As Mr. Papantoniou stated after their meeting, Italy is an ally of Greece on a series of issues concerning Copenhagen, and specifically Cyprus' EU accession independently and regardless of the political solution of the Cyprus issue, continuing efforts to

resolve the island's problem by Copenhagen, beginning with the Annan proposal as a basis for negotiation, as well as setting a date for Turkey's accession negotiations.

The Defense Minister was informed on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue by Cypriot Foreign Minister I. Kassoulidis, with whom he met in the Italian capital yesterday. "There are developments, there are intense negotiations, but the final outcome

is unknown, of course. We must wait and see if resolving the Cyprus issue is possible in a general framework over the next two days. But, in every case, if no solution is possible, Cyprus and Greece will insist on continuing intensive discussions after C openhagen, in order to reach a solution as soon as possible", noted Mr. Papantoniou.

Referring to the European prospects of Ankara, the Minister of Defense noted that Greece's position towards Turkey remains positive, and added: "...Greece and its government, do not think of Europe as a Christian club. (It is) a political organization op en to all, and Turkey must, if it wants to, find its place in Europe".

During his stay in Syria, the Dpt. Minister met with Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa Miro and Deputy Foreign Minister Suleiman Haddad, as well as the Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatios IV, with whom he discussed the prospects of promoting developmental progr ammes in the area

During his stay in Lebanon, he met with Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud, as well as the Greek Orthodox Metropolite of Beirut, Elias Aoudeh.

Regarding issues of bilateral economic and developmental cooperation, Mr. Loverdos and the Syrian Prime Minister discussed the preparations for the Joint Greek-Syrian Committee of Economic Cooperation and the signing of Agreements on the Protection - Pro motion and Tourism Cooperation, as well as the forming of a Joint Greek-Syrian Entrepreneurial Council.

In his meeting with the Lebanese Deputy Foreign Minister, the forming of a Joint Ministerial Committee on financial and commercial issues was discussed.

There were also discussions on the participation of the two countries in the Ministerial Conventions for Euromediterranean Cooperation in 2003.

During his stay in Lebanon, Mr. Loverdos announced Greece's intentions of funding the creation of an Institute for Environmental Studies in Lebanon and he visited the Balamont School of Theology of the Patriarchy of Antioch, as well as the International Minesweeping Center, a Greek NGO that is clearing the Nabatiya region of landmines and explosive materials.

The former king refuted his statements to the "Chora" newspaper on the issue, and pointed out that the attention brought to the subject was due to a misunderstanding. He stated that he was just replying to a question, by noting that he would prefer a sys tem of government closer to that of Portugal, where the President of the Republic has more authority. That was a wish and not a request to reform the Constitution.

He protested his deprivation of Greek citizenship, and made it clear that he was not prepared to follow the procedure set by the Greek government in order to gain citizenship and a surname, and stated that he is being persecuted. He said that he would vi sit Greece with a European passport and name, and refused to disclose what name he uses on his passport today.

This morning Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will preside over a government meeting in order to prepare the Greek delegation for the Copenhagen "battle", and at 4pm he will depart for Denmark. The President of New Democracy, Kostas Karamanlis, will also tr avel to Copenhagen, to participate in the Meeting of the European People's Party.

President of the Cypriot Republic Glafkos Cleridis is already in Copenhagen, accompanied by members of the National Council. Their presence was deemed necessary, in case an emergency meeting of the Council is needed, depending on the developments.

President of the AK Party and winner of the Turkish elections Recep Tayyip Erdogan will go directly to Copenhagen from the US, where he had discussions with the American President, who promised him his full support in the Turkish request for a date to be

set for its accession negotiations. Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will be admitted to an Ankara hospital today.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos referred to Greece's role as a hub, in the framework of connecting the European energy market, which will be fully liberalized in 2007, with Central Asia.

"Within the next three years we will have a fully liberalized, complete and safe electricity transfer system, which will cover Turkey, Italy, Ukraine and the region surrounding the Black Sea, so that all Balkan countries as far as Europe are fully incorp orated to the intereuropean electricity grids", he stressed.

He pointed out that there is a similar goal in the natural gas sector, noting the relevant agreement between Greece and Turkey, and added that the Turkish Energy Minister will visit Athens in the coming week, in order to sign the final state agreement.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that energy agreements contribute both to development and prosperity as well as stability in the peace and coexistence between the peoples of the region. He noted that the energy cooperation with Turkey will not only concern the transfer of natural gas from one country to the other, but will open an enormous area of power infrastructures in southern Turkey along the Aegean shores, towards southeastern Turkey, which requires cooperation and support.

