Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, Athens’ 2004 head, told Australian Prime Minister John Howard that Athens was taking every precaution to ensure a safe Games in 2004.
She said, “my county is preparing very, very, very carefully for the Olympic Games of 2004 because what counts is to host the world…in peace, in friendship”.
The Associated Press reports that her statements came as police announced they had in their custody a suspected member of the elusive November 17 terrorist group and had found one of the group’s main hide-outs.
Greece has budgeted a record $600 million for security.
Athens is receiving advice from Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Spain and the United States on counter-terrorism for the Olympics, and Sydney 2000 Olympics security chief Peter Ryan has been appointed an adviser to the organizers.
Meanwhile, Greek athletes who have skipped military service to train in another country will be allowed to compete at the Athens Games without risk of punishment.
Nearly 15,000 Greeks, many living abroad with dual-nationality, have escaped the obligatory national service and face severe sanction if they return to Greece.
The law will be relaxed during the Olympic Games to allow Greece to field its strongest sides particularly in baseball, where many of the team avoided military service to play in the United States, reports Agence France-Presse.
But Greece’s defence minister Lazaros Lotidis said the ruling should not include people who work as volunteers for the Olympics.
