The religious leaders further called on the United Nations, and ''not just the United States and Britain'', to ''fully investigate the horrific treatment of Iraqi prisoners to determine the extent of the abuses'', as well as to ''determine what the (US-British-led) Coalition knew, when they knew, and why they did not know and act earlier'', and also ''who in the Coalition was responsible for withholding the information until the tapes aired on world television''.

Jackson said that this past month ''has opened the wounds of a tragedy and travesty in Iraq''.

''It is all too clear now that the Bush Administration used false pretext and lies to justify its invasion and occupation of Iraq,'' Jackson said, adding that ''Secretary Powell admitted that there was flawed intelligence information''.

''Flawed information revealed flawed motives and has led to flawed results,'' he said, adding:

''The Coalition policy has diverted the war against terrorism; it has cost billions of dollars and hundreds of American and thousands of Iraqi lives. US unilateral, pre-emptive military action in Iraq has left the world less secure. The US is a nation isolated from the world community and one whose moral authority is sinking deeper and deeper each day,'' Jackson continued.

''How widespread is the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, and were they directed by US or British military intelligence forces?,'' he questioned.

''Was it a widespread practice or exposed policy? It further underscores the necessity for the US and Coalition forces -- with the aid and involvement of its European and UN allies -- to withdraw from Iraq, end the occupation, and restore sovereignty to the Iraqi people,'' he said, concluding:

''We as a nation can do better than invading and occupying other countries. We can do better by focusing on the problem of poverty where hundreds of thousands of children die every single day from 'conditions of starvation'.''

Bishop Nikiforos: Greek Cypriot 'no' not aimed at Turkish Cypriots

At the start of the meeting, the gathered religious leaders were addressed by Bishop Nikiforos of the Kykkos Monastery on Cyprus, who set up the World Forum of Religions and Cultures and organized the meeting taking place at Panteion University in Athens.

In a message to Turkish Cypriot religious leaders at the Meeting, the abbot stressed that the Greek Cypriot 'no' to the Annan plan for Cyprus was not directed against Turkish Cypriots nor against the island's reunification.

According to Nikiforos, the Greek Cypriots had rejected the ''implacable foreign interests that have left their mark on the plan of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and left us no other choice''.

He said the Annan plan in its present form was asking Greek Cypriots to put their signature to a document that legalized and perpetuated the presence of a foreign military force on their soil.

The meeting was also addressed by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, who spoke about the need to accept and respect the diversity of cultures.

Other speakers included Cypriot Foreign Minister Christos Iakovou, ruling New Democracy secretary Vaggelis Meimarakis, and representatives from the Ecumenical and Alexandria Patriarchates.

[06] Transport and communications minister visiting Istanbul on Sunday

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

During his stay in Istanbul, Liapis will be holding talks with the Turkish transport minister on issues concerning the two countries in both the transport and telecommunications sectors.

[07] Greek fiscal deficit reached 3.2 pct in 2003

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

The EU's statistics agency, in an announcement, said that the Greek government has submitted with the European Commission its reviewed figures for both the fiscal deficit and the public debt for 2003, figures that were verified by Eurostat.

The statistics agency said that the figures published on Friday were the result of a review of preliminary data by the Greek authorities and of discussions with Eurostat, recently in Athens. The review and discussions resulted to the conclusion that Greece's fiscal deficit jumped to 3.2 percent of GDP in 2003, from an 1.7 percent estimate made in March 16, while the country's public debt rose to 103 percent from 102.4 percent.

Eurostat, in its announcement, attributed the higher figure in the fiscal deficit for 2003 to: a downgrade of forecasts for tax revenues (mainly VAT), a downgrade of EU funds' inflows, and a reclassification of state revenues from the Savings Post Bank. The EU's statistics agency stressed that the review covered only the central government's deficit and noted that it was not in a position to fully confirm figures for both the fiscal deficit and the public debt in 2003, citing as reasons a lower estimate of public spending for military contracts and lack of reliable information over pension funds' surpluses in the last few years.

