Powell to visit Athens for closing ceremony

US Secretary of State Colin Powell will be present at the ceremony as the representative of the United States of America.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Athens to attend the Olympics closing ceremony on August 29, Greece's foreign ministry said on Sunday.

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Powell, who will be in Greece on August 28-30, will be present at the ceremony as the representative of the United States, the ministry said in a written statement.

During his stay, Powell will meet Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis.

"It is not a working visit," a Greek foreign ministry source said, adding there was no fixed agenda for the talks yet.

The United States takes a keen interest in the relations between Greece and its rival neighbour Turkey.

The European Union, of which Greece is a member, will decide in December if it is to start formal negotiations to accept Turkey as a member. Washington backs Ankara's EU bid.

Former US president George Bush, father of incumbent President George W Bush, attended the Games' opening ceremony on August 13 as head of the US delegation to Athens.

Bush senior left Greece on Saturday.