Athens , 28 February 2010

Journalist: Let’s say good morning to Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas. Good morning, Mr. Minister.

Mr. Droutsas: Good morning, Mr. Parras. Good morning, Ms. Leonardou. And good morning to your listeners.

Journalist: Mr. Minister, before we get to the significance of the Prime Minister’s trips to Germany – to meet with Angela Merkel – and the U.S., for his rendezvous with Barack Obama, let me ask you, I imagine that via the capabilities you have at the Foreign Ministry, you have some information – whether we have any news on the Greeks in Chile following the major earthquake we had there.

Mr. Droutsas: First of all, let me once again express my condolences to the families of the victims and the full support and solidarity of Greece and the Greek people for Chile and the Chilean people. From the very first moment yesterday, we expressed this message in our contacts, and the Prime Minister immediately sent a despatch to the President of Chile, Ms. Bachelet.

It is certainly a disastrous earthquake. Yesterday, we immediately activated the Crisis Management Unit at the Foreign Ministry so as to monitor closely the developments and whether there are any problems with Greeks in Chile, either members of the Greek community or Greek citizens travelling in Chile. Fortunately, so far we haven’t had any unfortunate news on this matter.

Journalist: Are there a large number of Greeks in Chile? Do you have an approximate number?

Mr. Droutsas: There are about 5,000 second-, third- and fourth-generation Chileans of Greek origin – not a large number. But I must say that it is a very active community. I personally had the pleasure, about a year and a half ago, of visiting Chile and having the necessary meetings. Fortunately, as I said, we haven’t had any unfortunate news.

Journalist: Will Greece send assistance – the special rescue squad we have?

Mr. Droutsas: We are looking at that as we speak. For us to be effective and to really contribute, we have to wait to see how the situation develops, in collaboration with the competent international organizations and, of course, in cooperation with the government of Chile. And as soon as we find out whether there is a need, Greece will of course stand by Chile.

Journalist: And let’s go to the trips – the two very important trips on 5 and 8-9 March, to Berlin and Washington. Was there really a delay in the scheduling of this meeting with Barack Obama? Because much has been written. That we had displeased them because in Afghanistan – though the previous government had agreed to increase Greece’s troop presence – the government of George Papandreou didn’t do anything to follow through on this agreement.

Journalist: To be precise, it wasn’t an increase. It was for our troops to go to Herat, which is the dangerous part of Afghanistan, and in the end we kept them in Kabul, where things are a little safer.

Mr. Droutsas: First of all, let me stress that there is such a decision from the Government Council on Foreign Policy and Defense, but as you said, Mr. Parras, a lot is being written and a lot is being said. I want to say categorically that there is no such issue. The government was in contact not only with the U.S. government, but with all the governments.

We explained our positions from the very outset. We had the opportunity on many levels to talk about this issue, and I remind you that there was a special meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in early December on the matter of Afghanistan.

I must say in the clearest manner that from the very outset there was no displeasure whatsoever from the U.S. on this issue. In fact, our position is thoroughly understood. I stress again that it has nothing to do with a delayed date or anything that might be said regarding the Greek Prime Minister’s visit to the U.S.

Journalist: What are we pursuing through this meeting with Mr. Obama? What would make it a successful meeting? Will it simply be a meeting for them to get acquainted? Or are we pursuing something specific?

Mr. Droutsas: It is the first official meeting between Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Obama. There have been telephone conversations. There was a short meeting in Copenhagen, within the framework of the Climate Change Conference.

It is the Greek Prime Minister’s first official visit to Washington, and you can see that meetings of this kind are used to discuss matters of mutual interest – it will certainly be an opportunity for the Greek Prime Minister to raise issues of immediate Greek interest – and it is certainly an excellent opportunity for an exchange of views on all of the important issues and for there to be a personal discussion, where the two leaders will get to know one another and create what we call “good chemistry” between the two men.

Journalist: A lot is being said, Mr. Droutsas, to the effect that in this meeting with Barack Obama, Greece will once again come under pressure from the U.S. on a number of issues concerning foreign policy, our national issues, the Skopje issue, Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue; for there to be a positive response from the U.S. with regard to the economic crisis.

And this is being said with regard to both meetings – that with Barack Obama and the one with Angela Merkel. That is, we have debts, we need money, it is clear that we need help in the difficult state of affairs we are facing, but not without something in exchange. And now everyone is thinking, wondering: What will be requested of us in order for us to get this money?

Mr. Droutsas: Let me state clearly, Mr. Parras, that nothing has been requested of Greece. Greece is in the midst of a difficult time, a time of challenges, and has been called upon to do certain things to bring its finances back to the level and situation we all want. I have said many times – of course – that the current difficult economic situation the country is in isn’t making our job any easier with regard to foreign policy.

Journalist: The Prime Minister has said it more categorically. Pardon me for the interruption. The Prime Minister I think used the phrase that came in for a lot of criticism from the main opposition party. He has stated that due to the major economic problems, the country is in danger of losing a part of its national sovereignty. So it isn’t just that things are more difficult. They are difficult enough for the Greek Prime Minister to use this particular phrasing.

Mr. Droutsas: Things are difficult, of course. I replied to your question as to what will be asked of us; whether pressure will be applied on these two specific trips; whether something will be requested in exchange with regard to our national issues. And I want to be categorical on this: nothing will be requested.

