International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge praised the "outstanding" progress in preparations for the 2004 Athens Games and said he was confident the Greek capital would be ready on time.

In his first visit to the Greek capital since taking office at the IOC 18 months ago, Rogge said in January that Athens Organisers (ATHOC) were making up for lost time.

"I am glad to tell you that the progress is outstanding and evident. We see the construction emerging out of all the different places," he told a news conference.

Syrtaki speed

The IOC chief compared the citys early troubles in preparations to the famous Syrtaki dance, signature tune to the much-loved film Zorba the Greek.

"If I can describe it (the progress) I would describe it like a Greek syrtaki dance. It starts very slowly, it accelerates and by the end you can't keep up with the pace," he said.

Speaking in January Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said preparations were entering the "final strait."

Athens has been turned into a large construction site with dozens of Olympics and Olympics-related projects well under way, including roadworks, expansions of the subway and construction of a railroad and a tram line.

"Of course deadlines are tight...but I am confident everything will be realised in due time and no delays are permitted," Rogge said.

Expansion works

He targeted progress on the 600 million euro security programme, the soccer stadium for the Olympic competition and the completion of expansion works at the Olympic complex as key challenges for Athens organisers, ATHOC.

Greece's defence ministry still has to pick the winner of a tender for the Games' large-scale security programme.

"The tender has been delayed and it must be finished very soon. We are at the last limit to put it in place on time," Gianna Angelopoulos, ATHOC chief said. But we hope it will be completed as soon as possible."

The IOC's coordinating commission chief said a decision on the use of an elaborate dome-like steel roof for the Olympic stadium will be taken in April, while the reconstruction of the now derelict Karaiskakis stadium to host the soccer finals would be completed on time.

"We are all aware of this time constraint but this is technically feasible," Athens coordinating commission chief Denis Oswald said.

Asked whether the IOC's security concerns had eased following the capture of the once-elusive November 17 urban guerrilla group - considered a major national security threat ahead of the games - Rogge said he would only relax once the last athlete safely left Athens after the games.

Security

"We are relieved of the crackdown of November 17. But there are more than just national threats to the games... international threats," Rogge said.

"Security is the top priority. I am always relieved only when the last athlete has come safely home," he said.

Greek authorities have arrested 19 suspected members of the ultra leftist band, responsible for the killing of 23 Greeks and foreigners since it emerged with the assassination of a CIA station chief in 1975.