Merkel Hails Greek Progress During Landmark Visit

By Derek Gatopoulos

The Associated Press

Published: October 10, 2012 (Issue # 1730)

ATHENS, Greece — German chancellor Angela Merkel said Greece has covered “much of the ground” required for recovery, during her landmark visit to the financially stricken country.

Merkel, who stopped in Athens on Tuesday for five hours, said she hoped Greece would remain in the 17-country group that uses the euro and stressed the government in Athens still had to push through more key cost-cutting reforms.

“Much of the ground has been covered ... There is daily progress,” Merkel said after talks with conservative Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. “This is an effort that should be seen through because otherwise it would make the circumstances even more dramatic later on.”

Paying her first visit to Greece in five years, Merkel’s arrival triggered protests attended by some 50,000 demonstrators in Athens. The rallies were mostly peaceful, but police briefly clashed with several dozen demonstrators and detained more than 50 people throughout the day.