Auteur/autrice : Heidi Barathieu-Brun

Published on Spiegel Online International, by Manfred Ertel, Katrin Kuntz and Walter Mayr, March 21, 2015:

Is Germany liable to Athens for loans the Nazis forced the Greek central bank to provide during World War II? A new study in Greece could increase the pressure on Berlin to pay up … //

… Outstanding German Debt:

• The central question in the report is that of forced loans the Nazi occupiers extorted from the Greek central bank beginning in 1941. Should requests for repayment of those loans be classified as reparation demands — demands that may have been forfeited with the Two-Plus-Four Treaty of 1990? Or is it a genuine loan that must be paid back? The expert commission analyzed contracts and agreements from the time of the occupation as well as receipts, remittance slips and bank statements.   Continuer la lecture de « Nazi Extortion: Study Sheds New Light on Forced Greek Loans »

Published on Russia Today RT, March 20, 2015 – (with Picture: Screenshot from Bank of Greece.gr Website)

While Mr Tsipras isn’t saying what’s left in the bank, he acknowledges Greece is facing « liquidity pressure. » The country’s cash shortfall is projected to hit €3.5 billion in March, according to Bloomberg calculations based on 2015 budget figures.

Greece’s coffers are spread thin, but the country has €3-4 billion in buffer cash stored at the Bank of Greece that could be used at a pinch, according to Economy Minister George Stathakis. Continuer la lecture de « Bank of Greece solicits donations on website to pay off debt »

Published on Russia Today RT, March 20, 2015.

… The agreement defines the basic conditions for cooperation in Russian gas supply to China via the so-called eastern route. It includes the terms of design, construction and operation of the cross-border pipeline sector, the government said Friday.   Continuer la lecture de « Russian govt approves eastern route for gas supplies to China »

Published on Richard Falk’s Blog (also on ZNet), by blog owner, March 17, 2015.

We can only wonder about the stability and future prospects of the United States if 47 Republican senators can irresponsibly further jeopardize the peace of the Middle East and the world by writing an outrageous Open Letter to the leadership of Iran. Continuer la lecture de « Iran’s Nuclear Program: Diplomacy, War, and (In)Security in the Nuclear Age »

Published on naked capitalism, by Yves Smith, March 18, 2015.

Things are not looking good for Greece.

When Greece and the Eurogroup signed a four-month deal delineating how Greece could get access to desperate needed, so-called “bailout” funds, our reading of the agreement was that it reaffirmed the so-called Memorandum of Understanding, meaning the structural reforms that were part of the IMF loan program. That was very much a minority view at the time.   Continuer la lecture de « Negotiations with Greece Close to Breakdown as Budget Strains Worsen »