within Greece. Minister of Education P. Efthymiou did not rule out an appeal to the European Court, while Mr. Chatzidakis, EuroMP for ND who made the proposal, pointed out that it is not an ideological issue, but a case which if not dealt with, may cause

Greece problems, even at the degree of the European Court.

The provision in question was submitted by New Democracy EuroMP Costis Chatzidakis, and if it is approved by the Plenary Session of the European Parliament to be held on December 17, it would mean that the degrees and diplomas offered by private educatio n institutions in Greece, working with foreign universities through franchising, would be recognized as equal to degrees and diplomas received in recognized universities abroad.

The provision caused the intense reaction of the government, in the person of the Government Spokesperson, who accused New Democracy of "conscious actions", while talking of "double tactics" and "a hidden agenda".

Minister of Education Petros Efthymiou expressed his intentions of - if it is deemed necessary - appealing to the European Court, so that state university degrees are not devalued in Greece.

After the criticism of the government, New Democracy carried out a meeting in its head offices on Rigillis Street, during which the party's position was thoroughly specified.

In an announcement, Mr. Roussopoulos accused the PASOK government of chronic political irresponsibility and of essentially doing away with free public higher education.

Mr. Roussopoulos mentioned that Mr. Chatzidakis' provision does not violate the law of free public higher education, and "in no case would it lead to the recognition of degrees and diplomas provided by educational institutions in Greece as the Government

Spokesperson claims in this piece of clumsy government propaganda".

According to information, there was intervention on the issue by ND's political planning secretary and former Minister of Education Giorgos Souflias from KAT hospital where he is recuperating after a car accident last Saturday. Mr. Souflias proposed New Democracy not accept the recognition of private education institutions.

On its side, in an announcement it made yesterday, the KKE made mention of a "provocative intervention" by New Democracy "on the recognition of degrees provided by phony universities in Greece", which, as it added is in full agreement with the EU's polic y in the flagrant introduction of higher education into the category of merchandise.

During the meeting, the excellent relations between Greece and China were reconfirmed, while the especially historic junctures of the Olympics being held in Athens in 2004 and in Beijing in 2008 were stressed. They also discussed the need for greater eco nomic cooperation between the two countries and the possibility of further promoting bilateral relations.

In the meeting they confirmed the excellent relations between Greece and China, while they also stressed that Beijing will host the 2008 Olympic Games after the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In addition, they discussed the need for greater cooperation be tween the two countries and the potential for further promotion of bilateral relations.

For the record, the electronic paper invented by the Media Lab will soon be on the market, while a clockwork-driven mobile phone battery charger, invented based on a research conducted by Media Lab, is already out on the market.

Presentations on the exploitation of new technologies by the printed and electronic mass media will be made in the conference by leading newspaper, radio and television stations' executives, news agencies and new media on the Internet from Turkey, Albani a, Bulgaria, Romania, FYROM, Slovenia, Moldavia, and Serbia-Montenegro. Also, representatives of institutes from Kosovo, FYROM, Albania and Thessaloniki's Aristotle University will refer to the role of the mass media in the consolidation of a climate of p eace and security and the efforts to combat terrorism.

Of the stocks trading today, 98 had losses and 195 recorded gains, while the value of 90 stocks remained unchanged.

The "Olympic Airways" management decision to file lawsuits against the airline employees, who continued to be on strike in spite of the fact that it was declared illegal, caused the reaction of their union, which announced a new mobilization of its membe rs until Friday.

The move was announced by the Council of Europe, which had adopted a resolution on November 12 warning Ankara that measures will be taken against it in case it did not pay the compensation decided by the court.

Turkey paid the compensation plus interest estimated at the sum of US$900,000. Meanwhile, the Council of Europe committee of delegates has decided that talks on the implementation of the decision made by ECHR on the Loizidou case in 1996 would not start before the end of 2005.

He made the statement on the occasion of the Council of Europe decision issued today according to which, the talks on the implementation of the 1996 European Court for Human Rights decision on Titina Loizidou's peaceful and safe use of her property in th e Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, will "freeze" until 2005.

In a statement he made on the occasion of the fact that Turkey paid today the compensation awarded by the court to Mrs. Loizidou, because she was denied of her right to use freely her property in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Mr. Giannits is expressed satisfaction for the vindication of the efforts made by Greece and Cyprus. He said that the goal of the efforts, apart from the compensation, was to safeguard the prestige of the European Court for Human Rights and the respect of the decision s and values it symbolizes.

According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, Mr.Unakitan expressed the belief that the economic and commercial relations between two countries will be further improved with that agreement, adding that the Turkish and Greek entrepreneurs will further imp rove bilateral relations.

Mr. Christodoulakis stressed that a lot of time was spent and many efforts were made for the agreement to be reached, calling it a "delayed agreement". He made a special reference to the growth rate of the Greek economy underlining that it is the highest

in the European Union, while regarding Turkey he said that its economy follows an upward course.

Referring to the agreement, he said that the goal is to offer new prospects to the development of bilateral relations between Greece and Turkey.

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