And I stressed – and I don’t think I said anything different from what the Prime Minister has said – that this is of course a difficult time. It in no way facilitates the promotion of our national issues, but I say clearly that pressure is not being brought to bear; nothing is being asked for in exchange.

And I will tell you the real reason for this, Mr. Parras. And this is a good opportunity for us to discuss this, because the government – from the very first moment it took office, has exercised a policy of initiatives on foreign policy issues.

You referred to the Skopje issue, for example. On this, the Greek government and the Prime Minister himself has form the very outset shown that Greece is taking the reins of the matter into its hands again. It is pointing out the direction in which things should move. It is taking initiatives. I refer, for example, to the Greek Prime Minister’s invitation for direct meetings with his FYROM counterpart, in order to move the issue ahead. The international community sees this.

Journalist: Mr. Minister, Matthew Nimetz was here. You saw him, as did Mr. Samaras. Did he bring anything new? Was there a new proposal, did he bring anything? Is the climate better? Did he leave any room for optimism that we might reach a solution?

Mr. Droutsas: The Greek government took the initiative and invited Mr. Nimetz.  In my telephone conversation with him in January, I said that the time has come – we have to look at the process again.

Journalist: So I imagine that you have something more specific that you obviously can’t tell us here. He can’t just come for a visit like that. You wanted to tell him something.

Mr. Droutsas: We wanted to pass on to him – as the new government – that we want direct contact with the UN mediator, so that he, too, can tell us how he sees things; how things have developed to date. And for us to explain to him first hand how the Greek government sees the issue. And to look at how we can move ahead.

Journalist: Great, but beyond all this activity and all these contacts and meetings, which are positive and all that, is there nothing specific that is new?

Journalist: And is this good timing? To open another issue.

Mr. Droutsas: First of all, Mr. Nimetz didn’t bring any new proposal. As I said, it was an initial meeting for us to pass on to him our position, our approach; for us to reiterate to Mr. Nimetz the government’s will to contribute constructively to reaching a solution and supporting the UN process. That was the objective. It really was a very good meeting, and now we will see in the immediate future how the process continues.

Journalist: And one last question. Regarding these two meetings you are preparing for now – with Ms. Merkel and Mr. Obama – if you could give us a personal assessment of which is more difficult and which of the two you are more anxious about.

Mr. Droutsas: Both meetings are important. And of course they are two different meetings. I think that in the meeting with Ms. Merkel the matter of confronting the economic crisis in Greece will be the focus of the talks.

Journalist: Mr. Minister, it was written in the press yesterday that there is a plan – there is already a secret deal – that the Prime Minister is aware of, for the granting of the amount Greece needs, €25 billion, and that the relative discussions have taken place. And that is why the President of Deutsche Bank came. What is your reply to that?

Mr. Droutsas: That the Greek government is making very serious efforts so that Greece can emerge from this crisis and really be able to implement our stability programme effectively.

The Greek government is doing whatever is necessary. A lot of procedures and consultations are under way, but I think that it would be best for us to leave it to the government to work in this serious manner, and I think we will soon see positive results for our country, for our homeland.

Journalist: And a word about Greek-Turkish relations, because I interrupted you earlier. New Democracy, the main opposition party, asked that the contents of the Papandreou-Erdogan letters be made public. At the Prime Minister’s instructions, you visited Antony Samaras and read the letters to him. From the knowledge of the data that you provided to the head of the main opposition party, I am hearing intense criticism of the contents of these letters and fears – as expressed by the opposition party – that there may be a framework of secret diplomacy: activity on the part of our country on this issue that goes contrary to the direction in which Greek-Turkish relations have been moving to date. How do you reply to that?

Mr. Droutsas: Firstly, let me clarify something so that we can dispel the rumours that some are creating and trying to circulate. As a matter of principle, we did not make the Greek Prime Minister’s letter to his Turkish counterpart public. The Greek Foreign Minister’s correspondence is not something that should be shared, even with heads of parties, whom we respect very much, of course.

I didn’t read the letter to Mr. Samaras. I gave the letter to Mr. Samaras – the Greek Prime Minister’s letter to Mr. Erdogan, as well as Mr. Erdogan’s letter to Mr. Papandreou – to read at his leisure and take any notes that deemed necessary. I want to stress this because false impressions are being created without reason – that I supposedly read the letter to Mr. Samaras.

Journalist: We also write scenarios here is Greece.

Mr. Droutsas: That is a major issue that one might – and that one should – discuss in Greece: how public dialogue or news coverage is carried out sometimes. But in any case that is not the subject we are discussing. It is just that you asked and it was a good opportunity – and I thank you for that – to clarify that issue.

And one last thing, if I may, because you mentioned that New Democracy is expressing concerns, etc. First of all, let me say that at my meeting with Mr. Samaras and his associates, nothing of this kind was expressed to me.

Journalist: With the visa waiver for Greeks travelling to the U.S.?

Mr. Droutsas: As I had the opportunity to say following my visit to Washington a few weeks ago, the Greek side has carried out all of the necessary preparations on this issue, and this has been acknowledged by the U.S. side.

It is now a matter of internal U.S. procedures. The briefing provided to us by the U.S. leadership is that everything is going smoothly. It is a matter of time. We shall see when this can be completed.

Journalist: Mr. Minister, our warm thanks. I would say that we covered a broad range of issues.

Mr. Droutsas: Thank you very much.