STAVROS DIMAS: It is a great pleasure to welcome our friend the German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, and his associates. Unfortunately, due to the shortness of the visit, we will not be able to return the warm hospitality with which they greeted myself and my associates in Berlin a month or so ago. But I hope he will be able to come for a longer visit soon.
This visit it taking place at what I would say is one of the most critical moments, periods, in modern Greek history. Your presence symbolizes that our country, Greece, will not struggle alone to emerge from this crisis and overcome the challenges; challenges not only for Greece, but for the European Union as well. It is my unswerving belief that we will emerge from this crisis stronger, more unified, for the good of Europe and the prosperity of the citizens of Europe.
As I have already said, this is a difficult time. You are aware, Guido – because we have discussed it; we reiterated it today – that the Greeks have made significant efforts and made great sacrifices. Right now, the Greeks are very concerned about their future, they are disappointed because they believe that many of the sacrifices they have made have gone for nothing.
Germany’s commitment to stand by Greece and work with us until we can emerge from the crisis, deal with the crisis successfully, is very, very important. I think all of Europe needs the Greek crisis to be confronted. We need to be able to give the Greeks hope again. Greece needs more time, more means – it needs to be able to breathe in order to lay the foundations for recovery. And that is where we are relying on the collaboration of Europe, and Germany in particular.
We also very briefly discussed PSI, private sector involvement in making the Greek debt viable, and of course we believe that the negotiations, which are to be continued, will end in success, because this is what reason and interests dictate. Because the economy is governed by these two things: reason and interests, and in this case it is in everyone’s interest for these negotiations to be successful.
We also had a discussion – which we will continue right after this – of issues concerning our neighborhood; Syria and the problems citizens there are facing and the need for the murder of citizens to stop. They need to listen to the UN Secretary General, who issued a new call today.
We discussed the Iran issue, and the moves and decisions the EU has to make in order send a clear message, but we also discussed the needs and problems being faced by various European countries with regard to the Iran issue. We also talked about Southeast Europe issues, our relations with Turkey, the Cyprus issue, enlargement in the Western Balkans and our cooperation on the ongoing promotion of the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries.
Guido, thanks again for your visit, however brief, and for the ongoing support for my country at this critical time. Thankyouverymuch.
G. WESTERWELLE: Ladies and gentlemen, dear Stavros, I want to express my warm thanks, not just to the Greek government, but to you mainly, from my heart, for your hospitality and invitation. I am very glad to have the opportunity to be in Greece again; I feel very close to Greece and I want my visit here to send a message to the citizens of Greece. We want to deal with the problems together. For us, Greece and Europe are together; they belong together; we are in a partnership – a cooperative and friendly relationship – and through that relationship we will face the difficulties together. So, this visit of mine sends a message of encouragement. But at the same time, there is the endeavor for the difficult path to reform to continue.
I am glad that the Foreign Minister and Prime Minister, as well as Mr. Samaras, expressed themselves in this manner. So, it seems from our discussions that we all realize the seriousness of this time.
But I want to say this: That Greece and Germany are linked by a deep and historical friendship, and this has been borne out by the German stance of solidarity and will continue to be apparent from our common actions in Europe. For us it is important, particularly at such times, to honor and not question friendships. So, I want to express my respect for the Greek people, for the fact that they are implementing these reforms in such difficult times. I know what you are going through, what you are doing here in Greece. I know how difficult this road is and I also want to say that we see this, we acknowledge it, and it is respected.
Together with my Greek counterpart, I want to say that we will help so that we can have better times, get over the debt crisis and this test for Europe. We all hope for and want a strong and prosperous Europe. That is why we will work in the direction of improving competitiveness through, for example, structural changes. Of course, there is also the matter of economic assistance, but what is important is for the people to be able to prosper in Greece and for the young, mainly, to have opportunities.
So, see my visit as a visit that brings the message of solidarity, of acknowledgement, of respect for all the burdens being shouldered by the Greek citizen right now.
