BERLIN (AFP)

The logo of German engineering and electronics group Siemens in Munich. Siemens' former Greek country director, arrested in Germany for alleged corruption in Greece, has begun making a "confession" in order to avoid extradition to Athens, reports said Saturday.

Siemens' former Greek country director, arrested in Germany for alleged corruption in Greece, has begun making a "confession" in order to avoid extradition to Athens, reports said Saturday.

According to weekly news magazine Der Spiegel and the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Michael Christophorakos was questioned this week and had started to make statements that would result in a conviction.

"His lawyers want to have him sentenced to a suspended sentence and a fine of around one million euros (1.4 million dollars) as soon as possible (in Germany)," Der Spiegel said.

Christophorakos was arrested last month in a house south of Munich where he was hiding.

An international warrant for his arrest had been issued by Greek authorities on May 20 along with a request for his extradition.

Christophorakos was general director of Siemens' Greek subsidiary from 1996 to 2007 and is suspected along with three German former directors of paying bribes to obtain a contract with the country's telecommunications operator OTE.

Other kickbacks were allegedly paid to Greek politicians in exchange for Siemens being included in work on security systems for the Athens Olympic Games in August 2004.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung has estimated the illegal payments amounted to around 100 million euros.

04/07/2009 18:13:29 UST

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