"Vice President Joe Biden spoke today with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras about bilateral relations, the situation in eastern Ukraine, and Cyprus.
The two leaders expressed their appreciation for the strong bilateral ties and alliance between Greece and the United States.
On Ukraine, the leaders agreed that Russia’s continued provision of heavy weapons and equipment to the separatists in eastern Ukraine required a firm and unified response from the European Union and the United States.
With regards to Cyprus, the Vice President informed Prime Minister Samaras about his recent trip to the island in May, and the leaders discussed their strong support for a comprehensive settlement to the conflict that would reunify Cyprus as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/07/15/readout-vice-president-bidens-call-greek-prime-minister-antonis-samaras
15/7/14
--
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
US pushes for new Russia sanctions ahead of EU talks...
ReplyDeleteUS President Barack Obama is considering a raft of unilateral measures targeting the Russian economy that could be implemented if EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Wednesday do not agree on new sanctions against Moscow, US officials said.
But the White House has not yet decided on any steps that would supercede its stated desire to act in concert with Europe on levying new sanctions against Russia for its "destabilising" actions in Ukraine, a senior official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Intense discussions are continuing with US allies and Washington would prefer to move in coordination with Europe on the new measures, which would target sectors of the Russian economy as well as the defense industry.
The measures could also include moves to freeze the Russia programmes run by the EU's European Investment Bank and the London-based European Bank of Reconstruction and Development.
An EU source said a new round of sanctions was looking "very possible" on the eve of the leaders summit on Wednesday.
The European measures would likely fall short, however, of the "sectoral sanctions" floated earlier by the US that were designed to hammer the Russian economy.
There have been clear signs this week that Washington is losing patience and that it wants Europe to move more quickly on sanctions.
The State Department issued a fact sheet on Monday detailing what it said were Russia's continuing efforts to destabilise Ukraine and its support for the pro-Moscow separatists in the east...............http://www.france24.com/en/20140716-usa-pushes-new-russia-sanctions-eu-talks-brussels/
16/7/14