Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou expressed his satisfaction over the results of his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House yesterday, having agreed the joint handling of profiteers and secured the visa waiver for Greek citizens visiting the United States.
Speaking to reporters, Papandreou termed the visa waiver "a vote of confidence" to Greece and noted that the Greek government is determined to respond to its obligations and cooperate closely at international level on the tackling of
terrorism.
The prime minister stressed that he briefed the US president on his and other European leaders's initiatives aiming at confronting profiteers and restoring Greece's image in international markets.
Papandreou called on the US to contribute to a common direction with the European countries at the next G20 summit, while clarifying that Greece did not request economic aid from the US.
Greece's initiative for the accession of all the countries of the western Balkans to the European Union by 2014 was also discussed, a development that Papandreou characterised as being stabilising for peace in the wider region and the solving of specific
bilateral problems.
As regards relations with Turkey, the premier briefed the US president on the visit to Athens by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in the coming months, as well as on the will of the Greek side to revive the procedure on the normalisation of Greek-Turkish relations and the solving of differences, such as the case of the continental shelf adding "we also have support on the part of the US in this effort".
On the question of Cyprus, Papandreou said that he confirmed his support for the efforts of Cyprus President Demetris Christofias for a just solution to the issue and the need for a message to Turkey as well for a decisive will for a solution to this problem, always within European frameworks.