The majority of the Greek public opinion believes that a terrorist attack during the Olympic Games is unlikely (78%), according to an opinion poll conducted by the polling company VPRC on behalf of the Athens radio station "Sky" and the Athens newspaper "Kathimerini".

The incident is characterized as isolated by the government, the opposition and the International Olympic Committee and it is not linked to the Olympic preparations.

Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis stated that, "it is an incident that originates into domestic extremist groups, without any special capabilities and perspective."

Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in Athens this evening and will dine at the Greek Prime Minister's residence in Rafina, Athens. Present in the dinner will be only the wives of the two Prime Ministers and the interpreter.

Mr. Erdogan will be formally received tomorrow morning at the Prime Minister's mansion where the talks will take place between the two Prime Ministers concerning the Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue and Turkey's European prospect.

Mr. Erdogan will visit President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki, while later in the afternoon he will meet with PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou, Communist Party general secretary Aleka Papariga, Coa lition of the Left President Nikos Konstantopoulos and Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni.

The Turkish Prime Minister will come to Greece accompanied by Turkish businessmen and journalists.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister of Turkey will be in the city of Komotini, northeastern Greece, on a private visit where he will be received by Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis and Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis. Mr. Tsiarts ionis will give a formal dinner in honor of Mr. Erdogan, while the Turkish Prime Minister will hold meetings with representatives of the Muslim minority in Thrace at the Turkish Consulate in Komotini. Later in the evening, he will depart for Turkey by car

via the border station of Kipi in the prefecture of Evros.

The conference proceedings will continue tomorrow and will be completed with the election of the new Executive Committee on Saturday and the election of the new President on Sunday.

They discussed bilateral issues and Mr. Tsiartsionis briefed the ambassador on the priorities of the government in northern Greece. He pointed out the role of Thessaloniki in southeastern Europe and briefed him on Thessaloniki's bid to host the EXPO 2008

exhibition.

After the meeting, reporters asked the British ambassador if there were exaggerations by the British mass media when covering the news concerning the explosions that shook Kalithea, Athens in the early morning hours yesterday. He responded by saying that

the British Press is totally independent and an ambassador cannot speak on behalf of the British Press.

He stated that the British Media do not express the views of the British government, while on the safety of the Olympic Games in Athens, he pointed out that his country cooperates closely with Greece and are in continuous contact for over three years. He

added that the work on security continues and the Greek authorities should be the ones to talk about this issue.

Responding to the question if he feels safe in Athens he said that a major step forward has been made as those who were guilty of the assassination of British embassy military attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders (meaning the 17 November terrorists) have b een punished.

He also referred to Greece's role in the security of the Balkans and the Mediterranean, while he made an extensive reference to the security measures adopted by Greece in view of the Olympic Games. He stressed that there should be a balance between the p eaceful message of the Olympic Games and the imperative need for security.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos stated characteristically that the security budget for the Olympic Games in Athens is at 650 million euros, three times higher than Sydney, Australia, which had the most expensive budget in the specific sector.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos stated that almost the entire Greek armed forces will be involved in the security of the Olympic Games and stressed that NATO's contribution will be complementary. He also said that the model of international cooperation in the sector of security in the Athens Olympic Games, in which participate a total of seven countries, will be a model of cooperation to be followed in the next Olympic Games.

The Minister of Defense also ruled out the likelihood to send a Greek force in Iraq at least not before the Olympic Games are over.

In a press conference he gave in Athens today, Coalition of the Left President Nikos Konstantopoulos stressed that the date was selected for its historical symbolism as WWII ended on May 8, 1945 and the anti-fascist victory is celebrated on May 9, which is also Europe Day.

He stated that the principles and values the European Left seeks to serve come from the struggle for freedom, democracy, solidarity and justice, equality, human dignity and socialism.

Mr. Konstantopoulos said that the European Left will constitute a contribution for deeper and wider cooperation of the forces of the Left in Europe and elsewhere.

No clarifications were given on the reasons that led to his resignation but it is believed that they have to do with the recent accidents in the Greek army.

Of the stocks trading today, 88 had gains and 192 had losses, while the value of 103 stocks remained unchanged.

During his eight-day visit, he will meet with the political and military leadership of the Greek armed forces and discuss issues of mutual military interest. Among others, he will visit the Shooting Ground and the Naval Station in Crete. He will also vis it a number of archaeological sites and museums.

He stressed that Turkey follows a policy of harmonization with the western institutions by steadily broadening its cooperation with the European Union, southeastern Europe, the Black Sea region, the Caucasus and Russia.

He stated that fundamental changes have taken place in Turkey in the past few years, the foreign policy sector included, and expressed his country's will to change its image to be regarded reliable and mature.

Mr. Aydin also maintained that Turkey has strengthened and consolidated its democracy and the principles of transparency and equality are being promoted. He also said that the way minorities are being treated has been improved.

He said that Turkey never maintained that it meets all the criteria for its accession into the EU, adding that Turkey's EU accession is the road to higher living standards and higher level of democratic governance.

Mr. Aydin completed his speech by saying that Turkey has the will and the ability to reach its target.

On the issue of security during the Olympic Games, Mr. Voulgarakis reiterated Mr. Ridge's view according to which, very important steps have been made and Greece can hold safe Olympic Games.

Responding to a question on the explosions that shook Kalithea, Athens in the early morning hours yesterday, Mr. Voulgarakis stated that it was an isolated incident that is not linked to the security of the Olympics. He added that an investigation is und erway and the Greek law enforcement authorities will reach their conclusions. Mr. Voulgarakis also said that, in any case, the Olympic Games in Greece do not depend on such incidents.

Government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos has stated that the government is willing to undertake a mediating effort if it is requested by both sides clarifying that it does not intend to interfere with Church issues.

According to information broadcast by the Athens television station ANT1, the government is likely to sign the presidential decrees on the new Metropolites on Monday, while the Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece will call a meeting of the Holy Synod on Tuesday.

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