Spokesperson Christos Protopapas, while Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis repeated that the policies to be followed on economic and social convergence, convention, foresee acceleration and growth over the next few years. On its side, the Oppositi on accused the government of leading Greece away from the European averages over the past few years. With our initiatives we changed the atmosphere, said the Prime Minister at the meeting of the Executive Office.

Police sources mention that of the 17 bodies found on the Greek side, there were 15 men and 2 women. The unfortunate illegal immigrants were mostly young people, aged 25-30, however their country of origin and circumstances under which they died have not

yet been determined. It is estimated that they drowned approximately 4 days ago, and their bodies then washed up in the Petalo area.

The Greek authorities appreciated that they probably tried to cross the river in a wooden boat, while they are also looking into the possibility of their having tried to cross while being tied with a rope.

Of the 22 bodies that have been recovered in the Petalo area, 20 are men and 2 are women, and according to initial information, they are Pakistani illegal immigrants aged 25-35. Rescue crews are in the area in order to collect the remaining three bodies that the currents are moving towards the Greek bank. The Greek authorities and army have informed local Turkish authorities, but, according to a fire department official's statements to the Macedonian Press Agency, there has been no movement on the opposi te bank, and the macabre work of collecting the bodies has been undertaken by the Greek authorities.

According to initial information, the illegal immigrants had traveling documents and were dressed, which leads the authorities to believe that they were attempting to cross the river on boats, possibly with the aid of Turkish traffickers.

According to the statements of the Eastern Macedonia-Thrace Commander, Lieutenant General Giorgos Kokkinis, the most probable scenario is that they were Pakistani immigrants trying to cross over to Greece in search of a better fortune. The heads of the r escue crews appreciated that the boats they were being transferred on sank, approximately 4 days ago, to the north of the point at which they were discovered and then the currents carried them down the river.

"We must see how we can more effectively support these proposals for changes and find ways past the taboos between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, cultivated by Denktash all these years", stated Mr. Papandreou from Stockholm, where he had been invited by Swe dish Prime Minister Goran Person.

Mr. Papandreou will arrive in Cyprus at 2pm for his two day meeting, heading a delegation of service officials.

Finally, the historical-cultural dimension of the Games was pointed out, as they are returning to the land that bore them, with the certainty that the 2004 Olympics will be memorable and successful.

As he said, it is likely that he did not give the army camp draft for which he has been indicted to 17N. "That was done by his cousin, Nikos Papanastasiou", said Mr. Lambrou characteristically.

On the contrary he asked that the court be very strict with Dimitris Koufontinas, because during the time he was in hiding, he also hid the organizations' arms. "Why Mr. Koufontinas? What are you planning? Do you want to use these instruments of the devi l, these weapons, against the Greek people again?", he supported.

achieve convergence with the rest European Union countries.

The Prime Minister characterized the Convergence Charter as a framework of dialogue on how Greece can be led to convergence with the average European economy and society.

Presenting the ten fronts of the Convergence Charter, Mr. Simitis referred to the creation of more job positions and the strengthening of income; stronger social cohesion; strengthening of entrepreneurship and increase of investments; consolidation of ex troversion; support of education; creation of modern transportation and energy infrastructures; protection of the environment and sustainable development; policies for strong local communities; strong agriculture and development of rural areas; modern gov ernance and safeguarding of equal opportunities for all.

Mr. Simitis pointed out that in the goals of the government for 2008 are included, among others, the drop of unemployment to 6%; increase of wages to reach 90% of the European average; gradual decline of income taxation from 40% to 35%; increase of socia l spending to reach 30% of the GDP; increase of the Social Solidarity Allowance to reach 200 euros; increase of the farmers' minimum pension to reach 300 euros; increase of the financing of the National Health System from 2.7% to 4% of the GDP; drop of th e maximum taxation coefficient for businesses to 30% and increase in the public spending for education to 5% of the GDP.

Of the stocks trading today, 234 recorded gains and 100 had losses, while the value of 49 stocks remained unchanged.

Speaking to the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Mr. Oswald referred to the difficulties in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games preparations, while he also predicted that there will be a government change in Greece in 2004.

Mr. Oswald stated that the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy is leading in the opinion polls, adding that even in the case the governing Socialist Party of PASOK wins in the elections the individuals in charge of the Olympic Games prepara tions are likely to change. He also expressed guarded optimism regarding the progress of the Olympic Games projects.

Commenting on the statements, Greek Undersecretary of Press Tilemachos Hitiris stated that Mr. Oswald is a moody person, while Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos stated that responsible to deal with the case of Mr. Oswald is IOC President Mr. Rogge. He

added that Greece asks from everybody and mostly from its main partner, the IOC, to display credibility, stability and respect toward a joint effort.

