Games boost for Greek economy

Salonika - The success of Athens in being chosen as host for the 2004 Olympic Games could help Greece meet its targets for entry…

Salonika - The success of Athens in being chosen as host for the 2004 Olympic Games could help Greece meet its targets for entry to Europe's planned economic and monetary union, Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, said yesterday.

He reiterated that Greece's main goal was to join the EMU and have a voice in the future course of Europe. "The EMU is the nucleus where these decisions will be taken," he said. "We want to participate in these decisions."

Greece is the only EU country yet to meet a single one of the convergence criteria set out in the Maastricht Treaty.