from ND, while 69 were reelected from PASOK. However, many well known names will remain outside Parliament during the next term. Among them is Achilleas Karamanlis who is not an MP for the first time since 1961.

On these two issues, as in all other domestic and foreign policy issues, outgoing Prime Minister Costas Simitis will brief new Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis during a meeting they are scheduled to have following the wearing in of the new government.

As far as Olympic preparations are concerned the government's priority was marked by the Prime Minister's choice to keep the position of Minister of Culture. Also, new Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis called the outgoing Minister of Public Or der Giorgos Floridis to dinner, where they discussed issues crucial to the security of the Olympics.

The first celebratory Cabinet Meeting will be held today at 12:30, where Mr. Karamanlis will give the basic directions on the work of the government and the Prime Minister will then make statements to the press. In the afternoon the ceremonies for the tu rning over of the ministries will be held.

According to today's publication of "To Vima" newspaper, his first goal is to make a detailed speech in Parliament, during the program statements of the ND government, a speech to give the mark of the oppositional tactics to be followed.

As was mentioned in the publication, G. Papandreou's second goal is to increase PASOK's electoral percentage in the June 13 euroelections. In fact, in that framework and within the next few days, an electoral committee will be formed, which members will include Thodoros Pagalos, Costas Laliotis and Dimitris Reppas.

During yesterday's meeting, Mr. Papandreou allegedly reassured his colleagues that the June

first time in modern Greek history, by a woman, Anna Psaroudi - Benaki, and Stavros Dimas was appointed EU Commissioner.

Mr. Karamanlis walked from the ND offices to the presidential mansion for the oath-taking, escorted by Minister of the State and Government Spokesperson Thodoris Roussopoulos and Secretary of ND's Central Committee Vaggelis Meimarakis, while citizens had

gathered along the way, cheering them on. Most of the new Ministers and Deputy Ministers also arrived at the presidential mansion on foot, as the weather was good.

Following the oath-taking, the program foresees a meeting between Costas Karamanlis and Costas Simitis for the turn over of the Prime Ministry and the first Cabinet meeting at 12:30.

in Athens, calling on sources in the close environment of Prime Minister Karamanlis, mentioned that the Prime Ministers of Turkey and Greece will meet at least once a year and discuss bilateral relations and Turkey's relations with the EU.

The publication mentioned that the two countries' Foreign Ministers during PASOK's governing met in Athens and Ankara every six months and that, according to Mr. Karamanlis' statements during his election campaign, the meetings will be held on a Prime Mi nisterial level.

As far as the Cyprus issue is concerned, the publication mentioned that Mr. Karamanlis will meet with President of the Cypriot Republic Tassos Papadopoulos over the weekend in Athens in order to discuss the issue. According to the newspaper Mr. Karamanli s will ask that the quadrilateral meeting on the Cyprus issue, which had been scheduled for 22-29 March, be postponed for one week.

Mr. Simitis spoke to Mr. Karamanlis in the presence of the press and the cameras regarding the offices of the Prime Minister in the Maximos Mansion and the Parliament, and the atmosphere between them was very good. Minister of the State and Government Sp okesperson Thodoris Roussopoulos and Secretary of ND's Central Committee Vaggelis Meimarakis also participated in the meeting.

The Karamanlis-Simitis meeting took place immediately following the oath-taking of the new government and Prime Minister. Many ND supporters were waiting for Mr. Karamanlis at the Presidential Mansion holding Greek flags, shouting slogans and clapping. T he Prime Minister walked to the Maximos Mansion where he was welcomed by Nikos Themelis, a close associate of Mr. Simitis.

The drill will last 6 days and has been organized by the Direction for Olympic Security, based on an anti-terrorism action scenario, with a sequence of asymmetric threat response and consequence-losses handling episodes.

It will be carried out jointly with the US, which is a member-state of the Olympic Consultation Team and the special participation of the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel and Canada.

The drill will be carried out in various parts of Greece, which are determined exactly, but arise through he development of the drill. It will be carried out through the Operation Centers of existing infrastructures and in simulated Olympic Security Cent ers, of Operational, Strategic and Political levels. It was stressed that in no way will the daily life of citizens be disrupted.

Approximately 1500 people of main Security bodies (Greek Police, Port Authorities, Fire Department, and the National Intelligence Agency), the General National Defense Staff, the "Athens 2004" Olympic Organizing Committee, the General Secretariat for Civ ic Protection, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Culture, the General State Chemical Laboratory, the Greek Atomic Energy Committee, the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Weather Service. There are also appro ximately 500 individuals from the cooperating countries.

Mr. Karamanlis committed that: "We will give our best selves in order to respond to the expectations of the citizens. We will serve the values of politics, the essence of politics, the quality of democracy, society. A government is the demand of a societ y, it is a commitment of ours, with modesty and humility, with daring and determination, with a vision and a plan, with optimism and cheer, beginning today we get to work. We move towards the future all together, with the citizens for the citizens, for th e Greece we want and can achieve, for the Greece that unites us."

Foreign Minster Petros Molyviatis stated that Cyprus is the immediate priority of foreign policy in the new government, upon receiving the Ministry from former acting Foreign Minister Tassos Giannitsis.

Mr. Molyviatis pointed out that the resolving of the Cyprus issue has already been determined and agreed on by all sides, including the Greek and Turkish side.

He also referred to the procedure being followed and the procedure to be followed after the agreement in New York and underlined that the government will struggle with all its power to support the efforts for a viable and functional solution based on the

Annan proposal.

In presenting the main goals of the new leadership of the Foreign Ministry, he referred to the establishment of peace and security in Greece, the strengthening of the Greek people's prosperity, the preservation of Greece's authority and dignity, the stre ngthening of Greece's position in the EU and the development of cooperation with all countries of our region, especially Turkey.

