Selection: Michalis Katsigeras

REFINERY: The Coordinating Council, which met yesterday and was chaired by the prime minister, Field Marshal Alexandros Papagos, has put an end to the stalemate of the past eight months over the vital issue of the petroleum refinery. The Council has arrived at a solution allowing for work to begin soon, and approved a report by Coordination Minister Mr Thanos Kapsalis rejecting bids by the Elvyn and Hellenic refineries as well as that of Sokony, considering negotiations with these firms over. It drew a distinction between the construction of the refinery and its operation. The State, which is to undertake to build the refinery, will assign its construction to an experienced and capable firm. As for its operation, the issue will be studied and a decision reached during the construction phase (...). The refinery is expected to cost about $10-13 million, and will have a yearly production of 1.2 million tons of petroleum. URBAN RAIL: The Council also approved yesterday the signing of a contract with the Electric Railway Company to extent the urban rail system as far as Kifissia, with the possibility of a later link to Ekali.