The Minister of Development also mentioned that the stability of the energy cooperation opens tourism cooperation prospects in view of the 2004 Olympics.

The two alleged members of the N17 terrorist group were married by the Deputy Mayor of Corydallos, while the ceremony was witnessed by the couple's attorney Ioanna Kourtovik and Alisia Romero Cortez. Following their wedding they returned to their cells.

The changes made were marginal. The big weaknesses of the initial plan remain and characterize it as a painful compromise, stated Mr. Rousopoulos.

He also stressed that in any case New Democracy insists in the immediate accession of Cyprus into the EU without special terms and preconditions.

Of the stocks trading today, 207 recorded gains and 88 had losses, while the value of 81 stocks remained unchanged.

Mr. Protopapas stated that improvements were made on the revised peace plan for Cyprus promoted by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, while he reminded the statement made today by Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides according to which, the room for further improvement in the peace plan is limited.

Mr. Protopapas announced that Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will have a meeting with Cypriot President Clerides in Copenhagen, while tomorrow he will have a meeting with Mr. Erdogan, the winner in the recent elections in Turkey.

He said that the issues that will be discussed with Mr. Erdogan will be of mutual interest and added that Turkey will raise the issue of the acceleration of its European course as well as the political problem in Cyprus.

On the Cyprus issue, Mr. Papandreou pointed out that Greece seeks the solution of the problem stressing, however, that time is limited and Greece wants to maintain the momentum for the solution of the issue.

On Turkey's demand for a date to be set for the opening of its EU accession negotiations, Mr. Papandreou pointed out that Greece supports Turkey's European course and stated that the climate formed among the EU Foreign Ministers leans mostly toward the F ranco-German proposal.

Specifically on Cyprus' EU accession, Mr. Papandreou expressed the view that the issue will be closed in the discussion that will take place tomorrow evening in the formal dinner of the heads of states and governments.

Mr. Papandreou also expressed the Greek side's interest in the confirmation of the date for the final accession of Bulgaria and Romania into the EU in 2007.

Mr. Papandreou responded to a question made by reporters on the plans prepared by the EU Commissioner, who is responsible for EU enlargement issues. Based on the plans, the free Greek part of Cyprus will become an EU member without the Turkish occupied p art of the island which can become an EU member as soon as the problem is resolved. Mr. Papandreou stated that there was a similar situation in the case of West Germany and the then Communist East Germany.

Mr. Papantoniou mentioned an extremely unpleasant phenomenon, which reaffirms his older appreciation that there is still an unstable balance between the new political and military leadership in Turkey. He stressed that "if these provocations stop, Greece

will not only continue to support Turkey's accessional prospects, but it may turn a new leaf of cooperation in the defense sector".

Pointing out the axes on which a Greek-Turkish cooperation could be developed in the military sector, the Minister of Defense raised the example of reciprocal visits between staffs and officers.

The first step is some bilateral contact on a political level, explained Mr. Papantoniou, repeating that this step can only be taken "if these provocations cease definitively and irrevocably".

It should be noted that Mr. Papantoniou is scheduled to meet with his Turkish counterpart Vecdi Gonul tonight, in the framework of the Southeastern European Defense Initiative of the SEDM.

According to the EU Transport Commissioner spokesman, the European Commission decision provides that the procedures for the return to the Greek state of the money received by the OA should get underway within two months.

The payouts to OA, which has been struggling financially, broke EU rules that set tight controls over state support for the airline industry.

Meanwhile, the Greek side has already announced that it will appeal against the ruling.

meeting Mr. Papantoniou had with his Turkish counterpart Mehmet Vecdi Gonul in Rome within the framework of the southeastern European Defense Ministers' Summit.

Mr. Papantoniou stated that such incidents should stop in order to create the preconditions for a more meaningful Greek-Turkish cooperation in all sectors, including the sector of defense. Mr. Papantoniou underlined that for as long as such violations ta ke place the atmosphere in bilateral defense relations cannot improve.

The Greek Defense Minister stated that Mr. Gonul promised to examine the issue and give a response in their next meeting. Mr. Papantoniou stated that if this meeting is positive, in combination with the outcome in Copenhagen, it could turn a new page in bilateral relations.

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