The announcement stressed that the Greek state must form a specific legal framework, based on the rapid development in medical methods assisting reproduction, while the Ministry underlined that it will pay close attention to all views before voting on th e bill.

The announcement noted that the main goal of the bill is to reinforce and not weaken the family, since it makes it possible for people at a child bearing age, that cannot for other reasons have children, to have children.

Furthermore, it was pointed out that the bill directly forbids cloning and choosing the sex of the child, while it allows artificial insemination when there is an inability to conceive naturally but not in the case of a homosexual relationship.

The Prime Minister will return to Athens on Tuesday afternoon and will hold a Cabinet meeting the next day, where the new budget plan will be discussed.

At the same time it called the Athens DA's office to broaden its investigations concerning information leaking to the Media.

The Athens Bar Association denounced the absolutist opinions expressed by the defense attorneys for the "November 17" member suspects.

Meanwhile, the President of the Bar Association, Dimitris Paxinos, sent a letter to the National Radio Television Council, in which he requested a meeting be scheduled, so that they may exchange views on the issue of media coverage of the N17 case.

Savvas Xeros will be readmitted to the "Evaggelismos" hospital on Monday, in order to undergo a series of medical examinations.

Meanwhile, Aggeliki Sotiropoulou, who has been held in the "Corydallos" penitentiary since last Wednesday, has asked to be allowed to see her son and her companion, Dimitris Koufontinas, more than twice a week. Other information mentioned that she asked to be allowed courtyard time with N17's "Lucas". The relevant decision is expected within a few days.

In any case, eyewitness accounts mention a woman present at the N17 National Bank robbery in Petralona, in December 1984, during which officer Christos Matis was killed.

Issues to be discussed at the summit include the upgrading of the international role of cities, the development of cooperation between them, and the promotion of the new metropolitan role of Athens, in view of the 2004 Olympics. In this framework, the At hens Charter on diplomacy and the declaration for Olympic solidarity will be signed.

During the meeting, the first International Award of Athens for Democracy will be awarded to Burman politician Aurig San Suu Kyi for her participation in the resistance against the military junta in her country. The award will be received by the exiled P rime Minister of Burma, since the Burman politician is not allowed to leave her country.

Yesterday afternoon, mayors of New York, Michael Bloomberg, and Washington, Antony Williams, who are participants in the Summit, met with President of the Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos, accompanied by US Ambassador in Athens Thomas Miller and Mayor of At hens Dimitris Avramopoulos.

The "Mayors of the World" Summit has been greeted by representatives of UNESCO and the UN, and its results are greatly anticipated.

Mr. Chrysochoidis delivered the bill on the modernization and reform of the NIS, which aims at making the Service more effective in its mission of keeping Greece secure, to Mr. Simitis.

One of the most significant changes included in the bill, is that the NIS will also be occupied with new threats to democracy and citizens, such as organized crime, human trafficking, money laundering, and drug trafficking, and will answer to parliamenta ry control, while the political head, the Minister of Public Order, will submit a report of its proceedings to the parliament annually.

The issues under discussion will include the implementation of the European Court for Human Rights decisions in Turkey, Yugoslavia's accession into the Council of Europe, the situation in Chechnya, the human rights and the future of the region of Kalingr ant, the sexual exploitation of children, and crime in the cyberspace.

An emergency discussion will be held on the situation in Iraq.

the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy. The conclusions of the two opinion polls were published on the Athens newspaper "Eleftherotipia".

The first opinion poll was conducted by phone across the prefecture. According to it, Fofi Gennimata got 39.4%, followed by Giorgos Karatzaferis of the rightist LAOS Party (14.8%), Yiannis Tzannetakos (13.7%), Manolis Glezos of the Coalition of the Left Party (9.9%) and Thanasis Pafilis, backed by the Greek Communist Party and the Democratic Social Movement (1.9%).

The second opinion poll was conducted by ballot-box at the limits of the Municipality of Athens. Based on it, Fofi Gennimata got 33.3%, Yiannis Tzannetakos 17.5%, Giorgos Karatzaferis 8.4%, Manolis Glezos 5.2% and Thanasis Pafilis 2.2%.

The tremor caused alarm among the region's population. No damages were recorded.

Thessaloniki's Aristotle University Geophysics Laboratory announced that the earthquake was recorded at 8:17am and its epicenter was located 160 kilometers east of the city of Thessaloniki.

The upward course of the main stock market indexes in the major European markets, as well as the selective investment in telecommunications stocks, contributed greatly to the improvement of the climate.

The general index rose to +0.96% at 1.886,67 points, while the volume of transactions was at 93 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 225 recorded gains and 88 had losses, while the value of 62 stocks remained unchanged.

Specifically, Mr. Karamanlis stated that supernational institutions are being formed to handle the world range problems, while central administration relegates authority to local administration.

The ND leader referred to the need to undertake initiatives aimed at the protection of the environment.

On the 2004 Olympic Games preparations, Mr. Karamanlis stated that Athens has a lot to offer and stressed that the Olympic Games will be a celebration of the spirit of emulation, closer relations between the peoples and peaceful coexistence.

In the meeting, Mr. Dris is expected to raise the Greek demand concerning the Greek economic assistance to cotton growers for the 2001 crop.

The council proceedings will be launched with a public discussion on the measures that have to be implemented for the protection of live animals during their transport.

In the farm front, the EU Ministers of Agriculture are expected to focus their interest on talks concerning the interim review of the Joint Farm Policy.

Also, they will examine the European Action Plan on organic production and agriculture methods.

Regarding Greece's preparation on the likelihood of a US attack on Iraq, Mr. Protopapas stressed that Greece is being fully prepared in view of the Greek EU Presidency. He added that all necessary measures are being taken in the economic field as well.

The amount surprised the economic analysts who had predicted that it would be at 11 billion Euro.

According to Eurostat, the Euro-zone exports dropped by 1% in July at 92 billion Euro and imports dropped by 5% at 79.9 billion Euro. Trade transactions dropped by 1% at 87 billion Euro.