ATHENS, Aug 24: A left-wing Greek organization opposed to the US presence in Iraq said it was planning demonstrations on Friday to protest the arrival this week in Athens of US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

His visit "constitutes a major provocation against the Greek people", the group, "Stop the War", said in a statement. Mr Powell is scheduled to arrive on Friday, and to attend the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games the next day.

Apart from the Syn party, which holds six seats in Greece's parliament, "Stop the War" also includes anti-war and anti-globalization organizations. The group, which plans to lead a protest march to the US embassy on Friday, accused Washington in its statement of violating "the very idea of the Olympic truce by bombing Najaf" during the Games.

It also denounced the political "exploitation" by US President George Bush of Iraqi and Afghan athletes competing in Athens. Mr Bush congratulated the Iraqi football team for its performance in the Games, and campaign advertisements shown on US television have celebrated the participation of the teams from these "newly free countries".

During his stay, Mr Powell will meet Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, Greece's foreign ministry said on Sunday. "It is not a working visit," a foreign ministry source said, adding there was no fixed agenda for the talks yet. -AFP