An appeal by Greek academics to the European leaders for successful conclusion of the Greek-EU negotiations

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
To: The Foreign Ministers of the European Union.
Cc: President of the United States, Mr. Obama
Members of the European Parliament
Members of the Greek Parliament
Global Media
19 February, 2015
Re: An appeal by Greek academics to the European leaders for successful conclusion of the Greek-EU negotiations
Dear Sirs,
The undersigned, all Greek academics in Greece and abroad, follow with great interest and concern the developments, as they unfold, in the negotiations of the newly elected Greek Government, in the last Eurogroup meetings with its European partners. The Greek Government currently has the support of the great majority of the Greek population and is acting having in mind the best interest and the welfare of the Greek people. It aims at halting the humanitarian catastrophe that the country has devolved into with the failed austerity policies of the past years.
With this letter we wish to state that the one sided view about the Greek economic crisis and the total lack of flexibility by Germany’s Federal Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble and other European partners, make the negotiations not just difficult but practically impossible. Without underestimating the great need for structural reforms in Greece, we have understood that some of the strict austerity measures imposed upon the Greek people made several such reforms impossible to implement. Dr Schäuble and other European leaders ought to realize this, rather than insist for full completion of the agreement, even more so as parts of it contribute to not meeting the set goals. They shall bear most of the responsibility if the negotiations fail and as a result Greece is forced to exit from the Eurozone. Under current conditions, this will not only be negative for Greece, it will also damage the interests of the European people, the European banks and ultimately annihilate the scope and ideals of the European Union. Had a similar attitude prevailed in the negotiations of Germany with the allied forces after WWII, the so-called German economic miracle would have never occurred.
We fully support the negotiations of the Greek Government carried out by Dr. Yianis Varoufakis.
Sincerely
1. Anagnostopoulos Stavros A., Emeritus Professor, University of Patras, Chief Editor (Europe), Earthquakes and Structures GREECE.
2. Anastassopoulou Jane, Professor, National Technical University of Athens, GREECE.
3. Argyropoulos, Yiannis, Ph.D., Principal Member of Technical Staff, AT&T Labs, USA.
4. Arkas Evangelos Ph.D. Physics & Th.D. CEO. PHOS Solar Technologies Ltd London, UK.
5. Aroniadou-Anderjaska, Vassiliki, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Maryland, USA.
6. Billis, Euripides, Ex-Assistant Professor National University of Athens (NTUA), GREECE.
7. Blytas, George C. Ph.D. Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Research Consultant, Royal Dutch-Shell; President, GCB Separations Technology, Founder and Conductor: The Houston Sinfonietta. Author, The First Victory, Greece in the Second World War, 2009. USA.
8. Constantelos Demetrios J. Ph.D., D.D. Distinguished Research Scholar in Residence; Charles Cooper Townsend Distinguished Professor of History and Religion, Emeritus. Richard Stockton University of New Jersey, Galloway, New Jersey, USA.
9. Evangeliou, Christos C., Professor of Philosophy, Towson University, Maryland, USA.
10. Fytrolakis Nikolaos, Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens, GREECE.
11. Filippas, Anastasios, Ph.D. National Technological University of Athens, GREECE.
12. Gatzoulis, Nina, Professor, University of New Hampshire, USA.
13. Hatzopoulos, Ioannis (John), Professor, Director of Remote Sensing Laboratory and GIS, University of the Aegean, GREECE.
14. Ierapetritis, D. G., Ph.D. Geographer, External Research Fellow, University of the Peloponnese, GREECE.
15. Kakouli-Duarte, Thomais, PhD., Lecturer, Institute of Technology Carlow, Past President Hellenic Community of Ireland, Trustee Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Dublin, Patron and Director at Phoenix Project Ireland, IRELAND.
16. Kaloy, Dr. Nicolas, Ph.D.(Philosophy), Geneva, SWITZERLAND.
17. Katsifarakis Kostas, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GREECE.
18. Kyriakou Georgios, Professor, Democritus University of Thrace, GREECE.
19. Negreponti-Delivanis, Maria, Former Rector and Professor in the University of Macedonia, President of Delivanis’ Foundation, GREECE.
20. Papagiannis, Grigorios Dr. Phil., Associate Professor, Democritus University of Thrace, GREECE.
21. Papadopoulos, Nikolaos Th., Ph.D., FEBO Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GREECE.
22. Pavlos, Georgios, Associate Professor, Democritus Technological University of Thrace, GREECE.
23. Phufas-Jousma Ellene, Professor, SUNY ERIE. Buffalo NY USA.
24. Rigos, Capt. Evangelos, Master Mariner, BBA Pace University of New York, GREECE.
25. Stampoliadis, Elias, Professor, Technological University of Crete, GREECE.
26. Vallianatos, Evaggelos, Ph.D. Scholar and Writer, USA.