Deputy FM says Greece an attractive destination for direct investments

"Greece remains a very attractive destination for direct foreign investments in such sectors as transport, shipping and shipyards, energy and tourism," Deputy Foreign Minister Kyriakos Gerontopoulos said on Monday in an address to the Europe-Asia (ASEM) Ministerial Session in New Delhi, India on the theme "Bridge to Partnership for Growth and Development."

Gerontopoulos further said that given that the international economies are interdependent, the present economic crisis was not just European only and consequently required global handling.

The Deputy Minister said that Asia and Europe must continue to cooperate, placing greater emphasis on ASEM's economic pylon, with frequent meetings between economic experts, politicians and business leaders from both sides.
As he said, the common challenge for the two continents was safeguarding jobs and production economies, as well as sustainable growth that will revive economies, dealing with the social repercussions of the crisis.

He added that from the Greek point of view in particular, jobs and growth were structurally and unbreakably linked, and stressed that this linking was considered a top priority issue for the upcoming Greek presidency of the EU.
Gerontopoulos also said that the Greek government was implementing an ambitious fiscal adjustment programme to improve Greece's competitiveness and macroeconomic image, and had achieved great improvements in the areas of fiscal sustainability and competitiveness.

He explained that Greece's main aim was the return to economic growth and the main economic indicators were providing steadfast optimism for the next year.
At the beginning of his address, Gerontopoulos conveyed the condolences and solidarity of the Greek people to the Philippines and Vietnam over the disastrous typhoon Haiyan that hit the two countries.