With these words, I also want to express my gratitude, because I know what this means in the sector of pensions, justice – I know how difficult these reforms are. They would be difficult in any country, and I really have great respect for them. Greece and Germany have a common goal: more competitiveness, more growth and more prosperity for the people. A stable currency and mutual trust are prerequisites for this. The crisis of trust that arose from the debt crisis needs to be dealt with, and that is why it is important to put the economy in order and implement the reforms. From the discussions I have had so far, I am sure that all the forces in Greece are in favor of growth and in favor of implementing the reforms. We want prosperity and better opportunities for people in the future – particularly for people experiencing difficulties right now.
So, Germany is standing by Greece in solidarity, and we have shown this by the fact that €22 billion has been given to Greece, so it’s not just words, but actions that show our support for our Greek friends. It is, of course a matter of national policy, but it is also a matter of broader European policy: a more effective Europe. This also means we need sanctions, we need discipline, and mainly it means that we need to understand that only through greater European integration will we be able to confront the crisis in Europe in the long term. With more Europe and more European integration. This is our answer to the crisis, and this is not to the benefit of one or two states; it benefits all of Europe. So, it is in the common interest of Europe; it benefits all of Europe.
Germany, which is relatively large in Europe, would be too small on a global level to confront globalization and liberalization. That is why we are talking about a partnership, a fair partnership, a relationship of cooperation. In other words, ladies and gentlemen, for us to make Europe capable of successfully meeting the needs of the new era in the world and moving ahead. This means, of course, that we also need to change the structures. It is now time – and I say this after recent media reports – for Europe to prove itself capable of dealing with, among other things, matters concerning the ratings agencies. So, it is important here in Europe for us to have, to create, independent ratings agencies, European ratings agencies, because we have seen the situation they can create. Themarkethasyettorecoveralittle, and right away, through new ratings from these agencies, tension can be created again in the markets. So, I want to support this issue on a European level.
My colleague, my counterpart, Stavros Dimas, already mentioned that we talked about other issues. I really agree with regard to both the Balkans and Syria. We have common positions, and with regard to Iran there is unfortunately a need for further sanctions.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are working together internationally. We acknowledge what we have in Europe, and that is why we are focusing together on fighting the prejudices there might be against our countries. Werealizethatitisonlytogetherthatwe can be stronger and not let our states move away from one another. This is to the benefit of the future of Greece, Germany and Europe.
Thank you very much for your attention.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, a few days ago, the PSI negotiations stalled. Given that you can’t attribute that to the Greek government, as a failure – and it is something that the German government insisted on from the outset. How you intend to help toward breaking the impasse, and whether you are examining a plan B: an orderly default of Greece within the euro.
G. WESTERWELLE: I think it is very important that we give the agreements and the packages we decided in Europe a realistic chance, and, therefore, it does not make any sense to speculate about everything. I think it is better to solve the problems, to negotiate and to work on positive answers for all of us, and I think this is the only way, how we can bring back trust and confidence into the markets and from my point of view this is the best and the serious way how we can solve the present situation. It is difficult enough, and political leaders should not make it more difficult than it is.
JOURNALIST: A question for the Greek Foreign Minister. Mr. Westerwelle heard that there will be a continuation of the reforms. What is your commitment, and, Mr. Westerwelle, what issues were raised with regard to the reforms?
S. DIMAS: I think the commitment of the Greek government and the parties supporting it is clear: We want the speedy implementation of the structural reforms. And I would like to add – on the issue of Europe and economic governance and the changes to the Treaty, or the intergovernmental agreement – that the issue of economic governance, which we support, is based on the principles of effectiveness, as Mr. Westerwelle said, on cohesion, solidarity and the institutional equality of the member states, and that is why we are working for the success of the discussion and the agreement, or the initial agreement on the changes at the European Council.
G. WESTERWELLE: I would like to assure you once again that my impression is this: everyone knows that this is a difficult time. But we will confront it only if we all keep our commitments. I think the talks I have had so far within this framework have been very constructive. Thank you very much.
January 15, 2012