Greek premier to meet Obama, talk economic crisis

[August 08, 2013]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department says the U.S. will offer support for Greece's efforts to emerge from a deep economic crisis during the Greek prime minister's visit to Washington.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras (ahn-TOH'-nees sah-mah-RAHS') is meeting President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday. The State Department says the U.S. will back Greece's restructuring of its economy in a bid to end a six-year recession.

The International Monetary Fund, part of a team of international lenders behind a $319 billion bailout of Greece, said last week that the country has made exceptional progress in stabilizing its finances but still needs to make major changes to its economy, such as collecting more taxes.

Samaras met Wall Street investors in New York behind closed doors Wednesday.

[Associated Press]

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