[01] QUALIFYING ELECTIONS CONTINUE IN PASOK AND NEW DEMOCRACY

[02] NATIONAL RADIOTELEVISION COUNCIL TO DISCUSS FAIR ALLOCATION OF AIR TIME

[03] TURKISH SOLDIERS OPEN FIRE AT TWO GREEK-CYPRIOT CIVILIANS

[04] CYPRIOT POLICE ARE CLOSING IN ON KILLERS OF SOLOMOU AND ISAAC

[05] RAUF DENKTASH REPORTEDLY WAS PRESENT AT CYPRUS' LATEST VIOLENT INCIDENT

[06] CYPRUS TO UPGRADE NATIONAL GUARD, PURCHASES NEW MILITARY EQUIPMENT

[07] TURKISH FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY ON VISIT AT CYPRUS' OCCUPIED TERRITORY

[08] SERBIAN POLICE OFFICER MURDERED IN KOSSOVO

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] QUALIFYING ELECTIONS CONTINUE IN PASOK AND NEW DEMOCRACY

Qualifying elections for ballot candidates were continued today in the ruling PASOK party and the main opposition New Democracy.

In Thessaloniki, the qualifying elections were carried out for PASOK smoothly, with 64 per cent of the ruling party's members and officials having cast their vote. In the city's First District Athanasios Theoharides amassed the most votes, while in the Second District first place is held by Haris Tsiokas. The candidates' selections will be ratified by PASOK's Central Committee on Saturday.

In the main opposition party over 90 percent of New Democracy's local members voted. Having the lead in Thessaloniki's First District is George Orfanos, while in the Second District is George Salagoudis. The final selection of the ballot candidates will be made by ND leader Miltiades Evert, following the ratification by the party's Executive Committee.

Prime Minister and PASOK President Kostas Simitis will embark on his tour Monday September 2, beginning with the islands of Chios and Lesvos, while on September 3, coinciding with the 22- year anniversary since the founding of PASOK, he will announce the party's new manifesto at Athens' Stadium of Peace and Friendship.

In a press conference to be held today, Mr. Evert will provide clarifications in certain parts of his economic plan. In turn, he will embark on a tour throughout Athens' municipalities and ND's honorary president, and ex-premier, Konstantinos Mitsotakis will speak at Crete's Heraklion.

The country's minor opposition parties are also proceeding with their pre-election campaigns.

Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras will give a press conference on Friday when he will give emphasis on the economy and foreign policy. Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary- General Aleka Paparega has emphasized that a basic criterion for the voters' choice must be the parties' stance towards the European Union and NATO. Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) President Nikos Konstantopoulos has explicitly stated that his party's intention is to re-enter Parliament, while the President of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas has stated that his party will become the third party in the Parliament's hierarchy.

[02] NATIONAL RADIOTELEVISION COUNCIL TO DISCUSS FAIR ALLOCATION OF AIR TIME

The National Radiotelevision Council (ERS) is convening in a special session today, following yesterday's disagreements noted in the inter-party committee regarding the allocation of air time afforded to parties, especially by the privately-owned media.

Representatives of minor opposition parties are chagrined over the ERS' proposals, asking that the regulations be extended to the country's privately-owned television and radio stations where, as they characteristically stated, the situation is out of control.

During yesterday's inter-party committee meeting, an agreement was reached not to run assessment polls during the last ten days of the pre-election campaign.

[03] TURKISH SOLDIERS OPEN FIRE AT TWO GREEK-CYPRIOT CIVILIANS

Turkish soldiers opened fire against a Greek-Cypriot couple living in Cyprus' Aheritos region, yesterday evening.

The incident occured when Pantelis Soteriou and his wife Marina were minding their garden, located a mere 150 meters away from the turkish guard house.

The Greek-Cypriot couple reported the incident to the Larnaca police.

[04] CYPRIOT POLICE ARE CLOSING IN ON KILLERS OF SOLOMOU AND ISAAC

Cypriot police forces are closing in on the Turks who killed Greek-Cypriot Solomos Solomou, having at their disposal the name of one of the four perpetrators.

According to police informations, the said man is an officer of the so-called "special forces" of Cyprus' occupied territory who is seen in video footage shooting beneath the turkish flag's mast, while the man who shot Solomou from the balcony was wearing civilian clothing and is thought to be an agent of Turkey's secret service.

According to data provided by Cypriot police, most of those who beat Greek-Cypriot Tasos Isaac to death are believed to be members of Turkey's ultra right-wing organization "Grey Wolves."

[05] RAUF DENKTASH REPORTEDLY WAS PRESENT AT CYPRUS' LATEST VIOLENT INCIDENT

New reports have surfaced adding weight to the belief that the murders of the two Greek-Cypriots Solomos Solomou and Tasos Isaac were organized by the Turk-Cypriot government, as a television viewer has stated that Turk-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was seen in the area when the incidents occured.

Speaking to the Cypriot Radio, a Belgian woman stated that she actually saw Denktash on the premises in footage broadcast by the Belgian state-owned television channel.

Moreover, the Belgian television viewer stated that the Turk- Cypriot leader is shown being on a balcony and watching the events through binoculars.

Other reports state that the German television stations also showed footage where Denktash is seen in the Derynia region during the days of the incidents.

[06] CYPRUS TO UPGRADE NATIONAL GUARD, PURCHASES NEW MILITARY EQUIPMENT

The Cypriot government has purchased modern military equipment in an effort to upgrade the country's National Guard.

The procedures for the purchase of these new military outfits, as well as the issue of expenditures, were discussed by the Cypriot Ministers of Finance and Defense, Christodoulos Christodoulou and Kostas Heliades, respectively.

The Cypriot Defense Minister had requested that government expenses for the defense area be increased, while military sources support that the National Guard is in need of the upgraded military arms in order to strengthen its fighting ability and readiness.

[07] TURKISH FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY ON VISIT AT CYPRUS' OCCUPIED TERRITORY

Turkish Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Inal Batou is currently on a visit at Cyprus' occupied territory where he has held talks with the Turk-Cypriot leadership.

Mr. Batou stated that he will assess the situation noted in Derynia with Turk-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and the new coalition government.

The Turkish official will depart Cyprus tomorrow.

[08] SERBIAN POLICE OFFICER MURDERED IN KOSSOVO

Tension has mounted anew in Kossovo when a Serbian police officer was murdered yesterday in the outsets of Pristina, the region's capital.

The Yugoslav News Agency Tanjug reported that two persons armed with automatic rifles fired upon the police officer, a member of the turkish minority, in the central street that runs through the Donje Ljupse village, 30 kilometers north of Pristina.

In another incident, two unidentified men threw hand grenades at a police station in the Celopek village, located near the albanian borders. No injuries were reported.

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