Venizelos is ready for anything, hoping to receive affirmation

Evangelos Venizelos is traveling to Washington today, on the most crucial trip of a Greek FinMin in history. In conditions of extreme suspense, and with scenarios of a new global recession increasing, the minister will attempt to dispel the climate of distrust towards Greece.

Bleak scenarios about Greece and the world economy are rampant as anxiety on the part of states and individuals about a new Lehman Bros is reaching its limits and in the midst of all this, Venizelos will meet with the major bankers of IIF and ask them to join the project for the exchange of bonds in a more active manner.

In essence, three weeks after the inspectors’ departure from Athens, Venizelos will meet with Thomsen again, but he will not just try to unblock the talks with the Troika before their return to Athens next week, but rather to push and accelerate the decisions of private investors to participate massively in the Greek rollover, so as to pave the way for the realization of the 21 July agreement in October.

During the weekend, Dalara of the IIF and Ackerman of Deutsche Bank will be in the American capital, along with about 1.300 members of American and European banks. The FinMin’s main aim will be to persuade bankers, owners of Greek bonds and members of the IIF to support the Greek rescue plan.

With rough measures and commitments for additional ones - more painful if necessary - in his bag, he will attempt to dispel the doubts concerning our country expressed by skeptics (mainly Brazilians and other Latin Americans) to the IMF in order not to create obstacles against Christine Lagarde's plans.

Information from the other side of the Atlantic mentions that if everything goes smoothly, the head of the IMF is preparing, and will offer some "gifts" to our country, which may start from a simple statement of support and confidence, or for example the announcement of the sixth tranche, to something possibly much larger concerning the Greek issue.

Finally, Venizelos will also meet with the head of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet, and the European Commission's Finance Commissioner Olli Rehn.