Major Greek banks participated in the competition. The magazine's committee selected the Piraeus Bank for its profit-making ability, the buyouts it has carried out, its strategy and alliances as well as, its superiority in the sector of technology.

The GDP increase by 4.5% in the second trimester of 2003 followed a very significant increase by 4.3% in the first trimester of the year.

Mr. Handy, a professor at the London Business School and a distinguished author, underlined that the European businessmen have a more fair and philosophical approach to capitalism by maintaining the balance in the problems that could arise while seeking wealth through fair means.

Mr. Handy underlined that global economy is at a very crucial point today and most markets watch closely the developments in the US market (which is formed by the decisions of consumers at a world level), a tendency that defines their reactions up to a p oint.

The guru of management also referred to the over-lending of consumers at a world level and expressed concern that there is an increased risk for a system collapse. To face this risk, Mr. Handy suggests a more careful and stable monitoring of the issue by

the responsible authorities.

The most important problem in the current century is that the large firms, which he calls "elephants", exert very strong pressures on the small-medium sized companies pushing them aside. Mr. Handy underlined characteristically that the future of the econ omy belongs to the small-medium sized companies.

Within this framework, he expressed the view that the small-medium sized companies should be encouraged as much as possible to play a more decisive and meaningful role in the world economy.

They are united in the head area (temple) and the positive thing is that they have separate brains and blood vessels.

The Siamese were born in Thessaloniki last June and are expected to undergo separation surgery within the next 15 days.

Doctors appear optimistic regarding the outcome of the operation given the fact that the two baby-girls have separate brains and their rest vital organs develop normally.

According to information, they come from the island of Crete and visited Cyprus on the occasion of the twinning of the city of Anogia with the occupied Gialousa that took place in Limassol yesterday. Three of the visiting Cretans crossed over to the Turk ish occupied part of Cyprus for a visit. They were arrested and are being held at an outpost. The Turkish Cypriot authorities confiscated their camera and interrogated them. They were given the right to communicate with the mayor of Anogia through mobile phones.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou as soon as he was informed of the incident instructed the Greek ambassador to Nicosia to make a demarche to the UN and demand they are released immediately.

made at the port of Kerinia in the Turkish occupied northern Cyprus.

The Cypriot President stated that the government is in contact with the United Nations.

Mr. Papandreou stated that the Greek government is in close cooperation with the Cypriot government.

The three are members of the City Hall of Anogia, Rethimno in the island of Crete. They are deputy mayor Yiannis Heretis and City Council members Sofoklis Heretis and Manolis Skandalis, who were on a visit to Cyprus on the occasion of the twinning of the ir city with the municipality of Gialousa.

According to the Cypriot News Agency, CNA, the three Greeks are being accused by the Turkish Cypriot authorities of photographing military installations at the port of Kerinia.

after a meeting of delegations from the two countries in Nicosia headed by Mr. Papandreou and his Cypriot counterpart Giorgos Iakovou.

Mr. Iakovou stated that in the meeting participated Harmonization Coordinator Takis Hatzidimitriou, who made a briefing on the harmonization course and Cyprus' plans for its full compliance with the European standards and its representation in the EU ins titutions.

Among the issues discussed were also the Cyprus problem, the individual appeals made to the European Court for Human Rights and the imminent Islamic Conference that will take place in Malaysia on October 11. Mr. Iakonou stated that decisions were reached

on those issues.

From Nicosia, he expressed his support to Mrs. Lindh, commenting on the assassination attempt made on her in Stockholm today.

Mr. Papandreou reminded that yesterday he was in Stockholm himself (to support Sweden's accession into the Euro-zone) and stressed that he condemns this criminal act which is in contrast with the country's institutions and traditions. He also said that a ccording to information he received, the Swedish Foreign Minister is out of danger.

Speaking at the Larnaca Airport, where he was received by his Cypriot counterpart Giorgos Iakovou, he said that today we can look at the future with a completely different self-confidence because we experience a different situation.

He said that the two governments are in a very close cooperation and that he will have the opportunity to meet with the Cypriot President and the Foreign Minister.

Mr. Papandreou also pointed out that besides the solution of the Cyprus problem, another major priority is the future of Cyprus inside the EU, underlining that Cyprus will play an important regional role in the European Union.

Welcoming Mr.Papandreou, Mr. Iakovou referred to the close cooperation between the two governments and the two Foreign Ministries. He also thanked the Greek EU Presidency and Mr. Papandreou for the fact that Cyprus was able to reach the historical milest one of the EU accession.

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