Athens , 22 February 2010

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas is in Brussels today to assist the national effort for a good outcome.

Good morning, Mr. Minister. 

Mr. Droutsas: Good morning, Mr. Hatzinikolaou, to you and your listeners.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: And a good week. What do we expect from the Council today, what will we consider a success?

Mr. Droutsas: First of all, I am attending the General Affairs Council, where economic issues are not of course at the center of discussions. I will of course have the opportunity to mention this matter too.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Yes, because the Council of Ministers creates a significant political atmosphere.

Mr. Droutsas: Definitely. And that is why, as I said, I will also have the opportunity to present our views - once again - given the systematic work done in this direction.

The objective is well-known. And the objective is the clear political support that Greece seeks from its partners. Of course, we need the necessary time in order for these measures – already announced by the government and some of them already in implementation – to produce results and for everyone to see the tangible results that we have been waiting for.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Mr. Minister, you are then saying that 15 March is the first time-limit for these measures to be judged but that this date is too near, i.e., that we should be given more time.

Mr. Droutsas: Look, 15 March is definitely not too far away and I think that it is logical for measures to require some time before anyone can see tangible results. Here, we are talking about numbers that some people want to see, and this requires some time.

This should be understood by everyone and we are all working in this direction systematically.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Now, many newspaper reports mention a tough poker game by George Papandreou in order for our country to obtain a loan of €25 billion with similar lending terms as the other eurozone countries, i.e., with low interest rates not the ones we have been paying lately.

And I wanted to ask you if there are indeed negotiations and how optimistic you are that we will achieve our objective?

Mr. Droutsas: Mr. Hatzinikolaou, you are giving me the opportunity to make it clear that Greece, the Greek government, have never asked their partners for financial support. What we have asked is for clear political support so that Greece can put its economy back in order through the implementation of serious measures, which it has taken and proposed through the Stability and Growth Program.

We have not asked our partners for financial support, I stress this once again. What we have asked and what we have received and will continue to receive is clear political support in order to be able to put our economy back in order on our own. And we can do that.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: So aren't reports about us asking help from the Germans, in order to get lower interest rates, true?

Mr. Droutsas: No. What we have asked all our partners is what I told you. Clear political support in order for international markets to get the right messages and for us to be able to borrow on proper terms, just like others from international markets. This is the objective and we are working on this.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Mr. Minister, I wanted to ask you to what extent the economic crisis has made your work more difficult? And I am talking about our national issues. When the Prime Minister spoke about losing part of our national sovereignty in reference to the fact that we are now under EU supervision and there will be European supervisors in Athens, everyone’s mind immediately thought of the risk - now that we are financially weaker, weaker within negotiations – to be damaged on our national matters as well.

Mr. Droutsas: Mr. Hatzinikolaou, it would be unreliable on my part to say that my work has not been made more difficult. But, on the other hand, I would like to stress that Greece's positions on our national matters are crystal clear. We have clear positions, they are known to everyone and we are in a position to handle these matters in the most appropriate manner.

Of course, the country's financial situation does not make things easier, as I said, particularly when you need time and energy to present and support your positions on financial matters as well. But I want to stress once again that there is no issue with regard to our national matters, there is no reason to mix one with the other.

We have clear positions on all our issues, our positions are well-known and they are respected.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Does that mean that you are not concerned about any unpleasant developments on our national issues?

Mr. Droutsas: No, we will definitely not allow that, given the policy we have been exercising. And I would like to stress this too, Mr. Hatzinikolaou, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to repeat it: from the outset, the government took initiatives on various issues, also on foreign policy issues, with this mindset precisely, i.e., that our country would not allow anyone – at this difficult economic juncture – to put us in the corner, if I may use this phrase, on our national issues;

Through inititiaves with regard to our neighbourhood -  I am particularly referring to our initiative for the European perspective of the Balkans, the so-called “Agenda 2014” – through our approach vis-à-vis Turkey, our willingness to cooperate with Turkey once again, through all these initiatives which have helped make us truly reliable partners and not to be attacked on these matters.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou: Mr. Minister, thank you very much. Good luck in Brussels today.

Mr. Droutsas: Thank you.