A variability and localization study of the Galactic Center gamma-ray source 3EG J1746-2851

I have studied the variability properties and localization of 3EG~J1746-2851 based on EGRET data of the observing periods 1--4. Using corrections for know systematic problems and performing various consistency checks I find no evidence of variability with an amplitude exceeding 30\% with the possible exception of viewing period 429, for which a strong soft excess is observed. 3EG~J1746-2851 is displaced from the exact Galactic Center towards positive Galactic longitudes. Sgr A$^\ast$, the center of Sgr A East, the pulsar J1747-2958, and the TeV gamma-ray source observed with HESS seem to be excluded as possible counterparts at the $> 95\%$ level.