Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-05-18

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Merkel telephone call to Greek President

[02] Schulz: Europe does not want to subjugate Greece

[01] Merkel telephone call to Greek President

The contents of the discussion were not made known, but according to sources from the President's office Papoulias will brief caretaker prime minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos on the discussion.amna

In Berlin, Merkel's deputy spokesman Georg Streiter later told a regular press briefing that the German government's position, but also that of the European partners, for the formation of a stable Greek government as soon as possible after next month's repeat elections was reiterated by Merkel in a phone call she made to Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Friday morning.amna

During a regular press briefing, Streiter said that the two leaders have held discussions in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.

Streiter declined, however, to reveal details on the context of the discussion, which he said was "confidential".amna

The telephone call came as Papoulias was meeting in Athens with visiting European Parliament president Martin Schulz, which Papoulias left briefly to take the call.

[02] Schulz: Europe does not want to subjugate Greece

"It saddens me that much is being said about Greece, but never with the Greeks...It is my opinion that Europe, at this time, is an anonymous power. Much is being said about the Troika. I don't like this. Only in this way will we have the opportunity to prove that we do not want to subjugate Greece, but to help it," the German socialdemocrat politician said on arrival at the Presidential Mansion.

Papoulias greeted Schulz with the hope that the political forces in Greece will, in next month's repeat elections, succeed in forming a government.amna

"We are entering a new phase. We were not able to form a government of national understanding, but you are knowledgeable on political parties and know the difficulties that exist," Papoulias told Schulz.

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