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U.S. State Department’s Daily Briefing Covers Greece

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U.S. State Department Spokesperson John Kirby discussed Greece's current situation, during his Daily Press Briefing held in Washington, D.C.

Kirby's comments in full about the nation can be read below.

Question: Yeah. You see the referendum results, it's no. So is the U.S. treating the Greek crisis and this referendum as a political crisis for the EU and the euro currency? Are – you are treating – is it purely a financial economic crisis for one of the countries?

Mr. Kirby: Well, I'm not – I don't think it'd be appropriate for us to characterize that it is or what kind of crisis this may be. I mean, this is – the referendum – we respect the democratic process in Greece, right. That was something for the Greek people to voice their opinions on. And now that it's over – and you've seen this – Prime Minister Tsipras has indicated Greece's plan – place, I'm sorry, is in the Eurozone and in Europe. And he's expressed a desire to return to the negotiating table immediately. We look forward, as we have said from the beginning, to have all parties resuming their conversations toward a constructive outcome.

Question: As it has been said from this podium or from the White House that President Obama has been in touch with the, for example, German chancellor and other leaders in the EU.

Mr. Kirby: Yeah.

Question: Have you been in touch with any of the representatives of these EU institutions or international financial institutions? Like, any readout, anything that is going on – like, what is the U.S. doing about this?

Mr. Kirby: Well, Secretary Lew and senior Treasury officials as well as the White House continue to stay in close touch with a broad array of counterparts on the situation in Greece, including officials from Greece, the European Union, and the IMF. So of course, the State Department is a party to some of those discussions but this is predominantly being led by – appropriately led by Secretary Lew and the Treasury Department.

Question: Does the – can I have a follow up on that?

Mr. Kirby: Sure.

Question: Does the U.S. – and we've asked you before – what does the U.S. see as the geopolitical implications of this? Because it really is a big issue. I mean, Greece has played a major role not only in the Mediterranean but also in the Balkans and it stands in an interesting – its location is interesting in a region that is increasingly – you've got – I don't even have to go through it – through Russia and everything. Does the U.S. have some concerns about this, and what kind of diplomatic efforts can the U.S. take – notwithstanding commenting on what's going on in the economic prospect, but what other kinds of efforts can the U.S. take to ensure that this doesn't get out of control?

Mr. Kirby: Well, I think, Lesley, I mean, first of all, you – I think you may have answered your own question. The focus right now is on the financial situation in Greece. And as I said, Secretary Lew is leading the U.S. Government response in terms of – not response, but coordination. And I won't speak for him or the Treasury Department. But yes, clearly we're monitoring this closely. We're all watching developments. And what Secretary Kerry wants to see is that a path forward is found – a constructive path forward is found that will permit Greece to follow on the reforms that it needs and to restore rate of growth and to achieve a level of debt sustainability. That's really where the focus is on now. We're certainly mindful of Greece's place in Europe geopolitically, but – and nobody's ignoring that, but again, the focus right now is on making sure that all the parties in this discussion find a constructive way forward. That's really the best resolution to a more stable future for Greece and for Europe.

Question: Well, the U.S. is basically – some critics have called it a helpless bystander because this is a European issue. But where it's not a European issue is in the IMF, in these institutions that can actually come stand forward – come forward and help Greece. What is the U.S. – what has the U.S. said to the IMF about helping Greece?

Mr. Kirby: Well, I would refer you to the Treasury Department and Secretary Lew for any discussions of that nature, and I'm not – certainly not confirming that there have been specific discussions between the Treasury Department and the IMF. But it is – this is, again, predominantly led – being coordinated through Secretary Lew and the Treasury Department.

Question: Just another quick follow-up on that. That if you go back in history, like when West Germany – we supported West Germany and brought it – after the World War and all that. And then over the years we have been – how are we supporting at this point Greece or the EU? It's – as she said, it's a internal issue, but still it has a big impact, because if it goes out and it goes and the Russia comes to it, it's – so how this – the State Department is looking at it from the diplomatic angle? What – is there anybody making any phone calls on a diplomatic level, any readout, anything you can have?

Mr. Kirby: I don't have any readouts for you.

Question: Okay, yeah.

Mr. Kirby: As I said in my answer to you previously, certainly the State Department – State Department officials are a part of the discussions that are going on, but it is under Secretary Lew's coordination in that this is predominantly – we're watching it closely, but it is predominately an issue for Greece's creditors and Greece and the Greek Government to work out. And as I – again, I was clear – very clear about what we'd like to see, which is reforms, a rate of growth restored, and debt sustainability. And I don't – there's simply nothing that I could – would speculate with regard to any additional U.S. assistance.

(Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/07/244639.htm#GREECE)