[01] CYPRUS: YESTERDAY'S INCIDENT WAS PROVOCATION PLANTED BY TURKEY

[02] COMMUNIST PARTY OF GREECE LEADER VISITS THESSALONIKI TODAY

[03] THESSALONIKI'S 61ST INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR BECOMES ECONOMIC NUCLEUS

[04] GREECE'S POLITICAL LEADERS CONTINUE PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

[05] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS HOLD INFORMAL COUNCIL, OPPOSE U.S. RAID IN IRAQ

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] CYPRUS: YESTERDAY'S INCIDENT WAS PROVOCATION PLANTED BY TURKEY

It was a matter of turkish provocation aimed at incriminating the Greek-Cypriot side, is the prevailing view regarding yesterday's incident in Cyprus' occupied territory where a Turkish-Cypriot soldier was shot dead in the Turkish military outpost and another was wounded.

An officer from the British military forces stationed on the divided island, announced that the victim was killed by a bullet fired from within the occupied territory.

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis also spoke of a provocation and dismissed the claims made by Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller who said that "Greek- Cypriots have turned the island's southern part into a "haven for terrorists."

"There is not any Greek aggression, there is instead Turkish savaregy," Mr. Simitis stated. The Greek Premier stated that both the Turkish government and the Turk- Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash are attempting to temper the international community's disapproval for the killing of two unarmed Greek-Cypriot civilians by the turkish military last month.

[02] COMMUNIST PARTY OF GREECE LEADER VISITS THESSALONIKI TODAY

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Paparega stated today that her party is opposed to the flood of privatizations taking place within the public sector, fearing that falling into this trend will also be Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair (ITF).

In Thessaloniki today, part of a series of stops in her pre-election campaign tour, the KKE Secretary- General visited the Fair's grounds and met with ITF officials.

Ms. Paparega emphasized that if the Fair becomes privately-owned it will truly be alienated from the Greek people and will produce radical changes in the exhibit correlation of Greek and foreign products.

"We recognize and view as significant the Fair's premise," emphasized Ms. Paparega, adding that this was the reason her party opposed the Fair's privatization during a Parliament session.

Moreover, Ms. Paparega supported that an additional reason KKE is categorically opposed to privatization is the resulting job losses.

Focusing on the upcoming elections of September 22, Ms. Paparega held that the Greek people must cast their vote based on political criteria and not on a "horse-race attitude where one bets on the first, last or middle party," referring to recent polls that give KKE a 4.9% share of votes.

Ms. Paparega emphasized that KKE does not pay attention to polls, and maintained that the candidates must decide on what serves best the lower classes and the country's independence and sovereignty.

This afternoon, the Communist Party leader will also tour through Thessaloniki's municipalities of Evosmos and Polihni, while in the evening she will also visit the Macedonian Press Agency's offices.

[03] THESSALONIKI'S 61ST INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR BECOMES ECONOMIC NUCLEUS

The success marking Thessaloniki's 61st International Trade Fair, to be held until September 15, is transforming the city's annual event into a southeastern European economic nucleus.

Thousands of visitors from all over the world passed through the Fair's gates yesterday to view the numerous exhibits.

[04] GREECE'S POLITICAL LEADERS CONTINUE PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

PASOK President and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis continued his pre-election tour today with a stop in Yiannitsa and the earthquake-stricken city of Konitsa.

In Thessaloniki and Serres yesterday, where he addressed an exuberant crowd of supporters at an open rally, Mr. Simitis stressed with confidence that the ruling paty PASOK will win the upcoming elections on September 22.

In Karditsa yesterday, main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert also spoke in front of a cheering crowd, where, in an indirect reference to PASOK, he said that ND never thanked the Americans and never asked for the Germans' opinion.

Today Mr. Evert will speak at a press conference in Athens.

Minor opposition party leader, Political Spring's Antonis Samaras, was in Komotene yesterday where he warned that a PASOK re-election would result in a new era of austerity and bring about increases in unemployment.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Paparega arrived in Thessaloniki today where she visited the city's International Trade Fair grounds and gave a press conference in the afternoon. Speaking from the island of Lesvos yesterday, Ms. Paparega emphasized that the KKE wants neither to see Greece's submission to foreign powers nor its alienation, but instead supports domestic growth.

Coalition of the Left and Progress Party (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Konstantopoulos speaking from Yiannitsa yesterday, criticised the country's bi-partisan policy. Mr. Konstantopoulos will also give a press conference in Athens this evening.

Leader of the Democratic Social Movement, (DHKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas, criticised both the ruling party and the main opposition for planning to enforce a tougher economic policy, starting on the day following the elections. Mr. Tsovolas will speak this evening in Lamia.

[05] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS HOLD INFORMAL COUNCIL, OPPOSE U.S. RAID IN IRAQ

The Foreign Ministers of European Union member- states held an informal council in Ireland, the country holding the EU presidency this term, and voiced their opposition to the United States air strike against Iraq last week, as well as their disagreement with Turkey's proposal to enforce a "security zone" in northern Iraq's borders.

The "15" agreed to hold the extraordinary summit meeting on October 5 in Dublin where they will discuss issues concerning European institutional reforms.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/