[01] PRE-ELECTION PUBLISHED POLLS CONFUTE ONE-ANOTHER ON WHICH PARTY LEADS

[02] COALITION PARTY LEADER IN THESSALONIKI, CONFIDENT AND OPTIMISTIC

[03] TEN DAYS BEFORE ELECTIONS, COUNTDOWN BEGINS, CAMPAIGNS INTENSIFY

[04] FURTHER INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE FOR TURKISH-CYPRIOT "AGRICULTURE MINISTER"

[05] A MEETING WITH DENKTASH WOULD BE UNPRODUCTIVE, SAYS CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

[06] THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR ATTRACTS 10,000 VISITORS DAILY

[07] THIRD CONFERENCE OF MODERN GREEK STUDIES TO BEGIN IN MELBOURNE

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] PRE-ELECTION PUBLISHED POLLS CONFUTE ONE-ANOTHER ON WHICH PARTY LEADS

On the last day polls are allowed to be published, according to a recent law, today's percentages on which political party has the lead in light of of the September 22 elections vary from newspaper to newspaper.

While all published polls apear to agree that the smaller parties coveting a seat in parliament can withstand the pressure of snap elections, the major palyers, ruling-party PASOK and main opposition New Democracy, are given conflicting percentages.

According to the first poll, conducted by "Metron Analysis", PASOK has the lead with 31.9% against New Democracy's 27.7 per cent. These rates show an increase in the two major parties' percentages, while the smaller parties appear to maintain their rates constant, with 5.5% for the Coalition, 5.4% combined for the Communist Party and the Democratic Social Movement, and 3.4% for Political Spring.

The second poll, by "ICAP", presents PASOK as having the lead with 31.9% against 29.9% of New Demcoracy, while another, by "Richette International", shows PASOK as having the lead with 31.2% in comparison to 28.6% of New Democracy.

The fourth poll, by "DIMEL", shows New Democracy as having the lead with 28.8% against 27.3% of PASOK. According to this poll, the undecided voters reach the 11% rate.

[02] COALITION PARTY LEADER IN THESSALONIKI, CONFIDENT AND OPTIMISTIC

The Leader of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party Nikos Konstantopoulos stated today that his party is in a position to emerge as a "surprise" in the upcoming elections of September 22.

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, whose offices he visited this morning, Mr. Konstantopoulos stated that Synaspismos has confidence and optimism.

Commenting on the polls that present his Coalition party as having raised percentages in relation to the 1993 elections, Mr. Konstantopoulos remarked that Synaspismos will not rest on its laurels.

"We will press on with our fight up to the last day, until the ballots close, and I believe that Synaspismos will be justified in its effort," he stated.

Mr. Konstantopoulos dismissed the recent polls published in the media as merely impression-creating ploys that seek to exert political influence in light of the elections.

The Synaspismos leader also remarked that "elections can't be held through polls, elections are held through the conscience of each citizen who casts his vote in the polling station."

[03] TEN DAYS BEFORE ELECTIONS, COUNTDOWN BEGINS, CAMPAIGNS INTENSIFY

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who is also President of the ruling party PASOK, addressed an open rally yesterday in Heraklion, Crete and stated the Socialist Movement will turn the page to the 21st century.

Meanwhile, main opposition New Democracy leader Mitliades Evert stated that his party will win the September 22 elections when he spoke in Arta yesterday.

Minor opposition party Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras arrived in Thessaloniki this morning and his itinerary includes meetings with the local Association of Industrialists and Exporters of Northern Greece and the Worker's Center.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Paparega will tour Nikea, while Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party leader Nikos Konstantopoulos will visit Thessaloniki's Itnernational Trade Fair and will give a speech this evening in the center of town.

Leader of the Democratic Social Movement Dimitris Tsovolas will tour the Peloponnese and will visit Pyrgos, Aigio and Argos where he will speak at an open rally this evening.

[04] FURTHER INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE FOR TURKISH-CYPRIOT "AGRICULTURE MINISTER"

Further incriminating evidence has surfaced regarding the murder of Greek-Cypriot Solomos Solomou, according to which Kenan Akin, the agriculture "Minister" of the Turkish-Cypriot pseudostate, was directly involved in the crime.

The Cypriot Republic's General Prosecutor Alekos Markides has stated that new data have surfaced pointing to Askin's direct involvement in the murder, yet he did not reveal what the new evidence is.

Mr. Markides stated that "now it is feasible to bring legal charges for premeditated murder against the so-called Agriculture 'Minister' of the Denktash regime," as well as against the chief of the (regime's) so-called police and the then-chief of the occupying forces, Major- General Mehmet Karli and Erdal Emanet, respectively.

Yesterday, Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos exclaimed that the recently-surfaced reports on the murder "exceed the boundaries of our imagination."

Mr. Pangalos stated that the Greek Government has already denounced the occupied territory's Denktash regime and its various paramilitary groups as being the perpetrators of the violent incidents that took place last month in Deryneia, which were a carefully orchestrated effort to show that the two communities cannot co-exist peacefully.

[05] A MEETING WITH DENKTASH WOULD BE UNPRODUCTIVE, SAYS CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

In a two-page letter addressed to the leader of the occupying regime in Nortern Cyprus Rauf Denktash, Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides itemizes the reasons why he has turned down a proposal for a meeting to be held between them, aimed at easing the tension on the divided island.

According to reports, Mr. Clerides writres that he considers such a meeting to be unproductive, since Denktash's and his collaborators' involvement in the recent violent episodes at Deryneia renders the Denktash regime responsible for the recent crisis in Cyprus.

Mr. Clerides' letter is expected to be brought forward during tomorrow's talks between the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy Han Sung Ju, Rauf Denktash and Glafkos Clerides.

[06] THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR ATTRACTS 10,000 VISITORS DAILY

Tens of thousands are the daily visitors who enter the gates of Thessaloniki's 61st International Trade Fair, among them businesspeople who are set to close business deals or to proceed to investments in Greece.

A crowd pleaser is the car and electronic goods exhibit that Helexpo has organized for the first time at the ITF. The technical and production-sector companies participating in these exhibits have focused on ways to attract the markets of the eastern and central Europe and the Middle East.

Also, Polish experts will be visiting Greece in September in an effort to attract Greek investors and will organize a series of informative seminars aimed at promoting bilateral trade.

The trade attache of Poland's Embassy in Athens announced that a delegation of Greek businessmen will be visiting Poland in order to examine the country's investment opportunities.

[07] THIRD CONFERENCE OF MODERN GREEK STUDIES TO BEGIN IN MELBOURNE

The Third Conference of Modern Greek Studies of Australia's and New Zealand's Associations of Modern Greek Studies will be held at the University of Melbourne between Seprtember 29 - October 2, and will be themed after "Greek Culture: Heritage, Innovation, Development."

Distinguished visitors will give speeches in both the Greek and English languages and will expound on the course of the Greek culture in the recent past and present, as well as on the effects it will bear in the future. Emphasis is also expected to be given to Cypriot culture and to the Greek diaspora.

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/