Athens - American business magnate Bill Gates is the main contender to purchase the private Greek island of Skorpios, the site of the wedding of Jacqueline Kennedy to billionaire Aristotle Onassis, reports said Monday.

Greek reports said negotiations are under way to sell the lush green Ionian island for 120 million euros to the Microsoft chairman by Onassis' sole heiress Athina Roussel Onassis-Miranda.

Once the private property of the late Greek shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis, the island was the site of his 1968 wedding to the widow of US president John F Kennedy.

Upon Onassis' death, the island passed to his daughter Christina and then in turn to her daughter Athina. Onassis, his son Alexander and his daughter Christina are all buried on the island.

Athina, the sole surviving direct descendant of Onassis, owns at least 2.5 billion euros in property, businesses, stocks, artwork and private jets.

The Onassis heiress rarely spends any time on the island and reports have said that she has been interested in selling it for quite some time after falling out with the Greek government over its refusal to grant her husband Brazilian-born Alvaro de Miranda citizenship to participate in the equestrian competition for the Athens 2004 Olympics.

Aside from Gates, US pop music icon Madonna has also expressed interest in buying the island.

The island is virtually empty of inhabitants and visitors are forbidden, with guards watching its shores to prevent trespassers.

The island contains the Pink House, also refereed to as Jackie's villa, tennis courts and lavish gardens. (dpa)