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January 16, 2012
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle encouraged austerity-wracked Greece to continue the implementation of deeply unpopular structural economic reforms while claiming that Athens and Berlin have a fair and equal partnership.
During his short visit to Athens on Sunday, Westerwelle met with his Greek counterpart Stavros Dimas as well as with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and conservative leader Antonis Samaras.
The German foreign minister recognized "what the Greek citizen currently shoulders" and offered words of "solidarity and friendship," saying that "Europe and Greece belong together," despite ongoing speculation that Athens might leave the eurozone currency union if it cannot get its debt under control.
"I would like for us to remain together in Europe and know what we have together," Westerwelle said, adding that Germany did not want to wag its finger at Greece.
Westerwelle also expressed confidence that Greece would reach an agreement with its creditors over a plan to forgive 50 percent of its private sector obligations, or 100 billion euros ($126 billion). Further bailout money from the EU is contingent on such an agreement.
"We have made hard sacrifices," Greek Foreign Minister Dimas said. "Greece wants and needs to be able to breathe."
European rating agency
Westerwelle, meanwhile, has called for Europe to establish its own rating agencies. The US rating agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) downgraded the creditworthiness of France and eight other eurozone nations on Friday, sparking outrage across Europe.
"We urgently need more competition and independent, European rating agencies so that political or economic interests are not implemented to the disadvantage of the euro," Westerwelle said.
Author: Spencer Kimball (Reuters, dapd, AFP)
Editor: Nicole Goebel