Nicosia - Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias has suggested a series of proposals towards further reconciliation of the Greek and Turkish parts of the divided Mediterranean island.

Among the proposals broadcast on Cypriot television Wednesday morning was the cancellation of the annual autumn military exercises by the National Guard in the Greek Cypriot south of the island and the Turkish Army in the north.

"I also propose a full demilitarization of the Old City of Nicosia and the setting up of a demilitarized zone," Christofias said in a speech to the Council of Europe shown on television.

Athens  - Pirates captured a tanker off the coast of Somalia, a Greek shipping company reported Saturday.

According to the Greek coastguard, 19 Romanian sailors were aboard the tanker Genious which was sailing under a Liberian flag.

The attack was reported to the shipping company by the ship's captain by radio shortly before the pirates boarded the vessel. The pirates fired a number shots into the air to bring the ship to a halt.

Athens - Border traffic tailbacks began easing Friday after Greek customs officials ended a strike begun on Monday in protest at planned salary cutbacks.

Athens- Hundreds of lorries remained stuck in long queues at customs stations across Greece on Tuesday as officials continued an open-ended strike, forcing the near-closure of all border stations, ports and airports throughout the country.

The strike, which began on Monday in protest against the government's plans for severe salary cutbacks for civil servants, caused serious disruptions in food and fuel supplies along the northern Greek border with Albania, Romania and Bulgaria.

Athens - Hundreds of workers with Greek state carrier Olympic Airlines blocked the main runway at Athens International Airport Tuesday over plans to privatise the airline.

The demonstrators, including pilots, air stewards and technicians, prevented planes from taking off and landing on the runway.

Airport officials said the protest forced air traffic controllers to divert planes to a second runway. The demonstration did not affect any flights, they added.

Tuesday's airport protest was the second in one week.

The European Commission last week approved a government plan to privatise the airline while ordering the current company to pay back more than 1 billion dollars in illegal state aid.

Athens - Custom workers around Greece began an open-ended strike on Monday, forcing the closure of all refineries, border stations, ports and airports throughout the country.