Former US President Bill Clinton is in Athens and earlier on Sunday was received by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Clinton, who is being accompanied by a team of businessmen (four Americans, three of which are of Greek decent). His visit is part of a new incentive plan to promote business and investment to Greece and which is an initiative of the NGO "Greek Initiative" (Hellenic Initiative).
The so-called Hellenic Initiative will initially provide up to $100 million (82 million euros) in loans to businesses in need, news reports said, but they noted that the initiative's organisers have so far declined to provide details.
When he arrived at the Megaros Mansion he told Samaras that the US believes in Greece and its future. "We are here to be supportive," he said in footage broadcast on state television. On his part Samaras, said Greece is facing "(its own) version of the Great Depression," while he explained to the former US president that the economy is expected to contract for a fifth consecutive year, and more than one-fifth of the workforce are jobless.
He arrived on Saturday night, and after dining at a posh restaurant on Syggrou avenue, he held late night (and hush-hush) meetings with various Greek politicians at the luxurious Grande Bretagne hotel. The main subject on the agenda was (as expected) Greek hydrocarbons and deposits which have already been identified and are set for exploitation. It needs to be reminded that Clinton is a major shareholder in Nobel Energy, which is currently operating in Cyprus.
The "no-access to the press" meeting included several prominent members of the Diaspora such as Greek-American businessman Andrew Limberis and press reports on Sunday noted that Minister of Defence Panos Panagiotopoulos and Dimitris Avramopoulos (Foreign Minister) were also present.
It is more than evident that the real nature of Clinton's visit was analyzed (and maybe even finalized) on Saturday night but apart from the subject of hydrocarbons which was expected, the issue of Syria was also apparently raised. The general perception of former U.S. President is that "we are moving towards large-scale conflict and it would be for Greece to choose the correct side." In simple words to stand by the US and not Russia. (In other words... we are not allowed to be friendly with all nations, or else! Nice fascism isn't it? (reference - defencenet)
Editor's Note - How does hellasfrappe interpret the visit? On the outside it looks like the government will now speed up Greece's energy possibilities. On the inside though... we are quite weary of people bearing large gifts, and in this case 100 million dollars... Besides, why do these so called "Greek-Americans" decline to provide details about something that is supposedly good for us? And finally... why a no-access-to-the-press meeting on Saturday night with two key ministers? Are they afraid that something will screw up in the East Med.? Or are they uncertain about their influence in Greece? Hmmmm....
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