE

Thirty-one ploliticians from around the world, among whom is former US Presidential candidate and former Massachussets governor Michael Doukakis, are currently in Greece, following the invitation issued by Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos who, being responsible for affairs concerning overseas hellenism, aims to create a communication network with Greeks living abroad.

The foreign politicians will meet with Mr. Romeos this evening and tomorrow will be briefed on Greek national and foreign policy matters by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis. On Wednesday they will be received by the Speaker of Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis while Mr. Doukakis will meet with Mr. Kaklamanis at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.

In the days to follow, the delegation will have successive meetings with President Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

The ministers, deputies, senators and congressmen will also attend the opening ceremony of Thessaloniki's 61st International Trade Fair this Saturday and plan to visit Mt. Athos in Chalkidiki.

The government officials represent over 15 countries, among which are Africa, Sweden, Cameroon and Australia. American representatives are not included in the delegation, due to the presidential election campaign period in the US.

[03] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT ASKS THAT US INITIATIVE BE CANCELLED

The Cypriot government has requested that the United States initiative for resolving the Cyprus problem be called off, according to Phillip Christopher, president of the World Coordinating Committee of the Cypriot Struggle.

During the recently-held Democratic Party convention in the United States, US President Bill Clinton told Mr. Christopher that the Cypriot government no longer wishes that the US initiative be continued.

Mr. Christopher stated that this change of course is negative, yet, he added, he understands Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides' concerns.

[04] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER SPEAKS ON GREECE-CYPRUS JOINT DEFENSE DOCTRINE

The joint defense doctrine between Greece and Cyprus is progressing at a rapid rate, stated Greek Minister of Defense Gerasimos Arsenis during his visit to Cyprus.

During yesterday's meeting between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Mr. Arsenis, it was agreed upon that the military outfitting programs of the two countries will continue without endangering the Maastricht Treaty convergence programs.

Mr. Arsenis visited this morning the National Guard's General Staff where he was briefed by Cypriot Defense Minister Kostas Heliades on all issues regarding the island's defense.

The Greek Defense Minister stated that the doctrine's path was overviewed and assessed that during the elapsed time, significant developments have been noted in the progress of the joint defense doctrine.

[05] SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S STATE PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

The United Nations must exert their pressure in order to achieve progress in solving the Cypriot problem, stated today the Prime Minister of South Australia Dean Brown following his meeting with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides.

Mr. Brown, who is in Cyprus on an official visit since yesterday, also declared his intent to work towards achieving a peaceful and permanent solution to the Cypriot issue, while he called on the involved parties to display good will for attaining this goal.

Moreover, the Australian official reiterated his support to the legitimate Cypriot government, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus. He also expressed his sorrow for the recent murders of the two unarmed Greek-Cyrpiots by turkish military forces.

Yesterday, Mr. Brown visited the island's buffer zone and Deryneia where he saw from afar the occupied city of Famagusta.

[06] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ADDRESSES INTERNATIONAL CYPRIOT ORGANIZATIONS

Greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, speaking at the Central Council of the International Federation of Cypriots Abroad and the Worldwide Coordinating Committee of the Cypriot Struggle, emphasized the need to coordinate and rally the Greeks and Cypriots living abroad in the effort to promote hellenism's national matters.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Alekos Mihailides, who opened the session, stated that the activities and mobilizations of Greeks and Cypriots living abroad have brought about significant progress in the Cyprus problem.

President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides stated that the time has come for the international factors to move decisively in order to achieve a cohesive solution to the Cyprus issue and added that the international community is convinced that "a necessary prerequisite for holding direct talks is the existence of a common ground on the cypriot problem's basic issues."

Moreover, the Cypriot President emphasized that whatever difficulties his government may encounter, it will not accept a solution that would endanger the survival of Cypriot-Greeks. Mr. Clerides added that Greece and Cyprus will continue to struggle united for achieving a solution that will deliver the island from the presence of the turkish occupying forces.

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