Tsipras Putin and confined themselves to general declarations – BBC Russian

• 8 April 2015

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According to Vladimir Putin’s visit to Moscow Alexis Tsipras took place “just what we needed”

Greek Prime Minister and President of Russia did not discuss the issues of the Greek foreign debt – in spite of sounding on the eve of his visit to Moscow, Alexis Tsipras suggestions that the talks in Moscow will be raised the issue of granting loans to Greece.

“The Greek side do not hesitate to contact us with any requests for help”, – Putin said at a press conference after the talks.

As for the question of the abolition of the food embargo for Greece and EU sanctions against Russia, as previously said Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, then, according to Putin, Russia will not use contacts with individual countries of Europe to try to use them to solve the problems of relations with the EU as a whole.

“The statements that Russia allegedly collaborating with Greece for the impact on the EU, caused by short-term political considerations, “- Putin said.

For his part, Tsipras said that” Greece – is a sovereign country with its unconditional right to conduct a multifaceted foreign policy. ” He also said that the Greek government understands Russia’s decision to impose retaliatory sanctions against the West.

“We are well aware that this is the response, they came as a response to the sanctions, the logic of which we do not agree” – he said.

Millions promises

Those who expected to hear loud statements on the results of talks between Putin and Tsipras was probably disappointed. The meeting between the two leaders ended with the signing of documents declarative character – a joint action plan for 2015-2016 years of the memorandum of conduct in 2016 the Year of Russia in Greece and in Russia, Greece, as well as a statement on the 70th anniversary of Victory Day.

To clarify the situation helped leading questions of journalists about Greece and probable loan cancellation Russian grocery embargo. From the responses of Putin and Tsipras became clear – this is not talking.

“Greece was forced to vote for sanctions against Russia, and response, of course, hit on Greece, – Putin said. – But it is not our wines. [...] We could not do otherwise, we can not make an exception for any one country of the European Union “, – he added.

remain unsolved question of the participation of Greece in the” Turkish Feed “which assures Vladimir Putin, can bring this country hundreds of millions of euros annually.

” This raises the geopolitical status of Greece – it becomes a major transit country for the whole of southern Europe, and possibly Central Europe. [...] She will get good money for transit – we are talking about hundreds of millions of euros annually for transit, just because “- promised the Russian president.

In turn, Tsipras said that Athens interested in studying the possibility of building a pipeline into Greek territory. Nothing specific about the “Turkish flow” on his part did not sound.

Rapid analysis of observer BBC Russian Service Artem Krechetnikov

From the visit Alexis Tsipras waited three events: a large loan of Moscow Greece, Russia removing restrictions on the import of Greek food and binding statements from Athens regarding their participation in the construction of “Turkish stream”.

None of this happened. The results of the negotiations were limited to general statements.

As pointed out by observers on the eve of the visit, Russia is not in a financial position to throw money in exchange for a verbal declaration. In addition, given the size of the Greek foreign debt (about 320 billion euros) loan in one or two billion still not brought to Athens from difficulties.

On the abolition kontrsanktsy Russia did not go, because Greece has not found it possible to disrupt European solidarity and to unilaterally withdraw from the sanctions regime against Moscow imposed by the EU in relation to the events in Ukraine, although it expresses its negative attitude towards them.

As for the “Turkish stream,” the main problem is in its financing. “Gazprom” lost the opportunity to borrow from international banks because of sanctions, moreover, by the rules of the EU, can not own the gas transmission networks in the EU. Therefore, we need to create a consortium of European investors that does not depend on Russia or from Greece.

Asked why, in that case, all Tsipras visited Moscow, analysts tend to explain this internal political reasons – the desire Greek Prime Minister to demonstrate his independence from fellow citizens of Brussels.