EBRD likely to help Greek banks if rescue deal holdsJuly 13, 2015 - 17:22 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is likely to play some role in getting Greek banks back on their feet if the eurozone's third rescue deal for the country holds, one of the bank's top officials said on Monday, July 13, according to Reuters. Peter Sanfey, the EBRD's Acting Director of Country Strategy and Policy, told Reuters it was a relief that Greece looked to be staying in the euro and that would hopefully clear the way for the bank's first projects in the country. "We would very much like to support this," said Sanfey, who was in Greece last week. "We will try to be involved where we are needed and where we can provide value." As part of Greece's aid deal, 50 billion euros worth of state assets -- including recapitalized banks -- are to be put into a trust fund beyond the government's reach, to be sold off primarily to pay down the nation's massive debts. Sanfey said areas like logistics, agriculture and tourism were all potential areas of investment for the EBRD, but for many euro zone watchers it will be any involvement in the country's troubled banks that will be of most interest. The EBRD took a 5 percent stake in Bank of Cyprus last year as part of a 1 billion euro capital-raising drive and the question is whether the EBRD does a similar thing in Greece. "I'm sure we will play some sort of role (in the banks)," Sanfey said, adding it was still waiting and watching at the moment. "We have the stake with Bank of Cyprus, so we certainly know what we are doing." Cyprus was the first bailed-out euro zone country to receive assistance from the EBRD, which was set up by governments in 1991 to support the ex-communist states of eastern Europe. Having also expanded its mandate in recent years to parts of North Africa and central Asia, this year its shareholders gave the bank the green light to start working in Greece as well. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |