Things I've Learned |
Everyday I read, I listen, I think. At the end of the day, I've learned something. |
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Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou walks out of the West Wing after a meeting at the White House March 9, 2010 in Washington, DC. Papandreou met with President Barack Obama.
Photographers and members of the press weren’t allowed in the meeting but I guess we will see official photos in a few hours. I understand that being together with the president of Socialist International wouldn’t be a very pleasant picture for the American conservative media.
The big news of this meeting though, is that Greece became a member of the US Visa Waiver Program. This means that Greek citizens will be allowed to travel to the US without having to go through the painful procedure of issuing a visa.
“Our efforts to guard against terrorism while enhancing legal travel and trade depend upon close collaboration with our international partners,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I commend our partners in Greece for committing to strong screening and security standards and enhanced information sharing for travel by Greek citizens to the United States as we work together to protect our citizens and strengthen our economies.”
Of course, we shouldn’t expect a rush of Greek travellers to the US, especially during those hard times but it will make travelling procedures a lot easier for those who need to travel there.
I expect many to ask the question “So, what did Greece gave back?”. Access to DNA databases, granted by the previous Greek government may be one answer, while further involvement in Afghanistan is another. Greece agreed to take over the operation of Kabul’s airport adding to today’s peaceful Greek presence in the country.
