Mr. Oswald is expected to meet with the relevant Ministers and the President of the "Athens 2004" organizing committee, Gianna Aggelopoulou Daskalaki. Tomorrow he will meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis at the Maximos Mansio.

Also, during his stay in Athens, Mr. Oswald is expected to discuss issues concerning the functioning of sports facilities in view of the 2004 Games, trasnsportation, the image of the capital, and other issues concerning hosting.

The moving force for the Greek economy will be consumer spending, the completion of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games projects and the inflow of capital from the 3rd Community Framework of Support.

Regarding the cost-of-living index, the OECD economists believe that it will be at higher levels compared to the rest Euro-zone countries while at the same time, they warn of inflationary pressures as a result of the high cost of employment.

On the government ability to control public spending, the OECD appears pessimistic and the general government surplus in 2002 will be at 0.5% instead of 0.8% which was the goal set in the budget and the Stabilization and Development Program. The internat ional organization also suggests more strict fiscal discipline to deescalate inflationary pressures and create surpluses that will finance the increased needs of the social security system.

Of the stocks trading today, only 37 recorded gains and the overwhelming majority of 289 had losses, while the value of 47 stocks remained unchanged.

After a period of controversy and judicial interventions, the European Agriculture Ministers Council proposal on the "feta" cheese leads to the reintroduction of "feta" in the products of protected Greek geographic indications, according to a statement b y the Greek Ministry of Agriculture.

Greece will be represented in the meeting by Agriculture Minister Giorgos Dris, who will be accompanied by European Affairs General Secretary Andreas Korakas.

Mr. Protopapas referred to the communication Mr. Solana had with Mr. Cem after the Summit meeting to convey to him the new framework on the issue of the Euro-army. Mr. Cem did not give a final response and stated that the new framework adopted by the "15 " will be assessed by the Turkish government when he returns to Ankara.

Mr. Protopapas stressed that what is important for Greece is national unity.

immigrants that are being held in the country.

The issue of illegal immigration will be raised in the governmental committee meeting tomorrow.

Mr. Stefanopoulos, who is continuing his 3-day visit to Kazakhstan accompanied by deputy Foreign Ministers Giannis Magriotis and Andreas Loverdos, met with the Pontians living in the Asian country yesterday.

Tomorrow the Greek mission will travel to Astana, while in the evening they will return to Athens.

Answering a journalist's question on the Euroarmy, Mr. Cem stressed that he did not know of a new EU position on this issue, thus calling into question the results of the Seville Summit Meeting and insisting on the Ankara text.

On the same issue, Mr. Papandreou stated that if there is no solution during the Spanish Presidency, negotiations will continue based on the decisions that have been made and the agreement which the "15" came to during the Summit Meeting at Seville.

According to information, during the meeting with Mr. Cem, Mr. Papandreou also raised the issue violation of Greek air space by Turkish fighter aircraft, as well as the reopening of the Chalki Theological School.

At the meeting of the two countries' delegations that took place earlier in the framework of the exploratory Greece-Turkey meetings, the entire spectrum of bilateral relations was discussed.

Specifically, deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos signed to agreements with Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mr. Toakef, for the promotion of mutual protection of investments and in the sector of international road transfer of passengers and goods. Meanw hile, deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Magriotis signed the agreement on education and culture. The protocol concerns exchange of intentions of cooperation on tourism.

At a press conference the two Presidents held, common will for further development of bilateral relations was expressed, as well as establishing common views on international and regional issues as far as challenges and prospects are concerned.

President Nazarbayef, after thanking President Stefanopoulos for his visit as the first Greek President of the Republic in Kazakhstan, expressed his certainty that it will give a new push to the tightening of relations with Greece, one of the rapidly dev eloping countries of the EU, as he characterized it. He specifically mentioned the promotion of bilateral commercial relations, which already touch upon $70 million annually.

He also expressed his satisfaction from the Greek-Kazakh entrepreneur forum, which is being held today in Almati, and the expected promotion of their relations in all sectors, mainly agriculture, energy (petrol and natural gas), tourism, etc. and stated that he is ready to show his support in all sectors.

On his side, President Stefanopoulos firstly thanked Kazakhstan for its hospitality towards Greeks living there as equals, while he stressed the truly honest disposition for the development of bilateral relations, the basis of which was set up last year,

during President Nazarbayef's visit to Greece and his satisfaction with the results of the discussions.

At the same time he pointed out the role each of the countries plays in the Balkans and Central Asia respectively, and he assured Kazakhstan of Greek support in becoming a member of the WTO, a fact that could greatly facilitate commercial relations with other countries and Greece.

From a state activity and initiative point of view, Mr. Stefanopoulos pointed out the significant energy sector, as Kazakhstan is a major oil producing country, which is constantly increasing its production, and he expressed his hope that there will soon

be a mission of experts from Kazakhstan to Athens, which will have discussions with Greek experts on cooperation potential, including the Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline.

To a question of the MPA on Kazakhstan's position on the Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline, President Nazarbayef pointed out that Kazakhstan is becoming a major oil producing country which is already addressing the European market. Some programmes concernin g oil transfer from the Black Sea have already been materialized. With the traffic there is in the Vosporos narrows, alternative routes of transfer are needed, and thus they see the Alexandroupoli-Burgas pipeline in a very positive light, just as they see

the other existing plans.

The mission of experts to Athens will investigate the financial and technical potential of cooperation. On the terms of participation of Kazakhstan in the materialization of the plan, Mr. Nazarbayef said that the creation of a company between Greece, Rus sia and Bulgaria is expected, and what he would be interested in is the possible accession of Kazakhstan, part of the ownership on an equal basis in the framework of the trilateral company, as well as the output of the pipeline, since the materialization course of the plan has shown that it is an attractive project.

Finally, President Nazarbayef mentioned the founding of the joint Greek-Kazakh company, Aktau Shipping, for the transfer of oil with modern tankers through the Caspian Sea. The company's CEO is the President of the Kazakhstan State Oil Company and its Directing Consultant is businessman Mr. K. Keltsekis, who is participating in the Greek mission.

The Undersecretary referred to the priorities set by Greece concerning the cooperation with Eurasia countries and especially with Kazakhstan, which is the most stable country in the region after the September 11 terrorist attack.

Mr. Magriotis stated that Greece could become the bridge linking Kazakhstan with Europe and Kazakhstan could become the bridge linking Greece with the region of Eurasia.

The Kazakh Foreign Minister referred to his country's will to open systematic political consultations with Greece and focused his interest in the expansion of bilateral economic relations and cooperation within the framework of TRACECA (Transport Corrido r Europe - Caucasus - Asia). He also agreed with the Greek Undersecretary on the importance the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline could have for the Kazakh energy resources.

Mr. Stephanopoulos stated that in the talks he had with Kazakh President Nazarbayev it was established that the two countries share the same views on peace and stability. They also play a stabilizing role in the Balkans and Central Asia, while they expre ss interest in the implementation of international law principles, the UN decisions and the respect of international law.

The Greek President said that Greece has condemned terrorism, while he also referred to the normalization of the Greek-Turkish relations through the step-by-step approach. Mr. Stephanopoulos also stressed that Greece wants a permanent solution to the Cyp rus problem.

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