ATHENS, Jan 19 (AFP) - Greece's socialist PASOK party on
Thursday elected pro-European modernist Costas Simitis to
succeed ailing Andreas Papandreou as the country's new prime
minister, officials said.
He won with 86 votes, against 75 for pro-Papandreou
candidate Tsohatzopoulos, according to official results.
Simitis, 59, a former industry minister, stands for rupture
with the past and the promise of a new era after Papandreou's 20
years in power.
Simitis has criticised Papandreou for dragging Greece away
from the European Union, which it joined in 1981.
On Wednesday, Simitis, addressing the central committee
members of the party behind closed doors, proposed a stronger
"European orientation" for Greece, the easternmost of the 15
European Union members, party sources said.
President Bill Clinton congratulated Costas Simitis.
"Greece and the United States are close friends and allies, we
also share special ties of kinship," said a White House
statement. "The United States looks foward to working closely
with Prime Minister Simitis," it said.
bp/gk/gd AFP /AA1234/181726 GMT JAN 96