A spokesman for EU Monetary Commissioner Joachin Almunia, commenting on Eurostat's announcement, said that the EU Commission was expected to prepare its report on Greece's fiscal condition over the new few weeks, although he stressed that the report would not include any recommendations.

[08] Greek FinMin unveils govt's 10 economic goals

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Addressing an Economist conference held in Athens, Mr Alogoskoufis noted that unless these problems were fixed, the Greek economy would not be able to achieve a fundamental economic restructuring.

''We have to deal with our deficits and improve competitiveness while also promoting social cohesion,'' the Greek minister stressed. ''There are several people who argue that social policy and economic growth do not go together. My conviction is that real growth cannot move without social cohesion,'' he added.

''Unemployment is an open wound that needed to be taken care of...But combatting unemployment goes through encouraging business activity and supporting the private sector,'' Alogoskoufis said.

The Greek minister said that the government has a clear plan for Growth, Employment and Social Cohesion. ''Our goals are clear,'' he said.

1) Encouraging private and business investments to boost growth, strengthen employment and create new jobs,

2) Attracting foreign investments,

3) Restraining public overspending to save money for more investments in infrastructures, limiting regional imbalances and supporting social cohesion,

4) Boosting consumers' confidence,

5) Recovering lost ground in absorbing EU funds,

6) Supporting Research and Development,

7) Improving economic competitiveness, boosting exports and limiting deficits in the country's external trade balance,

8) Offering fundamental support to lower incomes,

9) Drafting solid state budgets, and

10) Supporting competition to combat price increases in the domestic markets.

''The ways to achieve these goals are also clear,'' Alogoskoufis stressed.

1) We proceed with a tax reform, easing tax burdens to businesses,

2) Implementing a more progressive tax scale,

3) Reducing the non-tax cost of businesses, combatting corruption and bureaucracy,

4) Better management the state's idle assets, mainly real estate,

5) Offering equal opportunities to all citizens,

6) Reforming the public administration to seek greater efficiency,

7) Strengthening competition in the banking system, offering access to cheaper capital to businesses,

8) Supporting the Stock Market and the role of the Capital Markets' Commission and,

9) Preparing a ''Quality Revolution'' in sectors we have a comparative advantage, such as tourism and agricultural products.

''We are determined to succeed. And we will do it because this is the big bet of the new era that we have promised,'' Alogoskoufis said.

[09] Trade between Greece, Turkey up due to politics, PMs say

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Bilateral trade totalled 1.3 billion US dollars in 2003, sharply up from 200 million dollars in 1999. ''We can soon raise this to five billion,'' visiting Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told a luncheon hosted by the Greek-Turkish Business Forum in Athens.

According to Greek premier Costas Karamanlis, seventy seven Greek companies are currently operating in Turkey with Greek investment in the neighboring country representing 3.2 per cent of total foreign investment there.

Karamanlis noted major progress in energy projects between the two countries following an agreement to link their natural gas and electricity networks, with cooperation in the oil sector also being discussed.

In addition, transportation had improved through road and rail links between Thessaloniki and Istanbul that could boost transit trade in conjunction with the east-west Egnatia road and European Union Interreg III program to facilitate cross-border cooperation.

Both premiers underlined the need for the promotion of tourism between the two countries.

''In recent years, there has been an increase in the flow of Greek visitors to Turkey. I believe that there is great leeway for an increase in visitors from Turkey to Greece,'' Karamanlis said.

Other sectors that showed room for growth in bilateral cooperation were construction, shipping and banking, which could also be expanded outside the two countries, perhaps also involving participation by other countries, Greece's premier said.

[10] Gov't plans to promote renewable energy resources, minister says

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

He said the government planned to provide incentives for the wider distribution of new technological applications like solar-powered photovoltaic systems.

Speakers at the conference stressed the need to reduce Europe's dependency on polluting, imported fuels like oil and replace this with domestic and inexhaustible energy sources, like solar power.

For Greece in particular, they stressed the need for strong incentives for the production of electricity using photovoltaics, especially in private homes, through subsidies for installing photovoltaic systems and higher prices for photovoltaic electricity sold to the national grid.

