FM meets with US counterpart Clinton in NY

Avramopoulos said the discussion touched on the economic crisis and its social repercussions, as well as the risk entailed to the European structure and the global economy. He said he outlined Greece's positions and policy that will lead to the country's exit from the crisis and will convince every one of Greece's credibility and seriousness.

"It is a policy that, in turn, also has social repercussions, since it has to do with great sacrifices on the part of the Greek people, which Mrs. Clinton acknowledged and pointed out at the beginning of our discussion," Avramopoulos told reporters later.

He said they also discussed regional matters, such as Greece's relations with its neighboring countries and the changes taking place in the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the so-called Arab Spring and the situation in Syria, on which similarities of views were ascertained regarding the policy that should be adopted to overcome the crisis in Syria and open the road for the democratization of the region and the formation of a climate of security and cooperation.

Avramopoulos said he had the opportunity to present the central, strategic role that Greece plays on the Mediterranean region and its consistency "to our common principles that bring us close together in the context of international organizations".
Avramopoulos further said that he and Clinton "renewed our mutual desire to meet again soon, for a new review of the situation and to discuss a series of initiatives that bring our two countries closer.
"Greece and the US are strategic partners for many decades now and we have brought our relations to the best possible level. We must therefore deepen our relations even further, to the benefit of both countries, as well as our joint participation in the Atlantic alliance and in other international fora," the Greek foreign minister said.

SOURCE: ATHENS NEWS AGENCY