Grossman also had talks today with Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou which focused on NATO enlargement and the EU's relations with Turkey, Cyprus and the United States.

According to informed sources, Grossman expressed the view that the perspective of Cyprus' accession to the EU could act as a catalyst for resolving the longstanding Cyprus problem.

Commenting on the 90-minute meeting, the same sources said Washington would like to see Turkey joining the EU but considered the issue to be one concerning the EU only.

Papandreou reportedly reiterated that Greece was in favour of Turkey's European orientation.

Replying to reporters' questions, Papandreou underlined the positive role played by US initiatives on Greek-Turkish relations and efforts to find a Cyprus settlement.

He clarified that the meetings with US officials were within the framework of diplomatic procedures "and one should not expect the immediate resolution of problems from such meetings".

Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz on the sidelines of the Balkan Summit in Crete next month, Papandreou said that such a meeting should not be "Turkified" since it would be held within the framework of a Balkan initiative "and the Turkish issue should not be allowed to marginalise all the other important issues which will be discussed".

It was announced meanwhile that Papandreou will attend the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday and visit the US on October 20 to give a lecture at Harvard University. On October 22 he will have talks with representatives of the State Department, Congress and the National Security Council.

US comment on "Observer" article

The Greek government today responded to statements by the US State Department related to an article in the "Observer", saying that Washington's interest and sensitivity on terrorism issues was quite understandable, particularly in view of the recent Oklahoma bombing.

Replying to a question last night put by a Turkish reporter concerning the "Observer" article which claimed that Greece was supporting Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatists, State Department spokesman Jim Foley said that the latest State Department report on terrorism had noted that the Greek government continued to tolerate the official presence of offices of two "terrorist" groups.

Foley was referring to the ERNK, the PKK's political wing, and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front, previously known as Dev Sol.

He added that the latter group was responsible for killing two US businessmen in Turkey.

Reppas said Greece maintained close collaboration with the security services of other friendly countries to combat terrorism "and up to now there have been good results".

On the presence of Kurdish organisations in Greece, Reppas pointed out that these organisations were based in many countries and in some cases in the form of a parliament.

This, he added, should not constitute a matter for political exploitation.

Reppas underlined that various organisations could operate in Greece, on the condition that they did not violate the laws of the country.

"Different states have different approaches on many issues," he said.

Replying to questions on the whereabouts of Kurd Seydo Hazar, on whose claims the Observer based its article, Reppas said he was not in Greece and was travelling in various countries "without this meaning that these countries foster terrorism".

Demirel doing Turkish cause a disservice, Athens says

Greece said today that Turkish President Suleyman Demirel was providing "negative services" to his country following statements in which he threatened Cyprus not to install Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to bolster its defence.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said Demirel was adopting "the well known policy" recently expressed by a number of Turkish officials which, he added, was beyond the bounds of international rules.

With his stance, Reppas said, Demirel is exacerbating relations between the two countries.

Greek, Turkish local gov't to work together on environment

Although relations between Greece and Turkey may be strained at a political level, local government authorities of the two countries are getting together in an effort to confront environmental problems in the Aegean.

A three-day conference - "Environment-Aegean Clean" is due to begin on October 19 on Lesbos with the participation of local government representatives from the Aegean islands and the Turkish coast.

From the Turkish side, some 63 mayors of coastal towns and five prefects are expected to attend.

The conference, organised by the Lesbos Prefectural Council, will focus on refuse management and fisheries resources.

"We view this meeting as a further effort to get to know our neighbours and improve the atmosphere between the two peoples," Lesbos Prefect Alekos Mathielis said.

"We are taking such steps so that the two governments may at the earliest move towards improving Greek-Turkish relations in general, which are currently going through a difficult phase," he added.

"Most importantly, we believe that we will be discussing issues of substance, given that both sides have acknowledged that pollution of the Aegean and the exploitation of its fisheries resources are matters which equally concern both," Mathielis said.

Call for another conservation opposition congress

Former minister Stephanos Manos of the main opposition New Democracy party today called for an extraordinary party conngress to examine "many issues which remain pending from the last one" in March this year.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea to hold an extraordinary congress since there are many issues which remain pending from the last one regarding organisational, institutional and functional matters which should be cleared up," Manos said.