Despite receiving the largest amount of sun in Europe, Greece is second-to-last among EU countries in the use of photovoltaics, with northern countries such as Holland and Germany topping the list.

[11] Tourism Minister meets Erdogan

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

''It is fortunate that Mr. Karamanlis and Mr. Erdogan, two young people of the same generation, of similar opinions and ideas have become friends and are inaugurating a new era of greater peace and stability between the two countries,'' Avramopoulos said.

Avramopoulos and Erdogan have known each other since 1995 when they were mayors of Athens and Istanbul, respectively.

[12] Greek bond prices fell in April

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Investors' interest, once again, focused on medium- and long-term duration state bonds (with a maturity ranging from seven to 15 years), which attracted 59 percent of total turnover. The 10-year bond recorded a turnover of 17.78 billion euros in April, followed by the old 10-year benchmark bond with a turnover of 4.69 billion euros.

Bond prices fell in April in the Greek market, following a trend in other European bond markets. Benchmark bonds' prices fell by 98 to 257 basis points in the month, with the 20-year state benchmark bond recording the biggest monthly fall by ending at 111.19 (with a yield of 4.96 percent) from 113.76 (4.76 percent) in March.

The 10-year benchmark bond price fell to 100.52 (with a yield of 4.43 percent) last month from 102.43 (4.19 percent) in March.

The average yield spread between the 10-year Greek and the German Bund rose slightly to 23 basis points in April from 22 bps in the previous two months.

[13] Greek construction sector's outlook cloudy, report

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

The bank said that non-residential construction, supported mainly by public works funded by the CSF-III and the preparations for the Olympic Games, increased its share of GDP from 7.0 percent in 1996 to 9.0 percent in 2003, compared with the commensurate share in the eurozone of 5.0 percent of GDP.

The leveling-off of house prices as well as the expected increase in interest rates, should dampen the demand for housing, leading to its decline as a percentage of GDP to 4.8 percent in 2006 from 5.2 percent in 2003 and 5.0 percent in 1996, the bank said in its monthly bulletin.

Public construction is expected to decline significantly in 2004, while private non-residential construction is also expected to decelerate, albeit more gradually, mainly due to increasing satiation in the market for office space and shopping centers.

Overall, construction activity is expected to record negative growth rates and be a drag on growth over the next few years.

The financial performance of the construction companies listed on the ASE is weakening, though it remains better than that of other non-financial listed firms. Specifically, after a significant M&A phase, the largest firms are in far better financial shape compared with the rest of the companies of the sector, with higher margins and lower debt burdens.

However, the high dependence of the sector on public work projects leaves them vulnerable in the medium term, unless they attract other large contracts, such as Build Operate Transfer (BOT) projects or public works in the neighboring countries, the report said.

[14] Employment minister has meeting with Albanian PM

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Panayiotopoulos said the meeting had been ''fruitful and constructive'' and stressed that all people working in Greece, regardless of their nationality, were under his care.

The minister conceded that there were a number of outstanding problems on many levels but stressed that both the Greek and the Albanian governments were interested in solving these.

He suggested that a basic outline of the procedures involved be drafted after the Olympic Games, which could then be worked on in mixed bilateral committees that would seek out common ground and press ahead with the necessary measures.

On his part, Fatos Nano underlined that the governments had to provide assistance to both Albanians living in Greece and Greeks living in Albania.

The meeting lasted 45 meetings and was conducted in a friendly climate.

There are substantial numbers of Albanians currently living and working in Greece, up to half a million according to some estimates. Since many of them crossed the border from neighboring Albania illegally, precise figures are hard to come by but they are believed to account for between 10-20 per cent of the Greek workforce, mainly in labor-intensive manual work like construction or farming.

[15] Gov't urges consumers to combat profiteering in fuel prices

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Addressing an Economist conference held in Athens, the Greek minister said: "You all know the situation in international level. Rising trend in oil prices are negatively affecting markets and economies around the world. They also creating serious problems in our country."

[16] EU asks Greece to fix electricity costing practice

BRUSSELS 8/5/2004 (ANA/B.Demiris)

In a reasoned opinion, the Commission said that Greece should comply with European legislation on common rules for the internal electricity market by unbundling its accounts for electricity operations.

