AHI President, Legal Counsel Interviewed on Greece’s Debt Crisis, Referendum VoteLarigakis Speaks with Chinese TV, Karambelas Appears on NPRWASHINGTON, DC—American Hellenic Institute (AHI) representatives appeared in separate interviews to discuss Greece’s debt crisis and the ramifications of the Greek referendum vote, which took place July 5, 2015. AHI President Nick Larigakis participated on a three-person interview panel held by China Central Television (CCTV) America and Nicholas G. Karambelas, Esq., AHI volunteer legal counsel, and partner, Sfikas & Karambelas LLP, appeared on National Public Radio’s “The Diane Rehm Show,” which aired on WAMU 88.5 FM in Washington, DC, as part of a four-person panel. Both interviews occurred July 6, 2015. On CCTV America’s “The Heat” segment, “The Heat discusses Greece’s Eurozone future,” Larigakis discussed the outcome of Greece’s referendum vote. “In my opinion, it was more of an emotional vote…a reactionary vote to the anti-austerity policies of the European Union perpetrated against Greece from the past five years with no end in sight,” he said. Larigakis also provided his insight based upon his meetings with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who stated to Larigakis that Greece does not want to come out of European Union, or exit the Euro, but that the Greeks were “being squeezed and strangled” by the Europeans. Larigakis added his thoughts on Greece leaving the euro, “I don’t think it’s an option for Greece to leave the euro…This is unchartered territory.” He added there is no mechanism available for any nation leaving the euro. Finally, Larigakis discussed Greece’s strategic importance to the region and to United States and NATO security interests. In addition to Larigakis, the CCTV America segment featured Constance Baroudos, policy analyst and program director, Lexington Institute; and James Galbraith, professor, University of Texas, who was interviewed from Athens, Greece. Baroudos was a participant on an AHI Foundation Student Foreign Policy trip in 2011. On NPR‘s “The Diane Rehm Show” segment, “The Economic Crisis in Greece and Implications for the Eurozone,” Karambelas provided his analysis of the outcome of the referendum vote, noting that each side, the Europeans and the Greeks has made its point. “…the banks are closed. The Europeans can show what can happen if you don't negotiate properly. The Greeks have shown their national dignity and defiance,” he said. “And what I hope will happen is, okay, we've both made a point. Now, let's sit down and do serious negotiating.” He also provided his take on the composition of the referendum ballot and the negotiations process over the past five years. Karambelas said, “I think one element that's missing in these negotiations is a mediator. And it could be, maybe it's the United States, I don't know. But I've been in, as a lawyer, I've been in a lot of negotiations. And you reach a point where the sides just can't communicate anymore, and I think that's happening here.” Scheherazade Rehman, professor, International Business and International Affairs at George Washington University and director of the university's European Union Center; Stephan Richter, publisher and editor-in-chief, The Globalist; and Stathis Kalyvas, professor, political science and director, Program on Order, Conflict and Violence, Yale University; joined Karambelas on the panel.
The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American think-tank and public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.
### For additional information, please contact Georgea Polizos at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org and follow us on Twitter @TheAHIinDC.
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AHI President, Legal Counsel Interviewed on Greece’s Debt Crisis, Referendum Vote
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