The meeting on Security and Civil Protection in the European Cities was held in cooperation with the Municipality of Athens.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that the people living in the European cities are faced today with problems concerning the downgrading of the environment, traffic problems, the social and economic exclusion and unemployment, while he stressed that it is impossible

to upgrade the quality of life if the fundamental public good of security is not ensured for the people living in the cities.

Mr. Karamanlis referring to the Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Athens reiterated that they were held in an environment of absolute security a fact that overturned all preexisting concerns.

The search continues since the early morning hours today and the most likely cause of the tragedy is the collision of the two aircraft while is not ruled out the likelihood that one of the aircraft crashed on the mountain and the second one followed. The

two aircraft were on a training flight in cloudy conditions.

The crash happened yesterday afternoon a few minutes before the end of the exercise given the fact that the two aircraft were expected for landing at the military airport of Anchialos, central Greece.

The goal is that in the next 5-6 years Thessaloniki will have a modern metro network, stated Mr. Souflias, who also announced that the Athens metro network will be further expanded in very important destinations while it will be linked with the Athens su burbs.

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos stated that there is optimism that the outcome of the vote will be positive for Greece and will be elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period 2005-2006.

The term in the UN Security Council, in which 5 of the 15 members will be replaced today, lasts two years.

Responding to a question on the frequency of the accidents in the Greek Air Force, he stated that the "metaphysical quests" should be avoided stressing that the government examines each case separately.

He reminded that an investigation is underway to determine the causes of the Chinook accident and the same will happen with the two F16 jets.

Mr. Zabounidis in his letter mentions that it has been established from the visits exchanged by the Greek and Turkish local administration representatives and the tourist and trade representatives that the interest of the Turkish people in the strengthen ing of tourist and trade relations with the prefecture of Evros, northeastern Greece, has increased.

The prefects of eastern Aegean have also expressed the same request with Mr. Zabounidis.

Of the stocks trading today, 130 had gains and 156 had losses, while the value of 118 stocks remained unchanged.

The Environment Council reached a Political Agreement after the first reading on important legislative proposals by the European Commission, while it reached conclusions on other issues as well.

One of the legislative proposal concerns inspections on the production and use of certain of the greenhouse gases and aims at the enactment of a legislative framework to limit the HFC and PFC emissions, which are toxic gases and are regulated by the Kyot o Protocol.