Yesterday, American type crude oil reached 42.33 US dollars per barrel setting a new record high in New York in the first Wall Street session after the terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia last weekend.

Crude oil closed at US$42.33 in the NYSE yesterday, US$2.45 higher compared to last Friday.

The UN Security Council consultations will be launched next week to adopt a resolution before June 15.

Mr. Annan will meet with Cypriot Republic President Tassos Papadopoulos who stated yesterday speaking in Harvard University that the UN Secretary General plan is a good basis for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

He reminded that the army has a social mission as well to which it responds in an excellent manner.

The Minister of Defense was briefed on the headquarters' staff and its development, which will replace the 3rd Army Corps under the name NATO Deployable Corps-Greece (NDC-GR), by its commander lieutenant general Christos Vafiadis. He was also briefed on the military exercise "PERSEAS '04" taking place within the framework of the headquarters.

The multinational headquarters' staff is made up of 105 officers, 70 Greek and 35 foreigners from Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Holland and other NATO member-states. In a year, it will be in full operation with a total of 200-250 officers.

Earlier, Minister of Defense Spilios Spiliotopoulos opening a conference on the EU defense, referred to the importance of the EU foreign and security policy and commenting on the conditions created after the terrorist attacks on US and Spain, stressed th at terrorism is an international problem and it can be faced only through international cooperation. On Greece, he said that it has a responsibility to host safe Olympic Games in Athens.

SAE vice-president and coordinator of the region of Europe Angelos Aslanidis stated to MPA that the goal of the center will be to lift discrimination, support the 180 Greek-origin women from Black Sea countries, who are threatened with or experience soci al exclusion, offer them vocational training and jobs and help them integrate into the Cypriot society while, at the same time, preserving their national and cultural identity.

The center will operate in Nicosia with three branches in Limasol, Paphos and Larnaca.

Of the stocks trading today, 126 had gains and 166 had losses, while the value of 93 stocks remained unchanged.

It is a DNA laboratory that belongs to the Greek armed forces and its capabilities, due to the fact that it is understaffed, remain unexploited, said Mr. Rousopoulos. He added that if it is requested by the Cypriot government and the occupied Cypriot ter ritories offer the necessary facilitations then an identification process can be in effect and the Ministry of Defense will offer everything necessary in terms of personnel, facilities, material and services to identify those missing in 1974.

The State Minister and government spokesman stated that during the games will be in effect everything provided by the Schengen agreement.

A specially modified aircraft will take the Olympic Flame to 34 countries with first stop Sydney, Australia, and over 3,600 people will carry the Olympic Torch.

A special ceremony will take place at Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens during which the Olympic Flame will leave for the airport where "Athens 2004" Organizing Committee President Mrs. Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalakis will hand the Olympic Torch over to the airplane crew.

International Olympic Committee, IOC, President Jacques Rogge made the following statement on the International Olympic Torch Relay, "As it leaves Greece for its journey around the five continents symbolised by the Olympic Rings, the Olympic flame is set

to remind the world of universal Olympic principles. Whether male or female, young or old, able-bodied or disabled, high-level athlete or amateur, whether we live in a wealthy or a developing country, the flame unites us all."

The two Greek-Americans stated to the Greek-American newspaper "Ethnikos Kirikas" in New York that their voyage will last about 10 weeks and will not be accompanied by other boats.

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