Marking the second step in the infringement procedure, the Commission stated that the country had failed to ensure that its electricity company, Athens-quoted and state-owned Public Power Corporation (PPC), published unbundled accounts for lignite mining the generation of electricity.

According to EU legislation, the unbundling of accounts of electricity operations is necessary to avoid discrimination, cross-subsidization and distortion of competition.

The Commission had sent Greece a formal notice on 17 October, 2003 specifying that it considered lignite mining as a non-electricity activity, and the PPC should publish separate accounts for the two branches of activity. The EU body rejected the reply it received on 21 January, 2004.

Before the start of the infringement procedure, the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy had asked the PPC to stop releasing the bundled account. In May 2003, the state body decided to impose a fine on the PPC for failing to submit unbundled accounts in a proper way.

[17] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop for fourth straight session

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

The general share index shed 0.26 per cent to end at 2,486.43 points. Turnover was 127.9 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.24 per cent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization paper 0.02 per cent down; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities gained 1.12 per cent.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 177 to 118 with 63 issues remaining unchanged.

On a weekly basis, the general share index lost 1.24 per cent.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Closing rates of May 7 2004

Parities in euro

For. Exchange Buying Selling

US Dollar 1,217 1,189

Canadian Dollar 1,674 1,636

Australian Dollar 1,691 1,653

Pound Sterling 0,677 0,661

Pound Cyprus 0,591 0,577

Swiss Franc 1,561 1,526

Danish Kr. 7,501 7,330

Norwegian Kr. 8,157 7,971

Swedish Kr. 9,175 8,966

Yen 134,6 131,5

[18] Calatrava roof to be slid into place in dress rehearsal Sunday

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

This will be in time for IOC Coordinating Commission Chairman Denis Oswald to see it when he arrives in Athens on Monday with other IOC technical experts for a three-day visit.

Works at OAKA are the biggest concern right now for the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, the Greek government, and the IOC - especially the roof.

The government hopes to please the IOC which has been pressuring for completion of works at OAKA.

[19] IOC Coordination Commission to visit Athens Monday

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Speaking about security issues, Felli noted that the incidents in Athens this week were apparently not related to the Olympic Games: ''After each incident, an assessment has to be made because these incidents happen in cities around the world on a regular basis. It was therefore very important to make sure that the issue was communicated correctly and efficiently, so that people could quickly understand the scope of the incident and not worry unnecessarily,'' he said.

The IOC Coordination Commission's three-day visit to Athens will be the last one before the Games. Its members will visit some of the Olympic venues, hold talks with the Greek government and ATHOC, and verify the service levels for the National Olympic Committees, international federations, broadcasters, the media, and spectators.

[20] Draft bill regulating police issues in view of Olympics to Parliament

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Among other measures, the bill will modify the constitution of the Crisis Management Council to include the executive director of the Athens 2004 Olympics Organizing Committee (ATHOC) or his representative.

It will also suspend all regular transfers and placements of police officers until October 5 and extend the time in which police personnel can take their leave for 2004 until May 31, 2005.

Finally, it allows the use of police academy cadets in security operations for the Olympics between July 2004 and October 5, 2004 and postpones the coming into force of a law making police responsible for the issue of passports until July 1, 2005.

[21] Australian PM: Greece assures best possible security for Olympics

MELBOURNE 8/5/2004 (ANA - S. Hatzimanolis)

Howard said he had not asked Greek authorities to allow the Australian mission to have its own armed security guards, saying he had not made a decision on this issue.

"We have to cooperate closely with Greece on security issues and we are cooperating. We must respect this country and its right to provide security for its guests on its own soil," he said.

Howard also stressed that Australia must definitely take part in the Games in August.

[22] Thessaloniki seminar focuses on the Olympics and the media

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

However, there are also numerous articles that deal with the sports aspect of the Games, the political effects and the benefits for tourism.

According to data presented on Friday during a two-day seminar organized by the journalism and mass communications department of Thessaloniki's Aristotelio University in collaboration with the European Parliament and the Macedonian Press Agency, the international news media focus mostly on the problems and shortcomings of the preparations, thus portraying Greece in a negative light.

Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis emphasized the mass media's contribution and the responsibility it has in informing citizens and shaping public opinion worldwide, during his address at Friday's event.

[23] PASOK creates committee to oversee Olympic preparations

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Committee members are: Nassos Alevras, Evangelos Venizelos, Maria Damanaki, Costas Kartalis, Stavros Lambrinidis, Yiorgos Lianis, Theodoros Pangalos, Vasso Papandreou, Alexis Rontos, Petros Synadinos, Panayiotis Fassoulas, Yiorgos Floridis, and Andreas Fouras.

[24] Civil protection agency to up measures against forest fires in view of Olympics

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

The meeting decided that the Interior, public administration and decentralization ministry will provide funds to local authorities to take necessary precautionary measures to protect the public and limit fire damage.

Local authorities will be required to enforce precautions at landfill sites, in particular, with the assistance of civil protection agency volunteer groups and other services.

Other measures and actions will be decided on a prefectural level while final responsibility for their implementation, and of measures outlined in a civil protection agency circular, will rest with regional general secretaries.

[25] Court rejects motion to disqualify judge in ELA trial

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

The motion was filed by the lawyers for Irene Athanassaki, who is one of five alleged terrorists on trial for their suspected involvement in the urban guerrilla group Revolutionary Popular Struggle (ELA). Athanassaki was also ordered to pay court costs amounting to 73 euros.

In the motion filed on Thursday, Athanassaki's lawyers said Brilli had shown signs of bias in the way she handled court proceedings and that the questions she put to witnesses seemed to indicate that she fully accepted the truth of the charges against their client.

They also argued that they had been subjected throughout the trial to Brilli's threats to refer them to the public prosecutor or the Athens Bar disciplinary council.

The motion was supported by all the lawyers representing other defendants in the case, while the public prosecutor on the bench called for dismissal, arguing that the way a presiding judge framed his or her questions could not on its own be considered grounds for bias without other supporting facts.

The trial had gone into recess and reconvened with appeals judge Grigoris Mamalis presiding during discussion of the motion.

The court will now resume hearing the testimony of witness Aglaia Doga, the manager of the building where ELA allegedly had an apartment.

[26] FYROM border police assume control of Doirani border checkpoint

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

About 300 of FYROM's border guards will gradually assume control of the entire borderline with Greece.

FYROM's border police are expected to replace military forces on the country's borders with Bulgaria, Serbia-Montenegro and Albania by the end of 2005 as well.

The replacement of military forces by border police is taking place in the framework of the demilitarization of FYROM's borders with the aim of fulfilling one of the criteria in the course of the country's Euro-Atlantic integration.

Friday's ceremony at Doirani was also attended by Agricultural Development and Foodstuffs Minister Savvas Tsitouridis and public order ministry secretary general Leonidas Evangelidis.

[27] Cyprus FM given honorary doctorate at Panteios University

Athens, 8/5/2004 (ANA)

Iakovou played a leading role in the process of Cyprus' accession to the European Union as of 1987 when he signed the protocol on customs union and until May 1, 2004, when Cyprus became an official member of the EU.

Panteios University dean Ioannis Vavouras referred in his address ''to Mr. Iakovou's very substantive contribution to the accession course of Cyprus, as well as to his efforts over many years for a viable solution to the issue of Cyprus.

Iakovou said in a brief speech that the accession of Cyprus to the family of Europe constitutes the ''vindication of the small motherland's struggles in difficult times''.

[28] Cyprus President Papadopoulos welcomes correction to US statements

NICOSIA 8/5/2004 (CNA/ANA)

''The correction made to all unacceptable statements on behalf of the US is welcome'', President Papadopoulos said.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Thursday that his use of the term ''Greek Cypriot government'' and US Secretary of State Colin Powell's address to Turkish Cypriot politician Mehmet Ali Talat as ''prime minister'', did not mean that the US had changed its non-recognition policy.

Earlier Thursday, the Cypriot President described as ''very hostile'' remarks by Powell and Boucher ''if these were intentional mistakes''.

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