Replying to reporters' questions, Manos said it was not time to start judging specific persons, indicating that there was no question with respect to the leadership of Costas Karamanlis.

Associates of Karamanlis however said the ND leader "is not considering, is not planning and does not intend to call an extraordinary party congress".

Manos' call was backed by ND deputy and Central Committee member Apostolos Andreoulakos who said an extraordinary congress would be useful "to examine ideological issues and the opposition tactics against a government which is causing hardship for the country and the people".

Other ND deputies, such as Marietta Yiannakou-Koutsikou disagreed, saying "when these issues relating to the party's ideology and policy should have been raised (at the last congress) they were not brought up by those who are now talking about them".

Kalamata receives European restoration award

The European orrganisation of cultural heritage "Europa Nostra" and the Greek Society for the Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage have selected the Municipality of Kalamata for the annual Europa Nostra award for conservation and restoration.

The award is being presented to the Municipality for the restortion of historic buildings in Kalamata that were damaged in the devastating earthquakes of 1986.

Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos has been invited to attend the award ceremony on Saturday evening, at the Kalamata Cultural Centre.

In tandem with the ceremony, an exhibition will be held of the most significant of the restored buildings.

Tourists pay the price of local protests

Tourists returning from eastern Crete to Heraklion airport to catch flights home have unwittingly become embroiled in protests against the government's plans to bring changes to the country's regional administration.

Local residents from 14 communities have blocked the roads leading to the airport and returning tourists have to walk about one kilometre, luggage in hand, to board buses on the airport side of the blockades.

As elsewhere in Greece, the Cretans are protesting the government's regional administration streamlining plans which provide for the merger of small communities and municipalities.

US troops land in Thessaloniki for "Dynamic Mix"

An impressive array of 100 tracked and wheeled vehicles of the US' 1-94 mechanised battalion rolled ashore in Thessaloniki harbour today to take part in the annual NATO exercise "Dynamic Mix 97", involving all services, to take place in the Thessaloniki area from October 7-13.

Also participating in the exercise will be batallions of the Greek armed forces.

Close escape for kiosk as Metro-mouse continues drilling

A kiosk on one of the main streets in Athens tilted about three centimetres today when the ground below rose slightly, most likely due to cement being poured into cavities in the path of the giant earth drill being used to construct the capital's Metro.

The company responsible for constructing the Metro told the owner of the kiosk that it would rectify the problem.

Meanwhile, despite assurances from "Attica Metro" representative Yiannis Dochos that there was no danger for buildings on Panepistimiou Street, a number of shopowners said that they had not opened this morning.

Ecumenical Patriarch voices hope for better Greek-Turkish relations

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos I of Constantinople expressed hope yesterday that relations between Greece and Turkey will rise to the level the two countries enjoyed during the rule of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish state.

The Patriarch, on an official tour of Thessaloniki and northern Greece, was speaking during a visit to the home where Ataturk was born in 1881 and to the adjacent Turkish consulate.

Making it clear that he was speaking "as a religious leader who is not involved in politics", Vartholomeos recalled the message of Ataturk for peaceful co-existence between the peoples of Greece and Turkey which, he added, he wholeheartedly adopted "as being in line with the teachings of our Christian faith".

"We have repeatedly stated our conviction that peaceful co-existence of the two peoples as the solution which is in the interests of both sides. As Ataturk said to (Eleftherios) Venizelos, the vital interests of Greece and Turkey are in complete harmony ," the Patriarch said. "We sincerely hope that this message of peace is accepted by all for the benefit of all," he added.

Vartholomeos was received by Turkish Consul Ertan Tesgior who presented the Patriarch with a book on the life of Ataturk.

Greek Defence Minister holds talks with Russian counterpart

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos yesterday discussed issues of security and cooperation in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean, especially military cooperation between Athens and Moscow with his counterpart from Russia.

Their meeting took place on the sidelines of an informal NATO defence ministers' conference in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

When asked after the meeting whether they discussed the issue of safe transport for the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Cyprus, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos told the press that the continuation of the abnormal situation on Cyprus with the continued occupation of its northern part by Turkey signals a source of destabilisation in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey's security is not threatened by Cyprus' anti-aircraft system, he said, adding that Cyprus has an inalienable right to defence.

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(M.P.)

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