Barack Obama’s “swan song” as the US president came with encouraging words to crisis-plagued Greece on Tuesday, where he offered support for debt relief, praise for painful reforms over the years and a much greater insight into the timely Cyprus problem, which has essentially been off Washington’s agenda since 2004.
The outgoing US president arrived aboard Air Force One in the late morning to begin a two-day working visit, before he flies to Berlin, his next-to-last foreign destination as the American leader.
Obama, who was accompanied by Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and National Security Advisor Susan Rice, among other top White House officials, was first received by the Greek president, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who holds a ceremonial head of state position in the country. He then met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, offering kudos to "the Greek government and the Greek people for moving forward through a very challenging process.”
"My hope is that given the growth we saw this year, we can build on that progress. The reforms have not been easy but have been necessary to boost the competitiveness of the economy... In my message to the rest of Europe I will continue to emphasize our view that austerity alone cannot deliver prosperity," Obama said before his pleased Greek hosts.
"It is going to be important both with respect to debt relief and other accommodative strategies to help the Greek people during this period of adjustment," he added during a joint press conference.
A beaming Tsipras responded that “it’s a great honor that you are visiting Greece as part of your final tour, thus providing a special message to the world.”
Despite recently entering “lame duck” mode, the still highly popular Obama offered support on the all-important debt relief issue, Athens’ handling of the unprecedented waves of refugees and irregular migrants being ferried from Turkey to Greece over the past two and a half years and the Cyprus issue, as inter-communal talks continue at present towards a workable solution.
Obama praised Greece’s role as an American and NATO ally and reiterated Washington’s commitment to help Greece implement program to reduce refugee flows.
During a brief meeting with Pavlopoulos at the presidential mansion, where he was formally received with full military guard honors, Obama said "it is appropriate to visit a great country, the birthplace of democracy, the source of so many of the ideals and values that helped to build America."
"Obviously Greece has gone through very difficult economic times over the last years. It is the policy of my administration to do everything we can to work with the Greek government and the Greek people to restore growth and optimism and to alleviate hardship. We are glad to see that progress is being made and we recognize that there are significant challenges ahead. We intend to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Greek people," he stressed.
The US president will tour the Acropolis on Wednesday and give an address at a newly built cultural multiplex – the Niarchos Center – in coastal southern Athens.
