On returning from Rome yesterday evening, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos met with the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joachim Gauck.
Mr. Venizelos briefed Mr. Gauck on the state of the Greek economy, mentioned the various negative and unfair stereotypes being perpetuated by a portion of the German news media regarding Greece, and emphasized the close Greek-German cooperation within the framework of the Eurozone and the adjustment programme of the Greek economy. In particular, he stressed the Greek people’s sacrifices and achievements – the most salient of which being the primary surplus that has already been achieved – the structural changes, as well as the unique and special characteristics that render the Greek public debt sustainable in the long term.
Mr. Venizelos also referred to Greek-German cooperation within the framework of EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.
Finally, Mr. Venizelos – referring to Mr. Gauck’s stance that, on the matter of German reparations and the occupation debt, he must follow the Federal government’s official stance – underscored to Mr. Gauck that the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, speaking on this issue, expresses all of the political forces of the Hellenic Parliament and the Greek people, and that, obviously, this is the position of the Greek government, which is responsible for charting the country’s foreign and economic policy. Mr. Venizelos briefed Mr. Gauck on his talks – within the framework of excellent Greek-German relations and international legality – with his German counterparts on this issue, which is linked to the moral and historical obligations deriving from the atrocities of the occupation period.
March 7, 2014