Specifically, employees in commerce, industries, public services, revenue offices, insurance funds, ministries, municipalities, prefectures and banks are on strike, while many means of public transportation will be immobilized.

Also, hospitals and IKA health centers will be functioning with "skeleton crews", while journalists and the employees of the written, electronic and Internet media are on strike from 10 am to 1pm.

A strike was also announced by the employees in the civil aviation sector, causing problems in airports, while train itineraries have been cancelled. Furthermore, no ships will cast off today.

In Athens, the workers unions called a general strike rally at 10:30am in downtown Athens. In Thessaloniki, workers gathered at the same time at the Workers' Center followed by a protest march towards the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace. Similar rallies too k place all over the country.

Mr. Mandela is expected at the Maximos Mansion by the Prime Minister tomorrow afternoon, while on Thursday he will attend a dinner held in his honor by the President of the Republic, Kostis Stefanopoulos.

This afternoon, Mr. Mandela will be present at an event for the Olympic Truce at the Athens "Megaron" Music Hall. Mr. Mandela's visit to Athens will be completed on June 26.

Specifically, the border guards will be deployed in five areas in the region of Attiki prefecture.

Also, Mr. Malesios announced the overall reinforcement of the border guards corps and a secure job future for the 4.000 border guards deployed at the Greek land borders.

Mr. Rogge stated characteristically that dialogue between the Greek government and the "Athens 2004" Organizing Committee gave fruit even though there are still problems in the housing sector and infrastructure, adding that if the Greeks continue to work

in today's pace they will host beautiful Olympic Games.

Mr. Karamanlis will be accompanied by International Relations and European Union Secretary Professor Valinakis and party spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos.

He will have meetings with Yugoslav Prime Minister Dragisa Pesic, Defense Minister Velimir Radojevic and other members of the state leadership.

Mr. Papantoniou will visit Slovenia tomorrow.

Of the stocks trading today, 99 recorded gains and the overwhelming majority of 201 had losses, while the value of 74 stocks remained unchanged.

He underlined that initiatives are being undertaken constantly and that on Saturday, when the Seville Summit meeting will end, more initiatives could be launched on the issue. Then it could be established whether there is room for an agreement or there i s disagreement on the issue of the Euro-army, said Mr. Protopapas.

Simitis in preparation for the meeting in Spain.

Mr. Papandreou stated that the issue concerns the rapid intervention force which is made up for humanitarian and peacekeeping purposes and the EU-NATO relations.

In today's meeting they also discussed issues concerning illegal immigration, asylum, the institutional reforms in the EU, the future of Europe and the Johannesburg World Summit on sustainable development.

The agreement has three basic points. A complete approach, operational measures of the EU and its member-states, and precautionary measures taken by the countries of origin and the countries through which the illegal immigrants pass.

As far as EU operational measures are concerned, the reinforcement of checks on the outer borders of the Union, systematic cooperation between member-states, and joint action on border control were decided on.

Agreement between the Foreign Ministers was not reached on one point, since France, Sweden and Luxembourg, did not accept the proposal of the Spanish Presidency, concerning economic sanctions against third countries, in case of non-cooperation with the E uropean Union.

In Sarajevo, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos met with the President of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Prime Ministers of the Serb and the Croat-Muslim government and his Bosnian counterpart. The talks focused on issues of bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. Mr. Tso chatzopoulos also visited the UN Security Council representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos expressed Greece's will for cooperation in the public and private sector for the materialization of the necessary infrastructure projects and the completion of the electricity and natural gas supply networks in the two countries.

Representatives of Greek energy groups expressed the will to offer their assistance for the modernization of the two oil refineries in the country and its supply with natural gas.

The next stop for the Greek Development Minister will be Croatia.

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