nt or PASOK
[Konstandinos SIMITIS]; Communist Party or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
Political Spring [Andonios SAMARAS]; Coalition of the Left and
Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Democratic Social
Movement or DIKKI [Dhimitrios TSOVOLAS]; Rainbow Coalition [Pavlos
VOSKOPOULOS]

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC,
CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Loukas TSILAS
chancery : 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 939-5824
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San
Francisco
consulate(s) : Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M. T. NILES
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842
telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951, 8401
FAX: [30] (1) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating
with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the
established religion of the country

Economy

Economy - overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the
public sector accounting for roughly half of GDP. Tourism is a major
source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient, except
for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs. Macroeconomic
problems include mediocre GDP growth, the huge public sector,
substantial budget deficits, and 10% unemployment. The government's
hard drachma policy and public sector wage restraint are largely
responsible for the downward trend in inflation, now at the lowest
level in 22 years. Investment is likely to be the primary engine for
economic growth in 1997. Athens continues to rely heavily on EU aid,
which currently amounts to about 4% of GDP. Despite widespread
protests from unions and farmers, Prime Minister SIMITIS presented a
tough 1997 budget to help bring Greece closer to meeting the EU
criteri