Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, said the results of Greece's Parliamentary elections on June 17 and certain other factors "inspire reserved optimism" regarding the economic situation in Europe.
In his address, Putin stressed that "the results of the elections in Greece, the decisive stance of the leadership of the European Commission and the European Union in its entirety and of certain leading European countries, on the imposition of fiscal discipline and the brushing aside of imbalances in the economy, inspire reserved optimism." Putin To Samaras - Respect Your Commitments And Everything Will Work Out Perfectly
Earlier, Putin sent a message of congratulations to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on the assumption of his duties. Confidence is expressed in the message that "the extensive political experience of Antonis Samras will help to resolve the complicated problems facing Greece and the Greek society." According to the presidential website kremlin.ru, the message also stresses "the necessity for further developing Russian-Greek dialogue on issues on the bilateral and international agenda."
According to the Greek news agency AMNA a corresponding message of congratulations was also sent by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in which it is noted that "in Russia they honor the traditional friendly relations and the constructive partnership relation with Greece."
In regards to Greek-Russian relations, an interesting report was featured earlier in the week on defencenet which said that the Samaras government will attempt to rejuvenate relations with the former Soviet Union in the fields of energy, defense cooperation, industrial cooperation -with a focus on privatizations- as well as in the field of energy: According to the report, the Russians are interested in the Greek natural gas and oil fields, especially those in southern Crete. (Read more about Samaras' trip to Russia by clicking here)
It said that when Samaras visited Moscow earlier this year Vladimir Putin was clear on what he considered a basis for mutually profitable relations between both countries. He stressed that Greece's commitment to the South Stream pipeline project be respected. The project, as some may remember was literally put on the back burner, or rather it was killed, by the former government of George Papandreou. (Read classified documents on the energy coup against our country as presented by Epikaira magazine, and the role of George Papandreou by clicking here)
In fact, most of the pipeline projects such as Nabucco, and ITGI are already considered clinically "dead, despite the efforts of the US and Europe to keep them going. (Find out why Hillary Clinton came to Greece as well as why they pushed the other pipelines by clicking here)
And let's face it, Greece is thirsty for capital, far more than it was in 2008-2009, so there aren't that many options opened on how to get it. Also, Putin has returned to the presidency so the possibilities are now endless.
During the Greek election campaign Russia declined to show its support to one or the other party, and rather remained neutral, but at the end of the campaign -and specifically during a press conference by Alexis Tsipras at Zappeion-, the intervention by the Russian ambassador showed its "skepticism" on a possible SYRIZA win.
Russians are realistic in the way the view their trade relations. They are not seduced by words such as "geo-strategy" perhaps because they feel that this is not a time when they should start unwanted conflicts with the EU and possibly even the US. But be assured, that their relations with Greece and the Greek people are very strong and they will push ahead with their interests one way or another.
Participation in the South Stream project would be a very good start, since this pipeline venture -which almost cost the life of the former premier of Greece Costas Karamanlis- only benefits Greece as well as will generate thousands of jobs and income for the Greek people and the state. (Read more about this project, and how it was used -as indicated by controversial press reports in Athens- as a motive for the attempted assassination of Karamanlis by clicking here).
If the South Stream project does not finally materialize it would be a shame because such colossal ventures are hard to come by. Beyond this, Russia is apparently also considering an alternative plan that involves the LNG plant (liquefied natural gas) in Northern Greece (specifically the areas of Kavala and Alexandroupolis) which it wants to supply with gas from Algeria, from the energy fields purchased by Gazprom. (Find out how the South-Stream project can benefit Greece by clicking here)
As far as defense cooperation is concerned, the agreement for the supply of TOMA BMP-3HEL and SHORADS defense systems will apparently continue.
With regard to state assets, the Russian proposal to buy out the Greek state railway company (OSE) is the best offer that Athens has received so far, both for the state as well as its workers. Moscow is also interested in the DEPA-DESFA (which is the state natural gas company). Other proposals that have apparently been thrown on the table are a number of Greek ports, as well as an arms industry.
"In Greece you love to talk but not to work" said a senior Russian official during Samaras' visit to Moscow. And Samaras said "this is what we want to change"
Only time will tell ...
Reference in Greek defencenet