The government that was sworn in today is long term, stated Secretary of ND's Central Committee Vaggelis Meimarakis, indirectly responding to press publications stating that this would be a six month government and that there will be a reshuffling after the Olympics.

The government will materialize everything that had been committed to in the pre-election period, stated Minister of National Defense Spilios Spiliotopoulos, on his way to the Cabinet meeting.

When asked about the decrease in the duration of military service to six months, Mr. Spiliotopoulos said that that will take place gradually in 2005 and according to the progress made by the changes in the Armed Forces.

Mr. Voulgarakis, Minister of Public Order, also gave his view of the new government's policies. "Humility, work, toil, effort", he said characteristically, adding: "There is fun in work. I think we are starting very well and very strongly".

In transferring the atmosphere of the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Voulgarakis mentioned that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis underlined that the government is for the whole of Greece, therefore we are all moving forward together. He also stressed that Mr. Kara manlis is very interested in effectiveness, meritocracy, modesty, and cooperation. "These are all pivotal values for New Democracy and these are the values we will continue with", said the Minister of Public Order.

Minister of Tourism Dimitris Avramopoulos supported the same views and expressed his certainty that in an atmosphere of collectiveness and solidarity, the government will be recorded in history as one of the most effective governments ever.

They concern the re-foundation of the state to be able to behave as the servant of the citizens, no bureaucracy, effectiveness and transparency in public administration and a stronger local administration in a decentralized state.

He stated that his decision was not dictated only by the fact that the Olympic Games will be held in Athens in August but also because he regards culture and education as two major priorities.

Mr. Karamanlis characterized the successful Olympic and Paralympic Games as a major national bet and stressed that the eyes of the world are on Greece. He gave the assurance that he and his government will do their best for the games to be the most succe ssful and safe ever.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Rousopoulos stressed that he wants to turn into practice what it was promised many times while in the opposition namely, transparency in public life, adding that the role of the journalists is very important. He stressed that w ith their criticism they help those who are in key-positions in public life to become better and their policy even better in order to serve the interests of the Greek people.

The main axis of the economic staff planning will be a stable macro-economic policy, stressed Minister of Economy and Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis during the taking over of the ministry from his predecessor.

He stated that Greece has great development potential and significant prospects for the creation of a stronger economy, a more effective state and a more just society, said Mr. Alogoskoufis, underlining that for those goals to be achieved a new economic policy is necessary that will be consistent and reliable for development, employment and social cohesion.

Mr. Alogoskoufis also stressed that a great emphasis is given to the fiscal inventory that will take place in cooperation with the responsible EU agencies aimed at the restoration of transparency in public accounts and the truth concerning public deficit s that still threaten the economy.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos stated that the two axes of the governmental policy is the free economy in combination with the increase of the national surplus and the implementation of a social policy characterized by better quality and greater effectiveness. He a lso stressed that the goal is to improve the living standards for the Greek people.

Of the stocks trading today, 72 had gains and 228 had losses, while the value of 92 stocks remained unchanged.

He said that certain Olympic projects have been delayed and should be accelerated, while he expressed the belief that the national goal of the Olympic Games will be met with the cooperation of all political parties and the previous leadership of the mini stry as well.

Mr. Papaligouras stated, among others, that "time for a lot of work and less talk" is the motto of the new government, while referring to the ministry employees he called on them to work together, stating that they will be judged based on their ability a nd honesty.

Mrs. Giannakou stated that all issues will be solved with transparency and honesty, while referring to her predecessor she stated that the work done will be exploited and if something needs to be changed this will not mean that the value of everything do ne is being depreciated.

The underlined that he will exercise a consensus policy and pointed out that he will not ask for political party dedication.

Earlier, he had stated that his ministry's priority will be the safety of the Olympic Games.

Mr. Kaklamanis said that major priorities are the creation of a reliable and effective mechanism for the protection of public health during the Olympic Games and the exploitation of EU funds.

He said that a self-evident goal of all future actions that will be undertaken by the new government will be the improvement of the everyday life of the people especially, the situation in public hospitals.

He made a special reference to the country's energy sufficiency during the Olympic Games and underlined that among the goals of the new government is the support of the small and medium sized businesses, which includes the adoption of specific measures s uch as, tax reforms and the new development law.

Mr. Sioufas called for the cooperation of all ministry employees and stressed that no political discriminations will be allowed.

He said that the basic principles are transparency and absolute respect to the laws.

The three basic priorities were presented by new minister Savvas Tsitouridis. He reiterated that the agricultural program of New Democracy will be implemented because it has been appreciated and its cost lays within the limits of the budget.

They include the strengthening of the competitiveness of the Greek merchant marine, the adoption of measures to make the Greek flag more attractive to merchant ships, the transportation needs of the Greek islands, the transformation of the port of Pireau s into an international maritime center, the protection of the environment, the creation of more jobs and the security shielding of the Greek ports and seas in view of the Olympic Games.

Also, Mr. Kefalogiannis referred to the need for the activation of the National Council of Maritime Policy and the use of new technologies in the ministry.

Mr. Liapis gave a special emphasis to the Olympic Games and stressed that the goal is to be held in a flawless manner.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that the government is not concerned with the political party preferences of the people and gave an emphasis to the meaning of social solidarity, stressing that discriminations and divisions will not be allowed.

The Prime Minister told his ministers that he detests arrogance, luxury, and pompous behaviour both in politics and socially. He said that he does not want to see them participating in glamorous receptions and stressed that he wants them to display humil ity and not arrogance.

Mr. Karamanlis also said that he wants his ministers to work a lot, stressing that the goal is for them to succeed as a team. He underlined that the people voted for New Democracy to bring political change.

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